SPOKANE!!

Back in Spokane safe and sound last night! The car was FULL, the roads were dry and bare and driving felt really long. SO glad to be home. Took a while to get everything put back away (still have a few more piles for tomorrow - bed time now) .... I can't believe we had so much stuff in Seattle. Mark is feeling pretty good. Tired, but good. Boys are glad to be back I can tell. Much more room and everything familiar.


Some things I've noticed:

It is quiet here. Almost posted a request on Facebook last night at 1:00am for someone to come drive back and forth in front of my house so I could get to sleep. Apparently I got used to the Seattle I-5 traffic noise.

Drive-thru Coffee is really really great!

Driving though a city and knowing exactly where you are all the time, is a great feeling.

Our house is big. We are blessed. It is almost too big!

If you don't go up/down any stairs for 4+ months your legs get really tired, quickly when you do go up and down them many, many times to put stuff away!

My fridge, dishwasher, sink and bathroom are BIG! I got so used to the small spaces over there....

I actually had to call out to my kids "boys, where are you?" today in the house...

The boys can jump, stomp, crash, run and yell all they want and I don't have to say "shhhhh, we have neighbors" all the time. It is SO great to let them be boys!

Snow on the forest trees is a good view! - Others might prefer the city skyline, water and bridges.... I really like the way it looks right here at home!


I am so happy to be home, that this stage of the adventure is done and that my husband is home and doing good. To God be the glory! We are happy in Spokane tonight!

A Break in the Rain

We have had a busy week of appointments and tests. All is looking good for coming home next Saturday.... That is right you read it correctly... ONLY ONE MORE WEEK!! I am so excited. We have been given lots of information and instructions for home. Some of it was hard to hear. Like how ill Mark will still feel, how long the road to "normal" really is and what things we still have to be careful of and follow the "rules" back home. We are happy that Mark is doing well but slightly overwhelmed with all that is left to do. It seems like we have been waiting for this day for SO long and it would all be over. Well one big challenge is over.... more to come. But for now I am going to focus on the short term = Christmas and getting HOME! The rest can be worked out later. There will be plenty of time for new calendars, schedules, charts, eating and exercising plans once I get home. I do enjoy making schedules and color coded charts, : ) hahhahah... so it won't be all bad! We are trying to enjoy the last few days here in Seattle, enjoying my living room sunset view, getting ready for Christmas and packing a little too.

Living Room Sunset View

Thursday night we got to have pizza and pop for dinner, the boys opened one present each (mommy picked = new pj's) we put our new pj's on and headed to the car with hot chocolate and went for a drive to see Christmas lights. There are two neighborhoods not far from us that REALLY decorate for the holidays. It was perfect. Boys had fun. We all stayed warm in the car. Got back late so boys went right to sleep. Great time... we'll have to make it a new tradition.

There was a small break in the rain mid-morning this morning... so the boys and I quick put on our warm clothes, shoes and coats and headed out into the sunshine to a park not too far from our apartment. There are several hiking trails at this park and a creek too. It was fun, but muddy, exploring. The boys had a great time, burned off some energy and worked up an appetite. We headed a different way home and happened to find a drive-thru - YES a real drive-thru.... it was a McDonald's... against my better judgement we stopped and got happy meals on the way home. The boys REALLY loved it.

My Goof-Ball Hikers

Pretty - but Muddy hike!

Elijah is done with school. Last day yesterday. They sent him off with gifts and well wishes. He will be missed and we will miss the Hutch school. Such GREAT people.

I am busy catching up on snydergraphics work, cleaning and packing, and getting ready for my parents to arrive Monday.... the earlier the better. We'll have a festive Christmas eve. My Dad and I will do a lot of packing. Then a warm laid back Christmas day. My parents and boys will leave on the 26th and Mark and I will follow by the 29th.

Mark is staying busy with exercising, eating and resting. It is his new "job" as I am calling it. He needs to take his meds/IV's, eat, build muscle and rest. Then Repeat. Every day. With hard work he'll be back soon!

As I sit here typing my girlfriends back home are cleaning my house.... yes that is right, cleaning MY house! I am SO thankful for you ladies! Such a great Christmas/welcome home present. Can't wait to get back and hang out with you in person. I want to catch up with everyone back home.

Continue to pray for our little family. For Joy, patience and endurance. For HEALTH for Mark. For Gods continued financial provision.

Thanks for the Prayers! Thanks for the encouragement! Thanks for the financial support!

26th Mile @ Day 84

(I feel like this "Adventure" has been longer than a marathon but the analogy will work...)

We are finally at the 26th mile of transplant-athon. I am really tired but the end of the worst is in sight! We will by no means be done with this health challenge when we get back to Spokane but I feel like the scariest and most difficult part will be behind us. (and there is HELP in Spokane!)

Things I'll miss about Seattle:
Not much.....
but mostly the team of amazing individuals that have given their minds and years of time in service to others. Without minds like theirs and their dedication, the advances in science that saved my husbands life would not be possible. Without their dedicated years of study we would not be able to rely on them for their expert opinions of how to fix each challenge with Mark's body. I am thankful to our team here and the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center.

I will miss having such high quality care minutes away. It is very comforting. We will be in good hands when we get home but it's just not the same.

I will miss the beauty of bridges, water, trees and architecture of this part of the city. But not the traffic, concrete, construction, parking and noise - so it is really a wash.

I will miss the Hutch school. Elijah has had the most amazing experience. The staff and teachers there are really great.


Things about home - that are literally filling my dreams:
My garage parking, a dining room table WITHOUT carpet underneath it, large dishwasher, kitchen counter space, my washer and dryer, gas stove top, my sharp knives and nice pots and pans - oh yeah, more than one bathroom.... oh the things we take for granted.

My boys having their own rooms and somewhere to "go" like the playroom to make noise and be "boys" - not always at my side.

My wonderful king sized bed, bathtub and a shower with doors instead of a curtain.... I hate curtains, eww!

Drive-thrus - yes drive thru coffee and food.... there are Seriously NO drive-thrus here and with NO where to park.... it is NO fun!!

I am looking forward to my beautiful backyard view of the snowy forest. oh and snow instead of rain. If it is not sunny... it better be snowy! That's my rule. Enough of this gray + rain.

Seeing our friends and family. Talking to people I love in person rather than by text and phone.

Getting back to our wonderfully supportive small group.

Worshiping my God in my home church!

I miss work, the actual creative work and the people.

