Holbrook Family Happenings

Catching Up - Rachel

2012-02-02T15:04:00.009-06:00

The look on the girls' faces is natural for Rachel - posed by the other two. Rachel just gets excited about life. She has funny stories every day and wakes up happy and talkative. She has a grateful heart and often says thanks for things like laundry and dinner. She couldn't wait for the first snowfall of the season!

Rachel has been seen sporting scarves lately. She is sooooo busy with AP classes at school and being a yearbook editor. She got an awesome ACT score so we receive many pieces of college mail daily trying to recruit her. She says her heart belongs to BYU and has no back up plan. (Sorry Blair)

This girl LOVES the trumpet!! She is working on a trio of Bugler's Holiday (for all you music experts out there) and it is amazing. I don't know how she moves her fingers that fast. She also is a talented piano player.

Luckily, Rachel isn't a sickly child. We went to the dermatologist a few days ago to have a few small injections in her foot. Not a big deal. Rachel didn't even want to sit in the green-colored chair though, then started to feel light-headed as we were leaving. She is taller than I am and looked quite pale, so I quickly had her sit on the floor. The 6 nurses immediately gathered to observe her, give juice, feel her forehead and make sure she was okay. She found the humor in all of that and has enjoyed sharing her story. What an incredible young woman!!!

LAUREN IS HOME!!!!

2011-12-19T22:44:00.003-06:00

4 months is a long time to go without seeing one another. I felt so complete having us all in the car together driving home from the airport. Yay!!!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-30T19:37:00.010-06:00

Thanksgiving weekend - 2007 - Lauren was headed to the hospital for her 3rd heart transplant. That gives us a lot to be thankful for!!

Thanksgiving weekend - 2011 - Lauren stayed in Utah and the rest of us went to Nauvoo. Here are the kids in front of the Mansion House - one of the prophet Joseph's homes.

We fixed an early Thanksgiving dinner and took leftovers with us to a condo.

Thanksgiving morning we went to Carthage Jail. No matter how many times I go to these sights, I learn more about the sacrifices and challenges the early saints had to endure. Wow!

The homes and shops had their old-fashioned Christmas decorations up.

Blair took us to the old pioneer cemetery. We found Nancy Holbrooks headstone, the wife of Joseph Holbrook.

The Nauvoo temple is beautiful both inside and out. There were actually several weddings that weekend.

Nathan is such a good sport and posed for a sunset shot on the Mississippi river.

This year was a bit somber for us. Some dear friends from our Utah days were in a car accident. The husband was killed and the wife sustained some severe injuries. My young cousin lost her husband in a tragic accident as well. It just causes a lot of reflection about the blessings I have and the struggles others have to go through. I am grateful for the strength and blessing that my family and the promises of the gospel provide.

A Budding Star

2011-11-30T19:27:00.005-06:00

Nathan is only in 6th grade, but he was cast in the school musical.

He was Zeke, the farmhand who talks to Dorothy about having courage.

Then he sang and danced as a munchkin.

Next part - one of the lollipop guild. The boys weren't expecting the audience to laugh at them, so they had a hard time keeping straight faces.

The Ozzians welcome Dorothy and her friends to the land of Oz all dressed in green costumes.

Nathan is posing by the tinman (tin-girl in this case) - isn't that a great costume?

The show was amazing and so well done - he had a great time and learned a lot about theater, singing, dancing, and stage management. The directors loved his enthusiasm and personality!!

Monday morning

2011-11-01T07:47:00.009-05:00

Monday morning I woke up feeling a bit uneasy, heavy-hearted and helpless. Based on activities from the weekend, everyone had issues I was concerned about this week. However, they weren't things I could solve for them or really even help them with. The joys of wifehood/motherhood.

Then Lauren called at 6:30 am her time. When we moved her in to the dorm, we went to Target and bought all kinds of supplies. One thing on that list was a barf basin. There was some debate over what size, shape,etc. would be best, but she chose a wide silver bowl. Because of all her surgeries and some of her meds, her GI system struggles. She has had to use that bowl more times in the last 2 months than we want to count, especially the last week. Anyway, yesterday she was sick again and knew she was getting dehydrated. Once this starts for her, it is a quick downward spiral. Not only was she sick, but frustrated and disheartened. We tried to talk through options and she decided to get a blessing and get to the ER.

It is so tough to watch people you love struggle and not be able to do much for them except to provide comfort and pray. So, I went to get a slice of heaven. My friend Christie just had a precious baby girl and her snuggle was just what I needed! I didn't say anything to them, but while there, out of the blue, Christie's mom mentioned as a side note that there was a lot of power in prayer.

I pray for Lauren all the time, but I left and did my grocery shopping, walking up and down the isles praying a bit more specifically that Lauren's body would respond quickly. The helpless feeling subsided a bit and I was reminded that sometimes prayer is enough and is all you can do. Then I came home and read a note from a friend whose child is struggling through something I can't even imagine dealing with. Some of her comments gave me great insight and reminded me that Heavenly Father knows our kids and loves them even more than we do.

ER visits are rarely a short experience for Lauren - they always seem to be the beginning of a long struggle, so she went prepared to at least spend the night. But, after only a few hours of IV fluids, she was so much better!

As she called last night after arriving home, the lilt in her voice was back! New friends had picked her up, balloons and all. She mentioned that Pres Monson is speaking at their devotional today. Silver bowl in hand or not, she is determined to be there!

I went to sleep last night grateful for tender mercies -

*young men who have been taught well and are excited and prepared to use the priesthood when asked

*a sweet baby, a quick thought, and a note on the day I need it

*family members who go to the rescue

*the beauty of IV fluids

*a daughter who knows how to get help and what kind she needs

*the power of prayer

Camping, Car and CT

2011-10-14T15:13:00.005-05:00

I Love to go camping! There is something about working together to put up a tent, all the noises you hear as you fall asleep, the feeling of cuddling in your flannel sleeping bag, needing to use a flashlight, eating breakfast cooked on a campstove, hearing the zipper sound as you open the door, the list goes on and on. Chicago is not famous for its hot camping spots and it kept getting later in the year, so I convinced Blair and Nathan to camp with me even if it was in the backyard. They were good sports and I was soooooo happy!!!!

One of the perks of working for Colgate is a company car. Every once in a while Blair gets a new one and it arrived yesterday. It's a Ford Fusion. Fun for him! He also is starting a new position, still in the same office. Once again, it is clear that the timing and the job are evidence that Heavenly Father is watching out for him.

Sorry I don't have a picture to go with this portion of the post. Lauren started with a cold which turned to a sinus infection. The first antibiotic didn't work, so the doc ordered a CT scan which led to another antibiotic but her nose continues to swell and her head continues to hurt. So she is off to her 4th doctor visit without me. She never seems to have it easy, does she? She is loving the life of a college student though!

BYU Update

2011-10-03T23:23:00.003-05:00

So you haven't heard from me in a while mainly because I am 1400 miles away from the rest of my family. I can't believe I've actually been out here just over a month already!!! But here's a quick update on all that is happening here in Provo, Utah at the amazing Brigham Young University!!

First off, I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!! Everyone is so incredibly kind and friendly; the Church plays into every single subject (my writing homework this weekend is to analyze the rhetorical strategies of the conference speakers); people openly talk about testimonies, missions, and getting ready for church lessons; we have a Family Home Evening group; I can attend the temple every single week; and so on.

So here are just a few of the activities I've been up to since being away from home.

Football. Yes I am learning to enjoy the games. Of course the only one I've been to so far is the University of Utah game in which our Cougars pretty much got run over, but it was still fun :)

My amazing friend Alyssa - we were EFY roomies last year and got our football tickets together.

Below is the view of the halftime show from my aunt and uncle's box seats. We were actually sitting on the very far left edge of the bleachers in the background.

I have been to a choir concert (incredible!), a Jimmer All-Stars Event (got lots of pictures for Megan), and to Target (a big exciting adventure for us college students who have our own little world here on campus). I went to Rascal Flatts with my aunt Carly - so much fun!!!! I have been to several devotionals, attended the General Relief Society Meeting with my aunts, go to Ward Prayer each week, and look forward to Family Home Evening as the highlight of my Monday. Seriously, it's the only reason I get through my Mondays. I have heard 2 apostles speak at BYU - Elder Oaks at a CES Fireside and Elder Andersen for a devotional. I have the incredible opportunity to attend the temple each week, recently every Tuesday at 5:45am though that will be changing to Thursday morning.

Rascal Flatts is amazing! What more can I say? This was them performing "I Won't Let Go," one of my favorites!! :)
And this is my FHE group - they are AWESOME!!! I love these guys :) We went bowling and I actually got a strike for once in my life!!! The rest of the game was pretty awful but I started out with a strike!! I was pretty excited :) Anyways, this is me, Annie, Logan, James, Alec, Angela, Newel, Andy, Austin, and Kyle in front.

So yeah. That's pretty much my exciting life. I have mountains of homework to do and it's a hard realization to see that everyone here is just as smart as I am so I have to now work three times as hard to get the grades I had in high school. My last test was a bit of a wake-up call...haha

By the way, General Conference was amazing!!!! Even though I was away from my family for the first time ever and missed going through 72 hour kit snacks (though I did not miss eating the MRE's or made ready to eat meals that we've had for six years now), it was an awesome weekend of listening to the prophet and apostles and other general authorities speak. I LOVE this Church and I love being here at BYU!!! Go Cougars!!!

And remember to smile :)

By the way here's the link to my blog: lauren2hearts.blogspot.com. I'm hoping to keep it updated more often and that's where my BYU updates will be from now on. Enjoy!!

September

2011-09-30T06:43:00.008-05:00

I try to get to the Chicago Botanic Garden to see each season change - the waterfall garden is one of my favorites.

Back in February, a terrible storm caused damage to 3 of our bedroom ceilings. See the lovely patchwork?

We finally had the repairs done and the ceilings repainted. What a mess!

Lest you think I haven't spent any time with medical issues, Blair took over Lauren's role. He started off with an infected leg that turned to cellulitis. Then, here he is nursing his Pink Eye with ice packs. It took 3 doctors and multiple prescriptions to accurately diagnose him. He didn't hardly leave the house for almost a week.

Aren't these awesome uniforms? The feather plumes are missing because there was a chance of rain. There were 3 football games in a row, now we have a few weeks off before Homecoming. Rachel began a small tutoring job and Megan is about to begin basketball team workouts.

So, Nathan was cast in the school musical. It is the Wizard of Oz and he is Zeke (a farmhand), one of the Lollipop Guild, an Ozzian and a Munchkin. He has great stage presence and is having a blast. He gets to dance and sing and act. I love his enthusiam!!

September 11th

2011-09-11T19:43:00.009-05:00

For any of us who have ever spent any time out of the United States, feelings of patriotism are naturally tender and close to the surface. As we commemorated Sept 11, 2001 today, Rachel's high school performed a remembrance concert with her band and the school choir's. One of the speakers reminded us that our kids have never known an airport where family members could actually meet you at the gate or where you didn't have to take off your shoes to go through security. Do you remember when you could visit a hospital without showing ID first?

When the twin towers were hit, we were living in Utah and Blair was on a business trip in Texas. I remember the uneasy feelings of airports being shut down, having no idea what would happen next, and waiting for Blair to finally make it home after a 24 hour bus ride.

Since 2001, we have lived in New Jersey (1 hour from New York) and been to Manhattan many times. We were only 4 hours from Washington DC sites like the White House and the Washington Monument. We went to Philadephia and learned so much about our founding fathers while there. We are so blessed in our country to have so many freedoms and so many who guard those for us.

The videos below are from Rachel's concert. They both are under a minute and are worth the watch. Start with the bottom one first. They opened the concert with the audience singing The Star-Spangled Banner, then, as we are sitting down, Rachel plays Taps offstage. Side note - Rachel is incredibly talented and loves music! I was so impressed by her playing today. I have told her I expect to hear her play Silver Bells on the trumpet in my final moments of life.

The first video is of their closing number. Enjoy!!

Back to School

2011-09-07T21:14:00.011-05:00

The night before... Blair managed the school supplies, paperwork, 1st day outfits, etc. etc. But Nathan needed a haircut and so did Blair. Being the thrifty man he is, Blair splurged and spent $30 at Target for a trimming kit. Here Megan is using the vacuum while Nathan does the buzzing. They obviously had fun!

Nathan gets up at 6:00 am and leaves on the bus at 7 am now. Middle School with all its lockers and changing classes and different schedules on A days or B days, dressing down for PE, etc. is confusing to me, but he has it down and is learning a ton! He tried out for the school musical and is waiting to hear if he has a part.

Megan is a freshman and Rachel is a Junior, so they leave together for seminary at 6am, return at 7:15, then get on the bus at 7:30. They already have tons of homework!

Fall means football and marching band season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Megan is one of the shorter clarinet players while Rachel is one of the taller trumpeters. The band is 209 members strong, they practice for a class period each day, then have one night rehearsal each week and perform at all the home football games. Not only do they sound amazing, but they had some cool moves for their first game as well.

Megan has several teachers that Rachel had - here is the note on her english homework. Poor Megan has a lot to live up to.

Someone is clearly missing!!

2011-09-02T16:58:00.005-05:00

It is interesting how the absence of one person changes the family make-up. Lauren was not the most vocal of all of us, however, she provided some kind of daily drama. It is a bit quieter without her.!! The lonely bedroom quickly has transformed to a music room/Blair's office.

I had to alter the dishes/help with dinner chart, our seating at the dinner table is now confusing, and tomorrow is Saturday. The Saturday job assignments now need to be refigured.

