The good and the bad (which may just be the nebulous)

A documentary post about today, with a hint of personal progress.

Today was Aruna's baby shower. Libby, JenO, and Sarah organized it, with Libby hosting. I like that Libby hosted, as it meant a 2 mile (if that) jaunt for me to get there. Of course, Aruna's isn't much farther for me. I like having friends so close.

Lisa didn't make the shower, as the movers were here today to move their belongings. We (Ben, Lisa & I) went for Cold Stone Creamery last night (for dinner! It was my dinner! I love having CSC for dinner!), when she told me she probably wouldn't make the gathering.

The group at the shower were mostly Rippit women, with two non-ultimate women. We played very low-key baby shower games. Thankfully. Because the bachelorette parties these ladies throw are embarrassing! We played "How many toliet paper squares does it take to fit around Aruna's belly?", "Memory" (20 baby items on a tray shown to you for 1 minute, take the tray away and write down all the items you remember: Libby won at 16, I was second at 15), and "CAAAAB" or "Create An Acronym About Aruna's Baby" (where Aruna pulls 5 letters from a Scrabble set, and we created acronyms about the baby with the letters - this was right up my alley).

Lisa had purchased our gift for Aruna, so I just had to make pumpkin bread and head over. Mmmmmmmmm....

Later in the day, I called Jess to see how she was doing. Jess called me on Thursday night and told me she has breast cancer. It's the kind her mother had (15 years ago, so survival is good), been caught early (so survival is good) and doesn't require chemo at this point in the diagnosis (so survival is good). We talked for a while on Thursday, but I hadn't called her on Friday, so I wanted to call her today. She seemed in good spirits. Yesterday was her 5th year wedding anniversary to David, which is really cool.

Her surgery is tentatively scheduled for next Wednesday. She wasn't able to get confirmation because the O/R scheduling system was down at the time her surgeon's office called to make arrangements. She's having reconstruction done at the same time.

I'll head out to visit her at the new year. In the new year, I'll be able to stay a little longer, and get to see Crazy Cousin Kelly, Jenny and Dad, too. Maybe Dad will go sledding with me. That would be fun. And fun is needed in low times.

I was about to write, "I'm not able to visit her until next month/year." but in reality, the proper sentence is "I choose not to visit her until next month/year, in favor of spending my first Christmas with Kris as husband and wife, spending $400 instead of $700 to get there since money is an issue, continuing my training, take care of Rossi (Mike & Kate's big chocolate lab, who is staying with us for the holidays) and finishing up projects I said would be done by the end of the year." I say "choose" because it is my choice (taking a chapter out of the mental toughness book I'm reading).