still going strong

I am checking in here. I have so many wonderful things to share with you that I have been doing with my diet, meals, fun things I have been making. I just have't had time to share them all.  I will try to share them soon though.
I have now lost a total of 15 lbs from the start of my elimination diet. So much of it lost at the beginning but very slowly after as I was testing foods and would have 'off' days etc. I feel like my body has done lots of healing over this last couple months. Total wt from when I began last summer in 2012 is 28 lbs. I feel so much better these days.
I am missing my sweet boy so much. He has been gone 10 months now as of the 2nd of November. It is still hard for me to wrap my brain around it. Imagine how much of the 'things' around you, are connected to your child.  If I take a bath, I know that he bathed here.  If I use soap, I know that I still have the leftover part of a natural bar of soap that he used. I don't want to throw it out!  His toothbrush is still in our drawer. How can I ever take that out?  Oh, how my heart longs for him, to hold and squeeze him. Oh, how I need to get around others that have been through this, it's been awhile, time to regroup.
We lost our Hospice counselor whom knew us so well.  We found another one that is a Christian and we really like him but this one isn't free if you know what I mean.  It is good to meet with him, we need it and have noticed that we hadn't for a while.
I went out and had some fun trying to take pics of the kiddos myself for this school year. I think it went quite well.

Here is our precious boy in 2011, getting family pics before he heads in for his transplant.  So strong a memory in my mind.

Just he and mom and dad. 

Here he is just foolin' around.  Man I miss him.

He is the last, or third boy.  

My last child, darling girl.

My oldest son has moved out so we don't get to take many pics like this any more. Someday I hope to be able to get some again.  

going to see my boy today...

saying good-bye was bitter sweet....

but...we get to see our boy!!
This was actually just some camera fun we were having!! The kids and all of us are so excited to see our college boy today! We have a weekend celebration planned and we can't wait!

doing ok...

this one is off at college now, attending his second day of classes...he seems to be doing ok..
here he is probably thinking excitedly about this being the last burning job he has to do for awhile...:)

We are starting to miss you......

This boy is inheriting the major part of mowing of the yard...'mom, can I make a checkers pattern in the grass?' sure...why not.....

hopping...hopping...bouncing....

look at this fella...he is 3 months out from his last chemo...look what he can do now!

It is such a good, simple, wonderful pleasure to see him out here, staying out here, hangin' with the sibs...having energy...feeling better, thinking better...getting some real school work done this year so far...

We are so thankful. If you could please pray, we have CT scans this week. I am feeling fine really. Sometimes I feel a little nervous. I felt sure that God told me He had real plans to heal this boy...I have trusted and rested in this...but there are times when a test to look inside makes me cringe a little. Other times cancer is just a word to me. It means nothing at all, not scary like it seems to be out there...selfishly, I think to myself..'I don't know if I can do this again' I don't know if B can do this again..but then I just look up and ask God to keep carrying me..He is in control...He always does...He is so good...
ya see..He loves us...

leaving the nest......

Father son good bye photo...

Study hard at college...:)

Dylan with granny.
Good bye my son...you're not far, we'll see you soon, we love you.
I have some photos with me but my mom forgot to mail them to me so I will post those later...

#18!!

I can't believe I really forgot to put this up on June 1st but things were a bit crazy..so here it is, better late than never!

our own graduate open house

This photo above is nothin' special but I just love the way it captured the smoke and their intent business of making hot dogs this day...
That's JoLayne, she was a blessed helper to me, devoting her day for my service, thanks friend.

Here is a sampling of this weekend's open house here for our graduate. I have to get some other cool pics on here later that my friend Karl took. It was a beautiful day and such a blast and I was exhausted afterward. Thanks to all that helped out. Then he turned 18 a couple days later and I have to make cake for that too!! I laugh because I feel like I am in a perpetual 'party' mode right now...:)

do teens have to grow up?

I can't believe my boy is graduating! I tease about them having to grow up because we do have a healthy view 'nest leaving', but it is surreal looking at this child. I truly remember the day I first laid eyes on this precious boy and how much love burst throughout my chest. I really do!
What a big weekend. Braveheart had his 'official' last day of chemo drugs so we are fully rejoicing in that. What a nice feeling to not count the time and give that bedtime chemo one hour after eating. Dylan had his finals at college last week and a home school dinner banquet to attend. What a cool dad to let him and his buddy go in the Miata. He had to dress snazzy for it, which I loved, but him, not so much. Then our church had a special celebration as they do every year for whoever is graduating. Here are two fine young graduating men. May God guide them, protect them and use them mightily.

pinewood derby

Here they are, finally. Look at this one above and see all the work that my man did to help the kids make really cool cars. He loves it and is really good at it. My kid's cars always win, it's amazing. Glenn's even won the family and championship races!! He and I ended up racing each other in the family race. It was fun.

i'm back, i'm refreshed

I did it! I spent the day getting all my 2008 photos into an album. I spent the day resting, socializing..eating, ugh. Now I will start getting ready for my 2009 photos. I just like to have them in an album then maybe one day I will scrapbook, but not for now. This is my favorite way to do it, by going off, away from home so I can get it done quickly with no interruptions. Dad gets to bond with the kids. It all works out real well.
Friday we (meaning me, my hubby, my mom and my granny) went up to see the college my son was visiting over night at their weekend open house. We toured the grounds and had dinner with him. Here they spent time visiting classes, playing sports, worshiping, eating and more. He even ran into some other students he knew. This campus is small, the teaching is excellent, the faculty get to know the students personally and access to the cafeteria and all it's food, is included with room and board 24/7! The 24 hour cereal bar is a teenage boy's dream come true. It is a really nice place. We are excited that he was accepted and will continue to pray for God's direction and perfect plan for our son.
Blessings to you all.

