!!SHARP!!

Have you ever filled a sharps container??? I don't recommend it but here is a picture of the one we just filled and shipped off. Note: this was filled with blood draw and chemo syringes not with the flush syringes we do every day. I took 81/2 months to fill. (Just in case you wanted to know).

I have been able to get out in the sunshine the last two days. It has been nice here and everything is muddy. I don't know how many changes of clothes the boys went through yesterday but they thought it was fun to throw rocks in the puddles and then wade into them. These are not small puddles and Trey was knee deep in water most of the time. Anyway, I have enjoyed being out in the fresh air!

I had a panic attack the other day. I was in my office doing bookwork and Kael came in screaming "Trey just pulled my line out!" He had on a red shirt so when I pulled it up the lint looked like blood in places. I SCREAMED!! The top of his bandage was coming off so I was sure it was all the way out. Luckily everything was still intact. Trey stepped on him and I think it just tugged enough to cause some pain. The other day he was playing and 'tackling' a lot and he managed to pull it through the bandage to the point of breaking but he caught it in time and we fixed it. I'm ready to get it out!!!
Yesterday we went to the grocery store and I was having a hard time getting him to wear his mask. He didn't want to wear it but he didn't want to go home either so I made him a deal. If he wore his mask, I'd put one on. This was much harder than I thought it would be. It was interesting to be on the 'other side' of it. I guess it put into perspective what he deals with day-to-day: everyone can see that something is wrong on the outside but no one knows what he is feeling on the inside. It was interesting to watch people, watch us. Some avoided us at all costs and others looked and quickly looked the other way. Just before we checked out a lady finally asked me if we had colds! I said "No, but we are trying not to get one!" I feel I have been well educated throughout my life but I never thought I would learn life's most important lessons from my precious children:)

Matt is out of town again this week. We can't wait to see him tomorrow!! Sonnie's wedding is this weekend and hopefully Kael's surgery on Monday. We have a busy weekend ahead but look forward to seeing all the fam. We got to spend time with Jackson, Shade, and Aynslee for a while last night. It was a great time:) Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!!!

BORING!!!

Life at our house has been very uneventful this past week. Trey, Mattie, and I have been sick and Kayson and Matt have decided to participate. We are so lucky that Kael has not gotten it yet. I think the only reason he hasn't is because he is on Pentamadine (sp), an anti-biotic. We pray multiple times a day that he won't get it and I'm sure that has more to do with it than anything. Aunt Merr showed up yesterday to help me . . . and this was a life-saver. I am up and functioning today although I don't feel 100%.

We had a blood draw on Tuesday and his counts are up slightly. We just keep praying they will be up on Sunday to continue with surgery on Monday. If it doesn't work out, we will just wait another week.

I have to send a big thank you to Hayden and Tad for the Fun-Dip Valentines they sent. It brought to my attention that my 7-year-old, or any of the others, had never eaten such a thing. We had FUN-DIP EATING 101 and everyone but Trey passed. (He must get his educational drive from his mom) He had his powder all over him and the floor. Crazy I could eat the stuff with one hand tied behind my back and blindfolded and my kids didn't know why there was powder and a stick with a Valentine message on it:)

Aunt Sonnie get's married next weekend and we are so excited to see the Mississippi cousin's. Now Sonnie get's taken off the 'Favorite Aunt' list and is put back in the rotation with everyone else. However, the application deadline isn't until June so feel free to re-apply!!

I can't wait until SPRING!!!!

My Little T-BIRD . . .

. . . is officially potty-trained. He really suprised me with how willing he was. Personally, I was in no mood to start this adventure for another six months, or more. He has been fairly persistant in taking his diaper off the last few weeks so I decided to see what he was made off. He totally suprised me. We sat in the bathroom for 2 hours (3 hours shorter than Kael's first experience), he went, we had a party, and ate chocolate. It doesn't get much better than that:) He had a few accident's that day and I had to put him in a diaper here and there so I could run errands. I thought for sure this would spoil it, but to my surprise it didn't. He has done a great job and is so glad he can be like the older kids. I am so proud of him!!!

To My Valentine . . .

. . . thanks so much for all you do for me. You are such a great example and strength for our family. I am so glad I have had you to lean on and share the good times as well as the rough ones. We have had a great eight years and I look forward to sharing many, many more with you:) Can't wait for you to get home! I Love YOU!!
Lena

Dedicated to my Valentine . . .

What is his name? Matt
How long have you been together? 8+ years
How long did you date? 7 months + 3 month engaged = 10 months
Who eats more? Definitely me
Who said 'I Love You' first? Matt
Who is taller? Me, this is a constant fight. I think I beat him by 1/8 of an inch.
Who is smarter? Definitely Matt
Who does the laundry? Our live-in Nanny. Her name is Lena. Perhaps you all could meet her sometime!
Who does the dishes? Lena
Who sleeps on the right? Matt
Who pays the bills? Lena
Who mows the lawn? Lena
Who cooks dinner? Lena
Who drives when your together? Matt, unless were in a big hurry and I am afraid of him getting a ticket!
Who is more stubborn? Definitely me
Who kissed who first? Matt
Who asked who out first? It was a mutual agreement
Who proposed? Matt
Who has more siblings? He only has four. I double him with 8.
Who wears the pants? We both wear pants, duh!! He will probably say I do but I think it is pretty even.

I tag Matt (because I want to see if our answers match), Merr, Crystal, and Rhonda.

Chemo Treatment

Sorry about the sna-fu with the last blog entry. Not quite sure what happened?!? Okay, it is me, I have no idea what it is I am doing:)

I was trying to put some pics of chemo into a slide show for you. We finished with ARA-C on Thursday and that should be it for liquid chemo at home. We had blood drawn today and have to go to PC tomorrow to get a blood transfusion. He is officially at 0.0 for his immune system. This is a first. He has been as low as 0.1 but that has been as low as he has been until today. He is still playing well though for as low as everything is. The other morning I was wrestling with him to give him his meds (an everyday occurance) and he head-bunted me in the mouth and said "how'd ya like that?" Even though it hurt like crazy, I couldn't help but laugh. He seems to have hit another academic growth spurt. Some of the things he says are really funny and he is doing so well with his letters and numbers.

I took Trey and Kayson to the Dr. on Thursday for well checks. Trey is such a stinker. He was running around the clinic trying to give me heart-failure so I couldn't wait for him to get his shots so he would calm down. His turn came and the nurse and I held him down while she gave the shots to him. He didn't even flinch, let alone cry, and he gave the nurse an 'is that the best you could do' look:) Can you say Matt Jr.
Kayson now weighs 9 lbs. 8 oz. (Keep in mind that Kael weighed 9 lbs. 3 oz. at birth.) He failed his second hearing test. I am not worried to much but will probably FREAK if he fails the next one. The Dr. isn't to concerned about his umbilical hernia and says it should repair itself within the year.

LaLa (Trey's name for Mattie) is such a good helper. Her and I are in charge of FHE tonight. We had a great activity planned but I am in no mood to cook so we may have to alter it a bit. We want to wish everyone a Happy Valentines Day and hope you get all the chocolate you deserve:)