Three weeks later....

So it's been 3 weeks since I have blogged.. I know I know you didn't miss me at all... but I've missed writing here. I started my newest adventure... a new job at Genzyme in Cambridge, MA  I'm doing Data Entry for the RenAssist program. Genzyme provides drugs for patients who are on Hemodialysis mostly due to End Stage Renal Disease or Cronic Kidney Disease. I've been there for 2 weeks so far and I like it... there's quite a bit to learn. Currently I've been entering Part D applications (applications from patients with Part D Medicare insurance) and Dailies - which are patients that are trying to verify that they have coverage..  I also get to do projects and have done 3 already in the 2 weeks that I've been there.

Anna and Lily have been doing great with the new routine that we've had to adopt so that I can get to work on time. I've actually been early by 15 minutes almost everyday. My mom has been very helpful in getting the girls for me from daycare most days and bringing them home for me or to her house for dinner till I can get home.

Two weeks ago the girls and I attended our second Camp Stepping Stones, which is a camp that is put together by the Center for Grief and Healing that is affliliated with the Hospice that Lee was at when he died. This year the girls seemed to have a really great time. They knew what to expect and made all sorts of arts and crafts projects this year. They also got some time to go swimming and have some pet therapy with Miniature Ponies. Meanwhile I attended a couple of presentations on helping the girls with their grief, got a massage, did some art projects of my own and attended 2 workshops. I'm looking very forward to getting the picture CD in the mail this year since I know that they took a ton of pictures of my girls during their activities.

Sometimes Life Sucks

Friends of ours from church got some not so good news last week. Their precious little girl , age 5, wasn't feeling well and they did what all parents do.. they took her to the hospital to be checked out. They got the diagnosis of Leukemia and she is now over at a wonderful hospital in the Boston area and has been told that she has the best type to have with a really great survival rate of almost 90%.

My heart keeps breaking for her and her family. I keep looking at my girls and thinking about how I'd be coping if something ever were to happen to my girls.. I know that I'd be devastated, heartbroken and not doing well. The same feelings I had just about 15-16 months ago when Lee was going through the last weeks of his life. My friends (the mom and dad) seem to be coping well so far. Yet I know that they are probably thinking "Why us?" "why now?". I'm trying my best to be supportive and since their daughters (they have twins also) are friends with my girls, I'm trying my best to discuss this situation with Anna and Lily in terms that they will understand. They know that C is in the hospital and would love to hear from them so this morning we got out some paper and markers and drew some pictures and mailed them off.

Lily was rather cute when I was telling her about C. She realizes that Daddy was in a hospital when he died and recently saw some pictures of me in the hospital when I was giving birth and asked me if I went to the hospital to die like Daddy.. so when we had the discussion about C, I made sure to tell her that C will be coming back to her home and that eventually we will get to play with her again but we will need to be careful with her. She seemed to understand but at the same time was asking why Daddy didn't get to come home too and wanted to go visit C to give her a big hug and get the monsters off her. I told her that we can't visit her right now but maybe once she is home and can have friends over.

Update on the Bucket List for Summer

Here's what I wrote a couple of weeks ago...

1. Trip to Franklin Park Zoo.. hopefully on a day when the Giraffes are out. - Going Tomorrow... can't wait.
2. Trip to Canobie Lake Park. (will need to happen with friends).
3. Fly a kite. - DONE as of June 30th. We had a great time and will be doing it again.
4. A Beach trip... another to do with more than one adult
5. A trip to a DCR Pool. with more than one adult.
6. Ride the train to Boston.. hopefully on the Commuter Rail aka the Purple Train
7. Trip to Rockport
8. Trip into Boston to play at the Frog Pond
9. Carousel ride in Boston.. hopefully by the Frog Pond or maybe down by the Rose Kennedy Greenway
10. Swan Boat ride
11. Children's Museum
12. Museum of Science
13. Go to the Fourth of July Parade in Wakefield and possibly go see the fireworks show over the Lake in Wakefield. - FAIL... it was too hot and wound up being a stormy night..
14. Breakheart Reservation to play and possibly go swimming
15. Go to Richardson's Ice Cream to visit the baby cows (yes i know they are Calves) and get some Ice Cream.
16. Mini golf... (maybe at Richardson's though Hago's in Stoneham might be more the girls speed).
17. Salem Willows.