I think day four is rally day.

I got up and brought the girls to running, and walked two miles with one of my dearest friends Melissa and her daughter, who I had in kindergarten this year. I love seeing my kids. I love them all year long, summer comes, and these children I cared for every day are gone. Summer is great, don’t get me wrong, but having little hugs here and there are little bits of sunshine.

Then we came home, I brought maddie and her friend to work, and drove Quinn to golf camp. He was nervous, and I was too.

Morgan and I drove away and she had a crying moment in the car. She is such a happy girl, and this has all been a lot. I told her it’s good to let it out, then let it go. We went to my moms house because I was exhausted , and we watched The Office. Studies show laughter is good for healing, and that show makes us laugh.

Then we vacuumed the Jesus Jeep, ran and got Quinn, and I took a nap. I’m understanding the chemo fatigue term, and have a feeling that naps on day three and four will be my best friend.

My nephew Hunter was dropped off, we picked up Maddie and Rob, then went off to the All Star game. It was great. We met our summer son’s family, and now we see how he is such a great young man. I feel like they’ve always been a part of our lives, and his family said they feel like I am his soul sister/mother.

As we were talking, his dad and I were discussing my old hometown, Valley Stream. I told him the street I grew up on, and suddenly he mentioned a name. A name of a boy who lived across the street from me. Then another. Then another. Then he said the kids used to work on cars in a garage across the street from this friend.

It was MY house….

With MY dad.

“Big Al”.

I kid you not.

When I was a little girl, my dad had all the neighborhood teen boys hanging out in our backyard. It was a safe place and they learned all about cars from him. Somehow, years and years later, God whispers on my heart to take a boy for the summer into our home, and it turns out his dad was in my garage back in Valley Stream.

Isn’t God amazing?

Joe pitched great, and we took family photos after. His manager, Patti, got the whole team to sign a ball for Quinn, and Quinn asked her to sign the ball too. “There’s no crying in baseball” doesn’t mean a thing to me.

As we left the field, I heard my name, and when I looked?

A man who I went to elementary school and high school with was there. I love Anthony, and he was there with another friend, Marcello. I used to be the girl who cared about frizzy hair and looking good when I saw people I used to know. Now? I just soak up their hugs and love. They said I was doing great and to keep going.

It was a total Valley Stream night.

We came home and celebrated with dinner with Joe. Hunter slept over, and he said on the way home, “Aunt Keri, I know I dont really know Joe, but I feel like he is my best friend!”

He is that sweet.

Every day I’m thankful that I’m able to continue to have beautiful memories.

Today I’m bringing Morgan to yoga at the Giving Room at ten. There is going to be a cellist playing as we breathe.

My oncologist sent me another email joking about the colleges represented in a picture I sent her. She has such a good feeling about this.

So do I .

I am full of peace.

Yes, I’m scared not knowing how treatments will continue to affect me, what surgery will be presented… but there is a peace that has filled me again.

I’ll take it.

Today may everyone find peace and beauty in their lives. May whatever needs to be healed, heal with ease.

And may we all see how God works in our lives, because someone you meet today may come back to you years later at a place called Baseball Heaven.

In Jesus’s name, amen.

Xoxo

Keri