Histio 3 Chemo Round 11 Days 1,2,3,4

The pictures are not in great order---I blame my sister Brenda and my cousin Melanie, they are both great bloggers and have the responsibility to teach me how.  I am innocent, innocent I tell you.

On Wednesday we came over the snowy pass, we as in Jackson, Sammi and I.  Sammi had participated in a research study on Asthma during her recent surgery and she was due back for pulmonary testing.  She doesn't have asthma but they needed a control group.  Jax was due back for Round 11 of Chemo---getting close to the end!!  Chemo day 1 is a long day because of the labs, doctor visit, and IVIG.  We got to the hospital at 12 ish and left at 6 ish.  I won't even mention the wreck on Montlake blvd which slowed traffic for about 40 min.  We decided to drive home tonight in order to attend Randy Allred's funeral tomorrow.  It took us 6 hours to get home, plus a foolish purchase of expensive chains which we didn't need, but we made it safe and sound at midnight.  The pass was bad but our car did great, maybe because we were in the first wave to go over it after it finally opened at 9:22 pm and could only go about 10 miles an hour!!   The funeral for Randy was so well done, and I love his family. 

This sign cracked Jackson and I up on "end of the world day".

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Zoe and Carter in the Ronald McDonald House playroom.  That's right after 10 months of trying we finally got a room for this chemo round.  I brought Zoe and Carter back with me & Jax on Thursday after the funeral because I knew they would enjoy the RMH experience the most.

We were in a two person room and they were nice enough to allow us to squeeze in a roll away bed for the two youngest to share.  We were literally wall to wall beds!  We had to enter bed from the foot of it and crawl on.

Rocking out in the playroom.

Zoe made sure we made it to visit the therapy dogs.  That's right plural.

Throwing treats to Levi.  Carter is not a dog fan, but he tries.

It seems every time we try to convince him the dog is nice something backfires.

At chemo

Therapy dog Juno.  Carter finally got brave enough to pet Juno and for whatever reason Juno let out a HUGE BOOOMING BARK.  Scared Carter to death, he was on my lap from then on!

The RMH gave us some free tickets to the Seattle aquarium.  We have never taken the kids there.  Perfect place for Zoe and Carter.  Julia, Wade, and Brielle met us there also.  Julia and I were always trying to visit but spent most of the time chasing kids who were on to the next sea creature, and the next, and the next....

Jackson even put off the cool teenage persona and touched creatures from the ocean.  He is such a good sport on chemos when we have other kiddos with us.  He would much prefer "sleeping it off" to running all over Seattle, but he was willing to concede for Carter and Zoe's sake.

We don't measure up well to six gill sharks.

Couldn't pet enough sea cucumbers, sea stars, and anemones (sp?)

Riding an orca

Not to be outdone he rides the orca too.

The sea otter was much more interesting than the mother taking her picture.

3 musketeers

In the dome watching sharks, flounder, halibut, and various skate (like sting ray) and rock fish.

Santa came diving at the aquarium today!! We have never seen the dear boy looking so lean and athletic!

Here is Sammi---way back on chemo day 1 love the clips on her nose for the lung function testing!

And the day before Chemo (so Tuesday the 18th) Sierra underwent allergy testing by her Asthma doctor.  It usually takes 10 minutes for the skin to react, this is Sierra's back after 90 seconds.  The nurse couldn't believe it.  Her horse reaction ended up measuring bigger than any they could remember off hand and Dr. Hylander has been doing allergy testing for 30 years.  No wonder she didn't feel good in Nauvoo!  Poor girlie.

All for Royal stand up and cheer...

Bailey, Khrystal, Sammi and Ali

That's our girl

 I think our family should get to perform, we've heard this chants/cheers so often at home we all know them.                                               They haunt us when we sleep. 

                                          Smiling---we could see more of that at home!  Just sayin

Wowzer is she thrilled to the tops of her tippy toes or what!

(I am going to pay dearly for that picture)

 

Carter's 8th Birthday Bash

Carter Michael Noftle has been waiting to turn 8 for FOUR long years.  This is for two reasons, 1-he wants to be baptised, 2-he has wanted a lighter since he was four, and for unknown reasons I told him when he was four that he could have one when he turned 8 and was a cub scout (no idea why I thought it would be a good idea for an 8 year old boy to have a lighter).

He had a superhero themed party--hero training.

Sammi was thrilled with her silly string hairdo.

Bailey instructing her team to silly string the heck out of Sammi's team.

Getting the supervillan

its never easy

One supervillan contained

Two supervillans contained

relay race

Happy birthday Carter/Thor

Birthday morning

The long desired lighter that he can not light without adult help!!! HEHEHEHE

The joy---four years in the waiting makes it so sweet!

Carter is:

1.  Swaggy in his dress and attitude

2.  So smart in school-especially loves math

3.  So excited to be a cub scout--when I asked him why he said they always throw a football around before and after scouts and the "build stuff"

4. Loves to be held and hugged and NOT kissed by his Mommy

5.  Is very kind, can't stand to see one of his friends upset or one of his cousins crying for something

6.  Says the sweetest prayers ever

7.  Has bonded completely with Grandpa Kent, a mutual love of skylanders was the start, now they are true buddies

8.  Doesn't like to hold still--EVER

We love you Carter!!!

State Football 2012

Sierra will never live this window painting job down--it says "Go Kights!"  We said Go Kites all weekend, she hates us.

Sammi can spell Knights, phew---maybe when Sierra is in High School she will be able to also.

I love Royal City more than ever on days like today.  Fire trucks, ambulances, cops, sheriff dept. and State Trooper Matt Andersen all escorted the Team bus out of town.  Lights a flashing thank you very much.

Trooper Andersen caught a Cougar.

Football brothers.

Can you see Courtney's art work?  #15

waiting for the boys to load up and head out.

Knight (or in Sierra's case Kight) fans.

Christa Lee and I have many fond memories of making this sign.  And Rick and Luke Carter probably are enjoying telling their story of Christa and Becky high on spray paint fumes in their shop. 

At the Dome Jax is in jeans in the middle of the field.  Not exactly how he always dreamed it would be but he was there--on the field---on the team.  I bawled, all of the sudden life felt to unfair and I forgot his blessings, which are too numerous to count.

Carly, Sammi, and Becca 

lined up ready to hear their names announced.

Fan Zoe

Fan nerdy---cool button though!

Number 15, Jackson Noftle---still crying.

Some of the worlds best boys.

Singing the fight song for the last time this season.  Coach Scroggins said in his talk at the football banquet, all the ways they were number one, one of the reasons he listed was, "even being re diagnosed with Cancer can't keep a Knight player from being the best da-- teammate ever".

                                            Handiwork of Tiffany--Knight polish.