It's me, Charity

So it's been a little while since I've updated. Life has been busy, and I have been struggling with my ongoing chronic health issues, (which is nothing new)  It seems that I always get brilliant ideas on blog posts while I am laying in bed trying to fall asleep. I feel like I should get one of those voice notes recorders so I can record my blogs before I completely forget them! Sidenote, back in the 90's and early 2000's I totally had a mini tape deck that you could record things with. #oldladystatus #wishistillhadit Anyways, on to the post! Lately I have been looking for ways to spread the joy. I've been trying to find nice things to do to surprise people and make them feel special. Last week I had my normal monthly concert at a Retirement Home on their Alzheimer's unit. I cannot say enough about the staff there. They are EXCELLENT! If I had a loved one that's where I would want them to go. I have been there when they have had hard days, but despite...

A few weeks ago I found a lump. It's scary for anyone, but when you have very recently lost a loved one to cancer, and have the genetic history that I do, it's downright terrifying. I know that my odds for cancer are high, everytime I'm at a Dr's office and giving my family history you can see and hear the change in the person taking it down. Three Grandparents with cancer. Maternal Grandmother with Metestatic Ovarian Cancer. As one Dr said " You really didn't win the genetic lottery did you?" um no. Fact of the matter is, I've allready had a cancer scare. Two weeks before I turned 21, I was 14 hours away from my family, at my college in Florida, and I sat in the Dr's office and heard those words that you never want to hear. "With a cyst this size, it is almost definitely cancer." Thank God it wasn't. But I have never forgotten that moment, or what it felt like afterwards, walking back to my Dorm and feeling like the whole wor...

As told by Facebook Status Updates Charity Hendress July 10 I'm not sure what I'm going to do when these are successful. Charity Hendress July 10 How I sit to watch tv when there are mice on the loose. Charity Hendress July 11 Reasons why my mom is the BEST mom in the entire world. Man do I love her!!! Charity Hendress July 11  near  Lafayette, IN Infestation Update: After a night filled with very little sleep, I put on closed toed shoes (while wishing my snow boots weren't packed away) grabbed my broom and dustpan and mustered up the nerve to go in the kitchen and see what awaited me in the traps. Nothing. No success trapping the little buggers.  Found two droppings on the counter so they were out. Today I am putting out poison, more mouse traps, and we sealed up an area that they might have been getting in outside. Mom blessedly brought me the grabber thing...

When you think about Joy filled events moving is not at the top of the list. If it is, we should talk, because you're clearly doing something that I am not! Just like finding a home, moving day was full of unexpected frustrations. Here I am sitting on my couch blissfully unaware of what the day would bring.   And here Jboz and I are just a few hours later. Needless to say, things did not go smoothly as we had planned. There was not much Joy going on, just a whole lot of Twanda waiting to be unleashed. It was a long, hot, long, sweaty, hot, long day. Because I am crazy, I had to teach two piano lessons that evening. With no shower, having moved in 95 degree heat. My students didn't care, and when they both came to their lessons and I shut the door to my brand new beautiful studio, the one room that was completely ready I felt like I could breathe again. During both of their lessons I tuned out the outside world and just focused on my students an...

It's been a roller coaster few weeks (months). Around April i.e. the day my new neighbors moved in. I knew that I did not want to renew my lease when it was up at the end of June. Other neighbors and different situations at my complex reinforced this idea. When I got the paperwork to renew my lease (they automatically send it) and found out that not only was my rent going up but they were adding other charges as well, I knew for sure that I would not be staying at my current location. For a long time I have longed for a house. For a girl that grew up on a farm, town life and especially apartment life, sharing walls with your neighbors, is just not for me. I crave peace and quiet. And not having to run my fan on high year round just to be able to sleep without hearing my neighbor snore. #iwishiwasjoking When I began to look I was determined that I would NOT freak out and trust God through this process. So I began to put feelers out and look on craigslist a few times a wee...

I was all set to write up a post-Easter blog about choosing joy over the first Holiday without my Grams and how emotional it was to realize she was in Heaven with Jesus celebrating his Death and Resurrection IN PERSON. And then... I injured my upper back and neck. And I still have no clue how. What I do know is that for 2 1/2 weeks I suffered from worse than ever before migraines and terrible back pain. I practically lived at my chiropractors. No joke. I would have slept there if they had let me. After my last apt (of 7930487930742) I felt good!  For about a day. And then I got the Stomach Flu. (Or so I thought) It was terrible. After 2 days barfing, fever, and dizziness, I thought I was getting better. And then it came back. Worse than before. Way worse. And then I got to ride in an Ambulance to the emergency room. That was fun. I think.  I don't really know, as I passed out during part of it. The Dr told me I had at least 4 more days of th...

Sunday afternoon I was going through some things of my Grams that my Mom had brought for me. As I was picking items up from the box I noticed a few envelopes. Looking closer, I instantly knew what they were and my eyes started welling up with tears.  Last year, after we found out her cancer was back, Grams had surgery right before our birthdays. We had hoped she would be out of the hospital and at my brother's by her birthday but the surgery was much more intensive than any of us knew. Mom, My SIL, and I tried to organize a card shower for her, to encourage her and let her know that people were praying for her. I got on facebook and sent a message to some of my friends who have kids (some of whom I teach Piano to) and asked if they would be willing to draw her a picture or send her something. I remember being surprised at how excited everyone was to help. They were touched that I had reached out and asked them and were excited to help cheer her up. Months later, when my Grams...

So I've had a rough month. Or really, a rough two months. I have been sick almost non stop since the beginning of February. I'm on my 4'th round of antibiotics for a sinus infection that.just.keeps.coming.back. I've had the stomach flu, and managed to not only break one of my toes but injure the top of my foot as well.  And of course, dealing with the loss of a loved one.My life has been reminiscent of a country song in it's pathetic state. And, Frankly, my attitude has not been pleasant. I could blame it on how miserable I have felt and the tiredness of feeling miserable months on end, but hello, I live with a Chronic Health Condition, I am frequently miserable, and my day to day health is not that of feeling well but I get by and soldier on.  So I really have no one to blame for my crankiness but myself. I realized I needed an attitude adjustment last week when I was driving back from Sonic. It was warm, like really warm, for the first time in months, I had my...

 I've been MIA on the blog lately. After my last post on my Grams Birthday, Feb 26, she went to be with Jesus on Feb 28, the day after my birthday. My birthday was very painful and difficult. Thankfully I have some wonderful friends who were great to try and keep me occupied and kept me from being alone most of the day.  When we found out her cancer was back in Jan of 2013, I very clearly heard the voice of the Lord telling me that this is how we would lose her and I needed to prepare myself. It's been my goal thru the past year, especially the final 6 months of her life when she was in such bad shape, to rejoice when she went to be with Jesus. I was not rejoicing very much on my birthday, I can tell you that! Going through the day knowing that she could breathe her final breath at any moment. It was hard. It was really hard. I think having her go by our birthdays, that we had celebrated together every year of my life, was just difficult. Knowing that was coming to an e...