Getting closer to Surgery

A Little Rain, A New Printer & One Day Closer

Hello everyone! It is Wednesday, October 14th, and I am on my way to work on this beautiful, rainy morning.

Well… I say rainy morning, but it actually only rained for about three minutes. 😂 It had just started raining when I left, and I knew we were supposed to get some, but I honestly thought it had gone around us. Other areas of Oklahoma got quite a bit of rain last night. Elk City got around six inches! Meanwhile, we barely got a drop here.

And let me tell you, we need it. We have been so dry for months, so I’ll gladly take whatever rain Mother Nature wants to send our way.

My New Printer Has Been Getting a Workout

As you may remember, I recently ordered myself an HP Smart Tank 6000 series printer, and I have to say… I LOVE IT!

I cannot even tell you how much I have been printing lately.

I’ve been printing stickers that I am fussy cutting, along with all kinds of fun stationery and journal goodies from the Stationery Corner Facebook group I’m in. There are so many talented ladies in that group who generously share their creations, and I am having a blast using them in my journals.

I’ve mainly been using everything I print for my journaling, and I recently started a new journal swap that begins in November. I’ve already started filling in some of the pages and gluing a few things together, so I’ll have plenty of places to use all these fun little stickers and embellishments.

I just ordered a pack of letter-size sticker paper, and I’ve probably already used half of it.

Twenty sheets.

Gone.

😂

No complaints here!

And let me just say… when people tell you that you get what you pay for, sometimes they are absolutely right. I went back and forth about buying a more expensive printer versus buying one of those $40 printers that I like to call a “throwaway printer.”

I decided to spend a little more, and I’m so glad I did.

The print quality is fantastic, and being able to print my own stickers, journal pages, and other crafty things whenever I want has been wonderful.

I’ve been reading reviews about the HP 32-pound paper, too, and apparently the heavier paper can help with ink bleeding through. So I’ll probably be ordering some of that soon.

And then I discovered they even make sticker paper in different colors!

Well, apparently my printer has officially opened the door to a whole new level of crafting. 😂

I’m also hoping that, once I’m feeling better, I can print a couple of pictures I have of Kendall and see how they turn out. I’m curious to see just how good the photo quality is.

One Day Closer to Surgery

And then there is the other thing occupying a pretty big chunk of my brain right now… my surgery.

Unum called me yesterday, and I may have mentioned that in yesterday’s post. The person who will be helping take care of me throughout this journey is April.

She was very nice, and we had a good little conversation. She told me that if I have any questions, I can call her, and of course I can also send questions through my patient portal.

She also mentioned that if I end up needing a hysterectomy, she would be the person working with me through that process as well.

But we’re not going there yet.

For now, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the D&C gives us the answers we need, that the test results come back negative for cancer, and that Karen will be good to go.

That’s the plan.

That’s what I’m hoping for.

And I’m choosing to focus on that.

I will admit, I was not expecting my out-of-pocket expense to be around $3,500. That’s a pretty big number to suddenly add to the budget.

But sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

At first, I thought maybe I would spread the payments out over a year and a half or even two years. But honestly? I don’t want to do that.

I’d rather tighten up the budget and work really hard to get it paid off in about eight months if I can.

I’d much rather be extra budget-conscious for eight months and get that bill marked PAID than have it hanging over my head for years.

So I may do a little number crunching today and see exactly where I’m at and what I can realistically put toward it.

I originally told the hospital I was probably going to put $300 down, but I’m thinking I may try to put a little more down if I can. Every little bit will help.

A Much Better Wednesday

The good news is that I’m in a much better place mentally today.

Yesterday was just one of those days. I was grumpy, stressed, and probably making myself even more stressed because I was stressed. Does that even make sense?

Sometimes we do that to ourselves.

Today, though, I’m looking at things a little differently.

I just have to get through today.

That’s it.

Get through Wednesday, go home, and then I have several days off to recover.

So far, I think the hardest part of this entire surgery journey has actually been the paperwork, phone calls, figuring everything out, and trying to get all the little details taken care of.

The actual surgery hasn’t even happened yet, and I’ve already completed enough paperwork to qualify for a small degree. 😂

I also called my BFF, Cherrie, yesterday to ask if she had been able to take off work on the 15th for my surgery.

When she started talking, I could tell she hadn’t quite processed that the 15th was basically here.

I had called her Tuesday.

I’m like, “Girl… we have Wednesday and then surgery!”

And she’s like, “Oh my goodness!”

That girl works way too much. She’s working six days a week and doing everything she can to keep her head above water.

My friend Nancy even stated she would take me if needed. But she has her hands completely full with her autistic son Liam.

Thankfully, Mr. C and I had already talked about everything. He told me that as long as my surgery was in Duncan, Oklahoma, he didn’t mind taking me.

So I’ve got that covered.

And now I’m just ready to get through today.

Tomorrow is surgery day.

Today is work day.

And after that, it’s time to rest, recover, and hopefully get some answers.

One day at a time.

That’s all I can do.

And honestly, that’s enough.

Send good vibes and prayers my way!

Karen❤️

Spending The Day At Home

A Quiet Sunday at Home ☕️❤️

Some Sundays arrive with a full calendar and a long list of places to be. This one arrived quietly—with coffee, a few things to get done, and nowhere else I needed to go. And honestly, with surgery coming up on Thursday, a peaceful day at home with Mr. C. was exactly what I needed.

I didn’t have any big plans on the calendar. No running around, no appointments, no place I had to be. Just hanging out at home with Mr. C. And you know what? Sometimes having no plans are the best plans. I will say that a million times over!

I wanted this Sunday to be a productive-but-relaxed kind of day. I have my upcoming surgery on Thursday, so there are a few things I wanted to get taken care of around the house and a few things I wanted to have checked off my list before then.

First on my list was making my final shopping list for surgery and recovery and getting the things I need ordered from Amazon. I want to be prepared and have everything I might need at the house so I don’t have to worry about it after surgery.

I also wanted to make a grocery list for the things Mr. C. and I might need while I’m recovering. I figure a little planning now will make things much easier later.

Another thing on my Sunday list was playing around with my HP printer and getting a little more familiar with everything it can do. And let me tell you, I am having WAY too much fun with that printer!

I found a wonderful Facebook group called The Stationery Corner, and these ladies are incredibly talented. I have printed off—I couldn’t even tell you how many—sheets of stationery, journal goodies and all kinds of fun things that I can cut out and turn into stickers.

I happened to have some sticker paper left, so I have been cutting things out and decorating my journals. It has been so much fun, and I am really happy with my printer. I can already tell this is going to open up a whole new world of crafting for me!

Of course, there was also laundry. We only had one load that needed to be washed and one load sitting in the dryer, so that wasn’t exactly an overwhelming chore. I figured we could get that done sometime during the day and call it good.

But probably the biggest thing on my Sunday to-do list was finishing up my journal swaps.

I had two journals to finish. One was the September 26th Journal Swap, and the other was Composition Notebook Swap #9.

Now, I have to admit, I made a little discovery with the composition notebooks swap. I originally thought the notebook was just for August. So I made what I thought was a pretty great composition book for August and filled up the pages.

Then I went back and reread the instructions.

Yep.

It was for August AND September. 😂

Since I had already filled the composition notebook, I decided to improvise. I pulled out a little 5x7 journal and filled it with my September entries. It ended up being more of a daily-entry type of journal, and honestly, I think it turned out really cute.

I know Denise D. probably would have been perfectly happy with just the composition notebook, but I wanted to make sure I did my due diligence and gave her something that felt complete.

I’ve swapped journals with Denise through the years, so I know she won’t be disappointed with what I put together for her. And that makes me happy because I really do enjoy creating these little pieces of myself and sending them off to someone else.

So when I look at my Sunday list, it doesn’t seem like I did a whole lot.

But when I actually think about everything I wanted to accomplish, I realize I kept myself pretty busy!

We watched Fire Country and got caught up on that. We watched some football off and on. I played my Cat Sudoku online game, which I find surprisingly relaxing. I worked on my journals, played with my printer, started getting things organized for surgery, and took care of a little laundry.

And honestly?

It was a good Sunday.

Nothing exciting happened. No big adventure. No fancy plans. Just me, Mr. C., the house, my coffee, my crafts, my lists and a whole lot of piddling around.

And sometimes that’s exactly what I need.

I’m trying to remind myself that everything doesn’t have to be an event. Sometimes it’s enough to stay home, work on the things that make you happy, get a few things checked off your list and enjoy a quiet day with someone you love.

So that’s my Sunday.

A little productive.
A little crafty.
A little football.
A little Fire Country.
A little Cat Sudoku.
And a whole lot of staying home and enjoying the day. ❤️

What about you?

Did you have a good Sunday? Did you do something exciting and adventurous, or did you do what I did and just stay home and piddle around the house?

Drop me a note below and let me know where you’re reading my blog from. I always love hearing from you!

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the internet. I hope your day brings you a little time to slow down, enjoy the simple things and do something that makes you smile.

Until next time, take care of yourself, enjoy the little moments and remember that a quiet day can still be a very good day.

Cheers,
Karen ❤️🎁

Enjoying Life Filled With Blessings

💕 Midweek Blessings, Thoughtful Gifts & Things to Look Forward To

Sometimes you just have one of those weeks where you stop for a minute and realize, I am really blessed. And honestly, that is exactly where I am this week.

There have been little surprises, thoughtful gifts, good friends, family time, work wins, and a few things on the calendar that I am really looking forward to. So I thought it was time for a little midweek check-in!

🎁 Gifts That Were Made With Love

When I went to our company picnic in Ada this past Saturday, my cousin Dakota’s wife, Whitney, had some late birthday gifts waiting for me. And let me tell you, she knows me!

