Sorry, this is a little old...

Lukas has spent the last 2 Sunday's in NURSERY!!! How cool is that? Now I get to go to my classes! Don't get me wrong, I like our empromtu Mommy time in the foyer with the other moms that can't get their baby's to fall asleep so they can go to Sunday School or Relief Society, but man it's so NICE to be able to sit through those last 2 hours and actually get something out of it!

Our ward is on the 1-4 schedule this year and for some reason, we seem to be cutting it WAY close every week to get there on time! Nice, huh?! Anyway, our usual routine is to go to church and then go home and get changed and head down to Debbie's for the rest of the day. Well, Kurt didn't have to work last Monday (Labor Day) so we spent an extra long time down there this weekend. We were playing our weekly game of Boom Blox and by the time we realized what time it way, it was already midnight! If you have ever come over on Sunday's you know how competitive and crazy it gets. Anyway we packed up really fast, got the boys loaded in the truck and head out. When we got to the light at 67 off ramp and 1382 the light was red so we sat there. This girl came speeding up to the light and then slammed on her brakes and almost went into the intersection in the left turn lane next to us! Yes, I made a rude comment about her being drunk... And then the light turned green. We were in the middle lane (turns left or goes straight) and we turned left, we didn't even make it into the turn before that same girl t-boned us.... GREAT!!! She hit us going pretty slow so we were all fine, just frustrated, so we pulled onto the shoulder and waited for her to pull over. Instead she straightened out and started driving off! So Kurt got behind her and I called the police. This was about 12:30am. She proceeded to drive away through neighborhoods and we followed with the police dispatch on the line. About 10 minutes later she finally pulled over and got out of her car. Another car was behind us, he had witnessed the whole thing and had followed with us. He came over to our truck and the girl started apologizing and saying she was upset, just broke up with her boyfriend. I wanted to jump out the window and tackle her, but I just said (yes very mean toned) that we weren't talking until the police showed up. 4 cruisers pulled up behind us about a minute later and the circus started. They took Kurt, the girl and the witness and started questioning them while the other 3 police checked on the cars. I had just gotten out when our cop came to check on me, I told him we had babies in the car, you could tell he was upset about that! He was really nice, Theron was so excited to see a police up close! And, of course everyone stares at Lukas scar on his head, so I had to explain that. He stayed with the boys and let Theron chat him up for a bit while I went over to talk to the cop questioning Kurt. I had to tell him the whole story in my words. I heard another cop ask the girl if she was intoxicated while we were talking and then a minute later heard the cuffs clink! Nice... I went back to the boys and the cop with them. Theron was telling him all about baseball and his Marimo (mario) game and anything else the cop would listen to. I got called back to Kurt a minute later and they asked us if we wanted to press charges because she had failed her field sobriety test miserably. Yes we are pressing charges. The rest of the next couple hours was getting insurance info, victim (us in the truck) info and witness statements. We didn't get home until around 3am. The girl got hauled off to jail for a hit and run and DUI or DWI, not sure which one... They guy that followed us was really nice, he stayed and gave his witness statement. And the poor cops, Cedar Hill cops, had all been working overtime and had already had a really bloody drunk driving weekend. We were VERY lucky to have gotten out of this with little damage to the truck and all of us intact! If she had been driving any faster, with her car so low, she would have flipped the truck and this wouldn't have been such a good outcome.

Before we left the cop staying with the boys said that the drunk girl was put in his car and she was throwing a pity party for herself and he told her to SHUT UP and get over her princess pity party, she could have just killed a whole family in one blow, he told her Lukas, a baby, had just gotten done fighting cancer and she could have just killed him, and she shut up right away. He was a really great guy.

So that was a nice start to our Labor Day! Thankfully the rest of our holiday was nice. We went to the Currier's, had some pasta and grilled chicken, played some Super Mario Slugger and then got to go outside while Ethan and Theron played T-ball for the rest of the evening. Let me just tell you, those two have some talent. For them to throw and hit the ball as well as they do, so young, I can't wait to see them in a few years!

So here are some pics, enjoy!

