Casting Crumbs

Mom heard back today from her Oncologist with her blood work. They were checking her tumor marker. Last time they checked it, it came back at 167. This time it was 32!!!!!!

Normal range is 0 – 20.

Isn’t that awesome! We have a lot to thank God for today. He is true to His word.

Hi Everyone -

This is a quick post to let you all know that Mom is having Chemo treatment #4 today. She is dreading it as any of us would. Yet, I think that knowing the cancer is being affected really helps her endure through this difficult process.

If you read this or think of her today, please say a prayer and continue to thank God for her healing. Pray also that she will bounce back as quickly as she did after her last treatment. This will be her last treatment before their upcoming cruise with all their friends. Pray for added strength as she thinks of preparing for this trip and that it will be completely enjoyable.

I shall not die but live to declare the glory of the Lord! Psalm 118:17

At Thanksgiving I posted about my Grandmother’s Butter Horn Roll recipe. She was such a big part of my life and so she is always in my thoughts especially around the holidays. My Mom and I started working on a heritage scrapbook a couple years ago (which sadly isn’t finished) and the things we ran across as we went through old memorobilia and pictures were priceless. Here is one that I will share with you. It is very fitting for our Christmas Season.

My Grandmother, Leona Robertson Batt as a young girl

Here is a letter that she wrote to Santa Claus in 1926. It was published in the local paper.

To give a little background, my Grandma’s brother was born with club feet. They had taken him to have surgery and he developed blood poisoning in one of his feet. It ate away at the foot and caused it to shrivel. At that time there were no antibiotics and they didn’t even know if Wilbur would live. He did live and lived quite a long life. He always had a special place in my Grandma’s heart.

This is such a touching moment of my heritage. This is exactly how my Grandma was – always selfless and thinking of others. I can only hope that this would inspire us all this Christmas time to think beyond ourselves to others around us.

Christmas is celebrated because of a completely selfless act. Remember the Christ child, our Lord and Savior, that came to earth selflessly to become a man and to die for our sins. What a huge moment in the heritage of this world!

Merry Christmas everyone! I am blessed to have you all in my life!

This year for the Christmas program at church, the 4 – 6 year olds were to do this adorable little play about an angel. It was First Class Angel, Kenny (our Pastor’s name). This angel was to pick the star to shine the way for the Savior’s birth.

MY son, Julian was picked to play the part of this First Class Angel. Well. . .we got to the practice on Saturday a few minutes late and headed toward the stage. This is what greeted my 5 1/2 year old BOY.

He suddenly started hanging on my coat, burying his head in my crotch and saying “Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom. . .I’m not going up there. I’m scared of the stage!” I thought he was having stage fright. No amount of coaxing could get him on the stage. I even tried to bribe him with picking something out at the toy store. Nothing worked! Later they talked him into being one the children dressed in their PJ’s listening to the story being read. He agreed happily to that.

Later that day he told me. . .”Mom, I didn’t want to go on the stage because I didn’t want to be one of those angels! I thought people would think I was a girl. I also thought I might just turn into a girl!!” I laughed so hard. I never really thought about him thinking that he would be dressed like all the little girls. They didn’t have his costume ready and so he couldn’t see what it was to look like.

Needless to say, he was fine with his new part and the play was rewritten to have a girl be the First Class Angel. It was so cute and the candlelighting service was really neat. Here are some photos of the evening.

Here’s Julian sporting his manly batman Pj’s

Julian’s good friend Sam

After many hours of painting and cleaning, our countertops were installed, lighting done, trim work up, kitchen tiled and our carpet was ready to be laid! Yeah! You wonder when you are in the middle of a big overhaul like this one if you will ever get to that point. It finally came.

The night before the carpet came, we spent some time as a family writing on the floor some verses and thoughts that are meaningful to us. It was a neat time; Julian wrote on the floor with us and Jaden spent time writing on himself with the permanent marker (oh joy!).

The next day the carpet men showed up on our doorstep and began the final step of our room addition. There is something magic about playing on freshly laid carpet. The boys ran around and around in circles till they pooped out on the floor.

