Perking Up

Well thank goodness by Tuesday it was obvious that Jeremy was perking up. His coloring came back and he didn't have to lay down to take a nap. He rested a lot, but didn't have to lay down and sleep. Tuesday was a great day because Jeremy's aunt and uncle brought his Grandma Dean for a visit. We had a great visit. Carter was a little under the weather, but other than that we had a great time. We laughed, cried, played with the boys, and visited until about 3:30. Then it started getting a little late for Grandma because it is a 4 hour trip back home and she had a little baby calf that had to be fed before dark! Just tickles me every time I think about her having to get home to feed this little baby calf that she is not going to name, however anytime she talks about it she calls it Baby. In my book she has named it, but don't tell her that! :) After they left we hung out around the house and had a lazy evening.

Jeremy and his Grandma Dean

The boys and Jeremy with Uncle Larry and Aunt Carolyn

Yesterday Jeremy went in to see Dr. Bradford for a follow up appointment. The appointment went well however the waiting you have to endure for these appointments is terrible. We had to wait about an hour and a half before getting called back and then after we got called back we had to wait about 45 minutes. Now please don't think I am complaining because I am definitely not complaining because the Dr. is very good and spends as much time with each patient as necessary. However my husband is not the best "waiter' in the world. I pray for the poor man's patience everyday! He reminds me so much of my dad in that manner because he is not the best "waiter" in the world either(I know that my stepmom is smiling as she reads this!). If Jeremy learns to do nothing else through this he will become more patient because honestly he has no choice in the matter. Dr. Bradford really hated that the chemo was so tough on Jeremy, but he said that this will be pretty consistent all the way through. He said that with this type of chemo your same symptoms seem to follow like clockwork each time you have treatment. Now many of you know that I am a planner and a list maker, so in my planner I wrote down EVERY symptom he had everyday, neurotic I know, but I want to know what to expect each time. Jeremy's blood test to check his therapeutic levels did not get finished because the blood they drew and sent off apparently was not packaged cool enough and by the time the blood got to the lab it was too warm. They are going to run this test again next week before they take his pump off. However his blood counts yesterday were all good. He is scheduled for his next chemo next Wednesday and will wear his pump until Friday morning. Eventually he is going to get his chemo on Tuesdays that way by the weekend hopefully he will be through what seems to be the worst of it. Then he will be able to work on Saturdays, go to church on Sundays and spend time with the family on Sunday afternoons. I hope this schedule works out because I know he has really missed this weekend time.

After the dr appointment we came back to pick up Ian and Carter because they stayed with Pa and Ma. We got home and about an hour later their Aunt Lori picked them up to spend the night at their house! The boys were so excited! All Carter wanted to do was see Ozzy(their bulldog) and Uncle Bo's motorcycle. Ian was so excited about getting to stay the night with his cousin Carli. They had a great time and were so excited because they didn't even have to brush their teeth! Gotta love it!

Well today was their day. They got to choose anything they wanted to do. Their first pick was Fun City. We got there when the doors opened and stayed until about noon. From there we went home so Carter could catch a nap. After naptime we went to Target where Ian got to buy whatever YuGiOh and Pokemon cards he wanted, he had earned money at our annual garage sale a few months ago and had saved it for our vacation, since we didn't get to go anywhere he begged to go to Target. After that we went to Hibbett Sports and bought back to school shoes and I got a cute Southern Belle t-shirt(thanks to Kelly for telling me they had them!). After that we just walked around what we call "the outdoor mall" a.k.a. Promenade. Now remember this was there day so went to the Candy Craze and The Cookie Factory and yes they both got stuff at each place.....their day remember :). Then we went to ride the carousel which is new to the mall. Ok so had a little taste of how big Ian is getting because we got up in line to buy our ticket and it was only Carter and myself, I look over to where Jeremy is sitting and there was Ian and I mouthed to Jeremy is he not riding and Ian looked at him and said no I am NOT riding. My heart broke! My baby, my first born did not want to ride the carousel and not only did he not want to ride, but he did not care at all that my heart was broken. Sure it saved me 2 bucks, but I would have paid 10 for him to ride with Carter and I. Oh so many more times like this in the road ahead. Makes me think of the day that Jeremy called and him and Ian were eating at McDonald's and Ian decided he didn't want a Happy Meal he wanted a value meal. Of course Jeremy was so excited and I was on the phone practically bawling.........what no Happy Meal...........he's only 7 I want him to order Happy Meals at least until he moves out for college. Ok so I have just had some pretty clear pictures that Ian is growing up and getting too big for things I never thought he would be too big for. The joy of your children growing up, but the heartbreak of learning that you can't keep them little forever.


Ok so a few years ago.........let me rephrase that to 7 years ago, felt like a few...I went to what is called the ESL(English as a Second Language) Academy. It was grueling and rewarding at the same time. It was 2 weeks long even weekends, 12 hours a day, and meals all provided there. So basically it was hard core, but from it you walked away with an endorsement to teach ESL, 12 graduate hours, many new strategies, a wealth of information, and new friends. Well I can remember how nervous I was the first few days of the Academy. I really didn't know anyone that was going and a lot of the teachers were from Springdale. Well who knew I would meet a very good friend of mine, Reba. We spent ALOT of time together those 2 weeks. I forgot to mention I had just had a baby 2 months before so I was struggling being away from Ian.......yes he REALLY was a baby then :). So Reba was my support she knew it was hard leaving him with him being so bitty. We ate all our meals together, ran to her house to check on her kids, ran to Sonic, sat outside to get warm, and really just developed a great friendship. Well over the years Reba and I of course lost touch, but I knew where she taught and she knew where I taught, but then when we both discovered the wonderful world of Facebook we found one another and from there we found each others blog and have reconnected. Well Reba and her kiddos brought us dinner the other night and it was so GREAT to see her. I told her when she came I would probably hug and hug her and not let go. Reba has a faith that amazes me and spirit that you can only pray to have. She has 4 kids and they are so very blessed to have her as a mom. She is so calm and never appears to be frazzled. I know she is at times, but she handles herself with such grace. Jeremy knew how excited I was to see Reba so he took our picture! Then I had to take a picture of the meal she brought us, I had never had it before but it was so yummy. She brought mostaccioli, which is penne pasta with an alfredo sauce on bottom and a marinara sauce with hamburger meat and cheese, delicious! For desert there was a chocolate eclair desert in a pan and it is heavenly. I enjoyed your visit Reba and meeting Maria and Joshua and seeing Hunter and Lauren all grown up. I look forward to our next visit...........we just can't let it be so long next time!


Well I have babbled long enough, I knew I had some catching up to do, since I hadn't posted since earlier in the week. I will be consumed in my classroom the next 2 or 3 days trying to prepare for my precious little kindergartners that come next week. Some of you have asked "Are you ready?" and my answer to that is honest and true, no I am not ready not emotionally or physically, but I will be by the time they come through that door, I am praying for strength and motivation everyday.

