I cannot believe how fast time flies. This happens every year but seems to be speeding up – it’s almost the holiday season! What? How can that be? Didn’t we just put away all of the Christmas decorations? Didn’t Jonathan and I just celebrate our December wedding anniversary? I just don’t know where the time goes.

I’m in midst of fighting a lingering cold. Most people get a cold and it passes in a week or two (or if you are one of my kids, it seems like a day or two), but for me it lingers and affects my breathing by causing me to get short of breath from light activity. Jonathan and I tried to take a short walk last night but I ended up having to convert my walker into a wheelchair because I just couldn’t take deep enough breaths.  Its not just frustrating, but it can feel a little scary at times. Thankfully I have a terrific lung doctor who is following me and he took a chest x-ray last week which didn’t show pneumonia, and I have a pending sputum culture that will show me if antibiotics are needed. Hopefully I’ll be on the mend soon!

I truly can’t complain too much. This time two years ago, I was about at my lowest. I was wasting away physically and mentally I was struggling to keep it together. I was having panic attacks and a constant hovering of very severe anxiety. I didn’t sleep for three days and I was losing the will to continue on. It was the lowest emotionally and probably physically I had ever been.I was just praying for relief and it couldn’t come fast enough.  That’s when you wish the doctors would just give you something to knock you out, but for some reason they just let it run its course. I had psychiatry intervene but their measures took time which felt like an eternity to me. Thankfully now those measures have kept me even-keeled for two years. I rarely have a panic attack or significant anxiety attacks. And when I have had an attack, I can sometimes wait it out knowing that it will pass, and when it is too much, I have medication that can lessen its grip. Mental illness is dear to my heart and I feel extra empathy for those who suffer with its debilitating effects.

As far as good news, my mom, sister and I took a wonderful trip back in August! My mom treated us to a trip to Seattle and Alaska! It was wonderful! I normally don’t go anywhere except my mom’s house (two hours away) and the panhandle of Florida for a yearly trip. It’s normally just been too hard with all of my medical equipment, trying to avoid respiratory illnesses and having the stamina for travel and a new location. But, we had a wonderful travel agent who specializes in helping people who are on oxygen with their traveling needs. She planned out every detail from the airport transportation to the oxygen concentrator in our ship suite. She made everything less intimidating and more enjoyable!

We flew into Seattle and spent 3 days getting acclimated and rested up for our departure on a cruise. In Seattle, I saw an old friend that I hadn’t seen in 28 years! She and I went out for a cozy bowl of clam chowder and then a fun ride on Seattle’s big Ferris wheel. Then my mom, sister and I took a double-decker bus tour around the town and had such a good time with lots of laughter. It seems that being pushed around in a wheel chair (especially on bumpy streets) creates lots of fuel for giggles! I’m so glad that my family has a lot of patience and strength to push me around. I try to walk some, but generally I’m too slow and my stamina can’t keep up.

I’m trying to insert pictures, but running into some technical glitches.  I’ll keep trying. . .

After our time in Washington, we boarded a Holland America cruise to the Inner Passage of Alaska. We shared a lovely room which amazingly felt roomy and had a wonderful balcony that allowed us to see the sights without having to leave the comfort of our room or our cozy robes. My favorite sight was Glacier Bay National Park. It was stunning! And one of the coolest things is that it can’t be accessed by road – only by boat/ship. So, it’s extra special to see some of God’s most spectacular creation and know that not many are blessed to see it. It reminded me a lot of the Tetons in Wyoming plus active glaciers that if you are lucky, you get to see calve – which my sister did see a small piece calve into the water.

The food on the ship was top notch!!! Boy, I’m surprised I didn’t gain 10 pounds. My absolute favorite was breakfast room service. Every night the 3 of us would fill out our menu for breakfast which was always sure to have plenty of coffee. And every morning, some days early and some days late, we’d have our hearts’ desire of fresh fruit and cold/hot breakfast treats. It was such a nice way to start each morning. Our days were full of more food, of course, and touring the towns on our stops. We found it fascinating that Juneau, the capital of Alaska, can only be accessed by boat or plane. There are no roads that lead into the city. While we were in Juneau we took an excursion to do whale watching. Unfortunately we didn’t see any big jumps or big tails, but we did see their backs from a distance and the blowhole spray. The spray was fascinating.

We had a couple of dressy nights for dinner which was fun. We had delicious crab legs, lobster, Baked Alaska (for the first time – I always wondered what that was), delicious wine and all sorts of amazing coffee drinks. I know it wasn’t free, but it felt “free” because everything was inclusive. We all enjoyed a couple of trips to the spa which was relaxing and a few times we went to the Blues Club at night for good music. People watching was of course the best part, especially watching my sister and mom get up and dance a little to the classic “September” song by Earth, Wind and Fire! They really got down!!! 😉

After so many years of ups and downs it was nice to have a sustained “up” for 10 days while us ladies just enjoyed each others’ company, get good rest, eat great food and chat and lots of laughter. We also met lots of nice people including the crew who were above and beyond in their service to make our trip enjoyable.

In addition to my travels, we had a new family member join us this past February. Jonathan’s brother and sister-in-law welcomed a precious baby girl! So, now I have three nieces and two nephews! We also had a wonderful family reunion in July where we enjoyed spending time with Swedish cousins from my mom’s side of the family. It was so nice to see the fourth generation of cousins get to know each other and hopefully begin the first of more occasions to spend time together.

In sharp contrast, things in our world have been very unpleasant. The turmoil in the Middle East has been heartbreaking. It’s so hard to understand how people can be so cruel to one another.  Life is hard enough without inflicting so much useless pain.

This is where I have to turn my thoughts over to God and seek His comfort. He is the only one who truly understands and that holds the remedy for healing. Otherwise, it seems so futile. But we can’t give up hope. Here are some verses for the times we are in:

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:18

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Deuteronomy 31:6