Quarantined in Wahun

I mentioned, in my last post, that I knew a young family who were living in Wuhan when the Coronavirus was first diagnosed. They were able to leave; many of their friends weren't.

Here is a message from China, written by Lauren's friend.

WUHAN. It's roughly day 48 of the city's quarantine. We've been locked in our apartment complex for many weeks. I haven't eaten out since January 19. We're living in such strange times.

After my last post, which was all about locks on doors and further restrictions, my husband asked me if I've posted any of the good. But...but... well, but nothing. That convicted me.

So from the epicenter of the coronavirus, here is just SOME of the good we have been experiencing because of the lockdown: (Be warned - there is no way this post could be short.)

Our family life has never been better. Usually one weekend is long enough before I'm ready to send each of us back to school or work. But for SEVEN weeks, we've been home together with very little outside influences or distraction, forced to reconnect with one another, learn how to communicate better, give each other space, slow down our pace, and be a stronger family than ever before.

We've learned how to accept help from others. During this time, we've HAD to rely on others to show us how to get food and other things we need. People here are so good, and they want to help. It's satisfying to accept the help.

Shopping is so much easier now. It comes straight to our complex, and we just pick it up. Simple.

Right now I hear birds outside my window (on the 25th floor). I used to think there weren't really birds in Wuhan, because you rarely saw them and never heard them. I now know they were just muted and crowded out by the traffic and people. All day long now I hear birds singing. It stops me in my tracks to hear the sound of their wings.

Spring in Wuhan is absolutely stunning. God has been giving us glimpses of the beauty to come with near-perfect weather. Because of lockdown, we get to watch spring slowly unfold right in front of us with no work, traffic, pollution, or other distractions. I have pulled up my chair and am ready for the creator's show.

My cooking has gotten way more creative. I'm cooking like a homesteader. Housekeeping hasn't suffered, either.

We take naps in the middle of the day sometimes.

We've all been reading so much more than before.

I've reconnected with lots of old friends. We've talked with our families more than ever before.

We still work and do school, but all from home and all on flexible hours. It is not perfect, but it is fairly productive and good.

We are exercising more. Because we borrowed a rowing machine from school right before the lockdown, Ed has been rowing regularly at home and has lost several kilos already. I still walk in the morning as usual, but I do so with no time restrictions and now with friend Eri.

In my yoga world, I have finally done a forearm stand. I also share goofy yoga photos each day with a local friend/yogi. This keeps us connected in spirit and movement.

I could devote a whole post to the amazing community we've been blessed with because of this lockdown. We live near 4 other staff members, most of whom we didn't know well at all prior to this. Because of this quarantine, we have bonded with and supported each other in ways that I've never experienced in 9 years of living here. (Crowd sourcing for feminine products and coffee, creatively sharing overstock of carrots and squash, etc)

Friday night, we four staff women celebrated Julie's birthday together. We four have never before been together without husbands, kids, or larger community. But that night, I felt like I won the lottery in the friendship department. Our gathering was genuine in a way that can only be shared by people who are experiencing the same thing at the same time and understand what each other are going through. This bond we have may lessen when our world gets back to normal, but for now I wouldn't trade it for anything. It is good.

My prayer life has never been better and my study time has been much more real. I have quiet time that is actually (usually) quiet - and I can devote real time to it. Most days I have so much more time to think, to listen, to process, and to discover. I am discovering the good gifts that God has given me and my family. More than anything, I am bowled over by his goodness at every turn. He overwhelms me with his goodness.

We had "church" by Zoom this morning at 10:30, as usual. My husband just woke up from his nap. My kid is reading quietly on the couch. I have the luxury of writing uncensored here on FB. We are about to go pick up a ham that a friend is giving us, taking her our coffee and cranberries to share.

God is providing so many opportunities for good while we are here, and he is showing us his goodness every single moment.

We are at peace in the epicenter of the virus. We are at peace in the epicenter of his will.

Fear is a faithless coward and has no place in the lives of believers. Fear and worry have no seat at our table. We're here because he wants us here, right now, for his purpose.

Coronavirus wants you to isolate and stock up and take care of your own first. Instead, look to him first while you take care of others. In community, we can do so much more than we can do on our own. God is caring for us so richly and showering us with SO MUCH GOOD each and every moment.

