forgotten silence~

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there is a forgotten silence filling our home

a quietness that became a faint memory in the back of my mind

 

we are feeling all a little out of sorts

slowly gathering our lives

and sorting them back out

 

i think we all became accustom to the way in which we were living

not so much because we wanted to 

but more so because we needed to

 

i am no longer marked by a calender of time

a movement that had me not thinking 

just actively doing

being driven by a force of what had to be done

 

yesterday was that of mostly sitting

with small doses of stirring about

 

reflecting upon what we overcame

and wondering now where my life will lead

 

sitting here this morning relishing in my thought 

"time is in the palm of my hands"

and pondering

what i shall do

9 weeks...

nov 5 

yesterdays drive home from the hospital was surreal...dad and i looked out the windows noticing how the season is passing in a blink of an eye and the sky held a touch of a wintery smile...


as we drove along dad and i expressed to one another how elated yet exhausted we were and how we were filled with many emotions...i turned to him and said "what are we going to do with ourselves now?" and then we both laughed...no more daily appointments...drives to seattle...back and forth...rushing around every morning to make sure we get out of the house on time...NOTHING...we have nothing scheduled until the 12th...

9 weeks ago, we got into my car...quiet on both of our behalves...it was a long, slow drive...no music lingering in the background...a staleness in our conversation...we had seen every doctor and nurse possible...we had been told everything we needed to know and what he was to expect but the reality was...neither of us really new what was about to happen or the journey dad would be starting...we were filled with still an abundance of questions that we knew as the days went by...slowly those answers would sort themselves and all that remained foreign would eventually become just a way of life...and sure enough a way of life it did become...

9 weeks ago...dad walked through the doors of radiation and faced cancer in the face...his fight to beat head and neck cancer began...

throughout these 9 weeks...dad amazed me with his strength...endurance...courageand will...as tough as times were...he never gave in to weakness...he never gave in to cancer...he woke each morning...mentally just as strong as the day before...he carried with him the words...I CAN DO THIS...and THIS HE DID...with a great deal of humor and grace...

9 weeks have passed and i sit here in awe...a loss for words as i am trying to type this...trying to summarize what i wish to express...i have so many thoughts...so much i want to say...9 weeks ago...our lives changed...and as i sit here thinking, i know now we are to attempt to get back to a some what normal state of living...a normal that as the days go by will continue to change...

i shared with dad yesterday what a testament too many he was and is...how thankful and proud i am for him opening himself up during one of the most personal, intimate moments of his life and how by allowing us to share his journey openly helped so many including us as a family...and it allowed so many to help us and bring us a sense of peace and comfort and drive to keep each of us walking positively and strongly through the days with him...

within these 9 weeks...some scrutinized or criticized us for sharing dads journey publicly...and for these i am just as thankful...because with each passing comment or thought of another...it just reinforced the preciousness of life...life is not always pretty...life is not always what we wish it to be...life is life...good and bad...and in the end, if sharing dads journey helped or helps one day to touched even one single soul...well then... 

IT WAS ALL WORTH IT...

every.single.word.and.picture.shared.here.

because reality is there is CANCER in our world...

CANCER IS REAL...CANCER IS WRETCHED...and at this moment...CANCER remains a daily battle each and every waking moment for someone in this world in which we live...so why would we hide it...disguise the ugliness and misguide others...why not share and possibly bring HOPE to another that no matter how horrible the day may feel...the sun will rise again in the morning and with that there will come a light that lifts all the misery...comfort in knowing that all they are experiencing, there is someone else out there that is or has been through a similar...that they are not alone...someone is and someone has walked the same line as them in some way, shape or form...

For 9 weeks we have carried HOPE in our pockets...now our HOPE changes to healing thoughts and wishes...HOPE that with each passing day, dad will continue to heal and recover from this wild ride he has had to endure...Hope in knowing when he revisits the ent dr. in december...dad will be told HE IS CURED...CANCER FREE...