Thank yous:
*Thank you to Reba for a WONDERFUL dinner and a SUPER visit
*Thank you to LaDonna for a DELICIOUS dinner, I can only wish I was half the cook you are! I also enjoyed our visit and your wonderful pep talk, you are an inspiration to me.
*Thank you to Melissa, Sharon, and Angela for helping me in my classroom. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. This has definitely been the most stressful year in getting my room ready and the 3 of you have helped make the process much smoother.
*Thank you to Bubba and JoAnn for the sweet card and gift. Jeremy was so touched when we got it in the mail.
*Thank you to Pa and Ma for keeping the boys while we went to Jeremy's dr. appt.
*Thank you to Carolyn and Larry for bringing Grandma up, we appreciate it so much and enjoyed seeing all 3 of you.
*Thank you to Linda, Melissa, and Mike for the YUMMY dinner tonight. It was so good and I had plenty of the coconut pie(I won't tell you how much :)
*A big thank you to Aunt Lori for taking the boys for the afternoon and overnight, so I could work in my classroom. They enjoyed it so much. It mean a lot especially since Uncle Bo had to work and you wanted to keep them anyway. They are SO lucky to have you as an Aunt!

2 year olds miss nothing

Through this process who really knows how much Carter realizes and how much he doesn't. I mean I have told you how he is fascinated with daddy's owies and medicine, but beyond that I have been wondering how different life really is to him. Well this morning it all became a little more clear to me. He was laying in bed with Jeremy and I this morning, well actually he got in bed with us about 5am:), but luckily went back to sleep! Then we all slept until 8, so we were laying there cuddling with him and listening to him sing and talk. All of a sudden he gets up on his knees and turns to Jeremy and says, "I miss you" and he said it with the most honest and sincere voice. First it of course broke my heart and I had tears, but then as I thought about it as the day went on I realized even though he doesn't realize the details and the actual illness itself, he realizes daddy is sick and that things are not normal in his life right now. Of course as a mom that is hard because you want your children's lives to be perfect even though you know that life is not perfect, but on the flip side I am so glad that we have been open and honest and that a small part of his young little vulnerable mind does understand.
The last couple days have been difficult and I can honestly say we are all very tired and getting by on strong faith and prayer. Unfortunately Jeremy has continued to be very uncomfortable and sick the past few days. However the good news is he has been able to rest, so sleep has definitely been his best medicine. Today the sick stomach hit, but he was a trooper and made it through. His energy level was up a little today, but it is still going to be a rough week for him. I think the most stressful part for the both of us is knowing that his body has to do it again next week. We go see his oncologist on Wednesday for a follow up for his first treatment. Hopefully after going over the side effects that he had maybe there are some meds that would be an option for him. I mean there is nothing that you can do about the tired lethargic feeling, but hopefully knowing how he did as far as being very achy and sick there is something that can make him a little more comfortable.
Please direct your prayer towards this because we both had planned on returning to work next week and now are both questioning this decision and how it will work for either of us. We know it will work out and we know that God has a plan for us, so as we have stated before we are taking it one day at a time and each day is different and has different answers for us.
We are very excited about our special visitor tomorrow! Jeremy's Grandma Dean is coming tomorrow and if it gives you any idea the equivalence of how excited Jeremy is about her visit it would compare to Barney showing up at the front door to see Carter or Pujols showing up to see Ian! Jeremy and his Grandma are very close and have been since he was little, so he is very excited that his Uncle Larry and Aunt Carolyn are coming and bringing her for a visit. It will just be a day visit, but could be some of the best medicine for Jeremy.

Ok so before I go I have to share one funny story, ok funny now, but wasn't funny about 4 hours ago. Tonight I was picking the house up and cleaning up after dinner and Jeremy was in our bedroom(yes the one he did not want me to move :) all kicked back and we both heard this giggling coming from the bathroom.....Carter.......Jeremy said what do you think he is doing I of course had no idea so we tiptoed to the door and the giggling turned to full out belly laughing. When I peeped through the door I didn't know if I should laugh or cry! Carter had our dog Bella's favorite giraffe(which Carter calls a cow!) that is a stuffed animal and he was slinging it into the toilet and then slinging water EVERYWHERE! I ran into the bathroom and said HOLY (not sure what I was going to finish with could have been cow, crap, moley, I was pretty mad so use your imagine if you wish) and Carter starts going HOLY COW HOLY COW HOLY COW. So I look back because Jeremy WAS behind me and I am thinking ok daddy step in I know you don't feel good but honest to goodness I was about to bust a gut from laughing. Well my backup was GONE and I am sure you can guess why........he was doubled over in the recliner because he was laughing so hard. Much help......I think not! So I realize I am going to have to pull myself together and send Carter to time out, I mean I do not want him to think he can just take anyone's things and play in the toilet water. Well believe you me I pulled myself together real fast because I looked down and realized that Ian had just gone to the bathroom and yes you already know the rest of the story.................he did NOT flush. Ok so my laughter stopped I was mad and disgusted because all that supposed water everywhere.......... The story ended with Carter in time out saying I sorry I sorry I sorry, Ian helping me clean the entire mess up(bet he will flush from now on!), and all 3 of us taking showers. Needless to say everyone was showered and quickly put to bed! What a day!

Thank yous:
*Thank you to Kasi for the yummy dinner that she surprised us with on Sunday. We were planning on eating leftovers and Sunday was such a rough day so it was such a nice surprise.
*Thank you to Pat for the great dinner tonight and to Linda for delivering it.

Thank you for the continued prayers we are so appreciative of you all. Sending lots of love and hugs to you all.

Chemo #1 Complete but Recovery is Hard

Just a quick check in with everyone to let you know that Jeremy did get his pump off this morning about 10. They were able to do the blood work and get it sent off, but we won't get his results until next Friday. This afternoon and evening has been really rough on Jeremy. Even though you know it's coming it just doesn't make it any easier once it gets here. We knew there would be some sickness, discomfort, etc. but seeing him uncomfortable and hurting is very hard. His stomach is bothering him, but it is more of a queasy feeling. He is having lots of body aches and is very flushed. Beginning to get sores in his mouth. All normal, but all make for a very uncomfortable situation. He is in our bedroom with all doors shut and lights off. He has taken some meds, so I pray that they help him relax and rest. I don't have much new today just wanted to post and update and ask for prayers for his healing and comfort. I know tomorrow is going to be hard and he is going to be tired, so I pray that he cab rest and relax until his body is ready to be back up and running again. I know the hardest thing is going to be with his treatments only 2 weeks apart, he is never going to feel like he completely recovers.
The boys have been SO wonderful tonight and have played downstairs so daddy could rest and I could take care of him. They are so sweet! Hope you are all having a good weekend. We are hoping to have a special visit from Jeremy's Grandma Dean this Tuesday and he is SO excited and the kids and I are too! I hope and pray everyone stays healthy so Larry and Carolyn are able to bring her up.
*Thank you to Pa, Ma, and Carol for watching the boys today while we went to have Jeremy's blood draw done and get his pump disconnected.

