Maintenance update

Just a real quick update, Kaitlyn's counts were mid 100's so we need to wait one more week.. We do thank God though because both Heather and Madeline have been a lil sick the past two weeks and Kaitlyn didn't contract anything. I'd take her health over a week or two of waiting any day


Thanks again for your constant support and prayer.

Happy New Year!!

Ten Things We are Thankfull for From 2006

1.) Our family & friends
2.) That Kaitlyn is so strong
3.) Snuggle times
4.) God teaching us so much
5.) Sisters
6.) Choc and it's staff
7.) Joy
8.) God's never ending blessings
9.) Tickle attacks
10.)Making it threw eight months

* We find out tomorrow if Kaitlyn's counts are ok to start maintenance. We will let you all know when we get to that stage and how that will go. Thank you all so much for all your prayers! We have made it so far and God has walked beside us the entire time....
We know 2007 will be a better year :)
Thank God!! 

Figgy Pudding

Here is Kaitlyn singing "we wish you a merry Christmas"

The last line is her version of "bring us some figgy pudding"
Heather and I crack up EVERY time she sings this

press play above

Kaitlyn is getting really close to maintenance, her counts have to be 750 by next Tuesday the 2nd and her counts are at 380 now, so she has a little ground to make up, but if she doesn't by then it actually wont be that uncommon.


Please pray for her these next few days, that she wont get sick and her immune system gets better get better

Thanks to EVERYONE's for the support and prayers. We hope your holidays were terrific!

Kaitlyn can swallow pills now!!

Kind'of wierd that we get excited about this, but kaitlyn is now a professional "pill swallower"

Kaitlyn the POP STAR

From her recient cover photo shoot


Rockin out the shades























.
Kaitlyn is invented the
3 finger peace sign!!

























This is the Blue Steel!
























Then there was Miss Sophistication

Kaitlyn at the clinic

Press play above

This is Kaitlyn at the clinic. We are so excited to be moving forward in our treatment. This last month has been hard. Kaitlyn had a rash (so I thought) on her front and back, waist area. We had already been delayed one week because her counts were low and then she developed this rash that was really hurting her bad! She normally doesn't complain even when they are poking her with needles so when she was crying out in tons of pain I knew something was wrong. She ended up getting a fever early Sunday morning and we rushed her to the hospital. She was diagnosed with shingles which is in the chicken pox family. If you have Leukemia and get chicken pox or shingles it can be extremely serious. God was with us the entire time.
They quarantined Kaitlyn and would not allow Eric or Madeline to come and see her at first. They were telling us it would be at least 3weeks. Those were dark moments! I was litterly sitting in the dark, Kaitlyn asleep in the bed next to me and I flipped open my daily devotional for that very day and it said "when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." I felt week at that moment, I called out to Him and He spoke to me! I will never forget that moment!! God's peace continued to steal over us!! Thank you to all that heard and prayed!

Kaitlyn time and time again amazes us and the Dr.'s! After only five days she was scabbing over and healing wonderfully!! Thanksgiving day they allowed Eric and Madeline to see her and to our surprised let us go home!! It was such a huge answer to prayer! We were so overjoyed to be able to spend part of Thanksgiving at home! Just to be in our own home with our girls close by to hug and love is more than Eric and I could have ever wished for!!
This clip was just this last week when we had a nine hour day at the clinic. Christy Campo, who is a child life worker at the hospital who helps kids deal with going through a traumatic time, was sent from God! She and I went to church together in college and it is such a blessing every time we see her!! Kaitlyn adores her and in this clip she is helping her to clean and give medicine to her baby just like they do to her.....Thank you Christy we love you!! (George is the IV machine

Few Photos

Just thought I would upload a few photos of Kait-Kait from 2nite

Quick Little Update

Maddie and I are headed to the hospital for thanksgiving with Mommy and Kaitlyn.