....IT IS A LONG LIST.... 14 days people... 14 days.


Things on the Schedule
We have our official schedule of final appointments - we will be BUSY these last 2 weeks. The clinic is open every day ... even Christmas. There is lots of things to check out on Mark and make sure we are indeed ready to go home. My parents are going to come for Christmas eve and Christmas day. Then take the boys home on the 26th. Mark and I will pack up, finish up appointments and catch up to them by the 28th or 29th!! I CAN'T WAIT!


Things Mark will be doing at home
Mark needs to build back literally all of his muscle mass. Lots of physical therapy and conditioning. His heart needs to be worked out as much as any other muscle. There are still IVs each day, lots of medication and at least weekly blood draws. He will need to continue to work on balance, endurance, mental stamina, concentration and memory. Tapering off many, many drugs while watching for any early signs of chronic GVHD and seeking treatment quickly. All challenges I know we can overcome... lots of work and perseverance. We have finished one LARGE part of our adventure here in Seattle but I am trying to remind myself to stay motivated for the challenge back home. I am determined to keep cheering Mark on, managing his care the best I can, pushing Dr.'s for answers and best treatments and enforcing the "rules" to insure we BEAT THE ODDS. I don't like anything about Leukemia odds especially the ones that Mark and I face but we are doing all we can to insure we beat them!! Including PRAYING hard!

Keep praying, keep encouraging... we are going to beat this thing together. The Lord has seen us through this far, I know that He will continue!


Things that bring me to tears when I think about them too long:
Our amazing financial donors.... without you guys this whole thing wouldn't have been possible! We feel so blessed! I don't know if there will ever be enough words or ways to thank all of you!!

The generous 44 year old British man that donated the life saving stem cells to Mark. I tear up each time I think of his gift of life. If you are not a donor and are able.... SIGN UP TODAY!! You have NO idea how much impact your donation could have.

How well my beautiful boys have done with all the change and uncertainty. How they have transitioned and overcome. I love them so much.

How many people have been praying for us each day. God is Good - All the time!! We love you all and so appreciate your support.


Things the Lord has been showing me
That I am strong enough. That His spirit is always with us, and if we ask for Help - help will come. Not always in the form we would like but help comes.

That the gift of Jesus as a baby at Christmas was just not salvation coming to earth but a man coming as an example. An example of the way to live, the way to love others and to love God. If we live as He lived we will be able to overcome any challenge this world brings to our door. Not only will we overcome but we can live in joy and in peace with His spirit abiding in us.

That my life is not about me. As much as I want it to be - it is not! It is about how I treat others and how I serve my Lord in all I do. It is about where the glory goes... not to me but to Christ.

That the joy and love of Christmas can come to all who believe - no matter the circumstances.

He has been showing me that my family is loved. That we matter. That we are here for a purpose and that he is molding us and bringing us closer to Him each day.

These things are not always easy to see or recognize but the Lord is there and He is working!

Good Reminder

Great Verses from James Chapter 1

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Santa & Exercise

Santa
On Saturday we went to see Santa at the SCCA Christmas Open House. We had hot chocolate, listened to a string quartet play Christmas carols, did some coloring and made a trip to the North Pole shopping room. Due to generous donors the Clinic is able to offer each family member the chance to pick a few gifts for other family members or themselves. It is a room full of toys, clothes, books and other fun presents as well as supplies and volunteers to help wrap them all up. The boys each picked a gift for the other and one Matchbox car for themselves. Mommy and Daddy picked out a few neat things as well. It was super fun.

Exercise
One thing we are really going to miss when we are back in Spokane is the patient gym at the SCCA House, where Mark is able to workout on a Nustep/Recumbent bike as part of his physical therapy. The whole transplant process has eaten up all of Mark's muscle mass. He is lifting small weights as well as working out his heart and legs by walking and using the equipment at the gym. With a house full of stairs Mark is in for a challenge at home. Due to his low immune system he can not go to a public gym. I was hoping one of our blog readers would have a piece of equipment that Mark could use at our house for 6 months or so. Mark can not use a treadmill or elliptical type machine yet due to stability and balance. He'll get back there in time, but for now it has to be something that he can sit on and work out at least his legs if not his arms too. Please let me know if any of you have a piece of equipment you don't use often that we could barrow. It would really help us out. You can comment on here, facebook message me or email me at snydergraphics@comcast.net. Thanks!

Discharge Process

We have been informed that we are officially starting the discharge process!!! YEAH!! The paper work has been started, tests ordered and appointments are starting to be made. We have a FULL week next week. I think our schedule will be really full until we leave. If not with appointments with doing fun holiday stuff with our kids. Our team is aiming at getting us out of Seattle on day 100 post transplant - December 31st. Mark will go back through many of the appointments/test that he went through when we first arrived. Lung capacity test, strength and flexibility, dentist, eye doctor, CT scans, X-rays, full body photography, weigh and nutrition, infectious disease, large blood draw for tests..... and more. Each test is either to determine whether he can actually be discharged and/or to compare to his pre-transplant stats for health change and research.

Although we are sad to not be going home for Christmas we are doing our best to make it fun for the kids here. We will go see Santa tomorrow morning at the clinic Christmas party. I searched craigslist and the store sales for a small Christmas tree and ended up with the one pictured below... good price and just the right size. We have been working on decorating it and the apartment with supplies sent by the grandmas. Thanks!

Keep us in your prayers. Count your blessings and remember the reason for the season. Enjoy this time of year!

Another Week Down...

Thanksgiving
We had a great Thanksgiving visit with our friends the Roth family. Lots of energy and laughter. My boys really enjoyed taking turns to sleepover at the hotel with their best buddies. All the children were waterlogged after 2 long swim sessions and we were all full to the brim with desserts and turkey dinner the whole time. Jordan and I were able to get out on Thursday night for some deals at Target. I might come over to Seattle every year for Black Friday shopping. There was a line but not that long and the checkout was quick. We were able to get everything we wanted - plus more! It was almost relaxing. Christmas is going to be much smaller for our family this year but I was able to find a few deals for things our boys will really like.

Another Week Down
We made it through another week of appointments, IV's, Medication regiment, dressing changes, blood draws, chest X-rays, antibiotics, spinal tap and exercises.  We have all managed to get a small cold even Mark... (bummer) and Mark has also developed a Staph infection in his blood. (pretty common - but he is being watched carefully as well as high-dose IV antibiotics - 2 hours, twice a day for 10 days). Elijah and I are feeling back to normal... Noah has a day or two more till he is back to normal and Mark maybe a couple more days to get over the cold part.

