Been A long Time....

Time…. It passes so quickly! I have been so busy and it is getting worse daily it seems. I have not blogged in forever; but I have become a Face Book junkie these days. I have gotten back in touch with some of my closest high school girlfriends. We actually have got together once for dinner and we are doing it again this Friday night.
Thomas finally got a “release” from the oncologist at the end of October. That is one place I hope we never have to visit again! The summer needless to say was not our “best” summer but it all worked out. I consider us very blessed.
Here is a quick update:
Thomas is doing great in the 3rd grade. He is in the highest reading and math class. He thinks his teacher is “hot” (so does my husband – she is really cute) and has a new “girl friend”.
Tyler is learning to read in school, and doing a pretty good job too. He has all of a sudden taken an interest in sounding out words so I am doing my best to encourage that. His little buddy Spencer is in his class – those two are a hoot.
Tanner is doing well in school too. It took him a little while to adjust to kindergarten. There was a “bully” (to put it politely) in his class that has finally been removed from the classroom. This little boy was pushing, kicking cussing and spitting – at Tanner, other students and the teacher too. Thank the Lord our Principle is getting this child the help he needs! Tanner is starting to blossom now!
The boys are ready for Christmas. They are all so excited! They went to see Santa and Thomas gave him directions to the Lego store. It was so stinking cute to see them in awe talking with Santa! I need to do some work on my blog to get it up to date. I hope you all are doing well and I can’t wait to catch up with you all!

Thomas Update

Thomas had his follow up this morning with the oncologist. Dr. Fuh just received test results from a couple of weeks ago and there was evidence that sometime Thomas has had Cat Scratch Disease. It can take months for any kind of signs to surface. He said that it was just a "test" and that might not be the cause. Since Thomas is allergic to cats, he not around them. After he examined Thomas, he said there was significant reduction in the swelling. He said if it were Lymphoma, the antibiotics would not have reduced the swelling. However, he still wants to have a CAT scan done so he can see the lymph nodes deep down that he can not feel. We will do the scan in a couple of weeks. After the doctor reviews the results, he will either prescribe another round of antibiotics, and monitor for a while or set us free!!
Thank-you all so much for your kind words and prayers. Words can not express how much it means to me.
Prayer is a POWERFUL thing.

For a Great Cause

As you all have probably read, Thomas has had some health issues over the past couple of weeks. We had a MRI done and test results suggested that there was great concern that he may have either Lymphoma or Leukemia. Initial test show that all is clear. I thank God for taking care of that. He is the only reason for the great results. Although we are still not completely out of the woods yet, things are looking WAY better that before.

With this in mind, I really would like you all to consider helping my friend J.B out. He is a co-worker of mine and he has really shown lots of support to me and my family during this time of concern for Thomas. There is another child that J.B. holds dear to his heart has been fighting (and winning) childhood cancer himself. Along with this child's father, J.B. is participating in a childhood fund raiser in connection with St. Baldrick's Foundation. On October 24th J.B., and a few others will be shaving their heads! All proceeds raised will go to the foundation for childhood cancer research in efforts that no more children will ever have to suffer from any type of childhood cancer.
What a great guy he is for stepping up for such a great cause. After reading up on St. Baldrick's Foundation, I urge all of you to make a donation to this foundation. Most of my readers have children of their own. It can happen at any minute to any of us. God uses doctors, and medicine to heal and sometimes He just chooses to heal it all himself. Please, please consider making a small (or large) donation to this foundation.
Here is the link to St. Baldrick's Foundation, and here is the link to J.B.'s page where you can make a donation to sponsor him.
I challenge all of my family,co-workers, friends, and blog buddies to make a $ 10.00 or more contribution. I would love to see J.B. hit his goal of $ 2,000.00!

Thanks to all of you for prayers for Thomas. We will be going back to the oncologist, on Friday. Hopefully there will be good results to report. I will keep you all posted!

