Potato Salad

River Update:  River "didn't make counts" that means her immunity/platelet/blood count was too low to start Chemo last Wednesday.  She got a 5 day break before Chemo started on Monday.  She was so excited that we had 5 days more to craft!  This break has been good so good for her and me :) 

She has been SO bright and shiny and sweet and the old spark is back!

 

In hospital on Monday just before Chemo started.  She was excited that there was a fish sticker on the soap dispenser.  I have been so amazed at her attitude.  Look how bright she is here - knowing chemo will start soon, you'll be hooked up to 3 lines of IV and get sick.  So So So Brave!

Attitude is SO powerful - she is SO happy through this all.  Just accepting it all and moving forward with the best medicine in the world - a happy sweet spirit.

Excersizing with the zoom ball.  You alternate spreading your arms to send the zoom ball to the other person, while that person puts their arms together.  The ball bumps your handles and you send it back.  Great excersize!  We were playing a game that you would try to have the ball get as close to your handles without hitting them.  

River and I had a lot of fun with games this round:  Tenzi (a dice game) Monopoly, Sorry, Mancala, a and a board game about survival in the wilderness - we are going to have to show daddy that one next time we are in the hospital - we think he'll love it!

Tender Mercy:  River has really not eaten much at all lately - and then only things without a smell or strong flavor - or juices.  Smells makes her nauseous.  She told me Saturday night she really wanted Kiwis and Pineapple.  Sunday morning there were 3 kiwis in the fruit basket at the Ronald McDonald House!  She ate all of them throughout the day :)  Monday morning there was a fresh pineapple on the counter.  God is good to us.  Those people that provided the kiwis and pineapple will never know what that meant to us.

Silver's 6 year old birthday!

Silver birthday party at school

I'm so grateful to those who reach out to our kids.

Silver's birthday party at the office with Becksteads and Dez kids

Remembering Summer's birthday:  A friend brought over a part of her daughter's birthday cake for Summer.  She was SO excited to have an Anna cake (from Frozen)  

Remembering Tanzi and River.  River really misses her sisters. 

These were taken this summer.

Tanzi loving the watermelon!

Mommy and Tanz

Another tender moment:  During the first few days that River was in the hospital (before surgery and chemo started) she wanted potato salad.  That is one of the few options not available at the hospital.  A friend cooked the potatos and eggs and brought up all of the ingredients for potato salad for us.  This was put together as a family in the Ronald McDonald Family Room inside Primary Children's Hospital.  It was the neatest meal ever - the sister missionaries joined us.

Daddy has NEVER eaten potato salad since we've been married.  He doesn't do hardboiled eggs.  Daddy said if River could do cancer he could do potato salad.  We make things worse in our minds sometimes than they end up being in real life.

VIDEO:  Daddy with potato salad

This is the sweetest - with the little girl giggles in the background

VIDEO:  Colt's potato salad part 2

We made new friends during this dinner - we invited those at the next table over to have potato salad with us.  They have become such dear friends - meals are such a neat part of life.  A time to sit and feed our bodies while making a time to feed our spirits with conversation and togetherness.

Thank you to everyone that has sent us your favorite songs.  Here is River's favorite song: 

Click on link for Sara Bareilles and Cyndi Lauper's song "Truly Brave"  They have made a duet from the song Brave and True Colors.  It is a video with cancer kids getting together and painting.  River watches it over and over.  She can relate to the song on so many levels.  Thank you for sharing it with us.

Link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9fMNNsdPjU

Keep sending inspirational/uplifting songs and videos to us.

The tree just outside of the Oncology (Cancer) section of the Hospital

I believe in miracles!

2 Nephi 27:23  For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith.