It's been a year!

It has been exactly a year since my breast cancer diagnosis. I still have a hard time fathoming that the surgeries and treatments took up almost the whole year. At this point I am focusing on what is at hand, each present moment. Well that is my desire anyway, yet there are days that my faith wanes and my imagination leads me astray. Although I am managing well physically, I am finding myself very fatigued, wondering if this is a result of the chemo still or if it is the Arimidex making me feel this way! I am having some pretty extreme joint pain which interferes with my mobility and I am feeling really frustrated about that. If the joint pain is in fact related to the medication and I have to take it for 5 years, then will I ache like this everyday for 5 years? And then when I am finished with the five year plan will my joints recuperate and will this pain go away? I guess there is no definite answer for that and maybe at my check up with the oncologist in a couple weeks I'll understand all this better. If this is as bad as it gets, then I am managing through it! It's not the best it could be but it beats having cancer! I look forward to meeting with my oncologist and my radiology oncologist later this month. I am ready to hear good news and get on with the good stuff. Meanwhile, each day, I make every effort to enjoy the wonderful moments that each day brings.

Today I enjoyed babysitting Evie all day. She was so sweet. And today Layni had her first volley ball game of the season. What a joy it will be to feel well enough to keep up with the kids activities this year, so much better than last year, when I had to miss so much! I am so grateful for that right now! So grateful!

It's official! Blanche and Matt are ENGAGED!

Blanche went to visit Matt in Waco this weekend and was convinced she would be fine if she came back without an engagement ring. I was not that convinced, but it didn't matter anyway because he officially popped the question and of course she accepted. SOOOOO... On Friday, June the 11th, 2010, Blanche will become Mrs. Matt Boudreaux! She doesn't even have to change her name! Now how cool is that? We are all so happy for the 2 of them. We welcome Matt to our family with open arms and are overjoyed! What great news!

Our Sunday meal was great and the cake of the day was Blair's Lemon Coconut creation. I think Blair is ready to start taking orders for her confection creations.... especially gourmet cupcakes! She is so talented! Call her for your next entertaining encounter!

Glad to share just happy news lately!!! Life is GOOD!

He Thinks his tractor's SEXY!

My husband is the farm manager. Up until now that basically means he has to communicate info to and from the actual farmers to my mom and change light bulbs she can't reach!!! He has been wishing his job description involved a tractor, but my mom doesn't want to BUY one! So this weekend he convinced her to let him RENT a tractor to haul off metal scraps and junk from the old barn! He was SO EXCITED, then BEN got jealous and he wanted a turn on the tractor too! Here they are... cheesing on the RENTED tractor!

Brunch at Tiifany's (March of Dimes charity at the City Club)

Yesterday Blair, Sheila, Cheryl and I attended the annual Brunch at Tiffany's fund raiser. Kristin was co chair of this event for the second time. My dad was very active in this organization when I was a child. Isn't it amazing that the very work he did years ago to help raise money for the March of Dimes could've been very instrumental in affording us the precious moments we got to spend with Elle in her brief, tender little life? We are proud of Kristin's efforts and willingness to share her story, helping other mother's get the chance to hold their precious babies!

Evie hung in their as long as she could but eventually she gave up and succumbed to the sand man!

Games of Acadiana and another super Sunday!

Yesterday was the Games of Acadiana benefitting the Miles Perret Center. This is the organization that has been so helpful to me during my treatments all this year! All of their services are free of charge. For instance, this year before school started they furnished the kids back to school supplies for the beginning of this school year. What a help that was!

As I contemplated attending the ceremonies I wondered how I would feel about participating in the survivors march at the opening ceremonies! At some point you have to declare yourself a survivor! When is that magical moment? For me it was yesterday! With a lump in my throat, and tears in my eyes, I joined in the SURVIVIORS walk! I had this talk with a fellow breast cancer survivor friend yesterday. I am so ready to just be living a normal routine life! I want this cancer experience to ONLY be a chapter in my life! I do not want it to define my life! like ... madelene boudreaux, mother of 8 children, cancer survivor! There is so much more to me, so much more yet to unfold. The story is yet unfolding, a new chapter, one after the other. Am elated to be ready to roll on! Ready to hang up my BOXING GLOVES and just roll with the flow! (Daddy would've loved the picture of me with the pink boxing gloves!) Yes, it was only one chapter in my life story!!!!

Today we had a great family gathering, cake pics included... Blair's "Watermelon" creation. Evie's outfit matched the cake! That's what I love about Sunday's!

p.s. my hair was only spray painted, the pink is not permanent!

A new school year!

This is our new start! Last year at this time, I had just begun my breast cancer journey. I was a walking zombie! And feared each day, wondering how my children would survive the school year with me in bed the majority of the time. What I learned was that they are very capable of many things without my help. And their Daddy took up all the slack! We survived the year, with quite valuable lessons. Lifetime lessons that are forming us into who God called us to be, all of us! With an open heart, I embrace this next school year, in appreciation for all of my blessings, particularly my health! I have so much admiration for the strength of my family. They are still standing strong after such turmoil. Your prayers were the key to our rising up! Thanks, its been a very enlightening year!

I have included this great picture Kristin took of Bryan and Evie! I can feel the love in their eyes! And the other is of Bella and I, during a recent visit to Angie's. Bella helped take this "self photo" of us!

Happy new school year to all of my friends and family.

Ahh! Getting creative again!

I spent the majority of the weekend helping my friend Melba's daughter get her college condo ready in Baton Rouge. Sarah and her roomate/ cousin, Chelsea and a few other friends all pitched in with the faux finish project. I thought things would get a little hairy with ALL the help, but they caught on quickly were a really big help! They did an awesome job! I wish Sarah all the best in her new adventure. Ricky and Sheila both helped me with the project which made things go very smoothly and quickly!

We also spent Saturday night celebrating Carol and Teenie's (Ricky's Sisters ) birthdays. The BIG 4- 0 and 5-0. Was great to help welcome them to OLD AGE!

Now its back to school time on Thursday! Yikes! 2 teenagers in high school again. Things are changing everyday!