Easter, Chemo and Memories

Oh My.... it is so nice to be back online.

I hate when my computer is down, but now I am back up and running (about a million miles an hour).

Easter has come and gone. I am so thankful that I have the privilege of being able to teach my children the true meaning of Easter. It is also so nice to start new traditions. The Easter Bunny left Brac and Zoe a really nice basket of goodies on the porch. Brac was very intrigued with the idea that he knocks and runs. :)

I forget sometimes the fun that I had as a kid. When things were so simple. I looked so forward to getting an Easter Basket full of goodies and a new dress to prance around in. My mom always made those times so special. I am so thankful for a good mama. Up until this year (still trying to figure out why this is) I have recieved an Easter basket. While I was pregnant with Brac, that Easter bunny brought me pickles and slim jims... I am hoping that he got lost along the way and that he will surely make a return visit.

I am just assuming this but I think that with every holiday that we have Brac and he is "normal" (I use that term extremely loosely) I will always remember the ones when he was so sick. I will remember always that on Easter of last year, he was barely 23 lbs. Bruised from head to toe because his platelets were so low. I will remember how pale he looked in his white suit.... so handsome still. I will remember that he had NO hair at all. I will remember that he was getting to know his little sister. I will remember that we were constantly worried that another hospital stay was in the near future. I will remember that only one week after Easter, he got a stomach bug that almost totally wiped him out with the potential to take him from us forever. He ended up in the hospital for a week. I will remember that throughout the month of April last year he was beginning physical therapy to correct the foot drop he developed from being in the bed for almost 3 weeks. Too weak to walk. I will always remember and always be abundantly thankful.

So with Easter gone, we are getting ready for a church meeting this weekend in a town close by. On top of making Zoe something to wear I am also making things to post on my website {COMING SOON} within the week. I am so excited. I am also excited that a portion of the proceeds will be going to my favorite Cancer Foundation. Kids of Childhood Cancer

A sneak peak... introducing Zozie Couture :) 

I expect to have everything up and rolling this week so stay tuned and look for links. :)

On another note....

CHEMO AND A SPINAL TAP!!! YUCK!

This past monday (the day after Easter) Brac was due for his monthly chemo along with a spinal tap. (He has this done every 3 months, with chemo that goes into his spinal fluid).

He did well. Because he is put under anesthestia he can't eat anything until the procedure is over.... needless to say. No food and steroids does not mix. He amazes me at how brave he is. Once awake he had a list as long as MY arm of the foods that he wanted. He eats some of the weirdest combos of foods while he does his steroid week. The other morning he had waffles and pickles. UGH!!! Only my boy. He must crave salty foods while he is on these meds because he has already devoured 2 jars of pickles single handedly. Along with finishing 2 jars of pickles in 2 days he eats 2 bowls of cereal in the morning followed by a snack of applesauce or what ever else happens to catch his eye. He eats at least 3 hot dogs for lunch or 3 soft  tacos, sometimes both and he eats 2 cans of raviloi at some point in the day. He is also EXTREMELY thirsty so he drinks several bottles of water a day. WHEW!!! I'm full just thinking about it.

He is feeling a little puny these days. Grumpy from the steroids and hungry all the time. And tired from the chemo. This never gets easier... just more bearable as time goes on. I don't know what is going on in his little body. We have learned that he has an amazing pain threshold. So he can be hard to read. Steroids also make him retain a lot of water so this involves middle of the night bed changes and wardrobe change. He gets cleaned up and heads right back to bed with no fuss at all. :) That's my boy.

I'll leave you with this.....

I said smile and this is what I got

Such a handsome little fella

SUPER SUPER EXCITED!!!!

Yep... this is going to happen. With the blessings of God this will work. 

Since moving to Indiana, I had to find a new job. Well having a chronically ill child, who could be admitted to the hospital at anytime (as sad as this sounds) doesn't look good on a resume. SOOO I have become a stay at home mommy for my kids. Mostly for Brac. I know that he needs me and that this is the most important reason why we made this decision. 

SOOOOO, I start school again in May WOO HOO!!!  Super Duper excited about this. I have found direction (FINALLY), I can already hear the jokes from every point of the earth on this. :)

I also know that we took a hit in the income department when we made this decision. God has blessed and He continues to do so. But anyone who goes from 2 incomes to 1 will tell you that it is not fun. And that there are many ups and downs. So I have thought hard about this and prayed very hard and I have decided to start my own business from home. YEP, another one of those mommy internet businesses. I am going to making things. A hodgepodge of stuff. Stuff for the home, for the mom, unique gifts, (I have seen a big shortage of things for little boys) so I am making that a small priority. So for now I am getting some product together, pics edited and I am making plans to launch my company. 

