I can't believe how fast this summer has gone by.  I think we have had a good one.  The girls have done lots of playing etc..

Abby is scheduled for her 6 month check up on August 7th and will have her port taken out on the 11th.  She is very worked up about this and isn't understanding that it is an out patient procedure and will be home that same day.  Please pray that all goes well, that it comes out without any problems.  Also please pray that her 6 month appointment checks out great! 

Well, that's all for now.  Back to work with me.

Carrie

Abby is doing great.  Spending lots of time outside being a normal 6 year old.  She has lost another tooth for a grand total of four now.  We found out that the tooth fairy pays more in Kentucky that she does in Iowa!

On a very serious note, a real estate agent from another office here in town has just found out that her son has leukemia.  Please remember the Daters family in your prayers.  It will be a very long haul for them.  He has been admitted to one of the hospitals in Iowa City and will be there for a month.  As soon as they have his Caring Bridges page ready, I will post the link. 

Carrie

Abby had her 5 month check this morning after finishing chemo therapy.  So far, so good.  Blood work was excellent.  Everything is slowly climbing to a normal range!!!

We've been pretty busy around here lately.  The girls and I just took a trip to KY to see my family.  Had a great trip and as usual the girls were fantastic travel buddies!

Hannah turned 4 on Tuesday.  We had her birthday party at mom and dad's Sunday and will have the one here this coming Sunday.  She is happy to FINALLY be four.  Now she wants to know when she will be 4 1/2.  Lets not speed up time any faster than it already is.

Well, guess that's about it.

Carrie

Abby's great, her and Hannah are REALLY looking forward to the fireworks tonite.  You all go blow something up, or scorch it on the grill or somethin in honor of the birthday of the greatest country on earth.  That is all.

James

Well, the summer is flying by.  I'm enjoying spending the days with the girls going for walks, to the park, playing in the back yard, reading, etc...  All those things that you do with kids that are not undergoing chemotherapy.  Not worrying about all the sun screen, the bug bites and falls when platelets are too low.  Right now, the biggest thing is Abby and Hannah being in eachother's faces too much.  I think I can handle this!

I am so proud of my girls.  Today, they got to go get something with their allowance that they have saved up.  And yes, they work for it.  They get $2 a piece every Friday for unloading the dishwasher, setting and helping clear the dinner table, helping clean their rooms, making their own beds, helping take out the trash and putting their clean clothes away.  You know, maybe they need a raise (but then again, efficiency rate sometimes leaves something to be desired.)  They don't really care though.  $2 is a lot of money for a 6 and 3 year old. 

 While we were at the mall, I had 2 different women stop to ask if they were REALLY spending their allowance.  They couldn't believe how much they help out and one said Abby and Hannah should have a talk with her teenagers.  Lots of "pleases" and "thank yous" to the clerk as well.  The cool part is that they do all these things many times without being asked and very rarely do they argue with me or James about it.

I have to say, we are enjoying having a normal family.  We don't really have any summer plans, just enjoying time together.  Hannah begins 4 year old preschool this year and Abby will be starting 1st grade.  I only have one more year with a baby at home (that's only part time this year) and then I will be alone during the day.  I'm not sure what I will do with myself, but I'm sure for the first week there will be lots of tears.  After that, I guess I'll be going back to work full time.  If there's no one here, I guess I should pull some weight financially.  Start saving to send the two future doctors to school, since that are THEIR plans at this time!  Who knows, maybe the two of them can help discover a cure for Leukemia!

Well, time to clean up my mess I made cooking dinner and after I have a babysitting job to do for Abigail and Hannah.  Those baby dolls of theirs sure do require a lot of attention.

Carrie

Took Abby for her 4 month check today since ending chemotherapy.  Blood counts are great and everything is in a normal range.  Low normal, but normal.

I'll be calling tomorrow to make the appointment to have her infusa port taken out.  I believe that there is beginning to be concern about it getting infected.  Better not push our luck with it.  Probably with in the next month it will go.  Abby's not happy about the matter, but doesn't have much choice.

She lost one of her front teeth a couple days ago.  I can't believe that the tooth fairy now brings $2 for one tooth!  Talk about inflation!  There's a couple new pictures in the photo album.

Carrie

Sorry I haven't updated much lately.  Guess there's not too much to update.  Abby is doing great.  She finished Kindergarten last week.  I can't believe my baby girl is a first grader now.  (She keeps reminding me that she's not a baby anymore and I keep reminder her that even when she is 50, she will be my baby girl.  Hannah as well!)

We've been doing a lot of playing outside and catching up on time that it feels like I missed while she was in school.  Both the girls are catching up on their fighting as well.  I'm not sure how many fights I broke up today.

Abby is just about to lose another tooth.  Her top front tooth is just hanging on.  She's been afraid that she will swallow it, but I can't get her to let me pull it.  Hannah would pull it for her too, if she would just let her.