It turns out that Kaitlyn had Shingles and the Chicken Pox at the same time.. (both REALLY tough to deal with while you are undergoing chemotherapy). I had a small rash under my arm so they said I couldn't see her until it was ruled out. As of yesterday I had not been able to get the results from the lab, but thank God, our Dr. gave me permission to see her because even if I was positive, the antibiotics I have been on would have made me non-contagious.

Please pray that Kaitlyn and Heather would be able to go home soon... Due to her skin condition being highly contagious to immune suppressed people (side effect of chemo) Kaitlyn has not been able to leave her room since Sunday morning..

Headed to the E.R.

I know it has been a while since we posted, but it is 2:40am in the morning and I just watched Heather & Kaitlyn head out for the ER room to be admitted due to a fever..

Kaitlyn has had a pretty irritating rash and the Dr tends to think that it could be causing the fever. Please keep our little sunshine in your prayers as well as strength for Heather, these long hospital nights really taker their toll on her

Kaitlyn's Appetite

Can you all take a moment to pray for Kaitlyn's appetite.

Heather called me at work and asked that I put the word out. She has been eating VERY sporadically, but only a matter of bites. She usually has a LARGE appetite, and with the steroids she is on, she should actually be eating more than normal..


It isn't to the point of a HUGE alarm, but we don't want it to get there either.

Thanks Guys
~Eric

Comments are now working

Ok daddy made a mistake and set "comment moderation" to ON

basically every comment was going into a black hole.. but all is not lost, I found and approved them all and successfully re-set the moderation switch so please talk to us.. these are SOOO encouraging, they get us through several a tough night


;)

Ok so after an awesome day at church. (Kaitlyn's first time to Sunday school since diagnosis, and on top of that some great prayer-time with the whole congregation, we decided do go to the pumpkin patch. The kids were AMPED to say the least. Tomorrow we start delayed intensification with Kaitlyn. Right now her counts are up so we thought we would make it a complete day..

Here they are going NUTZ in the back seat on the way there



















A little photo in front of Mr Scare Crow


























Kaitlyns FIRST time on a horse. She was a bit timid at first,
but as soon as she got on, she was hooked.. it was hard to
get her off the poor pony.



















Madeline is a HORSE NUT.. I think she might move back
to Kern county just to be able to raise them.

Then they CRASHED

The night before Delayed Intensification

It's late and I know Eric posted pictures of our Kait Kait but I just had to write!

We had such an amazing morning of encouragement at church! We have been so humbled by the prayer and support of family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers we have never met....pouring out the love of Christ on our family and especially Kaitlyn! Thank you!

Thank God!

Tomorrow is a hard day and the beginning of many to follow, I have had such a hard time sleeping and spending late nights journal and praying and daily giving Kaitlyn over to God. Tonight is no different! I have lots of fears and God always brings me to his word when I have feelings of doubt or fear! I have a book called 'Daily Light for every day' it's just his scripture for every day and this was today's encouraging scripture and I know God led me to read this and I had to share how many times He is walking with me and holding my hand and leading me to His promises!!

' The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. We may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper I will not fear. What can man do to me?"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. For Your name's sake, lead me and guide me.'

My Birthday

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you...and formed you..:"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers. they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned. For I am the Lord your God....; you have been honored, and I have loved you." Isa. 43:1-4

This morning I woke when it was still dark, curled up beside me was Kaitlyn and next to her with her arm around Eric was Madeline. Eric whispered "Happy Birthday" and I closed my eyes and thought my Birthday was perfect. Every gift I could ask for was right there with me! "God" I said, "I'm so rich! I'm so blessed! Your taking care of us and I know your with me!"....... No amount of money or gift could ever replace my family and I think today watching the sun rise through the window next to my family thinking of how much God takes care of us and holds us in his hands will be a memory I will never forget!!
Eric wrote in my birthday card this morning...." One of these days when we are old and gray, we'll look back at these times and sob. Even though they are hard, they are so 'life defining' " and that is so true!
I just wanted to thank my family!!!