My favorite Winter Commercial

I just saw that commercial for Campbell's soup where the little boy comes in as a snowman and eats chicken noodle soup and the snowman melts away. I remember watching it as a kid and being so amazed by the snow. I lived where it hadn't snowed in 100 years, so the whole snow thing was quite a novelty.

Anyway, I love that comercial. I hope they have it on for many more years.

My Growin' Girl

My girl is just getting so big. She has all kind of new things to say (And she's getting a little sassy! We're working on that). Most of all her new things are so fun, and she really loves being a big sister.

The one big problem we just can't figure out is wake up time. She's just so grumpy after she wakes up. She gets up okay, has a snack, and then gets all cry-y, whiney, grumpy. I think I need to have a better wake up activity. I wish we could go outside an play after naps, but the weather hasn't been very nice lately. I guess we're gonna have to think up some wake up activity that suits everyone. Any ideas?

Chemo

So, my mom had the appointment about treatment with the oncologist today. He said she has a 40% recurrence rate over the next five years. He suggested chemotherapy and hormone therapy to reduce that percentage. I guess it's four months of chemo and then hormone therapy. Basically it'll take a year to be back to normal from what she said.

Good news is that the treatment will lower the chance of recurrence to, like, 16% I think she said. That's better. I'm just nervous about what chemo does to a body. I have my own opinions, but I guess she'll have to make her own choices.

I'm still at that point of I just don't know what to think or say.

Bye Teresa

I took Teresa to the airport today. We were out the door just after 5:00 am. I was a little worried that the girlie would be upset or confused about her sudden disappearance. All day Theona has been asking, "Where's TT?" and "TT's at home?" We surely will miss her. She was such a huge help.

Scars

My mom went to the doctor today and got the bandages off and the drainage tubes out today. She seems to feel good and be so hopeful. I'm glad.

She said the scar wasn't bad. She said it was like my sister's c-section scar. I think she was really worried it would be all gory and gross. I'm glad again that everything seems to be going well.

No Radiation

My mom got great news today. The lab results are back and they are good! The surrounding tissue is clear and the systemic lymph node was clear. That translates, it hasn't spread and radiation isn't necessary.

I'm glad that we're getting some good news. It's kind of refreshing.

Calvary Chapel Norman

We went to the Calvary Chapel here in town today. I liked it. I don't know yet if it's where we're staying. I just want to be really commited to continuing to pray for the Lord to lead in this. I want to be in the right place, not just what's easy or convienient.

The people were nice, but there weren't very many people there. I'm sure because tomorrow is Thanksgiving. The pastor wasn't even there. He was on vacation in Hawaii. What a treat.

Surgery

My mom had a double mastectomy today. She's all drugged up still, and she's really quite goofy. While I was on the phone with her she kept just falling asleep. She'd say something, and before I could reply she was out. Weird. (I know it's probably normal from anaesthesia, but it was still weird.)

When we were talking she said something like, "Orange and yellow make red. No! Red and orange make YELLOW!" It was really strange. She wasn't herself at all. Hopefully she'll be feeling better tomorrow.

He surgeon said it went sooo well. I'm glad to hear that, but I'm still really nervous about everything. I'm just in such a surreal place with all this, being so far away. I guess I'll be going back to visit in a couple weeks.

We're OK

So, we're Okies now (however temporarily). My husband got a job transfer, and we took it. We had been in Omaha for just a year and a half, and it was so hard to leave. I'm excited about this new adventure, though. It'll be fun.

We left at 4 am, and all went well. We had an easy drive. We really made excellent time. Now we have a new little place. Well the living room is soooo little. I don't quite know how that's gonna work out, but the rest of the apartment is really quite spacious, and we have a wonderful little patio with a gate that opens into a grassy back yard area. It's nice.

We brought a friend with us for a week. Teresa came to help tag team me with the kids.

Oklahoma isn't really a place I would have expected to live, but "a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his path". I trust that God is leading. I'm looking forward to getting settled here, and making some friends. We'll see.

Calvary Chapel Corvallis

Okay, I hope no one gets the wrong idea about this post, but here goes.