P.S.
I will post some before and after pictures of J.B. Hope you all can show support!

Many thanks,
Tracey

Wordless Wednesday

My boys love the water. It is hard to believe summer is almost over....


Tanner LOVES the ocean. He had a blast last week-end.


Thomas just learned to dive. Pretty good huh?


Sometimes my boys do like each other. I love this one of Thomas and Tyler.

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Please remember to pray for Thomas. We go back to the oncologist on Friday. Pray the test results continue to be okay. For more details visit previous entries....

Thanks to all,

Tracey

Wordless Wednesday

Some beach pictures.

I just love my boys! You all just take the time each and every day to love on you family. You never know what tomorrow brings....

Tyler, Thomas and Tanner at the Aquarium.

Me and Frank - My BEST Friend!

Me and two of my boys Tyler and Thomas. Tanner wasn't in the mood! LOL

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Going Down....

The swelling is going down!!! The anit-biotics appear to be working. Just as the doctor predicted there is a noticeable decrease in the swelling. Thomas tells me yesterday "Look Mama! (as he pushing on himself) It doesn't even hurt anymore!". We still will follow up with the oncologist and probably do a CAT scan just to take another look at everything but it appears that he is going to be okay.

Thank-you all for so much support. Prayers have been lifted to God from all over the country. Some of you Twittered and blogged about my son. Thank-you for spreading the word. Every one's prayers were heard. Please Praise God for the miracle....

We took the boys to the beach yesterday for some "fun" time. I took alot of pictures so I will be posting them soon. I was "cleaning" my laptop up on Friday (while anxiously waiting for the doctor to call) and deleted some hardware from my machine. I can not get on line right now. As soon as I get it all strait I will post some pictures...

BTW... We got a new puppy... :0)

Update on Thomas - Praise the Lord

PRAISE GOD! Our prayers have been answered!

Just got a call from the doctor. We have good news. Although we are not entirely out of the woods we are close!
Thomas' chest X-ray's are clear. His white blood counts are good. The pathologist said there was a significant amount of tissue in the aspiration biopsy and he examined it all and everything looks normal!!! He could find nothing wrong!
The Oncologist feels strongly that this is a lymphatic response - basically an over reaction of his lymph nodes! PRAISE GOD!!

We are to keep Thomas on his anit-biotics for the next two weeks. We are to monitor the swelling. We should see a significant reduction in swelling over the next two days. Should there be more swelling we will see him immediately for addition testing (CAT scan and biopsy). He has cancelled the appointment with the surgeon for next week!

A mother can not express the emotions she feels when one of her children are sick. I want to say thank-you for all of your prayers and words of encouragement my family has recieved from you all over the past couple of days. I have received literally hundreds of emails from friends from work, face book, and blog buddies. Words can not express how your support help me manage to get through the last couple of days.

Most of all Praise God! The Lord above has his hands on my little Thomas. I KNOW with all my heart that HE is the reason we have good results! HE heard all of your prayers and has answered them! Thank-you Jesus! All the glory should go to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Update - No News

First thank-you so much for all your words of encouragement and your prayers. I never knew how much just a small thinking about you note could mean so much.
There really isn't much to say as far as an update goes. The doctor did not call today with any results. We will be calling him in the morning. Hopefully I will be updating you all with good news tomorrow....

Until then please continue to keep Thomas in your prayers. God is listening - I just know it!

Thanks again to you all!!

Update - Thomas

The doctor is finding conflicting symptoms with the information that is coming back – so they are not entirely sure what is going on.

They took blood this afternoon and there was something in his blood chemistry that they were looking for – whatever it was (I can't remember something to to with his liver) came back with good results. The white blood count is not back yet. They were still testing when we left.

