Happy Valentines Day.
A day late.
We had such a nice Valentine's Day together though... my Hubby and I! I savored it!
He is not really eating too much... but is eating more than he was last month.
Yesterday I asked him if he could handle Stouffers Lasagna (He always likes that if I am not making it from scratch) it is just good comfort food sometimes, and easy. I get for myself the Amy's GF vegetable Lasagna. He felt he could handle some. I got that... got some Baileys Strawberry and Cream... that is a very good Valentine treat! We had our little cocktail, watched TV, ate our pasta and laughed about things. It was very nice. He ate the Valentine cupcake I got for him too.
Today... was a very different kind of day. He was tired all through the day and just not with it.  Our kids came over for dinner with their spouses... we were all tired it seemed but we all had a very good time. A blessed kind of day for sure.
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I was actually cleaning today.
So glad I did.
My brain gets very foggy in caregiving mode... I am very focused on my husbands needs... and paying attention to the details of life is not too important.
Last week, 2 of my Cousins came over to bring food for us...
I realized at that moment that I need to pay attention to our home.
I saw part of what they may have seen through their eyes... and today I spent considerable time cleaning. I realized that last year... I did not do a Spring Clean.... because I was stressed.
In October. I did not do the "Spring/Fall" cleaning.... because I was stressed....
So I found many Easter Eggs of grime today.
I felt much better after having tackled a few areas... they seem like hidden ones... but they are not. Only hidden from our stress filled eyes.
Threw out a lot of stuff as well... and then got a bit of organizing accomplished too.

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Yesterday I walked 1.83 miles.
It felt good.
I had not walked for a month.
Not good. I had promised myself to walk regularly... and did very well with it for the first half of January.... but.... Dr appointments, treatment appointments, surprise Dr appointments ... I let it all get the best of my intentions. Stress, again.
Hopefully I will get out for a nice walk tomorrow.
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This morning I had planned to open up my Bible and delve in to it with the aid of several Devotionals that I follow. Another exercise that fell by the wayside the last half of January for the same reasons. I cheated instead and let my hand find a verse... and felt the force of it though.
Nehemiah 1:11

11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

I was cupbearer to the king.

Now... because of Jesus... we are ALL (In Christ)  Cupbearers to the King. I felt that this is a good verse to know... such as the very popular verse in Jeremiah 29:11... The Prayer of Jabez...  a reassurance... this prayer from Nehemiah though... is even more important.... 

I cheated in the Devotional department today...and God really taught my heart a thing or two in my cheating. 

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For dinner tonight... I had planned to put boneless chicken thighs in to the crock pot with Sweet Baby Rays sauce. 

Instead I layered the thighs with toasted sesame oil, sweet chili sauce, pepper, garlic powder.... baked it.

Very good.

Even hubby ate some. 

Rice, Green Beans with onion and mushroom....

strawberries with chocolate sauce afterward.

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I am very fortunate to have our children be close at heart to us,and close in proximity to us as well. Seeing them is a boost to my Husband and I, and being able to have them gather here for dinner gives me a very blessed joy. My Husband loves having them here as well. He may be dozing in his chair, or just snuggled in but he basks in the warmth of their presence. 

Sometimes... I have to drop heavy hints to get them (all, at once ) here... and pray. This happened tonight by accident... although I had been hoping and praying for it for at least 2 weeks. Having most of them here together is such a good thing. Our middle daughter has made it a priority to come over during the day... she spends time with me and her Father. Her schedule allows for this. The other children are not as lucky to have such a schedule... and the other ones are still in the process of finding their place in our new position in Life... living with cancer.  We all deal with this differently. Pray for your children while respecting their manner in which they are dealing with what is happening. Talk to them.  It is all hard... but it is made easier by it being hard while standing together.