Turn that frown upside down!

My sweet grandma calls me to check on me and sends me cute cards. She can't help but cry when we talk. She feels so far away living in southern Utah that she feels helpless. But she helps me lift my spirits. She always sings me a primary song. She admits that I am too old for the song, but she must have known that even as a adult sometimes we need to be reminded to change our attitude and place a smile on our face when we have a frowny face. 

"If you chance to meet a frown,
Do not let it stay. 
Quickly turn it upside down
And smile that frown away. 

No one likes a frowning face. 
Change it for a smile. 
Make the world a better place
By smiling all the while."

She sent me a book this week with an awesome tree that you can hang photos on. This fits perfectly with my earlier blog of reminded me that the wind makes the tree stronger and the reasons why I need to be strong!

The past two weeks have flown by and yet it feels like forever ago that I went in for my surgery. This week I am gearing up to face the chemo. Today is the first day when I have gotten up and the pain isn't unbearable. I loaded to dishwasher and cleaned the counter AND it felt awesome to be a mom! 

And now I can look back and hopefully remember and thank all those that have done such kind things for me. I am constantly reminded of those that are praying for me and my family. 

My aunt, Charlene, sent this shirt up from St. George. She so gets my personality and I love her. She is actually a cancer guru like my dad. Her focus is the radiology aspect and she works as a radiologist for Gamma West. It is comforting to feel love and support from St. George. 

My mother-in-law, Laila, keeps me smiling. She sends me texts that cheer me up and keep me going. I know she thinks about me every day. Although she is in Boise I feel her love. Her cute students made me the cutest card EVER with their hands forming a heart. And these bandana scarfs are adorable and she knows me SO well to pick the perfect colors! And the CD is on my iPad and ready to keep me going during chemo treatments. I love her and can't wait to spend Thanksgiving with her and my Boise family!

My other mother-in-law, Connie, lives in Florida. She is my ex mother-in-law, but there is no ex in our relationship. She also teaches elementary and I feel her love across the country. She sent me this shirt to get me going! They used them one year at her school and of course it totally fit my earlier blog. I love her and miss our Florida breakfast time (Diet Coke and Hershey's)!!

My other mother-in-law, Anita, sends me love all the time. She understands all too well what process Joey and I are enduring and gets exactly how to support us. She may be Scott's mom, but I truly respect her and admire her courage. 

And every day MiKell and Judy are bringing me things, running things to the kids at school, doing grocery shopping and just being the temporary mom at our house. I love these women so much. 

Leena found this awesome reminder for my house and it sits on my kitchen counter to remind me to always Be Brave! I know that I need this reminder as I approach this week. Thank you for helping me remember.

All the way from Tennessee my cousin, Jared and his crew of crafty women made this awesome frame that sits next to my bed. Sandy....this means so much to me, because I am in a HOME of such brave people. Joey is so very brave. He told me the other day how nervous he was to do my drains at home. I had not realized this at all until he shared with me his fears 10 days later. But he was Brave and just did what had to be done. Our kids are so brave. They have all of the things kids normally are challenged with: grades, friends, chores, etc., but then they have to face extra challenges at such young ages. I am so proud of their bravery. We have a home of very brave people. Thank you Turner family for reminding me!

My sweet friend, Kelli, that teaches with me bought us this book. Well it is more for Joey, but I'm reading it as well. It is so powerful and helpful. And it is a book that is recommended by the doctors at Huntsman. I find so much comfort hearing about the experiences that other families have tackled. Thank you!

My sweet kids are no longer at West Bountiful Elementary, but Renata was their mom at school for many years. You know exactly what I'm saying if you had kids at that school while she was the head secretary. I relied on her for so many things and she was so good to our family. She is now retired, but I have her sweet granddaughter at the high school and she sent this beautiful shadow box to the school. It sits by my kitchen table and lights up so that when I walk downstairs I can keep things in perspective. I feels good to know I can cry and that what I will feel from this experience is love. The pain will pass, but the love of all of you will last forever.

Kim Ball is my hero. If I could sit in on someone's class at the school I would choose hers! She inspires her students. She makes history come alive. And her energy is contagious. She knitted this hat for me and it is so incredibly soft. She was caressing yarn at the store to find the softest! I wish I had seen that. Thank you Kim. MaryAnn Loveless gave the cutest jewel case that she made. If you have seen her work you know how talented she is with her craft. I keep the case in my desk at school filled with candy. It is hidden from my students. But I feel her love and support every time I open my desk drawer. 

Mikayla got online and requested this scarf from a foundation that donates scarfs to women with cancer. Thank you Good Wishes! And thanks Kayla Bug!

Jenny Jensen brought these banana chips which are for the rough chemo days! And the antioxidant bars are delicious AND healthy. I have now started my healthy eating so that my body is in tip top shape. 

But before I went all healthy I indulged in this Carmel apple!! Thank you Ben and Camille. I think you are the cutest coue and I love your kids. It means so much to know that you guys are friends and that you are here for our family. 

I know that each day I will have different challenges, but the key is to take it one day at a time. I need to stay positive and focus on beating each trouble as it comes up. My lowest point this week was when I lost the last if my eyelash extensions. I was SO sad, but then I got my wig that was made with MY hair. And I was so happy.

That is my hair. It is called a Halo wig because it isn't enough hair to create an entire wig. It takes 8 hair donations to do an entire wig. The satin/silk beanie is so soft and you just wear the wig with a hat or scarf. And I felt like me!!  

So each day I need to tackle my troubles and if my frowns show up I need to find a way to look for the positive and turn my frown upside down. Today was a great day! They won't all be easy, but we will enjoy to the fullest to happy moments so we can think of them in our low points. As I go into this week I will do so with a smile!