Yesterday, my youngest son Qwerty graduated from the sixth grade. He has had recruiters from Eastern prep schools offer him scholarships. I am very proud of his academic achievements.

Mostly, I am proud of the fact that our family provided a stable home for him and have given him the opportunity to thrive. He was able to go from kindergarten through sixth grade at the same school and he never had to move and say goodbye to his friends and make new friends somewhere else. That was very important to me. I have probably lived in fifty different places during my school years. It got to the point that we stopped making an effort to make new friends because we knew we were going to move in a few months anyways.

So Qwerty had a better more stable home life than I had, and as a parent, what more could you want than that?

my son, wife and 1 year old have gotten a place of their own and moved out. we took dilly home yesterday after having her for a week(yes i will miss her). and my husband went back to work today after being home on vacation. i have the house to myself!

After getting the bad news with Ed's brain we went to dinner.

Today's Joy: We had a waitress that remembered our way of ordering. She started out repeating our last lunch......water with lemon...hot coffee, extra cream.....are you having your favorite salad Miss?? This made me smile and took me back to thinking on the right track. After all Mighty Oak is still right here with me, enjoy Marie.

Today's Joy: Ed went fishing, a hobby he gave up long ago. A close family friend spent the day with him. Before Ed took me to a late lunch we sat and talked. I asked him about his day and watched his face glow as he talked about Paulie (31 years old and still calls him Paulie~Cute). Paul stayed up late last night getting ready for their morning. When Ed was fishing, Paul asked if he wanted to sit. Ed told him in a noncomplaining manner that he was all set. Paul took a chair out of the truck for Ed~sweetie that he is. They caught all kinds of fish but Paul caught the most.

Paul just called to check on Ed. I told him he was sleeping and he was happy about that since he knew Ed did not sleep last night.......then he asked me if Ed mentioned that he caught the most fish?? It gives new meaning to a fish story, eh?...giving Ed credit he did not deserve, this warmed my heart. I let Paul know that the day meant the world to Mighty Oak and that I was thankful for both his friendship and how he takes care of Ed all the time.

Oooo, then the salad I had for lunch.....Garden greens with strawberries, white raisins, candied walnuts, Gorgonzola cheese and a pineapple vinagarette.......Mmmmm.

Besides new bumps in the road I am savoring each day.....especially now as Mighty Oak sleeps in his Lazyboy chair with a grin on his face.

What is your JOY today?? I could use some extra smiles today.

My joy today has been watching my 5 year old grandson, Blake! I watched as he excitedly go dressed in his new shorts, shirt, and sandles so we could go get him a haircut! That boy loves to get a haircut! After that, I got to help him get ready to go with his "PaPa" to the beach! He picked out some bowls, scoops, etc. and he was off! They've been gone for 4 hours and are having a great time (by phone calls)! Tomorrow I'll get the girls (granddaughters 7 & 9) and get them ready for a week of vacation bible school. Sometimes in the tough times, it's those 3 little faces that spurs me on!

Today's Joy: Watching Ed make his own dinner, a giant Porterhouse steak (Yuck). I admire his culinary skills and could watch him for hours. Hahaha, as long as I stay out of the way. He was brought up in a strict Italian family and when he was little he watched with amazement. His grandmother (father's side) was struck with Polio and spent her years in a wheelchair. She cooked and baked old Italian feasts and could roll 4 tortellinis with both her hands at once, wow!

A parade is passing by the house and Mookie just came out and sat in the middle of the living room looking at me like he did not know what is going on. When they came back by in the front of the house he went running into the music room. Rounding the corner he skidded out and hit the refrigerator which gave him back the posture he needed to continue his marathon.

And now my Friends, the ice cream truck is coming down the street. As I listen to the bells and hear children gathering, warm gentle memories of my own childhood flood my mind. There is an old mill that is down the street that made lace and such in the old days. They have renovated it into beautiful condos and restored the bell tower that tolled for its workers each hour. On the top of the tower is a giant rod that glows warm blue and is breathtaking in fog or snow and a warm summer night. It tolls on the hour and tonight when it strikes 7 I will say outloud, "Time to be back in the yard" and smile as those wonderful memories help me to daily tribute my life.

Another joy is that I even exist, that I can experience life for one more day. For this I give great thanks along with the fact that I can share this with you here.

Today's Joy: We had electricians here today doing work that Ed would have been doing. They are hardwiring our fire alarm system to the firestation for us. I told them that I have not dusted for a few weeks because I knew that there would be a mess with this job. They complimented us on the neat and beautiful home we have created. This made me feel good since I am a neat freak, germ phobe and again, have not dusted for a few weeks.

Tonight's joy will be cleaning the house, oh I cannot wait until they leave!!>>Believe51

PS: One of the guys I went to highschool with. The other main electrician and I started talking. His girlfriend's Mom is in almost the same situation as Ed, same age, same issues....I gave him our phone number and will keep her in mind as I look for the answers. I hope we can help her too. That would be a joy for a different day if we can.