Marks skin is almost back to normal. Praise be to God! The steroids continue to taper and NO NEW SIGNS OF GVHD! We are very happy and I feel like I might actually be able to stop "holding my breath" on the issue of the GVHD returning.... we'll see.

Due to the continued steroid taper and the infection/cold Mark is feeling tired and apathetic. He lacks the energy to do all of the physical therapy he needs to and the extra energy it takes to smile through it all. There have been quite a few more naps and passes on full meals and completing the exercise log this week. He is fighting hard, trying to stay positive and find joy in small moments with the boys - powering through the pain, nausea, discomfort and annoyance of this whole adventure! Everyday is not great... but every day there are things to be thankful for, things to smile about and glimmers of hope that we will once again get back to a "normal" life someday...

We are on day 72 Post-Transplant. We are really hoping to come home on Day 90 (December 21) the earliest they ever discharge patients. Might have to wait until day 100 (31st) or even into the new year, all based on how Mark is doing. We don't want to leave any sooner then is right.... but we are so anxious for home. I will find out more when we meet with Mark's doctor tomorrow.


Christmas
We have been working on snowflake decorations, snowmen and a gingerbread house (or as Noah says "ninja bread"). As you can see from the picture it was a crazy good time decorating the house with candy! Both grandmas have put kits in the mail for candy trees, nativities, paper chains and snowmen decorations! We will have this place sparkling, warm and Christmas cozy in no time. We are trying our best to make it feel like that "magical time of year" even without a tree, stockings, snow, and being at home or knowing where we will spend Christmas! Thankfully our boys are young and don't seem to mind too much. We will go to the clinic this Saturday (as long as everyone is well) for a family party with Santa and Christmas goodies. I think the kids will really enjoy it. Mark and I will too.

What I Know  VS  What I feel
Lately I have been struggling with what I know to be true and what my current reality feels like. I think that it is in these times - the stressful, sad, scary and unknown - that we figure out who we are. We are defined by our choices. Not very many times in my life - if ever - have my choices had such a large impact on what my day to day life is and will be like. I've ALWAYS been an optimist, some times only a realist... but always on the positive side. "I can do it... we can work together... I'll power through... it will be alright" But lately I have been so challenged by how awful all this feels. I am tempted daily to just stay here, in my sad, woe is me feeling. But I KNOW that Christ is bigger then all this and I can choose His joy no matter the circumstances. I KNOW I can change the mood of my household with my attitude. I KNOW I can have hope in the one who created me that our future can be bright and that I can overcome anything with Christ who gives me strength. These things I know, I just don't feel like it, or want even to. The Devil knows how to whisper in my ear and remind me how much this adventure is challenging me, how much it twists me up and bogs me down. His whispers make me feel like giving up and just being mad and hopeless. I have decided that character come down to trusting what you KNOW to be true and making the choices you should rather than the ones you want. This adventure is definitely testing/growing my character. Doubt is powerful, but I know faith is stronger.


PRAY....
Please pray for Mark's infection and cold to just GO away. Sooner than later.
For continued progress on the GVHD front.
That we will be healthy enough to come home soon.
For this to be the end of sickness for Mark.
That we will beat all of the statistics.
That Mark will be back to his strong, joyful and silly self really soon.
That he can be freed from this physical, mental and emotional burden.
That God will receive all the glory, that he will continue to provide for us and lift us up when we can not do it on our own.
And please pray that I will be strong enough to carry the weight of all of this and trust what I know to be true and not fall prey to the negativity and doubt that creeps in due to the way this all feels.

Catching Up

Where do I begin.... it has been along time since I have updated and lots has happened.

Lets see... I'll start with the fun stuff. We got to take the boys up the Space Needle. They loved it. They took their binoculars, checked out all the views and had some hot chocolate and cookies. Good time all the way around.

We have had a couple cold but sunny days between the rainy ones where we headed to the park for some playing. The boys really enjoy it and Mommy loves that they get all worn out and take good naps.

Elijah had his very first art show at school. He was so excited to show us his works and did a very good job. (insert two very proud artist parents)

We were generously given tickets to go to the Sounders playoff game. Got to sit in a suite as well. It was fantasic. They lost but we still had a great time.

Mark is doing good. Skin really seems to be healing up. Rash is going away. At the same time, the Dr. continues to decrease his steroid level - with no signs of the GVHD increasing. So far, so good. Now we need to stay on this track of improvement and we'll be home in Spokane by the end of December. We will hit the 100 day mark (usually allowed to go home mark) on the 31st of December. If all goes well and we don't have any set-backs we will ring in the new year as a family in Spokane!! Praise the LORD!!! When you are on high doses of steroids you feel as if you have consumed at least a pot of coffee each day.... as you come off you feel as if you are missing that boost in energy and mood. Headaches, apathy, lack of appetite and general tiredness are all side effects of the taper. Pray for Mark to power through this new set of hurdles. I know he can do it with God's help. Mark is trying real hard to stick to his eating and workout plan - even getting the boys involved in his physical therapy exercises (super cute to watch). Continue to pray for his muscle mass and strength to return. Pray for a balance of mood and energy and the stamina for us all to get through this 40+ days in Seattle.

We got to visit with some new friends that are just starting the transplant process that we met through mutual friends back in Spokane. I mentioned my coffee date with the Bekah in a previous post. They came over for dinner last night. (They are in Seattle for some pre-transplant appointments) It was good to chat with another couple that understands where we are at. We got to share more of our stories and encourage each other. They are an amazing pair. When you think of it please include them in your prayers. They have a long road ahead of them that Mark and I know too well. I know they can do it - with the Lord leading them they will make it through.

I am getting laundry done, cleaning the house, and preparing food for the arrival of our Thanksgiving guests - the Roth family - Jordan and Rusty and their 4 kids. They should arrive before dinner tonight and get to stay through Friday. We are so excited for things to feel a little more like normal. We have missed them SO much. It will be good to just be together and remember how much we truly have to be thankful for.

As we head into this holiday season and start with sitting around a table filled with our favorite foods remember to be thankful. Take time out to reflect on your life, family, health and friends. Thank your creator for all you have and enjoy the time you have together - soak it up! We will be most thankful this year for a Daddy that seems to be over the hardest part of this whole adventure. We are thankful to be together. Thankful for all we have to look forward to experiencing together as a family this next year. We are thankful for all our financial donors. Thankful for all our family and friends prayer support. Thankful for a God who has carried us through this past 8 months. Thankful for the gift of the Holy Spirit, grace, forgiveness and eternal life.

My mom told me something she realized this morning that really got me thinking..... Remember as you are sitting around your table tomorrow - you are part of a great nation that is filled with families gathering around good food and every second of the day someone will be giving thanks aloud, holding hands or bowed in prayer. Starting with the first meal on the East Coast till the last dinners are cleaned up in Hawaii - somewhere in our nation families will be reflecting on their blessings. The day will be filled with gratitude. Amidst all the struggles we have as a country and as individual families - tomorrow will be a day to put those aside and be thankful for what we DO have. Share your blessing aloud tomorrow, giving thanks to the source of them and remember to bless each other.

SMILE

Mark is still dealing with skin GVHD but it does seem to be getting better. Pain from swelling feet have also been an issue this week. He is making it though. Dr.'s have started lowering the steroids he is on. It is a slow taper over the next few weeks. Mark can already tell a difference in mood and energy... they are a bitter-sweet drug. They give you energy and good vibes as well as doing good work in your body - but they also come with many side effects. We are now dealing with the "downer" effect of getting off of them. Hopefully this time as we taper we will not see any increased signs of GVHD act back up. We'll keep you posted. Insurance has still not approved the expensive blood/UVA light treatment I mentioned last week - we're just waiting to see.

Not gonna lie... I've had a hard week. It is so much mental and physical work to keep up with the roll of caregiver, wife, mom and designer all at the same time. Especially away from family and friends in this great big city! My understanding of selfishness is growing.... how it starts to brew, what fuels it, how the devil uses it in you to hurt the ones you love the most - BUT I'm also learning how to control it. Oh what a battle! I have always tried to work, serve and love others to honor Christ in my life - I didn't always get it right but I felt like I tried hard. The last few weeks I have really been challenged. I DON'T want to try hard any more.... I'm tired. I pouted for several days this week. The Lord has been working on my heart... I found new inspiration and umph by the end of the week! I am trying to smile, speak sweetly and use patience often. I'm not always happy about all I have to do... but I'm trying to focus on my actions bringing God glory - it seems to be working.

Tomorrow will be 50 days post-transplant!! (217 days since this all started) Makes me anxious to just be DONE already. I know this is a long journey... one that will not be over just because we are back in Spokane, but I'm really looking forward to home. I miss my family and friends. I miss my job, my house, my bed, our church family, small group............ it's a long list!
Soon enough... I keep telling myself - soon enough.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING!
For Marks strength and weight to increase. For the transition off some of the meds. For HEALTH!!
For all the mental things he is going through... I know how hard all of this is for me and I'm not even the one with the Cancer... he is.

Thank the Lord tonight for all the little things. I don't know how many times I've longed for a "little thing" that I took for granted pre-cancer. We are all so BLESSED! Thank the source of your blessings big and small tonight.

Pray for the boys - for joy, rest, health and peace.

Pray for my attitude... that I will remember to SMILE each day. A real smile, fueled by Christ, despite our circumstances.

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Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through for you

This Weeks Motivation

My motivation this week to just keep on keep'in on, trying my best to support Mark; trying to remember that in life "It's not about you, it's about how you serve the One who created you - in all you do" I'm going to make this place our "home."

________________________________________

Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Great song - Phillip Phillips - Home

DAY 40!!

Sorry for the lack of update lately. It has been one full week since the kids arrived and I think I underestimated the amount of work it would be for me to have our kids here. I am not complaining... I can handle it - but I am very busy. We both LOVE having the boys here. They bring a lot of joy and distraction when needed. They are growing and changing so fast and I am glad to not miss anymore of the great little moments.

We had a great time carving pumpkins last Saturday with our friend Jeff. He was very patient and helped Noah with the cutting of his pumpkin (something daddy had to miss out on this year due to lower than normal platelets). I helped Elijah - I think they both turned out super cute. (check out the pictures below). There was a little carnival on the 30th at Elijah's school here in Seattle and the boys had a really fun time. We all dressed up, played games, ate snacks and got candy + prizes. Fun time all around. Elijah did trick-or-treating with his classmates at the SCCA clinic here - lots of kids and LOTS of candy. It was great. Noah and Elijah both went out with daddy around our apartment complex on Halloween night trick-or-treating... only one couple answered with big suckers (big city apartment just isn't the same as our small, friendly neighborhood back home). We ended the night with apple cider, Grandma Beth's home-made sugar cookies and watching Charlie Brown's - The Great Pumpkin.

HEALTH UPDATE: We have reached 40 days post-transplant!!!! YEAH!!! Mark is doing well. Spirits are good and mind is in a good place - but his skin... not so much. The skin GVHD has not gotten any better with standard treatments. In fact it is getting slightly worse by the day. There are quite a few more "less standard" treatments we can try. Some can make his immunity "numbers" go down quite a bit - others require hospitalization. The first one we are going to try is called Extracorporeal photopheresis it is a big name for something I don't totally understand yet. We will have a consult early next week and find out more. Essentially it is a process that takes blood out of Mark, treats it with UVA radiation and then it is put back in him. It is supposed to suppress the new immune system even more and make it "calm down" and stop effecting his skin so much. The Doctor reassured us that it is a good sign that the GVHD is limited to Mark's skin - not organs or digestive system. The medical team is concerned, but hopeful. We are a little nervous where this might lead if it doesn't clear up soon - but we are trusting God to provide healing and strength to endure until then.

Please PRAY for Marks skin!
First for the doctors to know just what to do and for the treatments to be effective sooner then later.
Second for the pain and sensitivity to subside.

We will keep you updated when we know more. Thanks for your support. We are feeling strong. Leaning heavily on God for strength and endurance - but doing fine. I think that might be my new catch phrase "doing fine" - we aren't doing great, yet certainly not bad..... we are doing just fine.

Noah making "scary face" while daddy draws out pumpkin's face

Jeff letting Noah help.... yet managing to keep all his fingers in the process.

A "white" skinny Sam Dower  -  Sounders Fan  -  Bumblebee & Optimus Prime Transformers

They are "tough" guys!

Together Again!

My trip home was very busy!! Lots of snydergraphics work and packing. It was wonderful to visit with friends and family and sleep in my own bed again! It was a quick three days home but I really enjoyed it.

I met a new friend on Monday night. Through a friend of a friend I got in touch with another young mom who's husband is also fighting Leukemia. Our stories are so similar that when I read her blog I feel like I know exactly where she is at and how it feels. I wanted to answer her questions and meet such a strong brave lady who knows just where I am at. I went for what I figured would be an hour visit - almost 5 hours later after Starbucks kicked us out to close, we finished our chat in her car. They are just getting started with the bone marrow transplant part of his treatment and they should be finding out about a match real soon. Please when they come to mind - remember Lee and Bekah in your prayers.

I am so happy to be together as a family again. OH HOW I'VE MISSED MY BOYS! They have changed so much in the 2 months we've been apart. It is a lot of work - but so worth it to have them right here with us. Elijah started school today and seemed to really enjoy it.

Mark is feeling good. Daily fluids and pills.... OH THE PILLS! Three times a week with the PUVA treatment and two times a week to take blood and see the doctors. Rash is a little worse. We will talk with the doctors tomorrow about possible additional treatments - no one on our team seems to be too concerned. Makes me think this will be a - mostly worry free, long, slow road back to being rash free. We'll keep you posted.

Pray for patience and healing. Pray for fun family times. Pray for good rest.

Thank God today for your health, family and friends.

Day 28 & Going Strong

Today is a day of getting things done. Errands, cleaning, organizing and preparing to be gone (back home to Spokane for a few days). Jim and Debbie arrive tonight - I'll show them all the ins and outs of Marks care and then I head back to Spokane tomorrow. I have several days of snydergraphics work and packing.... then Wednesday after school the boys and I head back to Seattle for the duration of our little adventure! I am so excited. I know it will be a lot of work to balance it all (Mark, boys, medical stuff, cleaning, cooking, work, school, appointments....etc.) but it will be worth the work to all be together again!!!

Mark is doing well. Today is 28 days post transplant. Late this week he started developing a slowly growing rash. Not itchy or otherwise bothersome - but still a rash. One skin biopsy later we find out that it is Skin GVHD (see below for more info). No need to be alarmed - normal for transplant patients, especially with cells from a mis-matched, unrelated donor - like Mark's. While we would hope for NO issues - this one is fine. If he has to have some type of GVHD then in his skin is the best option and a slow developing surface rash with no apparent side effects isn't too big of a deal. They could increase Mark's steroid intake (not desirable) to reduce the rash but the better option is to do PUVA. (see below for more details) It is a UVA light treatment that effects the cells in his skin - making them calm down and suppress them. (He takes oral pills and then lays in a machine much like a tanning bed). It should control the symptoms of skin GVHD and we can continue to taper Mark off the steroids. If things change. I'll let you know.

Keep praying for....
Marks skin to respond to treatment
The boys move to Seattle
My days of work ahead
Patience
Endurance
The next 62 days at least....

________________________________________

Graft-versus-host disease or GVHD is a term used to describe a battle between the transplanted stem cells and the patient’s body. Acute GVHD may occur early when the bone marrow starts to engraft around two to four weeks after the transplant. Skin GVHD usually shows up as a rash anywhere on the skin surface but it is mostly seen on the hands, feet, abdomen and face. The skin initially looks sun-burnt. The rash may progress to other areas of the body and potentially become a blister-like rash.

GVHD is not always a negative development following a blood and bone marrow transplant. This is because the immune system that attacks the host causing GVHD is also known to attack cancer cells. Researchers have found that patients with GVHD generally have a lower risk of having a relapse of their cancer.

_______________________________

PUVA refers to the interaction of long wavelength ultraviolet light (320-400 nm) with a pharmaceutical molecule of plant origin, psoralen, producing a type of "photochemotherapy." Psoralens (Mark takes a drug with them - orally) are a family of plant chemicals that are able to absorb light in the ultraviolet A (UVA) spectrum (320-400 nm). Once this absorption has occurred, these chemicals become activated and can react with biological molecules in a number of ways. Although human tissues are relatively resistant to the effects of ultraviolet A light alone, this changes dramatically when psoralens are present in the skin tissue. The most obvious change is a marked increase in ultraviolet sensitivity manifested as burning of the skin (the equivalent of sunburn). It is hypothesized PUVA works by inhibiting the production of the basic genetic material, DNA, and/or by damaging receptors of skin cells (epidermal cells) and particular immune cells (T-lymphocytes).

Child of God

With every breath, with every thought
From what is seen to the deepest part
I offer all that I've come to be
To know your love fathering me

Father, You're all I need
My soul's sufficiency
My strength when I am weak
That love that carries me
Your arms enfold me, till I am only
A child of God

With every step on this journey's walk
And wisdom's songs that the soul has sought
I give myself unreservedly
To know Your love fathering me

- Child of God, Vineyard

Over-Due Update

Sorry it has been so long since I've updated. I have been busy with snydergraphics work and figuring out the new schedule now that Mark is out. We have really enjoyed this last week of NOT being in the hospital. Mark is doing good. He feels good. Nothing big is bothering him. We are working on gaining back strength and endurance as well as gaining back weight. Doctors say he is doing great. They are slowly tapering him off of the large dose steroids. He was originally started on them to treat all symptoms of GVHD Mark had in hospital - which are all gone now. They will continue to taper them through the 3rd week in November. As they decrease the dose the GVHD could show up again. That is our real prayer right now - that NOTHING shows up again. We are hopeful. Mark's body is doing really good and we have no reason to think that will change.

We got to see the boys this weekend. It was GREAT!! Boy, did I miss them. Jim and Debbie brought them over and we all spent the weekend hanging out and having fun. We did a little shopping on Saturday and to the Aquarium again (this time with daddy) on Sunday. Noah was very persistent in asking "Paka Jim" for a ride on the giant Ferris wheel....... Paka finally gave in. Mark, both boys and Jim went for a ride while Debbie and I hit the sourdough bakery. All had fun!

On Sunday afternoon we sent the boys home again... but not for LONG! I am headed to Spokane this Sunday for some work on Monday and Tuesday and bringing the boys back to Seattle with me for GOOD on Wednesday! Jim and Debbie are going to take care of Mark in Seattle while I'm gone. I can't wait!

We will get Elijah all set up with school over here and get busy making some memories as a family.... finally back together everyday. Halloween trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and some visits from friends are all in the works.

Keep praying for Mark's health. We are doing good but still have at least 67 more days here.

Oh, and enjoy some pictures:

We went for a walk at the sculpture park and along the water.

