Mammogram X3

Another mammogram, Thankfully not too many women my age have to deal with getting a mammogram. Actually, truthfully of the cancer screening options, Mammograms are probably my favorite, you don't have to be poked or cut open, you don't even have to be injected or drink anything radio active. Really, it could be worse.

after I checked in I sat in the first waiting room and sent Cameron a text telling him that I was in the same building as him, of course before he could actually get to where I was they called me and escorted me to the "women only" waiting room. Where I watched the room fill, and empty again, then fill with a whole new set of patients and then empty again, after watching this cycle three times, I pulled aside a nurse and after determining that I was here for "diagnostic" and not a "screening" she let me know I was next on the list.

my name was called and the technician took x-rays from 2 different angles and then asked me to go back to the waiting room while the radiologist looked at the film to see if we needed to take any more. So back I went, and soon she came again, this time with a look of concern that immediately tied a knot in my stomach. she explained that there we 2 spots the radiologist was concerned about and we needed more pictures, so she took 2 more and this time had me wait in the room while the radiologist looked over the film in another room, she returned and told me she needed to take more pictures. She did and sent me back to the waiting room. By this point I'm a little freaked out so I call Cameron to let him know what's going on, He's pretty calm about it, which makes me feel a little better until a new technician calls me and takes me to a new room that's fully lit, which can only mean one thing, consult.

The Radiologist comes in and starts talking to me, I remember meeting him when we came out looking for housing and I met all the people that Cameron would be working with, nice guy. I totally don't remember anything he said except that everything looked fine, they just wanted to be sure because the first films had a few concerning spots but they were nothing... Thank Goodness.

I meet the Oncologist next week, when it will be continued.

It hasn't taken long to get back to the waiting room of yet another doctor's office. New but strangely familiar, the only difference is these doctors don't make me wear a wrist band or seem to be concerned with finding out my medical history, weird, don't you think?



my first visit was to the Ob-GYN. The nurse practitioner came in very cheerful. We chit-chat a little and she starts talking about how she loves my curly hair and asked if it has always been that curly. so I then go into the long explanation about going through treatments for breast cancer and the chemo making my hair grow in curly. It was only at this point that she did a history and physical on me. She immediately got me lined up with the oncology department and signed up for CT scans and Mammograms and it starts... again.

Home

much of my efforts these days has gone into creating a home where our family can be safe, comfortable, spiritually uplifted, and inspired.

so here it is, some before and after shots. It is still a work in progress, I haven't dedicated myself to any drapes, and we've been hesitant to hang pictures on the wall but I know if I wait to post this until my house is just the way I want it, it probably won't be posted until we were getting ready to sell the house, because that's the way it is.

The Kitchen

before-

after- the technique we used to paint the blue is called "Rag Rolling" I found a pamphlet about it as I was searching for paint color and decided to try it, they make it look much easier then it actually is.

we bit the bullet and bought new furniture with this move, we've always gotten our furniture at garage sales or good will and then we sell it or donate it when we move, this move was no different. We looked for furniture for a good few weeks but we didn't find anything that wasn't either too expensive or ugly, and I wanted something nice to go in our nice house. this table has a leaf that folds up into it to sit 8 comfortably. It was $600 it came with 4 chairs and we bought 4 more for $200, because we wanted to be able to invite people over, plus we hope to have a big family some day, so why not?

I LOVE having all this cabinet space, I love how open the kitchen is too.

The Living Room
before- messy, I know. but hey that's life.

we didn't have furniture for the first few weeks so when ever people came over we would pull in our camping chair from outside and pull out our folding chairs, it totally reminded me of being a newly wed. also you'll notice in the kitchen is a little tiny kids table, we ate most of our meals with all 5 of us gathered around that little table.

After- ok so we didn't do much to the living room besides adding furniture, but isn't it cute?

I love having these nice soft couches, I know you think I'm crazy to have such a light color with 3 kids but it cleans easily.

Some previous owner decided to paint the fireplace poop brown, it use to be the color of brick on the outside of our house, I think the brick would have looked better but it doesn't really bother me, but don't mention it to Cameron it makes him grumpy just thinking about it.

The Kids Room

Before

After- we love the colors, it makes the room more fun don't you think?

