Perfect Vision

I have heard that when you look back on life you have Perfect Vision.
20/20
You can see your mistakes.

Your happiness.

Your miracles.
Everything Clearly.

So I wanted the kids to look over the past year.

I wanted them to see all the happy things.

Not have a year that they wrote off as a nightmare.

A year of miracles and blessings.

Here is the list of the miracles and blessings that we came up with.

It was great to see through the eyes of my children.

• Made new friends both old and young
• Got to go to girl scouts and sold the most cookies
• Playing at the fun zone at the hospital
• Learned a lot about cancer and surgeries
• Got to work hard
• Learned gratitude for those who help us
• I know my prayers are answered.  Sometimes in silly ways.
• I have faith
• My testimony is much stronger
• I am braver than I thought I was
• I loved my new Grandmas that came every morning
• Went to Disneyland with my cousins
• Tried new foods from neighbors.
• Learned responsibility
• Still had everything that we needed even with expensive bills
• Odette is a fighter and special
• We still got to go to church each Sunday
• We were more healthy this year than normal
• Went to the zoo A LOT
• We can do hard things with the Lord's help
• We are loved unconditionally
• Cancer does and will always suck.

I am sure the list could go on, however that was the end of their attention span. 

I was amazed and humbled by the list of things the kids came up with. 

Truly they are very special spirits.  

Blessing come in all shapes and sizes.

Miracles do happen.

Happiness can be found in difficult times.

Just take a minute to look back with your perfect vision.

First Monday

Today was our very first Monday with Odette being CANCER FREE!  It is kind of a weird feeling after the past 56 weeks of not being so.  Our very thoughtful neighbors brought over a sign that they had people sign on and a big bunch of ORANGE balloons!  How very blessed we are!

 And even though we aren't wearing orange for Odette anymore, there are still plenty of kiddos out their fighting a good fight!  Please continue to show your support for them!

HopeKids

HopeKids is a group that our family has been involved with for a short time.  It has been wonderful and we only wish we would have discovered it sooner.  It is a network of families that have children with life threatening illnesses.  We are able to talk to and be a support to one another.  The other nice thing is that they try and bring HOPE to the families by providing activities for the kids to look forward to.  The activities vary from movies to arcades to ice skating.  The kids absolutely love this group.  Their motto: HOPE IS A POWERFUL MEDICINE is so very true.  This time the kids got to play at My Gym.  What fun they all had just using their imagination and all the fun "toys" they had available! 

What's next?

A lot of people have asked me now that we have our good news...

"What's next?"

I wish it was Disneyland, but there are a few other things that we will be doing first.

Odette will still be on one medicine, Septra, for three more months.

This is to protect her until her counts come up to "normal".

Don't want any yucky bug hindering her.

She still has her port in and will for a few more months.

We will schedule the removal of that at our next visit.

For at least a year we will have monthly blood tests.

This is just to make sure that we catch the leukemia if relapse occurs.

(Of course I pray every night that this never happens.)

After a year, we will still be having check-ups until the 5 year in remission mark.

(Told you cancer care lasted a LONG time!)

We will be trying to get more food in her mouth more frequently.

Not so much just around her mouth.

We will also be trying to get her to drink more--32 ounces is our goal.

Or 600 mL's of liquid and a total of 1000 calories.

Right now, I am lucky to get 4-6 ounces down a day.

Any ideas of what she can just lick and get her full calories?

If we can't convince her to eat good like her big sister, and mother,

We will be planning on a G-tube in August.

Not what I want, but Odette is on her own schedule with what she wants to eat.

And last but not least, we will be PLAYING a whole lot more.

Not too much sunshine though--don't want a sunburn!

If you want to join in the PLAYING, just let me know!

We are up for almost anything 

As long as you can bring sanitizer and a feeding tube along!!

Waiting is Over

The phone rings...

Could it actually be the hospital calling?

It is!

Odette is "clear and perfect"!

She is CANCER FREE!

Way to go Odette!

Thanks to everyone who became our angels, prayed and fasted for us!  We have experienced so many wonderful blessings because of you.  Thanks for helping out with our Miracle! 

