highs & lows & back to school

I have been teaching at Holden Christian Academy   for going on 16 years. It is a wonderful school with a family atmosphere where I have the pleasure of working with a fantastic group of people who love the Lord and make the hard work a joy. For the last few days I’ve been getting my room ready, but today was our first mandatory staff meeting. To start things off, the Principal, who happens to be one of my best friends in the world, (How many people can say that about their “boss?”) asked us to share one high and one low of the summer.

That was easy.

My Dad had a cystoscopy and a procedure called a “TURBT” to remove a tumor in his bladder at the very end of the school year in June. After the biopsy, the testing revealed that he had transitional cell carcinoma, that is, stage 2 grade 3 bladder cancer. You would never know to look at him that he is battling such a grave disease.
He looks like the picture of health. But looks can be deceiving. I have been accompanying him on his doctor visits as he seeks advice from the experts between St. Vincent’s in Worcester and Dana Farber in Boston to determine the best course of action for treating this type of cancer.

My Mom is fighting her own ongoing battle with Parkinson’s disease. {With Parkinson’s, the loss of dopamine production in the brain primarily causes tremor, slowness of movement, rigidity, and difficulty with balance and depression.} It is a cruel disease. She is so worried about my Dad and doesn’t know how she could manage without him. They’ve been married for 55 years!

I have been forced to come to grips with the fact that my parents will not always be right next door. It’s hard. I never want to be an orphan.  (I don’t care how old I am!) I just love my mom and dad so much. And my kids just love their grandparents… And my grandkids just love GG and Dad-Dad…

Nevertheless, God is good…All the time! He will give my M & D the strength to bear whatever comes their way and He will do the same for me and mine!

So…as I blink away the tears, you may be surprised (or not) to know that the highlight was actually starting this blog! It is satisfying and cathartic to put words on paper (even if it’s virtual paper!) and reflect on moments of life, big and small.

I know this post is rather long, but even with tears in my eyes it feels good to write these things down. Thanks, Sue (“Suuusan”) for giving us the opportunity to reflect (even if it was for only thirty seconds!)

To those who read, and listen, and comment…

It means so much.

Thanks, Teresa, for calling to say you were checking in! Your timing was perfect!
I’m hoping I’ll have enough time to post when I’m back to school and things are in full swing!

Until next time…

Blessings!