9 weeks...YOU out there in this big wide world have been a beautiful part of dads journey and a blessing to us all as a family...there will never be adequate words to express how grateful we are for the love and support that has been given each day...it was within each of you, your words, comments and silent prayers that carried dad and our family through these last 9 weeks that have been...and for that we are forever thankful... 

13...thirty~two with many more weeks in between~

our seemingly endless summers days 

came quickly to a close

 

please pardon the lengthiness of such

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13...THIRTY~TWO

 

preparing

bracing ourselves for what was coming

hearing the news

a dr. coming through

mistakes

missing the known

enduring on everyones behalf

change

accommodating

pain

sorrow

believing in the final

hoping for a cure

 

 Gilda Radner Once Said:

"Some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity." 

 

 

 

warmth from the summers sun

brought forth a sense of autumn  

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13...THIRTY~THREE

 

remembering our littles

giving

taking time

togetherness

 a moment of space

a family as is

playfulness

escaping our minds

warmth within the day

surrounded by picnics

rustling

stirring

yet settled

 

 Plato Once Said: 

"Life must be lived as play." 

 

 

 

the wait is over

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13...THIRTY~FOUR

 

the time is now

a start

a beginning

anxiety flourishing

curiosity at ease

a first step for one father

his path unknown

strength from within

grasping onto what has been told

gripping faith

holding hope

believing the storm will pass 

rising above fear itself

 

 Someone Once Said: 

"The scariest moment is always before you start." 

 

 

september rolls in

the wheel begins to take its turn

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13...THIRTY~FIVE

 

slowly sinking into a routine

everything we thought

no longer is

continually chaos

accepting

lack their of not even knowing

or attempting to understand

remembering there is a far greater plan

clutching the minutes

exhaustion setting in

rain is falling

clouds roll way

a new path unfolds

 

 Buddha Once Said: 

"No one can saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." 

 

 

 

the days are passing by with such a blurriness

yet a dragging slowness  

we all feel the pull

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13...THIRTY~SIX

 

pondering the thought of needing to be cloned

possibility of six more of me

one for a wife

one for a mother

one for a teacher

two for care giving  

one for a daughter

one for a friend

arms feel as if they are being pulled  a hundred different direction

seeking and searching

 stumbling upon an old wooden fence

space granted to breath

bestowing a sense of peace

 

 Sir Thomas Browne Once Said: 

 "We carry with us the wonders we seek without us."

 

 

 

trying times have begun

in our lives

 

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13...THIRTY~SEVEN

 

unfortunate events

cancers treatments kicking in

one father struggling with strength

longing for it to all be done

knowing when to walk away

leaving yet standing for one minute more

pondering the final hours of the day

the dance of living 

we are all learning

the balancing act

or caring for all

and remembering me

myself along the way

 

 Joseph Smith Once Said: 

"If you live up to your privileges, the angels can not be restrained from being your associates."

 

 

hitting the half way mark

hoping with everything in me

the rest is a down hill walk

 

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13...THIRTY~EIGHT

 

stumbling upon an old dear friend

an extra hand presented without even knowing i needed such

pondering the mysteries and magic of life

one sisters cancer treatment completed

a scan presented

fingers and toes crossed  

that her journey comes to a close

one father hits a half way mark

his health rose once more

the wheel has turned

storms came way

rains broke through

wisdom keeps dripping in

 

 Someone Once Said:

"Believe you can and your halfway there." 

 

sorry for the novel above

but for me

i feel complete once more

knowing~

knowing today

she is in the hands of friends who care so much

 

wishing greatly

i could be with you my dearest friend and sister

as you begin this next step of healing

 

knowing though

you know that i love you so  

and care ever so deeply about you


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i wish you well in the coming days 

i wish and pray with all i have

that your cancer will go away

 

all that you have been through

and all you have left to endure

 

leaves you still smiling

and

showing your beautiful colors

 

an inspiration to each and all

you truly are

 

my love light and blessings

be with you this day and those that come forth

 

