A Farewell to Diana

My Grandma left for heaven last week. She was an amazing human being. She was a young widow and a single mom to four amazing children. She was a role model to all women.We miss her.

She found out she was sick the month before she died. That was a kindness, in a way, but it didn't leave much time to say goodbye. 

We managed to make it to Evanston to visit one more time. 

She was weak but she wanted to get down on the floor and play with the Russian nesting dolls with the kids. So that is exactly what she did. 

She mourned the fact that she couldn't make us lunch. Just a couple months ago, she said, she would have been able to make us a pie. But we didn't want a pie. We just wanted her. 

She watched the kids play in the yard, bemoaned the fact that we were eating lunch from Arby's, and told us stories about when she was a girl. 

For as long as I can remember, every time we would leave her house, she would say, "Would you like a brisket of beef? Would you like an egg sandwich?" There is a story there that I forget. But this time we left without offer of either. She did, however, insist on standing for a picture. She refused to have us gather around her like she was some sort of invalid. 

She hugged the girls one last time. 

Two weeks later she was no longer sick. We joined with family to say goodbye. 

Jane comforted cousin Lucy. 

Emily comforted Jane. 

And we all missed her and admired a life well lived and a woman well loved. 

It's Not Every Day Your Young Lady Turns Eleven

Emily is 11! Now, as we all know, eleven is a very important birthday because it means you are finally old enough to go to Hogwarts. 

Unfortunately, Emily's owl must have gotten lost along the way. But she did get her cake inspired by Hagrid. 

And a mermaid cookie to share with her class. 

She also got tickets to Denver Comic Con. More on that later. 

Happy Birthday kiddo! We love you!

Easter 2017

We love Easter around here. And while we do believe in Jesus, we don't believe in the Easter Bunny. That doesn't stop us from having some good old fashioned Easter Fun. 

We have to dye eggs every year. Because the kids love it and it's a tradition. I love having family traditions. 

We said we weren't going to do any toys this year in the baskets. We wanted the kids to to focus on the reason for the holiday. Besides, they were each getting a movie and a book. Toys just end up underfoot. Saturday night, we relented. That's how I ended up in Walmart at 10:00 the night before Easter combing over what was left of the toys. 

The kids didn't care. They were just happy to have a surprise. 

They picked out their own Easter dresses. They get their sense of fashion from me. Except for when Jane wears leggings with holes in the knees. That's all Chris. 

How much longer will they hunt for eggs? I hope many years to come. But I savor each year, just in case it's the last. 

We rounded out the day with entirely too much ham and a lovely Easter family walk. 

Not pictured: the children who rode on ahead with their scooters. 

Easter is the best. It reminds us that hope is never really lost. 

Goodbye Tonsils

Spring break is usually a time of fun. Winter is slowly dying, school will be done for the summer soon and a week off is incredibly welcome. This year, we threw around a few ideas for some road trips. And then strep hit. Again and again and again. After the third time in 4 months, Emily's doctor decided it was time to get those pesky tonsils out. And spring break would be an excellent time to do it. 

Emily was originally very optimistic and excited for a surgery that would eliminate strep.

But young bodies don't come out of anesthesia very smoothly. And while we tried our best to prepare her for the pain, it still came as a shock.

She spent lots of time on the couch in the mermaid tail blanket Auntie Ami sent. 

And lots and lots of time watching the Great British Baking Show. Here we are watching it on my phone at some totally insane hour of the night or early morning. I'm not sure which. It's all a blur. 

After a few days she was up for mall walking. 

She returned to school after a week with a few ibuprofen in her pocket. Shhhh..... don't tell the school nurse. We are real rule breakers in this house. 

While it was a miserable week, she says it was worth it to stop being sick all the time. I think so too. 

Christmas 2016

This year was a very typical Christmas. But it wasn't. For the first time in three years, we were all healthy. Two years ago, Jane was struck with influenza. Last year... we don't speak of last year. 

We did the same things as always. We had our cake on Christmas Eve...

then kids opened their new pajamas...

and we went to go see lights.

We opened up presents...

and more presents...

and more presents. (Chris was not in a single picture this year. That is a failure on my part. He was there and he participated enthusiastically.)

And we ate our disgustingly sugary breakfast.

It was the same as any other year. And that, in itself is a miracle that I was scared wouldn't happen. 

Sweet 16

Sixteen years ago, Chris and I made a promise. The promise wasn't that things would be perfect or that we would always succeed at everything. The promise was that we wouldn't give up on each other. That promise is still good.

Things have been very different this past year. I swing from the extreme high of "Carpe Diem!" to the fear of being sick again. Because of that, we went on a lot of adventures this year. I am well now and although I have very good odds of continuing to be well, I don't want to put anything off.  

It was a rebuilding year for us. Me trying to be human again and both of us trying to remember how we related to each other before I became a chemo zombie.

We tried to create some great new memories to wipe out the bad. 

We lived, we loved, we celebrated. And we tried not to take a single minute of it for granted. 

There's no one else I would rather rebuild with.

Chris' anniversary gift to me says it all. 

After all this time? Always. 

I love you, Chris. Happy anniversary!

A Very Happy Birthday Baptism

Wow. I haven't blogged since August. My children won't remember their childhood!

But something happened yesterday that was blogworthy. Jane turned 8 and got baptized all in the same day!

I am not great at remembering to take pictures. Especially when things get busy. So here is the scant photo record of this wonderful day:

Chris baptized Jane. It was very touching.

We had so much family here. Isn't this a wonderful picture? My brother's family flew in from Boise. Both of our folks came from Rock Springs. From south of the border, Chris' brother's family as well as my sister's and my sister from another mister, Monica. We are so grateful that everyone was able to make it. 

Jane loves her some cousins! Lucy and Jane had the most tearful parting this side of  a Lifetime movie. It's so great that our kids love each other so much. 

We finished up the night at Texas Roadhouse, where Jane got to sit on the birthday saddle, which was a disappointment because it "didn't go anywhere". It may have not gone anywhere, but you'll go big places, kid. Happy Birthday Jane!