Too Funny!

Emmalee just asked me what would happen if the little mouse got out of the computer!!! I asked what she meant and she told me she thinks that the computer mouse is a real little mouse inside the computer and that he moves around inside and pushes all the buttons and stuff. She is too much!!!

Yard Sale & Update

Ty is doing pretty well. He is a little bored with having to be at home and not really getting out. It may be a long two weeks. :)

Brent and I are planning to have a fundraiser yard sale on the 29th of August. Ty has some medical bills that aren't covered and we are also hoping to raise some extra funds to replenish our savings. When Ty was first diagnosed Brent took a lot of time off work. Then I broke my ankles and Brent was in and out of the hospital....needless to say our savings is wiped out. So we are having a yard sale. If you have items that you would like to donate to the sale, we would greatly appreciate it!! Just let me know and I can make arrangements to pick things up.

Thank you all for your continued love and support of our family.

Tyler Update

Well, I should know better than to say that things are going well. Ty had clinic yesterday and I am sad to say that he is fighting yet another horrible MRSA infection. His stomach and chest are covered in little sores and it is very, very red and irritated. I can't imagine how it must feel.

MRSA seems to like our family. Brent has a horrible sore on his foot right now and I just got over another round. It's bad enough for us to fight it. But when Ty gets it, it makes me very nervous. Thankfully his counts are still holding steady and he hasn't been running a fever. Because of that, and the fact that we have been down this road several times before, they let us come home. Ty has to be on IV antibiotics, (Vancomycin,) every eight hours for the next two weeks. We pray that this will do the trick and we can avoid a Strong vacation.

The saddest part of this whole thing is that Tyler will have to miss his last days of pre-school. I am so disappointed. He has truly enjoyed getting back to school this summer. He is just so cute getting on the bus!

So for now Ty is on quarantine again. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

Much love!!

Emma-Isms

I haven't posted Emma-Isms in awhile. That kid cracks me up!!

We were driving the other night and Emmalee was asking about school, when it will start, where they will go, etc. I told her that she only has one more year of pre-school until she goes to kindergarten. I told her that I was kind of sad and that she and her brothers are growing like weeds. She got really offended and told me, "Momma, we are not weeds. Weeds are yucky. We are growing like trees!"

Last night Emmalee asked if we could go to Chuck E Cheese after church today. We told her no, that we stay home on Sunday. She wanted to know why so we told her that Heavenly Father has asked us to stay home, not spend money, and keep the Sabbath Day holy. She thought for a few minutes and then told us that Heavenly Father told her she could go to Chuck E Cheese on Sunday. Brent asked her when He had told her that and she said, "before I left heaven."

She's got an answer for everything!!

Our Crazy Life

I have so much to catch up on blog wise that frankly, I am overwhelmed. Do I attempt to write it all out? Do I post it all in one long post or do I make them all separate? What if I don't remember everything? What to do, what to do? THE PRESSURE!!!!

Okay, it isn't that bad. Here's a quick run down of the past, oh, I don't know how long.

I still have tons of pictures to post from our trip to Nevada and Wyoming. I miss my family. So does Emmalee. She asks about them all the time, especially her cousins. She sure had fun getting to know them. We went primarily to celebrate with my oldest niece, Miranda. She graduated from high school. Personally, I still cry thinking about it. I'm not exactly sure how my sister functions. I mean, her girls are growing up. FAST. How can it be possible that Ranny is heading to her first year of college? COLLEGE! Wasn't she born about five minutes ago? She turned eighteen in July. Merissa is nearly seventeen. Marriah will be thirteen. I watched her come into the world. How can that possibly be thirteen years ago?

I can't even explain how much I love my nieces. I love them like my own children. I miss them every single day. Living so far from them is beyond difficult. When Brent and I got married and I moved away I left a piece of myself with those girls. No matter how old they get, I will always see them as they were the day I got married. I will always treasure the years I spent as their nanny. Most of all, I will always be thankful that I have the privilege of being their aunt. I love you, girls!!

