A Bunch of Hot Air

After being down for the week from chemo (especially Thurs. & Fri.), I seemed to feel better than I had last round and woke up at the crack of dawn on Saturday so I decided to drive out to the Tigard Balloon Festival and watch the Hot Air Balloons launch. It's like my body was telling me to get up and go. That I needed to go.

Two years ago, the weekend before undergoing surgery and finding out I had Stage 4 Cancer, Kaelin and I got up early one morning before Spencer's soccer tourney at the Tigard Balloon Festival, and we watched the hot air balloons launch. At an uncertain and scary time, it gave me hope and made me feel alive. So this year, my internal clock woke me up each morning and I headed out to watch them launch both Sat. and Sun. at 5:30am before Kaelin's soccer tourney. It was and is a very "uplifting" experience. Here's a photo of Saturday, when the weather was clear and the sky blue. I missed the initial launch, but caught a few balloons floating off into the distance.


I headed home, coffee in hand for my hubby, and we packed up and went back to the Balloon Festival for a 9am soccer game. Here's a photo of Kaelin in one of her 3 games on Saturday. I felt nauseous all weekend, but I felt well enough to watch her games and I was thankful for that. We went home inbetween each game so I could nap!



Kaelin (9 yrs, going into 4th grade) plays up a year on her soccer team with a few other 9 yr. olds and the rest 10 years olds (going into 5th grade next year). Their whole team played up in the U12 (12 and under) division. Here's a photo to show you how much difference in size and development some of these girls they are playing against are!!!






After Saturday was done, they had won 2 and lost 1, putting them into the playoffs for Sunday, in the top/Gold brackets. Here's a photo of "The Happiest Dog in the World", aka Simba. I took him to the dog park after the tourney on Saturday. He just needed to get out and run and play after us being gone a lot during the day.
Here are some photos of the balloon festival on Sunday. Again, my internal clock woke me up at 5am and willed me to go. This time I saw the process from start to finish. Included are some of my favorite "arty" photos.

This was my favorite balloon!!!! The big blue cow with big eyes!

Here's a photo of them all launched on Sunday. There were parachuters out there too! The sky wasn't clear and blue like Saturday though.

Kaelin's team played 3 games on Sunday too. They won 2 and lost 1 they should have won. They played like rock stars though. It was some of their best play yet in my opinion! Alot of girls came into their own! Kaelin scored a few goals and missed a lot of goals (kicking them all OVER the goal!) but she played her little heart out and was a warrior. They ended up winning 3rd place overall in the tourney! Here's a photo of Kaelin after she received her medal.

Here's a photo of the team (minius a few girls) after getting their "hardware".

It was a tiring weekend and I ponied up and got through it. Just so happy to be there and watch.

I've finally turned the corner and I'm feeling more like myself, getting a lot done and having fun. Monday night my family and I went to see "The Incredible Hulk". It was pretty fun (PG13 and a little violent for lilttle ones though!) and we are so excited for the obvious "Avengers" they are setting up with the "Ironman" connection!!!!

Thanks for listening to all of my "hot air".

xoxox

Shauna

p.s. a link to all photos