Chemo #1 Underway

Well shame on me for not updating last night or this morning, but can I just tell you I crashed. I was SO tired. Jeremy and I have not slept well all week and then the night before his first chemo I don't think either of slept at all....nerves I am sure. We both slept great last night and then when Carter laid down for his nap today I fell asleep on the couch for over 3 hours. I feel so much better and Jeremy does too.
So yesterday morning we got up early because I had a dentist appointment before Jeremy's treatment. Unfortunately his premeds made him a little sick, so he had a little trouble right off, but once we got there he was doing ok. They accessed his port and began by giving him his premeds for side effects, nausea and his stomach, from there he began his folfox treatment. They started the treatment at about 9:45 and we were there until about 1. We couldn't have asked for a nicer nurse. Her name was Linda and she was wonderful, she was very thorough and went through everything she did and explained what it was and why she was doing it. It was quite obvious we were both nervous. Jeremy and I chatted, read, and watched tv through the process. At the end of his treatment there she hooked him up to his pump of 5FU that he wears home for 2 days. Jeremy and I both expected a small pump and of course he had hoped for something that he could hide under his clothing, but when she brought it out, it was much bigger than we both expected(like the size of a large cordless phone or maybe bigger!). I mean it has to hold enough medicine for 2 days so I guess it can't be too small. Finally after much convincing Jeremy put the pump in a pack that he has to wear around his waist(not too happy but he embraced it after a few hours). Sleeping and showering have both proven to be a little difficult with the pump, but we know that he will get more used to it as time passes. Had trouble covering where the pump tubing goes into his port for his shower, so if any of you have any great ideas of how to cover it so it doesn't get wet, we would welcome your suggestions. We hang the pump bag on the shower door and that works well.
Of course both boys are pretty intrigued by the tubing and the medicine that is hooked up to daddy. Every 10 minutes I hear Carter ask daddy to see his owie! I explained to them that daddy is taking medicine and it is kind of like a bunch of army men going in and taking care of all the bad stuff in daddy's body and protecting him. Ian seemed to get it and was good with that explanation so all was well in his world.
Tomorrow morning we go back to the Oncology clinic where Jeremy has to have a panel of blood work done while his pump is still running. The nurse said that this is a new test and is actually still considered a study, what they do is they draw his blood while the pump is still running and check his therapeutic levels, this lets his dr. know if they are treating him right in his range or if they need to lower or higher his dosage. She said it is a very new test and very helpful in setting dosage levels. Weird thing was no chocolate the day before the test! Not a problem for him, but would have been for me. As long as he can still eat Judi's strawberry cake he is happy :). The day we got back from his chemo nothing really sounded good to him except for her cake and that night I found him back in the kitchen cutting another big piece of cake! The nurse said that it would definitely curb his appetite, so eat what sounds or tastes good.
Another side effect he is already come across is the numb mouth and needles in mouth and throat. This is apparently a very common side affect. When we got home that first day he fixed a big soda with ice and the next thing I knew I heard him making this crazy sound in the kitchen and he said it was just like needles in his mouth and his lips were numb, so today he has stuck to room temperature water. I can't even imagine how this would feel, but I could tell it was very uncomfortable. So in Jeremy's words he doesn't necessarily feel "normal", but doing ok. We spent all of last night and today resting. He will get the pump of tomorrow and I know he is so ready. I will keep you posted on how the treatment continues to affect him.
By the way he is enjoying the new bedroom and the boys are LOVING the playroom and I LOVE that the toys are all downstairs, it is wonderful.
Well that is all for tonight, hoping and praying for a good nights sleep for all of us.
Thank yous:
*Thank you to Larry and Mary for the delicious spaghetti dinner and the very sweet card. I enjoyed our visit when you came.
*Thank you to Brandy for the no bake cookies, that didn't even have peanut butter so that Carter could eat them!
*When Jeremy had his first treatment Melissa offered to keep the kids and I can't thank her enough! Not only did she keep the kids, but she took them to Rick's for breakfast, McDonald's for lunch, played kickball, Playstation, and Monopoly. I think the kids were hoping we had to go back today just so they could stay with Melissa! From the bottom of our heart thank you for all you have done for our family. You have to be the most giving person I have ever met and we love you bunches.
Looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend. No plans maybe a trip to Target to get a few things we have on our list, but mainly just more resting and relaxing because we know soon that will all end and work will soon be upon us.

Blessings!

Today was Jeremy's dr. appointment to get all his scan results and plan for his treatment to start. Dr. Bradford said that Jeremy's PET and CT scan both looked good! There was only one little spot that lit up and it was in the general area where the cancer was found, so they are unsure if it is a lymph node that is inflamed or a lymph node with cancer. However no other part of his body lit up, PRAISE GOD!!!!! Finally good news, this is exactly what we have all been praying for. They are going to watch this spot, but it will not affect his treatment in anyway because of the location of it. So he will have about 6 rounds of chemo and then they we will do another PET scan and see what it looks like from there.
Chemo starts tomorrow. Can you believe it? Seems so fast, but we are both so ready to get the ball rolling. We will be at the clinic at 9:00am tomorrow. We will be there 3-4 hours and he will have blood drawn, pre meds put into his port, nausea medication, and then begin his chemo. He will do the first couple hours of chemo there and once he shows no sign of reaction he will bring the chemo pack home with him and wear it for 2 days. On Friday we will go back and they will remove the chemo pack. From there we will wait until the following Wednesday and see Dr. Bradford again and discuss how Jeremy felt during and after the chemo. This will allow the dr. to check Jeremy's blood levels and side affects to see if anything needs to be adjusted.
Then the next week the process will start over again. Until he has 12 rounds done.
One of the main things the doctor talked with us about today is the type of treatment that he will have done and the side affects of the treatment. The chemo that Jeremy is getting is called folfox, it is a combination of 3 different medicines. A few of the side affects he may experience are fatigue, queasiness, loss of appetite, and sore mouth/throat. The main side affect that is the most common with this treatment is neuropathy, unfortunately all patients tend to suffer with it just on different levels and different times throughout the treatment. He said that Jeremy will experience tingling of the hands, fingers, feet, and mouth. He will also be very sensitive to cold, so during his chemo or after his mouth could feel like needles anytime he drinks or eats something very cold and when he goes to grab a cold door knob this winter it could be very uncomfortable. I see some good gloves in his future :). Before we left the clinic they sent us to their on site pharmacy where Jeremy got 7 prescriptions filled, now keep in mind this is a man that never goes to the dr let only the pharmacy......I had to giggle at the irony of it. He got premeds for his chemo, the night before and morning of and he also got nausea meds and antibiotics to have on hand as he needs them.
We were very pleased with his appointment today and very nervous and anxious about getting started tomorrow. Jeremy of course asked if he could be released to go back to work, but dr said not yet. He wants Jeremy to be off work for at least one week after his first chemo and see how he feels and how his body reacts and then hopefully after that he will be released to go back to work. So we will both possibly be returning to work on the same day. Knowing that we will both off work off and on all year, but luckily we both work at amazing jobs and they have been so supportive during all of this.
Jeremy and Ian decided they needed a little father son time tonight, so they went to the Naturals baseball game. I was so glad they went, I think it will be good for both of them. Carter and I stayed home and vegged out in front of the tv all night! No complaints from either of us for not getting to go!
I will post tomorrow night and let you know how the first day goes. Thank you for the continued phone calls, emails, cards, and support. I don't know how we would get through all of this without all of you.
Continue to pray for strength especially tomorrow as we head into his first treatment. I know that we are both going to need it especially after how hard it was sitting in the chemo suite the other day for 15 minutes and then tomorrow we will be there for 3-4 hours. Dr. Bradford was very good today though about discussing how normal this anxiety was and that it is ok for us to be nervous the first few times and eventually we will be pros at it. He said it does make it much easier when someone is there with him and I told him not to worry his #1 cheerleader would be there every time!
Thank yous:
*Thank you to Chris and Kasey Bare for the yummy dinner we had last night. The kids and I had ribs everywhere, they were delicious!
*Thank you to Judi for the wonderful down home cooked meal tonight! Even my own pan of cheese grits all to myself, I was in heaven! *for the record I do love grits....esp Judi's cheesy ones :)
*Thank you to Nana for coming back to stay with the boys during Jeremy's appointment and of course not leaving until our house was spotless.
Well gonna get everyone in bed, we have an early day tomorrow. I have a dentist appointment at 8 and from there we will go straight to Jeremy's chemo. We have been lounging in bed in the mornings, so all of us up and ready by 7:30 could be an adventure for sure!

