First Day of School 2013

What I Have To Say

I was just picking up some papers from the top of my dresser & found a note I had written during Glenn's chemo.  Several times during the six months he was having infusions I had dreams that he passed away in different ways.  None of which had to do with the actual cancer.  In one of these dreams I had to leave to do something while he was having his infusion and when I got back the chair he had been in was empty & the nurses explained to me that he had had a heart attack & they couldn't save him.  This dream was the worst one and the one I remember very vividly.  It rocked me to my core.  I knew there were risks with the chemo & that it may not even be effective, but I tried so hard to keep my mind from wandering to the dark side.  My subconscious wasn't trying to stay positive.

On one of his infusion days I did have to leave before he went into the infusion room to run an errand.  I was trying so hard to keep the memories of this dream at bay.  I ran the errand and came back to find that he had just barely been hooked up to all the IVs & stuff.  When I walked up the nurse told me that I had just missed all the excitement.  My face must have shown just how terrified I was because Glenn quickly reassured me that they just had a difficult time getting his lines in.

That evening after everyone had gone to bed I broke down in tears and wrote this:

To this dark and evil cancer
Here is what I have to say to you,
This wife needs her husband
These children need their father
His parents need their son
His siblings need their brother
This world need a warrior
So many need this friend
Cancer cannot have him!
Cancer will NOT win!!

I am so glad his infusions are done.  I am so glad he is currently cancer free.  I am so glad he is still here with us.  I am so glad that cancer did not win!

And It's Begun

The coldest and LOOOONGEST season hit us in the night!

Maggie got out of bed and immediately went to look outside.

She was so happy to see that it had FINALLY snowed.

I don't really know where she came from.

Could my child actually like the cold & snow?

Apparently!! She rushed through her breakfast & found every piece of warm

clothing possible.  She was so excited that she was

even nice & helpful getting Zoe ready to head out the door.

Wyatt was so bummed that he wasn't going to be able to go outside.

He keeps telling me he wants to go somewhere.

Sorry, Buddy!  Not happening!! 

As soon as he saw the snow he said he wanted to make a snowman.

He demonstrated how he was going to make his snowman, but

what he was doing was making a snow ANGEL.

Still not going outside!! 

They got ready so fast that there were several minutes to spare before the bus arrived.

They all sat on the couch and watched it snow.

I do enjoy watching the world get overed with a fluffy blanket of white.

It is beautiful...until the cold hits you upside the head!!

Our Park City Getaway..End Of Chemo Part III

A few weeks ago after one of Glenn's chemo treatments, Mandi had a question for me.  She asked if I would watch her kids for a few nights next spring while she & Justin take a kid free vacation.  Of course I will!!  However, she felt the need to sweeten the deal.  She offered to get us a couple of nights in Park City as "payment" in advance.  Well...if you insist!!

She arranged for us to stay in one of the cottages at Hotel Park City.  It was so beautiful.  It was dark and rainy the night we got there, but look what we woke up to Saturday morning...

This creek ran right past our balcony.  I loved listening to it's calming sounds. 

Although it was a tad chilly we still enjoyed being outside in the fresh mountain air

The mountains kept peeking out from the fluffy clouds all day

The front of our cottage looked out over the golf course.  The fall colors were amazing, but difficult to capture on my little point and shoot camera.  I want to go back!

The room was so beautiful.  It had a small kitchen, living room, laundry closet, large bathroom & seperate bedroom.  Oh and three fireplaces!  It was awesome!! 

I forgot the hot tub on the balcony outside the bedroom.  So nice! 

Our second night we ate at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse inside the hotel.  OH MY!  It was so good.  I'm not much of a steak eater, but I'd go back anytime. 

We decided to walk through the main hotel on our way to the restaurant so we could check it out.  Glenn helped build this hotel, 10 years ago, and we hadn't been back since it was competed so we really wanted to see the finished product.  We walked down a long hallway and Glenn said in a creepy voice behind me "redrum".  I was ready to walk a little faster after that! But I did have to take a picture on the way back out.  At least we didn't see the ghosts of twin girls anywhere.

We had a great time & got to relax for two days without worrying about our kids.  I felt so comfortable that they were in good hands and having a good time that it was easy to just enjoy the silence & the scenery.

Thank you Mandi for such an incredible gift!!

Not only for the free time, but for also taking care of our kids!

You have been such a great support to us through this most difficult year.  I'm not sure how we can ever repay you.  We are so grateful for all you have done!!

End of Chemo...Part II

Everyone we know wanted to do something fun to celebrate Glenn's final chemo treatment.  We celebrated with family in Provo the day after his last treatment and I had planned a surprise party for the following weekend in Evanston with our friends.  We were so happy that some of our family also came up for this shindig.  Mandi & her girls came up so she could be our photographer and Tanaya & Talayna came up to help us say goodbye to chemo.

My plan was to see if one of the nurses at Huntsman would be willing to help me get some I.V. bags that we could fill with water for Glenn to shoot.  That plan worked really well!  The nurse I spoke to was all over it.  She loved the idea and got me four bags already full of solution and some syringes to be able to shoot dye into them if we wanted to.  So far the plan was coming together.

The next step was to involve our friends.  We set up a "girls night out" so my friends and I could plan the event while the men had a "guys night out" to get Glenn out of the picture.  Well it turns out that we all ended up at the same restaurant.  The odds of that happening were pretty good since we only have a handful of restaurants here.  Luckily the men were seated upstairs and we were down so it worked out well.

All the ladies (Karleen, Melissa & Courtney) were great and got the plans all worked out.  I would get Glenn there and they would have everything else taken care of.  I was so nervous that I would say something wrong and Glenn would figure it out.  I guess I pulled it off because he was pretty surprised.

I told him that we needed to take the girls shooting since they hadn't been able to go hunting with Glenn, but Wyatt had.  The trap was set and he fell for it!!

He knew we were going to be meeting the Taylor's, but was surprised to see so many others there.  Everyone yelled surprise as he got out of the car...

This was a good surprise!  The smile gives it away!!

Lucky for us both the Taylor's work for the Wyoming Department of Transportation (or something like that) and they were able to get old construction signs and flags to use for the targets.  The I.V. bags were just for Glenn.  The balloons were for the kids.  Some had glitter in them so they looked really cool when they got shot.

A happy face that has said "see ya!" to chemo!!

All the kids shooting at the balloons...(Wyatt was the first to shoot one)

The kids had lots of fun with all the balloons...

I have about a hundred more photos, but didn't want to put them all on here.  If anyone (Karleen, Melissa, Courtney, Krista) wants copies let me know!!

Goodbye Rapunzel

Maggie has been begging us for months to cut her hair.  We have refused.  We're mean that way.  That's how she felt anyway.  We wanted her to grow her hair out to get it even from the two times she cut it herself and to let her bangs grow out.  She hasn't been impressed with this reasoning so the begging has continued.  I even told her that if she grows it long enough that she would be able to donate what was cut to help make wigs for people that have lost their hair during chemo treatments like her Dad.  That worked for about two days and then the begging began again.

She started in on us during one of our trips to Mom & Dad's after a chemo treatment & Zoe chimed in saying she wanted to cut her hair too.  This was the first time I heard her say she wanted it cut.  Usually she would scream and throw a fit if we suggested she cut it.  She wanted to be Rapunzel and it seamed like she was.  It took so long to brush her hair and she would cry and get upset because it hurt.  I had to keep telling her that it hurt to be a princess.  She would still cry.  So once I heard her say she wanted it cut I decided we better jump on it while it was her idea and not mine.  However, I wanted to wait until after school pictures.  I was hoping she would still be up for it.  She was!

before: September 17, 2012

Maggie saw this magazine cover & immediately wanted this cut...

She was so ready & excited to get in that chair

during: September 21, 2012

after: September 29, 2012

Rapunzel before: September 17, 2012

during: September 21, 2012

looking a little nervous

after: September 29, 2012

Three cheers for short hair!!

End of Chemo!

It's finally done!!

Glenn's final chemo treatment was on Friday, September 28, 2012 and we were ready to party!

As this day got closer lots of people we talked to wanted to get together and celebrate this major milestone with us.  We decided to take our celebration to the Pizza Factory and enjoy their delicious food & fun bread twists.

Back row: Dad, Glenn, Necia w/Wyatt, Mandi, Mom

Front row: Kinley, Zoe, Sadie & Maggie

We were so happy to have Zack & his family join us

Kyler, Kelsie, Sandy & Zack

Around the kid table left to right: Zoe, Sadie, Wyatt, Maggie, Kinley, Kaylie & Kadan (Zack's youngest two)

Mandi brought Glenn a bunch of balloons & one said "You Rock"

I agree.  Glenn pretty much rocks!

Maggie supports her Dad & Cancer awareness!

Zoe is rockin' blue for her Dad!

Wyatt's hero is named Dad!

I love my man & I am so glad he has made it through this difficult time with as little drama & sickness as possible.

Our hero & chemo grad!  You are the best & we love you so much.  How about you stick around a while longer?!