Happy Birthday to Me!

Isn't this how every girl wants to spend her 40th birthday?

A movie:



Dinner:



And Go Kart racing:



It was Hawaiian night (how appropriate!) at our local fun plex. Wear Hawaiian attire and get a free round of mini golf. (That is why we all have leis trailing behind our necks . . .)

And guess which song was in my card from my wonderful husband, Don? (He's good, isn't he?) Those new cards that play songs are kind of popular in my family, so #2 is from Don also, #3 is from M1, #4 is from M2, and #5 is from M3. M4 gave me one of those crazy Hoops & Yoyo cards.

But mostly, I am just happy to be alive and enjoy another day!

For Carol

My precious sister in Christ went to be with Jesus this afternoon.

All that I ever knew of Carol was that she wanted to love and be loved.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, she was already fighting her own battle with health and in need of a liver transplant.

She came up to me one Sunday morning and told me, "Molly, I have told God that he can take me in your place, but to let you be healed. You need to live for your family!"

And I remember thinking at the time, "Oh Carol, you needn't to go the trouble, because God has already told me that I would be healed!"

But in these recent days, as she has actually become ill to the point of death, and died in the presence of friends and family, it has caused me to revisit her statement so many months ago.

What if that was part of "the deal"? Was her willingness to give her own life part of the reason I was healed? And even if it wasn't, how wonderfully sacrificial a gesture that she was willing to make on my behalf!

Thank you Carol. For your love. For your prayers. And for desiring to show Christlike sacrifice through your life.

What a Day (or two . . .)!

I flew out of Honolulu International Airport at 9 p.m. Hawaii time, which was 2 a.m. local time. Was in the air for about 8 hours. Slept for about 4 hours. Arrived at IAH at 9:45 a.m. local time.

From the airport, my sweet friend Marie W. took me to visit our dear sister in Christ, Carol, who was moved to hospice while I was out of town. It was precious to get to see her one more time.

We had lunch and then spent the better part of the afternoon at M.D. Anderson taking care of my three month tests. Bloodwork, Chest X-ray, (nap on the couch in the "hospitality" area) and CT scan. First time I've ever had an IV "blow". THAT was not fun. I used to say I enjoyed going to get tests done. How I love hospitals. But the novelty is starting to wear off . . .

I didn't get home until after 7 p.m. Thanks to my sweet friend, Marie H. the kids are fed and tired from swimming all afternoon.

And I am deleriously tired.

Goodbye, Hawaii

Boy, is it ever hard to leave!

Cheeseburger in Paradise

Where else can you get pineapple on your burger?

Dolphin Excursion

Our pontoon boat took us out on the west coast of Hawaii to try to find Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins. Not only did we find them. Lots of them!



We got to swim with them, too!

I couldn't have done this last year . . .

Besides the fact that I wasn't actually in Hawaii to do this, I could barely climb a flight of stairs (because I was sick and didn't know it) let alone climb a steep switchback trail followed by 200 steps to the top of Diamondhead crater. What a view!! (You can see our hotel in the distance on the beach to the left of the short, pink hotel.)

Here's Diamondhead from the 30th floor of our hotel, where we had dinner tonight:



That was a beautiful view, too!

And, speaking of views, I got a much better view of a sea turtle today:



at Hanauma Bay: