on being admitted....

Swimming was fun. I even allowed him to jump into the pool from the diving board. There will be NO diving please sir! His buddies were there and they were doing what all active boys do...try to water wrestle and fake drown each other. "Easy there boys, watch his chest, slow down, please don't hang out in the deeper end this year." Honestly, my nerves are shot for the year, maybe two. Adrenaline, being now my unwelcome, familiar foe in whom I would like to banish forever as it tries to steal from me my essence. But wait...that is mine and His. I can't relax while straining to watch his every move, every head bob, even if he can swim. Decidedly, he isn't up to par in the strength department just yet. I am thankful for his heartfelt compliance.
Upon arriving home showers were mandatory, especially for him, the chlorine just adds to his 'toxic load'. Hey, when you live, breath and eat toxic drugs, one does what one can to keep things going..healing..protected. After the nice warm shower I knew he'd be tired but he was exhausted. He hadn't swam in awhile either so not so unusual you know. He didn't feel quite right and barely touched his steamed buttered broccoli. Thankfully, he did manage a small amount of applesauce. We have to time everything perfectly, doing the chemo dance each and every night.
After cuddling, it was time for bed. He just wasn't feeling right. This is sometimes our normal too. (my foe likes to appear here in small doses) I was concerned though since he rarely complains much but his voice was telling. Soon I felt that he was a little warm as I hugged/ rubbed him good night. Mmmmm....pressing my nose into his baby soft hair is my favorite part of bedtime. The temp is 100.1 which is a mandatory recheck in one hour. Isn't it amazing that there is this signal that something is going on inside our bodies? God's design is beyond our understanding. I prayed...watching the clock...contemplating what was likely to be my lot for the rest of the night. Selfishly I prayed that we could stay home..remembering all we had planned this weekend. I don't want to pack the bags, the car, the supplies, the child, drive in the dark, sleep on their beds and so much more. I know he feels the same. I prayed his temp would go down, playing with thoughts of 'what ifs', all the while knowing that this could be the beginning of something unseen by vision. One cannot wait even if it is a sweet little dream that is never realized.
I wonder to myself how do people do this without the hope of Christ? Will a day come when there is only restful sleep with not so many stomach churning worries as this? I long for the next year to go quickly. I stared from my bed upon the innocent face of my warm, slumbering child. So sweet, so tired. My eyes begin to feel heavy. It is time. The fateful recheck. My heart is heavy as I realize what I now must do and wake Glenn from his blissful rest with the news, hearing his grunt of sleepy concern.......I will come back for the boy in a moment. The suitcase is calling to me....

fabrically fun give away

Here is a fun bloggy gal I love to visit with beautiful fabrics and she is giving some away!!

Yeee Haaawww!!

Check this out.

wordless wednesday

goodbye chickies.....

I have to say that this has been one of the biggest blessings to our entire family! Everyone learned so much through this experience. The children gained immeasurable knowledge and skills in caring for them. It is such a miracle to witness the birth of each chicken and how God designed the whole process. We really loved our little chickie family. We were sad to see them go, but alas...we are unable to keep chickens here. We will be doing this again!!
Here is all their names at secret agent files!

countdown to a cure

What a crazy week it has been around here! My head has been spinning. I wanted to put out an update on our #5 maintenance visit to the clinic. B's liver enzymes are on a downward trend for now and we are assessing what caused the increase.
Please pray for his liver enzymes.

He is also complaining of some pain in his thighs and we have to watch him for a disease that can be caused by the steroids called Avascular necrosis (also osteonecrosis, aseptic (bone) necrosis, ischemic bone necrosis^[1], and AVN) is a disease resulting from the temporary or permanent loss of the blood supply to an area of bone.^[1] Without blood, the bone tissue dies and the bone collapses.^[1] If avascular necrosis involves the bones of a joint, it often leads to destruction of the joint articular surfaces (see Osteochondritis dissecans).

As always, please pray for complete healing!

Please pray for my feet as I have a severe case of Plantar fasciitis ......is a painful inflammatory condition of the foot caused by excessive wear to the plantar fascia or plantar aponeurosis that supports the arches of the foot. The pain usually is felt on the underside of the heel, and is often intense.

As you can imagine, this in interupting my life quite well, but I am working on ways to heal it. It just takes time!

Thanks for your prayers..God is good and our boy keeps on fighting!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAVEST BOY EVER!! #12

Can you guess who this precious boy is??

#12 ...you have no idea how glad and thankful we are to see you!!



^{Psalm 118:1
1} Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

seven is heaven!

I just have to tell you that these are the cutest little things with such different personalities...we love 'em.

wordless wednesday

snuggle friends

What a long weekend of birthin' babies! Thankfully, unlike Scarlet's nanny I happen to know a few things...(smug look inserted here) :)

Here are the first two born, cuddling up. Introducing....BUCK and STRIPE!

saturday and sunday science....

Excitement is mounting as we listen to the quiet peeping from their warm eggs.

We weren't expecting these little buggers until Tues, but we had a great surprise when daddy noticed some cracks in a couple of the eggs. See the little beginning crack on the egg at the right? The egg on the left is making it's way around the egg shell.

Buck takes breaks.