New Year's Eve

It's New Year's Eve! 

 Since Stephen & I met, each New Year's we've spent together has also been with youth at Lock-ins or at Winter Retreat.  I was so excited that this year's Winter Retreat is scheduled for January 2-4th, so we would get to celebrate New Year's together.  I imagined an evening out, dressed up and going to dinner and a movie or a party, or hanging out with friends.  Instead, we're at home because I have bronchitis, a fever, and asthma issues from the bronchitis. Yay. Not. The important thing is we're together, eating Whataburger & watching movies. 

Looking forward to a healthier 2014!  

Canon Rebel T3

For Christmas, my inlaws got me a Canon Rebel T3! I love the quality of pictures it takes, even though I have zero experience taking pics.  I'm looking forward to learning about photography, lenses, shutter speeds and more as I explore my camera.  

For now, here's a modpodge of snapshots from our Christmas Vacay in Olney:

Christmas Morning Selfie

Emma being tickled by her daddy

Stephen & me. :)

Sweet Sisters--Abby & Emma! 

Emma chasing Cole

Emma smiling while chasing Cole

Barbie Dollhouse. 17 steps? seriously?

Wait. You do what?!?

Barbie Dollhouse Completed

Uncle Stephen & Abbers 

Emma, Abby, and Aubrea

Emma & Nana's Christmas Tree

Sisters. <3

Santa Cole

Emma & Kaytie

Cheesin' Emma

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to you!

We're spending our Christmas with Stephen's side of the family in Olney, Texas this year.  

It's been a great time of family and fun! I love our family sing-along, or sing-song as Nana calls it. Almost the entire family was there except Stephen's cousin Kara & her husband and four kids.  So glad they got here last night (Christmas Eve) and that they've moved to Texas so we will be able to see each other more. :) 

Jesus is the Reason for the Season! 

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn."

 (Luke 2:1-7 ESV)

Uncle Santa

Yesterday (Sat. 12/14/13), Stephen dressed up as Santa for FBC Corpus' annual breakfast with Santa.  

My favorite part about it though was that our nephew, T, got to come see his Uncle Santa.  He looked unsure of Santa when he walked in the room, but once Stephen said his name, he was like Oh! I know this guy. :) 

Thankful Thursday -- thanksgiving edition

So, so thankful for this guy. He's seriously the greatest ever. He stuck by me through all the molar pregnancy crapola & really served me how I believe Jesus wants us to serve others. 

I'm thankful for these sweet nieces. Aren't they just the cutest?!? They make me laugh so hard and are so loving. I can't wait to give then cousins one day! 

This little guy, my nephew T, makes me laugh so hard. I am so thankful for this little goober, for his HUGE, full faced smile and his sweet baby laugh.  

I am so so very thankful for my best friends, my cousins Megan and Tori. They support me through so much and love me despite my flaws. And they make me laugh SO. HARD. 

These sweet babies, Penny Sue and Sheldy Cooper. They are the sweetest furbabies  I could ever ask for. Penny especially can tell when I don't feel well and will snuggle up with me. When I went through chemo and was feeling like #?*! She would curl up next to me on the couch (or at my feet or on the ground next to me), and not move for hours. Such a good protective puppygirl. 

I can't post a picture of my last thankful post because my boss has asked me not to put pictures of her girls on the internets, but I am so so thankful for my nannying job, mostly because of the girls I nanny. E, 2 1/2 years old is absolutely hilarious. She's seriously one of the funniest kids ever. And the cutest. L, is 4 months old and has the cutest, squishiest cheeks that you can't help but kiss. The girls are like my own. I love then to pieces!  

That's all my thankfulness for now, though I'm going to try to start blogging at least once a week to jot down why I'm thankful for. 

Hcg/chemo update.

After the second round of chemo, my hcg level was at three. THREE! So much better than 3,700, but Dr. Mahmood wanted to see if we could get it down to zero, so he ordered another round (4 doses) of chemo. 

I finished that round at less than a two, so I guess that means between a 1&2? That was on October 18th that I got the news.  Dr. Mahmood said he was finished treating me & I said that I hope to never see him or his staff again, unless it's at HEB. 

My follow up treatment is getting a blood/hcg test once a month for about 6 months. On November 15th, I had my first test & my hcg level was 1! Yay! 

So thankful for Dr. Mahmood and his staff! I very highly recommend Corpus Christi Cancer Center. 

(One of my last trips in for treatment)

It's been three weeks

It's been about three weeks since I've last written, and what a busy three weeks it has been. 

My visit to the Hematologist was what I expected. My hcg levels were at 3,700 and rising, so the Dr. Mahmood told me I would be going on a low dose chemotherapy treatment. I began that treatment on 9/6/13. I had four injections of Methotrexate, the low dose chemotherapy. The first dose was ROUGH. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache; I had it all. The next three doses were much easier, just a little diarrhea, but nothing too bad. 

A week after I finished the first round of chemo, yesterday (9/20/13), I went back in to visit with Dr. Mahmood. MY HCG LEVEL IS DOWN TO 95!!!!! Praise the Good Good Lord! Yesterday I also began the second round (4doses) of Methotrexate. Dr. Mahmood believes this will be the last round. 

I will go back to visit Dr. Mahmood and test my hcg levels on October 4th. 

Please pray that this round of chemotherapy will knock the rest of the hcg levels out and we can move on to the next chapter in our lives.