Considering the devastation of the fallen oak tree that is still in our front yard, I was using my time outside to recharge my emotional batteries by enjoying the peaceful view toward the back of our property ... feeling thankful that this tree was spared any damage in last week's storm.
"Thankfulness" has been a theme for me for the past few days. Though some things seem bleak, I have much to be thankful for ... my blessings far outweigh my challenges ... and I am grateful for that.
As I stood there, leaning against the house watching the play of sunlight through the garden, I noticed a small movement in the pecan tree. Do you see it?
Sitting there on a small tree limb, watching me, was a tiny female hummingbird. She stayed there while I slipped back into the house to get my telephoto lens, so I could try to get a better photo of her. I had no time to set up my tripod, so I tried to hand hold the heavy lens as steady as I could.
Perhaps my next challenge will be to photograph her at the feeder ... that can be a challenge for another day.
I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for the kind words and concern about the situation with Daniel. I got a call from his Internist yesterday afternoon with the cytology results from his biopsy, and we are still no closer to finding an answer to his illness. The biopsy was benign, but it showed enough small lymphocytes for his Dr. to entertain the possibility that Daniel may have a low-grade small-cell lymphoma ... which apparently, is difficult to diagnose. I had my heart set on finally getting a real diagnosis with this latest test ... it's hard to keep my frustration under control. Next week, I will talk to the doctor about more tests he is recommending on existing samples (both extra tissue and blood that they took while Daniel was there on Tuesday) to see what to do that has the best chance of discovering what Daniel is dealing with.
I will end this on another note of thankfulness ... even though Daniel is sick and we don't know exactly why or how to treat him, he is comfortable and has a healthy appetite ... these are two blessings that I am NOT taking for granted.