My wonderful husband.

& We're Out!

Tomorrow will be the LAST day in the hospital for Mark!! Discharge orders have been filed. We will get all kinds of instruction on monitoring blood sugar, IV's and Medications tomorrow. I will get up early and CLEAN the apartment really well - then go get Mark and BRING HIM HOME!!

We are so excited - yet a little intimidated. But mostly just happy to be together and at "home." We are on day 15 of our 100-ish day seattle-bound post-transplant journey. Mark still isn't feeling great, but his counts are up to almost the "low" range of normal.

Keep praying.

Rejoice with us today. Thank you Jesus for your blessings!

ENGRAFTMENT!!

This morning the doctors made it official... Engraftment has started!!! Mark's body is one huge step closer to being healthy! We are thankful and relived. (see below for definition)

The doctors have decided that all of Mark's skin and rash issues late last week are related to a drug reaction and Hyper Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease. (more info in definition below) No need to worry. It all falls within the "regular" things that can happen to a transplant patient. They put him on steroids and anti-biotics and he is feeling much better. In the next few days as they slowly back off on the steroids and anti-biotics - if he doesn't get any fevers or skin issues back - we will be another step closer to being out of the hospital.

We are both doing good. We are mentally tired. Tired of our family being apart and plain tired of being in the hospital/not feeling well. Pray for peace of mind, strength to endure and joy each day. Praise God for what He has already done to get us this far!

Definitions:
Engraftment

This is the process of transplanted stem cells starting to grow and develop. It means your bone marrow function and immune system—which were weakened or destroyed by conditioning—are beginning to recover. Signs of engraftment usually appear about 10 to 28 days after the transplant. The first sign is a rising white blood count.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)

GVHD is a common side effect in people who receive cells from a unrelated donor (allogeneic transplant). It occurs when the transplanted cells recognize the recipient’s tissues as foreign and attack the tissues. This can cause a variety of problems, including skin rashes, liver problems and diarrhea. There are two types of GVHD: acute GVHD, which often happens in the first three months after a transplant, and chronic GVHD, which can develop any time between three months and three years after the transplant. Both acute and chronic GVHD can be mild to serious. Medications and other treatments that suppress the immune system are used to treat GVHD symptoms until the donor cells stop attacking the body.

(In Mark's case the "Hyper" before Acute GVHD - means that it happened before engraftment.)

Keep on keep'in on

Day 11 post transplant and we are doing well. Mark's body is showing the first signs of "grafting." We need his numbers to continue to go up the next couple days and it will be official. Grafting is the stage of the transplant where the donor cells start taking over and creating new cells.... a new immune system - and is a very good sign that Mark will be getting stronger soon.

Mark's skin is getting better. It was a couple tough days there. He is on steroids to help the skin which challenge his mind. He is doing his best to stay motivated and positive. Please pray for Gods supernatural strength to help Mark power through the tough days ahead.

I had to go and re-read my post today about: doing what we don't want to do - I needed that reminder. I need to trust God and keep moving forward with joy. I can do this. We can do this. We are strong enough. May God be glorified each day.

Thanks for your love, encouragement and support.

I Need Thee

I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord
No tender voice like thine can peace afford

I need thee every hour, stay thou nearby
Temptations lose their power when thou art nigh

I need thee every hour, in joy or pain
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain

I need thee every hour, teach me thy will
And thy rich promises in me fulfill

I need thee, O I need thee
Every hour I need thee
O bless me now, my Savior
I come to thee

One of Those Days

Do you every find yourself knowing you are in Gods hand - trusting him daily and doing your best to bring Him glory - but at the same time asking "Lord can this be over already?" or at least "Can we go outside for recess yet?" or "Could I just have a bye this round?" 

That's how I feel today!!

I want so badly to go back to normal life. You truly don't know how good you have it until you don't. Look at your loved ones tonight and appreciate where you are and what you have. Be thankful.

I want so badly for Mark to feel better. He is doing fine. All that he is experiencing is "normal" for a transplant patient. The doctors told us over and over what to expect. It is all coming now and it is hard. Harder than I thought it would be.

I want so badly to take part of this away from him. Can't we tag-team this one Lord? Each time in our marriage so far when things got challenging we could trade off. Take turns. Do it together. Take on the task equally. It's not fair this time. I can support and encourage but this time I can not take away the pain or the guarantee that it will get worse in the next week. I can't make this go away by cooking a good meal, taking the kids for a while, smiling and joking, cranking the tunes to dance around and be crazy, work late into the night and get it all done. The pain can't be removed by a hot shower, massage or getting him a big bowl of ice cream. Those are my "go-to's" the "sure-fire fixes" - they won't work now, not this time.

I want so badly for time to pass quickly. I want to fast forward to January when we are home and together as a family and Mark is feeling much better. Then we can start to get back to "real" life.

I am trying my best to support him, love him, listen to the Dr.'s and encourage him to do all he can to help his body. Please pray for strength and wisdom for me. To have the endurance to keep encouraging and to know how to comfort and cheer him on.

Mark is dealing with quite a bit of skin pain. From the radiation (kind of like a bad sun burn or rug burn) and a rash. He has really high fevers and still trouble with swallowing and digestion. All are common and not too alarming for the Dr.'s but NO fun at all for Mark.  He is staying positive but it is a struggle. The Radiation and Chemo took his body so low that infections are starting and we have to wait for his transplanted cells to graft and start working to bring him back up. Pray for peace and endurance for Mark. For a supernatural wave of optimism. Pray for joy. Pray for rest.

Tomorrow is a new day - and new opportunity... Try and make the most of it - I know I will. Thanks for all your support.

TRANSPLANT!!

At 10 pm the transplant officially started. The cells are moving into Mark's body via the line in his chest. It will take approximately 4 hours to complete. We are happy in Seattle tonight! Mark is doing good. Praise God and thank you British stranger so far away - we are grateful!

A Very FULL Week

Mark started three days of Radiation on Saturday. Gradually he got more and more tired, nauseous and worn out before being admitted to UWMC on Tuesday morning to start 2 LONG days of Chemo. Tuesday was long, Wednesday was longer. The Radiation + Chemo attacks all the cells in your body but the effects show up first and most severe in your entire digestive track. Starting with your mouth all the way to the end. It is tough stuff. Mark felt really sick, the worst yet. I think we have hit the bottom and there is nowhere to go but up. He has improved today.... lets pray his health and spirits continue to improve.

