Yay for Family!

My beautiful sister and her family arrived safely last night for a visit to Michigan!!! They were slightly shocked at the cold temperatures, being Florida Folk, but we're managing! When I found my sister and my nephew at the airport, Solomon (who hasn't seen me in a year) ran up to Aunt Manda and gave me a big 'ole hug and snuggle!! It was so very heartwarming!!

We had a nice drive home - even getting stuck in traffic due to an accident - and then went out for dinner. Bethany and I talk just about every day, but it's much nicer having her home for a bit!!!

Today Aunt Bethany and Big Josh are babysitting Joshua and Logan for us - they have lot's of fun plans made in Grand Haven! Tomorrow, I get to spend the day with my Solomonkey because Bethany and Big Josh are heading down south for Papa Fest.

On Tuesday, we plan to go to Michigan's Adventure if the weather holds. And then they leave on Wednesday and Joshua and I have to go see Dr. Dickens at the Hem Onc Clinic.

Yup. It's that time of year again... Joy... Literally my LEAST favorite time of the year. Joshua goes in for Labs and a pre-MRI physical on Wednesday, and then his MRI is scheduled for June 30th. I'm not expeciting anything to be wrong with the scan, but that doesn't stop me from worrying like crazy... the same as I always do, even though MRI's have been part of our life since September, 2003.

But, Joshua hit 4 years post-diagnosis in April and in December, we'll hit 4 years post-treatment. Getting closer and closer to that magic 5 year mark. Now, if only we can manage to keep any secondary cancer from developing, we'll be good to go. Boooooo for leukemia, yaaaaaay for "cured".

Yeah - I have cancer on the brain again. We need to have a RFL carwash. We have a whole $65.00 raised which is ridiculous. But, it's my own fault - since our scan is so late (it's supposed to be late May/early June) and I can't quite get past that to focus on the Relay. And then after scan we have only like 10 days until the Relay itself, so it's not looking to be a good year for Team Joshua.

But, any donation is better than no donation. And we will still be at the Relay - doing our part for the whole 24 hours. I just wish we had been able to raise more money. Oh well... not really anything much I can do about it today. Maybe those days between scan and Relay will be HUGE money-makers for us. Probably not, but who knows. You never know what might happen. Anyways - enough with that. There's no point in stressing myself out at work. There will be plenty of time for that later!!!!!

Thanks for reading - we might have a photographer willing to do a free photo shoot with our family thanks to: http://www.littlestheroesproject.org/

This is so awesome to me, you don't even know. I am floored that such an organization exists, and I wish I would have known about it during treatment, but I didn't - and really, what better way to celebrate healing then to do it now that we've (well, Joshua, really) made it so far!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, I'll keep you posted on that.

Anyhow, off for now. I'll post again soon. I have a million pictures I need to get uploaded to photobucket so I can show off the boys. I'm on vacation from work next week, hopefully I'll get to it then.

Weekend Whirlwind!!!

Whew - what a weekend we had! I LOVE not having to work Thursdays and Fridays - it almost feels like the weekend lasts forever. Friday I met some friends and their kids at North Beach Park. We had a really nice time until it started to rain a bit. The kids played in the sand, went swimming, played on the play structure, and then our friend, Sydney, came home with us for a while to play with Joshua and Logan. The kids played right up until bedtime and they were pretty tuckered out by then!!

Saturday the boys and I went to Whitehall with Rick. Joshua was able to help Grandma buy a new car and Logan got to hang out with Mommy, Daddy and Uncle Michael. And he was SO well behaved!! It amazes me how good my boys can be when they're seperated, and how much they push each other's (and our) buttons when they're together!! Saturday night, Rick worked in Pentwater and didn't get home until 5:10am.

Sunday, I got up with the boys so Rick could sleep. We let him sleep in until 10:00am and the boys just couldn't wait anymore! After "cooking" a breakfast of raisin toast and orange juice, they bombarded him in bed with their cards and gifts. This year, daddy got floor mats for the new truck, carwash and a special cleaner for the interior of the vehicles (if you know Rick AT ALL you will know that he literally washes his vehicles every other day-ish during the summer). After that, we had to rush to get out the door to go out to Muskegon for a Father's Day picnic at Terry and Lois' house. Lot's of sun, swimming, hot dog roasting and s'mores. Joshua and I are both a touch sunburned (his arms, my chest), which is surprising to me because we were literally coated in sunscreen, but that's how it goes in the summer, I suppose. Tonight my FIL is coming over after he gets out of work and we're going to celebrate Dad's Day with him.

Whew... we had a great weekend! This week is supposed to be cooler (high 60's/low 70's), and my AC will appreciate the break! Lot's of sun, though, which is always welcome!! And, we're hoping to take the boys camping this weekend, so we might be in for 2 great weekends in a row!!

My sister and her family fly in tomorrow - I cannot WAIT to pick them up from the airport tomorrow!!! It's been far too long since I saw them. Bethany and I talk on the phone all the time, but it just isn't the same!!! The boys and I are taking Solomon for the day on Thursday and we're REALLY excited about that!

Luminaria - Thinking Out Loud...

I needed to have this up online someplace so it is accessable from both home and work so I can add to is as I need to. This is my running tally of people that we need to remember for the RFL Luminaria Ceremony. If you know of anyone I know but I've forgotten, leave me a comment. Also, if you know someone else, and you want them on the list, it'll cost you $10.00, but you can donate with your credit/debit card right online at Team Joshua's Relay for Life website. Leave a comment and I'll send you the link.

Ok, here goes:

Honor of Joshua Holman
Memory of Catie Wilkins
Memory of Jim Disney
Memory of Dakota Gay
Honor of Khloee Faler
Honor of Bonny Schneider
Honor of Sandi VanDyke
Memory of Milt Wachter
Memory of Lawrence Peters
Honor of Mark Clark
Memory of Gary Blough
Honor of Levi Mayo
Memory of Leon Chulski
Memory of Gertie Jones
Memory of Mira Brouwer
Honor of Liz Brumfiel
Memory of Neil Pollock
Memory of Elias Pallitta
Memory of Sebastian Kocinski
Honor of Ethan McGraw
Honor of Marty Mulder
Memory of Edith Zerfas
Memory of Sara Trezise
Honor of Kay Mulder
Memory of Sidney Tornga
Memory of Vera Doornbos
Memory of Reynold Doornbos
Honor of Erika Driesenga
Honor of Sue Doornbos
Honor of John Jacobitz
Honor of Susan McIntyre
Honor of Robert Syrek
Memory of Katherine Syrek
Memory of Bob MaHaffey


I'll edit to update as I think of or remember more names.

Holy Thunderstorms, Batman!!

Oh my goodness have we gotten hammered with thunderstorms in the last 24 hours!!! I just checked outside and the latest round is rolling through, with sideways rain and all!!! Yeah, I'm not a fan of thunderstorms either - I have an irrational fear of being sucked up into the sky by a tornado, so summer storms are not on my favorites list...

So Sad...

My dear friend Aimee's hubby Jim passed away early Saturday morning, thus ending his very courageous fight against cancer - there it is - that dreaded "C" word again...

So, yet another name to add to the "In Memory" luminaria for the Relay for Life. It seems like our "In Memory" list gets longer and longer every year, as people from last year's "In Honor" list earn their angel wings and make the switch from one list to the other....

Needless to say, today is hard. Now add to that the fact that it's now June, which is the official start of "summer scan month". Joshua has labs and a Pre-MRI physical on June 25th, and then his scan is June 30th. Ugh. Blech. Yuck.

Anyways, send up a prayer for Aimee and Brianna if you get a chance. Lord knows that they need it right now...