MRE's

Back in my younger boy scouting days Dad and I would do quite a bit of our outfitting at a place called Bigfoot Outdoors. They had a pretty healthy section of Army surplus goodies. All the cool stuff that a little 12 year old would drool over, foldable shovels, all-in-one survival knifes with a compass on top of the handle and a fishing hook wrapped up indside and of course MREs. Now, anyone that has had to subsist on these delectable meals for any period of time probably thinks that I am crazy but to Dad and I these tasty meals of Spaghetti and meatballs or chicken and rice were quite a novelty. Meals Ready to Eat or MRE consist of a tasty meal encased in a war sh$# green(olive drab) pouch that may be simply placed in boiling water, or even eaten cold in drastic times. The things always had some ridiculously far off expiration date which makes one wonder, but oh how I loved them.

Pictured above is my new version. Nutren 1.5. Let's just say that I am not as big of a fan this time around. I think much of it has to do with the method of intake or maybe it is due to the fact that they won't spring for Nutren 2.0. I am not sure if that stuff even exists but it has to be better than version 1.5. After not having anything in my stomach for 8 days it has been a bit of an adjustment taking on food through a feeding tube. Every day gets a bit better but combined with the junky feeling I get after chemo suffice it to say that eating has been a struggle.

It's been 11 days in the hospital now but tomorrow, Monday, I will be homeward bound! Praise God. I started this post this morning before mom and I made our way down for mass. Now that I am not receiving food through my IV I can actually move about as a free man sans the "artificial tree" as Andrew calls it. It is now 7:40 pm and I was trying to get up some motivation to finish. I logged on and found what I was looking for. Allow me if you would to explain...

Some friends from Camp stopped in today. Gina was talking of a church song they sang at her school's last mass. One line says, "We are the young our lives are a mystery..." Aren't they though? Really, the good and the bad in life, we never know what will come. Who knew what my life was building up to? Who knows what adventure this new battle is preparing me for? It is a mystery that only God can know and all we can do is trust. My dear sister sent me an email that speaks to the same thing. She talks of my adventures, of which over the years, there have been many. Looking back, one can see that I certainly have been tested and all the while the tests keep coming. Each one though, each adventure builds on the next. Really it is a beautiful plan. Annette talks of my life and says, "You've sought out people and places and through the process you've found a rich life and, dare I say, God along the way." Indeed I have lived a rich life. I am reminded of that in every card I receive and in everyone that calls and visits, and every time I stare at the three beautiful photos that I have up in my room of my beautiful little ones. I'm not lying, the last two days have been tough and there have been a few tears but man I am ready for the next adventures, at least I will be once this one is over and I hope that the next adventure involves food. Thanks for reading!