Psalms 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Praise God he heard each and everyone of us cry out to him. Praise God for good PET scan and CT scan results!!!!!!!!

The Real Deal

Ok so today was the PET scan and all went well. Of course no results until the appointment with Dr. Bradford on Wednesday, so now we wait. We both were doing really well until we got there and then we walked into what they call the chemo suite(classy isn't it :) and it all became real to both of us, but especially me. There were people everywhere with needles and bags and tubes. I think Jeremy thought I should walk out for a minute because I got a little flushed and hot, but no way was I leaving him in there alone. Luckily we had a very nice nurse who accessed his port for the first time and drew blood. She had this super duper numbing spray so he didn't feel a thing, by the way we got a prescription for that spray! From there he went downstairs for his scans. When they came and got him they said he would be gone about 2 hours, I could lie and say I was Superwoman and took it like a champ, but no reason to lie to all our fans. When he walked behind that door I had a mini meltdown, now for those of you that know me well know that I am a cryer especially if it is something like this and I am extremely emotional. It's not that I don't have faith in our Lord and Savior and it's not that I don't have a positive attitude its just that when sitting there in that chemo suite I looked around and thought to myself these are things you read about, hear about, see in movies and at that moment it all became very real. I guess I wished that I could be going through this instead of him, I never thought what had always been my healthy husband would be sitting in this chair. I know we will get through it and I know we will persevere, but I also know that it is going to be hard and today for me was hard. Now had I know I would have so much time to think I would have brought my dad because he is always offering to come and sit with me, but I had no idea. Well I called my Superwoman Melissa and had a mini breakdown and within probably 10 minutes she was walking into the waiting room I was in with a large mango tea just for me. I got the rest of my tears out and then we visited until Jeremy came out. I know when he first walked out he thought how bizarre that Melissa is here at the oncology clinic, but soon he realized his support needed support today too. From there we went back up to the suite and they took the stuff out of his port and we were well on our way by 5. His appointment is this Wednesday at 1. At the appointment we will get the results of the scans and start date for chemotherapy.
Now in the meantime we haven't seen our boys since Friday, but they were stuck in a monsoon with Nana in Alpena. After she picked them up they hit a huge storm and all the cars were pulled over on the side of the road because it was raining so hard. Both boys were petrified and kept wanting to know when they were going to see mommy and daddy and Carter just wanted to be held. So pitiful! When they got home Tata(who also helped me through my mini breakdown today) took them for some fun time and then we got to see them about 6, we were SO excited and so were they! However they were both exhausted and ready to crash in their beds by about 9. I know you are wondering if they liked the new playroom and of course the answer is yes! They loved it!

Thank yous:
*A BIG thank you to the wonderful lunch ladies at my school-Joy, Susie, Laura, and Connie-they stocked our freezer with all kinds of goodies, so that when we need a quick meal on the go it is there and ready for us. Miss Susie also made us the most delicious pie I think I have ever tasted!
*A THANK YOU to Melissa who didn't want Jeremy and I to have to cook this weekend while the boys were gone so she stocked our fridge with chicken salad, pasta salad, soup, fruit, crackers, and brownies. It was such yummy stuff to munch on all weekend.
*Thank you to all the guys at Kent Dobbs Hyundai for just being themselves and always taking care of us.
*Thank you to the Foshe family for the wonderful Mexican dinner they brought us tonight and the great visit. I don't know who enjoyed it more us or the kids or Bella!
*Thank you to Nana for going through to pick up the boys today which not only gave us one more night to ourselves but also saved us a drive to Harrison.

Super Duper Weekend

Well I have been a little lazy about posting this weekend, but that is because Jeremy and I had the whole weekend to ourselves. Melanie(Jeremy's sister) offered to take the kids for the weekend and we of course let her! We met Melanie, Noah, and Mallory in Harrison on Friday evening. I would like to say the kids held onto my neck and cried because they didn't want me to leave them, but I would be lying if I told you that. The truth of the matter is they jumped right in Melanie's ride and waved good bye. So Jeremy and I got back into the van and decided to brighten our spirits with some TCBY(since we don't have one in NWA anymore).
When we got home we went to a softball celebration at Ryan and Cheyanne's house. Jeremy's softball team that he has played on for about 5 years won the championship. They have been waiting for this forever! They were so excited, so of course a celebration cookout was in store. Pictures are from the cookout. We had a really good time. Jeremy sat on their back deck and visited with all the guys and I got some good girl time in.
Saturday morning we slept in and then decided to head out to a new restaurant we had been wanting to try called Mojito's, we really enjoyed it. Then later in the afternoon we went to a movie, now let me say that my husband can't stand going to the movies, he prefers to watch them at home on his own couch! So the last movie we had seen together was with Ian when we took him to see Cars! We went and saw The Hangover and I have to say we both belly laughed the entire time, it was hysterical! We were still laughing when we walked out of the the theater. Best medicine ever!
Now you are probably wondering how the kiddos are doing at this point and let me just say Ian has already told me by Saturday morning that he is not ready to come home! They took the kids roller skating, to the creek, visit with grandparents, feed the fish, ride 4 wheelers, eat pizza, and of course lots of playtime. Pictures to come of course! The boys are actually still there, but will home Monday afternoon. I can't wait to hug both of their necks and give them lots of kisses! I don't know how we can ever thank Mike and Melanie enough. Jeremy and I needed this weekend more than anything. Not only did we relax and veg out, but we also got some things done around the house that I just can't seem to get done with the kids here. Tonight we got take out and had sushi and fried rice while we watched Big Brother, it was so NICE! So a HUGE thank you goes out to Mike and Melanie for not only giving us a weekend to ourselves, but also for giving the boys such a memorable time with their cousins.