This guy says it perfectly!

He's like my missing Hallmark card that says everything I don't know how to say!

What will really make me happy?

Grace

Yes, it's my favorite name... Grace Isabelle, yes, that's what I have always planned on naming my little girl, my little "Gracie Belle", but that's not what I'm talking about.

Heavenly Fathers Grace.

Grace is the help or strength given through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through the grace of God, everyone who has lived will be resurrected—our spirits will be reunited with our bodies, never again to be separated. Through His grace, the Lord also enables those who live His gospel to repent and be forgiven.

I went to today's (Saturday's) session of the Women of Faith Conference with my Grandmother, Aunt and Mom. It was good, there were a couple of ladies with some good thoughts and amazing voices. I just really appreciate what I have more today. I was taken back to 8, 9 years ago when I was missing something but I just didn't know what it was and, honestly, I really didn't comprehend I was missing something as desperately as I was. Getting to see that after I found what I was missing was more of an eye opener.

I have it all now, not materially, definitely not physically!, and maybe not emotionally, but I sure have it spiritually! I have all the missing pieces as one lady described it a few years ago. When I met Kurt, I was in love, I knew without a doubt he was my "it". I just didn't fully comprehend how full he would make my life. He was a Mormon... ooh.... scary! Really? I didn't really see anything wrong with that, my family did, but I didn't understand. I grew up with kids that were Mormon and they didn't have 6 fingers or 19 toes, didn't have tentacles that I could see, they seemed pretty normal, happy, they all hung out together, what I perceived as a "click" then, but they weren't snobby, they were my friends and seemed to genuinely like me, so, I had not problems with them. Kurt being "one of them" didn't bother me. He wasn't weird, he was friends with some of my friends. Nothing strange. Luckily, and I say that with all sincerity, our relationship progressed and we started getting into deep discussions. I had just graduated from high school a few moths before I met him and I was trying to find my place in the world. It was nice to get to talk to someone about my fears, wants, hopes, dreams. He got me. Learning more about each other brought us to religion, naturally. I didn't know anything about his and he didn't know much about mine. This was a really great discussion for us, we talked about it all the time. There was a lot to learn on both sides. We decided to make a trip to each others churches so we could see the others religion in practice. Now THAT was interesting, we were loud and roudy, and his was quiet and subdued. Big difference, but something was happening. I liked it. I'm not a big, flashy person, I've never liked the showy, loud and in your face things. I liked this quiet and to the point thing. It felt comfortable, the only thing I would have changed was playing the piano a little faster, say with the recommended tempo... (yes, some of you are laughing with me on that one!) I always had questions in my heart that were never answered from anyone, family, firends, pastors. Lots of deep questions that lingered and finally I just pushed them away, because everyone else seemed happy and fulfilled, so why wasn't I? I'm a difficult person, I just wrote that off as such. But along comes Kurt and his thoughts a beliefs, and answers. I was getting answers I had long stopped asking. He had valid answers to things I wasn't even sharing out loud. I was gaining insight that I never thought I'd have. My family hated it and fought it. I didn't understand why. I was starting to feel whole, on the inside and out. This led me to want to move away so I could have that peace and fulness I wanted so badly. I found answers to every question my heart ever had in those pesky Mormons! Who knew!? I joined the church and I have never looked back and NEVER regretted it. I have all the peices to my puzzle now and I'm never going to let those go.

Now if I could just start sharing those pieces with everyone else... that's a whole other issue and topic. I'm not a very eloquent speaker, my thoughts are clear but they come out jumbled and backwards and upside down. I'll leave that to the professionals! You can reach them here.

