Keep on truckin'

Here's my classroom so far....all this done in less than 9 hours over the past three days:) Heading back to do more right now!

Going Steady

Funny, but now that I'm normal my thought process has changed from my "lupus mindset". I find myself doing things like I did before my diagnosis and sometimes even forgetting that I might have/need to limit myself. My husband just commented, "Honey, you seem to still be feeling better." Still is the main word here. And this was true, and remarkable too! For five straight years, I had only a day or 30 minutes here and there that were pain free, not fatigued or weighted down by my body's own limitations. But right now, I've had a good three months! With lupus, I had begun to view my days differently. My days were ruled by what I couldn't do and what I had to limit...now, I can do what I need to or what I desire to do without thought.

So obviously you can tell from my spiel, that I have been "doing" today. I went up to move furniture in my classroom today. I had to switch furniture in two classrooms (by myself) and then place my furniture where I wanted it, bring in boxes from my car, and then go through all of the materials that the sweet teacher who retired left behind, and then move all that to my room. Needless to say, I am tired tonight, but not exhausted enough to miss our churches VBS. Altogether, I was very active and productive today...and that felt great! I am a driven individual and it was nice to not NEED anybody to help me on a day like today. It's been a long time coming;) Today, I'm thankful to be able to do for myself. Thank you God.


Face of Jesus Christ, Head of Christ Artist is: Akiane who is a young girl who painted this when she was only 8 years old.

GA on our minds

We've had a great time in Marietta. Infusion....check, swimming....check, garage sale at my sister's....check, day at the zoo...check:) I couldn't have done this all last summer without causing a flare. Now, we are heading home today!! On the road again.

Livin' on GA time!

So far it's been a relaxing trip. We are playing with our cousins today and my Mom cooked last night...and who doesn't love their Moma's cookin'? I love coming home:)

Georgia Bound

So today we left for GA:) This is our 6 hour trip for my infusion of Benlysta this Friday. A 3 and 5 year old in tow, but it's sure worth it for the effects of this miracle drug! So my phone's memory is full and in having trouble loading any more pictures, so the next few days posts might be short and picture less. Even though I drive to Atlanta for my medicine, I also get to visit with my family here in Marietta, Ga...so these trips are a wonderful time for my "medical spa treatment" and family time, especially during the summer when we can stay for a week:) I'm off to visit with my family!!!

Summer time

So yesterday was a success! I made it through our anniversary without a problem from my Lupus! And thanks to my mother-in-law, we had a night alone!! This was only the second night we have had no kids over the past 5 years!!!! And I wasn't too tired to stay up! And my stomach wasn't the cause of dinner being cut short. We went out to eat and then drove through the corn fields and listened to all the songs we listened to over the past 13 years that we have been together (we've only been married for 7 of those years). It was wonderful. I actually felt young again. I felt like my old self, my pre-lupus self;) I truly hope that everyone who has Lupus can have days like this. To remember what it feels like to feel good...I am truly blessed. I have had a couple months of feeling "normal" again, and I hope that it keeps on like this. Again, this is all due to my treatment of Benlysta. If you are not on it and you have Lupus, talk to your doctor as soon as possible...it makes life livable and enjoyable (although it took one full year of treatments to get where I am now). I feel like I can be me again and not have to consider my Lupus in every decision I make...so this summer, we are going to go camping with our 3 and 5 year old, and swim...in the sun...as much as possible, and I'm not napping, and I will do as many things in one day as I can fit in!! I am loving this summer! Glory to God for all the blessings He has given me!!

 

Anniversary

This year has marked two anniversaries for me...the first was May 24th, the day I was diagnosed with Lupus 5 years ago and then today, June 17th, my 7 year wedding anniversary. It would be dishonest to say the first didn't effect the second! Last year, our anniversary supper was cut short because my NSAID's had eaten away the lining of my stomach and I couldn't keep anything in my stomach. So it's a big jump to say that this year, for our anniversary, my lupus will not effect what we will do tonight! It's great to feel good. Each time I get up in the morning and I am pain free, I stop and thank God for my blessings. Not just the blessing of being pain free, but the blessing of Lupus and for enduring the pain so that I can appreciate the days when I feel none! God is so very good to me. I hope that I am obedient enough to my Lord that He continues to bless me and that I continue to see the blessings in everything.

