#LOVEWINS

I don't do Twitter

Or Facebook

Or any other social media

If I did, I'd post this in response to those hate-mongers

who bashed Old Navy for their recent ad

i LOVE my interracial family.

i LOVE seeing families like mine

thank you old navy for choosing to post a picture of family much like mine.

It's a shame how frightened people are of 'differences'.

It's sad, how many people are afraid of people who do not look like themselves.

It's disheartening how many fear-mongers there are in this world.

i will not live in fear.

i will celebrate the differences.

and

i might just have to make an order from Old Navy

just to show my support.

So go back under your rock hate mongers.

#LOVEWINS

End of Year Concert

You may need to be on a pc. 

The video won't load on an iPad.  

My sweet boy loves being on stage. 

Their group did 3 songs, intermingled with the middle schoolers and high schoolers.  

However, I only recorded the first.

Happy World Down syndrome Day!

You know, 3/21

As in trisomy 21

Do something nice for someone today 

A random act of kindness

If anyone asks,

Tell them you are doing it in honor of Sawyer

Congratulations!

To Judson:

1. For stepping outside your comfort zone
And participating in Drama Club

2. For Participating in a Piano "Competition"

3.  For taking the SAT at the ripe old age of 13

 

And to Pascal

Happy Birthday, Big Guy

You are 1 year old today

 

New Year

We had a wonderful holiday season.

This was the first year that the whole family was able to visit grandparents for Thanksgiving.

This is the first Christmas in many years we were able to travel to grandparents.

We had a wonderful time.

I hope everyone had a great end of 2015.

And I hope 2016 is the best year yet.  

I'm excited to see where it takes us. 

I predict many great and wonderful things.

It's Been A While

We Have Had Birthdays

Doesn't Everyone Have Lumbar Puncture on their Bday?

(Try to make the Birthday  Boy smile)

We Had Graduation!

We Had Halloween

We Had Thanksgiving

We Had Friends Over

We Had A Concert

We've Been Quite the Busy Bees.

Having a great time. 

Sawyer Update

Pre-Cancer, Sawyer was beginning to read, write and 'cypher'.

During cancer, many of these skills digressed, if not totally disappeared.

He struggled with 'chemo brain' and continues to have some 'fog'.

BUT

I am seeing some shades of the "pre-cancer Sawyer" return.

Some days are better than others.

Today was one of his better days.

We are using the book, How to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

 

The video would not load, so this is just a picture.

Bummer.

Sawyer's had some physical changes over the last 26 months, also.

One being one leg is longer than the other.  That combined with low(and declining) muscle tone has been hard situation to control.

We have begun using kinesiology tape and a lift.

It truly helps him.

 

He continues with physical therapy.

Sawyer also takes Speech Therapy.

Even though we home school, he is allowed speech through the school system.

Very thankful for that.

We took a mini-vacation to the mountains recently.

Sawyer (as well as the rest of us) had a great time.

As we step out on the other side of treatment, we are trying to get back some skills that Sawyer lost.  

We are so thankful to be on this side.

We hope to stay on this side. 

We have a year of lumbar punctures to be sure the abnormal cell (found in a previous LP) does not lead to relapse.

Then more years of blood work to make sure he stays in remission.

We are anxious to get on with life. 

We are always thankful for each and every day.

Labor Day!

Summer went out with a bang at our house.

Judson celebrated his birthday.

The scouts went for their BIG weekend.

There was a ropes course, white water rafting, horse back riding,

and lots of water play.

While they were 'camping',

we had fun at the science museum.

(and Steak and Shake)

The pup continues to grow 

(and have Pup Play Dates)

Summer was great (and busy).

Now it's back to the old grind stone.

We've already started school.

In fact, we've had 4 weeks of school already.

(can't believe it)

 So far so good with school!

What Have We Been Doing?

Is it me or has this summer been crazy busy?

 This is the 2nd summer for dealing with CANCER.

That's all we will say about that.

We've had so much fun stuff going on.
And we just push the cancer to the back burner.

There's been scout camp.
(Judson on left, Ansley is in there as is Randy)

Braces
 

Swimming

(When I can arrange for Sawyer to be taken care of.  He cannot go swimming or be out in the sun)

Volunteering at a cat rescue

Volunteer at a community garden

This is just one section of a pretty large garden with proceeds going to a local food bank

Physical Therapy

(with a little puppy playdate thrown in)

Then of course, NEW PUPPY

More summer camps to come
Along with Tubing
And whatever else we can squeeze in....

We plan on getting as much in as we can before school starts!