Okay.....what else.....

Thankfully Brent did not end up having the Swine Flu. He did have the flu. Just not the Swine Flu. Our doctor said that the regular flu is just as nasty and I have to agree. He was pretty miserable. Thankfully the kiddos seemed to escape it.

Brent still struggles with MRSA and the horrible side effects of having that infection. As I type this, he is at the doctor because he has a new sore on his foot. I wish I could wave a magic wand and get it to heal. Tyler, Emmalee and I also struggle with MRSA but not to the same extent. Hopefully Brent will get some relief quickly.

Tyler has been doing well. He is holding steady health wise and we haven't, (knock on wood,) had a Strong Vacation in several months. That is always good news. His counts have been great and he has been pretty healthy minus some cold symptoms and the like. We just pray that it keeps going like this.

Ty LOVES school. He has enjoyed every single day. He wakes up in the morning and the first thing he says when I open his door is, "okay, shoe shoes, go, the bus!" He is having such a good time. I am so happy about that! I was worried that he would be nervous or timid. I should have known better. He jumps into the bus drivers arms. He waves goodbye. He is sad when he gets home. My favorite part of the day is when he gets home and goes on and on about his day. Of course, I can't really understand what he's telling me but I love it none the less. What an amazing kid he is!

Ty will be going to kindergarten starting in September. After much deliberation, Brent and I decided that we were going to go ahead and start him at the regular elementary school. We debated quite a bit about weather or not to keep him at Mary Cariola or to send him to a typical school. We LOVE Mary Cariola. They know him there. He loves it there. It was not an easy choice. We visited the elementary school's special education classroom, met the teacher and checked out the school. We loved it also. The teacher actually got her start at Mary Cariola and taught there for several years. The classroom is very cheerful and the special education curriculum is exactly what we had hoped it would be. Ty will receive all his therapy at school. He will be in a class with very few students and many aides. There is a strong focus on language and that makes us very happy. There will be many opportunities to spend time with his typical peers. All in all, we think it is going to be a great choice for him. We are also comforted by the fact that if it doesn't work out, we can go back to Mary Cariola. But we feel like we need to give him the chance at the regular school. We'll hope for the best and pray a lot. :)

Emmalee has been having a good summer. That's my opinion. From her perspective, it is boring. She's such a hoot. She did attend Vacation Bible School for a week and she had so much fun. She is very ready for school to start again. She is still a total crack up and still keeps me on my toes. She will go to pre-k again in the fall. She is going back to the same class she was in last year. I am so happy for her. She loves her class and her teacher. The only difference this year is that she will go three days a week instead of two. She is so excited!!

Nathaniel is doing well. He went back to the doctor and is taking some additional medicines to help with his constipation issues. He also had a gastric emptying study done. That determined that his tummy doesn't empty quickly enough after he eats. This is the reason his tummy resembles a pregnant woman. We added a new medicine for that and it seems to be helping. He is getting a little more regular. We'll just keep going and see if these steps make a difference. Lucky for us he is such a trooper. He just sort of takes it as it comes.

In other Natey news, he is WALKING!!!! I love it! I love seeing him toddle around. He is too cute. I'll have to try and post a video. He really gets a kick out of being able to get around. Sometimes he gets so excited about walking that he tries to run and then he just topples. It's pretty funny. With walking has come climbing. That's the not so cute part. LOL I don't so much mind that he can get up on stuff but he can't always figure out how to get off properly. He either falls or stands there screaming until someone comes along and gets him down. What a goose.

In further Nate news....he is going to start school in the fall. Yep, it's true. He is going to attend Mary Cariola. It seems strange to think of sending my two year old on the bus. But the fact is that when Tyler got sick, Nate's therapy sessions took a nosedive. There were many, many cancelled sessions because Tyler was neutropenic and we couldn't let anyone in the house. That put Nate behind on his therapy schedule. He is playing catch up pretty well but after careful consideration, we realize that he would benefit much more from doing a center based program. He will get OT, speech, PT, music therapy and any other therapies they think he would benefit from. Brent and I are so excited for him! We aren't sure yet if it will be a three day a week or a five day a week program. Either way, I am so thankful to know that he will finally have the opportunity to get all the therapies he needs. He is still very delayed in many areas and knowing that he will be able to get all he needs is a blessing. I know he will love going and I also know that he is going to be everyone's favorite. :)

Collin was home for a whole month!!! It was fantastic. He has grown and changed so much. I can't believe it had been two years since I saw him last. He is way taller than I am, which isn't saying much. But he is also taller than his dad. He is so much like Brent in so many ways. He is very musical and plays the piano by ear, just like Brent. He is a very good big brother and the kids loved having him home. I think they were a little overwhelming for him at times since he is used to being the only one at home at his mom's. But he handled it well. He was very patient with them....most of the time. :)

While Collin was home we had a chance to do a few fun things. We saw a couple of movies and he and I went to the Hill Cumorah Pageant. We had such a good time.

Brent & Collin were able to spend about ten hours in New York City. It was a fast, tiring trip but I think they enjoyed it. We were able to get some buddy passes from a good friend of mine who works for JetBlue. So Brent & Collin flew to NYC on Monday night & took the subway to Time's Square. Brent had enough reward points from all his work travels to get a hotel for free right in Time's Square. They did a lot of walking and picture taking, got about an hour of sleep and took the subway back to the airport for Collin's very early flight to Phoenix on Tuesday morning. Then Brent flew home. Not much of a trip but since neither of them had ever been there before, I think they had fun. Someday we'll have to take a real trip to the city.

We attempted to get some pictures of all four kids together while Collin was here. It was interesting. Imagine trying to get three small children to smile and look at the camera at the same time. We have about 200 pictures of Collin looking at the camera and smiling while the other three are in various poses, facial expressions, etc. It was a riot. I think I'll have to order a collage for Christmas cards this year. Either that or learn how to edit the pictures.

We also have a new family member. Jenny is about four months old and she is our new fur baby. She is a lab, retriever mixed with either some sort of spaniel or setter. Not sure. We don't care. She is a very sweet puppy. Although I must admit that having a puppy is about like having a new baby. Thankfully Jenny was already house broken. I will, however, be thankful when she is past the chewing, jumping phase. She is very smart and is learning quickly. She loves the kiddos and they adore her, most of the time. :) She is a great addition to our family and even Brent likes her. We are hoping to work towards training her as a therapy dog for the boys and even for Emmalee.

So I guess the only person I haven't updated about is me. I had a birthday....turned 34. Collin thought it was funny to put my candles on in the opposite order and make me 43 instead. I didn't find the humor.

I will be honest....I have been struggling lately. I have some health issues that I have ignored for a very long time. I can't ignore them any longer. I am going to the doctor on Monday and praying that we can come up with some answers. Life is never dull, for sure.

Well, if you have made it this far, I commend you! Thanks to everyone for your continued love and support of our little family. We love you all!!

Happy 10th Anniversary To Us

Today is our 10th anniversary. In some ways it is hard to believe ten years have passed since we got married. And then again, so much has changed in ten years. Here are a few of the highlights --

We have lived in five different cities and three different states -- Arizona, Utah, Arizona again and New York.

We have lived in seven different houses.

We have owned five different vehicles.

We have had three dogs and four cats.

Between the two of us we have had ten major surgeries.

We have suffered through infertility and miscarriages.

We have adopted three amazing children. Each one has been a confirmation that adoption is a miracle and God sends the right children to the right family, no matter how they have to get here!

We have suffered the loss of Brent's Dad and we miss him every day.

Brent has had four different jobs.

We have watched our child suffer through leukemia and keep fighting. He is an amazing kid!

We have each had several callings in church.

We have traveled to many different places. Some of my favorites include the Oklahoma City Memorial, the Grand Canyon and Disneyland.