The good news is that one less person is fighting for the front seat in the car, there is a tad less laundry, and there are no med containers on the kitchen counter.

We miss Lauren but she is having the time of her life and I wouldn't have it any other way!

BYU

2011-08-28T19:02:00.009-05:00

All packed up and ready to fly. May I mention that there are definite benefits to hopping on a plane, sitting quietly for 4 hours, getting out, retrieving luggage and going on your merry way. I really didn't miss the 400 miles of Nebraska nothingness you see when you drive the same route.

BYU ID in hand. Officially a freshman, going off to buy books.

First view of the dorm room.

The view from Lauren's window. This was just an added bonus - I wasn't thinking clear enough to plan this when I chose her room for her. You might remember that Lauren was barely out of surgery back in April when her selection date and time arrived, so I was on my own.

What a disaster - how can one young lady have so much stuff????

The well-organized desk-space.

The bed space, with each inch filled to capacity.

Not quite like her room at home, but a good substitute for 4 months.

Laurens last days at home

2011-08-28T18:08:00.008-05:00

Lunch at Panera Bread

Megan asks "Lauren, don't you want to play basketball with me one last time?" Lauren has done this perhaps 2 other times with Megan in her entire life! But here they are, making a few last memories.

In cleaning out her room, Lauren came up with a 16 inch stack of paper. What could be more fun than a bonfire to burn it all up.

She said it was very "cleansing"

Mexican train game late at night, a new family favorite!!

Friday, August 19th. Sticky buns for breakfast before the big goodbyes.

We didn't purposely both wear yellow - it just happened that way. Off to the airport we go...

When Mom leaves town.....

2011-08-23T15:08:00.010-05:00

(This is Rachel) So Mom left to go to Utah with Lauren and left the rest of us here at home for 9 whole days. We are still alive, but I just thought I would show everyone what we have really been up to......

.
Mom's not here to tell us to be reasonable in our TV hours and so we have spent lots of time watching TV including Dad's favorite movie- The Princess Bride.

And when I don't feel like making another meal, breakfast, lunch, and dinner consist of cookies, cupcakes, candy, cereal and any other unhealthy food you can think of. Dessert for every meal!

Mom's not here to tell us to not be weird or do crazy things, so.......why not drink straight from the milk carton?

And if Megan can do that, then why can't I eat watermelon straight out of the watermelon.

And who is going to stop me from playing with my food?

We have also done massive amounts of redecorating the house which included many trips to Goodwill with old furniture to make room for all the new furniture.... :)

Mom is the one who tells us not to be weird, but Megan and I don't usually listen anyways. So this is what happened while we made Sunday night dinner.....

***Disclaimer: In reality, I am totally kidding. We did watch The Princess Bride but haven't spent too much time watching TV. We have eaten lots of fruits and veggies and real food (not just junk food) and are trying to not eat/make too many cookies. Megan did not actually drink out of the milk jug, but I DID eat the entire half of the watermelon straight out of the rind and I loved it (best way to spend your last day of summer by the way). I always play with my food and make smiley faces, so that is nothing new. Moving out Lauren's bed was the only piece of furniture that has been donated to Goodwill because we are rearranging Lauren's room and nothing else. And Megan and I.....there's no hope for us to not be weird. So whether Mom was home for that or not, it still would have happened.

We miss Mom lots and can't wait for her to get home!!!!

BYU Here I Come!

2011-08-17T09:29:00.002-05:00

My last chemo treatment was July 26th. I had a PET/CT scan last Wednesday that came back clear, which means I'm still cancer free!!! My biopsy on Monday showed no signs of rejection which means I don't have to even get labs drawn for two months!!!! So far, I have a healthy school year ahead of me!

There's only two nights left of me sleeping in my bed at home. Literally. Mom is planning on getting rid of the mattress once I leave because it's getting pretty old. I have two packed suitcases in my room, a duffel and one more suitcase awaiting last-minute items, and only two days in which to finish it all. A little crazy, but I'm SO excited!!

Coming to the end...

2011-08-10T08:37:00.010-05:00

Somehow we survived and made it to week 3 of our trip and we had lots of fun!!! By the way, this is Rachel. We went and visited Dad's parents a lot and I think this picture of Dad and Grandma is really cute!

Nathan got to go to JIMMER CAMP!!!!! So basically, Nathan was taught how to Jimmer. We all thought it was really cool and one of the main highlights of the trip for Nathan was getting a high-five from Jimmer Fredette.

Megan would've gone to Jimmer Camp as well, except that she and I were at EFY all week. So one day she decided to miss a couple hours of EFY to go watch Nathan at Jimmer Camp so that she could see Jimmer. Funny story becuase Jimmer didn't show up that day!! But both of us had a fantastic time at EFY!!

This is my counselor group of girls- we had lots and lots of fun!!!

On our last day of our trip, we hiked to the Y on the mountain. Illinois is incredibly flat so the only difficult part of the hike was how the air got thinner. And even though we weren't even up that high, the air was definitely harder for all of us to breathe.

And then we got to drive back home. We left the mountains and hills and returned to the flat lands and humidity of the midwest.

And the final view of the odometer read.....

That's a lot of miles. Between freeway driving and driving around town we averaged less than 60 mph. So if you do the math, that is about 115 hours we spent in the car. Luckily, our wonderful van survived the whole journey and so did we!!!!

Visiting Victoria BC

2011-08-04T10:55:00.022-05:00

This is what it looks like driving around in the Northwest - green, lush evergreens. Rachel says that is why we can breathe easier there - because the trees provide so much more oxygen.

Blair, Lauren and I left the others and drove up to Washington where we hopped on a ferry to go visit Victoria, BC, Canada.

The ferry boat doesn't look that large, but it is fascinating how many cars they can pack in there down at the bottom.

Arriving in Victoria is almost like going back in time. There are horse and carriages, totem poles, double decker busses, street performers, beautiful hanging baskets, and wonderful people.

This was the view from our hotel - the parliament building lit up and cruise ships in the background.

The next morning we were off to Butchart Gardens. They have been blooming for 100 years now. The colors literally took my breath away!

We were the first ones at the rose garden that morning. What are the chances of being there when the delphinium and the roses and the hanging baskets are all in full bloom? These are just a few of the hundreds of pictures we took.

Then we walked over to the sunken garden - also incredible!

The Italian garden was near the end of our visit - by then, all the tourist busses had arrived.

We took this trip because Blair and I were celebrating our 20th anniversary. We invited Lauren to come along. She hasn't been on any school trips - either we were moving or she was too sick. So, we thought this was a good alternative. She had more fun that she thought she would and we enjoyed focusing on just one child for a few days.

Trip vs.Vacation

2011-07-31T14:10:00.010-05:00

Just so no one misunderstands, this was a trip, not a vacation. See, there is a difference. On a vacation, you don't drive 6763 miles, you don't unpack and repack 14 times, you don't spend 7 full days in a car with 6 bodies and tons of luggage, you don't drive kids to and from basketball camps and EFY, you don't do laundry, you don't try to fit in visiting everyone you want and need to, you don't make doctors appointments in states you don't live in, you don't need an oil change in the middle, and your husband doesn't work remotely for portions of 2 weeks, staying in town so that he can help drive to the next location.

However, a trip like this is full of so many memories and I don't know that I would really trade it. It is so comforting to be with family. We have amazing brothers and sisters who fed us well and gave us comfortable places to sleep. We played lots of games, cuddled with lots of nieces and nephews, enjoyed beautiful scenery, crossed 15 state lines, laughed until we cried, and took hundreds of pictures.

Maybe sometime we will hop on a plane, hop off and grab a taxi to deliver us to a hotel where we will unpack and stay put for a week and actually vacation, but probably not anytime soon.

19 More Days....but who's counting?

2011-07-31T13:10:00.007-05:00

Just wanted to interrupt the travel log to mention that Lauren does her daily countdown of how many more days until she gets on the plane to head off to school. She is SOOOOOO EXCITED!

We arrived home Monday night late and were at the hospital at 8 am Tuesday morning for the final round of chemo. She is struggling with this one and hasn't felt very good. Let's hope she improves quickly over the next few days so that her enthusiasm isn't thwarted!

Road Trip - The Oregon Coast

2011-07-29T20:31:00.023-05:00

I love the beach!!! I told the kids it was my therapy and I will now try to recreate the entire beach experience as best I can.

Anticipation - walk down the path and this is what you see...

Then you go to the end of the walkway and look to your left...

Look to your right...

Keep walking and you start running down the hill ...

There is nothing quite like the Oregon Coast, especially around Haystack Rock. It is therapeutic to go there. I love to put my feet in the sand and watch the waves and smell the ocean air. We haven't been there for 4 summers - way too long.

If you are lucky, you will come upon a sand dollar. (and Rachel's flip flop tan)

Lauren's favorite thing to do there is to take pictures from all different angles.

Some of us enjoy exploring the ocean life attached to the rocks.

Others enjoy building sand castles.

The wide open space is plenty of room to throw footballs, frisbees, trac ball or baseballs.

These 2 girls always dig some kind of hole and get in it.

The water is a bit chilly but beautiful.

It doesn't get much better than a campfire on the sand while watching the sunset and eating s'mores.

Thanks Mom and Dad for bringing me here for as long as I can remember!

Thanks Blair for driving 3000+ miles to get me there again!!!

Road Trip Post 1

2011-07-28T11:55:00.014-05:00

This is Nathan doing this post. This time to get to Utah, we went down through Colorado to see Arches National Park. It was 105 degrees when we were there, so we didn't hike too much.

This is Rachel, Megan, and I standing in front of Double Arch.

Us three again being crazy under Sand Dune Arch.

For the 4th of July we were in Utah and went to the Balloon Festival with Gma and Gpa Hyde and the Edwards.

We went to Gma and Gpa Holbrooks house. Grandma doesn't remember very many things, but she'll remind you many times that she was born in Logan.

We had a 4th of July BBQ with all our Hyde extended family at Greg and Wendy Hyde's house. This is our big family picture. Uncle Brad had to take the picture, so he isn't in it.

Last year, Dad wanted to ride the bobsled in Park City but couldn't because he had had a knee surgery previously. This year he finally got to do it.

Trying to be excited going to Gma and Gpa Hyde's house in Oregon(it meant more driving!!). We were sick of being in the car!!!

This is us having dinner at their house(I took the picture - the empty seat was mine).

Chemo Again

2011-06-29T08:05:00.002-05:00

Another day of chemo checked off the list. Lauren had her PICC line pulled a few weeks ago because she wasn't needing it very often. That means finding a vein yesterday was fairly traumatic, but after 4 1/2 pokes we were off and running. Today she will be tired and in about a week she will feel crummy for a day or two.

Everywhere I go, people ask me if I am sad and nervous about Lauren going so far away to school. I can honestly say that I am just excited! She is going to be within an hour of all 4 of my siblings and almost the same distance from various members of Blair's family. She will be seen at Primary Children's hospital in Salt Lake, where she had her first heart transplant 16 1/2 years ago. BYU is one of my absolute favorite places on earth. I have so many amazing memories from my time there. She knows how to manage her health and when she needs intervention. It is time for her to go off and conquer the world and reach her goals. This is a dream come true for her, so no, I am not sad, I am just ready to sit back and watch her make it all happen!!!

Some Pics

2011-06-26T06:56:00.011-05:00

Celebrating the last day of school with a water balloon fight - they all were drenched!
Nathan enjoying the new carpet in the basement. It is so soft to walk on - the only problem is that the carpet in the rest of the house now feels even older than it is.

I am especially pleased with this transition - there use to be a gold metal piece across this opening. Megan did a great job painting all the baseboards. Those 2 things give the stairs an entirely different look.

Doesn't Lauren look good hanging out a country club? She rode around in the golf cart but didn't even take a swing.

Happy 20th Anniversary!!!

The post-father's day celebration. 4 of them were actually resting - Nathan was just giggling.

The past 12 days

2011-06-23T07:30:00.007-05:00

I feel like it has been a long time since my last post. Here is a brief recap of what I have been doing the last 12 days.

4 baseball games, 3 basketball games, 2 physicals, 1 ortho appointment, 24+trips to the high school to pick up/drop off kids for camps, band uniform fittings, an entire day of carpet installers, 13 hours of a hospital visit, 7 hours driving girls to/from girls camp, date with Blair for our anniversary, Father's Day celebrating, 4 hours at the lake helping scouts sign off swimming requirements, 2 trips to the music store in Itasca (30 minutes each direction) to take care of instrument issues, 4 haircuts, a day of a golf tournament outing where Lauren was honored, 3 trips to Dicks sporting goods to find water shoes for Nathan, 30 minute drive each way to the scout store for a new scout shirt, cleaning out and organizing the garage, vacuuming each item as it returns to it's home on the new carpet in the basement, and taking the car in for an oil change. That doesn't include a few bike rides, groceries, laundry, meals, cleaning, and various trips to Target. Then I can't even count the hours I have spent helping Lauren figure out what classes to register for, helping various children go through clothes and papers and closets, coordinating medical issues for Lauren's care, making reservations and plans for our trip, and a bit of sleeping.

Lauren's annual biopsy and heart cath went well. Her coronary arteries look beautiful and the biopsy results weren't perfect but they were good. Rachel has been so helpful running errands for me. Megan was about to win her basketball game last night until she got elbowed and ended up with a bloody nose, Nathan completed the boy scout swim test in a lake with windy and rainy conditions when he doesn't even usually make it across the swimming pool, and Blair turned 40 something without looking a day older!