 

autumn begins to fall~

autumn is in the air

i sense the changes

in the season to be

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the geese are making their journey

away from the land i know

their travels mark the beginning

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the time has come

the time is here

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the early morning hours

me...i sit alone

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the sun slowly brinking on the horizon a little later by the morn

i hear their distant call

coming closer and closer as the minutes fall

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it fills me with a sense of knowing

marking the calender of day

the wheel will soon take to turning

the rhythm of our days

will begin the progression of slowness 

that will catch our every step

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a dance

a fight

between the restless and calm

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a tango one will learn to move

as the days continue along

and before one realizes

autumn begins to fall

brandi r burdick

 

hope~

THE TIME HAS COME...

 

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today is the beginning of our fathers journey...he has had a few set backs with the rescheduling of his feeding tube and in the waiting of his treatment plan to be complete...but the time is now...for it has come...as the dawn of day has broke...this day marks the start of his fight against throat cancer

 as we spoke last night we all felt the same...we are excited as strange as it sounds

the anticipation

the waiting

is

over

the unknown will now start to unfold

i am ever so proud of my fathers courage and strength...his attitude has remained positive...carrying the thought of this

this is just a small stepping stone

he is holding true to the power of our mind...minute by minute this he is reckoning with...i believe in him...and will forever stand by his side...to you my dearest father...we shall celebrate in the end...you shall fight this battle with all by your side...and you shall win knowing you carry such strength inside

 

sweet saturday~

because sometimes

just sometimes  

 

saturday mornings call for something special

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piping hot

crunchy yet gooey

buttery jellied goodness

is just what we need

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prior to starting

one must ensure

that one has a special

"popover" tin

 

preheat oven 425 degrees

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1 cup sifted all purpose flour

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1/2 teaspoon salt

{i use kosher} 

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2 eggs

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1 cup milk

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once all ingredients are added 

whisk together

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until batter is smooth

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1/4 teaspoon oil to each cup

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add batter to tin

filling about 1/2 way full

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bake 35-40 mins

 or until golden brown

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remove from ove

slide popevers out

 

tip upside down

{there will be a hole in the bottoms of each}

fill with whatever you like

 

ours are filled plum full

of

butter and jelly

 

13...twenty~seven plus quite a bit more...

one month has passed on by

without my weekly writings of thirteen

 

the good ol' saying of

be careful what you wish for

 

hit me full swing

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this seemed to sum up what my days had been

 

13...twenty~seven

 

i made a HUGE error in speaking

a disastrous careless wish

i wished for more travels to seattle

and well more travels were granted

i am becoming a professional hospitalite  

{hospitalite: one who makes frequent visits to hospitals} 

one month ago we were preparing for one sister to undergo surgery

one surgery came

one sisters cancer removed

a night nurse i became  

and the day nurse as well

peaceful was the resting

few were the hours to be  

recovering both her and i

 

 

Someone once said:

"The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us...They are those who win battles we know nothing about. "

 

 

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in the darkness she sits

 

13...twenty~eight

 

unfortunate news was told

one father to endure even more procedures

alas presenting oh yes more trips to seattle

with undetermined time lines   

then a warm full moon rose

an illuminated sky sat above

luna shined ever so bright

luminous was the world in which we know

i snuck out back

me on my knees

in the dark of the night

in the quiet of all

and prayed to any and all who would listen to me

 

 

Jeremy Taylor once said: 

"Prayer is the peace of our spirit, the stillness of our thoughts, the evenness of recollection, the seat of meditation, the rest of our cares and the calm of our tempest."


 

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 we as a family have been an uphill journey

climbing one mountain after another

trudging along  

reminding our selves daily 

...one.day.at.a.time... 

 

13...twenty~nine

 

waking

needing a reprieve

warmth blanketed the morning 

a family aboard

an adventure at hand

a bowl full of blackberries

and bounty of blueberries

space to move

air to breath

solitude in wandering

far enough away

yet close enough to feel each other

hanging onto the day

 

Someone once said: 

"Breath in joy and strength. Breath out wisdom and peace." 

 

 

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LIFE'S SHOWER

{captured as we were quickly driving by...hence the blurriness} 

funny how you miss things  

never knew this was here

 

13...thirty

 

needing a sprinkle from life's shower

fascinated by the brilliant mind of thee

art that lifts one spirit

and fills one soul

words of wisdom

lighting up the days that feel dark

another procedure endured for our father

confirmation of cancer is told

our hearts left bleeding

wondering how can it be

two in a family

at the exact same moment in time

how much more can be endured

 

Someone once said: 

"Strength is something you choose." 

 

 

 

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words can not express the spiraling effect of our days that have been

 

13...thirty~one

 

 momentum

somehow

someway

something has kept us going

being able to keep up the pace

forever thankful though it is happening at warp speed

plans have been laid

now we all attempting to prepare  

one sister hears more in the way of news

blessed by the grace of time

a gift of kindness

the magic of hands

and a gorgeous sunset to add

 

 

Hermann Hesse once said: 

"Oh, love isn't there to make us happy. I believe it exists to show us how much we can endure." 

 

 

de~compressings~

summer has been here

but we have not

 

our days have taken captive over our time outdoors

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without much thought

i woke saturday

and said we need to go

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i needed out

i needed to be wrapped in the warmth of summers sun

i needed to breath the freshness the sweetness of air

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i needed to clear my mind

i needed to pretend just for a moment that there is nothing

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i needed to be surrounded by the beauty of life thriving 

i needed to be apart of nature in its flourishing moment

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heres to savoring one of summers day


M.J. Durkin once said: 

"Breathe in the fresh air of the freedom to create your own mood rather than the stale air of being a prisoner of circumstance."

 

holding him~

with just enough time to recover from one sisters surgery and the post op days that followed

 

we are crossing the bridge once more

 

this time with our father

this time with less certainty as to knowing what is fully going on  

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because of the kindness and care that overflowed and the magical powers of good intentions sent forth

 

one sister is recovering beautifully

 

and so it is i ask once more

 

think good thoughts

 

think good thoughts...that our father will undergo and awake from surgery with out any complications

 

think good thoughts...that our fathers right lymph node on his neck has remained small {after biopsies taken last week they were able to drain it...which they found a bit strange...but some what good as it does not so much present itself as a typical cancer}  if it has grown they will be removing it

 

think good thoughts...that the surgeon will remove the mass at he base of his neck without complications and that it comes back as non cancerous

 

think good thoughts...that the surgeons biopsies on the base of our fathers tongue comes back as non cancerous

 

think good thoughts...that our father will find comfort in the days ahead as he recovers and gets the answers he is looking for

 

please hold him in your thoughts this day

 

13...twenty six~

our days have been a continuous flow of

...sitting...waiting...sitting...waiting...

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too many thoughts

too many possibilities

 

all shall be left unknown

until its secret is ready to be revealed

 

13

 

waking 

accepting 

quieting the minds of many

believing in my beliefs

one fathers procedure done

one sisters surgery coming forth

preparing for the coming week

attempting to balance the lives in my home 

summers heat sneaks in

 backyard camping

tangled fingers

bombs bursting

independence continually being sought 

 

 

Peter McWilliams once said:

"If you want peace of mind, stop fighting with your thoughts." 

 

i do believe...we can not control life...life controls us...true we have the will and the choice to choose how we "want" or "think" we will go about our day to day...but life can strike at any given moment...changing your plan...changing your day...changing your life in an unexpected way...so there is no sense in battling the what ifs and whys...tis an answer you will never find. 

 

sweet saturday...

dutch babies

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a glimpse while it was cooking

noted as a weekend favorite

i found a different version here

 made a few changes

coconut oil instead of butter

and mine wanted theirs without the blueberries

once out of the oven

it sinks down in the middle

reminds me of a huge style popover

served family style

just a dusting of powder sugar was all that was need

to make saturday morning ever so sweet

Laura Ingalls Wilder once said:

I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.