We have endured many trials and had many blessings. No matter what, I can't imagine doing this with anyone other than Brent. He is.....well, he's amazing. There simply aren't enough words to describe how much I love that man. He puts up with me through all my moods. That in itself is a miracle. He is kind and patient, loving and genuine. He is an awesome Dad and nothing makes me happier than watching him with our children. Is he the person I thought he was when I married him? No. He is far beyond what I could have ever hoped for. He has changed me in ways I never expected.

I love you, Brent! Thank you for making the last ten years the best of my life. I can't wait to see what's next!!

Back To School

I haven't updated for awhile.....So much has been going on. Most notably, though, is that Tyler went back to school today! They go for six weeks in the summer and we were so happy to get a spot at Mary Cariola, the same school he went to BC, (before cancer.) We were also very lucky to get the same teacher he had before. She is amazing and Tyler loves her!

I am both thrilled and terrified that he is at school this morning. Thrilled for him because he has missed it so much. He has also missed out on a great deal of therapy this past year. He loves being there, and the routine of it is so good for him.

Then the germ-a-phobe in me kicks in. We have had to be so careful this past year. We have avoided church, avoided the grocery store, avoided any possibility of him being in contact with other kids and germs. We have carried Clorox Wipes and Purell and made sure that we wipe everything down before he touches it. We have kept friends and family at bay, avoided play dates, kept Emmalee home from pre-school if she shows any sign of sniffling. We have been warned and we took those warnings to heart.

And now, here he is, with full permission to go back to school. I am trying not to be overwhelmed with concern, really I am. But the fact is, I do worry. I know I can't hold him back forever. I know that the doctors and medical professionals have his best interest at heart and would never let him return to school if they didn't feel it was absolutely safe. I know. But I'm his mom and I will worry none the less.

Tyler, however, was not one bit worried! He was thrilled! He was so excited to see the bus. His enthusiasum made me feel better. Only two and a half hours until he gets home. :)

Good Morning! It's time to go back to school!!

Headed to the bus with my bus driver.

All strapped in and ready to go.

And they're off!

Swine Flu

We've had a Swine Flu scare around here. We're still waiting on Brent's test results. He has been miserable with all the classic Swine Flu symptoms. I feel pretty yucky myself though it hasn't hit me as hard as him. None of that really matters....all that matters is making sure Tyler doesn't get sick. His oncologist went ahead and started him on Tamiflu as a precaution and so far he is doing fine. We just pray that we started it soon enough.

Grab Your Tissues

I saw this story online this morning and just couldn't help but cry. Grab some tissues before you read it!

Update

It has been quite awhile since my last update. Here goes....

First and foremost, Tyler is doing well. We still have our challenges, especially during "roid rage." But, for the most part, we are holding steady. He continues to amaze us each day with his strength and perseverance. He had clinic last week and he did great. His counts have been pretty typical, no real alarm bells. We just pray each day that this will continue and that we can get through the next ten months without any major issues.

I stay very positive for the most part. But then I will hear about another child who has relapsed and it freaks me out. I try hard not to imagine what that would mean in our own lives. But cancer is not predictable. All we can do is live day to day, be thankful for each moment we get, pray and fight!

In other news.....Nathaniel had his rectal biopsies done and, thank goodness, it does not appear that he has Hirschsprung's disease. He did show ganglion cells in his tissue samples. This is both an answer to prayers and frustrating because we are back at the beginning. Don't get me wrong; I am VERY thankful that he does not have to have surgery or a colostomy. I just wish we had some more definate answers. However, we both trust his doctor and know that he will help us get through this. For now the plan is to increase his dose of Miralax and begin adding additional medications to help ease his constipation. If this doesn't help, we will explore some other options. Dr. Rossi thinks that because he was a micro-preemie, he may just need continued time to grow and he may grow out of this phase. We certainly hope that is the case.