The doctor did a physical examination of Thomas and said that his lymph nodes in his groin area are entirely too big and that something is definitely not right. He said that the good sign is they were not "hard" but they are firm. He told us that if this comes back as cancer he believes it will be one of two types – Leukemia or Lymphoma. He says if it turns out to be Leukemia the success rate at beating it is between 95-96%. If it turns out to be Lymphoma and it is isolated to the groin area only the success rate at beating it is about 95%. Those numbers sound good - I know - but there is no "success rate good enough when you are a mommy.

The MRI from yesterday showed that none of the glands in his stomach are swollen – this is VERY GOOD NEWS. They did a chest X-ray to check for any mass around his lungs. We still don't know any results from that.

We have a consultation appointment next Wednesday and for surgery to get a biopsy. It is planned for the 21st. Because we can't get a biopsy done until next week he (doctor) chose to do a Fluid Aspiration of the glands in his groin. They were able to get some fluid and a small amount of tissue. It was very painful for Thomas and it makes you sick to your stomach to watch you child go through that kind of pain. They basically inserted a needle into his groin area and poked in and out to suck up fluid. I cry now as I write this. He was just looking at me with those big blues eyes screaming Mommy. It was awful. Frank and I stood there holding his hands and hovering over him to try to offer him comfort. I have never felt so helpless in my life.
The fluid that was drawn was “cloudy” which they (the two pathologist) said was a good sign because it can indicate that it is an infection and possibly not cancer. They have sent the tissue off for testing. If the results are show bad cells we will be admitted to the hospital immediately for bone marrow testing . If the results are good we will still go through with the biopsy to confirm there is no cancer next week.
The Oncologist has put Thomas on anit-biotics for the next 14 days in case it is a an infection. If the swelling goes down and all the test results come back with no sign of cancer, we may not have to do the biopsy surgery.

We are very, very scared. It is time to lean on God - I am trying to lean on him. But the Mommy in me just wants it fixed - NOW! Thomas is scared too but he doesn't fully understand what is going on. We have chosen not to tell Thomas too much until we know for sure what we are dealing with. There is no need to scare him more. I told him today that the doctors need to figure out why his 'knots' (that is what he calls them) are there. I told him there might me something in there that could make him sick and we need to make sure there isn't. That seemed to satisfy him for now. I told my other two boys that we had to take Thomas to a "fancy" doctor. They need to look at his knots.

THANK YOU so much for praying for my baby.

Please continue to keep our entire family in your prayers. When I get more results I will post ASAP.

God can heal my child no matter what it is. Please, please pray for healing.

Thanks to you All,

Tracey

Urgent Prayer Request Needed for my Son!

Please Please pray for my son Thomas. I don't have time to give all the details now. I will re-post later with the whole story. We have a 1:00 appointment with an oncologist. Doctors are saying that they think Thomas (my oldest son) has leukemia or lymphoma. Please pray that they are wrong!

Thanks to you all! And my God heal my son!

Wordless Wednesday

Betcha never heard a fish "croak" before! This was the first time for our boys!

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Wordless Wednesday

They start WAY too early! I am speechless!
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Visit to the Wright Bothers Memorial

During Memorial Day week-end, our family visited the Outer Banks of N.C. This is one of a favorite places to go. We visit the beach quite often during the summer months. Other than the beach, there are lots of things to do. One afternoon, we decided to go visit the Wright Brothers Memorial. The boys had a great time and learned all about Wilbur and Orville Wright. We actually got to see a couple of planes land and take off. Here are a few shots~

Almost Wordless Wednesday

I got this shot a couple of weeks ago while hanging out at the Outer Banks. My boys found this little guy hiding out in the sand. I picked him up so the boys could touch him. I just had to pose him with my "beverage". Looking at my beverage would explain why I had enough guts to pick him up!~






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Wordless Wednesday

Can't wait for summer~ :)
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Wordless Wednesday

I swear I am not dead... I will be posting again really soon...
Here is this week's Wordless Wednesday. This was taken at my sister's wedding. I think it is a really neat shot!

Wordless Wednesday....