I am also going to be giving 10% to one of my favorite Childhood Cancer Organizations. They helped us when we were down and now I want to give back. 

So NOW the hard part... A NAME!? I want something Unique, something catchy, so I am on the hunt now for that perfect name. I hope to have the site launched by next week.... BUT my computer is shot so I am having to use hubby's every night. You don't realize how much you use something until yours is suddenly gone. :) 

Please keep me in your daily prayers and thoughts. I am super nervous, lacking a little confidence but everyone around me assures me that it is going to work out fine. 

Stay tuned... It's gonna be here SOON.... 

LOVE YOU ALL OODLES AND OODLES.

~ The Sassy Southern Belle ~

Mother's Day and Father's Day Idea's for Kelly's Korner

I love to do things that are from the "heart". I have insisted since day one with my kids that they do thank you's and always send cards out. Now that Brac is older it is so nice to finally have his actual "hand" in things.

I love picture ideas. I have learned that grandma's love anything home made.

Last year... I drew Brac's hand on some foam paper and made is hand look like a flower. I found a poem online that I liked and after he doodled on his hand I put the poem on it and made it look like a flower coming out of a flower pot.

Dad's are a smidge different. I don't think that they appreciate the hand made stuff as much so I usually rely on snapfish or walmart to make something with pics. My husband loves to display the kids anyway that he can so a collage poster is usually just the ticket. Put it in a nice frame and voila'.

My husbands birthday is usually on or near mothers day so we usually end up making that day about him. :)

Traditions are important in any family so be sure to start your own today.

I am MAMA hear me ROARRRRR!!!

OH MY GOODNESS....  What a week this has been.

Lots of tears and laughter. Last Saturday I received word that my grandpa had passed away. I was so upset because I was 10 hours away and no where near my family to offer support. That is one thing that STINKS about living 10 HOURS AWAY.

So, both kids seemed to be getting over whatever it was that they have had FOREVER... so I decided it would be a good thing for my grandma to see the great grans. I pulled out of my house in Indiana at 5am on Tuesday ready for a road trip.  We drove 3 hours to Waverly OH to see "Papaw and Nana" and to let them play with the kids for a bit, fill there tummies and then we got back in the car and continued on our journey.

With bellies full of pancakes is was only a matter of minutes before the kiddos were sound asleep in the back. Not so bad....UNTIL they wake up!!!

We made it to my moms at about 3:30 in the evening and to make things even more wonderful. A huge storm came through the city leaving about 200,000 without power! Hotel time for me and the kiddos. We got the kids dressed and headed to the wake.

My Grandpa... what a precious man. He loved my Granny with all of his heart and soul. She took such good care of him in those last days. It breaks my heart to see her so heartbroken. In the car with my sister it was so nice to remember all the times that we shared with him. He loved us grand kids.

As sad as it was to be there for a funeral. I got to see all my family that I haven't seen in forever. Most of them hadn't seen Zoe. I goofed off with most of them and it just felt like old times.

The Funeral was on Wednesday and sad so sad. Probably one of the hardest things I have done in a long time. I miss him already. By Wednesday  both kids were starting to get a nasty cough and the fussiness began. 

Oh me... I look for trouble. The NC pollen attacked me full force and my poor babies.... oh they are so pitiful. By the time we reached Waverly again on Thursday. Zoe was screaming and holding her head to the side and Brac was coughing horribly. So I made them a doctors appt for the following morning. We decided to camp out in Waverly for the night. Give the kiddos a rest. And we started out about 12 Friday.  I drove 3 hours straight in. Dropped our stuff off at the house changed the kids and then went to the doctor. 

Final Verdict: Zoe STILL has a double ear infection (this got her a shot because she has already been on the big guns) more oral antibiotics and breathing treatments, for walking pneumonia. OMGOSH the fun never ends. Brac decided that the doctors office was the perfect place to see how much he could get by with, and on top of it all I WAS STILL SICK :) 

Friday night we had a wedding to attend so needless to say by the end of the night I was so tired that I was probably asleep before my head hit the pillow..

Lesson Learned: Never ever ever under any circumstance take 2 kids out of town by myself again!!!!

XOXO 

The Sassy (exhausted) Southern Belle

PS I got Stamey's Barbque out of the trip. :)