I'll just tell you what I know, yes, KNOW. I know that Heavenly Father loves me, he sent His Son to die so that I could come back to live with Him some day. He knew I couldn't make it on my own, so He provided a way for me, He loves my that much. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God and that we have a living prophet today, Thomas S. Monson. I didn't just hear the story and think, gee, that sounds good, I think I'll go with that one. It was a trial for me. I prayed and prayed and cried and prayed some more. My family was completely against me, the tried relentlessly to make me not believe how I felt. It was agony for me. I knew in my heart that it was all true, but how could I hurt my family that way? But, to me, it's life or death. Literally. Do I go back to my family and not listen to the truth in my heart or do I accept it, knowing that all will be well if I just believe? I chose to believe. I knew it was true and I accepted it, yes there was contention, yes there still is sometimes, but none of that will matter when I'm dead and answering to Christ as to why I did or didn't accept the gift he gave me. The Holy Spirit, that still small voice testified in my heart and soul that it was all true. That's it and that's what I chose.

You don't have to believe what I do, that's the beauty of choice, but if you ever want to know, just ask. But be ready to bear with me. Like I said, I'm not eloquent, if you only knew how long this post has taken me to make the words coherent!

Enough babbling, that was just what was on my heart today. :)

Boxes, Surgery Scars, Farmers Market and Pizza

Mish-mash for sure! Have some new pictures for your viewing pleasure! I'll leave the ones of me out of it...

Give a boy a box and he'll play for a while.... teach a boy to box and he'll have the box all to himself... Ha ha!!! Just kidding, I don't condone violence.... much.

Dr. Bass went above and beyond! She cut his dressings out into hearts before she put them on after putting in his new port! How sweet was that!

Good old Farmers Market! We went this last Saturday and the weather was PERFECT!! Breezy and kind of cool, even with all the people around!
Lukas loved it!
Ethan wasn't too sure about the big crowds...

I looked like a wet dog...

Jake, Becky, Ethan and baby boy Currier!

Best friends and bike racks!

And last, but certainly NOT least.... OLD CHICAGO PIZZA!!!! You're right, there isn't one anywhere in TX! My wonderful husband bought this before he left OK last week and brought it home for me! This is our favorite pizza in the world!

Double Deckaroni- two mouth-watering, piles of peperoni and cheese with tobasco sauce mixed in with the pizza sauce. Yes, sounds gross, but it's DIVINE!!! 8 slices of Heaven!

Have Plans Saturday?

I do!

Lots O' Pictures!!

Here are some from our last hospital stay.


What is that you ask?


Oh, yes, that was the stay where they told us Lukas DIDN'T HAVE CANCER ANYMORE!!!


Loading up on antibiotics and playing like a rambunctious little boy! (Notice the blue under his chin? It was a wrap to hold his needle in place. His port was infected so it itched really bad and he kept pulling at the needle.)

"Ock, ock!" That's Lukas for rock.


Port was finally removed and we started the game of Peripheral IV's... The game part was finding a good vein that wouldn't collapse. The next few pics all feature a different PIV.




Yes, Lukas likes to get his own vitals, thank you very much. He can do it all, blood pressure, temp, pulse/ox, and he can use the stethescope like any trained professional


Calling in a rescue card... No one came.
Theron paparazzi shy. All 12 tries and 8 PIV's later, we had to insert a PICC line. Went into his exterior jugular on the right side of his neck and then the "noodle" was looped over his ear and secured with a BUNCH of tape. He had to be sedated in PICU to have this inserted and I got to go down after it was in. Let me tell you, Lukas is the funniest drunk baby! He had just "woken up" from the anesthesia and was babbling, calling Nana, wanting a ball and trying to flop all over the place. He had a room full of nurses taking in the show! We actually got to see our PICU nurse from after Lukas surgery back in March. She was amazed at how far he's come in such a short time.



Lukas sharing his Bink with Uncle Bud... Man he's a whitey!
Theron rockin out to Guitar Hero. That kid is a guitar junkie!

Lukas took the drum sticks from another kid and started dancing and beating the drum pads. It was really cute!

Lukas decided he wanted to sit in this Bumbo and got stuck! It took two of us to get him out! Me to pull him and Beth to pull the Bumbo! He didn't think it was as funny as I did.

This is Lukas first picture after getting the results of all his scans. NED!!!! No Evidence of Disease!!!!!!! WOW!!!
Another beautiful shot of his PICC line.


And this......led to this....

New port on the right side. He needed it anyway, so this wasn't a suprise to us.