It has been a while I know... Been busy. My baby Sister got married. I took her Bridal portraits... What do you think?

For more entries visit 5 Minutes for Mom or Wordless Wednesday.

WORRIED ABOUT ALZHEIMERS? TAKE THESE FOUR TESTS ....

Sit comfortably and be calm. Put your thinking process aside. Put your brain in neutral gear.


1- Find the C below. Do not use any cursor help.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

2- If you found the C, now find the 6 below.

9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
6999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

3- Now find the N below. It's a little more difficult.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

I was assured this is NOT a joke. If you were able to pass these 3 tests, you can cancel your annual visit to your neurologist. Your brain is great and you're far from having a close relationship with Alzheimer.


Congratulations!

For more funny jokes, stories and games click in the Friday Funnies button at the top of this post or visit here.

Happy Friday!

Art Work....

Tonight I was checking the kids folders - a nightly affair in our house and I found some art work that Tanner and Tyler brought home from school.  I thought i would share these with you all. 

Tanner worked really hard on his pin punch project. He has worked on it all week. I think he did a pretty good job! 

Tanner is very proud of his master piece! 

Tyler had a book of art work. I was pleasantly surprised to see that he had 5 different pictures stating I like my Mom. My heart was about to burst.. then I saw this one.... Then I busted a gut... Is what I THINK it is?? Puppy Love???

I Love Trinity... Aww so sweet. Then I looked closer....

Ummm... Are those???? Ummm boobs?

I was afraid to ask - so I just giggled a little bit and moved on to the next picture! 

I Like my Bab (Dad)...

I like Caleb.

Trinity strikes again.. He really has it for this little girl! 

My Favorite: I like my Mom...

And Trinity....

I finally asked about Trinity. Tyler politely let me know that she was his girlfriend... along with a polite eye roll...

They start entirely too young these days! 

Wordless Wednesday

 

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I ♥ Faces

This weeks I ♥ Faces challenge is NO Flash! Good thing it was really sunny outside yesterday! I snapped this shot of my neighbors little girl. I think this one turned out nice...

For more entries visit I ♥ Faces.

Pony Ride

Our neighbors across the street gave us a buzz yesterday and invited us over for a pony ride. Turns out our neighbors brother and his wife just got a pony named "Fuzzy". They are going to start hosting birthday parties for kids out at their farm. I am pretty sure our next birthday party will be at the farm. The kids really had a great time. This was the first time any of them ever got on a horse. Thanks K Family for such a great afternoon! 

Thomas all smiles! 

Tanner ♥ed it! 

And Tyler all smiles....

Ulitmate Blog Party 2009

Okay Blog Buddies! Just in case you have not heard about the Ultimate Blog Party jump on over to 5 Minutes for Mom site. This is a great opportunity to make new friends and enter for some awesome giveaways....

I am off to enjoy the party! 

If you need a good laugh...

Jump on Over the Homesteader's Heart for more Friday Funnies!



If you need a good laugh watch the video below... My Mother-in-law sent this to me!
I laughed so hard! This is another good reason why God Made Mommies!
Enjoy!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Wordless Wednesday

I was looking through some old picutres and found this one of all my boys... Seems like yesterday - they grow up WAY too fast! 

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Something kind of Fun...

See how well you do in placing the states of the Unites States of America! All you do is look at the top and drag and drop the state where it belongs on the map! If you have a few minutes, check out this little game.  The kids thought it was pretty neat. Thomas did really well. Let me know how you did~  United States of America. I scored an 86 - don't laugh it is tougher than you think! LOL Enjoy...

Tracey

Must be Time to Play the Lottery!

Guess what??? I entered a Giveaway over at My 3 Wisemans and as it turns out I am the lucky winner! I won a Kid Motion Playskool Easy Dunk Basketball. My kiddos are going to like this! Thanks so much Shana! That is two giveaways that I have won.... It must be time to play the lottery! LOL!