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I thought it was time for a change! I'm diggin' my new blog background. Now I just need someone with some skills to make a cute header for me.

Radiation Starts Tomorrow

I haven't been gone on vacation...although, me (and my hubby) on the beach, relaxing with a nice cold fruity drink in hand sounds FABULOUS and I wish that was the reason why I haven't posted in over a week! It's just summer time and having all of the boys at home all day keeps me very busy. If you don't believe me, click on the link to the right and read my blog about the boys! I am grateful to be done with surgery, chemo, and other stuff that has prevented me from being able to take care of my boys.

Here's the latest...

**This Saturday, the 28th, we are having a yard sale. What makes this yard sale special, is that basically ALL of the stuff we are selling has been donated to US! There is going to be a TON of stuff. We have had friends, neighbors, friends of friends, family, and fellow church members donate items for us to sell...for OUR profit! And, it doesn't stop there. They (you know who you are!) are having a bake sale, in addition to selling soda and bottles of water, AND ice cream bars!! There are going to be misters set up with the shade canopy. Who WOULDN'T want to come to this yard sale?! We seriously have been humbled by the outpouring of love for our family. We pray for those who have helped our family, that they will be blessed for their efforts. I know they will.

**I start radiation tomorrow. I don't feel nervous one bit. I'm just ready. Ready to get on with things!

**Dr. Kellogg wants me to start taking Tamoxifen. I keep forgetting to get the prescription called into the pharmacy. The plan is for me to take that for 5 years. Hopefully the side effects will be minimal. I guess the main one that I'm worried about is the weight gain. Great.

**Curt and I got confirmation from his company's main office in Salt Lake that we WILL be going on the safety cruise this Sept!! His company will send us (ALL expenses paid) on a cruise since he has been free of accidents on his job sites for over 5 years! We are EXTREMELY excited about this and are looking forward to spending time together...alone!!

My Weekly Post...

It seems like lately I've only been blogging once a week, since there really isn't any earth shattering news going on. I guess that's a good thing! No news is good news, right?

My wild and crazy boys keep me busy all. day. long. From pulling Jake off of the table for the 50th time to playing referee for Luke and Ty before they hurt each other! Good times.

I had another Herceptin treatment today and also got things ready for radiation to start. They had me lay on this pillow thing, with my left arm up above my head. Then this machine sucked the air out of the pillow and it sort of molded around me...making a form. They then put some stickers around my left breast and did a CT scan. All of this was done so they know exactly where to place everything when radiation starts. My first radiation treatment will be on June 25th at 10:40am. I'm anxious to get started... basically so that I can get it done and put one more thing behind me.

I heard some very sad news today that has really caused me to do a lot of thinking. In talking with my good friend Trisha this morning...one of her good friends just lost her 1 year old baby boy this week to a tragic accident. Although I don't personally know this family, my heart has been so heavy today. I cannot even imagine what they must be going through. Yes, I have had my share of trials and heart aches, but I have never lost a child. Nothing can be compared to that. I have tried to enjoy my kids a little more today...laugh with them more...take in their sweet smiles...and hold them while I still can. Because you just never know.

HIGH LIGHTS...and low lights

Today was my LAST day of chemo! My nurse Cynthia didn't want in the picture, but this is her gloved hand flushing my port. Tomorrow will be my LAST Neulasta shot, too! Hooray!

Curt and I dropped off the boys at Grandma's house on the way to chemo. They are staying the night with her tonight. After chemo, Curt wanted to take me out to dinner for a NO MORE CHEMO celebration...so we went to Olive Garden since I had a gift card from Mother's Day. Good food. Good laughs!

One of my best buds in the whole world! Kelly, her husband Tyson, and their 2 kiddos came to visit AZ for the long weekend. We had such a great time...now we just need to talk them into moving back to AZ!!

Some of my oldest peeps...Don, Kel, me, and Bryan. Kelly and I were room mates when I lived in AZ before I was married. Bryan and Don were our home teachers and have been our source of entertainment for many years! These peeps of mine have known me for about 10 years. (I don't mean they are necessarily "old" in age, ya know!)

Luke was nervous that he would forget I was sleeping in the office...since I had Kel and her family sleep in my master bedroom. So Luke made this little note to remind himself, in case he needed me during the night. I taped it on his door knob for him. Funny kid!

Luke feeding...

And Jake CHASING the birds at Tempe Town Lake!

The kids had fun playing baseball and Frisbee at the park, too.

Until this happened...and our trip was cut short. Kelly went with me to take Ty to the Urgent Care after he tripped while running lightening speed and bashed his mouth on the bench of the picnic table. 4 stitches later...we were sent on our way! Ty got to choose a treat and made sure to pick something for Luke, too. Ty was SOOO brave during the whole episode. I was so proud of him. Mom got a little woozy and sad watching them stick needles in my baby's mouth. But I made it through! (Did I mention that Curt was out of town during all of this???)

Luke, Simon, Ty and Helene watching Micky Mouse Clubhouse. Too busy to indulge me with a cute photo opp! They all played really well together and the house was unbelievably QUIET for having 5 kids ages 6 and under running around!

Good times watching Tyson ROCK OUT to Guitar Hero! Kelly was pretty good, too!

And lastly, my guitar cake that I made for Abbi's 7th birthday! Word on the street is that...it was a HIT!!

Red Marbles

A friend of ours e-mailed this story to us. I've read it before and don't know if it's a true story, but it is very touching none the less...

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprizing a basket of freshly picked green peas.
I paid for my potatoes, but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?' 'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.' 'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?' 'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.' 'Good. Anything I can help you with?' 'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' th em peas.' 'Would you like take some home?' asked Mr. Miller. 'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.' 'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?' 'All I got's my prize marble here.' 'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller. 'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.' 'I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked. 'Not zackley but almost.' 'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble', Mr. Miller told the boy. 'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.' Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.' I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man.

A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles. Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.

Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes. Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. 'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size... they came to pay their debt.' 'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho '. With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral : We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Busy Busy

I have been busy for the past week or so...and haven't taken the time to sit down and blog. I can't remember everything I've done over the past week, but a few things are still fresh in my mind. Like....cleaning my office, making Monda's daughter a guitar cake for her bday, cleaning bathrooms, mopping floors....and...OH YEAH!! My friend Kelly should be rolling into town in about 30 minutes!!!!! She and her family (hubby and 2 kiddos) are visiting from CA and will be staying with us until Tuesday!!!! I'm SUPER excited!!

It will also be GREAT to have company this weekend because Curt just left for Snowflake with his parents. Curt and his dad are going to finish the addition on the cabin and will be gone until Tuesday. Not terribly excited about Curt being gone for so long...and me being alone with 3 crazy boys for that long...BUT Kelly's visit is perfect timing!! I will have FUN this weekend fo sho!!

As far as chemo goes...by Monday/Tuesday I was feeling much better after chemo #7...sore achey body as usual. I had my Herceptin yesterday and have bloodwork to do and chemo #8 next week. WOO HOO!!

Vitamin D and Breast Cancer...

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4873786&page=1

Read this. I found it very interesting.