Emmalee, Nathaniel and I got back from our trip last Monday. Please let apologize to all of our friends and family in Utah. We literally had less than 24 hours in Salt Lake. We drove straight from the airport to Elko when we arrived, drove straight through to Wyoming the next weekend and then spent less than 12 hours in the hotel before we flew home. I am so sad that we didn't get to see all of you! I guess this means we'll just have to come out again....or you'll have to come and visit us!!

We had a great time, minus the fact that the kids were sick for a few days. They both ended up with a nasty stomach virus and then poor Emmalee got a urinary tract infection. Not fun. As Emma said, "you're not apposed to get sick on cation." So true!

The rest of our trip was a lot of fun. My oldest niece graduated from high school. I'm still not sure if I believe it or not. Where did the time go? It was a blessing to be there and spend time with my family. I can't believe how much I missed them! It is very hard to live so far away.

We spent the second week of our trip in Wyoming, spending time with my dad and my grandma. My grandma has Alzheimer's and her memory is really starting to deteriorate. I am so thankful that I had time with her! She is one of the kindest, most loving people I have ever known. It was just incredible to be home with her and have that time together.

On our way back to the airport we stopped and spent time with my aunt, uncle and cousins. That was so much fun! I just wish we had more time together.

I think Emmalee's favorite parts of our trip were spending time with her cousins and following my dad around like a puppy. She had so much fun! She tells me every day how much she misses everyone and wishes we could see them. I agree!

Tyler did alright while I was gone. Brent said he asked for me quite often. I expected him to be thrilled to see me when we got back. He wasn't, at least not at first. It took him several hours to really pay attention to me and a couple of days for him to get over being mad at me. Poor kiddo. As much as I enjoyed my trip, I don't think I will ever be able to leave him for that long again. Thankfully he had his daddy home with him during the evenings and weekends and our amazing friend Hannah with him while Brent worked.

I have a million pictures to get posted but that will have to wait for another day. :)

All in all things are going well. Thank you to everyone for your love, prayers and support. It is because of you that we make it through this fight every day. We love you all!

Thank You!

Emmalee has truly enjoyed her time in Nursery School this year. Tomorrow is the last day. I'm not sure which of us is sadder to see it end. Although, her reasons are probably different than mine. *smile*

I wanted to do something special for her teacher and the assistants. I really wanted to avoid the typical teacher gifts but I am painfully non-creative. Never fear, Google to the rescue! I found this super cute idea and it was very, very easy as well as affordable. We got each of them a small plant. Then I took a picture of Emmalee and went to the store to one of those photo machines. I added text and a border to the picture. The picture says "Thank you for helping me grow," along with her name and the date. Emmalee decorated the little pots to make them extra special. They ended up being around $3 each.

Thank goodness for Google!

Music Education

There are many things in this world that I simply don't understand. One that always upsets me is when I hear that schools have had to cut music education programs due to lack of funds. I truly believe that music should be as fundamental as reading, writing, math, etc.

I have seen music work wonders in my own family, especially for Tyler. Watching him engage with his Dad while Brent plays the piano is incredible. Seeing him interact with his music therapists is amazing. It has opened up his level of communication and brings him out of his shell. I simply can't imagine him not being able to experience this in school....or any of my other children, for that matter.

Here's another example of the importance of music education in schools.

Be The Match!!

From now until June 22nd you can sign up to be a bone marrow donor for FREE! By joining the registry you could potentially help save the life of someone with cancer. You can sign up through the mail. It's quick, easy and painless. Please take advantage of this great opportunity to sign up for FREE today!!!!

Emma-Isms

"Mom, please stop talking to me like that.  I can't stand it.  Don't you even know me at all?"

"Don't worry about me, Momma.  Just be worried about yourself."

While emptying the dishwasher......"I can hold sharp knives Mom.  I'm really very asponsable."

My all time favorite...."You're a great Mom!"

Mark & Janet

This may be a long shot but I feel compelled to post this on  my blog.  We have some amazing friends named Mark & Janet.  They have been hoping to adopt for three years.  Please, if you know anyone who may be interested in placing their child for adoption, forward this video to them.  I can't think of anyone else who would be more kind, loving and committed to a child.