The Waiting is Over

I have anxiously awaited Feb. 24th, 2011 for a looooong time.  

Today I can FINALLY say that my sweet Bronny is in.....

REMISSION!

Feb. 24th, 2006

Current.  Isn't she just lovely?  :)

Bronwyn had one of the slowest growing tumors out there, called an astrocytoma (because the cells are shaped like stars.)  Slow growing is definitely preferable, and is the reason we had to wait 5 years to really know that the nasty bugger was out of our lives.  

Brain tumors are graded on a scale of 1 to 4.

1:  Totally benign.  Take 'em out and move on.

2:  90% of the time are benign, come back about 10% of the time.

3 and 4: Always come back and spread to other body parts.  Not good.

After her surgery, EVERYONE was POSITIVE that Bronwyn's tumor was a one.  We went home assuming we would never go back.  That our lives would go on normally, aside from our long weekend at Primary Children's hospital, and Bronwyn's new head that now looked like a baseball.  But...

Several days later our neurosurgeon called to inform us that her tumor was actually a TWO.  While better than a 3 or 4, it wasn't what we wanted to hear.  We then learned that if it did come back, it would come back as a 3 or a 4.  Definitely not what we wanted to hear.

I remember laying on my bed with Todd, both of us sobbing.  This news seemed harder to handle than the original shock of the brain tumor.  So since that day in bed we have been waiting...

For 5 years.

Through 14 MRI's

Through HARD years helping Bronwyn deal with the trauma of medical situations.

But you know what?

We made it!

She made it!

I have had a lump in my throat all day!  Couldn't be more grateful.  Couldn't feel more blessed.

To celebrate reaching the 5 year mark, we are hoping all of our friends and family will donate at least $5 to the American Cancer Society; in honor of Bronwyn or whoever you know that has dealt with cancer.

Click here to donate.

And most importantly, THANK YOU for supporting us the past 5 years.  Thank you for your prayers, your kind word, and your love.  We have felt it.

So far this week:

This week I have:

Said goodbye to my best friend.
Finished up a Music Birth Class series.
Taught 5 zumba classes.
Supported a client through an all night birth.  7 pm to 6 am.
Caught Bronwyn up on homework for missing 3 days of school.
Wiped alot of runny noses!
Drank alot of diet coke!

This week I have not:
Slept.
Eaten well.
Seen my husband.

Looking forward to the weekend and my Valentine's Date with Todd tonight.  Blue Door Cafe, here we come!

2011... my thoughts so far...

We started out 2011 getting the news that our best friends were moving.  Not cool.  Sure, it was a little expected.  But when you hear the definite "yes", no amount of preparation can take away the sting.  Add on top of that the fact that we have all been super sick and barely functional for weeks now, and that about sums up how much I am hating 2011!  So far, one of the worst years of my life.  Sure, sure; it's been a great year so far for zumba and music birth.  But you know the quote "No success can compensate for failure in the home"?  I'm changing it to "no success can compensate for an aching heart".  Doesn't matter.

I thought I would be spending late nights talking and packing boxes.  Being physically and emotionally helpful.  Instead I have done NOTHING but try to survive my own miserable days at home.  UG.

This video just about sums up how things are going at my house.

Holiday Extravaganza!

Our Christmas Break was a whirlwind of family, friends, food, gifts, games, and of course, a Christmas cough.  On our drive down to Orem we swung through Pocatello to eat lunch with one of my favorite friends ever: Nicki!  It was so good to see her!  Too short, as always.  But better than nothing.

Then it was a 5 day party at my mom's house!

Harris won the gingerbread building contest.  His was the only house that didn't fall apart!  Note the REAL gingerbread.  Could my mom be any more talented?  Unlikely!

Family picture on Christmas Eve.  Poor Ty, he was so miserable!

My blog still won't let me upload vertical pictures, GRR!  But I'm still posting this one because it's so cute!

Ty is so obsessed with Dogs, he even wants to eat like one.  He kept putting his M & M's on a book and eating them like this!

