Has it really been over a month since I've posted!! This will be strictly an update, with another post soon to come...


I will just go through the family, how about that?

Mylee celebrated her second birthday a couple months ago. I couldn't help but compare her to Brinley, who was diagnosed a week after her second birthday. It's so hard to believe she was so very young. It made me realize that Brinley "grew up" in treatment for cancer. All the things Mylee can do now; run, jump, play, just be a normal 2 year old, Brinley missed out on. I won't lie, it makes me a little sad.
Mylee has captured all of our hearts with her big brown eyes, curly hair, and adorable personality. She can, however, throw a mean tantrum and knows how to hold her own. I guess you have to to be the youngest.



Brinley is really doing great. We went through some tough times right after treatment with her, mainly in the aggressive department, but it's looking like things are simmering down. I don't know what it was all about, but thankfully she seems like a normal child now. We have been meeting with the psychologist at clinic and he has been very helpful in understanding some things about Brinley. I've noticed she a little on the immature side, and her friends tend to want to play with Jade more than Brinley. They get very easily (usually understandably) frustrated with her. The psychologist said that chemo can slow your maturity level, and many times at this age they see 4 year olds acting like two year olds, lashing out with temper tantrums, hurting and hitting without thinking, etc. He hit the nail on the head. That is exactly how she is acting. Anyhow, the good news is that she should grow out of it quickly. She is getting ready for Kindergarten and can't wait to be a big girl like Jade! Her iron is low, so we are giving her iron supplements to try and get her red blood count up a little. The best news of all, she is really, really happy and healthy. And we are loving it.



Jade has started a karate class that she loves. She recently earned her yellow belt. She had to take a break though, because she broke her collarbone! She was climbing up the side of the bunk bed (probably one of the things pediatricians would outlaw if they could, along with trampolines) and fell right on her shoulder. So she is in a brace for 6 weeks. I'll put the next bit of news in her part because it really is because of her that we.......GOT A DOG! That might be a whoop-ta-doo for some people, but if you know me well at all, you know that I am not a dog person. The last dog we had was terrible, and I had sworn off dogs until at least all of the kids were in school. Jade, well, she is a dog lover. She has talked non-stop about getting a dog for at least a year now. So the opportunity arose to "dog sit" to see if we could handle a dog in the house, and I very reluctantly agreed. Roxy (a Yorkie) won me over right away, not sure if it was the lack of barking, the lack of shedding, the fact that she can sit in my lap, or that she is house trained. Okay, all of that had to happen. She has been perfect so far, and we were able to keep her. You should have seen Jade scream when we told them. It was priceless.




Taylor is really thriving right now. She is so happy and tells me all the time. A far cry from when I was 13, but okay. Great! If I may brag....she is doing great in piano, never argues about practicing, loves going to church and mutual, has a testimony of Jesus Christ, recently got accepted to the National Honor Society for 9th grade (and had applied without us even knowing about it), is still enjoying soccer, even in a more difficult season than usual, has wonderful, good, supportive friends and is completely obsessed with music. She is just happy. Sometimes she comes home from school and says "mom I'm just so happy." I am so happy for her. She is starting to come out of her shell (she can be painfully shy) and it is wonderful to experience. So this is what watching your children turn into adults is like, it seems to be happening right before my eyes. She will be gone in just 4 short years. It is hard to believe.




I really have much more to say, but I am tired and just wanted to get a basic update out there. I will get more on here soon. I was getting some pressure to write something. Sheesh! It's only been, well, over a month. Okay, now you know we are all alive.