Happy Sunday! After church today it was so nice outside that we decided to hike up to the cross. I felt really great and had lots of energy. I sure don’t feel anemic…..I’ve just been having a ton of nosebleeds which is probably due to my low platelets. It was Boo’s first time up to the top of the mountain. She’s gone with me before…..we just turn around half way up. It was my first time since my surgery in October. I felt like it was time to get up there before I have to start chemo again this week! Yay for my week off!
Mr. LBB and Boo led the way. It’s a high elevation change so I had to rest a few times to catch my breath…..Boo would turn around and smile each time thinking I was taking a photo…..haha….she was right. My hands turned a little purple at one point….but I felt fine otherwise! I don’t think I’ll mention this to Dr. L.
Halfway up!
The tippy top! This cross lights up at night and you can see it from anywhere in the desert:
I left a Choose Joy bracelet at the top for someone to take:
Boo loved throwing rocks over the edge…..don’t worry she’s not as close to the edge as she looks. I’m scared of heights….I’d never let her get close to a cliff:
Beautiful views of the desert valley from up top. Our car is just a teeny, tiny speck in the distance:
I went grocery shopping afterwards and the sweet elderly lady who works there (she’s in remission!) scolded me for not resting enough. I tell her I’ll rest when I’m at chemo……when they strap me to my chair. She’s so funny…..she always wants me to use the electric cart so I won’t exert any energy while shopping. That would be a disaster. I’d definitely take down a couple displays accidentally……or run over someone.
If you are ever in Palm Desert, you have to hike up to the cross!
That sounds awesome!! Way to make it to the top! I’m pretty sure if I ever used one of those electric chairs the grocery store would ban me from the mess I made.
Glad you had such a wonderful Sunday!
Kari
OH Ashley…I got such a wonderful feeling in my heart when I read that your tumors are shrinking!! Praise God!!! So great to see you outside, hiking and FEELING GREAT!!
You are filled with joy and God’s love, Ashley!! May this last week be a breeze for you!!! XOXO
Good for you! I am loving the weather too!
So glad you enjoyed the day! You are so strong!
Sounds awesome glad you had such a great day 🙂
Awesome Ashley! I’m like you – I get up as soon as I can. I guess the good part is that we are determined? ;p
Where do you park to start the walk to the cross?
So glad you are feeling so much better! I read an article about asparagus therapy you should look it up the original article was written back in the 60’s and told the story of several cancer patients who used it and went into remission….. I know things are looking good for you right now but anything that helps!!!
I used to live out there and that is a tough hike. Can’t believe you did it. Rest up tonight.
Wow -you are amazing … xx
What a great day for you! My choose joy necklace came Friday. Everytime I wear it, I think of you. I choose joy… Thanks to you, I am trying to focus on the joy in my life instead of the negative.
WOO HOO WOW I BET A GREAT FEELING!!!! OK I need to seriously try it. I have never been on that trail !!! its been 2 years and 4 months for me since the bump and grind trail !!!! Its time to start going again !!!
=)
Kathy Hoy
Good for you!! You should listen to your body and do as much, or as little, as you feel you can. Exercise is great for the body, mind, AND spirit. It can make you feel sore and wonderful at the same time 🙂
P.S. Please don’t use the electric chair shopping carts if you’re going to run into things or people!!
You are an incredible person!
I wanted to let you know that I received my “Choose Joy” necklace the other day. I wore it to work on Friday. My students all kept asking me what it said. There are now 22 little fourth graders running around choosing joy, too. 🙂
Thanks for sharing both your life and your joy with us!
I know I have never met you…but I think of you often after I saw your post of you laying in the bed at the hospital. My father is losing his battle to esophagus cancer …and you bring me such joy to see your enthusiasm getting you through. I love that you left the joy bracelet for someone up there….I hope whoever finds it sees this post and know how special of a person you are. I will keep you close to my thoughts this week and lift you up in prayer…May God see all your goodness is needed in the world and bring you back to full recovery!!!
What a beautiful day the Lord has made. You are so blesses.
Kathy O’
We have a cross just like that in Boise. You have to hike behind the old prison to get to it but it is so awesome when you get up there. You can see the whole valley. A few of the valley churches used to hike up there on Good Friday.
So thrilled you had a great day. Your in my heart and on my mind i will cont to pray you get better and better. I am so glad you went out into the world today. On Thurs you can rest hopefully you wont have to go back thats what im praying for. Happy day to you and your family love and Blessings Yeah for you Love Cheyenne
You are amazing. I hope you allow yourself to recognize how amazing you are.
Awesome post! Love that you left the bracelet at the top 🙂
Wow…so awesome that you felt up to a hike. All of your old friends in Wells Fargo/Wachovia finance are pulling for you. I can’t wait until then Choose Joy necklace becomes available again. I have to get one.
