Vancouver, Days Two & Three

Greetings from the seventh circle of Heck! Just kidding, but it is pretty much my nighmare to be caring for 5 kids, rainy day after rainy day, trying to keep them quiet and keep them from torturing the poor dog. It's awesome. I just keep telling myself, now mom knows how much I love her!!!! ;)

As you probably read on Mom's blog (Mark is guest blogging), Mom successfully completed her first round of chemotherapy yesterday. She has been remarkably well--I am sooo proud of her! I don't know what I was expecting--I guess my expectations have been tainted by shows like "Dying Young" and "Crazy, Sexy Cancer." It's different for everyone, but I expected it to be worse for her. Of course, after giving birth to eight children and knowing all too well how to deal with nausea and discomfort, she is a total pro!

I am so glad Mark was with her yesterday. He is long gone now, and I hope she isn't feeling too bad. My kids got up at 6am--I have no clock in my room, so I got them dressed, got in the shower myself, and made up a bunch of french toast when I looked up at the clock and it said 7:11am. I was NOT happy about that, especially since we woke up mom in the process. I think I am going to make them do some chores and then we are going to IKEA--I will check them in to the play place and pick up some stuff for mom (a clip line from which to hang all her well-wishes in her room--I thought that would lift her spirits) and some lingon berries and meatballs for dinner. Then we will all get a needed break--me from KidChaos, mom from noise and interruptions, and the kids from boredom and distracted adults. Sounds like a win-win.

Yesterday was cold and rainy, and today looks like more of the same. We did a little shopping yesterday while mom was at the cancer center--we will be celebrating Rich's bday and Father's Day a little late when we get home, so I want my van to be like Santa's sleigh for Rich!;) He is so supportive and awesome--taking care of an open house at our house tonight, helping me get here to be with mom (he said as I left, "You take good care of my mother-in-law!"--so sweet), and being cool with having extra kids at our house all summer. He rocks in so many ways! Anyway, we did get a nice nap yesterday, and the RS brought pizza for dinner. The kids had a movie night, watching "Night at the Museum" while Nana rested, Papa worked, and I snuck in a little reading (I bought David Sedaris' "Naked" and it's just as funny as "Denim and Corduroy"--I am thinking about splurging on his new book--it will be good, light reading for the chemo room on Monday). Life is so good, and we are all being blessed in so many little ways, moment to moment. I just pray for mom's comfort--I have accepted the trial, the challenge, I just don't want it to be any hareder on HER than it has to be, ya know??? I feel bad for her because without her meds, her arthritis is probably worse than the cancer or chemo. I wish I could give her my tub!!!

On that note, I think I am going to take these kids away for a while! Leave me some comments--I'll need them by day's end! ;)

Vancouver, Day One

Okay, so I totally drove through a blizzard near Butte yesterday morning (and in rain for most of the way), stopped for potty breaks a million times, and drove 820 miles in 14 hours and 14 minutes (I got lost and used up about 40 miles going the wrong way in Kennewick--seriously, is that not the most confusing place?). But we got here safe and sound around 9pm and it has been so fun to be with Nana!

She had her "PowerPort" put in at the surgical center today--we just got home and she's going to rest and take a pain pill. All is well, she is great spirits, her sunny self--it's great to be with her, I am sure everyone is going to enjoy their visits--what a great opportunity to be with mom and show her love and support!

Thanks, Richie, for letting me come! More soon, I have to go pick up the kids from the RS President's house.

And we're off...

...on an impromptu trip to Vancouver, just me, three chillins and a mini-van. I love this drive. And I love me mum.

I will miss my hunny-punkin-lover, and I am so sad to miss Sean's farewell (and his party a mi casa which Rich is now hosting), but Operation MamaCare is first priority! So good luck, dear Sean, and farewell Richard-Darling...I love you and miss you already! :)

I'll check in when we arrive.

Love, Queen of the Road.

Stage One!

So Mama's oncologist got her treatment shedule lined out today and let her know that her cancer is "only" stage one--totally beatable! So she'll have six rounds of chemo (every 21 days) followed by four radiation treatments.

Here's the chemo schedule: 6/6, 6/27, 7/18/, 8/8, 8/29, and 9/19.


I'll be with her for her first round, Lisa and the Grandparents will be with her for the second, Sam, Kristen will take care of her 7/18, and August and Septmber are still open--Marti, are you still going the end of August? I can probably take August 8th if Matty Post can't do it. And Marti, do you want to come back on September 19th and celebrate our birthday with Abby and take care of Mom? We can celebrate it being her last round of chemo, too! Come on, it'll be fun! ;)

update: Michael is close by and can help mom, too, so maybe you can plan on August 8th, Mike.
Also, Jill and Sara will be with mom next week.

I also plan on bringing Abby and Marshall home with me on 6/18, so if anyone wants to plan some time or activities with them, let me know (Matt? Laura? Jill?).
Jill is taking Marshall to Utah after we swap Cody and Tyler in Idaho on June 20-something.

"Activate Operation MamaCare!"

Everything Will Be Just Fine

So I was in the grocery store for some kind of emergency last week, late at night, and as I walked down the aisle, I heard "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World playing from the Muzak. For some reason, it was like divine revelation to me, like a hug, and I started to cry a little bit.

I know that song doesn't sound like it could speak to your spirit, but I have always loved it. I especially loved it when I was a YW leader and even thought it should be the YW theme song! For me, though, under the weight of all that's going on around me and in me right now, it was just a reminder that "everything, everything" would indeed "be all right."

So here are the lyrics and the video. The vid is definitely PG13 and I debated about posting it, but if you watch all the way to the end, it's a perfect message--JUST BE YOU.

THE MIDDLE
Hey, don't write yourself off yet
It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on
Just try your best, try everything you can
And don't you worry what they tell themselves
When you're away.

CHORUS
It just takes some time, little girl, you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be alright, alright.

Hey, you know they're all the same
You know you're doing better on your own, so don't buy in
Just live right now and just be yourself
It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else
(chorus)
Hey, don't write yourself off yet
It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on
Just do your best, do everything you can.
And don't you worry what the bitter hearts, are gonna say
(chorus)
--Jimmy Eat World
Good Luck Today, Mom!

Deliriously Sleepy Thursday

An update on my Mom: Today she has her PET Scan, and earlier this week she had a bone scan, and she'll have a bone marrow biopsy soon, too (ouch). She meets with her oncologist again on Monday, June 2, and they will supposedly map out her treatments over the next several months. On a lighter note, she decided to "ease us into the baldness" by chopping off her hair. Frankly, I think she looks awesome, chemo or no chemo! So we're still waiting to know exactly what we'll be doing this summer, but she has constant care from loved ones scheduled thru August and beyond, so we're all ready to go!

Look at my cutie mom!

***

(PS: Hi, Mollie! I have missed you so! You asked where I was in the south---I was in North Carolina and I loved it!)

***

Some pix from yesterday, and then perhaps a rest (will I ever stop being exhausted???):

Full-Circle

A conversation I just had with James after he busted down the bathroom door and wanted to chat while I (how dare I?!) pottied.

James: (holding up Addie's monkey key chain) Monkey.
Me: Yep, that's Addie's monkey.
J: Addie.
Me: Addie is downstairs playing with your cousins. Go downstairs and play.
J: Nee-nee (what he calls his friend Lydia).
Me: Danny and Rosalie are downstairs. They want to play. Go play.
J: Shoe.
Me: There are lots of shoes downstairs. Go play with the kids!
J: Outside.
Me: No, it's raining outside, Bubby. You can play downstairs. In your room. With toys. With shoes. With kids!
J: Potty. Mommy.
Me: Yes, Mommy's going potty.
J: Addie.
Me: Yes, Addie, too. You can go play with Addie downstairs.
J: Monkey.

I was done by then, and he is still sitting by me.

It's really a wonder I can still write a complete sentence with these awesome conversational skills.

Now Let Us Rejoice

"On May 13,2008, ABC announced that Scrubs will be a midseason replacement, airing Tuesday nights at 9PM ET. Steve McPherson, ABC's President of Entertainment, also stated that additional seasons of Scrubs beyond the eighth could be produced if it performs well."

How did I miss this news on May 13th? I guess I was still recovering from our roadtrip. Anway, I am really excited about Scrubs coming back (NBC is so lame for letting it go). That gives me two great things to look forward to this fall: (1) for the first time I will be the mother of a two-year-old while not being pregnant, and (2) more quality time with my friends at Sacred Heart! Hallelujah! Let's all watch so it will "perform well" and we will get lots more!

