Life is good and busy. The girls are doing well in school. Allie is in 7th grade and is a supermodel and is my height. She tried out for ACES -club vball and is starting the season this next month. I am thrilled!!!! She loved dancing, but people.... I am telling you she is gonna make momma proud on the court! I was never a dance mom. I would go to the comps and sit and enjoy them and wonder why all these crazy moms were going nuts, making sure everything was perfect and the music was right and make up and costumes..... Well let me tell you, I am now a crazy volleyball mom. As I watch Allie play I can't sit still and I want to jump out of my seat and yell and I can't focus on anything but her!!!! I now get it! I hope I can mellow out and I won't embarrass her too badly. She is so tall and strong and smart and just fabulous. I am so proud to be her mommy and she is going to do amazing things. Lexi is in 4th grade and doing great! She reads to me all the time and she is so animated and happy. She is playing Jr. Jazz and dancing too. And if she wants to be a cheer leader or an artist or an actor, well we will put her in those activities too. I love that Lexi tries anything! If someone says, " Lets make up a cheer" she is stretching and ramping up to make up a rhyme to cheer. If she is asked to sing, she belts it out and sounds lovely. If she is asked to play soccer she runs on the field and gives it her all. I LOVE THIS!!!! Makes me so happy. She doesn't doubt herself and we encourage her no matter what the activity. She loves to play and rollerblade and shoot hoops. She is so beautiful and such a little peace maker in our home. She has classic one liners all the time that are so funny!!! She has such a sense of humor. Tay is a little ball of energy. She is clean and tidy and puts things where they go. She likes to make people laugh and she is always down for being silly. Just like me! :) She is talking like crazy and loves chocolate milk and noodles. She absolutely adores her sisters. When they come home from school she runs to them. The pick her up and love on her and tell her her night gown is pretty. Because lets be honest, its 90 percent of what she wears all day. She loves all the silky princess gowns, she changes about ten times a day. She likes them to touch the floor and then she picks up the front and walks. It is hilarious. She is so smart and catches on to everything. You can't hide anything from her or sneak things past her. When she needs a new diaper she says, " bum" and brings you the diaper and wipes. Yes we are talking potty soon too. :) She loves horses!!! She calls them puppies or puppy ponies. It is darling! I don't correct her because then what? She won't call horses puppies anymore?!! :( SAD She loves bathing and bubbles and everything a little girl should. I love her so very much.
Jake is doing fabulous at work and continually gets the highest reviews and kicks butt!!! He works so hard for our family and gives us whatever we need. He is funny, and charming and such a wonderful daddy to these amazing daughters we have. I often feel sorry when he comes home from work. This estrogen filled home is bursting with loud music and laughter, sometimes yelling, hair apts, tee shirt making, neighbor kids, homework, laundry.....the list goes on. He doesn't complain or ask what we are doing or why things are crazy. He jumps in and helps and asks us how our day was. He brings us home treats and flowers and is so thoughtful. I love you Jakey and I am so thankful for the beautiful life, children and home we have together. He laughs at my jokes, too. KIDS- One of the most important qualities in a partner is a sense of humor. Laughter can do a lot for you.... Remember that. Don't marry someone that isn't willing to be silly, or tickle you, or tease you or let you tease them!! Priceless! Even though Jake gets so fired up when I tickle him and I don't stop. Like, so mad!!! And I love it. He never holds a grudge like I do. HA!
Salon is going good. I love my clients and they are all so concerned about my health and my family. I continually make everyone look fabulous and I love doing this! ;)
Tee shirts are crazy and good. I love making these darling tees and seeing people all over the world wear them and send me pics ever day!! I had no clue that it would do well. :)
Now to the Cancer stuff.... but first, Tom my incredible bro in law got his scan results back this week and he is doing great. It is nothing short of a miracle!!!! For those of you who don't know, he was diagnosed with advanced stage 4 melanoma a few weeks after I was diagnosed. He is strong!!! So strong. Emotionally, physically and spiritually! He and my sister amaze me with their strength. I cannot express the joy and gratitude I felt when I got the news of the clean scan. This is like GOLD to our family. I need nothing else this Christmas season. And everyone else in my family would say the same. Heavenly Father is aware of our needs and our wants and our every thought. He heals and he delivers miracles. For the next four months we can be at peace, rejoice in this amazing time of year.
I have scans once a year. My scans are this Monday morning. It is always an unsure, anxious strange feeling going into these scans. I remember the first time I walked into the Cancer center. There were sick people everywhere. I remember thinking, What am I doing here? I am a young, healthy wife and mother. My family needed me and the last place in the world I wanted to be was here, among all these other sick people. I felt alone, although I was far from alone. I was scared and unsure and didn't know if I was going to live or become violently ill from the treatment or what was going to happen. It was very strange and it is still surreal to go back there every three months for visits and scans. Hoping for great results this next week. Chemo and radiation do a number on you. I have a lot of things going on. Nothing crazy. Migraines, joint pain in my feet, elbows and legs. Numbness in my hands and feet. I know these will get better as time passes. Thankful for modern medicine and my wonderful family doctor who helps me through all these things. Going to oncology apts post cancer is really frustrating. Everything, "isn't chemo related" the second you are six months out from treatment. BLAH!!!! Whatev-skey, Doc. Just check my scans and Ill be on my way.
There are some great forums that I have been on to get some good advice and hear from other people experiencing all the SAME " non related" things. This has been a great resource. So lets pray things are good next week for scans. I will keep posting throughout this journey. It has been so good to go back and read my posts. The last two years have been a blur. Chemo brain is not a joke!!! The struggle is real- as Allie would say. I am just trucking along though. Thankful to be alive and have such a blessed life.
I hope all of you have a very Happy Thanksgiving and a Lovely Christmas!!! Remember why we celebrate and do something nice for those people around you. Thanks for your continual support and love! XO