And the song just plays nonstop in my head - Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.
It chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the 99.
I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away. Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.

Psalm 118:6 - The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

#prayforwuhan

Rebecca, author of above post, added this photo she took on one of her walks. "My life is moving at a snail's pace these days," she says. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And messages from Italy...

I've written to everyone who's home I was renting (VRBO or Air BnB) to see how they were doing. Their entire country is in lock down. These were the responses:

Ciao Jane,
thanks for your message, we are all ok.
Yes, I can understand and I hope to see you some time in Rome!

Thanks,
Roberto

Dear Mrs Jane,

we are sorry, the reservation has been cancelled and deposit automatically refunded.

We are all fine here in Amalfi.

best wishes.
Kind regards

Vincenzo

Hi Jane, The situation here in Milan is under control but obviosly extreme preventive measures have been taken. We are all fine, thank you for your kindness and I hope I'll be able to host you once everything is back to normal. And no worries, you will receive a full refund. All the best to you and your family

Hi Jane,

Thanks a lot for your message. All is good here in Siena, we are all doing ok.
No worries at all for the cancellation.
Just cancel from Airbnb and they will automatically give you the full refund with no penalties
Hope to have you back once all is ok
Duccio & Marion

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. The way God will use this virus for His GOOD purposes.

2. The way I've had an attitude adjustment regarding the virus. Yeah, my dream trip has been cancelled, but cities and countries are being quarantined. And those residents are being brave and selfless and positive while being horribly inconvenienced. I could learn a thing or two from those in China and Italy.

3. Still thinking about these words said by Tony Campolo on Saturday evening:

"Someday you're gonna die. They're going to throw you in a hole, toss some dirt on your face, then go back inside the church to eat potato salad and talk about you. Will they talk about your titles? Or your testimony?"

4. Friends who send text messages like this one. (In response to my last blog post.)

5. Thankful that I'm on THIS side of that breast cancer diagnosis. Just heard from a former co-worker this afternoon and my heart aches for them:

Not sure if you have heard but L has joined the breast cancer club. We are awaiting a date for surgery (mastectomy and reconstruction) and then the lymph node tests will tell us if there's more to deal with. Surreal stuff that you don't really understand until you sit in that room waiting for the doctor with the results to come in...

Here's the prayer I wrote/prayed the day we went for the biopsy results. Seems like a good prayer for any day that comes.. Heavenly Father, Whatever we learn today… …it doesn’t catch you off-guard. …it doesn’t diminish your love for us. Whatever we learn today… …you are still bigger. …you are still in charge. Whatever we learn today… …you can bring good from it and further your purposes. …you are with us and for us. Whatever we learn today, we continue to choose to trust you. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, amen and amen and amen.

xo

Sunday Funnnday

On this beautiful, sun-soaked International Woman's Day, I've just emailed four families in Italy (Milan, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast and Rome) checking to see how they're doing, letting them know I've just prayed for them, hoping they're safe and healthy, and asking for a reservations refund because the Ofam's Grand European Adventure this May is not going off as planned.

I am sad and heartbroken.
And ashamed that I'm sad and heartbroken FOR ME, not for the 109,000 people in the world with the virus.

Back in January, when the Coronavirus was making the news, I was preoccupied with worries about the boobs of the other ladies who were sitting with me in the basement of the cancer clinic. I vaguely remember thinking, "That's in China. I'm in a room with 12" walls, underground, 10,000 miles away."

(And then I found out that I actually KNEW and CARED ABOUT someone who was eight and a half months pregnant and living RIGHT IN THE CENTRE OF THE STORM, (Wuhan, China) with her husband and two year old son. So I started praying for them (Mandi's friends). They were welcomed to England at the end of January, quarantined for two weeks, and safely had a little girl in February. Happy Ending.)

February, for me, was about getting my head sorted, going back to work, catching up with friends, and praying for new friends on Twitter. My heart was hurting for those who were struggling with health issues, who were grieving the loss of loved ones, who's families were being torn apart because of divorce or stubbornness and people I cared about who needed jobs... I was also STILL PLANNING THE TRIP because I am a positive thinker. And a planner. To be honest, it didn't occur to me to pray for this virus or the strangers who were affected. Because I'm mostly a bloody selfish person.