My heart has been full of sympathy and frustration. Sympathy for Mark as his body has been put though SO much. I can't image what it feels like - especially because he knows how long it is before he will feel normal again. Frustration because there is not a lot I can do but encourage him to power through. We need his body to be broken down. We need ALL the Leukemia cells to die, unfortunately the treatment damages so much more of him too. He is a tough guy - he'll make it though. I love him so much.

My heat has been full of sadness. Missing my boys so much. Wanting to be with them, helping them to deal with all this stress. Wanting the snuggles mommies need everyday.

My heart has been full of gratitude. For the nurses who take care of Mark. For the prayers of all of our friends and family. For those taking care of my babies at home. SO THANKFUL.

My heart has been full of awe. When I think of the gift our 44 year old donor from Great Brittan is giving, I am in awe. I am so very thankful for his generosity. He has been on my mind all week as I know his body is sore and aching (maybe even in pain) as he has been injected throughout these last 7 days with drugs to make is body produce extra stems cells for Mark. His week has been all re-arranged so that he can do each collection. He is willing to do all this to save Mark and he doesn't even know us. As tears run down my face while I type, I am thanking God for this man tonight. I don't think he realizes what he is really doing by donating - it is not just a donation for Mark - but for us all. Everyone reading this will be blessed by his gift. We will have Mark. The donation of his cells = Mark's health, Marks life. I will be forever grateful for his generosity. For his kindness. For his gift of life.

My heart is full of anticipation and praise. We expect the cells to arrive at UWMC for transplant around 9pm tomorrow evening. As best as I can estimate our donor will be giving his last batch of cells sometime around 3am our time (tonight) friday morning. Then the cells will fly to the US, making a couple stops before they reach Mark's room. If you think about it tonight before you go to sleep - pray for those cells. Pray that they are healthy, tough cells, that are ready to clean up Mark's entire blood system. Pray for their travel and THANK God for our donor. May he feel the Lords presence, peace and grace. Rejoice with me tonight that God has provided a way back to health for Mark through this man so far away. To God be the glory!

My heart is full of excitement. My parents and boys will join us from Spokane around dinner time tomorrow night. Can't wait to see them! We'll spend the weekend together and celebrate this milestone for daddy. I love my family!

May YOUR hearts be full of Joy tonight. Full of love from above. Full of gratitude for what the Lord has blessed you with. Rejoice - we serve an Awesome God!

Another Week Down, Tough One Ahead

We just finished up another long week in Seattle. We got to use the clinics free pass to go up the Space Needle just before sunset on Wednesday night. It was beautiful. It was a wonderful date night and we got some really great pictures:

We also got a chance to go out to dinner with a high school youth group friend of mine - Aron Otremba and his wife (who live here in the Seattle area). It was a great night of yummy food, good company, interesting conversation and fun games + dessert.

Our week was also full of lots of appointments and learning about what we have coming up. Mark is doing really well. Super healthy except for Leukemia : )  All his test came back good - he is officially cleared for transplant. On Wednesday he got a new "line" put in his chest - he did it all with no anesthesia and did great. We picked up all kinds of medication today and got trained on in-home IVs so I will know how to administer that here at home. I think we are all ready for this new phase to start.

It is pretty intimidating - it won't be easy.  Radiation starts tomorrow and ends on Monday afternoon. He will have two 30 minute sessions a day (Sat, Sun. & Mon.). Mark will be admitted to University of Washington Medical Center on Tuesday morning the 18th to begin two days of Chemo. He will "rest" on Thursday. Then the transplant will happen on Friday the 21st. It is a really simple process - exactly like getting a blood transfusion or anti-biotic through an IV. Sorta anti-climatic after all the months of preparation to get here. But it will be fairly quick and painless for Mark, which is good.


I promise to give an update by next Friday if not before but until then Please be PRAYING!!

For our minds and hearts to be strong, brave and calm.

Pray for our boys. Pray for us as we are missing our boys terribly. May they have peace through all of this.

For the Doctors involved to know exactly what they need too. May they have Gods eyes and His wisdom when figuring out just what Mark's body needs at all times.

Pray for each nights sleep - as it will get harder and harder me to clear my mind and rest each night. Mark should be pretty tired from all his body will be going through but pray for rest for him as well.

Pray for the linings of his mouth and throat - for his whole digestive system. This is the place he is most vulnerable in the next 10 days for pain and infection.

Pray for quick healing from the damage of the radiation and chemo.

Pray for the Donor so far away that his donation goes smoothly and that he will remain healthy and strong. Pray for God to bless him in and extraordanary way for his generosity. May he feel the love and peace of the Holy Spirit.

MOST OF ALL pray hard that Mark's body receives the donors stem cells well. That the donor cells go right to work, find their place and start to repair the damage in Mark's body quickly. Pray that they fully clean out any hiding Leukemia cells. PRAY FOR GRAFTING!!

Thank you all for your love and support. We could not do this alone!

Labor Day and Time at Home

We just finished a week at home. It was wonderful. We got to be together as a family and do lots of fun things. Jeff came for a visit on Friday - picnic in park, visiting and BBQ. We joined our friends the Roths and Marquardts for a day of camping on Saturday. Lots of fun, swimming and hiking. Our friends Ryan and Lauren came for a visit Sunday and Monday. We had a great time. Tuesday was the first day a school for Elijah, Wednesday Noah met his teacher and we had a Family dinner with my family then ended the night with a campfire and s'mores. Mark and I came back to Seattle yesterday (Thursday). Today we had a full day of appointments and work. Now for a restful weekend before a BUSY next week.

Continue to pray for our family. For the boys as they adjust again to us being gone and for the new schedule of school and Grandma and Grandpa. Pray for Mark as he heads into a busy week of appointments and procedures to prep for transplant which ends with very intense Radiation followed with heavy Chemo at the start of the following week. He is feeling strong and ready but it is a big hurdle that we will both be glad to be over.

Enjoy the pictures from this last week:

Eat'in lunch while camping with Buddies

Noah playing in the water.

Hiking buddies - Gabe and Elijah

Noah at Manito Park - beautiful gardens, beautiful day

Picnic with Supermen!

Elijah - 5 years old - First day of Kindergarten

Noah - 3 years old - First day to preschool to meet his teacher

When we don't want to!

