Ellie says this all day long, and it usually consists of a trip down the hallway to see her bedroom. No matter how many times she does this, she is equally excited every time. She doesn't care if you've seen her room a million times, its still "something cool" to her and she wants to share it with you. That's kinda how our life is right now. We haven't done anything extravagant or out of the ordinary, but it's all been "something cool".
As I was getting ready for church this morning, I started to think about things that we take for granted. Like going to church with our family...I remember when it was just 4 of us and how flustered we would be by the time we got out the door to church...someone was probably crying or mad. It felt like a chore to get all this done, but now, even with 5, its the biggest blessing ever. And can I just tell you, that walking into Sunday morning service with all my children, was amazing! Watching my husband usher at church, filled me with pride. Watching Noah walk Ellie up to penny march all my himself, brought tears to my eyes...the hug they both threw in at the end made it even better. As Ellie walked off to the nursery, without our assistance, it felt like life just took a 6 month break and now we are right back where we left off (just without some hair). These were all things that occurred on a regular basis in our lives before Ellie was diagnosed, but now, they are all "something cool".
This past week Ellie got to go swimming! Noah has been going swimming all summer with my mom and friends, but finally Ellie's numbers were good enough to go.
This is something we did often last summer, but this is a much different summer. It was so nice, after a summer of hospital visits and chemo and bloodwork, to have a break and enjoy the things that most people do during the summer.
He is so proud of his new abilities! I am too and so thankful to all who took his swimming this summer and helped his truly enjoy his summer. Its definitely been a different summer for him, but its surely been "something cool". Summer vacation is another one of those things I have taken for granted. I have one of those great jobs where I have the summer off and I get to enjoy it with my children, so this summer was a big adjustment for all of us.
Ellie and Richard head back to St. Jude on Sunday for another week of chemo, I am staying home with Noah and SG...and heading back to work. I told Richard today, I wish she didn't have to go, not because I will miss her (which I will, but as Noah says, 7 days isn't that bad) but because she is in such a good mood. Her spirit is happy, she is smiling and having the time of her life. She is playing and eating and laughing. I know after 5 days of chemo her belly will hurt, she won't be eating, and her poor emotions will be all over the place. We've been spoiled by her good mood, it will be hard to go back, but hopefully this will be the last time she will have IV chemotherapy. After this she will be on oral chemo for 6 months.
We will be spending this week enjoying the last few days of summer vacation! Hopefully she we will get to the pool one more time this week and get to play with some more friends. We are taking Noah and Ellie to see the Pirates and Princess Disney show on Saturday. I cannot wait to see their faces full of excitement. A moment I will not take for granted and will definitely be "something cool"!
Something cool happens every day in this house...lately those cool things are every day things. They are little things like baby giggles, playing princesses, dancing, attempting to put 3 kids to bed, cooking chicken nuggets, doing laundry, and just being a family....oh yeah, and having a crazy cancer go away!
So as we countdown again for Ellie and Richard's departure, I will enjoy every minute of this week...I may need to come back and read this again, because its easy to lose sight of that enjoyment when they are yelling at each other! I will do my best to remind myself how blessed I am to have my children all together under one roof, and I get to be under that roof with them.
Always making life "something cool"
"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 8:15 NIV
Prayers, Praise and Pink
~Carly
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