Friday, August 7, 2015

Last Days of Summer!


God is so good!  Caleb has had an amazing summer, with very few side-effects from chemo, & absolutely no secondary infections or illnesses.  What a beautiful blessing! 

Cal's big brother is not a fan of needles, but Zach still insists on being right by his little bro to support him!  There really is something to the saying of "brotherly love".
Precious babysitter, Nicole, is always by our sides through thick 'n thin, too!  We started praying to find the perfect caretaker for our children BEFORE Zach was born.  Our prayers were heard when Nicole came into our lives eleven years ago.







 Caleb and Zach got to spend a week with their "Auntie Donna" and family last month.  

Water sports helped them enjoy the great outdoors in the steamy North Texas heat!
They had a BLAST with their cousins!
Caleb recently had a great check-up and was given the "all clear" to head off to Camp Periwinkle with Texas Children's Hospital. (Periwinkle because that's the color of one of the main childhood chemotherapies.  Only cancer patients and their siblings are there.)
It's a "no communication policy" with parents at camp for an entire week - so I spend every spare moment on their website, looking for a glimpse of the boys at camp! (Mommy stalker, ha ha)

Looks like Caleb loved making homemade pasta!
One of my former colleagues taught golf lessons at camp, & we're so happy to see him taking good care of Caleb!
Of course rockets intrigue all little boys!!! 

We got this note in the mail from Caleb tonight, and it was such a beautiful sight for us.  How wonderful & such a relief to know that he's doing well and having so much fun.  
 Another special experience from Texas Children's Hospital:  Caleb & Zach made national news because of a video they were in, along with many precious patients from TCH.   



It was fun to see them on programs, like The View & Today Show!  They got a million views on our FOX26 website alone.  It's a beautiful video about how tough children are & really take their life back from illness. Here's the link:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k_szst_OBg
It wasn't as fun as being part of a viral video, but they got to "pretend" to be reporters after a remote newscast in Galveston.
Caleb continues to be drawn to lions, as his theme of a "courageous lion" still remains important to him throughout cancer treatment.  He loved a close-up look of them at the circus.
Caleb reminds me of this kitty looking in the mirror.  The love and prayers from family & friends makes him feel strong, just like a lion! 
As these bright, beautiful balloons helped kick-off the start of camp, we hope Caleb sails through second grade a healthy little boy.  One more week of summer until his classes begin. 
We hope you enjoy the rest of summer.  Please know we are blessed by your "cares and prayers".