We went to Calvary Chapel Corvallis tonight. I really wanted to go to church tonight, but of course I ended up sitting in the nursery. I am in such a mood. Anyway, it was okay, and I saw a boy I went to high school. The people were nice, and the worship was really cool. It was a baby grand and a keyboard and a girl on djembe. I was only in for a couple songs.

The silly thing was when we got there they didn't want me to go into the sanctuary with the kids. They directed us to a "family room" I was quite annoyed. It had a silly ol' tv on the wall, and the girlie just kept crying "I want church. I want church." I took her down to the nursery and though I had a good time I would have liked to go to church.

The one thing that I was just terribly impressed with was the building. They had just moved into their brand new building. It's up on a hill and the whole front is glass. there's a long foyer the length of the building, and huge, beautifully finished barn doors that open to the Sanctuary. It is really a beautiful building. The whole lower floor is the education wing (like, sunday school class rooms and such). It's really nice, and the church seems to have grown since I was there last; it should suit them nicely.

Oh, I found some pictures. This is kind of how it looked when we went for Wednesday evening service. And here is a picture where you can kind of see the doors.

Well, that's about it. If you're ever in Corvallis, OR...

Happy Thanksgiving

My mom had planned for all of us to celebrate Thanksgiving early since we would all be there. It was fun. My Aunt and Uncle came. My cousin, her husband and son came, it was at my sister's house. It was a really great idea, and a good distraction.

We all had a good time and we ended up playing the Wii afterwards. We made characters for everyone, even my parents. We really had a good time.

Cancer

You know, it's really sureal to think my mom has cancer. That was the news from the doctor. Bi-lateral breast cancer. That means it's in both sides. It's two different cancers from what I understand. One is early, one is a later stage. I guess they'll find out more about that later, but from the biopsy I guess it's pretty bad serious yucky ...what do I say. Well, it isn't good.

I don't really know what to even think about all this. That's all that just keeps going through my head. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to THINK. That's where I am. I just don't even know...

Good Bye, Cali. Hello, Oregon!

Well, the vacation is half over, and we still have a week left! I can't believe we are taking such a long vacation. We had a pretty good week, and ran around seeing lots of old friends. It was certainly fun seeing familiar faces and showing off my little ones. No one had seen Jecoa yet, and it sure was special to have everyone meet him.

I'm a little nervous about tomorrow. So, my mom got a mammogram last week. They found a couple questionable spots and did a biopsy, she'll hear back from her doctor today or tomorrow. I hate getting all swept away with feelings and emotions, so I'm trying to just take it easy and wait for the news.

I'm also so excited to see my new little niece. She looks so much like my sister, I can hardly wait to see her in person.

"I want Baseball"

So, I'm feeling much better, and good thing because Theona wakes up at, like, 6:00am saying "I want baseball". Isaito(her cousin who is just 9 mos older than her) got a little tee-ball set, and Theona just loves it.

She's so cute, she'll get it all set up then just barely tap the ball and get all excited when it fall down, then chase it and do it all again. I think we might just have to think about getting her one for Christmas or birthday.

It's been great to have so much space to play outside, and other kids to play with, but their whole backyard is dirt, so every day is a very dirty day. We should have brought more old play clothes to get dirty in. This has been kind of a weird visit, but a good one so far.

Happy Birthday Little Sis

My baby sis is 21 today. Unbelievable.

Well, Happy Birthday, Kimberlee.

Strep Throat

I think I might have strep throat. I'm not feeling good at all. I have a terribly sore throat. I can hardly swallow, and I'm so sad to miss out on my mother-in-law's great cooking. I'm also worried about taking germs to the new baby, Finlee, who we will see next week. I guess I'll see about getting on an anti-biotic. I want to get well so I can enjoy our vacation.

Vacation in So Cal

We arrived in California, and it's nice to see everyone, but I'm always surprised to see how dirty it is here. That and the traffic are a couple reasons I'm glad not to live here anymore.

I'm not feeling so great, maybe I got sick on the plane.