Let me tell you about my day.

I was feeling poorly this morning--pain in my back and a bad nightmare involving a faceless doctor the night before.  When circumstances like this occur, I try to "hunker down" as much as possible.

So, I spent the morning watching the birds outside our family room window.  With Peggy's laptop on, well, my LAP--I learned:

That Ornithologists once thought there were 3 separate species of Junco, but now consider those to be merely races of the same species.

That Northern Flickers have two long bright yellow feathers on the underside of their tail feathers.

And, my most important discovery of the day?  Juncos have a light pink bill!

Yes, that's how my days have--I was going to type "degenerated"--but I don't think that's right, is it?

Maybe it is more accurate to say that that is how my days have "evolved."

After watching my birds for the morning, I got my coupons and grocery list together and went to pick up Girl 2 from school on my way to Meijer.

At the grocery, I saved $16.00 on a $58.00 grocery bill, I have to learn to hide my coupon enthusiasm from Peggy, she's beginning to question my masculinity!

Home from the grocery, I put everything away that wasn't and cleaned what needed to be cleaned.  As I was doing the dishes, my Peggy told me that she had heard from a dear friend of ours, D---, that the cancer she had so soundly beat in her Pancreas is now back in her liver.

There's a part of cancer that's just sort of inevitable, isn't there?  I mean it just keeps coming, and coming, and coming.  And it does so RANDOMLY!!  this person I'm talking about is a wonderful woman. By energy and example she has made a difference in so many lives.

I know that God has a purpose behind the further suffering my friend will have to endure.  He lets nothing go to waste, and it strikes me that all life is educational--to ourselves, and to others who look at us.

I know that God loves my friend, and one way or the other, sooner or (please) later, He will gather her into His loving hug.

                 She needs it, Father.

I know  that she is scheduled for an appointment next week to discuss/determine what she wants to do from here out, given the information she's been provided.

I DON'T know what her decision will, or even should be.

I DO know that I will be with her in praying my rosary for her, each day before that appointment. 

This friend, I wish I could mention her name, but that wouldn't be prudent, this friend has gone to bat for me so many times, has put herself in situations that must have been uncomfortable, just so that I could gain a degree of comfort I did not deserve.

I will say a rosary for her every day until she has her appointment and determines what course of action to follow from here.  I'll try to avoid being selfish, because I would always want her around. But more than most, I know the price of "just keep on keeping on."

My job will be to support, not to cajole, never to judge.

I love you, D--.