Sometimes in life we have to do things that we don't want to. We don't feel like it, we're tired of it, we want to be like "that person" instead. And if we are not careful we can talk ourselves into a really bad attitude telling ourselves that "I deserve better," "I can quit and it will be fine," or "I can compromise and treat someone else badly because I have paid my dues and I am tired"

IT IS ALL LIES!

We have two choices when life gives us things we don't want to do:

1. Compromise and say all those lies from the devil to ourselves over and over till we believe them.

OR

2. Choose Joy - by rejecting those thoughts, tell the evil to "take a hike" and embrace the JOY that the Lord has for us.

Life is not easy and we often have to do things we don't want to. But if we look to our Creator for direction and accept the never ending joy that He has for us - it won't seem so bad. The joy that comes from above is OUR JOY - freely given to us and no one can take it from us, not even the devil. He can't steal it unless we let him. We decide who we will be each day: Bitter, angry, compromised and defeated by life's challenges - or filled with the joy from above, choosing to do what we know we should, even though we don't want to - knowing that the Lord will carry us and the result of our choice will lead us to a more rich life.

I choose to hold on to the JOY today, and to ignore the lies while trusting God.

Weekend!

We had a nice weekend. I got to sleep in on Saturday, then headed out for some time alone. Started with coffee and a walk through the U district. Ended up at the outdoor market and had a great time going from booth to booth picking out some farm fresh veggies, fruit and fresh baked bread. Great people watching too!! One good thing about a big city.

We headed to the grocery store to stock the fridge and planned some yummy meals for the week ahead. We went out to dinner and stopped by Target on the way home to pick up a few things we forgot/apartment didn't have. It was a 2 story Target in a high-rise shopping center with an 8 level parking garage.... oh the big city!!

Nice morning of church for me, laundry and getting stuff done. Ended today with a great BBQ dinner and a walk to Trader Joe's, ice cream for Mark and some SUPER yummy cookies for me. We are rested up and ready for another week of appointments and so excited to see the boys in only 4 short days.

Check out the thoughts below that I just posted too.....

Thoughts on Being Financially Prepared

Dealing with the emotional stress of your spouse having a life threatening illness is hard enough without having to deal with financial stress as well. Unfortunately in this day and age they come hand in hand. Even with great insurance, savings, good financial planning and budgeting skills it is still stressful. It costs a lot of money if you get sick - and the money has to come from somewhere.
In April of this year when my husband was diagnosed with Leukemia I was worried. Worried for his health of course, but worried about what we would do to replace his income. Worried about how to pay our mortgage and worried about how I would care for him and our 2 small children and try to keep my part-time job for some flow of income. We had an emergency fund ($1,000 set aside that you never touch). That was a great help at first, at least I knew I was covered for a little while. If you don't have one. GET ONE. Work hard and save the money as fast as you can and then forget about it. Leave it in a savings account and use it only for real emergencies. It will give you great peace of mind when the emergency you never thought you'd face, shows up. We also had a 3 to 6 month fund. This is a fund that can be defined differently for different people. We set ours up as 3 months of my husbands income. That way if one of us had to stop working or lost our job we would be ok for a while. Make plans to start a fund like this if you don't have one. You will be SO glad you did.

Even with these two funds set up - the money went so fast. The bills don't stop, mortgage has to be paid and when my husband was laid off due to being hospitalized we had to start taking over the payments on our health insurance premiums. They are SO expensive. They are a large ticket item and would be challenging for the best budget makers to work in. Without the cushion of these funds I would have been in the red very fast. I had to deal with the mounds of paperwork that were waiting for me each day: insurance, disability, doctors, home care, medications, bills, bills and more bills. I had a sick husband, bills stacking up and money running out - and I had started off pretty financially PREPARED. Ask yourself: "if this were to happen to me today where would I be, what would happen to my family?" If you are honest and the answer scares you - start saving now and don't stop until you have the money in the accounts.

I believe in God and His provision. I have been daily praying for the money we were short to somehow show up. I was willing to work for it, to take on extra projects in my graphic design business but with so little extra time that wasn't working well. I had faith that the money would come - and it has! Each month, every month, the right amount of money has come in. Just enough for us to get by.

We are facing the challenge of a bone marrow transplant in the coming weeks as my husbands only chance at a cure. It is super expensive, more than anyone could plan and save for. A fundraising effort was started on August 12th. We asked 320 families/individuals to look at their monthly budget and for 4 months find $25 they could due without and donate to our transplant bills. Over 100 generous people donated -  and we not only reached our goal of $32,000 but passed it (by Tuesday the 21st) and some pledges are still coming in. My husband and I are committed to "pay it forward" when this is all over. When he is fully healed and our lives get back to "normal" we will find it in our monthly budget to give to others in like situations and repay the kindness that has been given to us. This is what it means to be part of a community and of a family of God. Give of what you have to others. Time, money and kindness. We will forever be thankful for those who have given, our hearts are overflowing with joy and gratitude. I don't think most couples in our situation can say that. Praise God for the perspective He gives.

Don't find yourself without a plan when an emergency hits your family. Save up extra money, trust in God and have faith.

Settled In

We have officially settled in. On Thursday morning we moved into our permanent apartment (home for the next 4+ months). It is a pretty nice apartment with a great rooftop patio and view. It is a great place to stay in this busy city and will be just right once the boys join us in 6-8 weeks.

Our view from our permanent apartment. Fun to watch the sailboats and sea planes.

Great news today - still NO signs of Leukemia in Mark's bone marrow. Praise God! It is great to know that there is no new growth and that all that Chemo was worth it. Since Tuesday we have been doing all kinds of tests and appointments with different doctors. Everything from Dentist, physical therapy and CT scans to a spinal tap and a bone marrow biopsy. Mark is doing great - but we are both glad for two days off. No more appointments until Monday. Time to go grocery shopping - need to stock the fridge - and make some real food. I plan to explore the University District a little on Saturday as well.

Next week is full of appointments as well. The British donor center has delayed the transplant by one week (no worries, this happens) .... so after our Thursday tests next week we should be able to get back to Spokane and see the boys for a nice long weekend plus a couple days - and catch the first day of "real" school for Elijah. I am super excited.

Thanks for all your prayers. Continue to pray for my Boys to go-with-the-flow and have joy each day. Pray for Mark's energy level and over all health. Pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to be our strength. This week has been especially tough. Lots of change and lots to take in. I am missing my babies, friends and my home. I long for the day when our life feels "normal" again. For now it is "chin-up" and move forward each day remembering who is really in charge and who supplies all the joy we need, each day.