racing with dad

Braveheart is now officially old enough to ride with daddy around the track, so dad wasted no time getting him his own helmet and taking him for a spin!! Needless to say, he quite enjoyed it. So far, I am the only one in the family that doesn't like adrenaline...:(

senior year #1

It's true...I have a senior this year! This is so exciting! He has made it this far and he can read, write, calculate mathematical equations and I didn't 'mess' him up too much. :) I am loving this age since he is so self sufficient. He is a man now and nearly all grown up. I am thankful for all the help God has given me and his father.
This is a year of finishing classic reading lists, furthering math levels, starting community college coarses, while acquiring some more college credits. He has been blessed to apprentice in computers with a wonderful man that God sent in our path. This led to his now first official part time job. It is essential that a part time job during high school be the right kind of job; one that fits that teen's needs, goals and social environment positively.
This will be my first home school graduate in May 2010. Meanwhile, we are trying to help him to prepare for college and his future prospects that God has for him, while saving money and avoiding huge debts as he starts out his adult life. If you would like to start thinking of these money saving ideas for college, please see the link on my sidebar.
Here is a great book to get you started called ACCELERATED DISTANCE LEARNING.

Have a great homeschooling year and enjoy that high school student!

happy 17th!!

Can it be real? 17? I am still reeling from this fact. It's true, I am late even posting this. I don't even have a picture from that day or near it. We had a hospital stay going on while he had a planned party with his buddies. We had to skip the family part as it was too complicated that day. His buddies came and it was fun even though this is the second birthday in a row that got side swiped by family illness, but we and especially he didn't dwell on it. Unselfish. Growing up. Becoming a man. God is working out all these things in his life. Thanks and praise be to Him.
See that sweet little boy above? He is turning into a fine young leader of a man there in the current photo.
Many blessings to you son.

class is over...finally!

This is the face of a teenager who took his first in house college class, who did a really great job, with a very challenging teacher, including a major power point presentation!! I think it would be safe to say that although he learned much and loved the subject...he is glad it is over!! What do you think? :)


Good job D, we are proud of you...mission accomplished! for now......

saying goodbye to basketball

Basketball was a nice little season. Braveheart missed most of it since his recovery took longer than we originally thought, but he was able to play the last three games. He didn't do too bad! He had the greatest group of boys on his team. Dylan actually was the assistant coach for his team as well. He then got wrangled into the helping his other brother's team and God used him for a nice little ministry for this season. We are very thankful for his help and all that he did. It was especially nice enjoying his ability to drive himself, kids and his friend Casey was able to get involved with him so that was a nice opportunity to hang with him more often.
All the kids gave their best efforts and really improved by the end.
Goodbye basketball..it was fun...we're glad your over for now.

flashback friday

I wanted to use these Fridays to get in some blogging blasts from the past. As I am deep in organinzing the home, I must keep this blog organized as well.

Late last year, Dance Marathon hosted a trip to a museum nearby and we were able to go for a short while. Braveheart (I've decided this is a good blog name for him) tired easily but was in need of a change of scenery. It was a nice family outing. GG (great grandma) and Gramma D came along as well.

Braveheart loves this kind of stuff but is still tired from a hospital stay, but thankfully his counts are up presently and we get to sit most of the short time we're here.

Dad is the resident biologist and assists with the learning.

Yikes, a shark!!

Everyone gets hands on.

And some show off a little......

soft, warm pretzels, teenager style

cozy crazy crocheted blanket/hat

As many of you are aware, I started a crazy crochet blanket while in the hospital with B. Thanks to all of you who donated some yarn. It gave my hands something to do while there, plus I love crafting and I was able to finish it over the Christmas break. I decided to make this one for Dylan since he is the oldest and therefore the closest to getting his wings for flying out of the nest. Can you believe that? He only has a year and a half of school left with me!! Well, that's another blog page.

Then, after the blanket got too big for taking to the hospital, I thought I would try a simple hat. Mental note to self: It turns out really huge though when you switch to thick, soft yarn. He loved it anyway. I am especially grateful for how excited he was that I was making it for him and he does love to wear it. That really blesses my heart. He even told me that if I ever wanted to crochet, I could make him a hat any time! It was fun.

So fun, that I made a not so thick one for Casey for Christmas.

flashback friday/ Christmas prep

Getting ready for Christmas.

Daddy leads the charge.

We all love to pitch in!

We love our plane collection.

Just home from a long hospital stay. We'll do most of the watching.

Zoom!


Finished product.

Yes, I am well aware that it is officially Sat. but I couldn't get to this yesterday, so here it is! I wanted to get these pics posted of our little tradition we have of putting up the Christmas decorations. We always do this together as a family. We usually do this the weekend of Thanksgiving but we were detained for B's hospitalization. It didn't take away from the specialness of it at all, in fact it became more precious than ever.

As most of you know, my mom is a pilot, so we tend to collect/receive many ornaments of airplanes. They are really fun but we started to run out of room. I think it was Glenn that decided to hang them around the tree for the flying affect. It turned out to really look cool and we have continued that ever since.