Last Post Before I.D.A.H.O.

We have been counting the months ... counting the days .... counting the minutes ..... 

to go back to Auntie Mom's house in Idaho! 

The time has finally come ... 

we leave tomorrow!

This is summer.

Back on the boat.

Back with my BFF.

Back to laughing so hard that some in our party need dry pants.

Back to making the best of Summer memories ... 

just how life should be.

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Before we leave, here is a look at what we've been up to in Kentucky: 

Hannah & her sweet friend, Meredith.  

They swim for hours & have so much fun together!

 Lily & Teagen ... fun times!

 Lily & I in my friend's hot tub.  

Good times in Kentucky!! 

The girls & I are doing great.  

Really.  

This summer has been so wonderful for us.

Hannah's doctor emailed me from NIH 

& her her bone marrow biopsy showed that her bone marrow 

is working normally on a cellular level ...

Just a miracle after so many thousands of people prayed 

that she would avoid a bone marrow transplant.  

Thank you, Lord, for your goodness ...

& for the life that You breathed into Hannah's bone marrow!!!

Psalm 89:1

"I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; 

with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations."

Proverbs 3:7 & 8

"Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 

It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones."

All God's best from Kentucky,

T-Ball Girl

She hits.  She throws.  She runs. 

She goes after that ball with gusto like she goes after everything else in life.

 

She brings it & I love every minute of it!!

She even flirts with the opposing team. 

Distraction: 

it's a strategy I taught her. 

Signed, 

One Proud Momma.

Home from the East Coast

It was a perfect trip to the East Coast.  

 Minus a stomach bug for all (except Lily) & a traffic jam on our last highway home.

Girls & I had such a nice time & 

the trip was even sweeter since Blair joined us.

July 4th we met a family that I know from online for some local festivities .. 

their 5 year old, Charlotte, has Aplastic Anemia so her Mom & I 

have connected due to these unwanted circumstances for our kids.  

It was so great to meet in person.  

What a beautiful family & Charlotte is just darling!!

Hannah, Lily & Charlotte on the rides July 4th.  

Guess, I should mention that I let the girls go crazy with the tattoos ... 

Lily had 3 on her face & did not want to take them off for July 4th. 

Attractive, huh?

The petting zoo ..

Me & Ellen with our kids.  

Thankful for a normal day of our girls not needing blood transfusions ... 

just celebrating life in America!

Italian water ice ....

And guess who learned how to be very comfortable in the pool????  

LILY

Thanks to Aunt Rachel she made leaps & bounds with her confidence in the pool.  

Thank you Rachel!!!!

Yes, the tattoo is still on her forehead ...

Rachel, Blair & I went out one night for dinner.

After 2 sips of her martini my sister was having a good time.    

Oh Anthony's Pizza ... I love you!

Hannah & my dad before a ride on the scooter.

Good times with grandpa!

The girls with my parents ....

The night before we drove home, my parents took Rachel & I to Fleming's for dinner.  

Oh yum. 

Steak.  Lobster.  Baked Potato. Castle Rock. 

Delicous!!

Thanks, Dad & Mom for having us & for making the trip so special.  

Love you both so much!!

The girls & I are home for a bit so they can spend time with Jim before we leave for Idaho.  

We CANNOT wait to get back out to Auntie Mom & Family ... 

get in the boat, get on the lake & live it up before school starts.

I am so thankful to have this summer with the girls.  

Things are much more settled & we are doing really well.  

God has been faithful in every way & I truly am so grateful.

East Coast Extravaganza

Thank goodness I have my Hannah back.  

I was the first parent at the camp.  No joke.  I barely slept the night before .. I was DYING to go get my girl!!

Hannah had a great week at camp but was very very homesick. 

Here she is with some of her fellow campers & counselors.  

Less than 12 hours after picking up Hannah we high tailed it to the East Coast in my van with cousin Blair.  

We got to Philly - caught up on sleep & made our way to NIH in Bethesda, Maryland for Hannah to have her routine follow up bone marrow biopsy.  Hannah is such a champ & the whole thing doesn't worry her a bit.  

Biopsy went great.  

Her blood counts continue to do awesome & her doctors are so pleased with her tremendous progress.  

Even though we were only at NIH for a few hours, of course, I took pictures.    

Numbing cream for her arm before trying to get a line started.

 Dressed for biopsy.

 Thank you, Lord, that Nurse Debbie got the line started on the first try!!! 

 Grandma joined us for the fun!

 This is Janet -- she has done every one of Hannah's biopsies at the NIH.  

She is so sweet!

 After the biopsy on the way back to the Day Hospital Hannah waved to everyone in the OR & in the hallway.  

Dreaming of being in pageant one day!

Our Hero's: Dr. Neil Young & Dr. Phillip Scheinberg.  

Hannah's doctors that we love & thank God for!! 

 Nurse Debbie ... so thankful for her kindness & for her being able to have Hannah as her patient on this day!  

We love you, Debbie

After NIH we spent a few days Down the Shore in Ocean City, NJ with my wonderful family.  

So great to be back at the beach .... something we don't get a lot of in Kentucky.  

Obviously.  

Nothing better than Summer.  

We are so enjoying this time ... being off schedule & not having to set an alarm clock.

Making memories & treasuring our days.

Life is good!