Wanna rejoice some more? Then let's celebrate the 27th anniversary of the birth of my darling brother, Matt, on this date in 1981. Matt, Happy Golden Birthday! Surely this Scrubs news will make your day! ;)

On another note...poor China! I wonder how the Olympics is gonna go down...Hm.

I am working at the hotel AGAIN (I'm just bridging the gap between full-time employees right now, and picking up some cash for Rich's birthday and Father's Day; soon I will be back to working 3 or 4 3-hour shifts per week over the summer), so I may log in with more thoughts later.

Finishing Rooms

The Grays (Rich's sister, Angie and her family) are moving away to Wyoming today.

We've been playing with baby Hannah lots while they're loading up...Happy James
James loves Hannah!
Hannah is 6-1/2 months old and her feet are the size of Addie's at birth! She's TINY!
James' room is mostly done--here are the beds
A view of the closet
A view of the corner near the window

Heidi loves her elephant room! Here it is on Wednesday...
...and today we added more!
Heidi and Addie made an "elephant circus" to entertain Hannah today. I'm pretty sure they had more fun than Hannah did (Hannah looked a little scared).

***

We've worked hard on the bedrooms and other house projects today. There has been a lull in the rain, so Rich is trying to get the lawn mowed as I type. In a few minutes we are going to go out to dinner with the Grays and say good bye...we'll really miss them, especially having cousins right across the street to play with! But they'll be less than an hour from Mt. Rushmore, so we'll be doing some Rapid City time with them! :)

Happy Memorial Day! (click)

Sunday Thoughts

I am at the hotel, so I can't post the picture I took of Heidi's floating paper elephants in her room. They turned out really cute, so now Addie wants dolphins.

We ditched church today--I just couldn't face getting the kids ready and wrestling them thru church on the very limited sleep I have had the past few nights (james has been sick and he and Heidi are still getting used to their new rooms). I hope I'll be forgiven for my wimpiness and that soon church will return to being uplifting rather than one of life's greatest challenges! Rich was released as Elders' Quorum President, so he can help us get ready for church on Sundays again(at least for a little while)--no early morning meetings! Again, forgive my murmurings--I think I automatically disqualify him from bishopric service.

I tried to get a good nap today, but only got about a half hour. I've noticed that the more tired I get, the worse my body aches get. At this point I can barely straighten out my legs...it's really sad! I need to sleep!!! Luckily it's been pretty busy at the hotel and I haven't dozed off!

I just re-read Elder Nelson's talk from April Conference. It's really a gem, you know? I wish I'd had it to share as a missionary. It was so hard to teach the difference between salvation and exaltation down in the Bible belt. It's widely believed that salvation--or being "saved"--is the same thing as eternal life. Certainly you can't have exaltation without salvation, but salvation is the gateway, not the destination. I love how he clarified this, and I love this plain and precious quote:

"This life is the time to prepare for salvation and exaltation. In God's eternal plan, salvation is an individual matter; exaltation is a family matter."

Also, this: "[Salvation is] and unconditional gift. Eternal life, or celestial glory or exaltation, is a conditional gift, Conditions of this gift have been established by the Lord, who said, 'If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.'"

It's so cool how he teaches that we are for sure SAVED individually (meaning it's just us, one by one, accepting the Lord's gift), but that we are exalted as familes. It takes the Holy work of a father, mother, and their children, strengthening and lifting each other, helping each other to be obedient and faithful, to meet the conditions of God's greatest gift.

The family--and especially our marriages--are something greater and more Holy, I believe, than any of us can realize. I wish I could remember that, all the time, in the hardest times, and treat my work as wife and mother as the exalting role it can be.

More House Stuff

We hung up some stuff in the girls' rooms on Thursday...

Addie's bulletin board is already full, and we hung three pix that are special to her:

The Jesus picture from Mommy, the cross-stitch from Aunt Kelli, and the Rose Fairy from Nana.

Addie's Mirror

Heidi's Bulletin Board

Heidi's Mirror

(need some touch ups and embellishments like Addie's...I need to take a trip to JoAnn's!)

Heidi and James coming in from the rain

How my front yard looks
(sorry it's blurry--my batteries were dying)
Pink & Yellow tulips, grape hyacinths, and snow-on-the-mountain.
Bright Zinnias will follow the tulips if the rain didn't wash the seeds away!

Along the front steps