Project Life Tuesday: Week 2

Welcome to Project Life Tuesday! If you are new to The Mom Creative, each Tuesday, I share my pictures from my Project Life album – a photo a day for all of 2010, and readers are invited to link to their blog posts that share their photos. My only requests are a) that you link back to The Mom Creative or post the Project Life Tuesday button on your blog/in your post and b) that you link your actual Project Life Tuesday post in the Linky Tools widget – not your blog homepage.

Last week I was traveling almost all week and with my grandma’s passing, my photography is a bit light. I plan on documenting the week with other elements – hotel key cards, the eulogy I read at Nana’s funeral, etc. I got home last night and just didn’t have time to gather things up to photograph.

Therefore, I asked my dear friend Sara to guest post. If you don’t know Sara, aka Gitzen Girl, you are missing out. Sara has Ankylosing Spondylitis and is home-bound – as in, has not left her home in more than a year. Yet, she is filled with more joy and grace than anyone I have ever met.

She is beautiful.

You want to know her. Read her blog here – and enjoy her Project Life Tuesday photo (which she calls Gitz Bits) below!

Thank you to Sara for helping me this week. I love you.

Monday, January 10, 2011

1.10.11

Needless to say, it’s a good thing I took my picture for the day at the start of this game.

It’s funny how social media can infiltrate every part of our lives. Even team sports. Before I became good friends with Tam, I had never even heard of the Ducks. Now, suddenly, I am rooting for them with abandon. Sadly, I couldn’t pull them through their bowl game like I did the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Yes. I do take credit for team wins. I have no doubt they can hear me cheering from here. 🙂

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

1.11.11

Riley, on the other hand, has had it. He is fully ready for this crazy football season with bowl games every night to be o-v-e-r.

“I’m right here, lady. And you haven’t petted me in the last 73 seconds. Check your priorities.”

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

1.12.11

Yes, that says “Smoothie” … and I can drink it!

I can’t tell you how impossible it is to try and find a good fruit smoothie that doesn’t contain whey. And the ones that don’t have whey inevitably contain some immune booster like Echinacea that counteracts my autoimmune meds.

But finally, Bolthouse Farms took pity on this girl and made one that was tasty and whey free and allowed with my medications. And it doesn’t even bother my stomach.

It’s like God himself came down and said, “I’m finally giving you a break on this one, kid.”

Hey, I’ll take whatever I can get. Smile

Thursday, January 13, 2011

1.13.11

This screen shot is my photo for the day.

Guys, you all know what my weeks have been like since the last reaction. It’s not been pretty. And I’m trying to keep my spirit of optimism fully intact, but there are some days I have to work a little harder at that than others.

But then. THEN. I get this random, out of the blue, no reason whatsoever Facebook message from my 17-year-old nephew who I love more than I love breathing.

{Here’s a photo so you know which one I’m talking about…}

And it literally made everything happy. I called and offered to move him to the top spot on my will, but since I’m broke I’m not sure that really says much. So I offered him my right arm should he ever need it.

Because since he’s already really good with a jump shot I think he’s going to opt to keep his own.

Friday, January 14, 2011

1.14.11

Speaking of fun things that made the week better…

My brother-in-law Jeff put me on their phone plan so I could get this texting machine.

Otherwise known as a cellphone. But to me, it’s a total texting machine.

At some point we realized that if the electricity ever went out in my place, I had absolutely no way of contacting anyone for help. My internet would be out, my phone is modem-based to save money, and my Lifeline button wouldn’t work either [there would be no way to say, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!“]. So we got a cellphone for such emergencies and it turns out it has unlimited texting. Which means I have an easier way to keep in touch with friends when I have no voice. Like now.

Happy. Happy. Happy. When you are stuck in the house for the rest of your life with no voice to talk to people, trust me when I tell you technology becomes your very best friend.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

1.15.11

The only bad part is when you get super excited over another way of communicating with people, only to discover your body isn’t cooperating.

By Friday night my left thumb and wrist had swollen to a ridiculous size and I was trying to text with only my right hand. This disease just never makes things simple. But technology came to the rescue again when I realized the phone had Bluetooth and I was able to link my external keyboard to the phone.

It wouldn’t sync the first 783 times I tried it and then it magically connected. I have no idea what I did or did not do to make it happen, so I’m just chalking this one up to Jesus liking me.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

1.16.11

I decided today I was going to take a photo of something outside of my bedroom so Physical Therapist Ted could have some proof that I actually do get up and do laps with George around the condo like I’m supposed to.

During that lap I imagined the figurines in this nativity un-posing and declaring, “Dude. Even the wise men have come and gone. It’s time for you to let us move on.”

Sigh. Christmas is really over.