Escape

Just typing that makes me think of silly Dory on finding Nemo when she ennunciates it when they're in the submarine with the sharks: "ESC-AP-EH!" What? You say I'm watching too much Disney & Pixar? Anyway, we've been so blessed to have some moments of escape lately. I can't remember if I shared we had our first date night...and then another! All within 2 weeks thanks to Nini & Papaw. We loved catching up with our awesome friends Danny & Kathleen. We always have fun when we're with them and it was nice to laugh and hang out again.
Then we had another chance for escape when we diverted on our trip home to see our family. Thursday I had several hours of work time where I escaped the house for the first time in 2 months for a face-to-face meeting with our customers. Yikes...it was the toughest 7 hrs for me to be away from Brayden for that first time. Bryan's been working so much and has only had a couple of weekends off, but working all weekdays we're home. And, his hours have changed so he's literally gone all day while Brayden and I have found our way within a new schedule to maintain work from home and everything else. Being outside our little bubble reminded me there's so much I probably still haven't felt or dealt with. But I was just glad to finally be back home and knowing after 10 txt messages and several phone calls later, Bryan did just fine and Brayden didn't know I was gone. Kidding...
I took the bull by the horns and scheduled a Girls' Night for my sweet friends in our Circle. Not everyone could be there due to crazy summer schedules, recovering kiddos, etc. But Friday night was an escape with my dear friends who mean the world to me. I am so blessed to literally have some of the best women around to support and uplift me and encourage me. And...to make me laugh! It was so great just to get caught up with what's going on in their lives. I realized I'm probably more starved for adult communication than I realized! I tried not to hog the conversation! But it was a great escape to my favorite restaurant and with the coolest waiter I always request. He's more than sweet and takes such good care of us. That escape was bittersweet, even with the glorious 4+ hours just visiting, laughing and catching up at the restaurant. It also came with the realization things in this old environment I was in before now being in it now, just isn't the same.
Our Saturday brought opportunities for more escape. Unfortunately, Bryan had to work. Brayden and I escaped from our eggs, oatmeal or yogurt menu for breakfast and went to blueberry pancakes! YUMM!! That was a real treat (and request) that I was happy to escape with! We escaped some much-needed housework with catching up on our Little House on the Prairie episodes we had DVR'd. THEN...we were more than excited to escape the house and get the wonderful chance to go back to the movies! We knew when Brayden's counts were so great on Wednesday we HAD to see Up! My sister had told me it was literally her favorite movie of all-time. Being a chic, trendy, 21-yr old who doesn't normally pick a Pixar movie as her pick of the week, I knew we needed to check it out. Nini & Papaw joined in the escape with us and we were more at ease with our new procedures each time we go to the movies. I was really nervous at first. Even with this movie being out for several weeks, going to a matinee when I thought everyone else would be at the lake or shopping, and at the lesser-crowded, lesser-known theater in the area, was stunned at how many people were there. We trudged on and were grateful to be in the back row and 3 entire empty rows in front of us. It wasn't that bad once my eyes adjusted. Then, within not even 20 minutes in, I knew why there were so many people there. I seriously almost couldn't make it through the movie. I was grateful to hear Brayden's fits of laughter and near-miss on spewing his bottled sprite we snuck in with us (Dr.'s orders! So that doesn't count in breaking the movie theater rules, right?) He had such a great time escaping and just laughing and experiencing this great movie. It has such an incredible message. Young or old...kids or no kids...you've GOT to see this movie and really listen to to the story and the lesson in it. I remember hearing a trailblazing world-renowned scrapbooker say not to take more time to preserve the memory than what it took to make it. I think of that a lot and hope we are doing more memory-making and not forgetting all the little things that happen in life instead of looking for the BIG things to put in a book. Life is all around us and it's such a precious gift and one that I pray we never squander. I feel guilty sometimes and wonder if we're doing enough to celebrate that gift and give back to others or help others along the way. It was definitely a special afternoon with my sweet boy.
We escaped a healthy dinner for probably the worst take-out choice we could EVER make but it was Brayden's. Don't even ask...I'm too ashamed to tell you where we went through the drive-thru. But I was glad that without Bryan, I still worked it all out with alcohol wiping everything down right after it came in the car and Germ-X'ing and sitting and enjoying the conversation with the best 9-yr-old!
We decided to escape returning home to do chores and instead, reminisce. I took him the houses I lived in when we first moved here when I was 8. Talk about a crazy walk down memory lane. And, PS, I realized areas of our beloved community have gone WAAAAAY downhill. But we made it through without issue and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon in the air conditioning and Brayden realizing his mom used to play basketball, ride bikes, fish, and who knew I used to be that outdoors-ie?
We finished off by escaping our bedtime! We celebrated with ice-cream and a movie at home with lots of blankets in the floor and falling asleep. What a day.
Please pray for Brayden Monday & Tuesday. We have to escape back to Little Rock for port surgery early Monday morning. If his counts are good, we will be admitted and begin back the last 2 weeks of this block of treatment, which we've been warned will be the hardest. This is the medicine Brayden had trouble with last time. And since the reaction to the medicine is cumulative, we know the more in his system over time, the more difficult. They'll monitor his reaction overnite, then we should hopefully get to come home Tuesday afternoon. We'll do chemo locally again Wed & Thurs, repeating Little Rock on the following Monday, then local chemo Tues, Wed, and Thurs. I just pray it's not as bad as it was last time. It was really tough to see him so sick. We're praying his counts stay strong, his body stays healthy, he's able to keep enough fluids and nutrtition down and we can move on! He's a little nervous about the port surgery, but the promise from his Dr. he'll be able to go swimming in 4 weeks or so is hopefully encouragement enough! We keep talking through it to be sure he knows what to expect. But it's definitely a little intimidating for all of us. We know it will be better in the long-run and that's what we're focusing on.
I'm a little sad tonight. Bryan's wedding ring made an escape. I don't think it was intentional. His first ring escaped last summer while in the ocean. Last fall for our big wedding anniversary, we up-graded (or I guess technically replaced) and got him the coolest ring. I'm regretting not taking pictures of our rings together now. He's looked everywhere - literally dumpster diving with the boxes at work - and can't find it. I'm so sad. While it's all in perspective, you know how us girls can be. Losing one wedding band is tough enough. Losing two, you're hoping it's not a cosmic sign. I know, I know. It's not that big of a deal but I know my girls can relate. We're still holding out a fraction of hope that by calling the Pawn Shops we can try to find a size 15 ring I swear not many men could wear. So maybe we'll be able to find it? Here's hoping the ring can find its way back home and not permanently escape.