Update on Kayelynn

Four weeks ago I finished my first round of chemo with surgery on our minds as the next step in my recovery.  After two weeks of scans and another week of appointments with my oncology team, they determined that I need to start a new round of chemo along with daily radiation for 5 weeks to shrink the tumor even more.  The tumor responded to my previous chemo in an awesome way.  It shrunk by half and is only 1/10th the volume.  But, the doctors want to see even more shrinkage in order to ensure a more successful surgery afterwards.

Though it is tough to face more treatment, we have prayed about our options and feel good about this course of action with a better end result.  We know my doctors have been inspired about my treatment and care.  My nurses and medical staff have been so kind and positive.  They have really helped to put us at ease when we feel like we are constantly being pulled out of our comfort zones.  I am feeling full of life, courage and motivation to heal and to get better!

Our family and friends have been such a wonderful support to us.  Our church's women's organization, called the Relief Society, has been coordinating weekly cleaning of our home.  They have been so cheerful and thorough in making sure our home is clean for me to help keep us healthy for my recovery.  I have enjoyed seeing them each week.  This has truly been a huge blessing for our family.  We have been healthy and happy.  I had no idea that in the process of healing I would make so many dear friends.  I am so thankful for those blessings.

My dad and Travis' dad have continued to "tag team" weeks of staying with us to help with kids, food and numerous other things.  This has been such a blessing to have child care taken care of when I have had so many random appointments and needing to nap during the day.  Our kids have enjoyed getting to know their grandfathers better.  They have made so many fun memories together.  I hope it is something they will never forget.

Travis' boss at work has been so understanding and compassionate towards Travis' need to work from home or take time off to come with me to my appointments.  It has truly been such an amazing blessing.  Are you making a tally of all these blessings?  I just say, "Wow!" over and over.  Travis' job allows us to have wonderful insurance coverage which has helped is to avoid going into debt for all my medical care and treatment.

We have been so touched by the love we have felt from our friends and family.  We have received phone calls, email messages, cards, gifts and visits.  We feel like we have a whole army of cheerleaders rooting for us.  It has made such a difference in our lives and we will be forever grateful.  Many, many times when I have been feeling emotional, I have received an inspired visit, package or call from a friend or family member.  It has been just what I needed to keep on keeping on.

I have felt my testimony strengthened of the love my Heavenly Father has for me and for my family.  I know we are not alone in this difficult time as I have felt my guardian angels round about me.  It has been such a holy time as I have felt so close to the Spirit.  I have learned so much about turning my life over to the Lord and allowing him to orchestrate my life according to his will.  Countless times Travis and I have felt inspired to make decisions about details of my care that make us feel so grateful for the guidance Heavenly Father has given us and continues to give us as we ask in prayer.

Last night I received a special priesthood blessing from my dad.  Afterwards, each of our children asked for Travis to give them a father's blessing.  Those inspired words were and will continue to be such a comfort to us.  It is so wonderful to know we have worthy priesthood holders in our home who can bless our family.

As I sit here in the middle of my chemo infusion and anticipate my first radiation treatment later this afternoon, I can't help but feel grateful.  Life is so good.  I have been forever changed in my outlook and perspective on what is really important.  I am thankful for the things I have learned that will allow me to do my best to help my family and others in the future.  I believe I have become a better person and a better wife and mother as I am learning how it is to do really hard things.

What we have been up to...

Allie looking out the window:  "It's kind of 'froggy' outside today!"  We have had lots of foggy days lately.

Allie yelling excitedly down the stairs:  "Daddy, daddy!  Mommy's hair is growing back!"  I had just taken off my hat and shown her my "peach fuzz".  She is my little cheerleader!  I love it!

Justin was chosen to present his science fair project at a district qualifying fair this week.  Because of the huge snow storm yesterday, the fair was cancelled for today.  Justin is doing such a great job in school and thought of the idea for his science project on his own.  Grandpa Davis and Dad helped him work out the details.  It deals with measuring the efficiency of light bulbs.  He has a few days off of school next week for parent-teacher conferences.  We are looking forward to hearing many great things about Justin from his teachers.  He is really excelling in middle school.  Way to go, Justin!

Tyler will be working on his science project in time for the March science fair at his school.  He has been learning multiplication at school and is doing a great job.  He got 100% on his spelling test this week.  Tyler is also very talented when writing in cursive.  Tyler's teacher said she wishes she had a whole classroom full of Tyler's.  He is a pleasure to have in class.  Keep up the good work, Tyler!

We spent 2 1/2+ hours today playing outside in the snow.  We took the sleds out to the park and slid down the hill into the "Magic Forest".  Grandpa Davis came along to join in and to take pictures and videos.  Tyler and his friend, Ian, tried snowboarding on their sleds down the hill.  Tyler did awesome and we think he has some natural talent as a snowboarder.  He had excellent balance and technique.  We'd love to have him take a lesson up at Mt. Hood sometime.  Justin and Tyler had fun sledding on our street with their friend, Robert.  Allie and Dad tried to race them down the hill.

Justin and Tyler are avid Minecraft players.  They like to play every day on their laptop and dream up elaborate building plans for their "worlds".  Justin and his buddies call each other on Skype and then hang out and explore each other's worlds while chatting with each other online.  Allie even likes to sit there and watch them build their buildings.

Allie has not yet seen the whole "Frozen" Disney movie.  Although, she has watched many YouTube videos of the songs.  This week we bought the soundtrack cd for her and the boys to enjoy.  Tonight Travis turned on the music in our bedroom as they lay on the floor putting together puzzles with huge pieces.  I was downstairs in the office with Tyler helping his put his valentines together for his class party next Friday.  As we were working we could hear Allie singing at the top of her lungs to all the songs.  It really sounded so adorable!  Travis told me later that she knew most of the words to all the songs.  It is so fun to see her growing up and figuring out that she loves to sing.  So cute!

We have an ant situation.  Travis calls them his "little buddies".  I just try to ignore them.  Grandpa Davis smashes a gazillion of them a day.  They keep showing up in different rooms of the house.  They are those teeny, tiny sugar ants that you have to stare at the floor to even see.  But, boy oh boy are they tricky!  If you have a 'natural' solution that has worked for you, please let us know.  I really don't want to spray the house with pesticides, for obvious reasons.  I think we need a Pied Piper to entice them to follow him out the back door to never return again.  Where do we find one of those?

After school nearly every day, Tyler has been playing in the park with his friends, Ian and Jack, to build a fort under the huge fir trees.  They have been working on it for weeks and even made a door out of woven vines and fallen branches.  I don't think they are even finished yet.  They just keep building and playing back there.  A big thanks goes out to both Grandpa Guptill and Grandpa Davis (during their weeks for staying with us) for keeping an eye on the boys while they play with Allie at the park and swing her in the swings.  Like for a long time.  Even when it is cold.  And I am taking a nap.  Bless those grandpas!

I walked over 29 miles in January.  Yay me!  I have a tracker on my phone that shows the route and distance I walk each day I go out.  Even though it hasn't been very far each day, it sure adds up.  Great motivation to keep me going each day.  Allie and both grandpas have come with me for most of those walks.  Sometimes I take Travis and the boys or one of my girlfriends, but day in and day out, Allie has been a trooper.  It is so nice to know we are all getting in shape. Exercise just makes for a better day, I say!  It was the best advise my oncologist gave me.  It has helped boost my mood and kept me strong throughout all of my chemotherapy treatments.  I'm on a roll!

I have been updating the blog for 2013.  So, if you want to know what we did for the past year, I keep adding new posts.  I am pretty much caught up from Jan. 2013-April 2013 now.