Yellow Snow?

It finally snowed this month!  This has been a VERY mild winter, which is great for trips back and forth to the clinic.  What it's not so good for are snowball fights, sledding and building snowmen.

So when we finally got an inch of wet, sticky snow I bundled Blake up and we hurried outside to have some fun before it melted.

I put some colored water in a squeeze bottle and let him jazz up the two tiny snowmen that we built.

The little artist at work.

So we ended up with these two beauties.  The yellow one did make me giggle.  Wonder what our neighbors thought?

Kids 'N Kamp

On Monday we attended our first event with a charity that sponsors fun family times for pediatric cancer patients.  It was a Valentine's party with pizza,

mini-bowling,

arcade games,

and great success at the giant claw game, which gave us not one, but TWO humongous bouncy balls. 

There was a real sense of family among the people there.  One of the group leaders, and mother of a child with cancer, told me that it's the club that nobody wants to be part of.  They hold monthly Mom's Night Out events and I'm hoping to be able to attend one soon.  It will be great to talk with people who can relate to the ups and downs.

LOVE

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.  1 John 4:18

Every holiday has an added layer of meaning this year.  In the midst of our yearly tradition of making a treat to send to family, I gave my littlest Valentine quite a few extra hugs and kisses.  I'm convinced that children can begin to learn and experience the love of the heavenly Father through their parents unconditional love.  We are praying that peace will come from the security Blake knows in our love, and that this peace will overcome his fears.  There was a lot of love mixed in with these sweets.

 

Red Velvet cake pops!

Dipping the pops in chocolate candy coating.

I've finally discovered a no fail way to dip my cake pops.  I melt the candy coating discs in a coffee mug.  The handle isn't hot to the touch.  The container is so small that the coating pushes up and around the cake without the need for spinning or twisting, which is what makes them fall apart.  I don't have the patience to make these pops very often, but this helped a little with my frustration.

Ready to sprinkle!

What a great assistant.

Target had these adorable "boyish" treat bags in the $1 bins.  Blake has always loved monkeys and will only be seen in the "robot hat" that I made him earlier this year, so I knew these little bags would bring a smile to the grandparent's faces.

All ready to be shipped to the grandparents, uncles and aunt :)

And...WE were also on the receiving end of quite a few lovely Valentine packages.

 Bev sent us a plethora of packages full of all kinds of fun Valentine surprises.  And my grandma sent a delicious box of Esther Price chocolates.  With wonderful family like this, no wonder I've always loved this special February day!

Lions & Ice Cream & Juggling, Oh My!

As January fades into February each year, we join with fellow pastors from all corners of the state to enjoy a retreat.  It's definitely my favorite event for our family.  Partly because it's held at Kalahari, the nation's largest indoor water park - enough said!  Even better is that we have the chance to relax and hang out with old and new friends.

The African theme lends to some larger than life bronze statues of the native wildlife.  Blake loved this lion in particular.

 Thankfully, the retreat fell at the end of a two week break from chemo.  This break allows Blake's body to recover from the assault the medicines take on his system.  By the time we packed up to head to the resort, he was full of energy and excitement.

Is that ice cream causing a smile or brain freeze?!

I was looking forward to the chance to see my friends, but also for Blake to have fun with other kids his age.  During all of the services for adults, the kids attend a "PK Reatreat."  He was very nervous about going each night.

Preschool PKs.  Blake is playing with an airplane.
 

Because I stuck with him in his classes this year (to help him avoid kids who were feeling sick) I watched firsthand as he slowly warmed up.  He is going through so much, but he's still a kid.  Despite the grumpiness that comes with getting twice daily shots and drinking yucky medicine, the allure of playing with friends won him over.  He even went on stage with all of the kiddos wearing his "iamapk" shirt.  He didn't sing, BUT he did give us a couple of huge smiles.

Spot the little bald head in the second row.

Standing behind his friend Bryson, and smiling at Mom

Steve coordinates the details of this event.  He also decided to enter the evening talent show with his good friend, and college roommate, Jesse Cook.  They attempted several "feats of strength"/circus tricks.  It was pretty funny, but the moment that made me laugh the hardest occurred when they met to practice their tricks earlier in the day.  I'm still not sure what was supposed to happen, but what did happen was that Steve landed face first on the carpet with Jesse on top of him.  He has an impressive rug burn on his face, along with a possible concussion.  But the show must go on!

The Amazing Acrobats of CBC

This week was a definite bright spot for our month of January.  We had FUN!  That is a pretty big deal these days.  The overriding theme of the Holy Spirit's message to me this far has been "Choose faith, not fear."  Currently, I am sensing God's leading to allow joy to overtake each day.  That's a tall order sometimes, but I'm learning more about what that really means.  This is one area where my son is leading the way for me.  The huge smiles he gives me are a beautiful reminder that weeping may last for a night, but joy comes with the morning.

Rescued

In 2011 I have been sustained and Blake has been rescued.  From swallowing coins, to breaking a leg, and now battling cancer, our little guy has given us several heart pounding moments during 2011. 

As a mother of a boy I feel as though I'm constantly searching for ways to give him more freedom and create experiences that allow him to explore and burn off that overabundance of energy he was born with.  Yet, every time he scrapes a knee or pulls off some ridiculous stunt, I'm left wishing I could wrap him in bubble wrap and hold his hand every moment of every day.

But the truth is, I can't protect him from everything, and especially not from cancer.  That is both completely terrifying and relieving all at once.  Sure, it's my job to make him eat his vegetables, wear a helmet and stay out of danger, but it's his heavenly Father who is watching him at every moment.  He is acutely aware of each move this little guy makes.  His heart is attuned to every hair Blake has lost.  He has a plan for my son's precious life.

In the midst of the swirling current of medical treatment and haunting thoughts that would seek to pull our family down, the Holy Spirit has reminded me of a chapter of the Bible I have always loved.  In 2012 I commit to cry out to God and trust Him for our protection at every turn.

Jonah Chapter 2:
^{1 [a]}From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. ² He said:
   “In my distress I called to the LORD,
   and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
   and you listened to my cry.
³ You hurled me into the depths,
   into the very heart of the seas,
   and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
   swept over me.
⁴ I said, ‘I have been banished
   from your sight;
yet I will look again
   toward your holy temple.’
⁵ The engulfing waters threatened me,^[b]
   the deep surrounded me;
   seaweed was wrapped around my head.
⁶ To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
   the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, LORD my God,
   brought my life up from the pit.
 ⁷ “When my life was ebbing away,
   I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
   to your holy temple.
 ⁸ “Those who cling to worthless idols
   turn away from God’s love for them.
⁹ But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
   will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
   I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’”
 ¹⁰ And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Birthday Bash!

Christmas of 2011 was full of beautiful memories.

Christmas Eve saw our first birthday bash - for Dad!

Blake made a pinata, covered in stickers and filled with little candies.  This was totally his idea!

Christmas morning we celebrated the birth of our Savior by reading the Christmas Story.

Playing with one of Blake' favorite gifts - a remote controlled helicopter!

In awe of the helicopter.

Pure joy as he plays an airplane game on the Wii - his gift from Steve and I.

These two had a great time picking on each other all day.

Mr. Espresso Connoisseur excited about his new frothing pitcher.

Christmas dinner!

Birthday bash #3 for Terry on the day after Christmas.

Making a "Papaw Terry" birthday gingerbread man.

He loved this.

Blake spent most of the evening disguised as a transformer - a gift from Mom.

Faithful Friends

Over the last few weeks we have had so many friends and family members rally to show their support.

 These photos are just the few we grabbed on our camera.  The grandmas took dozens more.

 They brought us food and picked out adorable gifts for Blake. 
 They've made us smile and given hugs when we cry.

Sporting their own "Beards for Blake"

Modeling one of my hat creations :)

 There have been phone calls, voicemails, texts and facebook messages that have come at just the right moment, containing just the right words.

And we have been spurred on in our faith through the prayers, Scriptures and words of Life reminding us of our great hope for Blake's future.

Blake with my cousin, Jason, who also survived a childhood Wilm's tumor.  A tumor was growing on his kidney and had spread to his heart.  Thirty years after surgery, radiation and chemo he is a walking bundle of hope and a testimony to the power of Jesus Christ.  So many prayers were offered up for him many years ago, just as we are doing today for Blake!  Praise God that He is greater than any diagnosis!

 Thank you for joining us on this journey.  We are all witnessing the power of God at work in this strong little boy.