What have we done all week? Hmmm....not a clue...but I know my house is a wreck....my kids are fighting like true siblings and we are having a blast! This is the first week we haven't had to go to the hospital twice. Ellie's counts were so good on Monday they said we didn't need to come back before Ellie's return to St. Jude. It's also my last week before I go back to work so we have spent this week enjoying ourselves the best we can. Visitors have been coming from near and far. One of the most exciting visits was from family we had never met before!
It was so nice to feel family love and feel like you'd known each other forever. There was no stress over a clean house or an activity to do, it was nice to just be "Blaine's"...(and a couple other last names!)
It has been so nice to be able to shop in stores and goof off and not have to worry about doctors appointments or germs (I do still make them clean their hands after every store...but I'm not as anxious!)
Found the perfect chair! No we didn't buy it!
Super girls...they are "working" on their relationship :)
Ellie has also found a new love of being outside. When we first got home, Ellie wouldn't step foot in the grass without her shoes on...not sure if it was sensory overload or just her being her....but now...
She is all over the place. She loves to get into the yard and take off running...without shoes. She giggles and yells and wants Noah to chase her, of course once he catches her she yells at him. It has been so nice over the past week to watch Ellie regain her confidence in herself and what she can do. She's climbing up steps by herself, running, jumping, putting her own clothes on and taking them off. Things that weren't really happening when we were in TN. My heart just swells with pride over the independent little lady she's returning to.
She's back to her love of crafts with Mrs. Kelly!
And her love of silly faces!
Attempting to make dinner as a family...I think we ate about 2 hours later :)
Practicing Kindergarten....can't believe school starts for him in less then 2 weeks!
Ellie's cook book was completed while she was home as well! She loves to look through it and see all the pictures of her (so modest)!
I know its a million pictures, but I'm not sure I could possibly explain how much fun this week has been for me. After the past 6 months, this was a long awaited week. If Ellie had hair, you'd never know there was anything going on. Her energy and appetite are in full force. We are celebrating everything, even the few hairs that have started to grow! She now has four eye brow hairs and some blonde peach fuzz on her head. As she told me "my crazy hair is coming back!". I have no clue if it will stick around or be lost after this next round of chemo...but it's exciting! This week was a blessing...sure there were my moments of frustration when the sink was full of dishes or there were no more bibs to be found because I didn't keep up with laundry...but I got over them quickly (I'm learning too!) They fought...a lot, I yelled (more than I should), we made a mess, but we had fun.
My children are amazing. They have been through life experiences that most children will never have to. They have had to give things up and miss out on things, but they still laugh, they still love each other, and they love us. I know this is just a little part of the journey God has in store for my children. Sometimes I feel bad because of the things Noah has missed out on, or the things Ellie has been through, but I think towards the future (not for too long, because we aren't supposed to go beyond today) but I think of how these experiences will shape them. What we've been through will forever change our lives, but not in a bad way. We are learning to just have faith and a lot of fun!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Prayers, Praise and Pink
~Carly
P.S. I haven't packed a thing for Ellie and Richard's trip back to St. Jude, I consider this growth for my "need to plan everything" personality!
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