Last night I attended an event hosted by 5 + 2 (an organization that loves and feeds the homeless 'n hurting in Abbotsford). Before it started, I watched Jesse and his team of volunteers provide a hot meal for dozens of adults who deeply needed care and casseroles then decided I needed to step up my game. Maybe I could gather/inspire some of my friends to prepare and serve a meal once a month with me? Or something?

Eighty-five year old Tony Campolo was the evening's speaker. He spent a few hours spouting off scripture, stories and stats to about sixty or seventy of us gathered in the front entrance of the MCC building, tirelessly. His passion these days? Justice. Especially in terms of laws and policy making, climate fears, refugee rights and poverty in Canada. He encouraged us to get involved. He strongly encouraged us.

He also inspired us. 

Churches, church-people, christian organizations, faith-based charities are leading the way in caring for those most in need. (I need to hear these stories. Too often our news is about the way Christians drop the ball, make a mess, do something bad, hurt those around them..but on this night, Tony was sharing Things I Could Be Proud Of.) 

For example, 25 years ago, 42,000 children under the age of 5 were dying EVERYDAY because of poverty/starvation. 

Today? The stat is still alarming, (especially when we compare it to the current world health crisis; Coronavirus) but it has decreased to 15,000 children per day dying now. What's made the difference? Christians who sponsor a kid or ten through Compassion or World Vision-type monthly payments. Churches who raise money for orphanages. Pastors who collect discarded/unwanted babies from roadsides and city dumps. Youth groups who raise money to dig wells. Missionaries who show villages how to keep their water sources clean. Doctors who volunteer their time training underprivileged health care professionals, tradesmen who spend a week building a house in Mexico for a poor family...

Speaking of houses, he talked for awhile about Habitat for Humanity (another Christian organization) and how they have been able to  build 800,000 houses for those most in need. When they started, their vision was to raise money for the materials, but have volunteers do the actual building. Tony asked, "Where are you going to find volunteer skilled labourers?" The Fuller's responded, "Church men will go. Christian builders will volunteer." And they were right. They get many volunteers, most of them Christians. All happy and eager to build a house.

Sigh.

Afterwards, I went out for coffee with a friend, her son, and her 82 year old uncle. He was telling us about the volunteer work he's doing for a local group whose focus is human trafficking. HUMAN TRAFFICKING! In BC! In Chilliwack! As well, he and his wife are supporting/caring for broken, lonely, scared women who've escaped abusive relationships. Plus, of course, he loves on his extended family and church family.

I am not doing enough. Not enough action, not enough giving, not enough praying, not enough loving.

And that's the bottom line, yes?
Being a loving person. Caring for people beyond our families. Giving of one's time and resources to those who are in desperate need. Giving a shit about the people we share this planet with.

I drove back to the lake feeling compassion fatigue.
SO many needs. Like, SO many.


Which brings us to today.
International Woman's Day.

And again, this year, as in past years, I think of my Omi. (My dad's mom.) And how, as a young widow (her husband was taken from their home then executed a week later), she and her sisters ran, with their young children, from their Mennonite village in Russia to follow the German army across Europe. They made it to Canada 10 years later, to experience the hard prairie life during a season of drought. Eventually she and my dad ended up in Vancouver where she supported herself, self-employed as a house-cleaner for the rest of her working days, looking after the mansions in Shaughnessy. She, on her limited, but sufficient income, tithed and gave to the causes that tugged at her heart.

During those working years, she would come over on weekends, to babysit us, mend any clothes that needed her needle and thimble and do all the ironing. She pulled weeds in the garden, made us meals and prayed for us, passionately, in low German, the Holy Language.

Once she retired, (from cleaning houses) she'd spend her days at the local MCC store, in the backroom, sewing quilts for those in need.

She was not a President of an Organization. She didn't march or petition. She didn't fight for her rights. Her contributions to society were never recognized. She loved hard. And she worked hard. I never once heard her complain about life's challenges, or how tired she was of working and caring for those she loved.

I am proud to be her granddaughter.
Because of her sacrifices, I get to live in Canada.
Because of her faith, passed down through prayer and action, I believe.

I come from a line of hardworking, loyal, family-loving, church-going, Bible-believing, God-fearing women who believed they were worthy and valuable because the God of the Universe said so. He created them uniquely, for a divine purpose, and they lived it out everyday. 


