What a Difference a Year Makes

One year ago today at 11:00 a.m. I was beginning my first chemo treatment.  Today at the very same hour I was touring Oriole Field at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team.  A year ago I could not wait for the next six months to pass so that treatment would be over; today, more than ever, I realize that, in order to be truly happy and content, we have to find the "beauty in EVERY day" while on this earth -- even on those days when things are not going like we want them to.  God has blessed each of us in so many ways and while He has not promised us a life on this earth free of pain and suffering, He has promised us, His faithful servants, a beautiful life hereafter. 

I tagged along with Ken to Baltimore this week.  He's sitting in meetings all week, and I'm having a great time seeing the sights of a city I had not visited before.  In two days I've managed to visit the Baltimore Waterfront area (where our hotel is); the Inner Harbor area (where there's lots of great eating places and shopping); Maryland's 9/11 exhibit honoring the 69 Marylanders who lost their lives on 9/11/01; Fell Point, a quaint old town with cobblestone streets; Fort McHenry, the site of the battle in the War of 1812 where Francis Scott Key penned the words to the Star Spangled Banner; Camden Yards (where the Orioles play baseball); the birthplace of Babe Ruth; and the Maryland Sports Museum.  I've figured out how to navigate Baltimore's public transportation -- by water taxi and by bus -- and I've walked what seems like miles on concrete.  Leg cramps last night, and I'm sure tonight, confirm this!!  I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow -- it's my last full day to sight-see.  Ken and I are going to drive to Moon, Virginia on Thursday to see Bill and Gale at their river house for a couple of days.  We will drive back to Baltimore on Saturday afternoon to catch an evening flight back to Birmingham.   Jenn is holding down the fort in Trussville.  Hopefully, she, Bo, Callie and Peanut are surviving.  

I've taken a lot of pictures, but just like last year on our trip to D.C., we forgot to bring the charger for the camera, and it died today at the Sports Museum.  Yesterday I took a lot of pictures on my new cell phone, but I've yet to figure out how to transfer the pictures to my computer -- other than to email them one by one to myself.  I need my computer-literate kids to rescue me from my technology incompetence!

Here's a few pictures from the past two days:

Picture of Baltimore from the Observation Tower, 27th Floor of the Baltimore World Trade Center

Fort McHenry with the replica flag of 1812 flying.  

It's hard to tell in that picture, but the flag measures 40 feet by 30 feet and has 15 stars (if my feeble memory from yesterday is correct).

Inside the Fort Henry museum

Beautiful Oriole Park at Camden Yard

Babe Ruth statute at the entrance

Have a great week.  Remember to try to find the beauty in each and every day, no matter how small!!

Rachel