Today's Joy: Listening to all of the phone calls to Ed today wishing him a "Happy Father's Day". Mind you, they were all speaking of his cat, Mookie!! Haha! My granddaughter is from my son, he is from another man not quite as wonderful as Ed but a real nice person.

I have a Henri Bendel candle burning and it has been burning all day. My house smells great, I have my husband by my side in his Lazy Boy chair, the cat on his lap....Life is good.

I sit here tonight and write that part of me is still numb and cannot believe this is happening to his brain. I look at the legal pad on my side and see two full pages of options. I skipped a line between them all and many are shots in the dark, many are risky but I fill with hope. I have hope, especially now and it flows as fierce as the swollen river across the street.

What a lovely day with Ed. Also I have had thoughts of Rose and how I will be working from home most of the time. I am so happy just being and focus on the future that we are going to once again grasp. Things are moving forward for us both, we just have to redirect the direction of our flow.>>Believe51

Today's Joy: Listening to all of the phone calls to Ed today wishing him a "Happy Father's Day". Mind you, they were all speaking of his cat, Mookie!! Haha! My granddaughter is from my son, he is from another man not quite as wonderful as Ed.

I have a Henri Bendel candle burning and it has been burning all day. My house smells great, I have my husband by my side in his Lazy Boy chair, the cat on his lap....Life is good.

I sit here tonight and write that part of me is still numb and cannot believe this is happening to his brain. I look at the legal pad on my side and see two full pages of options. I skipped a line between them all and many are shots in the dark, many are risky but I fill with hope. I have hope, especially now and it flows as fierce as the swollen river across the street.

What a lovely day with Ed. Also I have had thoughts of Rose and how I will be working from home most of the time. I am so happy just being and focus on the future that we are going to once again grasp. Things are moving forward for us both and we are going to redirect the direction of our flow.>>Believe51

i get dilly tomorrow!!!!! for 2 weeks!!!!!

Today's Joy: Simply put, after my birthday party Ed took me to dinner, like I did not eat enough during the day (where are the chocolate Tums?). I took him home and got him settled. Oh yeah, I was going to do some damage. Shopping for sneakers, something I did not plan or desire to do. It came into the mind and that was it. I took my birthday money like a kid who feels the burning hole in the pocket feeling.

Why should I be normal either? I picked out 3 funky pairs of sneakers. A green and white pair of Reebok's, a yellow and white pair of Skechers' and my favorite....'Rocket Dogs' with tied-dyed laces and peace signs and a smiley face on the side. Midlife crisis you ask? Who cares, I ran with them. I am more spontaneous in life now and whenever I wear these sneakers I will smile because I remember. Those 'Rocket Dogs' are going to be my good luck pair I feel it.

So tomorrow when we go to Dana Farber I will adorn my good luck sneakies, crazy but awesome. Whenever I look down I will be reminded how I am able to see color in my life and how humor is for all ages.

I also got a phone call from a college sweetheart, we almost got married to one another. He has remained a constant force in my life, a true friend and total inspiration. His call made my day complete. He admires the love Ed and I share. Although we have never truly got over one another we are so happy we made the life choices we did. It takes a special team of lovers that can downgrade to friends and worship that friendship just as complete for 26 years. Hopefully Ed will feel better, he is dying to take us out on the town for dinner.>>Believe51

My Joy today is reading all of Marie's posts.

Marie, I love you so much!

My Joy today is that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you think about your best friends, all getting together, and laughing and hugging and having an all-around good time, and that's the way I feel right here, right now, "with" y'all. (oh, that's right, I need to correct the "y'all" part, as per Chrisy) I love "the entire lot of you"

Today's Joy: Standing in the middle of the driveway during a fierce thunderstorm, the cold slapping of rain on my face, the ground shaking beneath my feet, the daytime sky lighting up. I have been fighting sadness lately, go figure, and I want to just say I pushed it aside for another brief moment. I did not think of the dangers of this action, I did not worry about dangers this storm could supply, I just thought that I 'was'. For the time I stood in the cold rain getting pelleted by stinging rain I listened to the intense quiet. I was free of fear, even free of thoughts of cancer, I felt total peace....with myself and with life.

Now is this recommended for others....Ah....NO. "Please do not try this at home." (lol). But I felt liberated and free from all bad. This short time alone in the rain has filled me with happiness. It is a reminder for me to come in out of the rain and dry off. The thoughts of cancer have fled back into my mind and I think I will try the same approach. We have been there in the rain, dangers surrounding us, and it is time to dry off and remain safe.>>Believe51

Today's Joy: Ed felt well enough to go for a ride to the ocean tonight. We sat and ate ice cream and enjoyed this time we still have together. Yesterday was 34 months.>>Believe51

.........o yeah, pistachio ice cream with hot fudge and no whipped cream. I needed this as much as I need to scoop my eyes out with a small ladel!! LoL