So.
Today.
The Day I Cancelled the Italian Reservations (while preparing my heart for the very real possibility that my plans to spend a few weeks with my kids, exploring and adventuring, in May, is not going to happen) ... on this day, I once again, say to the God who knows and loves me, "OK FINE. Your will be done. Show me what You want me to do, then give me the courage and strength to do it. Help me be The Woman you created me to be. And muzzle me if I whine about cancelled travel plans. Re: Coronavirus - Please give strength to those on the front lines, caring for the infected and give wisdom to the smart people who're trying to figure out a cure/vaccination.

Amen.


Three things I'm thankful for:

1. This place

2. These people

3. This woman

who's sass, smile and smarts will be missed terribly...

I KNOW you're gonna love the new team over at that other place. 

And THEY ARE GONNA LOVE YOU.

Peace,

xo

So

Back in January, when I was loopy from a way-too-high dosage (of that second drug) while undergoing daily radiation, I got three minutes of 'Happy' most evenings from an unexpected source.

Twitter.

With a fogged up brain, twitter's 280 character tweets were about the perfect amount of information I could process.  I randomly came across a new account at the beginning of the month; a gal from England had discovered an old BBC production and was live tweeting her reactions, thoughts and feelings every evening while she watched an episode.

I was familiar with the production and her tweets were delightful, so I posted this tweet:

She responded by telling me that this ^ changed everything for her. It went from being mindless fun, to having meaning, knowing I was reading in my blue radiation robes anticipating my zapping appointment.


Her account gained some attention and eventually there were a few dozen followers, most joining her at 8 pm GMT to watch the show, in their various homes and time zones. I'm assuming most of them were a generation or two younger than me as most of their tweets were GIFs. And all of their comments were wonderfully British.

Just before the end of the month, I received a private message from her:

THIS was sweet and unexpected.
We chatted for awhile and she shared with me that she'd had a rough 2019:

Which.
WOW.
My little bother of cancer WAS NOTHING compared to what she was dealing with.
(She was also recently diagnosed with Stage 4 endometriosis and fibromyalgia.) So her body and soul were both in pain.

Here was this aching, hurting, exhausted gal, hosting twitter parties every evening, bringing joy and sass into our lives. I felt so helpless in how I could support her, so I did what I typically do, and told her I'd pray.
I can't do anything, realistically, from 5,000 miles away. But maybe God could do something?


And then, just after my last treatment, I got a message:

So, yes, OF COURSE I gave a stranger on the internet my home address. (All the safety-first security people reading this are clutching their hearts right now. THE DANGER! Someone from England could fly over here and steal me. Or something).

I asked for her address, and said I'd send her something Vancouver-ish and warned her it'd probably be rain-soaked. ( I ended up buying a copy of Jenn's very West Coast book, Must Love Otters as well as some Purdy's chocolate from Val and mailed it a few weeks ago. She'll probably get it in late 2023.)

My gift from her was a Robin of Loxley wristband. Which makes me feel high school cool. (Reminds me of when Clint used to wrap his wrists with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bandaids.)

Last Monday night I got a private message from her: 

It's the first anniversary of losing Mum on Wednesday, so we're all feeling really fragile, but we're trying our best to take care of dad. Can't believe it's been a year already. Sort of.feels like 10 minutes and 10 years simultaneously.

So I googled Florists in Leyland to order flowers to be delivered on Wednesday. I ache for her. 

Flowers seemed so frivolous when she probably could've used a hug, some fresh muffins, and a foot massage. 

She'll be hosting the final two episodes of the three season series on Thursday and Friday this week. It'll be bittersweet for us both; it's been a lovely bit of light during a dark winter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I went back to work on Tues Feb 18, working four to six hours a day, building up my stamina to be alert and wise for 8 hours without a nap.

Last Friday (Feb 28) was my final day of transition hours. It also was the day I was to lead devo's. 

I am not a fan of this 'voluntold' opportunity. Standing in front of all the staff, first thing in the morning, to read, or share, or show something meaningful and inspiring before we pray, is just such a stretch for me. 

