Memorial Day

My kids and I, along with my mom, traveled to Ohio after church on Sunday.  It was the first family get together we've had since my Aunt Ellie passed away.  We had a wonderful time!  I had a wonderful conversation with Bob and Kim...if you all are reading this, thanks for the encouraging words and the prayer we had together!  I am excited about what God has in store.  (more about that in another post)

The kids and I visited the Cox Arboretum while we were there.  It is GORGEOUS there!  My camera isn't the best but I did get some cute pics of the kids.

Tuesday morning,  we left from Ohio and went for Kari's clinic appointment.  This was spinal/chemo day and it went smoothly!  Kari has a round of steroids this week but nothing major!  I'm so thankful for the health of my children.  Sounds funny saying that considering Kari has leukemia.  But, seriously, we've been blessed!

We ate lunch and played at the mall where Malachi dropped my iPhone.  It went down completely.  So, I lost a lot of my contacts and info on my phone.  If I miss your birthday, don't text you, or miss an appointment...that's why.   I was able to get another phone the same day so I'm not without a phone.  But I had a LOT of stuff on that phone!  Oh, well.  Minor stuff, all things considering.  :)

The Honored Hero 2012

I think I mentioned a few months ago that Kari was chosen to be part of a very special event this year.  The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's 2012 campaign for their Light The Night walk will be led by Kari!  We have been asked to be part of some luncheons, meetings, and other events that recruit funding for LLS.  This past thursday, we were invited to a breakfast meeting at THE DOWNTOWN LEXINGTON HILTON HOTEL.  I mean, seriously. 

Three things about this:

1.  I teach my children manners and such and they remember the majority of them most of the time.  Sometimes they don't.  I don't like to test such things at places  like the HILTON with executives and big wigs of all types present.  Kari usually does very well at things like that while Malachi tends to not know the difference in the HILTON and the playground at the park.

2. I had to speak.  As in get in front of these people and say stuff about our leukemia journey.

3. We had to be in Lexington ready to meet and greet and take pictures and all that by 7:00.  Which  meant I had to leave my house by 5:30 AM.

I found my way downtown and into the hotel where I was totally intimidated by the "uppity-ness" of it all.  When we arrived, they presented Malachi and Kari with gifts and seated us at the beautifully decorated tables where Malachi proceeded to cover himself up with the linen tablecloth and say, "Mommy, I'm seepy.  I wanna go to seep" and almost pulled the tablecloth off the table. 

However, after they brought plates of eggs, bacon, biscuits, and hashbrowns, Malachi was perfectly content.  Kari sat in her seat with her hands folded in her lap and a smile on her face the entire time.  The perfect princess, if you will.  When the photographer asked her to take pictures with various people that were attending the event, she would smile and go stand beside them and smile her "cinderella" smile.  I was so proud of her!  When it was our turn to speak, someone sat with Malachi and Kari stood with me in front of the podium.  The crowd responded well to us and I hope we get lots of support in terms of corporate funding for LLS! 

I walked away a proud mommy that day!  My courageous daughter and my son who decided to behave nicely for a few hours!  :)

Alabama & Stuff

I'm sorry I kinda left you all hanging the other day with Jess's post.  Last week was a whirlwind of activity and we kinda neglected the blog.  I know.  Shocker! 

We were sent to Birmingham Children's when Kari's fever reached 103.  For those of you that know anything about Leukemia kids, that's very dangerous considering the local hospital in Gadsden let us sit in the waiting room for almost AN HOUR with that kind of fever.  Seriously.  When I got UK on the phone with the hospital, they got the ball rolling so I didn't have to tear someone's head off.  I think Kari's nurse coordinator did that for me.  Oh, how I love UK Children's Hospital.

If that wasn't bad enough, the nurse came in to access Kari's port and she didn't set up her sterile field, didn't put gloves on, nothing.  Just started cleaning the area around the port.  I stopped and questioned her which kinda made her mad.  Then when she started setting up her sterile field she got a huge port needle out and I asked what size it was.  They hadn't even asked me what size Kari needed.  It was 1 1/2 inch needle and Kari needs a 3/4.  Can we say, OHMYWORD???!!!

So, I conferred quickly with the doctor and, since they were already sending us to Birmingham, asked if we could do everything there.  I knew they would repeat everything anyway.  I was relieved when we finally got on the ambulance to head to Birmingham.  It was scary going to an unfamiliar hospital but it had to be better than being around people who had no clue what they were doing.  We gave Kari Tylenol and her fever came down.  By the time we got there, she was talking 100 mph and back to her usual self. 

After checking counts and doing the various tests that they do, UK finally gave them the OK to send us home instead of the 24 hour stay that they originally ordered.  We were so thankful and I know God moved!!!  Thanks for all your prayers!!!  Thanks to all of the Alabama natives who were poised and ready to come visit us at the hospital!  It made my heart smile. 

The rest of our trip was a blast!!  Here are some pictures of our pontoon ride at Frank and Barbara's house.  They live on a lake and it's probably one of the most beautiful areas to live that I've ever seen. 

Followed by a trip to Noccalula Falls!  

This was a very fun place!  I had been a few times but never stayed long enough to go through the park.  The train is wonderful too because you get a nice sit down break that your kids don't mind.  :)

Gadsden also has a great mall.  Kari and I are in love.  The mall itself makes me want to be in Gadsden.  Ha ha!!  Kari and Malachi loved this fountain.  Malachi wasn't as thrilled with the shopping part as he was with the indoor carousel and kiddie rides.  I will post pictures of that when Gammy remembers to send them to me.  :) 

So, altogether, our trip to Gadsden was a blast.  We are all anxious to go visit again!

Last night, the kids and I traveled to church in Brooks, KY to be with Davy, Kelly Jo, and Odie!  We had a wonderful service and wonderful fellowship after! Odie, I love you and it was so good to hug your neck after two years of not seeing you!  Kelly, I think you get more beautiful with age! Davy, I enjoyed the service tremendously!  You all are certainly called of God!  Thanks, Boggs clan, for everything!  We love you all more than we can say!  If we got to see you more often, maybe my kids wouldn't be as....ummm, wild. 

 :)