Happy Birthday to my favorite son!

Cameron looks happy on his 4th birthday! 

Today he turns 32. Time goes by.

Ever thankful for my favorite son ~ Happy Birthday, Cameron!

 

Recuperation journey: Looking back to 1994

One of my favorite Christmas morning photos.

Recuperation journey: Peaceful pond

Late Saturday morning.

Recuperation journey: Throwback Thursday

First day of school in 1997.

My mom would come over on the first day of school when the kids were little to see them off on the bus.  
Wonderful memories! 💞 💞 💞

Recuperation journey: Christmas moments

I was fortunate enough to experience several "Christmas moments" during the holiday season. 

They all center on wildlife - cardinals and deer, to be exact.

On Dec. 20 I wrote this post about two deer I spotted one evening running across the road in front of a car ahead of me. The story drew a lot of readers, I'm happy to say. 
A friend said that might be my "Christmas moment." It was, until the next one.

The few Christmas cards I sent featured a photo I took through the window last winter of a cardinal in the snow. 

To continue the theme, at our family's Christmas Eve Yankee Swap I got this beautiful cardinal light. 


And on Christmas Day our son Cameron - who hadn't read my post about the deer crossing my path - surprised me with this magnificent deer.

The cardinals, blue jays, and squirrels I see outside the window each day and deer crossing my path are calling to me - giving me a signal to slow down and appreciate nature and the wildlife that surrounds us.

All coincidences? I think not.

Recuperation journey: Sentimental Sunday

... because it's Christmastime. 

Recuperation journey: Cameron's journey

Sunset over Stockholm - at 3:13 p.m.

From our son Cameron: 
"View from my hotel room. This overlooks the Kista neighborhood, which has been described as the Silicon Valley of Europe."

*Posted by a proud mama.

Recuperation journey: God morgon

I thought I'd throw some Swedish in the mix since our son landed in Stockholm about an hour ago. 
He recently changed jobs and the company he works for sent him there for 10 days.

Today I'm thankful for texting! 

[God morgon means good morning.] 

Recuperation journey: Sharing fall foliage found in NYC

My favorite son (ok, he's my only son) sent me photos he took of the autumn color in his Brooklyn neighborhood.
I thought I'd share some NYC foliage just for fun. 
I'd say Cameron has a pretty good eye! 

Enjoy your day!

Recuperation journey: You never know

I opened up my email this morning to learn that our wonderful, gentle son was mugged when he was out running last night.

At 2017 Griffin 5K

Cameron has lived in Brooklyn for almost five years and nothing like that had ever happened to him. 

He said he is OK physically but they took his phone. So he couldn't call at 1:36 a.m. when he got back from being interviewed by a detective.

I thank God he is OK. He knows he made a mistake being out late at night with his headphones on...he never heard the perps coming at him from behind.

I'm happy he had already planned to come home for the weekend! He's running the Griffin Hospital 5K Saturday morning as a member of my team.

You just never know.

Recuperation journey: Throwback Thursday - 1992 edition

Looking back to a day in the summer of '92 when my mother and I took the kiddos to Little Bit Farm in Seymour. 
Yes that's our son on the left with the long, long locks. 
He was only about 20 months old at the time and I didn't want him to lose those blond curls. That's my excuse! 

Recuperation journey: July 4th sunset seen in Brooklyn

Our son Cameron knows how much I love to take photos of sunsets so I was pleasantly surprised this morning to find this photo in my email. 
He lives in Brooklyn and took this from a rooftop while he and his friends were waiting for the fireworks to begin. I had to share!

Recuperation journey: Summertime edition

 Throwback Tuesday

I love this photo of our son, Cameron, at age 12. 
He found a long branch to use for toasting marshmallows. That way he was able to stay away from the hot grill.
He always knows how to relax! 

Recuperation journey: Gray day? No way

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms and those who fill the important role of mom on this special Sunday. 
We don't need flowers, but we do enjoy them!

Recuperation journey: Almost 5 and almost 3

My Throwback Thursday.

Recuperation journey: Time for some sun for our son

This morning our son hopped aboard a jet headed for a sunny clime. 

Cameron is going to a tropical resort that sounds delightfully relaxing.

He has been working long hours for months on a software development project and we're glad he can get a much-needed break. 

(Can you tell I'm proud he's a software developer? I have no idea what he does.) 

Even though I don't care for flying, I kinda wish I were going with him! Doing nothing for a few days sounds lovely.

He'll be back in time for a small party I'm throwing myself to celebrate the first anniversary of my kidney transplant. 
My kidneyversary is May 9. 

I decided against getting a kidney-shaped cake like the ones I've seen online. A regular one will do just fine! 

Recuperation journey: Kiddos

 Doing my own Throwback Thursday today. I love this photo from the summer of 1995.

Recuperation journey: When our son cooks dinner

We're about to dine on fusilli with kale, walnuts, and chicken sausage. The kitchen smells like garlic!

Recuperation journey: Back to Brooklyn

Happy to report our son, Cameron, who had an accident riding his bike on a beautiful Sunday in October and needed surgery to repair a broken hip, is back to his apartment in Brooklyn. 
Yesterday was the big day. 
I was happy for him but sad for me. I certainly got used to him being here. We celebrated Halloween, his birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's with him at home.

I'm grateful he is much, much better after eight weeks of physical therapy at Griffin Hospital in Derby. 
I watched the whole process and the therapists who worked with him were amazing! I want to give a big shout-out to all of them, and thank them for everything. 
They gave him exercises and he followed them at home, which of course also helped hasten his recuperation journey. I hope he continues to do them. 
Cameron went from using a walker, to crutches, to one crutch, to a cane. He didn't need the cane around the house, but will need it for a while when he is out in public. 

The neighborhood where Cameron lives. Photo taken through the windshield by Ralph.