Let's Try Blogging Again - The Blazer in a Blaze

Okay so let's just say I've pretty much checked out of the blogging scene for the past six or seven months.  I was getting pretty overwhelmed by how many events I had to catch up on.  Then I decided, let's just start again with now.  I may slip in some of the past events here and there, but at least I can keep up with the present for now.

Onto the actual post, we started off our month in a blaze, literally.  On April Fools Day, our Chevy Blazer decided to play a very cruel joke (not that it was a joke at all).  Blaine had gotten home from work about 7:15ish or so, 10 minutes later we had a runner come to our door that seemed kind of panicked.  He informed me that our car was smoking.  I thought that he probably just meant the radiator was smoking or something, but I immediately went into the backyard to tell Blaine to go check it out.  As we went out and looked and the entire hood of our 1999 Blazer was smoking.  Blaine grabbed our hose and told me to call 911.  When he started to spray the hood, he saw that flames were already under the hood and knew it was too late for us to do anything.  Our other worry is that the Blazer was parked literally right next to the house, thank goodness we haven't got our garage cleaned out yet and it wasn't in the garage itself.  The firetruck got there within about 7 or 8 minutes after the call.  This is what the Blazer looked at by the time they got their hoses charged and going.

Needless to say after the 911 call, I took the boys across the street to observe from a distance.  What was sad is that they literally sat totally entertained for over a half hour.  They were so excited to see the 4 fire trucks that arrived and the firemen using their hoses.

We were very fortunate from the entire ordeal.  All I can say is thank goodness for insurance and a brick house.  The Blazer of course was a total loss, but we did have full coverage on it, so we did get some money back from it, and it has already been replaced with a Nissan Altima (at least it will get much better gas efficiency).  Also the fire fighters said it was very lucky our house was made of brick, if it would have been made of something else the house would have sustained much more damage then it did.  As it stands, the fire only burned some of the soffet right above where the fire was, the garage door was discolored (though amazingly still works just fine), and a little bit of water damage in our master bathroom.  The total for all the repairs still totals over $10,000, but once again, thank goodness for insurance.

So that was our exciting start to April.

On the good side (and this was definitely a super, super, super, super, super good side), I had my final CT scan after undergoing 6 sessions of chemotherapy and was officially declared to that I was "in remission."  This made the fire not seem so bad.

Aw Shucks - The Joy School Edition

A couple weeks ago we went to Aw Shucks farm for a field trip with Will's Joy School class.  Nana Sally was kind enough to keep Peter for me since I was and am still recovering from my surgery and at the time was not allowed to lift over 10 lbs.

One of the mother's had arranged for them to take the "Little Farm Hands" version.  It was so cute.  When we first got them all of the kids got to dig a hole in the garden and plant some corn seeds.

After planting the seeds the kids got to go and see the animals and collect eggs from the chickens, just like real farmers do, then they got to "milk the cow."

After they finished all of their "chores," the kids and the parents of course all got to go on a hay ride.  Here is the group that was there, Charlie, Annabelle, Mitt & Will.

After the hayride the kids all got to go and play on the playground.  Here is Will in the Chicken Coop and then on the tractor.

We had a really fun time, and enjoyed getting to have a fun fall activity.

Some Sad, but definitely could have been worse News

Back in September, the day before Labor Day in fact, I woke up in the middle of the night with a side ache.  This side ache continued to persist for the next 3 days which took me into the doctor.  Then though series of tests and spiritual inspirations from my doctor (who is a member of our church), a mass the size of a softball was found on my right ovary.  Then I had to go to the gynecological oncologist who on October 4th performed surgery to remove the said mass as well as the ovary.  When in surgery a biopsy was performed and the mass was found to be cancerous.  Yes I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a challenge that I never thought I would have to face, but then I don't believe anyone ever believes that they will get cancer.  However, even with this horrible news, I was lucky, the cancer was only in stage 1, something I am told is rare with ovarian cancer.  My doctor says it is a silent cancer in the fact that people usually do not feel any signs of it until they are in stage 3 or 4.  So anyhow instead of the outpatient surgery that we were expecting I ended up staying in the hospital for 4 days.  This was not all do to the cancer, on my second day in the hospital, blood clots were found in my lungs, so I will not be taking blood thinners for at least the next 6 months.  But I was able to leave the hospital 4 days after the surgery.