Katelyn and Dallin sleep on the same bed so we didn't see any sense in putting up both of the twin beds, it allows more space to play too. I'm sure you are wondering where we keep the toys, they have a good size walk in closet that fit their toys nicely.

making up for three flights of stairs....

There are a lot of thing I have missed about Tampa, hefting one or two small children up 3 flights of stairs, and then going back for the third who suddenly became limp after realized that she was the only one not being carried isn't one of them. but I have missed having those extra calories burn off doing this everyday activity. My children, ever concerned about my well being and not wanting me to waste away, or worse do the exact opposite among other things they insist on going for a "walk" everyday. I'm usually the only one actually walking, the children are all riding bikes. we found these bikes a various garage sales, Katelyn's princess bike for $15 Dallin's for $2, and Grants for $1. I love garage sales!

where did we go wrong?

not a day goes by when I don't hear frantic screams of "Grant made a mess, mommy come quick!" Today was much like every other day. I let the kids paint with watercolors and sure enough before long" Mommy, Grant made a mess!" Grant had indeed make a mess, He managed to spill the black water used to clean their brushes all over the table. no big deal. It cleans up easy enough. as I wiped up the mess Dallin turns to me and says "mommy, what did we do wrong with Grant?" I thought it was funny that I would be having this conversation about a one and a half year old.

Loving life

I realize that it's been a while. but we are doing well and loving life. here's a little update.

(our computer is having a hard time downloading our pictures and somehow it has deleted all of the good pictures we have taken since being here so this is as good as it gets)

I'll start with the newest member of our family... our van, yes we do still own a van and it has been running for 3 consecutive days, a record. it's a very long story but it has been to the shop and back 3 times, 3 different shops and only towed there twice... yeah we have developed a personal relationship with the tow truck driver, unfortunately they don't offer frequent towing discounts. tomorrow it will have been in our family for three weeks... we'll let you know how long it stays...

Cameron has started residency off pretty easy in vascular surgery, He is at the hospital from 5am to 5pm but he doesn't do much during the day so he gets a lot of time to study for his next board exam. he has also developed an addiction to craigslist as he searches for yard equipment and a bike.

I am forever busy getting our house in order, I've also started making bows again. so fun. I love having a yard and pretending that I know what I'm doing as I mangle every plant we own in the name of "pruning." I've already been to see a doctor and am all lined up for CT scans and mammograms, Everything looks good so far but I'll keep y'all updated on that. my hair is getting longer and is crazy curly, we are talking out of control curly, it's about 3 and a half to 4 inches now... I wish I had a picture.... I'll have to work on that.

Katelyn is a great big sister, she loves to hold Grant's hand when we go on walks and she plays so nicely with Dallin... that is as long as Dallin is willing to do whatever she says, and for the most part he is. Her favorite thing to do is to play outside on the swings, that is to say, to have us push her on the swing. so we spend a lot of time outside, despite the 105 degree weather. Katelyn is missing all of her friends, she tells me daily that she wants to move back to Tampa. We all miss you guys in Florida.

Dallin enjoys doing whatever Katelyn is doing, she and he love to play babies together, they take their dolls and hang out in Grant's closet which usually becomes their house, spaceship or bus depending on their mood. He has developed a "baby" voice where he talks very quietly and blurs his words together. We don't really understand anything he says while he is using this voice but that seems to be okay because he doesn't really expect us to. He loves to ride bikes, we found him a two wheeler with training wheels and he LOVES it. we go on a lot of walks so he can ride it up and down the sidewalk. it's fun.

Grant is growing way too fast. He copies everything the kids do, especially if they come to tell me something, he will run up to me and mimics their voice inflections,and then run away, it's really cute. He is learning about using the potty... kind of, he can hold it really well and he goes when we put him on the potty but he has no problem whatsoever making a mess anywhere else in the house so usually a few times a day, I'll take off his diaper and let him sit on the potty, then the diaper goes back on. he thinks he is so big, and he is. He is very content to play by himself or he enjoys playing with the other kids too, unfortunately they have designated Grant as the monster or bad guy and spend most of their playtime running away from him or capturing him. He's a good sport about it for a little while but it gets old quickly. he is a happy little guy. He loves dogs. and will seek out all dogs in the area. Our street is a popular street for people to go walking on so their are lots of dogs waling past our house everyday and Grant can't get enough of it. He is a cute kid.