Chemo #4 Down

2011-06-09T07:22:00.007-05:00

Tuesday was chemo #4. I guess it is easier because you know what to expect by the 4th time. However, knowing the scan is clear and these next few rounds are just to finish it off makes it harder to get yourself geared up to go.

Lauren took her poisons without any major issues, will feel crummy for a few days, will lose a bit more hair, will have some steroid side effects, and then will be back to her normal self.

Next week she has a heart cath and biopsy where they evaluate her coronary arteries and take a heart tissue sample. Fun stuff!

We are set up to meet with some docs when we go to Utah next month, so hopefully the transition will go smoothly.

Milestones

2011-06-03T13:09:00.024-05:00

Back 18 years ago when I started having children, no one told me that I needed to plan wisely so that the last 2 weeks of May 2011 wouldn't be full of major milestones for ALL 4 of them!!

Here is Megan on her 8th grade graduation day. She now moves on to high school! Can you believe that? An occasion worth celebrating - many of her friends got gifts and parties. She got a new dress and dinner with friends.

This is her friend Rachel - basketball buddy, band pal and fellow stellar student. Along with her diploma, Megan won an award for top Spanish student (her least favorite subject) and the leadership award for her 7-8th grade band. Good Job Megan!!!

You already heard about Rachel's 16th brithday party and becoming a licensed driver. She is looking forward to being a marching band leader next year.

Lauren posted about her high school graduation. However she didn't mention that she wore cords for National Honor's Society, Illinois State Scholar and was recognized as being in the top 5% of her class. The BYU plans are now in full force.

Then there is Nathan. Turning 11 means he moves on to the boy scout program, so last week he was presented with his Arrow of Light.

I left the elementary school for the last time today. Nathan moves on to middle school next year as a 6th grader. At the awards assembly today, some representatives from a National Investwrite contest came because he wrote an essay that won 5th place in the Nation!!!!! It was about Colgate and the Wisp and why they are a good company to invest in. Hopefully you can see the shocked look on his face.

When I went to bed last night, I asked Blair if I should come to work today and take photos of him receiving an award. He said sure - I will hold up my paycheck and see if my boss will walk in. I have taken so many pictures, spent so much money, planned so many outfits, coordinated so many schedules and tried to keep everyone smiling and feeling duly recognized. All these celebrations are a bit exhausting!

Now hopefully some lazy days of summer can begin.

Graduation

2011-05-30T16:15:00.008-05:00

I'm done!!!! It's absolutely amazing that I am completely done with high school. Never again do I have to listen to the bell telling me to go to class or ride a big yellow school bus. Now I'm REALLY excited for BYU!! Less than three months left to wait! YAY!!

So last Friday (the 20th) was my actual last day of school. I passed my Constitution test (actually, aced it) which meant I had no finals to take. So I came home from school on Friday ready to relax, watch a movie, maybe take a nap.

Didn't happen. Rachel had her birthday party that night, so I came home and got to help Mom make the broccoli and pasta salads as well as black bean salsa. Then we set up balloons and wrapped presents, etc. Her friends came at 6 and stayed until 10. One of her friends lost her phone in our couch so we got to tear apart our couch at 10:30 at night. All entertaining, but after nine teenage girls and our family friends had been there for four hours, I had a bit of a headache and was ready to crash.

The next day I got to do one of my absolute favorite things - watch a baseball game. And not just any baseball game, but Nathan's fifth grade team baseball game. Six innings. In case you didn't know, I really don't love sports, and I especially dislike baseball. It's probably my least favorite sport of all time. But because it was his birthday, I went and took pictures of Nathan. The day was rainy so I was hoping the game would be cancelled, but by game time it was bright and sunny - perfect for my now-exposed scalp to get fried. Nathan looked cute in his baseball uniform though, and I tried to be a good sport.

So those were my first two days off of high school. The rest of the week was better (plus I was off of prednisone which meant I wasn't as irritable or hungry).

We had Seminary Graduation on Sunday the 22nd (Nathan went to a friend's house because it was his birthday and he didn't really want to sit through that). I can't believe I never have to do early-morning seminary again!! I'll miss it a lot, but I won't miss having to wake up at 5 every morning. Of course, Dad pointed out I might be called as a seminary teacher, but until that happens, I'm celebrating the extra few hours of sleep I'm getting.

I've been relaxing, doing projects, watching movies, finishing up scholarship applications, looking at BYU classes, taking naps, writing thank you notes, addressing graduation announcements, and choosing graduation shoes the past week. I got to go to the library for the first time in months, and I spent a few hours reading at the church bookstore while Mom went to the temple. It's been busy but fun! This week I get to start going through my room and Megan has eighth grade graduation on Wednesday. Her last band concert was last week. We’ve been painting the basement so we’re ready for the new carpet next Monday – Mom will post pictures of that project later. I'm so excited for summer!!!

We made it through last week going to the hospital after 8 days - we made it more than a week without going there! - and I have no appointments this week which will make two weeks of staying home! I haven't had that since January! Mom was especially excited because Dad took me to my last chemo so she's had two weeks off of hospital driving.

Graduation itself wasn't too exciting - we had a breakfast and rehearsal on Friday morning. The speeches were as cheesy as could be expected (our valedictorian decided to sing some popular songs during hers), I didn't know either of the kids I sat next to and one of them was rather large so he took up half of my seat as well as his which meant I spent the two-hour ceremony sitting at an awkward angle. Rachel was in the grad band in the back of the gymnasium and had a few trumpet solos.

We took pictures after the ceremony and then went to Big Bowl for dinner. yum! I love Chinese food and it was delicious! I opened a couple of presents from the family and we bought some donuts for dessert at a local grocery store. Then I went over to my friend's house for a graduation party where it was me and a few other good friends and we watched Pink Panther quoting most of the movie from memory.

Right before we left for graduation, I opened up another scholarship in the mail! I'm so thankful for all of these scholarships that I've received and it just makes me all the more excited for BYU! I still can't believe that I'm a high school graduate! woo hoo! Enjoy the pictures and thanks for helping me get here! Keep on smiling!

Sorry for all of the exclamation points and smiley faces - I'm just really excited! :)

Here are pix from the game and the excitement of tearing apart the couch...

This is my good friend, Lauren, who also had some health problems in high school.

This would be my graduation dress :)

Rachel and her friends in grad band...

The wall that all the seniors signed...

Walking to my seat (I'm dead center)....

The balloon arch in the back - Rachel is in the section right behind the arch.

The arch we walked through when we got our diplomas.

Wow, this post is really long. Hope you enjoyed the pictures! And sorry for the weird formatting.

BIRTHDAYS!!

2011-05-27T06:31:00.013-05:00

We have 2 May birthdays at our house. Nathan turned 11 on the 22nd and Rachel turned 16 on the 23rd.
Rachel was so excited to get here that she was my only child I wasn't induced with. She spends most of her life smiling. Here she was at 3 years old. Look at all those curls!

Nathan was born the day before Rachel's 5th birthday. We couldn't believe he was a boy - in fact, I kept checking to make sure the first few days after his birth. He has so much energy and such a great smile!

The crazy weekend began with a party for Rachel and her band friends. They played water balloon volleyball and badmitton and had texas sheet cake with homemade ice cream.

Nathan's turn was next. All of us went to watch his baseball game. This is his first year playing, he is having a blast, and I am enjoying it more and more each game.

He got a fancy new fast bike and helmet, of course.

He didn't want to go out for dinner, but asked to make it all himself. Shredded barbecue chicken sandwiches with homemade sauce, corn on the cob, and fruit pizza for dessert.

I think they feel well celebrated!!!

Guess what?????

2011-05-25T22:20:00.003-05:00

I GOT MY LICENSE YESTERDAY!!!! And today I went to pick up Nathan from school and visit my friend who fractured her foot. And I didn't die or crash the car!!! Mom and Dad were very proud :)
that was Rachel by the way- in case you didn't figure that out

Visitors

2011-05-18T09:49:00.005-05:00

Jeff (my brother) and Carly and kids came to visit for the weekend. They are so fun and we had a great time! Little Samantha is almost 2 years old, takes a lot of time and energy and care, but is so amazing. I was grateful to have an angel in my home. She provides so much perspective!!

Conner is almost 7 and is such a good reader when he isn't playing the Wii or hanging out with Nathan.

Lily is 5 and twirls around everywhere. She says the cutest things and made us all laugh.

Carly is training for a marathon. She did a 14 mile run on Friday as part of her training. I was so worried she would get lost and wouldn't be able to find water! Jeff is an orthodontist, so the purpose of the trip was coming here for a National Meeting. We laughed about him sitting in lectures and finding all his buddies who all want to learn the latest ortho news. But, seriously, it is wonderful that he is so passionate about what he does.

It was so good to be with family!!!!

Fantastic News

2011-05-13T21:16:00.009-05:00

It's Lauren!

This week has been absolutely crazy. Tuesday was chemo day and we had to be there by 8 am which means we had to leave by six due to the two hours of traffic we then had to sit in. Wednesday I had a PET/CT scan. Thursday was a routine heart biopsy. I was nauseous Tuesday night and most of this morning, though the reason is unclear. I managed to hold off the bodily fluids for mom's birthday, but couldn't make it on Mother's Day. I think it was a little too much sun from the Botanic Garden. I'm still having headaches periodically and trouble sleeping at night. I still hate the shots and am still giving them to myself - I have a lovely bruise on my arm that is now two weeks old and still purple and one on my stomach. I'm scrambling to finish up government with only four days of actual school left (love being a senior!).

Despite the craziness, great things came out of it all. The doctor called last night with great news:

THE SCAN IS CLEAR!!! meaning...

THE CANCER IS GONE!!!!!

YAY!! I'm so excited! Of course I still have at least six more weeks of chemo (the doctor is pushing for twelve, but says that is "negotiable") but I can handle that knowing there's an end in sight!! Thank you so much for all the faith and prayers that has made such a miracle possible!

The heart biopsy results were also perfect! My body is holding up through the chemo, even though I'm nauseous and tired and having headaches and have to go through a week of weird diets. I'm so grateful for such a strong heart! It's absolutely incredible what the human body is capable of doing and just how strong they are.

Can I just say that I have the most incredible mom ever? Three days in a row of waking up before the crack of dawn to drive me to chemo, to a scan, and to a biopsy that I could technically go to by myself (except the biopsy; they won't let me drive after just receiving sedation). But she comes along and sits through me playing my favorite songs over and over again on the long drives and sits in the uncomfortable chair to take a nap while I'm on the slightly-more comfortable bed not sleeping which is kind of the purpose of a bed. And she still comes home and manages to be with her other kids and support them in all they do. Last night she was at Nathan's baseball game from eight until ten thirty at night after having woken up at five that morning for the biopsy and then came home to deep clean the house taking only one small nap that I accidentally woke her up from. She is such an amazing mom and I'm so glad I have her!

Crazy Week

2011-05-11T13:43:00.008-05:00

I went to a mother-daughter activity with the girls. We were to dress like each other. You will notice my T-Shirt and hairstyle is exactly like Megan's. My sweatshirt pulled down over my hands with striped socks and slip on shoes is signature Rachel. Megan wore tennis shoes in my honor and Rachel donned sunglasses and my red bag. We had such a great time! There are no 2 young women I would rather look like!

On Mother's Day after church, we went to the Botanic Garden to walk around. It was a glorious day weather-wise. It didn't occur to me that thousands of other people might have the same idea.

The garden was hosting a mother's day brunch, so there was lovely music playing all throughout the garden. Perfect to dance to - we are laughing because Megan is sooooo embarrassed by our behavior!

The rest of the week has already been a day of chemo, the PET scan to take a look at the cancer and a heart biopsy tomorrow. (Results should be back by late Friday.) My brother Jeff and his family come tomorrow night, we have girls camp hikes, baseball, Father/Sons campout, school activities and homework, etc. etc.

Oh, the craziness of May!!!!!

Sigh of Relief

2011-05-04T19:26:00.007-05:00

Whew - Lauren took the AP Spanish test yesterday. There was great rejoicing. Glad that is out of the way! She thinks she did fairly well, especially considering the amount of time she had to study for it. The results don't come back until July. It was exciting to watch her push towards this goal - she didn't need to take the test in order to pass the class, she just really wanted to do it and is hoping for some college credit.

Wow - Not long ago, during Lauren's first few hours back at school, her counselor tracked her down to provide a scholarship application. It is for seniors in high school battling cancer. She only had a few days until the deadline, but she completed it. Yesterday, Lauren's inbox had a letter stating she was granted the scholarship. Yeah!!

They survived - A few weeks ago, Nathan went to an outdoor school field trip for 3 days. I was so nervous for him, unsure of the weather, food, chaperones, etc. But he enjoyed it and learned a lot! Then, last week Megan traveled with her band to Cleveland, Ohio. They played the National Anthem at an Indians baseball game, performed in the Rock and Roll hall of fame and had a clinic at a nearby college. She has a great group of band friends and had a blast!

Counting down - I am sure that all of you have May as a crazy month. But I have 2 children counting down to their birthdays and the other 2 counting down to graduation days.

Week 5 - Chemo week 5 is over! We switched to Wed this week so Lauren could take her test yesterday. The human body is so amazing. How it is that these poisons go into her system and do what they are designed to do, then watch her body build itself back up again is remarkable!

True relief - For mother's day, Lauren thought of a creative gift. She is now giving the blood thinning shots to herself. She would have to do it eventually, so why not this week? I am grateful to no longer have to inflict pain.

Sisterly Bonding...

2011-04-29T20:12:00.005-05:00

Rachel here. You know, a lot people spend time "bonding" with their sisters. Some play games, others watch a movie or take a walk around the block. Some might stay up talking until the middle of the night. Or they might bond by playing basketball on the driveway or throwing a tennis ball back and forth. Some will take a road trip or go somewhere fun downtown. Going out to lunch or talking to each other on the phone are also good options.

