7.

I went in for my 7th chemo pretty relaxed knowing I had felt so good after the last two, though very exhausted and tired from the weekend before...

It had been my birthday on the Sunday and as I was feeling amazing I decided to invite all my new friends and celebrate.

• So I cleaned the house on Thursday and Friday. 

• I went shopping for the weekend and brunch celebration on Sunday. 

• My mum, brother and nephew arrived late Friday night. 

• My mum and me went to IKEA on Saturday morning exchanging some wrong slats for the bed we finally had bought the week before...and we got some other things as well...as you do at IKEA...

• We went shopping on the way home. 

• After lunch we all went to a swimming competition cheering on Mila. (She got first place in butterfly and 4th place in breast, freestyle and backstroke. So proud!)

• Ones back home we build up what we had bought from IKEA. 

• Just finished, my friend Annika arrived from Hamburg. 

On Sunday:

• We had breakfast all together and cake and presents. It was just lovely!

• Then cleaning up and getting ready for my guests to arrive for the brunch. 

• We had about 20 people coming over and it was great! But sooooo exhausting.

 

• I, as the host, was in a blur as you are when it's your party...greeting everyone, offering drinks and food, cleaning up plates and glasses, getting more food out, doing some dishes, trying to find more vases, and refereeing the kids in between. 

• After everyone had left late afternoon we took the kids to the playground to get some fresh air. 

• and went out for dinner after. 

So no wonder I was tired. I had totally overdone it! 

On Tuesday I had chemo and it took a little longer than usual so I had to go and get Lilla from Kita straight after. Not a minute to recover. 

And Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I crashed on the lounge after the school run in the morning sleeping for 4 hours each day! 

Today is Sunday and I can still feel it in every part of my body...but it's getting better. And I'm sure it was just the exhaustion and fatigue after all the action and excitement. Not side effects from chemo. But will see on Tuesday how I feel after the next one. 

For now I'm just so happy and relieved and thankfull that my awesomely amazing friend Susi is here! Good times ahead I'm sure!

Birthday

It was Mila's 8th birthday last Friday!

My mum came on the train on Thursday night. Ready for the early morning celebrations before school. 

We baked a cake and decorated the table and set up all the presents. Except one. We hid it on the balcony as a surprise. 

But the biggest most ginormous surprise was the request of that just 8 year old to walk home by herself from school! Not just walk but take the train as well! 

I know kids in Germany (or more precise Europe) are much more independent and used to get to and from school by themselves or with friends or siblings often during their first weeks of school, but for us it's new. New and exciting. And a little bit scary of course. 

I was really looking forward to it and giving the kids more responsibility and independence can only be a good thing in my eyes and will help them to be more aware of their surroundings their role their place in this world I believe. And it was one of the main things making us move so far. Giving them more responsibility and independence is giving them more freedom at the same time. More freedom to trust their instincts more freedom to make decisions and more freedom to learn. 

So after she had been asking all week and finally was brave enough and ready on Friday, she did it...kind of. 

As she wasnt 100% sure she would find it alright we made a deal: We would wait outside the school and when she came out pretended not to know her but follow her close enough to make sure she was ok! 

After she made sure I saw her she went to the train station hopped on the train, got of at the right stop and walked safely home. 

I am so proud of her! What an amazing step she did! What an amazing girl she is!

She was so proud of herself!

Mila's pink shoes on the far back ...

Her pink backpack was easy to spot...

My mum on Mila-watch while I got of the painfully slow lift...

And to top the birthday celebrations my brother came with his two sons as well. And with his teenage sons girlfriend. 

I have to admit I was a teensy-weensy-little-bit nervous. I guess a visits used to be for 3 weeks. At least!

It is so new to have family close by and able to come (just) for a weekend!  

How amazing for Mila to have her cousins and uncle and grandma over for her birthday. What a present!

So we hung out around the neighbourhood and just enjoyed the time together...