Zip a dee doo dah

Ever been in a really long, dark tunnel?

You thought that you would never make it to the end.

Every now and then you think you see a flicker of light, but then it is gone.

That is how a lot of life over the past year has been.

A little flicker of hope, but still complete darkness in the tunnel.

There was no end.

I was never going to make it out into the sunshine...

or so I thought.

And then today

Today, Odette pulled me out of that dark tunnel.

I was completely immersed in sunshine.

From my head to my toes.

The sun was so bright and warm, it dried up all my tears.

My heart was so very full.

I was doing my very happy, happy dance.

I am so very proud of Odette's accomplishment.

She showed me what life was all about.

She helped me learn so much.

And through it all, she has been an AMAZING GIRL

A FIGHTER

MY HERO.

Today Definitely is a

Zip a dee doo dah Day.

Thank you Odette for showing so many of us what life is all about.

Odette with her R.T.U. Buddies.

She was happy when she woke from anesthesia today!

And she was showing off how good she can walk, even on the cold hospital floors.

Odette playing with one of her other friends.

Odette getting her Off Treatment Gift from the Oncology Clinic.

They all sang to Odette.

It was great!!

 And this time, Odette got to ring the bell for being "DONE, DONE"

No more chemo treatments ever.

She has won her fight!

There is plenty of sunshine coming her way!

What a WONDERFUL Day!!

Swim Lessons

Kathleen and Josselyn both got the opportunity to take swim lessons in the middle of June.  They were both very excited to do so.  I was worried about having Josselyn take them because I didn't know if she would behave for the teacher or just want to play and splash in the water.  She has absolutely no fear of the water.  It ended up being great!  Kathleen remembered everything and was braver than she ever has been with water before!  She even learned how to tread water and now thinks the deep water is fun.  Hurray for Kathleen!

Josselyn did well in her class and passed it with flying colors.  She even surprised me and for the most part, except some excited splashing at the beginning of class, listened to her teacher.  I think if she continues, she will be able to be on the swim team in just a few short years!  Yeah for Josselyn!

The Simple Things

I think that whenever you have a life changing event and have to face the uncertainty of tomorrow, there are many things that you actually start to recognize or appreciate.  Many things that at one point in life may have been considered an annoyance are now one of your greatest joys.

• watching my flowers bloom--last year I was looking at white hospital walls and a stop sign out the window.
• lickery kisses every day and not just every few weeks.
• the smell right after rain and even the ability to run around out in the rain.
• holding and rocking a little person in the middle of the night.
• very colorful walls at home that brighten my spirits.
• hugs every night from each of my family members.
• a fridge in my house to cook whatever, whenever I want to.

Make sure you don't have to have a life threatening experience in order for you to recognize and appreciate the simple things.

Walking Fool

A week ago Odette decided to start letting go of the furniture and would take a step and fall over.  I was so excited, but figured that we had a good month until she would really be walking.  Well, she proved me wrong.  She doesn't crawl anywhere anymore.  She walks until she falls over and jumps right back up and starts over again.  She is so funny, waving her arms all over and saying whats sounds like "woe" the whole time!  The nurses said at the hospital that once Odette was out of there and chemo was less she would develop quickly.  They definitely weren't kidding!  She is a walking fool!

Independence Day

The Fourth of July has always had a special place in my heart.

Maybe it is because:

• It's the day after my birthday.  I have always joked that all the fireworks were for me.
• I absolutely love my country.  Wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
• I love patriotic music!
• The spirit I feel and the goosebumps I get when I see a flag at the beginning of a parade.
• It is an excuse to sew matching clothes for my kids.  (I can still get away with this only on the fourth of July with the older kids.)
• Celebrating the men and women who fight for our freedoms we enjoy is an honor.  Thank you to all of them who do what I can't do!
• I LOVE fireworks.  Someday I may make it to the Stadium of Fire.

This year I have a new reason to add to my list.

Our family is celebrating another type of freedom.

Today, Odette is free from her chemo drugs!

She got her last dose this morning.

Another great reason celebrate today!