So on Friday I read a few pages from a John Ortberg book, about community and challenges and why rats need love. I finished by telling the twitter story above. And yes, once again I went WAY over my allotted 15 minutes. (For almost two months, I said very few words. My brain was broke. BUT NOW THAT THE LOW DOSAGE IS VERY LOW, Holy Moley JUST TRY TO SHUT ME UP. So many words. All needing to be said. I go on and on and on.)

I ended by asking everyone to pray for my British friend and noting that you can create 'community' anywhere. Even on twitter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I got to work today, my office was locked. I don't have a key, so I wandered around the building looking for a master key that worked. Eventually I was let in, and BOY HOWDY it was hot like a sauna in there. I was a little ticked that someone had locked my door on me because it was going to take hours for the room to cool down. 

(Yes, I am still having personal heating issues. My internal fire burns strong these days. This is going to be long five years.)

When I finally sat down at my desk, I saw this:

(Yes, my phone has my name on it. While I was away, we got a new phone system, a new operating system, and increased security measures. I'm still figuring it all out and haven't bothered removing the stickers.)

Under that anonymous note?

CRAZY, right?

(Also THAT'S why my door was locked.)

Seriously. Do I work with the best people ever, or what? 

I was/still am totes overwhelmed by someone's generosity. Also not sure how to get this to her. 

Haha - do I ask for her banking info? We've exchanged addresses - this probably is how these things progress, yes? 😉😊😏😂😄

ANYWAYS. Anonymous co-worker, if you read my blog, THANK YOU THANKYOU thank youuuu

I'm so glad I get to work with you. And I forgive you for locking my door.

Thank YOU entertain industry, (writers, directors, producers, actors, costume people, set makers, drivers, gaffers...) for providing us with things to watch. And things to talk about. Thank you for creating things that make us feel, think, laugh, cry, connect. Thank you for shows that help us escape our aches and pains and make us smile. 

And thank you, smart people, for inventing the internet. 

xo

Fam Day 2020

This has been my favorite day so far in this decade. 

Clint wasn't able to join us, so we swapped in Dani's sister.

We played games. 

Skip Bo, Scattegories, Dutch Blitz, Ticket to Ride, NOT MONOPOLY, Scrabble ...

And measured Austin to see if she'd grown at all in the past 5 years.

And while Dani and I finished planning our May trip, the others played Minecraft...

I wish there was a Family Day once a month. 

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Days like these. Kids at cabin. Sun in sky. Brain operating at about 75% capacity. Only two small tender areas on chest. Evening at book club. PERFECT WAY TO END MY MEDICAL LEAVE. Back to work tomorrow.

2. Movies. Saw 1917 and Parasite recently. Both were riveting. And watched a lovely old movie on Netflix: Flipped. 

3. Walks, talks, lunches, coffees, dinners with friends everyday last week. So many great days, all in a row, celebrating All The Good Things .

4. Surprise mail. From England. I have a new pen pal, we met on Twitter and she sent me a lovely card to let me know how happy she was that I've finished treatment. The world is filled with kind people. 

Take care,

xo

I Bought Something

Two bits of information:

1. Since we moved onto the farm in Surrey when I was twelve, I have yoyo-ed back and forth between Surrey and Langely as if there's no other place in the world to live:

• Surrey, on the farm. For ten years. And then I got married and moved to
• Langley, in a tiny one bedroom apartment over our doctor's office, for 10 months until we moved to
• Surrey, back to the farm. This time living in a barn loft my dad had just built. We stayed for four years; Clint and Billie's Country were both born there. And then we moved to
• Langley, Walnut Grove, to a rancher we'd built. Max and Drew were born there, stayed for 8 years then sold it and moved to
• Surrey, back to the farm, back to the barn loft with three kids while we built our house in
• Langley, where we lived for 2 years until our marriage ended. Then I moved back to
• Surrey, back to the farm, this time into the house I grew up in. I was back in my old bedroom, Clint and Max shared Jim's room, Drew was in Julie's old room. We stayed for the summer then moved to
• Surrey, Fraser Heights, into the brand new house I'd purchased. The kids and I lived there for two years then sold it to move back to
• Surrey, back to the farm. We stayed for 10 months, in the house with my dad and mom, while we waited for a southern-backyarded house to come onto the market in Murrayville. When it did, we moved back to
• Langley, into our huge foyer-ed house. And stayed til Clint, Max and Drew moved out. I sold it in 2013 and moved back to
• Surrey. This time into my mom's basement, temporarily, while I figured out what my life was going to look like as an old, wrinkled, crotchety, divorced empty-nester. It's BEEN SIX YEARS, but in Jan 2022, I'll be moving back to
• Langley. To a condo right across the street from where I work. 

