Saturday afternoon

I know it's been a little bit since there's been an update... and I think I'll chalk that up to the busy Christmas season and life with two little ones and chemo and all those things that make up our lives lately.  As I type today, it's definitely a bit of a challenge owing to the fact that I am on two different chemo drugs that have conflicting side effects.  One drug makes my hands and virtually all other parts of me very sensitive to cold - so that if I touch a cold door handle or a key or step on a cold floor, there are feelings like shocks that run through my hands or feet.  On our way to Martha's Christmas program the other night, I had to park blocks away (should've clued in that there would be a lot of people there) and carry Ava with me and I have never been so glad to see my dear friend Laura who helped me trek up to the church.  By the time I made it inside, due to panic of being late and the cold cold air, my throat was having spasms that made it hard to breathe.  First time that's happened, but guess I won't be doing any sort of fun winter things this year - no skating or sled rides or snow ball fights...I feel a little like I'm going to be a prisoner this season - so thankful for faithful friends and church members who visit and cheer me up.  The other drug unfortunately makes my hands dry out, feel swollen, get beefy red and very sensitive to warm.  So I'm stuck somewhere in the middle of lukewarmness.  Not able to open formula bottles or grasp a coffee cup properly, even typing is a challenge to be sure. 
Wow, that's a lot of whinging for a Saturday afternooon. It's been a pretty quiet day at home - Timothy did some errands with Martha this morning and Ava and I hung around here at home.  She's giving us lots of smiles lately and making sweet little baby noises.  She's also very hungry and lets us know with full voice whenever she's feeling a bit deprived in the formula department.  We had a visit with the pediatrician this week and she got the award for cutest baby of the day!  He was impressed with her strength and her alertness and her interactions.  So we will see him again at six months and continue to follow her growth and development throughout the years just to make sure there weren't any lags in her development due to the chemo. 
Martha is likewise growing up - she's toilet trained (for the most part), is getting herself dressed, has been eating better and has been a real gentle and great big sister.  She comes in from daycare and says "where is my little sweetie?" (3 year old grandmother?)  She has been thriving at daycare and is definitely a leader according to her teachers.  She had her Christmas program on Thursday afternoon and did an amazing job singing with her full voice and doing all the actions to the songs - a regular stage actress - takes after her Dad who was in all the plays and performances in the high school.  It's fun to see her grow - she's a very wise little girl - loving to learn how to spell words now and knows all the letters and numbers. 
I'll probably have to run - no deep and meaningful ramblings today but rather just a little concrete update to say we are still here, still struggling through and trying to make the best of every day as we have been given.  We are thankful for the beauty of the Christmas music that sings to our hearts and reminds us of the reason why we celebrate at this time of year - the joy of the Lord is our strength in the midst of trial!