Sounds like an amazing Sunday! And I laughed out loud about the woman wanting you to use the motorized shopping cart. 🙂
I put on a choose joy bracelet every morning and smile- I have got my mom hooked on your blog You are so inspiring- she is going thru Chemo right now and I have to tell you a big Thank you – You make her laugh, cry, and smile and she needs that right now! I helped her shave her head while I was on a visit and seeing you is why she could do it with joy! We are long distance and love how we will both be reading your stories and on the phone and laugh and smile about how funny life is for us all- Thank you so much for sharing your story you have helped more people then you can ever imagine… You ROCK GIRL!
I bet today felt awesome!!! Congrats on getting out there and having a great family day.
Awesome! So glad you’re feeling good. That picture of your bracelet for someone gave me the goose bumps. Praying that your chemo will take it easy on you. xoxo
You just make me smile! I couldn’t make it up that hill as it is, I don’t know how you do it!?!
Boo of course is adorable, love how she expects you to be shooting pixs of her. 🙂
Let the next person find the Magic of “Choosing Joy” and share the story of “How this bracelet was left on the Mountain.”
Now be sure the let the community know when you start driving electric carts in the grocery store and Boutique the Targee…we want to get the heck out of the way. Hehe
Prayers and healing light coming from the island of Oahu.
Much love and hugs, Ruby
Looks like an awesome day. I hope Dr L. doesn’t read your blog : ). Your good news and the week off was hugely cool for those of us who are praying for you. Thanks for the updates. : )
That’s awesome! Way to go, you!!! (but you should still tell Dr. L about the purple hands, chica!) I’m in awe of you!
I sure do wish there was a cross overlooking my town. 😉 That’s really awesome!
“I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:1-2
Praying for you to have a great week!
I so admire your spirit…so happy you deserved a goo week!
There’s a cross on a high hill next to the I-5 freeway just north of Eugene, OR…I love looking at it while driving at night. It always prompts a few prayers and brings a sense of comfort. I’m so excited you have one, too. That looks like an awesome hike!
So proud of you Ash!! Glad it was a fun hike and hope you won’t overdo. Maybe the “old lady” is right. Rest a little also! Hugs and excitement from across the country. We are thinking of you and hoping it’s all downhill from here!! Know P & J can’t wait to get there. The desert looks so inviting and it’s been too long since we were there! Hugs and Blessings to all. xoxox
I have never hiked to the cross and now I’m really wondering why not. I need to get up there before it gets too hot. Luv u ash!
Hahaha – imagine the havoc you could wreck on one of those electric machines? I would take out a shopping wall no doubt! You really are an amazing woman Ash. i’ve just started reading your blog and have laughed and cried reading your story. You dad was such a darling too – imagine you are a lot like him? I too love and am listening to Lana Del Ray as I write this – thought you should check out Bic Runga too – a hauntingly beautiful woman who love sin NZ – I adore her music too – thin you’d love her and sometimes new sounds are a good thing to have at hand! Keep on doing what you’re doing – it’s working for you – I firmly believe mind over matter is the way to go when facing challenging times – and you score a 500 out of 50 on that score! Much love and strength xxxx
Aww sounds like fun! Glad you had the energy! Don’t hide things from your dr tho, never a good idea. 🙂 hope you have a wonderful week.
I am flying to Vegas in April. I don’t care much for Vegas. Instead, when I land I want to rent a car and drive to palm desert to visit my great aunt and uncle (they live at thethe desert willow? Golf resort) and hike to the cross. I also want to go shopping in LA again. 🙂 Sadly I am going with a friend and she would not be interested.
You and Boo look great up at the top, Ashley! You, fighting cancer with all you have, live your life with twice as much energy than most of us “healthy” people do. You are a daily inspiration to me, Ashley. With all my heart, thank you for sharing your journey with us all and helping me Choose Joy in all that I do! You have made a difference in my life. Thank you!!! Meghan Grace
LOL… “won’t mention it to Dr.L…” Unless he reads your blog!!! Wonderful day 🙂
You are inspiring in your positive spirit.
Way to rock it mama!!! Praying for health, strength and more healing this week! XoXo*S
YES!
Beautiful …
Big Smiles
So Happy you are ALL out adventuring in the mountains .
Lots a LoVe
I don’t usually comment on blogs I just find, but here I am…
In 2010, just 3 weeks before my hubby and I left for Africa to bring home our fourth child I found out I had a tumor in my abdomen. There was a good chance it was cancer and it would have to be removed whole which meant a very invasive surgery. We went to Africa and 7 weeks after returning home I had surgery. 2 weeks later we found out it was benign!! I had to have another big surgery three months later due to a complication but I figured it was nothing compared to the chemo I would have had to endure had the tumor been cancer.
But still, almost 2 years later, I feel like that was God’s way of preparing me for a bigger battle. God’s peace was AMAZING during that time and I’ve learned so much about what it means to give up control to the One who really is in control. My Maternal Grandmother is still alive but takes a chemo pill daily to keep breast cancer away and my mom after having breast cancer two times died at the age of 54. I am not a negative person, actually I’m the opposite of that, but I do believe that there will quite possibly come a time that I will fight breast cancer. Reading your blog tonight inspired me! I know that if someday I find myself with breast cancer I can TOTALLY fight it!