(Maybe someday I'd add photos of all those ^ houses. This is a very NON-PICTUREY post.)

2. And the second thing to note is my decision making process. Seeing I'm not married/don't have a partner to bounce ideas/express fears/figure out things with - I chat with God about it all. He created me, knows what I like, but also knows what's best for me. I might hate it sometimes, but ultimately I trust His yes's and his no's.

Without going through a long discussion about previous answered prayers, I'll just talk about THIS one. THIS one that has been going on for SIX YEARS. THIS conversation I've been having since forever ago. 

When I packed up my lovely house in Murrayville, broken-hearted that my season of living with my kids was over (WAY too soon, in my eyes. Clint moved out at 19, Max at 18, and Drew had left at 17), I moved my 200 boxes into my mom's garage and told her I'd probably be there for two years. Praying for options, "God, what is my next stage of life going to look like? How will I live? A house? By myself? No husband to share the cost or the upkeep? Or an apartment? Or what? TELL ME. I need to know the plan."

It was handy living there, those first two years, because it was so close to the care home my dad was living in. Visiting him didn't involve a 45 minute drive anymore. So there was a blessing in that. Just as my (self imposed) timeline was coming to an end, my dad died. And knowing what this was like for my friends' parents, I decided to stay another year so that my mom wouldn't have to face a year of 'firsts' (first Christmas without dad, first birthday without dad, etc) alone.

Near the end of THAT year, Drew and Dani got engaged, and I prayed, along with them, about the possibility of us purchasing a home together. SO very excited to think about living in a house/suite with my kids again. It wasn't coming together as we'd hoped. So in the meantime, they got married and moved into my mom's house. With me. And my mom. For a year. 

We all had our own schedules and rarely saw each other. I was on the top floor when I was home. My mom had the main floor and the kids lived in the basement. But there's something about everyone being under the same roof, y'know?

After a year of writing offers that fell through, I said to God, "I'm sensing that us (Drew, Dani and I) living together isn't part of Your plan for our lives. I'm going to, with great aching sadness, say, OK, if there's a fabulous opportunity for the kids to have their own place, I will wait to see what you have in store for me." Drew and Dani bought a townhouse in Abby, and I moved back down to the basement. 

They'd been gone a month and I prayed again, "Uh God? What's the plan? Am I staying here another year? Or should I be looking for a place of my own?" TEN MINUTES LATER my phone rang, it was Max asking if, while he was a student at BCIT, he could live with Nan and I in the suite above the garage. HELL YES.

And "WHOA, thank you God. Yup, I will stay here, in this house, if I get the chance to share driveway space with another son. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This? Is a great plan."

Max graduated in May, and even though (thankfully) he didn't move out immediately, I knew this season of sharing my mom's house with my kids was nearing an end. So when I left work that day, I saw the marketing signs for a new development going in at exactly the location I'd be interested in living someday. "God? Latimer Heights? Will I live here in the future? I like how close to the freeway it is. And super close to work. Do they have any affordable southern-backyarded places for me? I will know this is where I'll land if there's something with a sunny backyard."

I checked the website, didn't notice anything appropriate for ME, nor anything facing in the correct direction. And I found out I had breast cancer. "OK then, God. Looks like now isn't the time and Latimer isn't the place. It's good I'm living with mom and Max while I go through this. It's good that the house is ten minutes away from the cancer clinic. FINE. I personally wouldn't have added cancer as something I'd have to deal with, but sure. You're in charge here. Please can it not hurt? Or be icky? And if having me die from this is part of something amazing You've got hatched, can it be quick? While I'm asleep? And have no bodily fluids do spurty things that'd traumatize my kids? 

In November, I took a day off work to look at few housing options for my mom in Sardis. Julie and Daryl were moving out there (and since I spend my weekends out that way) it seemed like a good place for my mom to consider. (Up until this point she was NOT DOWNSIZING (she loved everything she owned) and she was not moving (SHE LOVED HER HOUSE.) But on THAT day, something shifted and she could envision herself living in a beautiful suite on the penthouse floor. 

So in January she bought it. 

It's being built and should be ready between Aug 2021 and March 2022. 

She is culling her treasures and it turns out? She doesn't love EVERYTHING. She's planning on getting rid of a ton of stuff at a garage sale later this year. 

"Uh, God? Me? What about meeeeee? Any ideas? Got a place in mind? Want to tell me about it?"

And then, three days after I'd started weaning myself off the drug that had ruined my January, Nancy texted me. "Let's meet for coffee. And take a look at the show suite at Latimer Heights." I hadn't seen Nancy in at least a year, so I was looking forward to hanging out at Starbucks with her before my radiation treatment that evening. We met at the Discovery Centre and looked at the table top model of the 75 acre project. Then we wandered through the show suite. 

Willow, the Vesta rep asked what we were interested in. 

Me: Something with southern exposure. But I can see that everything has decks on either the east or west side of the building.

Her: Well actually...

Me, maybe a bit eagerly: Yes?

Her: Come over here. See this building? Building D? We haven't started selling units in it yet, but see this suite here? It has a private wrap around southern deck. It's the only one in the building.

Me, not at all cool about pretending I might be interested: I'll take it. Can we write it up?

Her: We don't even know the price yet. Or what the size and layout will be. 

Me: That's the one I want. Can I give you some money? Can you save it for me? When should I come back? 

Me, turning to Nancy: Jesus loves me and God wants me to live RIGHT THERE. I just know it. 

Ahhh, bless Nancy. She is a pro. THIS IS WHY GOD MADE REALTORS. To handle the negotiations when clients have no cool. 

Long story, short. Willow put my name on THAT suite. And on Saturday, Building D was available to the public for sale. The sales office opened at noon, and by the time we'd written up my offer, 13 units had sold. Apparently there had been much interest in MINE, but they'd saved it for meeeeee. 

So. One week after completing cancer treatment, I bought a condo. It's being built and will be ready January 2022. It's a two bedroom unit, and I can afford it. 

The moral of this very long story? Sometimes God is VERY clear about how much He knows and loves you.

And sometimes it takes six bloody years for things to work out. SO HANG IN THERE if you're only in year 3. Good things are coming. (And actually, good things are already here; enjoy every season you're in.) 

Wanna see some pics?

Gahhhhh. 

I'm so excited ...

Nancy and Willow, making dreams come true since 2020:

This is my corner of the 75 acre project. There are 4 buildings; Building A is on 200th, (not pictured) Buildings B, C and D are below. "My" building is the last one, and the red arrow is pointing to my suite on the corner of 5th floor. (It's a 6 floor building, with the penthouses having 11 foot high ceilings but no decks.)

You'll notice I have a glorious view of the parks, ponds, walkways and unobstructed sunshine!

Yes. It's tiny. 

1000 square feet. 

I will be selling just about everything I own over the next two years. 

Just watch me embrace minimalist living like a boss. I'm going to be so annoying. 

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Answered prayer. 

2. Southern decks.

3. Peace about my next move. 

xo

Winterrrr

So it's been a week.
A week of winter weather.
A week of naps and being lazy.
A week of cancelling plans.
A week of Netflix.
A week of breathing deep and holding my breath.

All in all, it hasn't been bad.
But if I had been in charge of this project, I'd have arranged to have a month off during the summer so I'd be snoozing in the sun between sessions.

Three Things I'm Thankful For:

1. So glad that between Daryl and Max, the driveway is being looked after.

2. So very, very thankful for the gentle, kind, competent radiology technicians. And how respectful they are with my body.

3. Science and technology. I'm so grateful to live in a time when there are machines like this:

(I lie on the table, then they adjust the back, sides, and head rest to keep me in a particular position. They make some marks with a felt pen on my chest and line up my tattoos with laser beams from a machine in the ceiling. Then they leave the room, close a door that's about 12" thick, and move into the control room. Over the speaker they tell me to "relax and breathe normal" while the machine transforms itself around me, with various parts moving forward and to my side, then overhead. I'm asked to breathe deeply and hold it, four times, while the machine (I call it The Beamer) beeps around me.

And then it's over.)

Rinse and repeat everyday, all month.