Christmas Card 2009

Giving Thanks

So, Thanksgiving is right around the corner -already! I realize that my posts are getting shorter and shorter and fewer and fewer..... Its not that I don't have anything to say. I simply find it so hard to find time to say it!

Grant finished a chemo week round of steroids yesterday. We are always so grateful to be finished with steroids. We started a new cycle this past Tuesday with a spinal tap and IT Methotrexate. We were happy to be able to visit with Jane and to see William and his family for a few moments as we were leaving. William was in for a round of scans to monitor his remission from Neuroblastoma. Evidently, everything was not exactly at it should be, so he is in again today for an MRI. We are praying for clean scans today!

To catch everyone up, our life in synopsis.....

Soccer is over.
Basketball has begun.
Christmas recital rehearsals are in full swing.
I have to write to Christmas program for church!
My mom is now a skinny person!
I wish both of my brothers lived closer to home...
Leah, too! (3 hours is still too far away)
My once beautiful landscaping needs some "welcome to Fall" assistance.
My house needs a good cleaning...
My Bishop/husband is working really hard - at work and at church!
I need a haircut and will soon need color as Aly keeps finding grey hairs intermingled with the auburn ones! Really - I'm still 33 -what's up with that?
Eden lost her last tooth, and continues to know just the thing to do to get on my last nerve!
She's almost as tall as me.
I noticed yesterday as we left for church that she looked like she was going to the prom.
She's beautiful!
Jacob is the life of the party - and enjoys throwing one every afternoon in my yard!
Grant could build a fully functioning space station with Legos...and would like to do so either in the middle of the living room or on the dining room table.
Its not easy to keep Jacob away from Grant's Lego creations, btw...
My life is so busy... but I am so blessed!
I love my husband.
I love my kids.
I love my job - the poeple I work with, the parents, and especially all of the sweet kids that I teach!
I love my Ma & Pa!
I love my sisters and their husbands.
I love my brothers and their wives.
I love all of my exceptionally beautiful and talented nieces and nephews!
I love my massive extended family and am so grateful to live out my daily life with them.
I love all of my good friends..especially Ashley, who is really more like my sister!
I love my life - its hard, it tiring, its amazingly wonderful!

8:23 pm Update.... William is all good! Scans came back clean today!

Good counts!

We're home from our monthly chemo trip. We had a great day! Good counts, fun visit with Jane, and lots of mommy/Grant quality time!

Pictures

New nurses station.... They didn't have one before! (just a little closet!)

Ms. Cindy checking Grant in...

It was opening day, so she wore her pearls!

Grant and his buddy William

William was doing is 1 year post transplant visit &

he is still cancer free!

Dr. Blatt checking out Super Grant

This is just too nice!

So, we are are the new pediatric cancer clinic at UNC this morning. At the moment, Grant is blissfully playing with his pal William. They are opening boxes of new Transformers that have been donated for the new playroom. Owen and his dad are playing "Sorry" on a real game table. Across the hall, kids are playing "Starfall" at the 2 new computer stations! I am sitting on a beautifully uphosltered bench where I have enough room to sit.... and type..... and breathe! What's going on here?

Seriously, the waiting room at this place is bigger than the whole clinic across the street!

I didn't even wear make-up!? Who knew.... I feel like I should have on heels instead of flip-flops!

So far, counts look great. The sedation clinic (spinal tap) is a little slow to get going. They haven't started yet and I think we are #8 or #9 on the list, so we'll still be here a while. That's ok. I feel like I'm on vacation at a spa! OK - maybe that's taking it a little too far!

I took a bunch of pictures. I'll post later!

Happy 4th from the Hancocks!

The Hancocks got together at Margo's for dinner on the 4th! I feel sure that I am biased, but I think this is just the finest group of folks around!

Can you say August 2010!?

Ok - I know!

I am a sorry blogger!

I would make excuses..... but why?

We've been having a great summer. We've done lots of swimming in a variety of pools! We have had a couple of boat days and are looking forward to this weekend's trip to Cape Lookout! Eden was able to spend some time in Kinston with her friend Claire. We love you, Claire! Jacob has developed quite a fascination with fireworks! Should I be worried?

Our garden is growing and I have more squash and cucumbers than anyone could possibly ever eat! Jake even planted some watermelon plants and we are happy to report that we have 3 beautiful watermelons growing on our vines! The hostas are in full bloom and the grass is green! Life is good!

Grant had his monthly chemo visit yesterday. His counts are great! He has grown an inch this summer... and lost 5 lbs. He is a man child! His foot is 2 sizes bigger than it was just a few months ago! His continues to be a text book patient and we continue to feel very blessed and humbled by this experience.

So, Dr. B asks me yesterday when Grant is scheduled to come off protocol. I respond, I think we're January of 2011. She seemed to think the we were to come off a little earlier, so she checked the computer, and as far as she can tell, we will be coming off protocol in August of 2010. That is only a little over a year! Holy Cow! I can't believe that the time has flown by so fast and that our previous calendar was so "off"...... but, I'll take it!

We wish everyone a happy 4th and a wonderful summer!