Christmastime for the Wax Family

We spent time here in North Carolina before and up until Christmas Day and then on the 26th we headed south, deep south to spend time with my parents and my husband's family in Mississippi. We have done this every Christmas since we moved to North Carolina in 1989. That is a lot of miles and that's not counting the times in between Christmases we've gone back for visits. I don't think we'd know what to do were we not traveling at Christmastime. It just seems natural. We've adjusted our plans to suit our growing family. At first, we would all pile in various spots around the houses, on couches, on floors, in a spare bed, wherever we'd fit. As we had more kids and they kept getting bigger (they tend to do that, you know), we decided we'd be better off staying in a motel. This has changed our attitudes greatly. Now we can squirrel away when we're feeling squirrely, yet still get in nice long visits. It really makes us look more forward to the trips and we've really learned to like egg tacos, the breakfast of choice at the Holiday Inn Express. Mind you, we are very tired of it by the time we are heading home, but not so much that we aren't looking forward to it the next trip....besides, you can always eat cereal.

Standard College Essay?

If anyone is reading this blog you probably by now know that I am a part-time college student. I recently had the assignment of writing a narrative of 500 words or so. I would have to say this is my first actual college essay. I chose to write about a true-life event, which is as follows:

“Diagnosis: Cancer”

Gradually I come to, becoming aware of my surroundings. The room is bright and everything in it is white. The smell of clean cotton sheets, antiseptic cleanser and metal awakens me. I feel the pinch of an intravenous needle in my right arm. I begin to remember why I’m here. I have just had surgery to remove what the surgeon assured me was an aspirated bean in my left lung. I am not afraid, just curious to find out what it is that has made me cough nearly non-stop for a month. I am ready to feel better and my young children are ready to have their mommy back. As I look around, I notice the faces looking at me are not smiling. I begin to worry.

My husband, Tim, is holding firmly to my left hand. There is a doctor I don’t recognize standing to the right of my hospital bed. As the new doctor approaches the bed, Tim introduces him as Dr. Moore, a medical oncologist. The doctor carefully slips his hand into my right hand as the recognition of the word oncologist hits me. I am familiar with medical terms and I know oncology means cancer. My mouth goes dry and my heart beats rapidly. I begin to shiver. I am having a reaction either to the anesthesia I’m still coming out of or to the news that I know I am about to hear. Images of my children flash into my mind and I wonder if I will get to see them start Kindergarten.

Dr. Moore gently reveals to me that I have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of lymph node cancer the surgeon discovered encasing my left lung. My mind races as my husband’s grip tightens around my hand. I take a moment to absorb what I’ve heard and then I want to know what can be done. Dr. Moore tells me I will be receiving nine months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, during which I will be sick often. He assures me he will do his best to control my nausea. I take in a deep, painful breath and let it out slowly, feeling the burden of the months ahead of me.

Dr. Moore’s voice is confidant as he assures me he has treated many patients with the same diagnosis successfully. I assume this means many are still alive, but I’m afraid to ask. He elaborates on the side effects. I am doing my best to listen but words are swirling around in my head, confusing and exhausting me. Suddenly I hear the words “...your hair will fall out.” I begin to sob. The curly brown hair that flows half way down my back will disappear. It is the first and last time I cry during my struggle with cancer.

This type of cancer grows rapidly and must be slowed down as soon as possible. It is recommended that I begin chemotherapy before I leave the hospital, giving my surgery wounds little time to heal. I agree to this plan and begin to prepare mentally and spiritually for the months ahead. At 26 years old I am about to face the fight of my life.

By the way, I got an A.

New Semester

Well, with two classes behind me and a 4.0 GPA I'm looking forward to starting my math class on Wednesday. I've been on a short break and I actually miss it. Whether I feel that way midway through July remains to be seen. My instructor is supposed to be really good, but...she's going on maternity leave soon, so I hope her sub is equally as good. Learning for learning's sake...who would've thought.

My 6th grade son has been inspired to do a research paper on the War of 1812, a part of history I learned and shared with the family this past semester. It is such an important war, yet very underplayed in our history. I believe part of the reason it is underplayed has to do with the supernatural elements that occurred during the war. In my belief, God intervened to establish this nation.

I've been reading "The Unlikely Disciple" by Kevin Roose....I wish I could go to Liberty University. He isn't really endorsing it, in fact it is sort of an expose, but it makes me wish I'd gone to college there. It is Christian training camp accelerated. It is in the home town of my father and grandparents, Lynchburg, Va. I grew up visiting there about once a month to visit family my whole childhood. Once we moved to Mississippi I have only been about 6 times in 26 years. So sad really. Even here in NC, I don't get to Virginia like I should. Life gets in the way. Speaking of, tomorrow is a day of errands to complete before class starts. Time to get my daughter a new phone as she dropped hers almost immediately after getting it and the screen cracked. It has been usuable since, but sad looking. We are replacing with a cheapie one I think. Who knows once we get in there and the pretty phones are calling our names.....

Back in School

I've been thinking about shifting the focus of this blog a bit. I would like it to more honestly reflect what is going on in our lives. I use to just update periodically about what we as a family are doing. That's nice but very superficial. I thought I'd narrow the focus down a bit. Why not make this about a wife & mother going back to school 26 years after graduating from high school. Could be interesting. Let's see if I can make it so.

I just finished my first semester at a local community college. Since I have four kids in four different schools, I started out as a part-time student. I had two classes, psychology and American history. Both very interesting topics to me and I learnedso much. The most interesting aspect of this is not what I learned from the books and instructors however, but from the students around me, students the same ages as my older children. The first classmate I met while waiting in line to have our picture taken for our student ID. Chelsea was 20 and had moved here from Texas to attend another school, but then decided she didn't like it. In the meantime, she had met a boy and they were now living together, so young and on their own, with no outside help from either family. They have financial issues and can't afford to get married, but plan to eventually. Then there's Lianna, a friendly girl, with a big smile who made my first day of class feel so welcoming. We maintained a friendship, sharing notes and giggles during the semester. She is moving on to a bigger university in the fall and seems to have a plan for her future, despite her own mother ruining her credit by identity thieving her. I was shocked by this, wondering how a parent could do that to her own child. I admire Lianna for having such a positive attitude and ready smile, despite what she's dealing with. These are just a couple of the kids I've gotten to know over the last little bit. As I recall things and meet new people I hope to share more. I'm not sure what I expected out of my classmates, a bunch of kids with no worries but grades and entitlement attitudes? I did run across those, but for the most part, most students were in school full-time working part-time. They were struggling to make passing grades and working to pay expenses. And while I had only two classes, they were balancing 4 or more. I enjoyed my semester so much and I look forward to more.

Little Boy Blue

Poor Sweet Puppy....look what mama did to me. :( I have a queasy feeling every time I see him. The thing is, he forgives me even when I haven't forgiven myself. Bless him.

My Valentine Flowers. Tim gave them to me at dinner on Friday night at the restaurant. I'm so glad...he gave Jenileigh a bunch too. It was a sweet moment. She really appreciated it.

An Afternoon with Cats

Our growing kitties. By the way, that is her own foot she's licking though she's not opposed to cleaning up her sister on occasion.




And then one without flash....