First of all, she got me a pink Starbucks cup. Everybody knows I love my cups and tumblers. I don’t care how many I already have—there is always room for another one! 😂

But she didn’t stop there.

She used her 3D printer to make me some adorable little fidget toys. There was a crab, some turtles, and several other cute little things. She also gave me an envelope filled with assorted papers that I can use in my journals, and she crocheted me a composition notebook cover for one of my journals.

Every single thing was so thoughtful, and knowing that she made some of these things herself made them even more special.

I just felt so loved and thought of.

I still need to get Whitney her late birthday gift, too. I had every intention of taking it to the picnic, and then somehow I managed to completely forget it at home. 🤦‍♀️ So, Whitney, your gift is coming! I promise!

📚 Then Nancy Spoiled Me, Too!

Monday brought another little dose of happiness.

I went over to my friend Nancy’s house, and Nancy and I go way back. We are childhood friends, our parents were friends, and I believe even our grandparents knew each other. So when I say there is a long history between our families, I mean it.

Nancy had recently been to the Frivious store in Duncan, where they were having a book fair, and she picked up some of the cutest things for me.

She got me bookmarks, postcards, lots of stickers, and the cutest little ghost journal!

That little ghost journal is going to become my October journal, and I am already excited about it. 👻📖

Of course, she knows my love of all things crafty and stationery, so every single thing she picked out was right up my alley.

And I know it’s not really about the gifts.

It’s about being thought of.

There is just something special about someone seeing something and thinking, “Karen would love this.”

When someone knows your personality, your interests, your aesthetic, and the little things that make you happy—and then takes the time to pick something out for you—it really does bring me joy.

I feel very blessed to have people in my life who know me that well.

💻 Work Has Been Pretty Decent

Work has been going pretty well, too.

Tuesday wasn’t exactly my best day. I left with seven saves, and when I’m working toward a goal of 11 or 12 a day, seven just didn’t feel like enough.

So Wednesday became my “okay, let’s make up for Tuesday” day!

And when I left work today, I had 13 saves!

That definitely made me feel better. 😊

I’m just trying to do the very best I can, one call at a time, and help as many members as I can understand the value of having LegalShield.

Some days are easier than others, but I’m continuing to show up and do what I can. That’s really all any of us can do.

🥳 Birthday Celebrations Are Coming!

Friday after work, I’m planning to swing by and pick up Mr. C, and then we’re supposed to head to Oklahoma City to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate Savannah’s 32nd birthday!

I’m really looking forward to it.

And, of course, I’m hoping Mr. C feels up to going. I wouldn’t want to go by myself. After all, Savannah is Brody’s wife, and family celebrations are always more fun when we can all be together.

So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Friday works out exactly as planned!

🌳 A Little Family History Project

Saturday, I have tentative plans to head over to Lawton to see my cousin Sissy.

Sissy is 82 years old, and she has a lot of our family-tree information. I would really like to spend some time with her and take pictures of the information she has, especially since I’ve been working on our family history and genealogy project.

And let me tell you—our family tree is BIG.

When your grandparents had nine children, and then all those aunts and uncles started having children of their own, things can get complicated pretty quickly!

There are names, dates, marriages, children, siblings, and generations upon generations to keep track of. Sometimes I look at it all and think, Am I ever going to finish this? 😂

But the good thing is, I don’t have to.

This isn’t a race.

It’s a project I can work on a little at a time, and honestly, I think that’s part of what makes it enjoyable. Every little piece I discover gives me another connection to the people who came before me.

🎡 And Then There’s Sunday!

Sunday is another day I’m really looking forward to because my friend Cherrie and I are planning to go to the Oklahoma State Fair!

It will be the final day of the fair, and I really want to go see some of the exhibits.

I don’t necessarily need to spend the entire day there. I don’t even need to do everything. Sometimes it’s nice just to walk around, look at a few things, enjoy the atmosphere, and make some memories.

So we’ll see what Sunday brings!

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out.

❤️ Counting My Blessings

When I stop and look at everything happening this week, I realize there is a lot to be thankful for.

Thoughtful gifts from Whitney.

A sweet surprise from Nancy.

Friends I’ve known for decades.

Family birthdays to celebrate.

A genealogy project that connects me to generations before me.

A few good workdays.

Plans with people I love.

And, of course, my sweet Mr. C by my side.

Life isn’t perfect. Some days are harder than others, and some days don’t go according to plan.

But there are so many little moments that remind me how incredibly blessed I am.

Sometimes we just have to slow down long enough to notice them.

And this week, I’m definitely noticing. ❤️

Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the internet and spending a few minutes with me.

If you have a minute, leave me a comment and tell me where you’re reading from! I always love knowing where my blog friends are checking in from.

Until next time, keep looking for those little blessings. They really are everywhere. 💕