Laura Story : Blessings My daughter found this. It speaks to our hearts right now.

DAMN CANCER!!! DAMN DAMN DAMN CANCER GO AWAY GO AWAY NOW!  WE DO NOT WANT YOU HERE!!

She is sick again.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

..............................Remission................................

My 5 year marker is today. Yea! I'm counting from my last Rad of radiation.

There are a few things that cancer has taught me that I'd like to share.

#1 I am nothing. I am everything.

All my accomplishments, my talents and my self confidence, mental, emotional and physical strength mean nothing. Take all that away(plus the hair).

Weak and sick. Begging to die, feeling so alone in my pain. At the end ofmyself, I am everything! A child of God. When I am weak He is strong.

#2 A mother's work is never done. And never properly acknowledged.

Thank you Mom for all the time and effort you put into taking care of my family. (Although, I think that the boys still don't change thier underwear regularly!)

#3 Good friends will muddle in the muck with you. And kick your rear when you need it.

#4 Hair is highly over rated.

Almost three years of remission. Please keep her in your prayers.

Spring and Summer, my favorite seasons of the year.

My double peony

First rose to bloom in the back yard.

The front yard rose.  Look at the dew collected between the petals right in front.

My south side gate with the Hydrangea growing up its trellis.

Bees hard at work in the Creeping Thyme on my rock wall.

My Wygelia at one A.M.

Mama's Poppy

Purple Clematis on the south side of the house.

An Iris ready to open.  It opened the day after I took this picture.

I love seeing my garden come alive in bloom.  The children playing in the sun.  The sound of lawn mowers up and down the street.  The gloomy silence of Winter is broken with the joyful sounds, scents and sights of Spring and Summer.

I think my new camera and I are getting along better.

Two Weeks Went By Far Too Quickly

We spent a morning with Aunt Jacque

Drawing murals on her front patio.

Played in a bouncy house at a park

Raced Olivia down the bouncy house slide

Had our faces painted

Climbed as high as we could on the climbing structure at Kyak Point.

Started up, but never quite made it to the top.

Jonah went with us to Kyak Point.

Tried to figure out how to get the ball that is not suppose to be kicked, out of the tree.

Gramma consoles herself with the knowledge she will see them in two weeks.
They went to Vancouver Washington to spend a few days with the "other" grandma before they are off to a week of summer camp.
The truth is, my main career goal has been to be the best Mother and then Grandmother I could be.  Not an easy task, but I think I have done a fair job of it.  It is such an honor that God has blessed me with the family I have.  I treasure each of them for the unique person they are.

A very busy month.

Can you tell me why the backs of little people are so darn cute?
On our way to the neighborhood park on a sunny afternoon

Olivia has mastered the fine art of hanging upside down.

Darius is working on his Slam Dunk

One Sunday we got together for barbecue.

Elizabeth spent a weekend with Gramma and Papa

Jonah did too.  This is a letter from George Washington telling him he will be President in 28  years.  Papa, who is a realist had to tell him that George Washington has been dead for centuries and could not have written the letter. He carried the letter around all weekend and kept asking why would George choose him to be president.  Gramma, who is more capable of dwelling in a fantasy world than Papa is, framed it for him.

We spent the afternoon in a different neighborhood park

Where Elizabeth perfected the fine art of jumping from the swing.

And Jonah demonstrated his prowess on the monkey bars.

At the Relay for Life, I bought a Luminary  in honor of my sister Jacque.

Olivia and Cooper had the opportunity to play in the sprinkler

On Friday, we went to Edmonds to wait for Aunt Kris to come across on the ferry so  Ben and Coop could spend the weekend with her.

There is something magical about Aunt Kris

Everyone is always delighted to see her.

Even when you are one of the "big kids".  I love this picture because when you look at Ben's face, you can tell he is smiling just as much as the others.

Darius was a bit put out with me that he did not get to go on the ferry with Aunt Kris and tried to hide from me in some of the grass.  Almost managed except his little pink face shows through.

Last but not least, Shay graduated!!  Here with her mom and dad.  I don't know who is more relieved , them or  Shay.