The Pretty Side of Cancer

Let's be honest, we're barely a week into this. I look fine. I feel fine. But the diagnosis and impending chemo makes people want to cheer you up even before you're not fine. Flowers do this beautifully.

I always thought it was a waste to buy flowers for a funeral. The person's dead. He or she can't enjoy them. Birthday flowers? Sure. V-day roses? No problem. Then there are Sick Flowers. Have I got Sick Flowers!!!

They are awesome. It's like I'm running a greenhouse. I've come home to a bouquet at the front door three times in the last week. I'll tell you, it's a lot more fun to retrieve daisies at the door than the dry cleaning.

My desk mate, Susan, shared her happy, upbeat spirit with Daffodils at my desk. For a day or two, they were completely closed; leaving us to wonder if she got duds. But then, they bloomed beautifully adding cheer to the old stacks of business cards, dust bunnies and boxes of Sponch I have building up on my desk.

The next day, Marcia treated me to a fabulous bouquet of Market flowers. They served as a wonderful accent to the red roses Chris gave me for Valentine's Day. (Side note: At work, Eric was reading an article listing the 10 worst Valentine's Day presents you can get a girl. It's the kind of topic that can bring our newsroom to a halt for a good 15 minutes of bickering. The #1 thing on that list: a Dozen Red Roses with Baby's Breath. Worst gift. Really?? Who the hell is writing that list. Roses are like diamonds, they never go out of style. We called bullshit on that list.)

My mom and her husband Bruce live in North Caroline and have a garden to beat the band. They're on the Official Garden Tour and everything. So it's no surprise they picked perfect tulips to help cheer me up. It's still a little early in the season for them, but I'm sure Bruce could be growing tulips this good in his yard within weeks. It was another bright and happy bouquet to cheer up my day.

I'm so thankful for all the kindness ...
         BUT THIS ONE TOOK THE CAKE!!

It's a Tennis Ball Menagerie from the LOVE ALL AROUND Tennis Team!!  These girls are the best in the world! And the fact that I have six tennis balls mingling with forsythia on my kitchen table makes me smile from ear to ear! Thank you, my amazing ladies! You've made me so happy.