Congratulations Courtney!!!

Beautiful day! Beautiful daughter!

Chemo #1

Steve had his first chemo therapy this week. He was admitted on Tuesday night. Here is the run-down of how things went:
*Three nurses tried 2 times each to start a line in his chest port. (One nurse told Tracee to glove up and watch and learn)
*Three nurses realized there must be something wrong with the chest port.
*Peripheral IV line started and pre-medications given.
*Chemo started.
*After 1st chemo med was administered, Rituxin begun.
*Reaction to Rituxin, "rigors" or severe shakes and chills. Expected.
*Given Demerol for shakes and chills.
*Welts and severe itching from Demerol spreading up arm and shoulder to chest.
*Eyes start to swell and sinuses plug up.
*Benedryl given to counter act the Demerol. Told to never take Demerol again.
*Eyes continue to swell, not just the eyelids, but the EYEBALLS.
*Eyeballs now swelling outside of sockets, eyelids can't close completely,gross.
*Chemo stopped and steroids given IV.
*Allergic symptoms begin to get better. Eyes slowly start to un-swell.
*This morning, x-rays to see what was wrong with port.
*Port is flipped over. (Dog clobbered Steve a few nights ago when they were playing.)
*Steve needs surgery for new port.
*Steve doesn't want surgery.
*Steve flips his port back over through his skin.
*Radiologist and nurses amazed.
*Port works and chemo continues.
*Eyes are back in sockets
*Chemo done, eyes better, home!!!!!




He is doing well here at home tonight. And he is cute again!!

I am so computer illiterate!!!

This blog entry is for all of my sweet and wonderful friends who blog or who make sweet and wonderful comments on my blog! I DO NOT know how to put comments on your blogs when I read them. I have tried to figure it out and I am so computer dumb! And today, I want to thank all of those very kind friends who have commented on my blog, I appreciate you! To Brianne...thanks for saying I am beautiful. And to my good friend Denise....I totally loved your blog today! It is awesome.
Smile!!

Changes

Hello. It has been a wonderful sabbath day. The Gila Valley Temple dedication was beautiful. I love hearing from our Prophet, President Monson and I have always loved to hear President Eyring speak. I am anxious to have our temple here, in our very neighborhood, dedicated and blessed.
The reverence of the morning allowed me time to ponder on some changes that are going to take place in my life. So many changes, all so sudden. But, they are good changes. Happy changes. It's time changes. Prayerful changes.
*Joshua is doing awesome in the Army Intelligence Training. He will get his permanent assignment in June. Then by July or August he could be anywhere in the world! And I will be missing him!
*Kristen will be teaching this fall....in Flagstaff! Jamon will be attending NAU. Keegan will be on a new adventure. And I will be missing all three of them!
*Tracee's best friend returns to the states in about 5 weeks. She has worked hard and saved and is ready to move on to another phase in her life. And I will miss her!
*Courtney graduates from High School this week. She has been accepted to Kohler Academy, for cosmetology. She is going to be busy. I will miss her!

Hmmm...so this is "empty nest syndrome?" I always wondered what it would feel like.

Just for FUN..for a change!!

Whats left of Steve's and Courtney's fishing trip!!

My most recent picture of Joshua!!

Courtney's bedroom wall! She painted canvases and hung them up!

Kristen and someone really chubby sitting next to her!

Tracee and Keegan with his "sticker pox."

Rufus and his best friend, (AKA-Steve,) taking a nap!

Have a great week everyone!!

Happiness/Joy

I have been kinda grumpy lately. I find I am not smiling as much. So, I have been thinking. About my family, about life, about my house, my health and about my job, among many other things.
My family: starting to spread out and it is tough to cut those old apron strings.
Worried about each and every one of them
My life: not where I thought it would be at my age.
My house: really getting old and needs alot of work.
My health: just feeling older and starting to hurt here and there and we won't
mention chubbiness!
My job: same ol' thing week after week. Isn't 50 a little old to be unloading a
semi-truck??
Other things: too many to list here.

This is reality. This is life. It's not a bad life, it's a good life. I am not meant to be happy ALL of the time. That is not the Plan. It is what life is made of; ups and downs and downs and ups. Fullfilled and unfullfilled dreams and ideas. Moments of great happiness. Moments of sadness and disapointment. However, what I know is that even when I am not always happy, I always have JOY! I have joy in having my family to love and knowing they love me, I have joy that I have a home not just a house, I have joy that this weary body is still ticking, I have joy that I have a job and can help out financially, and I have joy that I am blessed with an array of trials that help me grow. I taught a lesson once on the difference between happiness and joy. Yes, there is a difference. Think about it. Have a great Sabbath!

Sunday Afternoon

Hello everyone! Today has been such a good, relaxing day. I have needed a day like this. We have been going 90 miles an hour lately! Work and doctor's appointments and yard work and the dog and bills and groceries and on and on! I decided last night that I was not going to go to church today. "I needed a day to not visit or be asked questions and just be by myself." But...I woke up this morning and I knew that church was where I needed to spend my Sunday morning and I got ready with my family and went. How blessed I am that my Heavenly Father loves me enough to let the Spirit whisper to me! We had a sweet testimony meeting and then I attended two of the best lessons. My friend Bev taught in Gospel Doctrine about the Israelites and their wandering days. She had us compare our lives to theirs. It was such a great way to help us know that the Lord knows us and loves us just as he knew and loved them. Then I was grateful for my other friend Nancy's lesson in Relief Society. She taught about our personal stewardship. We have a great responsibility. But then again, we were reminded of a loving Savior who is always there to help carry our burdens. And both of these lessons reminded me how patient our Father in Heaven is with me!! I so needed to be at church today! I am grateful!
Here are a few new pictures:
This is Steve's new project: an outdoor patio and kitchen!
Family fun cleaning up in the back yard!
Favorite place I like to be: reading to the babies!
My newly brunette daughter, Courtney!

Have a great week!!