Well before I sign off for the night I wanted to remind everyone to send up prayers for Jeremy's PET scan and CT scan tomorrow. We have to be there about 2, so they can access Jeremy's port for the first time and then he will begin prep for his scan. They said that we will be there for at least 3 hours, so it will probably be a pretty long day. Please pray that the PET scan will bring some good results our way and we can get this chemo started. We will not get the results until Wednesday, so as soon as we know something I will post an update.

Good friends!

Much needed girl time!

and of course guy time!

Staycation

Well as many of you know this week was our planned family vacation and we were headed to St. Louis, so as I told you we were going to rest and relax at home, so my dear friend Reba told me just to think of it as a Staycation. We have been so lazy! I have only worn makeup on the days we had dr. appointments, lots of comfy clothes, or if you have visited my house recently Carter wears nothing but a diaper! I swear we can take that child all over town looking cute as a bug, but the moment we hit the door at home the clothes start flying! It's summer and it's hot, so who cares I guess!

Jeremy's appointment on Tuesday went well. He got the green light that his port is ready to be used. He also got that last staple out that was covered up with a scab last time we there. He was so glad to be rid of that, it had worried him silly. I know I have told you we love his surgeon, he is a great guy and hysterical. He told us that on that very morning we were there he had meet with the tumor board(apparently it's a board that meets and discusses very unusual or uncommon cancer cases). Well his surgeon had taken Jeremy's case to the board, which was interesting to us because we kept hearing this is SO uncommon and SO unheard of, but that kind of hit home and made us see how unusual it actually is. Of course I told Jeremy he is now famous and of course I get the old THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT TO BE FAMOUS FOR!. Duh of course I know that :), but I do like the fact that many doctors are discussing his case and this can only mean that he is gonna get many smart minds coming together and discuss his treatment and care. That is the part I love. I was very impressed by this because as a teacher when we have students that aren't making the gains they should be academically we meet as a team and discuss different options and interventions that we can begin to use with them in the classroom in small group or one on one time. So to me this is exactly what the doctors are doing with their patients.

Have I told you lately that I LOVE our new bedroom? I love it and don't tell Jeremy but I think he does too! Apparently the kids love it too because we keep finding them sprawled across the bed hanging out. The one big thing we have had to watch because it is right by the kitchen is food......we have had to make strict rules........NO FOOD IN THE BEDROOM! So far so good. Although I have heard Jeremy clearing his throat a few times reminding Ian as he turns the corner with a big bag of Doritos and then you hear Ian say "Oh yeah" in a nice sarcastic voice!

Well we had a nice surprise this week, which I am excited about and a little nervous. Jeremy's sister Melanie called this week and asked if they could meet us in Harrison on Friday and take the boys for the weekend. Ok so if I would trust anyone to take my kiddos it would definitely be Melanie she has 2 of our her own and is a wonderful mommy, but you know the protective part of me with all that is going on got a little nervous. So I had to put all that aside(and so did Jeremy) and realize that the boys need a break.....both of them, so tomorrow they are headed out to spend the weekend with Aunt Melanie, Uncle Mike, Noah, and Mallory(Mal Mal to Carter). The boys are so excited because Saturday morning they are going roller skating(one thing we have never done), that afternoon going to the creek, and Sunday going to see their Memaw and Grandpa. So excited is probably actually an understatement! I will keep you posted on how their big trip goes. Now what are Jeremy and I going to do home alone all weekend? We have no idea! One thing I am going to try and do is get their playroom finished. It looks like Toys R Us threw up in our downstairs, so I am going to tackle that while there are no kiddos here to help me or try to talk me into keeping every single little McDonald's toy!

I am way behind in my thank yous because of our internet shortage a few days ago :). So I am going to catch up in this post:

*Thank you to Sue for all the yummy deserts and the delicious homemade blueberry muffins.

*Thank you to Messamores and the Samsons for coming over and not only feeding us dinner, but cooking it right here on our very own grill. The kabobs were so yummy and the great company was Wonderful!!!!

*Thank you to Dad, Jannie, and Daniel for sitting with me at the hospital on the day of Jeremy's port placement. We had so much fun visiting I didn't even pick up my book or magazine. Also thank you to my dad for always making sure I am fed and have my Starbucks coffee :)

*Thank you to Jennifer for the yummy Mexican lasagna and salad. Also a big thank you for checking on me almost every single day. I appreciate our friendship so much.

*Thank you to Clarisa for calling and getting my grocery list. I appreciated you picking those things up for me, it meant a lot.

*Thank you to Brandy for the girls night out. Even though I kind of had to be drug and pushed out of the house, I know I needed it. We went and saw the broadway show Legally Blonde, it was so cute!

*Thank you to Ashley for inviting Carter to come over and play on my girls night out, he loved it.......obviously because I think he wanted to stay the night!

*A BIG thank you to Dad and Jannie for letting Ian sleep over for a few days. He needed a getaway from being at home and all that is going on. You could tell he was much more relaxed after being away for a bit.

*A GIGANTIC thank you to Brandy for helping me paint the bedroom and the bathroom. I could have never done it myself and also thank you for bringing all the supplies. Doing this project with you made it so much fun.......even if we did get caught painting more than we said! Also thank you for the adorable crayon holders(homemade-see pics below) and coloring books you brought the boys. They have used them everyday!

*Thank you to my mom for helping me move drawers, small furniture, clothes etc. for the big room swap, you are always there to move, sweat, clean or whatever I need at the moment.

*Thank you to my Dad for sending us four strong guys to move the furniture. And a big thank you to Bo, Greg, Shane, and Justin for moving everything for us. I know we had some crazy maneuvers, but you all were troopers!

*Thank you to Jim for taking care of our yard work last week.

*Thank you to Janette for the yummy taco dinner. Ian would not touch a taco until that night and I guess since you made them he tried them and now LOVES tacos! Kids!

*Thank you to Dave and Linnea for the delicious chicken pasta bake and all the trimmings! Also a BIG thank you for Carter's new blanket and pillow, he LOVES it! Of course so does Ian, so he is definitely wanting to put his order in for a Razorback one..........not surprised!!! :)

*Thank you to Shawn and Lori aka Red for the scrumptious chicken spaghetti and Neiman Marcus bars. When I can't fit into my school clothes I am calling you Lori ;). Please do not ask Jeremy how many I ate!

*Thank you RD for bringing us lunch the other day. It was so nice of you and meant a lot. The boys were thrilled over the corndogs!!!

*Thank you to Coby for the barbecue dinner. Your brisket was wonderful and Wal Mart makes a mean potato salad!!!!!