But not for me and Lauren. Our "sisterly bonding" (as Lauren called it) involved me standing behind her for 45 minutes while I ran my fingers through her hair and removed large chunks of it. It seemed like it was never going to end. The hair just kept on coming out. It was actually a sad experience for me. However, I struggle with ever being sad. I just can't do it. So this picture shows me and Lauren "bonding" while I attempt to look sad. Notice the large pile of hair on the table. It's crazy how much there is. And it still continues to fall out everywhere on everything. Our bathroom floor is covered and it is in every garbage can in the house. I told her that she can at least be grateful that she had thick hair.

So the next time you want to complain about a bad hair day, be grateful that you are having a hair day. And the next time you get a chance to bond with your sister, do something more fun that Lauren and I did. PLEASE!!! It is not an experience I would wish upon anyone.

On a side note, I learned this week that if you go to Google Maps and look up how to get to Japan from anywhere in the USA, it will give you driving directions to the west coast and then tell you to "Kayak across the Pacific Ocean" to Hawaii and then continue on to Japan. hahahahahaha :) For anyone daring enough to kayak across the ocean, I wish them luck.

The Realities of Chemo

2011-04-26T21:36:00.011-05:00

This would be the insane amount of medications I get to take every day.

The lovely sunset driving home... Aren't the clouds awesome?

Hey it's Lauren!

Tuesday was Week 4 of chemotherapy. For those curious, this means I received cytoxan (once every three weeks) and rituximab (once a week for six weeks). The cytoxan requires pre and post-hydration in order to ensure the "toxins" don't totally destroy my body and I have to be watched for an hour after receiving rituximab to ensure that my blood pressures don't bottom out. I also get to take oral prednisone, a corticosteroid, for the next five days which means I will probably have a puffy face and swollen everything else, be incredibly hungry and irritable, and not be able to sleep at night. Yay.

The whole process went from 8:30 this morning to 6:30 at night. Uness you count driving in Chicago traffic. Then it goes from 6:00 to 7:45.

Now to take you through our day in pictures....
This would be the traffic we sat in for an hour and a half. While it was downpouring. So much fun. I have no idea where all these people really have to be at 6 or 6:30 in the morning. Mom and I entertain ourselves (and stay awake) with iPod music.

The lovely sign welcoming us to the hospital. This is the main entrance to the hospital.

And here is where I was for the rest of the day. Actually we got to sit on lovely plastic blue couches for an hour to wait for my blood to be drawn and then to wait for the blood counts to come back. If certain blood counts, like hemoglobin (the red blood cells) and white blood cells, are too low then the cytoxan would be put off for another week. The bed I'm on is probably one of the oldest in the hospital.

The bag with the yellow label on it is one of the chemo drugs. They are both clear, like regular fluids. Just a lot more toxic than fluids. And a lot less fun to have to get.

So I came home and took a shower after feeling nasty all day from the chemo. That ball in my hand is the hair that came out in that twenty minutes. When I brushed my hair another ball that big came out. Depressing. No fun. Wishing my hair would stay stuck to my scalp. Plus I find hair everywhere I go - on my shirt, on the chair, on the desk, on my pillow. And there's no way I can pick up every single strand. Then my scalp itches like crazy because of the dead hairs mixed in with the ones still on my scalp.

So right now the hair falling out is really just plain obnoxious. It'll be a lot more depressing once the bald spots start appearing. But so far you can't tell. Yet.

Anyway, that really is the only major side effect. Along with headaches. And today I've been incredibly tired and haven't felt great to my stomach. My doctor doesn't want me to eat any juice or too many carbohydrates this week because the prednisone can cause my blood sugars to sky rocket and we really don't want to have to deal with insulin shots. This should be an interesting week!

Miracles? Absolutely!!

2011-04-23T20:43:00.023-05:00

On this Easter Eve, I am pondering miracles and healing.

Some of you may be thinking that your prayers and fasting have done no good because a miracle didn't happen - Lauren has cancer and has to get chemo. While that is clearly a bummer and I wish with you that it wasn't the case, I believe that we have a Heavenly Father who loves each one of us and hears our prayers. I am sure He wishes He could take away our burdens whatever they are. Just because our trials don't disappear, doesn't mean He hasn't heard us. Asking why, thinking it isn't fair, and being bitter doesn't allow us to have the spirit with us and prevents us from feeling the peace we seek in order to endure the experience. Some people only have to make the choice not to be bitter once. Some might have to choose once a week, some maybe even once an hour.

Daughter Arise by Simon Dewey

So often when we think of miracles we reflect on those recorded in the New Testament, of Christ touching the eyes of the blind or telling someone to rise up and walk or commanding the waves to be still. Then the miracle happens instantaneously. While I often wish for that, Lauren's life has never been like that - the problems haven't disappeared, but the way has been provided for her to continue on in spite of them. When I think of all the scenarios that could have happened with Lauren the past few months, the burden clearly has been lightened and she has been lifted through it.

Some have kindly asked us how we do it. One day at a time... begging and pleading for divine intervention and trusting that it will come! We always follow the same formula - Lauren receives priesthood blessings, we exercise faith, prayer, and fasting and recruit others to help with that, get her the medical help she needs, continue to be as obedient as we can to be worthy of His blessings, and then we have no choice but to apply the scripture (DC 123:17) which says to stand and watch for the arm of God to be revealed.

So, please know that I stand as one who has complete trust in Heavenly Father - I know He loves Lauren even more than I do. I also give thanks for the Savior and His sacrifice which we honor this weekend. He did "take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people...that his bowels may be filled with mercy...that he may know...how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12) We have felt that and are so grateful for that! Can you imagine how amazing it will be for Lauren to eventually have a resurrected body - with no scars and a perfectly functioning heart?

Some may ask if miracles still happen. The Holbrook family knows that they do!

Prom and Pictures

2011-04-22T18:09:00.007-05:00

This is Rachel. Mom and Dad are currently reliving their high school days on a date to the LDS Prom up in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. (They're chaperones in case you were wondering.) Before they left, Mom pulled out some old pictures of her junior prom. They were cute, but let's just say that I am SO glad that times and styles have changed :) I'm just kiddding, but here's a picture of the cute couple.

Earlier today, Lauren, Mom, Megan, and I spent 2 hours at the photo studio getting Lauren's senior pictures taken. They turned out really cute. Here is one of our favorites.

Lauren is doing really well. She returned to seminary for a couple days this week and feels a lot more energetic. She despises the twice-a-day shots, but is feeling great other than that. She came to school for a portion of every day this week and even got to go to the spring assembly yesterday. We all love having her at home with us!

Oncology Clinic

2011-04-20T12:21:00.005-05:00

Lauren has been frantically working on some scholarship applications - she feels bad that she hasn't ever been able to have a job and make any money. She isn't a fan of this picture, but I wanted to show her regular hair. She has been going without her wig since January.

Chemo yesterday went well. One of her chemo drugs, Rituximab, she receives each week. It doesn't seem to cause her too many nasty side effects. We had heart tests yesterday as well and all seems to be fine there. The past few days Lauren has been much more active, awake and out of pain. She stopped taking oral pain meds on Friday. I just picked her up from her 2 hours at school and she plans to go back a bit later.

Oncology clinic is such an interesting place. Cancer is no respecter of age or nationality or religions or economic status. We run into the poor, the wealthy, all colors of skin and languages, kids with parents, grandparents and caretakers. Some of the kids look so sick - it just breaks your heart! Baldness is in style on the 4th floor at Children's. The successful businessman thinks his child should be taken care of first because he is so busy. Some parents dote on a whining child's every wish. Then there are those who try to play and laugh with their child. It is a great people-watching experience!

It made me grateful in a way that this all began for Lauren as an infant. She has never known anything else. I can't imagine a perfectly healthy teenager all of a sudden having their world fall apart with a cancer diagnosis.

Loving Home!

2011-04-17T15:12:00.004-05:00

Lauren here!

I saw an episode of the TV show "Good Luck Charlie" a few days ago that was thoroughly entertaining for me. The mom of the family had her eye poked by her two-year-old daughter and went to the hospital to have it checked. Once there, the doctor says she's free to go home since the eye only needs some eye drops. However, the mom starts crying, saying she doesn't want to go home to the cooking and cleaning and diaper changing and homework helping. Being a nurse at the hospital, she blackmails the doctor into keeping her overnight. The family members come to visit (four kids and her husband) and she attempts to get rid of them in order to return to watching TV and eating Chinese take-out. You have to laugh watching this from a hospital bed - the same bed you've been in for the past 21 days - as you wonder what it would be like to WANT to be stuck there.

On the contrary, I absolutely love being at home!!! My own bed is so much more comfortable (as is our family room couch) and the food is homemade! Yum! I get to see every family member every day. I'd forgotten how loud it is at home with a trumpet, clarinet, saxophone, and piano along with music playing during homework times and siblings telling stories from their day. I'm still enjoying the noise (or at least trying to) because the alternative is a silent hospital room which is no fun at all. I love being able to use nice toilet paper and crash on our couch and walk to the fridge for a snack. The stairs can take energy out of me but I'm trying to move around to get things for myself and build up strength.

I managed to go to an hour of school on Friday to talk to the nurses and my counselor as well as my government teacher. Today I went to sacrament meeting at 1 - I'm still not really waking up until 9 or so, and meds are at 10. Tomorrow I'm hoping to go to two hours of school before the next chemo dose on Tuesday. Maybe I'll even make it to seminary this week... High school graduation is in six weeks!!! I just have to finish government, take the AP Spanish test (I'll kick myself if I don't at least try it), and pass two Constitution tests. Oh, and I'm graduating from seminary which means I need to finish about 30 make ups within the next two or three weeks.

Health wise, I'm hanging in there. Barely. The docs do want to treat the blood clot that stretches from my sternum to my left shoulder (roughly) which stinks because the treatment is 3 months of twice-a-day shots that are quite painful. Currently, mom is giving them to me (she says "sorry, sorry, sorry" the entire time I'm saying "ow, ow, ow") but I'll eventually have to give them to myself which totally stinks. My hair still seems to be stuck to my scalp and I'm hoping it stays that way for the next six weeks at least. I've dropped at least 20 pounds since the beginning of the year and am skin and bones right now - though I still have some flab which serves well for shot-giving areas. At least I've started eating again. I still have about 16% energy level each day and am struggling with falling asleep at night. Could be side effects of chemo, could be the insane hospital schedule still stuck in my head. And I still have headaches every day though they aren't as severe. I'll probably have to get another blood transfusion on Tuesday along with the chemo. I think that covers everything.

And now I go to our comfy couch for a nap...

A Great Day

2011-04-13T17:26:00.008-05:00

Lauren says she feels better today than she has for 2 months. I could tell because she woke up and said "Hi Mom!" rather than just hi or hey. She also walked down the stairs at a normal pace, not holding onto the railing. She instigated conversation rather than just waiting to respond. She went to the fridge to look for food rather than me trying to find things to tempt her with. She stood up straight as she walked, not hunched over and hasn't put the pillow against her stomach once. She opened a book and tried to do makeup work on her own. She only took 2 naps. Little things, but very significant!!!!

Today for me has been odd - it is a different thing to go from "survival" mode to "what do I want to accomplish today" mode. Whenever we come home from a hospital stay, I realize that other people's lives have continued on as normal while mine has stood still for a period of time. After a particularly difficult night and morning with Lauren, Blair was on his way to work, called and said it was hard to get motivated about discussing the price of toothpaste after what he had just been through. It alters your perspective just a bit.

Hopefully I won't have much to report for a few days, so don't be alarmed. I will let you know how dose #3 next Tuesday goes.

Thanks

2011-04-12T06:04:00.005-05:00

Just wanted to take a minute to say thank you for the food, flowers, gifts, cards, help with the kids, prayers and quiet acts of service that have been showered on us. It is so uplifting to hear words of encouragement and support and have people believe in you when you aren't sure you have the strength to do hard things.

Coming home is an amazing experience. I just breathe more evenly when we are all together!

We went back today - only a 14 hour experience - for some more chemo. She did fine with the chemo drugs, however Lauren's left arm is swollen after having a PICC line in it for a week. We decided to do an ultrasound just to check to make sure there wasn't a clot. The poor kid has the worst luck! Of course, there is a clot near her left upper chest and shoulder. We will find out tomorrow what the treatment plan is for that.

WE ARE HOME!!!!!

2011-04-11T17:59:00.001-05:00

Need I say more? Lauren is enjoying the couch in the family room and took a walk outside in the fresh air and sunshine. YAY!!!

Doing it again

2011-04-10T20:41:00.007-05:00

I am always entertained by the variety of get well cards that I receive. One that I got this week said: "Your strength may surprise you... we all know you have the strength to do it again. And again. And again."

I'm really getting tired of doing this again and again.

Today I came off of all my IV meds and we're seeing how everything works out through the night. The plan is to go home tomorrow (YAY!) and come back on Tuesday for outpatient chemo. Just need to make it through tonight...

Dad and I listened to Elder Nelson's conference talk about facing the future with faith. I love listening to the talks from conference! There is always something in each talk that I can apply into my life. I loved Elder Nelson's quote from Pres Monson who said "your future is as bright as your faith." Although even more difficult times are ahead, our faith can always help carry us through, especially as we lean on Christ.

I am sure there is a reason that I am doing this again. Hopefully it is to get it out of the way before I leave home and go to BYU. Although it is pretty discouraging, I know that we'll get through it.

