The short take...

We're enjoying a crazy summer (already), before Kate starts Kindergarten (ALREADY!!?) this fall. Our kids are so much fun, and we are SO blessed!

If you want to browse our pictures, you can do so at our new Google Picasa album).

March 19, 2008

Honey continues to do so much better than anyone could dare to hope- the doctor came in last week and went around talking to everyone in the immediate family one-on-one, and when it came Honey's turn, they explained that this was the time she could ask any questions she wanted, if she had any. She thought a moment and said, "No, I don't think so...except how I can get better". The doctor told everyone when he was leaving that he couldn't believe where she was, and that it was time to start re-considering their options for long-term care! If it is indeed cancer, she could go suddenly and at any time, but she just may hold on for quite a while yet, which, needless to say, is wonderful news! Her attitude is just great (and largely to credit for how well she's doing, besides all the prayers and God's grace for us), and the fact that she's not in nearly as much pain as she was for a while (when the spasms were occurring more than once a day) makes every day an unmitigated blessing.

Unfortunately, we haven't been able to get up there as much this last week as we'd like to have; besides being quite busy (Michael spent some longer hours at work, but finally managed to get a few projects out the door, including our church expansion!), Kate got sick at the end of last week, mainly just with a fever, but there were a few times she was so miserable she just did nothing but scream. But she's all over that now, and when we do manage to get up and see Honey again, we've got a new development to show off...Kate actually, really crawled a few steps for the first time on Sunday, and since then has kept getting better at it and going farther and farther! So yes...our life is really about to change; it's great though! She's so happy with being able to get to other toys on the floor now!

Kate's started at a new babysitter's this week- another one of our close friends who stays home most days with their son has started watching her so our last babysitter's family is free to go and pick up their new adopted son from Vietnam when they get the call. It's nice too, because they live very close to our house, so we can just drop her off on the way to work. As far as we know, she'll be here until she starts preschool at the school when she's about a year old (only 4-1/2 short months away)!

So, that's all for now- we'll keep you updated on her condition, as well as Kate and absolutely anything she does, being the proud parents we are! Thanks for stopping by!

March 11, 2008

By way of keeping you up-to-date with Honey's condition, here's an e-mail dad sent out almost a week ago (5 March):
Again thank you for all your prayers. We have settled into a comfortable situation at home. When we first got home, we lost a little ground the first week with us really expecting a passing last Saturday morning. That afternoon however, she began a little rally and has maintained that through tonight. She sleeps well all night and then is awake and quite responsive during the day. On several days (today being one of them) she is able to walk (with a great amount of help in balance) across the living room and sit up in her chair for several hours. She is drinking a fair amount of water and a small amount of protein drink.

We have to remember that we are home under hospice care and can only expect that end (maybe in a few weeks rather than a few days). However with the rally there is a glimmer of hope in healing and continued work towards that end. We are reminded that each good day is another blessing and we are very thankful for each and every one of them. Mom sends her love to each and every one of you that have asked to be reminded to her.


Since that e-mail, she has done nothing but get stronger - they've been taking her for 'walks' clear around the block in her wheelchair, and though she gets tired, she's spending much of her day awake, reading or watching TV - often even sitting up in her chair. She's eating foods closer to solids now and has had very few spasm 'episodes' recently, but everyone's worried that she's still not getting enough protein to maintain this rally indefinitely. Still, the extra time with her has been a real blessing, and she loves watching Kate play on the ground up there when we visit.

And on the subject of Kate (you knew it had to come around, right?), she's started doing a little 'inchworm' move to get to who or what she wants to - so close to crawling, but she always keeps at least one hand as an anchor, so she hasn't done a real 'crawl' yet. But when she wants, she'll get up on her knees, lean forward and lunge forward onto her chest again, moving a few inches at a time. Up at Papa and Honey's the other day, she made it halfway across their living room in the course of 30 minutes or so!

Well, we'll keep you posted on new developments, and we'll get those pictures we promised uploaded soon! Hope to hear from you all soon!

March 05, 2008

Spring has arrived! It's warm, but hard to feel under the wind. All three of us are healthy again, and Kate is causing no small commotion every time she gets up on her knees and rocks a bit before moving her legs forward a crawl-step or two! OK, I guess sometimes she falls down too, instead of moving forward, but she's so pleased with herself at being able to move a bit! She can't often seem to remember how to get everything to work together at the same time though, so she'll end up trying to swim across the floor on her belly again. It's fun watching her, but she refuses to sit still ever anymore! Of course, once she's really crawling, we'll be wishing for the days of a squirmy (but mostly stationary) baby, as we run after her and try to keep all the dog toys away from her.

Honey is doing marvelously, considering everything. She's weak, but she's getting her determination back, bit by bit. This weekend, dad slept on the couch in the living room with her in case she needed anything, and awoke in the morning to find she'd gotten herself out of bed and over to the couch, and was now sitting next to him with a twinkle in her eye. We take Kate up to visit her as much as we can, and she just loves watching her play on the floor and the brief moments Kate allows herself to be held up on the bed. Daniel's been out here for the past week and a half, and has really been able to bless her with his nearly continuous presence as well.

Thank you all for your prayers- we'll continue to request them on behalf of Honey and her health, as well as our family as decisions have to be made and emotions dealt with.

Happy March, and we'll be getting pictures up as we can. TTFN!