Happy Father's Day

Our dads are great contributors to our lives and to who we are as adults. They help decide not only our genetic makeup, but who we want to be as an adult and what we look for in a spouse. I love my dad very much and would credit him for a lot of who I am today. Because of my dad I am loving, neat and cleanly, not caught up in money, committed to my marriage, stubborn, competitive, and so many more things. He also taught me that I could do anything I wanted, and that I could do it just as well as a boy, if not better;) Thank you daddy for everything you have done for us growing up. I know that you made many sacrifices and that it wasn't always easy. Today, I hope you see how much you mean to us and how you have helped to mold each of us in so many ways. Happy Father's Day!

 

 

 

Full Speed

I'm loving life at full speed!!!! For 5 long years, my Lupus has effected what I can do each day. And now, I feel great and am actually doing whatever I want without thinking about how I'm going to feel afterwards!

My 5 year old had a friend spend the night last night and we are baby sitting a friend's kitten, so we have three kittens in the house, and I have tutored this week for 6 hours, ran errands, swam with the kids, gone to the store, had a girl 's night out, and soo much more! I know this doesn't sound like an  "accomplishment" to a normal person, but it is to a lupie!

My possibilities seem endless right now! Oh, I don't know if I've mentioned this, but I am officially a 1st grade teacher next year!!! If I forgot, it's because of the Lupus!

Hiatus

So I have to apologize that I have not posted in FOREVER. I have a good reason, I have finally felt great for the first time in five years and I've just been busy getting back to life!!!

We have swum, played at the park, and been busy all day long everyday...that's a big achievement to me, someone who is used to using all of my "spoons" by 11:30 or 12:00. I also have accepted a teaching position at my daughter's school teaching 1st grade and am tutoring my dear sweet Lucy (one of our friends who has beat cancer!!!) three days a week, and I am rarely taking naps!!!! Every day seems to get easier, sometimes I think it's because of my wonderful doctor and my Benlysta infusions, and sometimes I think it's because I've been obedient to God and he has blessed me in return.

I like being busy again and being able to do what I want each day rather than having to do only what I can and having so many limitations.

If you are reading this and have Lupus, please be encouraged that you can get your life back...no matter how serious your Lupus is. I am an example of what God and good medicine (and a great doctor) can do. If you are on Benlysta, please be encouraged as well...I know everyone's body is different, but I had doctors tell me they "didn't know what to do for me" anymore after we had tried all the medications on the books for Lupus and RA. And the Benlysta change has been gradual over the last year, it was not immediate, so keep at it. Do not give up, and trust your instincts because they are probably right. You know your body better than anyone else.

Oh, and here are a few pictures from the past month!

Ella McCray and her Pre-K teacher, Mrs. Charlie, on the last day of school.

Going to Pre-K graduation!

 

Ella McCray and our cousin, Pres, climbing trees in GA when we went for my last treatment.

We went out for a date with Mommy after my infusion...we ate pizza on the square and then got ice cream and played on the playground...they had a blast!

We have two new kittens!!! Ella McCray slept on the floor with them for the first two nights...that's my girl! Meet Fancy and Starlight.

I am trying to get them ready for school next year, so this morning we worked on letter recognition for Tip and ABC order for Ella McCray by having a letter scavenger hunt in the house in full costumes (well, maybe not full...)Tip is Wyatt from 'Super Why' an Ella McCray is Princess Pea!

We went swimming with our friends Jack and Lucy. We love the water!

Ella McCray and Lucy

We also played softball this year...and man is that demanding...for the parents too!

We collected some eggs to take to the lake for the weekend we were spending there with our wonderful friends, The Fords. And no, I did not take any pictures at the lake;(

 

We also collected blackberries down by the river I'm sure Cliff will appreciate this picture!

Ella McCray was in heaven, she loves the outdoors.

Riding home from picking on the 4-wheeler.

 

Tip and I went to the park and played while Ella McCray went to VBS.