A Slightly Happier Note...

2011-04-09T16:45:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone - Lauren here! I guess it's about time I updated the blog myself. We should be going home by Monday. If we aren't out of here by then, I might go crazy. I'll still have some pain and I am still not on a solid diet, but at least I will be at home.

On a happier note, last week as I was coming out of surgery, Mom signed me up for my housing at BYU. The other day, I got an email from my soon-to-be roommate at Helaman Halls, Zoe. She said hi in one email and about an hour later, sent another email saying she had found our family blog. I am guessing she was slightly shocked, but she and her parents said their prayers are with us and hope everything goes well.

At this point, I am sick of being puffy, of being woken up all night, being in pain and the hospital in general. Thank you for your prayers - Lauren

Day 18+10+2

2011-04-08T20:04:00.004-05:00

This is day 18 of our current hospital admission. A week before that we had a 10 day stay. 3 days before that we had a quick 2 day visit. The weeks leading up to that were several day-long visits. To put that in perspective, from the date of her 3rd transplant surgery to walking out the front door was only 17 days. She is frustrated! The steroid portion of the treatment helps inflammation but causes puffiness. It is a strange drug. Anyway, her face is really puffy which makes her uncomfortable. She was doing well most of the day, but the pain returned in full force at about 6pm. Today is my birthday - I told her my wish was for a day of not cleaning up bodily fluids - only 4 hours left!

On a Side Note....

2011-04-07T20:53:00.008-05:00

(This is Rachel) Megan, Nathan, and I had sooooooooooooooo much fun in Utah!!! We did lots of different things and saw lots of family and had fun spending time with everyone. I feel bad that we had a great time while Lauren was stuck in the hospital, but here is a picture of the three of us in front of the mountains. They were my favorite part- SO PRETTY!!! The last time I was in Utah during the winter was when I was 7, so I didn't remember how gorgeous they were with the snow. Oh my goodness- I was in heaven. Seriously, I'm pretty sure that there are mountains in heaven :)

(this blog needed a little more happy news anyway...)

Chemotherapy

2011-04-07T17:38:00.011-05:00

(This is Lauren getting some B+ blood!) On Tuesday evening after the PTLD was confirmed, Lauren and I talked about whether or not her body could take any more, what her dreams are and how she has to exercise faith and work hard to try to help any healing process along. We told her we would help and support her however we could.

The kids arrived home Tues night and I left the hospital with them excitedly telling me every detail about their amazing trip. It was so good to be with them!

After Lauren and Blair heard the recommended treatment plan Wed morning, they called to explain it to me. I asked her what she wanted to do and, in classic Lauren style, she said.. I am not quite "fixed in my mind with a determined resolution" but I am getting there. (See Book of Mormon)

There were some scary moments last night prior to starting chemo, but she's now had her first doses and slept through most of it!

As I explained to mom and dad, chemotherapy refers to a group of drugs used to treat cancer. The cancer type determines the recipe and combination of drugs used. They are supposed to target the cancer cells and kill them, but they also damage your normal cells and have unpleasant side effects.

I feel grateful that this recipe can all be done on an outpatient basis (as long as there aren't complications) and she'll be happy that the hair loss side effect isn't supposed to be as bad as last time. The nausea shouldn't be as extreme either. In 2009, each treatment was 5 days inpatient and involved 5 or more drugs that had to be timed just-so. The data indicates this recipe should provide a positive response.

All the soft food Lauren has tried to eat has come back up. The diseased section of bowel must be too constricted to let it through. So, again we wait for the chemo to start working.

The ups and downs!

2011-04-06T20:50:00.012-05:00

Blair here - it was my turn to be at the hospital today (Wednesday).

Lauren's oncologist, Dr. Weinstein, came to visit this morning to let us know exactly what kind of cancer we are battling this time, to present a plan of action and to discuss with Lauren if and how she would like to proceed.

This is definitely cancer. It is called Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This is a different kind of cancer than the one she had last time. The doctor wants to treat it with a combination of steroids (Prednisone) given for 5 days up front, Cytoxin given once every three weeks, and Rituximab given once each week. Depending on how Lauren's body reacts, the treatment cycle will last from 12-18 weeks.

Lauren was presented with two options. The first option is the chemotherapy treatment described above. The second is no treatment, which does not have a good ending. Lauren wants to go through the treatment and continue to fight.

She continues to lose blood and they can't figure out why or how. Her blood pressure went extremely high tonight for a variety of reasons which is concerning. Before they can start chemo tonight, we need to get her high blood pressure under control and give her 3 units of blood via transfusion.

She is currently resting peacefully, We hope it won't be a long night ahead and that all of the treatments will be able to move forward as planned.

Thank you for your continued faith and prayers! We can feel them making a difference for all of us!

It's Official

2011-04-05T20:55:00.002-05:00

Hey, this is Lauren. The doctors came by today and it's official. Cancer is back. Still waiting on a plan. More news tomorrow. Thanks for your continual prayers!

The Heart Factor

2011-04-04T19:03:00.004-05:00

Since Lauren has a transplanted heart, she takes immunosuppression medicines every 12 hours. The human body is so amazing - if she didn't take these, it would recognize the heart as foreign and try to attack it. These meds keep that attacking system at bay. However, that means her body also doesn't recognize other "bad or foreign" things that are going on. If you or I get a cold or a flu bug, our immune system kicks in and tries to fight it off. Hers doesn't know to respond that way. Now that they know there is some disease process going on, we have to wake up her immune system (by decreasing these meds) so that it tries to fight it off. This puts her heart at risk. It is a delicate balancing act. She has a heart biopsy every few months to test for rejection - if there is any evidence of that, we increase her meds. You might remember that, with no outward symptoms or signs, several routine biopies last year indicated rejection. That was our discussion with transplant team today and how we can manage that. Lauren also had the bone marrow biopsy. She can finally drink clear liquids today and will be advanced to soft foods tomorrow if she can tolerate it. We have been fighting blood pressure issues all day and trying to get the correct fluid balance to keep her hydrated. No official results of biopsies came back yet. That is actually a good thing. Although I hate waiting, it gives her a little more time to process what is happening.

Hard Conversations

2011-04-03T20:28:00.005-05:00

I don't even know how to explain today. Now that Lauren is 18, she is considered an adult. That means she signs all the paperwork - consent for blood, consent for treatment, permission to operate, etc. The oncologist told her of the probable PTLD findings Friday night. We explained what happened with the surgery on Saturday. Today Blair, Lauren and I tried to talk about the future a bit. They need to do a bone marrow biopsy to see if the PTLD is in her marrow and want to do it tomorrow. That result determines what options or treatment plans lie ahead. Not a horrible procedure, but it is done under general anesthesia plus she isn't moving real well yet, which is upsetting. Consenting to that in a way means you deal with the fact that you probably have cancer. So, she needed to decide what to do. It is so tough to watch your kids suffer and ask hard questions and not be able to do much to help take away the pain.

She had the drainage tube removed from her nose this morning and walked to the bathroom. They like you to get up and moving quickly after surgery, so we walked her around a bit this afternoon and she had some ice chips. They started some steroids to help the inflammation and hopefully the pain. That seems to be making her more comfortable.

I was home late last night and this morning. I feel so full of faith and hope and confidence after listening to the past 2 days of conference. There is a lot of raw emotion in this hospital room, though. I enjoyed my walk outside, I played the piano for awhile and made some homemade rolls. It is therapeutic to cook when you haven't lately.

The house is so quiet without the kids home. I really miss them and can't wait to see them! Blair is excited to pick them up Tues night, then bring them here so they can see lauren, then I will take them home while he stays here. He is taking the day off on Wed so I can do my normal mom stuff and help them with some projects, etc. We will switch again so he can have fun with them Thurs after work.

Resting more peacefully

2011-04-02T16:46:00.009-05:00

Lauren finally slept peacefully for a while today after a rough night. There was much discussion and many somber faces after surgery yesterday. The oncologist came in to tell Lauren of their cancer suspicions at about 7pm.

Rachel, Megan and Nathan are having a fabulous time on their trip. They went bowling, drove and played up the canyon, wandered BYU, did a high ropes course, went to a BYU volleyball game, have played with lots of cousins, had delicious food, toured the art museum, been spoiled by Aunts and Uncles and probably many other things they haven't shared with me.

Blair worked in the morning yesterday and was here in time to see Lauren before they took her back to the OR. We usually get bad news on our own, so it was nice to be together!

To answer a few questions - the bowel section wasn't removed for 2 reasons. It sits too close to the stomach. There is a certain centimeter threshold the surgeons don't pass (I can't remember the number) because healing is too difficult at that point. They would be forced to remove if the bowel was obstructed, but it would be risky. The other reason is because of the extent of damage and the suspicion of the cancer. Chemo or other treatments couldn't begin until at least 2 weeks after the surgery if the bowel was removed. I reminded the surgeon that many people were praying that she would be guided and would know what to do with whatever she found once she opened Lauren up. I feel like that prayer was answered and that she made the right decision.

Another question regarding the doctors we are dealing with. We have a large group of doctors from many different specialties here at Childrens' who have been working on Lauren. She needs to be treated at a heart transplant center because everything she is treated for is affected by all her heart meds and her heart condition. This particular oncologist is a specialist in PTLD. It is hard to understand what has taken so long to get a diagnosis, but it is not the fault of the docs. Lauren's body just does an excellent job of masking the real issues. It always has. We are confident she is in good hands.

Disappointing news...

2011-04-01T17:07:00.007-05:00

Around 3pm this afternoon, as we were anxiously waiting for word from the OR, we saw the surgeon walking toward us and we could tell she was not bringing happy news based on the look on her face. As she began to explain what they saw inside Lauren, our hearts dropped and we became sad as the reality of what she was saying started to sink in.

The issue causing her pain is a very sick and "angry and ugly" portion of her bowel. That particular section of bowel is about 9-10 inches long, is enlarged in areas and narrowed in others, and is not far below her stomach. It is sick enough that it is very stiff and they couldn't even move it, and didn't dare move it. They were considering removing that section of bowel but felt that it would be unsafe for Lauren to do that. So, Lauren came out of surgery with the same pain in her abdomen, minus her appendix and a few lymphnodes that they removed to biopsy, plus the pain of being cut open.

We need to wait for the final pathology report to come back, but it appears that the issue is consistent with the cancer Lauren has had before. Her increaesd pain is being managed so she is comfortable and sleeping at the moment. We are just waiting.

Patiently waiting...

Blair & Renee

11:45 am Friday

2011-04-01T11:51:00.003-05:00

Anesthesia just took Lauren in for surgery. She needed 2 units of blood last night and has been vomiting, so the timing is good. Surgery will take at least a couple of hours.

Surgery on Friday

2011-03-31T16:42:00.006-05:00

Lauren is scheduled for surgery tomorrow. Not sure of the time until the morning. They will remove some lymphnodes for biospy, remove the concerning section of bowel and take out the appendix. The capsule study didn't work. Xrays showed that the fake capsule didn't make much progress in 30 hours. They think it got stuck. The real camera capsule only has an 8 hour battery life, so it wouldn't go far enough to give us the info we need. We will have results from what the surgeon saw and did tomorrow, but no biopsy results until Monday. Best case scenario - 1. The damaged section of bowel comes out cleanly and Lauren's pain is eliminated (after she recovers from surgery). 2. The biopsy results are negative for PTLD. Any other scenario, we will just deal with as it comes and trust that Heavenly Father knows what he is doing.

2011-03-30T19:12:00.005-05:00

I was awake this morning wondering how it would feel to worry for days if you have cancer in your body again. I can't even imagine..... PTLD = post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, a form of non-hodgkins lymphoma (a cancer specific to transplant patients).

1st time - 6 years ago - excruciating pain that came on suddenly. CT scan showed a mass - that section of bowel was removed. No other spots of PTLD so no chemo.

2nd time - 5 months later - right after her 2nd transplant - she woke up in a pool of blood. A polyp of PTLD was removed. No further treatment because no other spots were detected.

3rd time - 5 years ago - came home one day and said it hurt a bit when she took a breath. Tests showed a tumor on her lung and some spots in her esophogus. Chemo took care of most of the PTLD, but a stubborn section of tumor on the lung was surgically removed.

4th time - July 2009 - excruciating localized back pain that kept increasing in intensity - CT showed very large lymphnodes, blood work consistent with PTLD. Chemo for 4 months. Scans have been clean since then.

We are waiting for the capsule to travel it's path, so the next step can be decided... a slow day.

Now we have a plan!

2011-03-29T18:00:00.007-05:00

So, do you want the good news or the bad news?

Good news - we began the process of a capsule endoscopy. This involves swallowing a capsule with a camera in it that takes thousands of pictures as it travels through Lauren's intestinal system. Once it comes out the other end, we get a souvenir and the docs analyze the pics. They are looking for any abnormalities in the area of her pain. She just swallowed a monster-size fake capsule first. It is the same size as the camera one but dissolves if it gets stuck. This one takes up to 24 hours to go all the way through, then the real one takes about the same amount of time.

Bad news - this is the step before she goes into surgery. The MRE shows a thickened section of bowel, so the capsule test helps determine if the problem is just that one section or if there are other damaged areas of bowel. The MRE and CT also shows lots of enlarged lymphnodes, so we are back to suspecting PTLD (cancer). The oncologist isn't convinced that it is cancer, but a biopsy is the only way to confirm a diagnosis. None of her symptoms or blood work are consistent with her last episode.

The question remains - What day will the surgery be and when the surgeon goes in to take the biopsy, does she just do that or remove the section of bowel as well. Meanwhile, Lauren hits the pain button, sleeps and doesn't want to eat. She is frustrated and just wants the pain to go away, even if it means surgery.