Not too much else going on.  We've had one thunderstorm, after a tornado watch, after tornado warnings here lately.  That's all it's done for about a week now and I have to say, my nerves are about shot from it!  I know if we are all asleep that we will never hear the tornado sirens, so I just stay up until the radar is clear.  It's starting to wear me down!  It's 1:20 in the morning right now and I'm trying to occupy myself until this one gets by.

Abby goes back for her 4th check up after finishing chemo therapy on Thursday.  Please pray that all is well.  I've noticed now that there is down time and that I no longer have to be as strong, that I'm having such a hard time with all of this.  Honestly, I don't understand why kids, or anyone for that matter, has to go through this.  I know that God has a reason for everything, but the memories of my baby being so sick is hard for me to handle these days. 

Hannah was only 1 1/2 years old and I have a hard time remembering her at that age because there was so much going on. (I am embarassed about this, but I guess we did what we had to do at the time.)  I love my girls so much and I would do anything for them!  Maybe what I am feeling is normal, I don't know, I just wish that we could get on with our lives and be normal.  I wish that when the quiet time comes that I didn't sit and think about how sick she was, or how terrified that I am that it will come back.  I wish that I could know that all was going to be ok and enjoy every moment of life.  No worries...

Maybe I'm beginning to be a little human again.  Seems like I had lost feeling and just took each moment as it came and removed myself emotionally.  I guess eventually it catches up, right?  I normally don't ask people to pray for me, because I'm suppose to be tough and have faith in God to take my worries and give me peace, but I need prayers.  I feel like I've not been a very good mommy lately because I'm so bummed all the time.  So please, continue to remember me and James in your prayers as well.

Also, continue to pray for healing for Brooke and Melissa who are both having relapses with leukemia.  Abby's school secretary who is having a relapse with a very rare type of cancer and has 3 children, and a good friend of our family that has recently been diagnosed with Lymphoma.  He is a single father of a teenaged daughter.

Sincerely,

Carrie

Been very busy around here.  Quite the normal life we've been living....rather strange.  Not to much to say actually other than all is well.  Abby is still upset that school is almost over.  I think it is incredible how much she loves learning and school.  I hope it stays that way.

 Well, gotta get Hannah to the eye doctor to make sure her peepers are working the way they are suppose to.

Continue to remember Brooklyn and Melissa in your prayers as they are fighting Leukemia again.

Carrie

Abby had track and field day at school yesterday.  Both of the girls had so much fun.  I had a blast as well.  Abby came in second in one of the races and was very excited to get a ribbon.  This week we are off to the Dairy Farm and the zoo.  Should be fun and Mrs. Diser is letting Hannah go as well since I don't take her to day care.  We just have to follow the bus, that's fine with me since I tend to get sick on them....

Abby was so tired by the time she got home yesterday that she laid down in her comfy spot on the couch and says "mommy, I'm too tired to even go upstairs and lay down".  She was asleep one minute later.  It's so fun to watch her run and act like the other kids!

Well, that's about it.  Please remember a friend of ours daughter Melissa.  She was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 11 and is now 16 and has had a relapse.  I know this is very hard on them.  Also, continue to remember Brooklyn as she's not been feeling very well this past week.

On a lighter note, my bestest friend and her husband have begun their adoption process this week!  I'm so happy for them!  Please pray for guidance and financial blessings during this process as it is incredibly expensive.

Carrie

P.S.  New pics in the photo album

I can't believe how fast time is going these days.  Abby only has 17 days of kindergarten left.  This is still a very touchy subject with her since she pointed out yesterday that 1st graders do not get snack!  The poor thing all teared up again.  I also became aware, yesterday, that next month on June 25th we are half way to Christmas.  UUUGGGHHHH!  I'm sure you all would like to thank me for pointing this out to you!  (Guess I opened myself up for some negative comments there.)

Abby goes back to the doctor next week.  Again, how time does fly these days.  I can't believe that it has been almost a month since the last visit.  She looks forward to going and it's all I can do to get her to leave now.  She would hang out with the nurses and Dr. Al-zein all day if she were allowed to.  I think that is incredible, since one would think she would hate that place.  Guess they are just part of the family now. 

My dad should be on his way home from the hospital.  I'm sure he will be very glad to be home (he's been there for 3 weeks now).  His back surgeries went great, they have his heart under control and he was even able to walk up some stairs at the rehab facility by himself without a walker yesterday.  Please continue to remember him as he still has about 5 months of recovery left.

Things around here are pretty quiet.  Finally, having some nice days and Abby was able to wear shorts to school today!  I still say that it is bunk when there are slight snow showers the last week of April!  (I didn't even realize that it had until James told me it flurried on him at work.)  James is working on edging the sidewalk and I guess I go back to packing boxes.  I've been kind of lazy the last week and haven't accomplished much of anything.  Well, guess that's about it.  Not much to update, but that's the way I like it.  ABBY IS DOING GREAT!

Thanks again for all your prayers and please continue to pray that her body is healed and that she will never have to experience this again.  Also, continue to remember Brooklyn and the other Abby in your prayers.

Carrie