mom and I were out shopping yesterday...WOW, how great it is to say that! and we ran into some friends..isn't it SO fun to run into people you don't get to see often, and as you leave you think, I wish I made more of a point to see them...Brandy, I need to make more of a point to see you! While we were chatting, Pam mentioned that she checked my blog for updates on Gary....I must admit that threw me.....I never stop to think about who might be reading my blog...especially those people who don't leave comments!...haha...ummummm PAM! So, IF you read my blog, I'm curious to know...SO please please leave me a comment!...just one, I won't ask again! Promise!
Nick and I went up on Wednesday morning and packed up mom and Gary and brought them home! I must admit....I might of been a little worried about being in a car w/ my brother for 5 hours in one day...but, in the end, we were always "trained" that no matter what happened in life we would always be brother and sister...and in the end we had an awesome day ( and he slept most of the way up there! heeheee!) He got off work at 6:30AM and we were out of here by 7AM. Once in Durham I headed to a meeting w/ mom and Gary and Nick caught a couple of hours of sleep! Once we left the clinic we picked Nick up and had some birthday lunch....yep it was Gary's birthday! After some BBQ we packed the van and headed out...we were back here about 5:40ish...and I literally dumped them off and had to split! Nick, Samantha and Savannah hung around and helped unload and had pizza w/ them...giving Savannah some time to see Papa! I came home to my family who were stuffed in the Fit...and I mean stuffed...lol..and we headed off to our volunteer meeting at our Uptown campus of Elevation! It was an awesome day....awesome. The kids and I headed over to see Papa the next morning after school.
Ian's quote to Papa "Papa, I missed you, I was mad that you were gone so long...don't go again" I think for a 3 year old, he summed up the emotions of the whole experience very well! To say the least my kids are glad they are home....Eli cried when mom left yesterday...he wouldn't even come to me from her...funny! He was only 6 months old when they left and I can count on one hand the amount of times he has seem them since, yet it's like he still knows..."I like her, and want to keep her around!"
What else is going on around here? Well, a couple of weeks ago, we took up our carpet and put down new flooring...that was exciting...and a big job! I am glad it's done and it looks awesome (good job Alex!) We started school, yes Emma is now in kindergarten...she LOVES school, and I am really enjoying teaching her....I never knew how much fun it would be to watch her discover new things! We are still adjusting and working out the schedule thing (if Eli would sleep at the same times every day that would help! ha!) to say the least, Emma and I are learning to be flexible!
Ian is growing like a weed! He is loving doing some preschool, which right now consist mostly of scissors and cutting!...lol, he loves him some cutting! He's doing great now, he had a rough start w/ the idea of Emma not being at his disposal to play...let's just say he didn't like the word "school" for a while! HA...so we just finished our second full weeks of school...why so early? Well, I HATE, no dislike the month of August, b/c it's SO HOT! So I thought, why not go ahead and start now with the plan of getting out in late April or early May...or we might just take a nice long break in October...when it' s SO enjoyable outside....or maybe both...she IS just in kindergarten. I chose to do 4 days a week, Monday-Thursday with Friday as a craft or field trip day....I chose to make my main focus this year on phonics and let everything else shadow it. As long as she can read, she can do anything...so that's my focus for this year, yet having said that, I am taking things VERY slowly...making sure she understands what she is learning!
Eli...is almost ONE! It can't be possible! He is pulling up and now has one word "BYE" along w/ a wave! It's really funny when you are talking and say something like "I went by there" and he starts saying "BYE....BYE....BYE" and waving!...it's too funny! He is turning into a daddy's boy and when Alex gets home from work...if he doesn't get to Eli fast enough then Eli melts...and will sit in the floor crying "DADADADADADA" also too cute! He is pulling up everywhere...the other day I caught him pulled up to the potty...while Ian was using it!...nice, lucky for me, he wasn't trying to catch the stream...just checking it out! Needless to say we now have the big kids making sure they close the door when they go to the bathroom! It's always an adventure around here! ALWAYS, but it's my adventure and I love every moment of it...(as I was typing that a cup of milk hit the floor! HA!) I still love every moment..spilt milk and all! Now I am off to keep up with my life....dishes, dirty clothes and diapers to be washed....then off to sign up for ballet...Emma that is not me! lol....to visit Alex's grandparents...hopefully I can squeeze in a trip to target, party city and ross!....we'll see! :) Enjoy your day...I'm going to enjoy mine!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
11 days...but who's counting! :)
This is the email that Gary sent out yesterday....it is wonderful to report that they might be home in 11 days! I'm not sure who is counting more than they are...maybe the us kids...or maybe the grandkids(no actually we have spared them the need...and haven't told them yet...I know how disappointed I'll be if it doesn't work out...I don't want them to have to deal w/ that) Keep praying...as he will tell you the next days are still critical....but each day that passes by w/o any issues means he is less and less likely to have issues creep up!
Dear praying friends:
Shirley and I were encouraged today by the "counts" we received at the Bone Marrow Clinic and we are told that this is exactly the progress they want to see. The "rash" (which is a result of Donor Vs. Host disease) is minimal. They said that it is good to see "some" of this for it showed that the new cells were getting acquainted with the older cells in my body. The amazing thing is that I now have the blood type of my donor. So I went from an O to an A+. I like the letter, wish I had had more of these while I was in school, But isn't that miraculous that the very life of someone else is now that which is keeping me alive. We just Praise the Lord.
They are spreading out our visits to the clinic and most of the time we go now on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and have the other days "off". As we progress, if counts stay stable this will be extended and ultimately will result in our being released from Duke and sent home to our own physicians. I can hardly believe it. 140 days ago, I was near death and now have the hope and opportunity to live once again. Thank you all for your continuing prayers. These next 2-3 weeks is a critical period and we are praying that all stays stable.
Shirley is doing a wonderful job keeping me up to snuff on my medicines, creams and just coordinating our days. I literally could not have come this far without her. Isn't is marvelous how the Lord "orders" all things
We look forward to the day when we will be together to praise His name!
Gary & Shirley
Dear praying friends:
Shirley and I were encouraged today by the "counts" we received at the Bone Marrow Clinic and we are told that this is exactly the progress they want to see. The "rash" (which is a result of Donor Vs. Host disease) is minimal. They said that it is good to see "some" of this for it showed that the new cells were getting acquainted with the older cells in my body. The amazing thing is that I now have the blood type of my donor. So I went from an O to an A+. I like the letter, wish I had had more of these while I was in school, But isn't that miraculous that the very life of someone else is now that which is keeping me alive. We just Praise the Lord.
They are spreading out our visits to the clinic and most of the time we go now on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and have the other days "off". As we progress, if counts stay stable this will be extended and ultimately will result in our being released from Duke and sent home to our own physicians. I can hardly believe it. 140 days ago, I was near death and now have the hope and opportunity to live once again. Thank you all for your continuing prayers. These next 2-3 weeks is a critical period and we are praying that all stays stable.
Shirley is doing a wonderful job keeping me up to snuff on my medicines, creams and just coordinating our days. I literally could not have come this far without her. Isn't is marvelous how the Lord "orders" all things
We look forward to the day when we will be together to praise His name!
Gary & Shirley
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