A Few Long Days

2011-03-28T10:46:00.004-05:00

Blair switched me out on Friday late afternoon. It is amazing what you can accomplish in 12 hours of awake time. I did tons of laundry, washed a few dishes, got 3 kids packed for their trip, played Boggle and Rummikub with the kids, watched some basketball with Megan, tucked everyone in bed, went through several days worth of mail, slept in my own bed, and showered in my own shower! Here they are visiting Lauren before heading to the airport on Sat afternoon. I was so sad to have them leave. The kids arrived fine, minus one suitcase which appeared in the middle of the night.

Lauren spent Sunday sleeping and having some fun visitors. Her hemoglobin is dropping again which makes her very tired. They tested it again this morning - I expect she will need another transfusion later today. The orthopedic doctors came to visit - the MRI shows no structural damage in her spine. It does show some swelling and a bit of a sprain in her lower back. Movement should help improve that - but she can't walk around much yet. The MRE shows some findings and she had an MRA this morning. Blood work shows she has an inflammatory process going on and the MRA will check for blood vessel problems. They see thickened bowel and lymphnodes, so we will wait to see how it is all interpreted and what the next step will be.

2011-03-26T21:39:00.003-05:00

A few clarifications - GI doctors are gastrointestinal doctors who study the digestive system. (Why you would want to do that is beyond me!) An MRE is a type of MRI study that specifically looked at Lauren's abdomen.

Lauren update

2011-03-25T17:18:00.008-05:00

I have received lots of emails asking for updates about Lauren, so here it is....

For those of you who don't know her history, Lauren has had 3 heart transplants (19 months, 12 years and 15 years old), cancer 4 times, 2 leg surgeries, and 4 abdominal surgeries.

She has had back and belly pain every day for about 7 weeks now. During that time, she was initially treated for one infection, then some GI scopes showed several other issues which she is being treated for as well. However, the pain continues, and, in spite of many tests, they can't quite figure out exactly what is wrong. She has been in and out of the hospital during this time and was readmitted on Tuesday.

She has had little appetite so has lost a lot of weight, is very lethargic, has needed multiple blood transfusions, and is now receiving IV nutrition. She has a team of doctors - cardiology, transplant, oncology, radiology, GI, rheumatology, pain team, surgery - all reviewing her case and trying to solve the mystery. With her history and being immunosuppressed, she is even more dificult.

She is feeling a bit more perky now that she has the IV nutrition, got some blood and has round-the-clock IV pain control. Meanwhile, the MRI's, CT's, ultrasound, xrays, and mountains of blood work are being analyzed and interpreted. She goes for an MRE later today. My guess and theirs is that what is going on is nothing normal but something rare.

Lauren is typically a fabulous student but hasn't had the energy or ability to go to school - she has been to 5 hours of classes since Feb 5th. Her track record is to catch up quickly, but we've had to drop a good portion of her classes much to her dismay.

Her heart continues to be amazing as it seems to be staying healthy. None of the results appear to show anything cancerous. The other great blessing over the past 2 months is her acceptance into BYU. That means she only has until August to get back to 100%!

Lauren is often told that through her experiences, she will touch the lives of many. This is often the case. I receive notes and messages from people who fast when they haven't for awhile; who study about and exercise faith in her behalf; who pray more diligently because they have a purpose in their prayers; who "try my best to be obedient as if somehow my obedience will give you strength."

Hopefully there are some who cross Lauren's path who witness miracles they would otherwise miss. We are praying that a diagnosis will be reached soon and that this will be yet another miracle.

It's a privilege to be her mom. I watch her bravely endure pain, pokes, frustration, test, bodily fluids, lack of sleep, exhaustion and disappointment with more courage and patience than I ever could.

Rachel, Megan and Nathan are incredible kids and have to endure a lot as well. They are leaving tomorrow on a plane for Salt Lake (by themselves) so that my siblings and their kids can have fun with them over Spring Break. They do laundry, cook meals, are responsible about their homework and have remained cheerful and supportive!

We are grateful for all your prayers, service, well-wishes and love directed to our family.

We survived the storm!!!!!

2011-02-02T14:02:00.013-06:00

This is Rachel.... So last night we were enjoying watching the blizzard out of the living room window when we heard a huge noise. Dad and Megan came to the rescue and went outside. They braved the cold and wind to move the grill, take off the swings, and pick up the two huge pieces of siding that had blown off.
When we woke up this morning, this is what we saw... It is really hard to capture what we really see, but hopefully you get the idea.

Huge, ginormous amounts of snow everywhere!!!

Our lovely backyard has well over two feet of snow without the drifts. Our forsythia bushes are half covered, you can only get down half the slide, and our white chair is barely visible.

The view from outside Lauren's bedroom window before everyone started shoveling and snowblowing. The raod was freshly plowed, and it was beautiful.

Megan and Nathan were the first to emerge. This drift is over half the size of Megan!!

After beginning to snowblow and shovel the driveway (a process that took 4 of us 2 hours), we decided to measure how much we got. 24 inches where there was no extra from wind!!

Our front door looked very inviting considering you could barely see the door, let alone, open it.

The normal snow plows weren't big enough to handle the initial drive through 2 feet of snow, so they got out huge John Deere trucks with massive plows to drive through just once. A little bit later a regular snow plow came through. But it got stuck in front of our neighbor's house and had to be shoveled out. haha

I told Dad that we finally got our mountains in Illinois :)

If you look closely, you can see me (Rachel) standing behind this pile of snow. It's almost as tall as me! We'll let you know in July when it is finally melted.

Nathan went out to play in the backyard, but got tired so sat down on our nice little bench.

We have survived the blizzard. The cold? I'm not so sure. Windchills tonight and tomorrow are supposed to get down to -20 degrees. Without the wind, the high tomorrow is 9 degrees and the high tonight is 0 degrees. So we'll see if we can survive that too....

The Chicago Blizzard

2011-02-01T20:06:00.006-06:00

This is how it looked at 2:00 pm today. Fairly calm, lightly snowing....
Blair's office closed and he worked from home today and will tomorrow as well. The kids all arrived home from school excited that it is cancelled tomorrow. At 7:00 pm, this is all the camera could see.

They say the worst part of the storm is between 9 pm and 5 am with snow coming 3-4 inches per hour and high winds. We'll be staying inside!!!!

Christmastime

2010-12-29T15:23:00.008-06:00

Nathan still loves webkinz - 2 more to add to his collection.

Happy kids on Christmas morning. This is a really fun stacking cups game that they all are faster at than I am.

Lauren needed some additional layers to keep her warm.

Blair and Nathan worked together to make this manger for me. What a perfect Christmas gift!

He finally broke down and got some glasses. He can see much more clearly now when he reads.

Rachel's turn at snowblowing - don't worry, there will be many more opportunities for the rest of us!

The Life of a Senior

2010-11-21T20:45:00.006-06:00

When you are a high school senior, mail like this is very exciting!

So, she is in if she wants to go. U of U would be plan B - plan A is BYU Provo. This is the view of her dictating while I typed the final sentences of her BYU application essays for her.

Why would Lauren be doing this from a hospital bed? Well, she had severe abdominal pain for 6 days. By the 7th, it became horrible. The CT scan, ultrasound, xrays, and blood work showed nothing alarming. So they finally took her to surgery on Friday afternoon to look for the problem. The surgeon found an adhesion, which is a band of scar tissue which was pressing down on several sections of her bowel. She is now recovering. Never a dull moment!!!!

Pumpkin Carving

2010-11-04T07:45:00.007-05:00

Which child carved which pumpkin? Take a guess and then scroll down....

It is funny how this activity takes on the personalities of those participating. Some had to be given a time limit so that it didn't take all night.

NATHAN

2010-11-01T15:47:00.006-05:00

The kids have all been busy with their school activities, so I'll start with Nathan....
Nathan is in 5th grade this year. My last year with a child in elementary school! He is in chorus and band, joined the recycling club and the art club and does cub scouts.

How is this for a creative Halloween costume? Cheap and easy and the best part is no black or gory or creepy creatures.

Band begins in 5th grade in Lake Zurich, so Nathan chose the saxophone (with some guidance from Rachel). He has only been playing for about 2 months and sounds quite good. He is getting bored with the songs assigned, so he thought he would try "Somewhere over the Rainbow" for fun.

Lauren

2010-11-01T08:21:00.007-05:00

Lauren - 1st day of Senior Year. She has only missed 3 or 4 days of school and the 1st quarter is almost over.

Last October, chemo ended and her hair has finally grown long enough to style and straighten. She still doesn't go in public without her wig though.

Early application deadline for BYU is Dec 1st so she is working on essays to finish that up. Wish her luck!

RACHEL

2010-10-31T17:37:00.013-05:00

Rachel is a sophomore at Lake Zurich High School - the Bears!

In August, she got her drivers permit and began driver's ed. It is a different experience to drive with her - she is much more chatty and more easily distracted than Lauren was. She does a good job though.

Rachel is one of a few sophomores in wind ensemble, the top band at the school. She has been asking for a new silver, top of the line trumpet for quite a while. So, she saved a lot of money to contribute towards the purchase of a Bach Stradivarius beautiful silver trumpet. Apparantly it makes a big difference in her playing - she recently outplayed 7 other upperclassman to get seated as 2nd chair. She LOVES music and playing in the band.

With friends in marching band uniforms, minus the hat and plume.

Here is a video of a portion of one of the half-time shows. She is in the 2nd row around the 35 yard line.

MEGAN

2010-10-31T11:36:00.009-05:00

Megan started school in August as an 8th grader at Middle School South. Isn't she so cute?

Megan was on the basketball team with a bunch of her friends. She was amazing to watch and at the end of the season she was voted MVP.

Bryson, Megan's #1 Fan, came and watched many of Megan's games. He would always cheer really loud and it was so cute. At the end of a great game, he ran across the court and gave her a big hug.

This is one of Megan's many, many fantastic shots! I think it was a three pointer. She has a few weeks off before starting in with another team.

Last day of Summer vacation

2010-08-23T22:12:00.007-05:00

This is Megan and Rachel's bedroom. For 2 years they had plain walls, then we cut out paper polka dots experimenting to see how they would look. 2 years later, the polka dots attached with blue tape were still on the walls. We decided it was time for Rachel to have a bit more space. So,,,,,

Time to get to work - the girls did most of it by themselves.

Taking a break - painting always takes longer than you think it will.

Here it is with all the final touches. Rachel said it is the Happiest Place on Earth. It is a very cheery room and they LOVE it!!

Birthdays, visitors and Nauvoo

2010-06-06T09:45:00.012-05:00

Nathan is 10 - Double digits! He reminded me that this is over halfway to the point where he goes on his mission. He took a treasure hunt to find some golf clubs and had a mini golf outing with the family. He also wanted me to bring Panda Express to lunch at school and eat with him.

Rachel is 15 - She finally got a cell phone!! Rachel always wants watermelon for dinner and homemade ice cream for dessert on her birthday. She had a bonfire party with some friends as well.

My parents came to visit for birthdays, their anniversary and a trip to Nauvoo. It is always nice to have them come. We stay busy - here we are downtown at the Aquarium.

Nauvoo - Nauvoo is such an amazing place. Every time I go and hear stories of the people who lived there, I am filled with admiration. We took in a brass band concert, trip to the temple, touring some of the homes and shops and then went to Carthage Jail.

Renee's pleasures

2010-06-06T09:23:00.009-05:00

There are many things I take pleasure in, but here are a few for now....

The Temple - I am enjoying spending more time here. I am so grateful for the power, inspiration and peace I feel as I make this a higher priority in my life.

Gardens - The Chicago Botanic Garden is the 2nd most visited garden in the United States, second only to Longwood in Pennsylvania. I have enjoyed more frequent visits here, literally watching flowers and plants bloom before my eyes. It is so beautiful!!

Blair - I am so lucky to have him as mine. He never stops working or praying or trying or smiling. He inspires me to be better and loves me for who I am.

4 Cute Kids - You will notice we are all getting closer to the same size. That unfortunately means we all are getting older. The time goes by so quickly! I enjoy each of their unique personalities and watching them learn and progress. I am so blessed to be a mother.

Reading - There is a magic time right after everyone leaves for school and work when I can curl up and enjoy reading. I find the promises made to us regarding the Book of Mormon are so true as we study it and love it! Lauren laughs that I am always consulting parenting books. I love reading of how others have been successful. I would much rather read a biography than anything fiction. It is fascinating to me to hear of the paths other's lives have taken and how they have overcome.

Springtime

2010-06-06T09:13:00.006-05:00

SEWING - For Spring Break, Rachel worked on making this cute dress. We altered and adjusted and modified and improvised to get this final product. Quite an accomplishment!

MEANWHILE, Megan and Blair were off to Utah to celebrate his parent's 60th wedding anniversary.

This is a good portion of the Holbrook Clan.

Megan spent time with her Hyde cousins and went to General Conference as well.

Botanic Gardens

2010-04-28T18:02:00.008-05:00

This is Rachel writing because Mom and I went to the Botanic Gardens on Wednesday. That's because I had no school because of Junior testing. All of the crab apple trees were in full bloom, and it was absolutely gorgeous!!!! Here are some of the pictures that I took.

So mom isn't very happy that this picture is on top, but I don't know how to fix that on here, so it's at the top. Mom matches the tulips. It's pretty cute.

The trees on the far side are the blossoming crab apple trees. I think this picture looks like it is somewhere from Europe.

I love how I got my camera to focus on the one branch and make the rest of the picture blurry. I think it is so cool!!