One thing Hilary and I really wanted was for our mom to teach us to make cinnamon rolls, and they were delicious!  I am horrible at rolling up the dough.  Humiliating really. 

It was a wonderful Christmas!  Tons of work to travel with 3 kids and all their loot, but totally worth it.  When I was a kid I LOVED staying at my grandparents' homes over the holidays.  I loved all treats everywhere and all the family members I only got to see once or twice a year.  Now my kids are having those experiences, and I just love it!  And who would have thought my side of the family would be so big?!  All the new cousins and aunts and uncles made the experience even better.  Plus, there is always a helping hand, which is awesome for me!  :)

If I end up in Hell...

Today I discovered what my own personal Hell would be...  A non-moving line in Walmart.  My shopping experience today was so tortuous, it deserves a blog post before I even upload pics of Christmas and New Year's!

I have always picked the slow line.  I am magnetically pulled to the line that takes twice as long as any other line in the store.  So when I walked to the checkout area of Walmart today and saw that there were at least 5 people in each line, I knew I was in BIG trouble.  I randomly chose one, but kept my perception up as I checked out the lines around me.  Quickly I jumped ship and ran into another line.  Only two before me, SCORE!

While the line started forming behind me, the lady in front of me looked like she was about to go postal as she explained she had been in line for 30 minutes.  The reason for the long wait:
COUPONERS

Now, I know many of my dear friends cut coupons, so don't take offense.  But it seriously takes so long to get through the line with coupons.  And while this woman was happy to waste all of our time so she could get processed food for free, all I could think about was how I would happily PAY DOUBLE for my groceries if it meant I could be at the front of the line!

Without so much as an apologetic look over her shoulder, I honestly feared for this woman's life when, and if, she ever finished paying for her groceries.  The family in front of me was just what you would expect at Walmart:  Frumpy, Sloppy, Loud, Unruly kids, and a cart filled with fruit punch and fritos.  Their behavior alone made me embarrassed to even be there.  I really am going to Hell, aren't I?

I scanned for another line, and to my dismay no one in any of the lines near to me had moved at all either!  Did every line have a crazy coupon lady at the front?  And every cart was filled to the brim.  Was everyone else stocking up for the new year like I was?

I kept waiting for a charismatic TV host to jump out and tell us we were all part of a sick social experiment.  But no, this was real life.  Could there be anything more volatile that a line that doesn't move?

And the only way to bring about the change the world needs is to STOP SHOPPING AT WALMART!

Seriously.  I am willing to pay more for organic foods.  So why am I not willing to pay for them at a different store?  Today I had to literally wait in line to go down the grocery aisles.  I had to search for what I wanted because everything I needed today was in dire need of being restocked.  Then I had to stand in line and risk my blood pressure, just to save a few dollars by shopping in Hell?  I mean Walmart.  Not worth it!

But somehow through all 34 minutes of waiting in line, all 3 of my kids behaved.   This was largely due to the old bag of licorice I found in my purse, leftover from taking the kids to the movies over a week ago.  But still.  No one cried, got in a fight, whined, or had to use the bathroom.  A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

December Mash-Up!

Holy Cow, we have been having soooo much fun!  We haven't had a second of down time all month long.  Here are some highlights....

1:  Bronwyn turned 6!

It's hard to believe that she is 1/3 done with her childhood!  Bronwyn was so excited for her birthday!  She was beaming all week in anticipation.

2:  Time with Friends
Bronwyn isn't the only one who got to party.  Todd and I have been having a blast with our friends!

3.  The kids have had fun with their friends.

4:  We had a music party with Todd's Parents

(Going for the record of most instruments played at one time!)

5:  We had an awesome ward party!

All the primary kids dressed up as something from the Nativity.  Our girls loved being angels!

6.  Last, but not least... Magsy had a school Christmas Program.

PHEW!  And we're only half way through the month! 

Aren't We Lovely?