MeRrY ChRiStMaS and A Happy New Year!!!

We have been so blessed this year. Looking back on the year we have had quite an eventful year.

It started with LOTS of snow {shocked that we have not seen much at all thus far}...

In March, Zoe turned 1!! We had a fun time celebrating. We watched as winter turned into spring and the "fun" that was to come was... unexpected, to say the least.

Brac had 2 hospital stays (for viral temps) each about a week long. One in May, on Mother's day and Eron's birthday and the other in June on Father's day... we are no stranger to holiday visits. So far we have not had any more. We are thanking God and the wonderful team of doctors that we have for this. With every month that passes we are so thankful and counting down the months to NO MORE CHEMO.

At the end of May we also experienced our first tornado. It touched down in our neighborhood and did extensive damage to many homes just minutes away.  Homes are still being repaired and it has been over 6 months. We quickly decided that we needed a fast vacation and we decided to head to Nana's house and then to Gammy's and the beach for the first time!!

Zoe also had an eventful month of May. She received tubes in both ears and while on vacation in NC to escape the tornado damage, she fell and split her eyebrow open resulting in her first ER visit and her first set of stitches.

While we were away we learned something special.... WE WERE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY!!!

After 3 previous miscarriages we were a little nervous but we put our faith and trust in God and now, December, we are one month from welcoming our sweet baby boy.

{we are also thanking God that all has checked out with him and his echogenic bowel, this little guy gave us quite a scare early on}

In August, our miracle child, Brac celebrated his 4th birthday. What a blessing to be able to celebrate every new birthday with him. He is our hero and will always be.

We also learned this year that he was granted a wish and then we set a date. We are so excited that it is only a couple of months away. A much needed and much deserved trip.

We made it to Thanksgiving, fever and hospital stay free {we spent 2010 in the hospital for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so this was a big deal}.  Brac slept through dinner but he was there :)

So as we get geared up for Christmas. Braxton's first Christmas.  The presents are under the tree and Braxton is so excited to wake up on Christmas morning to see what Santa has left.

We are blessed beyond measure. Blessed to know the real reason for this wonderful time of year. We are so thankful that our children have an understanding of why we celebrate Christmas.

Merry Christmas to everyone and we hope that you all have a blessed New Year. Beginning in January we are going to start counting down the year to Braxton's FINAL chemo treatment!!! we will also welcome our new baby and in February we are going to meet MICKEY MOUSE and BUZZ LIGHTYEAR!!!

Also please keep Brac in your prayers, they have increased his chemo (this is good, it means that his counts are great and that his body can handle the increase). Also this being the flu season, it always puts this mama on edge. Zoe and Eron, both just got over the stomach flu and let me say it was not a fun time for me.

Also remember those that are hospital or home bound this Christmas because of chemo or low counts. We have been there and we know that this is not fun.

We love you all and thank you for your continued prayers and thoughts.

HaPpY ThAnKsGiViNg!!! {OK... a little early} AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY ME!!

We are not going to be in town on Thanksgiving and I was not sure what our internet signal would be like while we were out of town so I thought I would take the time to write a Thanksgiving post now. Thanksgiving this year just happens to fall on a very special day for me... MY BIRTHDAY ... 26 years young!

I have so very much to be thankful for this year.

First and most of all...I am so thankful for the saving grace and love of ONE amazing God.

I am so incredibly thankful for my beautiful family. For my husband that works so hard to provide for our little family. We are both so incredibly blessed to have such beautiful children.

I thank God daily for bringing Brac through every step of this cancer and Leukemia process. He has not had to be in the hospital for about 5 months and that is such a relief. We are counting down the days and getting SO excited to be coming to an end.

I am so very thankful for my sweet Zoe. God new exactly what we needed when he gave us her smiling face. She makes me smile, even when I really don't want to. She is a bundle of joy with her own opinionated, sassy ways.

I am thankful today that I have such a wonderful and supportive extended family. My mom and sister have been such a wonderful support for me {and PS I am going to be an Aunt again in June... my little sis is expecting her first!!!} and Eron's parents have always been there when we have needed them. I am so thankful to be closer to my handsome nephews and beautiful niece and my brother in law and sister in law. God has blessed us with a beautiful home and blessed Eron's shop tremendously this year.

I am so thankful for our church family. Many don't realize or have the privilege of having such wonderful people in there life. A church family is so much like your own "blood" family. We have the best Pastor and First Lady and the saints of Apostolic Truth are like no other. They are always there to pray for you when you need it or to give you an encouraging word or just a hug. :)

All in All I am just a thankful person. I look so forward to sitting around the table with my family and laughing and eating all the yummy goodness that is on the table. Being pregnant at Thanksgiving is the BEST!!!

We are so excited and thankful to welcome another precious baby into our lives in January. Now if we could just settle on a name. :)

AND,OH YES.....

MY BIRTHDAY!!

Anyone that knows me can tell you that other than my childrens birthday there is no day that I look forward to like MY BIRTHDAY!!!

I owe this to my mama... (in more ways than one .. lol)  As kids she always made our birthdays so special and in return she created a monster!

Everyone always tells me that the older I get that I will not like celebrating my birthday as much but I don't see that happening. I cherish every year that God gives to me. { I think that I have learned to appreciate the days more as I have watched so many in my family be taken so unexpectedly to cancer and other illnesses} I look forward to growing older. To watching my children grow and become individuals. AND, YES, I LOOK SO FORWARD TO THE CAKE!!!

I have said for many years that I have a problem and it is CAKE!! {and coffee}

So obvilously I'm not 14 ... but doesn't this scream AMANDA!

So to all of my friends and family... HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!  Enjoy the day, be thankful for the moment. I know that as I sit with my family I am going to enjoy every moment.

And the Beat goes on...

I have been on an emotional roller coaster for this past week. Probably due mostly to the pregnancy hormones, but I am sure that most of the tears come from gratitude.

I'm thankful today....for Braxton. For his chance at life. Thankful for a Mighty Healing God that never leaves us.  For the Doctors and nurses that have taken such wonderful care of him. For the many prayer warriors across this nation that have taken the time to say a prayer for him. For my wonderful husband, my partner, for being the wonderful caring dad that he is. For Braxton and his patient demeanor, for never complaining and for being a warrior. For Zoe.... for being an easy baby and for making us smile when it was so hard.  And the list could go on forever.

I'm just thankful.

Two years ago, yesterday, we sat in the pediatrician's office waiting to find out what was wrong with our normally, very healthy little boy. He was horribly pale and he just wasn't being himself and the fever that he had been fighting for about 3 days was not getting any better and he had no other symptoms. My gut said "something is wrong, something is seriously wrong". They thought it was an ear infection... yeah, I wish. No mother could ever forget a day that would inevitably lead to one of the toughest, and most unimaginable things to hear ever.

at the pediatrician November 9th

That day after doing a simple finger stick in the doctors office that turned up abnormally low, we were sent to the local hospital for more labs and then home to wait for results. I will NEVER forget getting the call. I'll NEVER forget chocking back tears as the pediatrician told us to go to the children's hospital in town and then to expect to stay a couple of days. I will NEVER forget the slew of docs that came in with sympathetic looks on there faces that said "we know what is going on but we can't tell you just yet". It's a day that no mother would ever ever forget.

November 10th, a rainy Tuesday. Brac was scheduled for his very first spinal tap and bone marrow biopsy. I can remember Eron making a joke with the practitioner that was doing the bone marrow aspiration, about the bone marrow coming out slowly and that it was going to make her work for it. I can still see her face as she looked up and said that's usually because the Leukemia makes the cells pack together. That was the first time anyone had said that word to us ... LEUKEMIA.

Later that day, as Brac slept in Eron's arms. Our family around us. A group of doctors came in {I guess there is power in numbers} and said the words that made it difficult for me to swallow... to breathe... to think rationally.

"We have received the results, and he has Leukemia".... my sweet baby, he just celebrated his 2nd birthday and he was fine then. How could this be? Are you sure?

Later we would learn that he had Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. {the easiest cancer to "win"} They started treatment that day through his IV and he was scheduled for surgery the following morning to place his port.

Our little simple life as we knew was changing with ever moment, right before our eyes. After crying for a couple of days, Eron and I knew that we could do this and that with faith and hope and knowing that we served a Mighty God that would see us through, we could get through this. For Braxton.

Waiting on results from bone marrow aspiration.

He was on steroids for a month. He gained about 20lbs in a month and "morphed" into this child that we could barely recognize.

Post Steroids... slimming down.

He then went through a much "easier", every 10 day cycle... and then onto delayed intensification. This would prove to be the toughest most strenuous phase for him. During the course of this regimen he got a stomach bug and it in turn placed him in the hospital for a week, followed by an enormous weight loss and PT to help with the foot drop that he got while spending so much time in bed. He had multiple blood and platelet transfusions. Dealt with low potassium issues and the list goes on. Yes, he was so sick, but Brac has never once lost his sweet charming demeanor. He keeps trucking.



Lay it on the alter and give it to God, he takes care of us.



He is now in maintenance... {big sigh of relief}... and while he still has ups and downs and he is still going through chemo, he has made it through 2 full years of the cancer world. Spirits always high. We give God the praise daily, that he looks and acts like a "well" child. He is in the home stretch and while he may forget the trial that he has been through it will forever be alive in our minds. Braxton is my sweet hero. He is all boy. He likes bugs and rocks. Dirt and the gross things little boys like.  He likes things in routine and orderly. Nothing out of place. He's inquisitive.

Celebrating his 4th birthday!

In February he is going to take a trip that he has earned over and over. Looking at the 2012 calendar and marking all of his appointments we got to the end of the year and I circled the FINAL CHEMO... ohhhh, what a relief! We are almost there. He has overcome more at 4 years old than many adults can say they have overcome.

Ready to feed the horses with papaw

December 10th, one month after being diagnosed with ALL they told us that he was in "remission" (he is not considered in total remission until he has been cancer free for 5 years) but still there is no evidence of the dreaded "C" word in his body.

We must find a cure. The government has underfunded research and were there is no money, research can't be done. Children like Brac, Vinny, Benjamin and Maci do not deserve to go through this. They need to be playing and doing the things that kids do. Without the worry of germs and the possibility of a cold that could be horrible for them. They deserve to be KIDS.

at the beach for the first time 2011

62 weeks!!!

While reading through my fellow "cancer mom's" blog for her little boy. She stated that they have 25 weeks left! 25 weeks and then they are all finished! I thought WOW!

SO that made me wonder....{after some figuring} Braxton has about 62 weeks left of treatment. In some ways that seems like an eternity. But considering where we came from. He's had ups and downs and scares that I never ever want to relive. But through it all he still smiles, still pulls at our heart strings with those adorable dimples and his quirky sayings.

We received our "end date" when he started maintenance last year in August. JAN 15, 2013!!!  

And then... NO MORE CHEMO!!! I absolutely can't wait to throw the biggest party that Greensburg has ever seen. Bounce houses, pony rides and FUN FUN FUN!!

I don't know how these kids do it. They go to these treatments and you are sure that they are scared out of there mind but they are putting every ounce of trust that they have into you {the parent} and the doctors that we {the parent} have entrusted to keep our sweet babies safe.

I stop and think that Brac has an "end date" and that there are so many kids who have never been given that date. Who are still fighting with everything in them. They are weary and the parents are weary as well. They relapse and keep fighting. They have surgeries and scans and keep fighting.

Makes me so angry to hear people that have a chance at life minus the fight complain about the little things.

I dream and pray for a day when kids don't have to fight this evil thing called cancer.

I have watched many adults battle this battle and then, since Brac got sick, I have watched too many children fight, and they have no clue half of the time why they are fighting.

We have sheltered Brac a little and I guess being diagnosed at a young age made that a little easier. But now he is 4 and he ... knows... something is different with him. He knows that he is "special" that he is a superhero like no one else will ever be. But that's all he knows. We tried to explain that he is fighting Leukemia. But after the initial explanation, he seems to have forgotten and moves on with playing what ever it was he was playing.

So 62 weeks we will still fight.  For 436 more days we will pray and trust in God for an easy time. We will forever pray for our other superheros. And Brac will be a kid. As normal as he can be.

Holly (my cancer mom friend) said that someone mentioned to her that in 25 weeks Benjamin will be "normal" again. She stated that it made her so mad. Took her back to the times when you could obviously tell that her child was sick because of his bald head.  I don't blame her at all for getting mad.



But you know what? this is our kids "normal". It's normal for chemo, it's normal to go to the doctor every month. It's normal to know where the needle goes. It's normal to see others fighting cancer. That's their normal. And while, as moms, we would love for their normal to be knee scrapes, sniffles {with no worries} and gross dirty boys who have played outside all day. It's not. We ARE germ-a-phobes. We ARE the crazy mom's that give you evil looks when you cough in our direction at Walmart. We ARE the moms of cancer kids.



Being accessed (this was his first month with cancer)



This was Brac at his biggest after steroids. Gained 20lbs in a month. At his heaviest my 2 yr old was 40lbs



Brac at his sickest in April 2010



look at him now... my sweet boy. GOD IS SO GOOD!







Halloween Fun!!!

I don't think I have ever had a busier, crazier Halloween in all my years!

We moved to Indiana a year ago and since then we have started new traditions. The pumpkin patch, Halloween and costumes!, we are going to even get a REAL tree from a place where you cut it down yourself!

Last year around the time for the holidays it seemed that Brac was so sick each time a major holiday came around. Brac did have a chance to go trick or treating last year with his cousins for the VERY first time, but for some reason (still a mystery to Eron and I) daddy was not with us. Maybe it's because it was a Sunday last year and daddy had something to do there ????

BUT.... this year, oh what fun they had. I loved getting the kids ready and watching there excitement grow as trick or treat time came. This was also Erons first time out as well. :) I think he had as much fun {if not more} as the kids. With every door they ran up to, Brac as Venom (the bad side of Spiderman) and Zoe as a fairy, they smiled, held out there little buckets and said "trick or treat", followed by a very sweet "thank you".

They got to enjoy the time with there cousins and all there little friends, and this is what makes the whole time worth it. As for all the candy, it was thoroughly "inspected" by mommy and daddy who took the giant risk of "testing" much of it for safety purposes, while they were fast asleep.

Earlier that day... I had to go for my glucose test at the hospital. I didn't realize that it would be a 2 hour test, but it really gave me a chance to read and just enjoy the moment ALONE. I guess you know you're a stay at home mom when you embrace every moment of alone time you get. {wink wink}

Immediately following the test, I had to rush home. Get both kids in the car with hubby and we were off to Indianapolis to have our follow up ultrasound to check the echogenic bowel that was spotted 6 weeks earlier. We give God all the glory. Sitting in the waiting room, I suddenly had this overwhelming since of peace that everything was fine. AND it was. The doctor came in and said that he believed that everything had cleared up. He stated that the bowel was not as "bright" as it had been and that there was still no real cause or reason why it was there in the beginning. But, oh my, what a relief.

He's a growing little boy, and judging by the 4D looks like his brother and sister. :) I can't believe that I only have 12 weeks left!! I am so very excited.

We had a busy day but it was adventurous and we made it home in time to get a little candy.

With the holidays quickly approaching we are making Christmas lists and making plans for trips to Papaw and Nana's. I love to see the excitement on there faces when we say we are going there. Before we know it the holidays will be over and we will be welcoming a new addition to the family and then we have our BIG TRIP TO DISNEY!!!  WOO HOO!!

We are praying that this year Brac can stay out of the hospital during all the major holidays. Last year, we spent Thanksgiving and Christmas there and let me just say it was not our favorite place to be. The doctor is determined to keep him well this year.

TTFN :)

The Natural Approach

First let me start off by saying that I am sooooo enjoying this rare moment, the hubby and both babies are sleeping. Yes, it's 10:30 at night but you just don't understand the rarity behind this.

Anywho... I have about 3 months left with my pregnancy.... 3 MONTHS!! So hard for me to grasp that. And then with the holidays fast approaching it is sure to fly by.

I have really been considering the natural child birth approach with this baby. I had 2 epidurals one that did not work wonderfully and one that was a dream.... until I got home and had to deal with the after affects. MISERABLE!! Thank God for good Mother's and Mother in Laws to help out.

I have a pretty severe case of Scoliosis. So it makes the end stage of pregnancy and labor and delivery, well, not so fun. Walking becomes quite a chore for me some days. But I did learn after having Brac that a natural child birth isn't all that bad. I did have Stadol {a pain med} and while that did take the "edge" off the pain, it made me feel like my head was in the clouds and then once the epidural was placed, I went so fast once they broke my water that, by the time I realized that it was not doing much {this didn't take very long} it was to late to replace it.

So I have been thinking about laboring as much as possible at home and then going all natural at the hospital. This truthfully scares me to death. I mean, who wants to hurt when they don't have to. I know that I manage pain very well, better than I ever thought I could. I am just wondering. I have been looking into the Bradley Childbirth method and the different positions. So maybe this is something that I can do. The Duggar mom, mother of 19, swears by it. But I guess I think that you have to be a little insane to have that many to begin with :)

Bradley Birth Method

Working in Labor and delivery for 2 years I have seen deliveries every way possible and I am open to trying anything, at least then I can say that I tried it. :)

So I guess that we shall see. 92 days and counting!!! WOO HOO!!

We go to have another US to look at the babies bowels again on the 31st. Praying for God's will and that all will be ok with the little guy.

Wanted to throw in some pics of my precious little family.

A couple of weeks ago we went to visit with some of my husbands family in Madison, Indiana. It's a quaint little town on the Ohio River. We also took the family out to the pumpkin patch to get everyone {baby to be included} pumpkins. Fun to actually walk out into the pumpkin patch and pick our perfect pumpkins. :)

They make me Happy... sooo sooo happy



Zoe loves her daddy



I can't wait to see his face when he meets the real deal in Disney

At the Pumpkin Patch soooo excited

Just a GREAT dad with his 2 munchkins down by the riverside :)

CANCER STINKS!!!

I know that many of my post are about how much we hate cancer and the effects that it has on a family, especially when it involves a child.

When you bring your precious baby into the world, you count their fingers and their toes. Your biggest worry is that they might be a little jaundice. Never does the "C" word go through your head.

Then in an instance, in a freak moment, your whole world is turned upside down. You and your sweet baby are placed in this life or death circle. A Russian roulette. And well, it's not fair. It took me a long time for it to sink in that bad things happen to good people. That it's "just life".

One scripture that repeatedly ran through my head was:

Matthew 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

I guess this post comes after reading a post from my friend Sarah's Caringbridge page for her little boy Vinny.

It seems like Vinny just can't catch a break. And again I say "why".

The flesh just can't seem to grasp or look past those questions. My spirtual self has faith and hope that things are going to turn around for him.

I think also, as Brac comes up on his 2 year "diagnoses anniversary" {an anniversary that we would rather not think about}, why my little boy. And then I step back and think about how much we have all grown. As a family, as individuals.  We have learned to love deeper and smile through tears. We are optimistic about everything. We have more faith then we ever thought possible.

This was from Nov 10th 2009 The beginning of his "journey"

We know the powers of prayer and that we serve a Mighty Mighty God.

In other news... Brac is fighting something simple... an ear infection. Back when he was diagnosed, we prayed for an ear infection.  His very first ear infection. I don't know that anything has ever been so simple. We welcome simple.

Zoe is on the mend as well. We are getting excited about halloween. And Brac is so excited. He still doesn't know what he wants to be it will be interesting. I will be posting pics as soon as I have them. :)

Dr. Mom

These days the only healthy one in this family seems to be ... me!

Brac has been battling a cough since the end of September. After 2 trips to the regular pediatrician and then one "sick" visit to the hem/onc clinic, this was the game plan:

1) chest x ray
2) check counts
3) a z-pac (azythromyocin) **an antibiotic**
4) breathing treatments and an antihistamine

Makes me really miss those moments when a cold was just that... a cold.

OK, so after this visit last Friday, I thought for sure we were finally on the way up with no more being sick.

WEEELLLL... I thought too soon. Brac had chemo and a spinal tap on Monday.
 Eron ended up taking Brac to Cincinnati by himself because I had to keep Zoe at home with a cough and runny nose. Oh boy!! The joys of motherhood. I couldn't risk taking her to the clinic and infecting the really sick immuno compromised kids.




Accessed and ready to go... all smiles

Brac's counts were very good (ANC- 3,780) and I think that he enjoyed his day alone with his daddy (his best buddy). I packed them plenty of snacks and a craft or 2 to make the day go by faster. They painted 3 wooden cars, a wonderful gift from his birthday that I have been saving for those long clinic days. When a 4 year olds day starts at 5:30am, you would think they would be super cranky, but Brac actually had a really good day.  There were some questions regarding the spinal tap. Dr. O'brien, Brac's oncologist, was a little worried about putting him under sedation for the spinal tap with the nasty cough that he has been fighting. So after deliberation with the anesthesiologist Brac was given the green light. They made it back home about 4pm.

He is not tolerating the steroids wonderful this week, he is WIDE open, going about a million miles an hour, tantrums and many teary moments. The only thing that he wants to eat is Chef Boyarde Ravioli, 2 cans at a time.For Breakfast. Lunch. AND Dinner.
But for the most part he is doing well.

Now ... as for my poor baby girl.

She felt so bad that she took many of these micro naps, her best friend (night night) never left her side

Zoe started feeling "icky" on Sunday with a slightly runny nose, but I knew that it would only get worse before it got better. Today is Thursday and after having a fever for 2 days I decided that it was time to take her in. She has a history of pneumonia and bronchitis, so I wanted to make sure that there was not something more serious going on with her. Good thing I took her in.
Zoe's plan of action to treat for possible pneumonia (because there is some wheezing with her breaths and because her fevers have been so high):

1) breathing treatments 3x a day
2) antibiotics for her as well
3) saline and lots of suction to clear out her little nose :(

If she is not showing improvement within the next couple of days we are back again for a chest xray.

Hoping that this all works and that these babies are back to normal before trick or treat time :)

Well... to make matters worse, The Goob (that's my hubby) is home today as well. A sick day for the town barber.
He must feel pretty crumby because he never takes off from work, he is always early and usually leaves late to accommodate his customers.
Hopefully he is better tomorrow as well, he is NOT the best patient in the world. Men are the biggest babies of all when they are sick.

As for me... I shall finish this post and try to take a nap myself while I can. To rejuvenate before the next round of meds and tears.

Oh PS ... 25 wks!!!  :)
Getting more excited with each passing week. Can't wait to meet this little guy. Super anxious, however, about the up coming ultrasound at the end of the month. Praying for God's will and that everything works out according to His plan.

Where have I been...

I have loved blogging since I stumbled across this addictive world. But with my 2 crazy children and then this pregnancy I have hardly found anytime to do anything at all. Finally, things are starting to "come back to earth".

So, where to begin...

OK ... lets start here. I am 24 weeks!! Already, I am beyond excited. Since my last post we have found out that we are going to be welcoming another precious little guy into the house.



{I was 19 weeks here but I'm not really much bigger now}



Jaxon Eron, is going fit right into this crazy household. He is on the move all the time already. Better get a new pair of running shoes. Our anatomy US did give us a bit of a scare. The one that we had done in the office did show something a bit abnormal in the bowel. A super scary moment in life when the doctor comes in and starts to asks questions about your family history. Typically "bright bowel", as it's referred to, can indicate things such as Cystic Fibrosis. SUPER SCARY, especially after dealing with Braxton and the Leukemia world for almost 3 years.

So, I immediately went to have labs drawn to rule out me as a carrier for the CF gene as well as several other tests. As well as going to "the big city" for a much better US. {we live in a small town so the more "advanced" technology is in the bigger hospitals} :) small town living at it's best.

Well the US we had done, did show the bright bowel. So we were told if all the lab work comes back normal it could be something simple, such as the baby ingesting a little bit of blood as a result of a subchorionic hemorrhage {very common in early pregnancy}. This would be the best case. So we were told to schedule another appointment for the end of October. So more to come on the results of that.

On a good note, all of my lab work came back normal. I am not a carrier for any of the more serious genes, which takes the chances of the baby having anything serious down tremendously. We are thanking God for this.

In other Adkins family news, my boys are determined to make me grey by 30 I'm sure of it. One of them is not here and already making me worry... and there is Braxton. A tornado of wonderment. Quite obviously he is doing well, we have been thanking God that he has not had a hospital stay in 3 months. He has developed a cough that keeps him up all night and makes him sound like he is about to cough up a lung. He sounds like he is horribly contagious but we have been assured that he is not. TWICE. So this is good news.

Next Monday, he goes for a spinal tap and chemo. :( Never any fun, it feels like we pack for a mini vacay to get to the hospital. It's an hour long drive with 2 kids, and on spinal days he is a very grumpy boy. He is not allowed to have anything to eat, so he fusses the entire morning, begging for things to eat. Last time he was even trying to "smuggle" pretzels from his sister.

Brac and his best buddies {cousins} Charlee and Garrett

And then there is Zoe... oh, she is the calm insanity in the storm. She is so funny. Keeps us laughing and she is so very easy going. We love the joy that she brings to our life. She is happy and healthy and a ball of energy.





We are looking forward to Halloween in this house. We are so enjoying the wonderful fall weather that is in the air. Crisp mornings, coffee and cake with friends, sitting around the fire outside roasting marshmallows, soups and chili's... oh and the list goes on and on.

I do believe that my favorite part is seeing all the oranges, reds and yellows that are out. One of the fun things about living in a small town surrounded by small towns is the many fall festivals. The pumpkin patches and apple orchards. I decided to get crafty myself. I decided to make a fall wreath that was just my flavor.

Super easy, and actually fun to make.

So for now, we are embracing the season, the ups and the downs. We are taking everything as it comes to us and enjoying every moment that God gives us.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot... we have CONFIRMED DATES ON OUR MAKE A WISH TRIP TO DISNEY!!!  Woo Hoo!!

So we are off to the Magic Kingdom for a week of worry free fun in February. Staying at the Give kids the World Village. 

So until we meet again. 

The Sassy Southern Belle ;)

Where have I been lately??? :)

Ok so I know that it has been FOREVER since I last posted but I have been super super busy.

FIRST... WE CELEBRATED BRAXTON'S 4TH BIRTHDAY!!! OH WHAT FUN!! OH WHAT A BLESSING!

Braxton is our miracle and with every birthday that we share with him I count myself so so blessed. It's scary to think that we were so close to losing such a sweet angel.

We were so glad to have my mom and sister {Gammy and Aunt Ginny} come to stay with us for a couple of days. They drove for 10 hours with a special gift for Braxton. He now has a new friend ( a yellow lab) named Sammy. We welcomed Sammy with open arms and so far he's a good little pup.

On his actual birthday we went to the dreaded fantastic Chuck E Cheese and it must have been his lucky night because I have never seen Chuck E Cheese with less children. Brac and his cousins got to enjoy the place practically to themselves.

Friday night we took my mom and sis to downtown Indianapolis to see the "big city" and ate at the yummy "Spaghetti Factory". We walked and enjoyed the time together.

Not sure what everyone else has been feeling but Indiana was hot and dry for most of June and July. I prayed and prayed that the Saturday that we had his party that it would be nice. I figured if it rained that would be ok too they could still play outside {what kid doesn't like to play in the rain?} And you know what??? The day of the party, it was B-E-A-UTIFUL! About 85 all day and partly cloudy. We had his party in the evening, and there was a nice breeze blowing (I have to say that this is something that I like about Indiana). The kids played outside and enjoyed the kiddie pools, slippin' slide, water balloons and water guns. We ended up doing the cake and presents outside. All 30+ kids (that's right 30+!!!) had a blast. I didn't see Braxton from 5pm until about 9:30 when I had to drag him in and throw his muddy self into a bath. UGH!! Lots of fun there. He did have such a great time and the Superhero theme was so much fun. Thanks to everyone that helped to make his party a blast. Special Kudos to my brother in law JR for running that grill like a pro, best hotdogs I've ever had.

We had superhero capes that I made out of ...get this.... plastic table clothes {Thank goodness for the creators of you tube}

I modified it a little. Instead of the Superhero emblem I took a sharpy and wrote "Super ____"  and then I let them decorate them with stickers. They loved them!!! And an added plus they were water {mud} proof.

The look on all the kids faces made the organized chaos worth every moment.

I even whipped up a quick "batgirl" costume for Zoe. She was too cute fr words.

OK so she wasn't too happy in this pic :)

So all in all the party was a BLAST!!! All ready thinking about next year. :) Start saving honey :)

So fast forward about 2 weeks and here we are... Brac had chemo yesterday. Today he is just kind of hanging out. He plays and plays but the steroids and the chemo tend to make him a little grumpy. So this is the week that we sort of stay away from others, not because of the risk he might get sick but because he is ...ummmmm.... not so nice :)

In other news ***pregnancy stuff***



Baby #3 at 13 weeks :)



I am 17 weeks... so hard to believe. I am getting more and more excited and dying to know whether I have a lad or lassie awaiting the outside world :)

So frustrating because I knew with both of my other babies early ;) Patience is a virtue.

At least the holidays are coming up and I will be plenty busy with that and occupying my other 2 monkeys and that should make the end of the pregnancy fly by.

Oh and before I go I must take a moment and brag a little. I had the wonderful privelege of being there when the newest Adkins baby came into the world. On July 18th I became an Aunt again! My brother in law JR and his wife Stefanie, welcomed their 3rd child a beautiful... LITTLE GIRL!!! They choose not to disclose what they were having and then in the end we all get a big surprise. After having 2 boys, I don't believe Stef thought she was going to have a little girl. After a few moments the boys were embracing the pink ;)

TTFN

Amanda {The Sassy, pregger's, Southern Belle}