*Thank you to Ashley for the Penguin Ed's dinner. It was so yummy and we all loved the cookies!

*Thank you to the Moore family for the adorable card you left on our doorstep. You can imagine how many times we have heard that toilet flush!!!!!

*Thank you Kristi for the delicious dinner. I think I could eat that whole pie!!!!! Your cooking always amazes me. I enjoyed seeing you and your cute baby belly.

Told you I was a little behind :)!

This is the adorable crayon holder Brandy made one for each of the boys. Above is when it is laid out flat and below is how you can roll it up to carry in your purse or to store it. Ian's has eyeballs and Carter's has trucks and cars. They are so cute!!!

This is Carter's new blanket and pillow that Linnea made him. He loves it and as you read above she will probably be making another one!

This is our cute family plaque that Melissa brought us a few weeks ago. We already found a spot to hang it!
Our super yummy dinner with the Messamore's and Samson's. I know you wish you could eat those kabobs through the screen! Take my word for it they were good!
Bev and Jen finishing up. They wouldn't let me do a thing and looked like they might get a little violent every time I tried :)
They did let me make tea and let Jeremy fill up the cups with ice!

A few years ago a friend of our family, Cheryl gave us all a book called Prayer Portions. I have to be honest and say it sat on my shelf for quite a while still wrapped in the cellophane. However one day I was thinking on prayer and how I myself could become a better prayer warrior. I decided to take the book out and begin reading it, it is an amazing and practical resource to study prayer. Depending on the situation there are many times that prayer can be challenging and I wanted to read this to see if would help me develop into a well-rounded confident prayer. I haven't read the whole thing, but have referenced it many different times. I keep it in my bedside table and when I pulled it out tonight I saw the verse it has on the back of the book and it spoke to me, so I wanted to share it with you.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

In so many of the scriptures I have read about prayer, I feel that God is telling us so many different times and in so many different ways to call out to him, to ask him, to pray to him. There are so many different references in the bible I truly believe that God wants his children to pray to him. Knowing we have praises, needs, healing, sadness, etc. but there are SO many times the bible is just telling us to PRAY lift up our holy voices to him and pray. I know so many times we stop and think oh well I hope that works itself out or I hate it that it happened, but maybe those are the times we need to stop and lift it up to God and ask for guidance or ask for help or healing whatever the situation may be. Last Sunday the sermon at our church(which we LOVE by the way) was about becoming a better Christian and getting out there and serving our Lord and letting it be seen and letting people know that we are serving an Almighty God. Going through all this makes me want people to see that prayer is powerful and you don't have to be a saint to lift up your voice to God because he hears all his children.

Happy Friday to you all. Sending lots of love and hugs to everyone!!!!!

M.I.A.

Ok so we have been M.I.A. and I do apologize for that. Let me explain myself. OK so a few years ago before Carter was ever even thought of we decided to move our master bedroom downstairs to be closer to Ian because he was beginning to go through that scared stage. We decided it would be easier on him and put his mind more at ease. Well when everything started going on with Jeremy and he was diagnosed with cancer, I had this brilliant idea that we needed to move our bedroom back upstairs where it is supposed to be. Well needless to say we kind of disagreed and I let it go for a few days, but if you know me and know me well it just kept nagging at me(I know that Sharon can appreciate this because when I get a wild hair to move my classroom she knows it is just a matter of days :). So basically what I am saying is I pulled rank! My friend Melissa and I had this BIG plan that on the day Jeremy was having his port put in we had 4 guys meeting at the house to move the furniture, well that plan backfired on me because when we arrived at the hospital Dr. Petrino told us that we would be home by 9:30. Operation moving rooms was then canceled. My dad sat with me on the day of Jeremy's surgery.....hence plan #2! We decided that on Monday he would send over 4 guys from the shop to move everything I needed moved. This was good because it gave me the weekend to clean the rooms out, paint, and of course break the news to Jeremy! Well in the midst of pulling things out and moving furniture I brilliantly moved our computer to an outlet that was not connected to our cable box.........no internet.............it was AWFUL! We have been home ALOT lately and our one big time filler and escape is the internet and we were without. Leaving our fans uninformed!
Ok so yes I did break the plan to Jeremy and at first he was a little grouchy :) about it, but soon realized there was no stopping me. Then I get this wild idea that I need to paint, so my SUPER friend Brandy offers her painting services and we ended up painting all day on Sunday. As if this story can't get any crazier, while painting I mention to Brandy that eventually I really want to paint our master bathroom, so yes you guessed it we ran to Lowe's bought the paint and at 7 that evening we had painted the bedroom and bathroom. I was completely busted when I walked in the kitchen and Jeremy noticed the khaki paint on me......the bedroom is blue. So at that point he knew it was full makeover. For some reason I just want him to have a nice comfy place to rest and recover. It also gives us our own little special oasis to rest, relax, read, watch tv, and snuggle with the boys.
So our bedroom is now upstairs and I am trying to get everything organized. In our old bedroom downstairs we are turning that into a playroom for the boys. They share a bedroom and we thought about giving each of them their own space, but they kind of rely on one other at night, so decided to leave them together and give them a room they can destroy and then we can close the door! When I get everything settled in I will post new pics of my big project!
Now one thing I failed to mention is in the meantime not only did I mess up the internet.....big mistake, but I also realized our toilet was leaking and completely broke off our shower head. Another trip to Lowe's was in store. So tonight we are resting in our new room with everything fixed!
Jeremy is doing well. Sunday was a little rough and he was pretty tired, but today seemed much better. However Sunday we all went to church together which was so nice. He has a dr appointment tomorrow with the surgeon. He will check Jeremy's port incision and also remove the one staple that he didn't see last week. Hopefully from there he will have the go ahead that the port is ready to be used next week when we go to the oncologist.
Well as you can see it has been a busy past couple of days, so tomorrow I promise to catch you up a little more and also catch up on my thank yous. I also have a couple of cute Carter stories I want to share.
Hope you are all doing well and we can't tell you how blessed we are to have you praying for our family each and everyday.

Surgery Went Well

Today's surgery went well! Dr. Petrino said that the Powerport went in perfectly. Jeremy has about a 2 inch incision where it was placed under the skin. I have included a picture in today's post of what it looks like. The purple triangular piece is what was put under his skin and the white flexible tubing was inserted into a vein that delivers blood to the heart. So through this port they will be able to draw blood, inject fluids for scans, and also inject his chemo. This little thing will save lots of poking on him and he can get his chemo at home and not have to be admitted into the hospital each time he is scheduled for chemo.
Your prayers worked the surgery went well and Jeremy is feeling good. Can't move his shoulder a whole lot, but should be able to by tomorrow. We will go back to see dr. on Tuesday to have the incision checked out. Jeremy said this procedure was a piece of cake compared to the last!



Not much else to report today. Jeremy is resting, Carter is napping, and I am so tired from getting up early this morning, so thinking I am going to lay down and catch a nap. Thank you again for all the prayers and keep them coming! Will update tomorrow and let you know how he is feeling.

