every mama's dream

All my children home, under one roof!! Even if it's only for a single night, I'm happy. It is SO GOOD to see Brent!! I'll post pictures later.

And please keep Nicholas in your prayers. His bone marrow aspiration results were NOT good. The leukemia counts are even higher than before. He'll still come out here and they'll still try to do the bone marrow transplant, but overall it's not good. On this day of Thanksgiving, my heart is rejoicing and breaking at the same time.

two hurdles

Today's a big day: my nephew Nicholas has a clinic visit. They're going to check his blood counts to make sure they're high enough to do a bone marrow aspiration. The bone marrow is for checking leukemia counts to determine if he's ready for his bone marrow transplant.

Please pray that his white counts are high enough to do the bone marrow aspiration, and that the bone marrow tests come back clean so they can head back this direction for his transplant.

Edited at 2:30 to add: Nick's counts were GREAT!! They did the bone marrow aspiration. Now the request changes to quick processing of the bone marrow. The tentative plan is that they'll be here in Seattle on Dec 3, which is only ONE WEEK away. Add in the holiday, and the lab may not get the results back in time to make a decision before they have to leave. Pray for extra speedy lab results this week.

sucked into the vortex

It's that time of year again. Basketball starts today... I LOVE watching my big guys play sports, and we've had a ball this fall adding a few others to watch, but this is the time of year things can start to feel overwhelming. Trying to juggle multiple school schedules and multiple mealtimes. Parent meetings and committee meetings. Small group bible study times 3 girls, all on different nights. Speech therapy, preschool, and gymnastics. Coordinating the visit for international travel basketball teams playing at school in a few weeks. Chili for basketball concessions. A new work schedule for Jim. None of it is hard or even that challenging, and yet together they make calendar management and scheduling a full time job. But I think it's the new phase with the girls that may do me in. :) I'm SO not ready for them to grow up and have young men in their lives. Not even young men who are wonderful people. And when the daughter who is typically level-headed and balanced is playing and singing "love" songs and acting dreamy, well, then...... I know they have to grow up some day and that I HAVE to let them, but man! It's HARD!

And so, since it would be far too easy to get fully sucked in to the vortex that is my life right now, instead I've decided to focus on some of the things I have to be thankful for. After all, Thanksgiving's in a week!

* my Savior Jesus Christ. Everything else is a bonus.
* a wonderful husband
* 6 delightful, healthy children
* family and friends
* health and financial stability
* opportunities to make a difference
* life in America, something I don't take for granted!
* freedom

What did I miss? Let's make this a great week of giving thanks!

SO much better!

It's amazing what some time outside in the fresh air can do--for everyone! Yesterday wasn't much better than Monday; as a matter of fact it started out MUCH worse. But the blustery, rainy weather that is Seattle in mid-November rescued us. We headed out after lunch to watch a high school friend play soccer, and the excursion provided every excitement little boys dream about: blustery winds, puddles, heavy equipment, football, and teen-aged friends. Ryan and Logan were in heaven! When the game was over and they finished saying "hi" to Cam, we stomped in some puddles on the way back to the car. Two wet, muddy, yet contented boys sang from their car seats all the way home, and one cold wet mama was very relieved. The rest of the day was uneventful and today's been simply marvelous. Perhaps a dose of Seattle's nasty winter weather should be on the agenda every day!

The only sad thing? The boys team lost the game yesterday afternoon. Nothing like earning the state tournament berth the REALLY hard way! Play well tonight Cam. Ryan and Logan will miss watching you.

sigh

I know from experience there will be days like today. But apparently I had forgotten. Selective amnesia, I guess. After a less than wonderful morning and a poor start to the afternoon, I'm ready to hang it up for the day. arrrggghhh.... And it's not even raining!

Oh well. Tomorrow's a new day, right??

totally remiss!

I just realized I have totally remiss in posting Halloween pictures! Logan the Lion and Ryan the Alligator...for your viewing pleasure. :)





And of course, the beloved Sunday School Elephant masks, which they wear nearly every day. True to form, Logan's is crooked.