This is one of my favorites. I like how it shows the detail of the pink and white blossoms with the green leaves in the background.

Some lady took this picture for us. We are in front of the tulips that were all just about ready to die, but from far away, you can't really tell.

I decided to climb under the tree. It was actually very roomy, but mom had me squat so she could take my picture.

Mom really liked the magenta-ish flower here. And with the cross fence thingy in the back, I thought it looked like a garden.

I like this view of the tulips. But I didn't notice the creepy shadow on the yellow tulip when I first took the picture. See it? Yah, it's creepy.

Happy Spring Everyone!!!!!!

SPRING????

2010-03-22T16:17:00.005-05:00

This is what we woke up to on March 21st - the first day of Spring. Last week we had some beautiful days of 65 degree weather. I had walked around the Botanic Garden amazed at how tulip and daffodil bulbs can emerge in the Spring after being covered with piles of snow for months and months. That is such a miracle! The snow should melt in the next few days - you never know what to expect in Chicago!

Pinewood Derby #2 - Nathan designed his car to look like a bobsled in honor of the Olympics. Don't you love his use of weights?

Rachel's excitement of the week was making Wind Ensemble, the top band in the high school. Congrats! Megan is counting down til Thursday when her cast comes off. Lauren's heart biopsy from a few weeks ago was excellent, she took the ACT without studying and earned a 31. She also was inducted into the National Honor Society. They all are counting down the days until Spring Break next week.

To Utah for some R&R

2010-03-02T14:30:00.016-06:00

We had a credit on Southwest airlines (thanks to Lauren's chemo) that needed to be used by March, so I planned a trip to visit my family. The mountains are so beautiful when you have only seen flat land for the past year. My siblings are all amazing and have fun families and comfortable homes. My sweet friend Cammi was married to a great guy that weekend. I got quick hugs from some dear friends, relaxed and enjoyed good food, and didn't even need a coat outside! I slept a few nights with my angel niece Samantha, cuddled with little Ryan, bathed Lincoln and was reminded of the great miracles that I see happening before me. I felt overwhelmed by other's challenges, the obvious and not so obvious ones. It was great to see Jeff in his official orthodontist practice and sad to see Blair's mom recognizing less of what is going on around her. Each of my other nieces and nephews are all older and bigger and cuter than the last time I saw them, and I enjoyed being in the aunt role. See you all again in July!!!

Samantha - born July 2009, has Joubert syndrome among other issues which cause some physical challenges to this sweet baby.

Ryan - born Feb 2009, 8 weeks early at 3 lbs 7 oz. Now a thriving and healthy one-year old.

Lincoln Young, 2 1/2 years old

Jeff, Jennifer, Renee, Shauna and Greg

Jeff's ortho practice in American Fork, Utah

Glenna and Fred Holbrook, 84 and 83 years old.

A Broken Arm

2010-03-02T14:21:00.005-06:00

I was flying home on Feb 16th and called to make sure Blair would be at the airport to retrieve me. This was the news I received - he was heading to the ER with Megan who collided with a defender during her basketball game.

Thankfully it is near the end of basketball season and it is her left arm. Turns out it is a fractured wrist, not even all the way through the bone. Give her 5 weeks and she will be good as new. However, she is a bit bored now that she can't play ball or her clarinet or the piano. That was about 3 hours of every day of her life. She is being creative with her time - she actually put together a lego house the other day.

Happy Birthday Megan

2010-03-02T14:07:00.003-06:00

February 4th - Megan was surprised when she opened one of her birthday gifts. It was a trip to Utah with her dad. She has been asking and hinting about visiting her new cousins - Ryan and Samantha. Her smile indicates how excited she is.
Megan doesn't care for frosting, so this year her birthday treat was milkshakes with brownies. Yumm!!!

Megan is now 13 years old, and in the 7th grade. She enjoys basketball, music, playing the clarinet and piano, being active and busy, doing well in school, babysitting little kids and hanging out with dad. She is a delightful person, always has to be doing something productive and is a bit of a perfectionist. What fun it is to be her mom!!

Spelling Bee

2010-02-02T15:36:00.005-06:00

Nathan was recently in the school spelling bee. The 4th and 5th graders send 2 kids from each class to participate. He made it through 10 rounds knowing words like vengeance, exercise, faucet, and palatable only to get out on the word haddock. I take responsibility for that since the only fish we eat at this house is salmon. He's excited to make a run for it next year as a 5th grader! This week he plans to write a speech about why he should be the class rep for student council, then he will be an emcee for the talent show. He doesn't ever mind being in the spotlight.

The Gift of Organization

2010-02-02T15:19:00.004-06:00

This may look like just a sleek new furniture piece, but it actually is a 4-part unit I was given as a Christmas gift. Why, you may ask?The picture below should answer that question. Everything you see here was all over the kitchen table, office desk and office floor every day after school and all weekend. Don't you love those projects that a child is working on for a week at a time? Where do they end up? Now, there is no longer a mess, my frustration level is much lower, and I never have to answer the question...."Mom, where did my worksheet, binder, artwork, lunchbox, etc, etc, etc, go?"

What a thoughtful gift!!! Thanks Blair.

Lauren turns 17

2010-01-19T11:37:00.006-06:00

Lauren turned 17 on January 7th. She felt great, went to school, celebrated at California Pizza Kitchen, and came home to this masterpiece.

I stopped making cute and fun cakes years ago, but Rachel was home sick that day. Her creative juices started going, and before long, Lauren had a horse cake. She was very surprised and quite happy!!

Lauren keeps reminding us that next year will be her last birthday at home before going off to college. How did I get so old?

Other good news: Lauren's annual heart cath, angio and biopsy were at the end of December. Her coronary arteries look beautiful and there are no signs of rejection. Congrats!!

Charity Bash

2010-01-05T11:47:00.005-06:00

For the last 2 weeks of school in December, Lake Zurich High School tries to raise money for a charity. Each year, a different charity is chosen based on nominations from students. Lauren nominated Make-A-Wish and, based on her essay, that was the charity chosen. At the assembly to kick things off, Lauren made a speech and our family was highlighted in a video. They gave a brief account of Lauren's story and then encouraged the student body to "make a difference."

Activities designed to raise money included a human foosball game, silent auctions, bake sales, talent show, T-Shirt sales, duct tape teachers to the walls, penny wars, $2000 day, and a dance.

The grand total was $45,632!!

Think of the wishes that will grant. What a way to start off our holiday celebrating.

Christmastime

2009-12-08T10:25:00.003-06:00

Don't you just love Christmas trees and decorations? This morning we are having our first real snow of the season. It is beautiful to watch when I don't have to be out running errands in it. This is our first holiday season since Nathan was born (2000) when we haven't been traveling, had company, been in the process of moving, or had a hospital experience going on. I realize it is only Dec 8th and things could change, but I am really looking forward to the calmness of this year. Merry Christmas!!

More Celebrating

2009-10-30T14:05:00.010-05:00

Rachel's new smile. After 4 1/2 years, the braces finally came off yesterday. She was counting down the days, then minutes. I don't blame her!

Nathan works hard in cub scouts and earned 2 beads towards his Bear Award at pack meeting on Tuesday night. I went to my 12th elementary school Halloween parade - only one more left!

The last item of celebration - no visits downtown to hospitals this week, not for clinic or labs or procedures or emergencies. That means I had at least 6 more hours added onto my week!

CELEBRATING

2009-10-25T16:30:00.016-05:00

Megan is on the school 6th/7th grade basketball team. She is quick, thinks well on her feet, has a great shot, can see what all is happening on the court and is a tough defender. We had a fun time watching her games and seeing her team succeed. The season ended this week and then her teammates voted her as the MVP. What an honor - I am so proud of her.

It is hard to catch her in action, but this shot is after one of her last games. She got tangled up with another player and ended up with bruised knees and a pulled hamstring.

Lauren - It's Official - the CT scan this week shows no sign of the mass of lymphnodes. She also had a heart biopsy which had no sign of rejection or other problems. The YW/YM came for a surprise celebration. We also went out to dinner and to a horse show she was excited about.

Nathan - Finally got to build his fire outside. The summer didn't quite go as planned but he was a good sport and held out until September.

Stay tuned because Rachel has something exciting coming up in 4 days.....

A Chapter Ends...

2009-10-03T08:18:00.013-05:00

Today another chapter in Lauren's medical journal ends. Is it wrong to hope it will be the last and final chapter? Her last round of chemo was this week. The scan is clear and her heart has done very well. She will still feel sick for a few weeks, but we are hopeful she'll be back to normal soon. It is amazing to think that a mass 11cm by 5-6 cm was dissolved and destroyed by these drugs. The oncologist never would guess at how long it would take the tumor to disappear, yet told us she is surprised at this fast response.

Being on the other side of the hospital was an adventure - we could see the Sears Tower right out of our window!
Children's hospitals are almost a hallowed place. There are so many parents and families praying in their own manners, hoping for a miracle for their child. Illness is no respecter of age or nationality or religion - there are all types and sizes here. It is a place to witness great acts of charity from nurses especially. The veil is thin here as it is the place from which some kids leave this life. It is a place of rejoicing as problems are detected and solved, and literally hearts and bodies are healed. Life is simpler here - In a strange way, I'm grateful for the many important life lessons that have been taught to me here.

Some might wonder what I do at Lauren's bedside all these days. I read a lot and do some writing. My portable hobby is cross-stitch. Since January 2005, when Lauren was waiting for her 2nd heart, I have been working on this one piece, which I finished yesterday. It was very involved and detailed and kept my mind busy when I needed it. I only got it out when we were heading to the hospital - now it is done and ready to be framed.

I always go home thankful for my own bed and comforts of home, grateful for kids and a husband who are understanding, and grateful we don't have to stay in the hospital any longer than we did. We always seem to meet someone who has it worse than Lauren, who has struggled more than she has, or who doesn't have the support she does. I am always grateful that her mind hasn't been affected by this - that her faculties are in place, that she can do the basics of life - eat, walk, talk, see, etc.
Today I am excited to go home, sit and watch general conference and soak in all the apostles and the prophet have to inspire me with.

Rachel Marching Band

2009-09-12T13:26:00.006-05:00

I apologize for the randomness of the order of these pictures and videos.

So, I had my second football game last night. It was really fun!! We did a show called One Hit Wonders. We played "Tainted Love", "Mickey", "Play That Funky Music", and "Thriller".

This is a picture to show you how big the marching band actually is. We have 201 members. It's so cool, becuase when we all march out on to the field, we look like we're migrating because we're all together. (I know this because the band director videoed the last game, and then we watched the video.)

So, this is the band during pregame. We spell out the letters LZHS since those are our school initials. I am in the 'H' right next to the big white things (called Sousaphones).

This is a picture of me and my amazing band geek friends before the band lined up to go onto the field. (I'm in the middle)

This is before we went onto the field for pregame. I am standing on the 40 yard line. We had to stand at parade rest for like 15 minutes before we could start. It's hard to hold a metal instrument with two fingers for that long. Plus, we play with gloves which makes our hands slightly slippery.

This is near the beginning of the song "Thriller", when the trumpets have the melody. We sound just like Michael Jackson.

All throughout half time, I am in the front row, second from the end on the right.

This almost the end of "Thriller". This is us marching one of our nine sets of drill (meaning we are marching to one of the different pictures we make on the field). Seven of the nine are in "Play That Funky Music", but two of them are in "Thriller". This last video is the last move and ending of the song.

Go Cougars!!!

2009-09-06T10:21:00.005-05:00

I actually sat and watched the entire BYU game yesterday. I love BYU football, but don't often get the chance to sit and watch it. I love football season - so many great memories of going to games when I was in college. I loved sitting there with the mountains in the background, in my sweatshirt, cheering my team on. Yesterday made me reflect on my fabulous college friends and the good times we had back then. Lauren was sleeping, so my cheering had to be subdued. There is something missing from the whole experience when you are enjoying it alone, but I look forward to the BYU/Utah game when Blair and I will be intense rivals!!

Perfect Weather

2009-09-06T10:10:00.011-05:00

You may not ever hear me say this about Chicago weather again, but the past week or so has been beautiful!!! 70 ish by the afternoon, no humidity, a slight breeze, cooling off at night. Perfect pre-fall conditions. These pictures are from a quick outing I took to the Botanic Gardens - always a pleasure.

Lauren had a PET scan downtown at Northwestern hospital. We drove along Lake Shore Drive, which runs beside Lake Michigan. There are lots of beaches and boat docks and pretty sights. We ended up on Michigan avenue for a short few blocks. I must say that the city of Chicago beautification committee does a great job! The flower boxes and decorations are very well done. The drive down here is about an hour on a low-traffic day. I would do more city sight-seeing if I wasn't coming down here so often anyway.

CHEMO 101 - long but perhaps interesting

2009-09-06T09:52:00.013-05:00

Here is a quick rundown on Lauren's chemo. Chemo is basically a set of drugs given through IV that are supposed to kill all the bad cells in your body while still trying to keep a few of the good cells in tact. The treatment plan varies depending on the drugs used. In 2006 when she had chemo, the infusions were 2 different meds for a few hours every 10 days. This time there are 5 drugs which are infused over 5 days. She got the first 2 on Friday. (Vincristine and velcade) The third - called methotrexate then began. This has to be followed by continuous fluid infusions to get it through your system. After about 72 hours, the blood test they take indicated that the fluids can stop. Then she gets a 4th drug - cytoxan for 6 doses, 12 hours apart. After each of those she has to get fluids with certain electrolytes in them for 12 hours. The 5th drug is prednisone - oral pills at a high dosage for 5 days. So, that is why each round is a 5 day admission. The 2nd drug she get again on day 4, 8 and 11, but that is about a 15 minute infusion with no need for fluids to follow so that can be given outpatient.