Not Wasting Any Time

We went to see the surgeon today, so that Jeremy could have his staples removed and also schedule surgery to have his port put in. Jeremy was a little nervous about getting his staples out however when the nurse came in before the dr to let us know that the port surgery was already scheduled for this Thursday his mind definitely changed to a different worry. The staples were nothing at this point! We felt like we had a week or so to mentally prepare for this procedure, however the nurse said his dr would prefer to do the surgery this week so that we can do a follow up with him later next week to make sure that everything is healing correctly. Basically what this will do is when Jeremy goes to the oncologist he will have the all clear from the surgeon which will allow them to begin chemo as soon as they can. Definitely a good thing, but not what we had mentally prepared ourselves for. The nice thing is this gives us next week for no appointments, no major doctor visits, just relaxing with the family. It is kind of sad for us because next week was supposed to be our vacation, so that will give us time to veg out, watch movies, and just hang out together. St. Louis will always wait for us right? We told Ian Six Flags would still be there when we got ready to go and so would the Cardinals!

We have to be there on Thursday at 6am and Jeremy's surgery is scheduled for 7:30. The procedure itself should last about 30 minutes and then of course we will be there a few hours afterwards for recovery. If all goes as planned we should be home by mid afternoon. Don't know if I have told you how amazing Jeremy's surgeon Dr. Petrino is, but we love him! He is a great guy with a funny sense of humor and at the same time a big heart. Perfect for us!

The port that Jeremy is getting is called a power port and what this means is that it is actually smaller than we thought and does not require a lot of maintenance on our part. We have heard numerous stories on flushing saline through them, covering them during showers, but Jeremy's is going to be different than those. The only time it will be accessed is by the Oncology clinic and we don't have to do anything in the meantime. Made us feel much better about it and much more at ease.

Please pray once again for the amazing hands of the doctors and nurses that will assist with the surgery and take care of Jeremy on Thursday. Please pray for Jeremy as the procedure is very nerve racking for him and neither of us really know what to except, so prayers of strength and courage for Jeremy. Pray that God will continue to bless us each day with moments of peace and happiness with our family and friends. We feel so amazingly blessed everyday. About the time we have doubt or fear the Lord blesses us with a phone call, visit from a friend, or a card.

The boys of course are a little confused about why daddy has to go back to the doctor, but we have explained it the best we can. I don't know that they will really be able to wrap their little minds around it until they see it. That is kind of how they were when he came home from the hospital the last time, once Carter saw his staples he was very concerned with daddy's owie.

Thank yous:

*Thank you to Melissa, Trey, and Kevin for the goodies from Rick's and the chunky monkey trail mix(good memory!). We enjoyed our visit with you today!

*Thank you to Karen for the delicious dinner tonight. I don't know who ate more me or the boys! Thank you for bringing the boys the Color Wonder color sets. They showered and then colored for about 45 minutes before bedtime!

*Thank you for those of you that prayer for our family everyday. It means so much.

Psalm 116:1 I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice.

Over the last few weeks Jeremy and I have lifted up many prayers and everyday we have been blessed by our Holy Spirit in things we lift up to him. We have continued to ask him for knowledgeable doctors and nurses with healing hearts and hands and that has been given to us each and every time. We have asked for God to heal Jeremy from this surgery and even though we know Jeremy has a ways to go, he is making such progress already. We have prayed for our boys and to be with them during this difficult time and to comfort them and they have been doing so well. Granted we have our moments of tears, craziness, and fighting they truly are being troopers and we are so proud of them both. When we give voice to our requests and praises God hears us! Our family is a true testimony of this! Cry out to God, praise him for all the blessings you have and lift up the prayer requests you have for him. Prayer is Mighty!

I am including a few pics from our day. This morning the boys both had dentist appointments, so Nana and I loaded up to take them. Now what you have to understand is that Carter wants to go anywhere at anytime. Going bye bye is his favorite thing and if you just say the word he is grabbing shoes and putting them on! So of course going to the dentist sounded great..........until we got back there for those xrays. Then he realized something was a little fishy! Ian got in the chair and Carter said "Me next? me next?" and I told him yes he was next. Well when he got up there he locked up tight and covered his mouth. We did get through the xrays and then onto cleaning teeth. Ian decided to go first and Carter watched as the hygienist took out the polisher and began to work on Ian's teeth and Carter looked at me and said, "Me NO next!". Ok so at that point he was ready to GO! Needless to say he did get his teeth cleaned and both boys did great. No cavities! Here is a cute pic of them in their coordinating Nike outfits before we left!

Ian and our sweet baby Bella




Chowing down on some yummy Santa Fe chicken and dip

Getting a little color time before bedtime! Sleep tight everyone!

Fantastic Fourth!

Our family had a fantastic 4th! It was a good time had by all! Papaw and Tata threw a party at their pool and had lots of good food and fun! Jeremy went with us for about an hour and a half and got to eat and visit with lots of friends and family. The kids literally swam all day! Ian was in the pool from about 10:30 that morning until 8:30 that night, he got out about 20 minutes to eat and that was it. I wish I had his energy! Carter swam for about 4 hours! They were both wore out by the time they went to bed. In fact Ian said, "I am gonna be asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow." He was too! After the party we came home to shoot fireworks with our neighbors. Jeremy had his camo lawn chair and sat outside with us the whole time they shot fireworks. The boys were so excited! Needless to say we did not get in bed until almost 11:30, we were all tired. Even Nana made it through all the fireworks! Carter wasn't too crazy about the loud ones, so he would run towards the house with Nana when they started or jump in daddy's lap until they were over.

No news to report, but we should have some tomorrow. Jeremy has an appointment with the surgeon at 10:45. He will get all his staples removed and we will also schedule for his port to be put in. We are hoping that we will be able to get this scheduled within the next week or so, but not sure how long he has to wait since he just had his last surgery. I will post an update tomorrow as soon as we know something.

Thank yous:

*Thank you to Papaw and Tata for the great 4th of July party! The boys had a great time and the food was so yummy!

*Thank you to Greg and Jami for the great visit we had with them on Sunday.

*Thank you to Murphy and Angie for the firework fun and for taking Ian with them to see Ice Age on Sunday and of course for the HUGE Hershey bar he conned you into on the way home!

*Thank you to Angela for the great dinner tonight and all the "extras" that came with it!!!

*Thank you to Melissa A. for the special Wii fishing game, Jeremy and the boys were thrilled. Also thank you for being there anytime I need you day or night and being an extra special blessing in our life.

*Thank you for the wonderful guys at the Hyundai dealership. I have thanked them many times, but they continue to bless us each and everyday.

*Thank you to the sweetest church in Kennett, MO-First Christian Church. A very sweet friend of ours Kris put us on their card and prayer list and they have blessed us with wonderful cards and words of wisdom everyday. You are an amazing group of Christian friends.

*Thank you to Nana for going to the store and picking up all the things we need before she gets ready to head home on Wednesday. What a blessing you have been to us!