Here are some pictures you might like to see.

A special thanks to James and his company, Integrity Countertops, for his tops and all the extras he did for us.

I had to put this picture of Julie in! They came over to help us finish up some detail work on the cabinets and she posed for me. (Yes, I did get permission to post this from her! )

Check out my lovely countertops!!

Check out the new space saver microwave!

I feel so very blessed this Christmas with all my new space and lovely things. God is so good to us. All things come from His hand and I praise him even for all these material things that will make our lives so much easier.

Every year that Tom has worked for Children’s Mercy they send all the employees and their children to this big Christmas party downtown. It is really done well and the kids just have a ball. They give away free books, do face painting, crafts, magic show, caricatures and of course SANTA!

This year we stood in line for about an hour to sit on Santa’s lap. Julian was bound and determined to talk to him.

We got up there, put the kids on his lap and took pictures.

Aren’t they cute!!

You didn’t bring it!

Then Julian proceeded to tell Santa. . .”Last year I asked for a Robin suit and YOU didn’t bring it to me!”

Santa’s excuse

The kindly ‘ol fella then proceeded to explain that sometimes they run out at the North Pole, but this year he would be happy to try his best to get him a Robin suit. He explained that sometimes you have to settle for second choice gifts if they run out.

That seemed to appease poor Julian’s disappointment. I keep wondering what happened to my extremely shy little guy. He’s growing up and now letting his own thoughts and wishes be known. Kindergarten sure does cause them to grow up fast!

Here’s what this year’s caricature looked like. I think we all look a little sad.

I had to post this for my wonderful family members!!

This was the first year that we did not get the privilege of seeing one of these hanging in a tree. After about 12 years of hunting together, this year we did not. It was a little weird not all being together for this great family event. I really missed it. Maybe next year ya’ll!!

Love the blood on the ground, but I think they missed the tongue hanging out!

Did you guys miss the great hunt too??

Today is our first official “Snow Day” of the year. I met it with a gammet of emotions. Thoughts of little bundled up bodies trudging through snow drifts, snow balls and attempts at snowmen, collide with the images of runny noses, muddy snow prints on carpeting, piles of wet mittens, hats, coats and boots strewn across the entryway.

I thought back to my snow days as a child and appreciated my Mom all the more. I never remember her being in a bad mood or miffed at all the snowy clothing and us kids traipsing in and out and back in and out. I just remember the good. Good job Mom.

So today I tried my best to see that the kids would look back on this day with fun, fond memories and not Mom being in a bad mood. I made hot chocolate and greeted the red fingers and Jaden’s tear-filled eyes with a smile.

All that truly makes me sound like such a shallow Mom, doesn’t it? Oh well, I think I am just tired of all the messes around here. They are almost done . . .the carpet comes tomorrow and the addition will be done!!!

Here are some adorable shots of my Snow Princess and the boys.

Evely liked the snow,
probably because she couldn’t feel the cold!

Remember how that tasted? I tasted it again and it hadn’t changed.

Jaden, always cleaning up!

I’ll leave you with this snowman funny.

Today as I dropped Julian off at school, he took forever to get into the building. He kept stopping to throw back his head and let the snow fall on his mouth gaping open and tongue hanging out. I thought it was sweet until he started stooping down to drag his fingers through the snow on the sidewalk and then sticking it in his mouth. It wasn’t in the newly fallen snow in the grass. Oh no, it was the crunched up, trodden down snow that all the primary kids and parents had just walked through! You gotta love kids!

Psalms 103:1-5 1

Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

You can probably guess by this beginning that there is good news!! There certainly is!

Mom just called from the Oncologist. She is there to receive her 3rd chemo treatment today. She just got the news from the Cat Scan report. It showed NORMAL!! That doesn’t mean that there is no cancer, it just shows no abnormalities. All the fluid in her lungs and abdomen are gone!! Her Protine counts (which are tumor markers) went from 421 to 167 in only the first treatment!! Very good!

Praise the Lord with us today. It is HIS hand that all good things come from. He is a good Father who lovingly bestows his mercy upon us!!