At about day 7, her white count drops really low, she gets a shot in her arm, and then the white count is supposed to go back up gradually. All of these meds have various side effects, the worst of which is nausea and bone pain, so we give her meds to try to lessen those side effects. During all of these infusions of fluids, her electrolytes can get wacky. Potassium and magnesium are particularly important to good heart function, so we watch those closely and adjust meds as needed.

Some have asked me if the chemo hurts. No, she can't really feel it going in - just the side effects are bad. The pain in her abdomen has been gone for several weeks, so she can't really tell if the cancer is disappearing either. These "rounds" of chemo are supposed to be about 21 days apart. Just enough time for the body to be strong enough for the chemo again, but not long enough for the bad cells to have time to start multiplying again.

I have also been asked about radiation vs chemo. Radiation is done by x-ray type machines and targets specific spots in your body. Some cancers respond to this rather than chemo. She isn't using radiation with this cancer. I have also been asked what her "plan" is. With leukemia and some other cancers, there is a long-term, many month protocol in place. Scanning and testing is done every 3-4 treatments to check progress. With Lauren, because of all the variables, it isn't such a cut and dry plan. We did a CT scan, then a PET scan, then round 1. After round 1, another CT showed shrinkage but the oncologist didn't want to continue a few of the drugs because of their side effects, especially on the heart. So, round 2 was a different recipe which we have done this round as well. Lauren did have a PET scan on Wed and the initial read shows some improvement. However, it is a holiday weekend, so official results won't come until at least Tuesday.So, we arrived on Friday to begin this 3rd round. Lauren had looked like this and felt great since Monday, but once these drugs began, she has been sleeping quite a bit. The nausea is worse this time around, so she takes Kytril and Phenergan which both knock her out. As for Blair and I, our system seems to work. I can only last 3 nights here before I need my own bed, a shower that I don't have to wait in line to use, and to interract with my other kids. By that time, Lauren and I have had enough of each other and she needs Blair for comic relief!! I do a few loads of laundry, get some exercise, run to the grocery store (they don't eat vegies in my absence), review the happenings of the kids, organize who is picking up who at what time the next few days I am gone, go through the mail, repack some clothes and leave again.

First Week of School

2009-09-02T17:16:00.005-05:00

One week down, many more to come.

My 4th Grader - do you remember 4th grade? Nathan is so enthusiastic about his teacher, their activities, the new books they get to use, etc., etc. He and I leave shortly after 8:00. We walk to school when the weather is nice enough and sometimes ride bikes.
Megan made the basketball team and they have their first game next week. She is the first one to leave on the bus at 7:00 am.

Seminary girls and 2 in high school - hard to believe. Lauren drives to seminary at 6:00 am, they get home about 7:15 and leave on the bus at 7:30. Rachel is really busy with marching band and Lauren is busy making up some tests and work she has missed and will miss next week.

Simple Pleasures of Home

2009-08-18T19:57:00.008-05:00

We came home from the hospital today after Lauren's 2nd round of chemo treatments. This time around was much better than the last. So far, no mouth sores or nausea. The trauma of losing all her hair is past as well. She will have various follow-ups, but the plan is to be readmitted on Sept 4th for round 3. It is so therapeutic to feel the sunshine and hear the sounds of the outdoors. I took a long bike ride and enjoyed getting some much-needed exercise. There is something so calming about cleaning a bathroom and sweeping a floor when you haven't been home to do it for awhile. I enjoyed my dinner I cooked in an oven and on the stove rather than a microwave warmed-up campbell's soup or cafeteria food. There is a rhythm when you listen to the birds and the neighbor's sprinklers.

Lauren and I took a walk outside and she made it down the block and back. We will try for a longer distance tomorrow. Simple pleasures that we so often take for granted!

Camps, Nauvoo, and Chemo

2009-08-01T08:06:00.012-05:00

Photoshoot of Megan and Lauren - 12 and 16 - better late than never!!!

CAMPS -

The first part of the summer was full of camps, camps and more camps. Megan went to basketball and band camp. Nathan had cub scout camp. All 3 girls went to girls camp, then the 2 older ones had youth conference. Rachel took a trip to Seattle, Washington to visit Jeff and family and go to Especially for Youth. Here she is with some of her newest friends.

With Conner at the space needle.

NAUVOO - Next we took a short family vacation to Nauvoo. Renee's parents are serving a 6 month temple mission there, so we went to visit them as well as to see the sights.

CHEMO - So, Lauren and Blair left Nauvoo early to head back to Chicago to Children's Hospital. Lauren had some sever back pain, which, after a CT and biopsy showed B-cell lymphoma - Cancer. This is her 4th time around and very discouraging. Anyway, the first round of chemo began Wed July 22nd, the same day she was supposed to have been on a plane to Utah for visiting and EFY. She came home for a few days but is back in the hospital again trying to fight an infection. As always, she can use any faith and prayers sent in her behalf.

Lauren has a blog with more detailed updates on her condition and activities. See lauren2hearts.blogspot.com.

Rachel's Week (and a little more)

2009-06-09T14:57:00.016-05:00

So, Mom is currently busy and she suggested that I, Rachel, do an update on the blog to tell everyone what has been going on in my life.

The 8th Grade Bash
We'll start with May 29. The school threw a party for all the 8th graders. It was all Hollywood themed and tons of fun. They even put in a sign in the front of the school that looked just like the Hollywood sign. There was also a red "carpet" leading from the street up to the front door.

This is me with some of my friends. Marissa is in the middle and Sara is on the end.

These are more of my friends, Janine, Ahlena, and Sara (again).

8th Grade Graduation

Then on June 3, I had 8th grade graduation. Here in the lovely place called Illinois, they make a huge deal about it. I think it is way overrated. This is me standing in front of the house in my graduation dress and gown. I went shopping for shoes earlier that day.

This is me standing in front of my seat after we walked into the High School gym where the graduation occurred.

This is me standing in front of my seat after I walked across the stage (in high heels) and I am holding my diploma.

This is me and Marissa (you saw her earlier) after the graduation ended. I finished off the night by going to Panera with my family and our stake president from New Jersey.

The Botanic Gardens

Because I am an 8th grader this year, I got out of school the day of graduation and the rest of the district gets out on Thursday the 11th. I spent June 4th with my mom. We went to Jamba Juice then headed over to the Chicago Botanic Gardens.

We saw this awesome chair. I think it looks like a sombrero, but it is also a chair. So, I called it a sombchair. It's pretty funny whether you think so or not.

This is me in front of a small section of a field of poppies in the garden. They were very pretty. We finished off by going to Quizno's for lunch and then went shopping at the mall.

My 14th Birthday Party

On June 6th I had a bunch of my Illinois friends over for a party where we played games. Here are most of us playing Pigs. It is an amazing game where you roll the rubber pigs and get points. You should buy it if you don't have it.

This is us playing the most intense peanut game in the entire world. You take turns being "it" and rolling a die to get a certain number. When it is rolled, everyone else has to pull their peanut out of the middle (they are attached on strings). If "it" catches your peanut under the pot lid they slam down, you have to give them a peanut from your bank of peanuts. It is very fun!!

This is all of us sitting in front of the piano after eating dessert. The back row from left to right: Aneta, me, Rachel, and Courtney. Front row: Jacquelyn, Marissa (again), Sara, and Katie.

The Band "Banquet"

June 8

Every year the band, orchestra, and chorus has a banquet. This year it was held at our school to save on the cost. Each group gives out awards. Megan got the Most Valuable Player for her 6th grade band. This is an award only one person gets, and the band votes on it. Mr. Koehler (our band director) also chooses a lot of other awards. However, the highest award you can get is the Band Member of the Year. He selects it for best performer, leader, attitude, and "all around darn good kids."

This year he chose me to be the recipient of this award. He also gave it to another kid which has never happened before. I was really excited.

Then, becuase we are 8th graders, it was our responsibility to give the speech and present to Mr. Koehler to carry on the tradition. Marissa, Sara, and I spent 5 1/2 hours on Monday and many other hours at her house putting it all together. We had a kid jump out of a box and we gave him over $200 in the space of 25 gift cards to Target, Starbucks and Best Buy. We wrote messages on all of them and everything. It was... fun. And interesting.

This is me and Megan posing for a picture with our awards. The giant bow on her head is the one that was on top of the box the kid jumped out of.

This is me and Megan with our band director, Mr. Koehler. Just so you know, I accidentally closed one of my eyes during the picture.

This week has been very exciting and fun. I hope you all have a great summer and I am happy I have just finished my very first blog post.

May Fun

2009-05-31T14:56:00.008-05:00

Father and Son's Campout despite bad weather - good thing we have a big basement floor.
S'mores are just as good in the microwave as over the campfire according to Nathan.

While everyone was having extended family barbecues and visiting cemetery's, we had a nice picnic and played games in our backyard to celebrate Memorial Day.

The morning had begun with a ward breakfast featuring the debut of the ward band. Rachel and Megan played their usual instruments, but Nathan was recruited to be the symbols and bass drum player.

They played a rousing version of the Star Spangled Banner.

Nathan's Birthday

2009-05-31T14:15:00.010-05:00

Here is Nathan's wish list for his birthday.

Now, you should know that I am not a dog person. I think they are very cute. Various children in our family have asked and pleaded over the years for a dog. However, it is very clear to me that the mother of the house is the one who walks the dog, cleans up after it, buys the food, toys, etc. that are required, takes it to the vet and the groomer, etc. etc.

Because of my strong feelings about dogs, I was prepared this time around. After breakfast with Dad before school, Nathan opened his dog. Nintendogs makes a cute battery-operated dog that barks and wags and plays - just doesn't make any messes. (Target carries it - I love that store!)

Just so no one thinks I am completely hard-hearted, I arranged for Nathan to go play with our neighbor's dog. He walked her (Daphne) after school and did tricks with her and was very happy. What a success!!!

Nathan ate his dinner at Panda Express with chopsticks and made a fruit pizza for dessert.

Rachel's Birthday

2009-05-25T14:21:00.010-05:00

Rachel Celeste Holbrook - 14 years old on May 23rd We began the day with sticky buns and opening the first gift. It was a Saturday - all the better.

Jamba Juice for an afternoon snack. Her favorite is Orange Dream Machine.

Rachel loves to read and chose to spend a good part of the day curled up with a new book in the sun.

Homemade ice cream and homemade hot fudge finished the day off. One of Rachel's friends summed her up so well. Rachel had helped her with a homework item and she said "Rachel, you make the world a better place." Nice compliment from a teenage girl - couldn't have said it better myself!

DISNEYWORLD

2009-04-11T14:50:00.026-05:00

Off we went for Spring Break - in search of fun and some sunshine!! Rachel made our mile tracker. Mickey was attached to a clip. Every 25 miles, he moved to the next green dot until we reached our "destination". Creative idea, don't you think?

Sunday we relaxed, went to church and toured the temple grounds. There are some amazing palm trees there. For all you sports fans, we were minutes from the Bay Hill golf course where Tiger Woods won the Arnold Palmer Classic that day.

Monday we started off at Epcot. This time, I finally made it around to visit all 11 countries. Test Track was a big highlight for Nathan.

The smile on my face is because of the sunshine that actually gives off heat and requires sunglasses and short sleeves. I was also thrilled with the flower beds in the background. During the month of April, Epcot has a flower show. There were topiaries and shaped trees and some amazing flowers.

Tuesday's stop was at magic Kingdom - my personal favorite.

Don't you just love Mickey and Minnie? No matter how old I get, they make me feel like a little girl again.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain were by far the family favorites.

Much to the embarrassment of my children, Blair and I danced on Main Street. Who can help it? Those songs just make you want to sing and skip and dance. Blair knows just what to do to make me happy.

Wednesday we went for the action at Hollywood Studios. Blair especially enjoyed all the stunt shows and behind the scenes thrills.

There are 3 in our family that are much more daring than the rest of us. Rachel, Blair and Megan enjoyed all the high speed, crazy roller coasters in each park. Thursday we took an early day and went to Animal Kingdom. The Lion King show is still fabulous - Nathan was invited to participate in the final number. Tigger is one of the greatest Disney characters - always happy and bouncing around.

The safari ride had an added twist this year - just moments before this picture, the giraffe had been blocking the path of the jeep in front of us. Then he stuck his head into the side of the jeep, just to explore and meet the people on the ride.

Friday we went back to Magic Kingdom - I love the fireworks show and the changing colors of the castle.

Pinewood Derby

2009-03-16T17:00:00.010-05:00

Few experiences in life bring as much excitement and anticipation as the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. A dad and a little boy working together to create the fastest and coolest car around.

Blair was very patient and, more importantly, hands off. Nathan did most all the designing, sawing, sanding, painting, hammering, and weighing.

The theme for the night was Red, White and Blue - Nathan's car fit it just perfectly!

And......The races begin.

His wasn't the fastest, but wasn't the slowest either. All in all, a successful first-time derby. Next year Nathan says he will go for a different shape and weights distributed differently.

Dinner at our House

2009-03-10T22:03:00.004-05:00

I love family dinner time! Rachel always has a funny story about what happened during lunch at school and makes us laugh uncontrollably. I love seeing the kids interact with each other and bounce things off one another. I love that we learn about social studies and global issues, talk about math problems, study for quizzes and give input on whoever has the latest project. I love that, in spite of everything else family members could be doing, it is a time we try to keep sacred. Everyone enjoys it and it makes me feel like we all are connected again.