Update on Kenneth's Health

Kenneth talked to the Oncologist a couple of days ago and he sent him to have an X-ray done of his chest. As it turns out, he has pneumonia. I actually felt great relief with this news; it means it can be treated with an antibiotic. Kenneth was a little worried by the news, and understandably so. He is just ready to be done with this whole experience, not have one more complication on top of it all. (Not to say he is not completely grateful for how smoothly it really has all gone considering)
Here we are now a couple of days after starting the antibiotic and Kenneth does feel a little better. He still has some pain, but not like it was before. Last week he said it hurt so badly to sneeze his body wouldn't allow it to happen. It would stop the sneeze before it could start!

In other news, we had a special visitor last night! Many of our friends in New York will recognize this guy:

Scott H. reading to the kids

The kids took right to him, as you can see, even letting him read the bedtime story! It was fun to share a meal and visit for a little while. I guess its one of the perks of living in such a busy place; we often get to see friends and family who travel here on business!

Happy Fifth Birthday, Emma!

Wow! Five years old already!! Emma has had a great Birthday today! She chose all the food we ate all day: Baked oatmeal for Breakfast, Noodles with red sauce and cooked carrots for lunch, and Swedish meatballs and rolls and peas for dinner. We are having a little party for Emma on Saturday with some friends, so I hadn't planned on making a cake today, but Kenneth thought I should, so I whipped some up to have after lunch. I know what you all are going to say. . .didn't I learn my lesson last time?! But, before you think that know that I had at least made these before and knew we really liked them. I made cupcakes with avocado and cauliflower puree in the frosting. They were fantastic! (Unlike the cake I made for Arianna with the beet puree in it. At least she liked it!) Emma requested purple frosting. Someday I will learn how to not make it look so gray. Emma asked for a notebook and sunglasses for her Birthday, so that is what she got. She was delighted! Here are some pictures and a video of the day:

Opening her present this morning.

One very happy little girl!

Where did she get that pose?!

Enjoying her cupcake!

Here is her notebook. I took a regular notebook and designed a cover for it.

She has already written this much! I haven't talked to her about journaling, so I am not sure where she got the idea, but I think it is great! I taught her to write the date and she asks us how to spell all the words, but she came up with it all and wrote it herself. In case you can't read it I will quote it here:
"I have special sunglasses. They are not made to play with or they will break. And what I am writing in is my new notebook. I found it in my Birthday present. I went to Target yesterday and I went to the park. Am five years old. I went outside to check on my roly-poly but it was dead. I stay outside for a couple more minutes and we ate snack outside then I came inside. My mom has a notebook that is a cook book."

And here is her Birthday interview:

How old are you today?
5

What is your favorite animal?
a kitten

What is your favorite color?
purple

What is your favorite food?
Swedish meatballs

What is your favorite treat?
a jelly bean

What is your favorite book?
In the Piney Woods (we just read it for the first time last night)

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A mommy

Who loves you the most?
Jesus

What is your favorite time of the day?
Going to the Park

Who is your best friend?
Natalie

What is your favorite activity, or thing to do?
Read my brother books

What is your favorite song?
Scripture Power

If you could choose to go anywhere, where would you choose to go?
To that fun place with the dragons and you can play a little game, you shoot the ball and see if it will go in the little hole. (The miniature golf course close to our house)

What kind of cake did you choose for your Birthday?
A dragonfly one with raspberry flavor and blue frosting.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, the video of singing Happy Birthday! We love you, Emma!

They grow up way too fast!

Before I talk about the children, I will let you all know that Kenneth feels a little better today. He will still call the Doctor tomorrow and probably go in to be seen, so I'll let you know more when we know more!

These kids grow up way too fast! Grant attended Nursery at church for the first time today. He looked so old showing his coloring page to people in the hall after church! He is 20 months old exactly and we felt like it was time- chemo having ended almost 3 weeks ago now.

It was funny, tonight Grant noticed that Kenneth's hair is starting to come back. He had fun rubbing his hand over it and kept saying, "Hair." What a cute little guy!

Here is a random picture of Grant I hadn't yet included in a post, taken a couple of weeks ago. We were in the middle of breakfast when the garbage truck came on our street, so I whisked him up on the counter to watch out the window and while he was up there we decided to test out Dad's phone.

Arianna also went back to nursery. (She's been going to Sunbeams to stay out of the germy nursery) Boy is she ever happy to be back there! She's been very difficult in Primary lately. I am in there as the Music Leader and she is very difficult to deal with; she won't stay with her class, has to sit right next to me and come up with me when I lead a song (usually causing trouble while she is up there), and the last few weeks she is actually throwing herself on the floor and just being downright rediculous. I will say one thing for her, when she knows what she wants she will definitely put the pressure on until he gets it.
In good news about Arianna, she is learning to write her name! She wanted to earn a toy back (that was taken away because she won't clean up) and I off the cuff said that if she learned to write her name she could have it. I fully expected that it would take her a week or so to learn to do it. Up until this point I could barely get her to cross her A after I wrote the 2 slanted lines. She sat right down and with just a little coaching she did it!
I was so proud of her!!! She still has trouble doing it all on her own; she needs to look at it written and sometimes if I am not right there to coach her she will write it right to left, rather than vice-versa. A couple of days later, she wanted to earn back more confiscated toys and I challenged her to write her whole name. She did great!

Speaking of growing up fast, Emma will be five years old on Tuesday! How time flies! I can't believe she is getting so old. She is really becoming a wonderful little girl. A year ago she was at times painfully shy and would burst into tears in uncomfortable situations. Just today, she gave the scripture in Primary like a pro. The size of our ward and primary are major contributors to this, I believe. There are just a few children, and she knows and feels comfortable with all the teachers and leaders.

In other news, my sister, Sheri, and her husband came over for dinner today. They only had a couple of hours to spend with us, but it was so nice to see them! (My brother-in-law was in town on business)