Shop Til They Drop

Sometimes, your mom just wears you right out.
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Mom's 4th chemo

Health Update...
Mom had her 4th chemotherapy this week on Thursday. Before treatment, she had an appointment with her oncologist. He gave her a good report that the CA125 is drastically down to just below 100. Quite a decrease since the onset of this cancer. He could feel no masses so all is looking really well!

She has been keeping herself pretty busy, working a bit around the house now. She's is just bored to tears, bless her heart. She's always been an on the go type (maybe that is where I get it from) so being down for 4 months now is really wearing on her. She's been getting ready for our visit, and doing little Christmas projects. Christmas will have a new and special significance this year. Blessings abound. I can't wait until we get there on Thursday night.

Big girly...
Mary Grace will arrive at Mom's a day ahead of us. She is out of school for the holiday break starting after a half day on Tuesday. On Wednesday her dad will drive her up and she'll get to spend the night and have some time with Nana and Papaw. I worry that mom's illness might hit her hard. She'll be 10 in just a few weeks so she's big enough to understand the pain mom is in and the long term possibilities. I've explained the oxygen tank and tubes, as well as about mom loosing her hair. But I'm sure seeing it in person will be startling.

The best part about it all is that we will be TOGETHER. My brother and his family will be there on Friday and we'll celebrate together. I can't wait to see his kiddos... its been waaaaay to long.

Christmas Fun

Our playgroup enjoyed our second annual Christmas party last night. We gathered at a local recreation center for a place large enough. Our group has really grown over the last 3 years. With more than 40 families, we are quite the motley crew. They are a wonderful and diverse group of people who I am blessed to know.

The children played games and ran around while they waited for a visit from Santa and as the moms assembled the covered dish dinner. We enjoyed a feast of ham, meatballs, casseroles, veggies, pastas, finger foods and desserts to boot! Once dinner was done, the children played more and each of them built a lovely gingerbread house of graham crackers, icing and candies. They were oh so lovely. You can see Andrew is showing off his house... click to enlarge and see more.

Breakfast and Shopping in Hershey

Today I met up in Hershey, PA with two of my girlfriends I met online while pregnant with Andrew. Sara is from Pittsburgh and I've had the joy of seeing her 4 times now. Twice for weekend gatherings in Philly and Minneapolis, once here in our home while they visited family close by and yesterday in Hershey. I met Melissa for the first time in person yesterday, but I've known her just as long as Sara. Melissa just moved, this past summer, from Colorado to the outskirts of Baltimore. I'm so thankful that she is closer so we can possibly have more meet ups!

This group of gals, about 17 of us, has grown close over the last 3 and a half years, since we all found out we were pregnant and due in October of 2002. They have been such a tremendous support to me in good times and trials. I am so blessed to know each and every one of them.

Sara, Melissa and I met up at Bob Evans for a yummy hot breakfast, then we headed to the Outlets and Hershey. We slowly walked the shops, checking out sales and Christmas goodies searching for ideas for gift giving. There is a wonderful scrapbooking store there called, Times To Remember. Amazing stuff! I scrapbook and have shopped for things before, but it was my first time to see a store just for scrapbooking. I was blown away! I'll definitely have to go back and spend some serious time checking it out once Abi is older and I can get back to scrapping.

It was a lovely day. The snow just glistened in the sun and we hardly noticed the winter weather with the warmth shared between the three of us.

A tub full of baby

Both Andrew and Abi had checkups this week with the doctor. Both are doing super, growing in to healthy and happy children. Abi is out pacing Andrew, however. At 4 months, she weighs 17 lbs, 5 oz. She received 3 shots unfortunately. But she handled them like a champ! The doctor said she is beautiful and perfect. He knows just what to tell a mama! Hehee! Click to enlarge and see more.

At 3 years, Andrew is 30 lbs. He is 28 inches tall. The doctor says he had the healthiest body type... long and lean. He's not worried about Andrew's picky eating habits. He says its normal and just fine. His eating will blossom when he's ready. Andrew was hysterical at the appointment. We'd gotten new sneakers the day before, Converse All-Stars. He made sure the nurse saw his "cool shoes." And when the doctor had been in the room chatting with us a bit, and not started the exam, he said, "hey, you have to check me!" He was ready long before Dr. Luken was. What a ham.

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Over the last week we've been putting up Christmas decorations in our home. Friday night after the kids were in bed, Don put the tree together but we didn't decorate it. We saved that for Saturday to do with the children. In the early morning, when Andrew came down the stairs and saw the tree waiting for him, he told us, "when we are finished decorating it, daddy will get a ladder and put a star on the top!" That is so precious... except WE DIDN'T HAVE A STAR!

Of course we had to have one. After lunch we all loaded up and headed to Target. With some searching, we found the perfect silver star for the top of our tree. Its not too "Las Vegas." No lights or blinkies. Just a simple silver star. When Don placed it on top of the tree, on the ladder of course, with Andrew in his arms they both had the biggest smiles. It was a wonderful moment we will all remember.

Andrew was a huge help with the lights, as you can see. He was excited about every ornament we pulled out of the boxes and announced to the household the name of each one. It was such an enjoyable family day. Click the picture to enlarge and see a few more.