Two is better than four

Friday was an exciting day.  I received a demotion.

It was my quarterly Oncologist appointment. It was also the first time that I didn't drive myself crazy imagining stuff growing in my body.  A small victory in and of itself.  Scans were all clear, cancer numbers were awesome and they let me know that I am now switching to an every six month check up schedule.  Twice a year.  Only going in to that office two times a year seems like such a treat.  I'll get a scan each time and blood drawn and that will be that.  Demotion? Yes, please!

I also made an appointment today to see the surgeon regarding the removal of my port.  My port was installed (is that the right term?) February of 2011.  It doesn't bother me, but it also doesn't always work and is no longer necessary.  So... it's coming out.  Hurray.

Also on the medical front, tomorrow,  Quinn will go in first thing in the morning for surgery.  This is the last stop (as far as we know) on the surgical train for his cleft lip situation.  His lip has been repaired but there is a small cleft in his gum line that will be fixed tomorrow.  The doctor will take some bone from a cadaver and fill in the gap.  It is suppose to be a shorter surgery and hopefully he will come home tomorrow night... depending how recovery goes.

He will need to be on an anti-biotic for the next six weeks.  This is the part that both he and I are least looking forward to.  It's a fight to get Tylenol in him, this is going to be a six week fight.  He's already begun the protests.

It's crazy that four years ago last week we met him.  Now (hopefully) the final step in his medical journey will be complete.  I'm thankful for his cleft lip.  I'm guessing if it hadn't been for that, we would not have him in our family.  And life would just not be the same.

Here is a Quinn quote to close us out for the day :

Turner : "How many Siri's are there?"  (The lady on my iphone who tells me all I need to know in life.)

Quinn: "There is only one Siri.  But she is EVERYWHERE!!!"

 

 

Time flies when you're never home

My kids go back to school three weeks from today.  WHAT?!?! 

I know I talk a big game about having a break from the kiddos, but around here, we have not had nearly enough family home time for me to even be sick of them yet.

We just got home Tuesday evening from a two week road trip to Colorado.  (Six of those days were spent in the car getting to and from Ft. Collins, CO.)  I know, and I'm STILL sad they have to go back to school in two weeks.

40 total hours in the van with the family and I'm still speaking to all of them.  Although it was touch and go for about 2 hours on the way there with Steve.  And at that point we were only 70 miles into the trip.  We, however, rallied.

Colorado was amazing.  It was a conference for work.  Therefore, it was work.  But the kids spent six days in a kids camp and they had a ball.  The weather was close to perfect.  We stayed in a VBRO house that was perfect for our family.  I ate all kinds of deliciousness. I saw some old and very dear friends.  It was a fabulous trip.

In the next three weeks we have a lot coming up.  In addition to the back to school nuttiness, Quinn has a small surgery a week from today.  He will have a small cleft in his gum line fused with some bone from a cadaver.  It should be a *simple* surgery and will be crucial in his dental future.  It was now or later.  We choose now.

Several days after surgery we will pack the care one more time and head to Northern Michigan.  Steve's brother, sister in law and their 2 kids are up there.  We need some cousin fun (and another 7 hour van ride) to round out our summer.  Three days after that, all three of my kids will begin a full day of school.  The boys in kindergarten and Olivia in 2nd grade. 

Whew.  Summer, you go too fast!  Take a cue from Winter and stay around a little longer, please!

The gift that keeps on giving

Sometimes I feel so blessed I'm almost embarrassed.  Such is true with these three friends.

Sally- someone I have known for going on 18 years.  Our lives have mostly intersected for the past 11, though.  She is kind, funny, gracious, honest, loyal, generous and long-suffering. We have walked through most of the significant life-stages together.  Engagement, newlywed, motherhood and soon we will share adoption as they prepare to bring home their son from China.

Amy- I met her when Steve and I were dating.  Her husband and Steve have been friends since college.  She is one of the most roll-with-it people I know.  She is such a good mom and an example to me of how to love your husband and kids well.  She has been there for me during all of my crisis over the past few years.  I can be 100% real with her.

Susie- we've known each other for a long time, but we started being really good friends about 5 years ago.  We had just brought Quinn home from China and they were getting ready to bring their son home from Rwanda  She is my spontaneous friend.  I have been able to count on her for any spur of the moment social/kid/mom emergency needs.  She makes me laugh.  We have supported each other through our bouts with cancer.  (There are not a lot of friends you can say that about.  I would have rather supported each other through something else...)  She and her family of six are getting ready to move to Brazil for three years.  I can't even talk about it because it hurts too much.  The only silver lining I can see in this deal is a potential trip to Brazil?

These are girls, that for this only child, I would seriously call sisters.

When you are 41 years old it feels weird talking about your *best friends* (isn't that so 3rd grade?) but they are. 

Being moms of 13 kids between us (with # 14 on the way from China) there are not nearly enough uninterrupted conversations, (coincidentally, our kids have all known each other from birth and in a way they are each others *cousins.*) not enough time to see movies together and we certainly don't go shopping together.  So for my birthday, Steve sent the 4 of us to a bed & breakfast for a night.

We sat on a porch and talked, we went to lunch - and talked, we went shopping - and talked, we stayed up until 1 am - and talked.  We caught a movie ( we only talked a touch during) but we talked all the way home from our trip.

My friendship with these women is magical.  We are all very different.  I'm sure I bug them to no end and we've had to work through some conflict here and there.  I know that their friendship is a gift.  I don't take it for granted.  I hope we grow old together.  My husband did an amazing job arranging the perfect birthday gift for me. 

Good luck topping this one, buddy.

summer dreamin'

Yesterday we were driving to the YMCA.  Here was the conversation:

Olivia: "Mom, when I grow up, I want to be on Wipeout."

Quinn: "Mom, when I grow up, I want to be a babysitter."

Me to both of them: "Wow.  That's cool." (Sheesh, every parent's dream.)

Quinn: "Olivia, being a babysitter is waaaay safer than being on Wipeout.  Plus it would hurt less."

Olivia: "Yeah.  Except this arm is practically double jointed.  So I don't think Wipeout would hurt THAT much."

And this is what summer vacation is doing to my family.  I guess this was a good reminder not to put all your retirement eggs and dreams in your children's future.  (Unless of course Olivia goes on to win the $50,000 grand prize.) 

As for Quinn, I'm sure he'd make an excellent babysitter- as long as the kids do exactly what he says, when he says it and they follow the rules 100%.  (He's a touch controlling, that one.)

Turner's silence from the discussion was duly noted.