Pray for a good report from Jeremy's surgeon tomorrow and pray for healing on his body, so that they can go ahead and put his port in soon. Pray for strength for Jeremy and our family as the next weeks ahead are going to be bumpy. We know the next year is going to be rough, but Jeremy and I have been talking and have decided to take it day by day and week by week. Makes it much easier on both of us, to not look to far ahead.

Intercessory Thought-This came in a letter we got from First Christian Church

I know I cannot enter all you feel

Nor bear with you the burden of your pain.

I can but offer what my love does give-

The strength of caring,

The warmth of one who seeks to understand.

This I do in quiet ways-

That on your lonely path you may not walk alone.

-Howard Thurman, 20th century African-American church leader

Here are a few pics from our Fantastic Fourth!

Our Family

Cheese!

Our Lil Firecracker!

Good times with Papaw

Carter underwater with Tata!(yes he is completely underwater!)

Our Fish!

Jeremy and Nana catching up some reading!

Resting and Relaxing

Ok so nothing new to report, we have just been resting and relaxing. Lots of down time which we all needed. However the boys have had an exciting couple days. Today Ian got to go to the lake with the Lester family. Ian and Lexi had a BLAST! Ian said it was more fun that White Water, so that right there tells you how much fun he had! Then tonight they took Ian and Carter to watch the fireworks at Arvest ballpark. Lets just say that Carter had so much, he wouldn't even get out of their car when they brought him home!
Jeremy is doing good. While the boys were gone tonight, he decided he wanted to walk around the circle we live on. It was a good little walk, well in Jeremy's words probably a LONG walk. You can tell that he is still uncomfortable from the surgery, however he has made a lot of progress since coming home. I can tell that he is beginning to go a little stir crazy, but he is definitely making the best of it.
One tradition Jeremy has with the boys is he takes them shopping for their fireworks every year, so today we loaded up in the car and went to get fireworks. I of course drove, but Jeremy helped them pick out everything they wanted. Yes I know you are surprised, but they pretty much did get everything they wanted!
Hoping to enjoy a wonderful rain free 4th of July tomorrow. Our plan is to go to Papaw and Tata's for a 4th of July party. Ian is so thrilled, he honestly thinks this party is thrown just for him and in all honesty, it probably is! Ian will spend the WHOLE day over there and Carter and I will pop in and out throughout the day. Jeremy is planning to go for a little bit because it is just right around the corner from our house and then hopefully watch the boys shoot off a few fireworks later tomorrow night.
Thank yous:
*I have made a couple of amazing friends through my blog Roxanne and her daughter Tracy. They are an inspiration to me! Roxanne sent me an amazing book There's No Place Like Hope and this is book that is a guide to beating cancer in mind-sized bites. This book truly is an inspiration to us.
*Thank you to Melissa and Maggie, they brought the boys 4th of July t-shirt, sidewalk chalk, and my favorite....Sonic drinks!
*A special thank you to all the salesmen that Jeremy works with, they truly are a blessing and the most giving generous group of men I have ever met.
*Thank you to Maranda for bringing us a yummy dinner from Popeye's on Thursday night.
*Thank you to Papaw for making us a homemade peach cobbler.
*Thank you to Angela for bringing us lunch today and even stopping at 2 places so we could have Chick fil a and Carter could have McDonald's and of course the special treats you brought the boys!
*Thank you for the wonderful visit we had with Dave and Linnea today, it was so nice catching up and thank you for the Blockbuster gift card, that is going to help the stir craziness!
*Thank you to Uncle Frank and Aunt Karen for the gift cards to go out and eat. The thought of you bringing us a meal made us chuckle!!!
*Thank you to Dianna for the wonderful dinner tonight. It was such a yummy and comforting meal. Thank you for the muffins and cereal for breakfast tomorrow!
*A big thank you to David and Ashley for taking Ian to the lake today and for taking Ian and Carter to see the fireworks tonight. Our family is so blessed to have you and our kids LOVE spending time with you and your kiddos.

Well no news here, just waiting for the dr appt with the surgeon on Tuesday. At this appointment Jeremy will get his staples out and we will schedule the day to have his port put in. Some people have asked why he is having a port instead of just having the chemo injected directly into his veins. We can honestly say we don't know all the answers. However one reason is because the treatment for colon cancer is a 2 day at a time treatment, so he will go in and have the chemo inserted into the port, but will then wear the chemo for 2 days. Second it makes the chemo and all the blood draws much easier. Even though it means another procedure, Jeremy's doctor says and many other cancer survivors we have talked to have said it is a life saver on your skin, veins, and body. So for Jeremy the port is definitely the way to go.

Hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed 4th of July. Happy Independence Day! Be safe!!!

*From our new book HOPE-Cancer is a beatable, treatable, and survivable disease.

Wordless Wednesday

Our wonderful movie basket that the Lester family gave us and also brought the boys a bag of fireworks(that mommy can help them do!)

Have I told you lately we have great neighbors???? Well we do! Angie and Murphy showed up on our doorstep tonight with SO many goodies! I just had to share how generous they were. The boys have already decided it is spaghetti o's and root beer for lunch tomorrow!

Ok so maybe I should have said Wednesday of fewer words! I decided to go easy on the words today and share a few pics of our day! When everything hit a week and a half ago we of course had to cancel our upcoming trip to St. Louis(which we will take another time) and we decided to get the boys this Bonzai slide for the backyard. Ian's friend Lexi had one at her birthday party and him and Carter loved it, so when Lexi's dad told us they marked them way down we thought what a perfect thing for the backyard! So jumped on Walmart.com and ordered them one! So a few pics are from their Water day in the backyard! We were out there for about 3 hours! Needless to say they crashed tonight after dinner!

Thank yous for today:

*Thank you for our great visit with Sharon today and all the homegrown veggies from her garden and for the baseball goodies for the boys. Their day was made!

*Thank you to Carlena for the DELICIOUS dinner tonight. Oh my goodness the boys ate so much brisket I thought they would pop and then you can see the pic above of Carter eating his yummy cookie from Shelby Lynn's. I don't know who was more excited about those cookies the boys or Jeremy!

*Thank you to Casey for bringing the prayer cloth that her church blessed for Jeremy. It is such a touching gesture and we have it laying with our bible and prayer books that we read everyday.

*Thank you again to Angie and Murphy for all the goodies they brought. The boys were beside themselves they were so excited.

*Thank you to Mierendorff for sending one of his guys over to put up the Bonzai slide, such a help because I didn't now where to start.

Well just a quick note, continue to pray for Jeremy's healing. Pain was a little rough today, but he conquered through it. Praying tomorrow is a better day for him.

Today's verse is Acts 19:12. On the prayer cloth that Casey brought to Jeremy and I today has this verse written on it, so of course after she left I had to look it up in my bible to read it. I got goosebumps when I read it.

Acts 19:12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them

Hope you all had a blessed day and thank you for stopping by to check on us!