 However, 3 days after getting home, the incision that was made to get the mass out became very infected and so I had to go back to the hospital for the next 3 days, where I was given what is called a wound vac.  It is a little machine that I have to wear until the incision heals.  It pretty much sucks out any infection that gets into the wound so that it can heal a lot faster.  Hopefully within thee next couple of weeks, the incision will heal up and I will be able to get rid of it, but for right now I am grateful that it is making it heal faster then it otherwise would.

Though the doctor believes that the cancer was pretty much contained in the mass, I still have a little ways to go on my journey with ovarian cancer.  On November 12th I have to become chemotherapy to get rid of any other cancer that may be there.

Though this is not a trial I would have chosen, I am learning to be grateful for the many things that I do have, and grateful for the fact that this cancer was caught early and is curable.  I am grateful for great friends who have helped me in so many ways.  I am grateful for a family that has been praying and fasting for me, and constantly checking to make sure I am okay.  But most of all I am grateful to my Heavenly Father and my Savior, who I know truly understands this tough time.  I am grateful for my testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am so grateful for Priesthood blessings.  Though I know I will still have times I will probably feel sorry for myself, overall I have been so blessed to see the good in people and the miracle I have had in catching this cancer early.

September & October Random Pictures

I haven't been the best of bloggers the last couple of months, but here are a few random pictures that I did manage to take.

In September we took the kids to the mall one day just to let them play on the toys for a little bit.  Here they are playing on the coin operated toys.  Luckily for me, neither of them cars about the rides actually moving yet, they just like to turn the steering wheels.  Anyway here is a pictures of Pete and one of Will on the various rides.

A little earlier this month we went to the Olive Garden and Blaine took a few random pictures.  Here are a couple of them, just because my boys are so cute.

And of course we had to get the Halloween photo of the year.  This is the one that was sent out to all the Grandma's.  This year Will wanted to be a pirate, so since every pirate needs a parrot, that is what Peter gets to be this year.  I think that the photo turned out pretty darn cute myself.

Will's 1st Day of Joy School

This school year, we decided to hold off sending Will to preschool for one more year, but myself along with 5 of my friends decided to put together a Joy School, so on September 9th, 2013 Will started his 1st day of Joy School and has been having a blast ever since.  He has loved going to all of his friends house, and loves coming home and showing me what he has been doing every day. 

His speech has really increased and he is becoming better at sharing and playing with friends, so far this mother has absolutely loved it.

Will's Joy School Class (minus 1 little girl who wasn't there)

Back to the Sky Top

Yesterday our family went on our annual pilgrimage to the apple orchard.  Last year we went to the Sky Top orchard in Flat Rock, NC and we had so much fun we went back to the same one this year.  We had an absolute blast, it helped that both boys were a little older this year.  We usually go closer to the end of September, but when Blaine looked up what kind of apples were ready we saw that the Honey Crisps were ready for picking.  Since these are our absolutely FAVORITE kind we decided to go a little early this year.  So here are the pictures of our adventures at the Sky Top apple orchard.

Dad & Pete with the playground in the back

Will preparing to slide

After playing on the playground for awhile, it was time to get down to business, the apple picking.  Will had so much fun with it this year.  He thought it was so awesome that we would let him go up to the tree, pick an apple, then put it in the basket.  

And of course when apple picking you have to sample what you are getting, Peter particularly liked that part. 

Family photo op

We had to see how much each of us had grown this year. 

Here was our attempt to get both boys looking, not too successful, but at least they we at least smiling. 

So after a day of picking and eating some apples, getting to eat an apple cider donut, and of course drinking some apple cider slushee, we packed up and headed for home with a bushel and peck of Honey Crisp apples.  We had a really fun time and can't wait to do it again next year.

Random Picture Catch-Up

This is the post that I take all of the random pictures from my camera and combine them all into one post so that I can hold onto them.  Each one does have some fun memories with it though.

Fun Brother Shot on Grandpa's chair

Will falls asleep in very random places sometimes.  On this particular occasion he had just taken a nap on the couch, woke up, came and found me in the computer room, then fell back asleep on this chair. 

Peter has officially discovered Nana's tupperware drawer, which means that plastic bowls and lids are found randomly around the kitchen now.  He even likes to share the fun with his brother and cousins. 

We went out to the farm for a night when Will discovered Grandpa's hunting books.  They went all the way up his legs, but he did get them on. 

This is just another random shot of the boys, but on this particular occasion I told the boys to say cheese.  For the first time Pete looked at me and said "Chee," Then grinned a huge grin.