I helped my mom shave her head 10 years ago and watching you shave your head was so emotional for me. But like you said, it’s just hair. And I can kinda see the benefit in it… : )
Please know that I will be praying for you and for your husband and daughter. Thank you for sharing your story!!
My in-laws have a place in LaQuinta and we are headed out to see them in June. I think we might have to take that hike you recommended!
Hugs!!
Christy
Ashley – you are so amazing, that all I can say is how awed I am.
You are truly inspiring.
Patricia
Looks like a great hike! I am laughing at the thought of you running things over in an electric wheelchair! Yikes!
one word, inspirational, that is you today…..stay happy, choose joy
Ashley I cannot tell you how emotional and happy I feel whenever I think of you. I have been following your blog for some time, before all your troubles began, but lately you have never been far from my thoughts as I hoped and prayed you would beat this cancer. You are such an inspiration. I have questioned many times how you could stay so positive and upbeat when I would have crumbled long ago. If nothing else, I will try to learn from you the power of choosing joy. You are amazing and deserve a happy, but completely boring and uneventful life from now on (I mean that in the nicest possible way!!!). Many hugs and love from the UK. x
I literally laughed out loud at picturing you on a motorized cart. You should do it just once and video tape it for us 🙂 Thanks for being such an inspiration!
Hiking is such a therapeutic thing! Good for you, for getting out and enjoying the beautiful weather! Sunshine is also therapeutic! I love that you left a bracelet up there!
beautiful pictures! so glad you are enjoying your week off!!!
So glad you got to hike to the top!! I know that made you feel wonderful! I hope you are still feeling great! So happy for your news also!
You are AMAZING.
I bet that cross is gorgeous at night! So happy you’re feeling well enough to HIKE a MOUNTAIN. That deserves a doughnut right there.
You are truly amazing! I know how invigorating sunshine and beautiful weather can be and I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it. I can’t imagine how you made the hike but you go, girl!
Wishing you a beautiful, healthy, feel good week ~
xo
Pat
Did that hike today. The Choose Joy bracelet is gone. The hike was amazing. Thank you. You are a stud! That is quite a hike! I’m impressed!
You are amazing Ashley! take care! & I want to visit palm desert..what’s your favorite hotel/resort?
Lol… This is so funny to me I have been following you for a few months now… I am also going through chemo for acute lymphoblastic Luekemia… I started reading Jesus Calling after you had mentioned it in a blog… And like you I too took a hike, up what I called a mountain… It was like walking on a stair master… I thought I was going to die… But I was just wondering if you read the devotional by Sarah Young for Sunday… I was truly touched by her words and felt like it fit my mountain story… And it sounds like it would fit yours too… So I just wanted to make sure you took a look at it…
Have a great week. And you truly are an inspiration… So Thank you so much for being you… My thought and prayers are with you and your family…
Amazing Ashley…
I am so happy for you and your healing! I wear my “choose joy” bracelet and am so inspired by you and your strength. I so believe that joy is healing and connects with our spirituality. I wanted to share this video with you…our hearts hold so much that we are really just beginning to understand. You are proof of how healing positive energy and joy are! Keep on en”joy”ing life and inspiring others…you are making such a difference in this world!
xoxo Debbie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyfm5_LLxow
Ashley,
a friend of mine just told me about you and your site…..I have read all the cancer chronicles and you are an amazing woman! Of course watching you shave your head was so emotional for me….I remember that day myself so well. I finished my treatments for stage 3 uterine cancer right around the time you would have been starting yours (as well as a complete hysterectomy). I love reading your site, so many of the things you talk about I related to so easily, anyone going through it would find strength in you and your words! I had to comment on this post because it reminded me of what I called “my feel good week” when I would insist on packing the days with everything and anything I could do! Stay strong and know that many, many people are praying for you daily! You are a true inspiration!
Lisa
Oh Ashley! I started following your site many years ago and loved your wonderful tutorials (IT was the pirate applique that hooked me :)) Your writing always conveyed a fun and outgoing spirit – and I thought, “if she lived in the Chicago area, I think we’d have fun doing craft nights together!”
It’s been months since I visited your site and I popped over yesterday. I’m reading through your journey over the past months with tears running down my face. What a bunch of curve balls, but man, I love your attitude so much! Although I’m not surprised by your positive approach, I’m still so impressed and inspired.
You touched so many lives with your blog before your cancer news, but I know you are touching many more in a deep way after it. Thank you for being so open and sharing it with us – you beautiful woman!
Sending good thoughts your way, and choosing joy today!
We just moved to the desert a few months ago. My kids always point out that cross when we drive by. Didn’t know you could hike up there! Where do you access the trail from?