So for now we are just living life and having as much fun and good times as we can. We still have clinic visits, now just once a month though, and we are now on our 3mos. scan schedule. Don't have to see the Neurosurgeon or ENT for another year and we were just released today from our NeuroOpthamologis. So that leaves us with our regular Opthomologist and Oncologist appointments. And of course we are still doing music therapy once a week and vision therapy twice a week. I like the direction this is heading but, man, it sure feels weird. I had this horrible feeling for the last few weeks that I've been forgetting something, that we have missed appointments. He is also still on 3-4 medicines a day and getting his IVIG infusions once a month, so I guess it's hard for me to feel like we are done, because we really aren't, just done with the harsh chemicals. We still have another 6 months of medicines to take every day to make sure he's back up to 100%, he is still suseptable to infections and illnesses, but he is recovering. Slowly but surely we are making it there.

Have to post this before I forget!

Ok, so two Sundays ago (yes, Fast Sunday) we were sitting in Sacrament and about halfway through Theron looked at me and said "Mom, it's my turn, I want to go up there" pointing to the stand... So we make our way out into the hall (we were sitting in the overflow), back into the chapel and up onto the stage. Our ward is amazing because there are always a ton of kids that go up to bear their testimonies. I'm always so impressed with them getting up on their own and waiting patiently for their turn.

Anyway, we waited for our turn and when it was time Theron walked right over to the stool, moved it in front of the stand, Ryan lowered the microphone and Theron climbed up. He pulled the mic down and said, really loudly, "Hi guys" and then froze up and wanted to get down!

So, I guess we can chalk that up on the fairly successful testimony of a 2.5 year old.

And, yes, if you are wondering I did bear my testimony after him, though most people thought we were new to the ward since we have a million new families now!

I've got to retrain my brain.....

So I met Will for lunch at Pizzaiolo's today with the boys and the first thing I see when I walk in is a little girl, probably 6 or 7 with a buzzed head.... What does my brain do??? Look for scars, any paleness, and central lines dangling or a port protruding! I had to stop it there and think that it was just how she wanted it, or she got gum in it or lice...

Man what I wouldn't have given for Lukas to have been bald from gum or even lice! Yes I said it, lice! Those are easy to fix! Shave the head, use some peanut butter in the gums case or a special shampoo in the lice's case and wall-a, it's all gone!

Ok, so I didn't post that to be depressing, just have a lot of retraining to do, body, mind and spirit. Working on the bigger, no wait the slimmer, better Heather.

So if you read all the way through, I have a little treat for you! PICTURES!!!!!

These first few are from our camping trip to Ray Roberts with the Curriers. We decided we needed to get away one weekend before Lukas next round of chemo

These next few are of Lukas and Ethan's (Currier) first baseball game. We went to the opening night of the GP Airhogs. It was a blast! Theron got to run the bases with all the other kids after the game was over.

Next is Theron reading a book to Lukas one night, man, he is such a GOOD big brother! I'm so proud of how well he's held up these last few months!

And then Theron's first time playing in the rain! He LOVED IT! I wanted to get out there with him, but I was having too much fun taking pics and seeing the look on his face when I actually told him to go play and get wet!

That's all for now, I'll have more pictures soon!

good news, good pics, good background....

By gollie, I think I have hit the jackpot!

Like my new header and background? Pics were done by the talented Melissa Fullmer... Thanks Melissa for doing these for us, we are almost ready to get some more of the new and improved Lukas who just so happens to be CANCER FREE!!!!!!

Man, I just can't say that enough.... Lukas doesn't have cancer!!!!

Anyway, I promise I really will have pictures up eventually... Just haven't downloaded them yet. But soon! I PROMISE!

For now, I'll leave you with an update, Lukas goes in Friday to get his new port put in, yes he's done with chemo but he is still getting his IVIG and for those of you that don't know, he's been through close to 16 tries and 7 successful IV's in the last 3 weeks, so we very much need a port put back in. Then we don't have another clinic until AUGUST 7th!!! So weird!


So, you can always check back on Lukas caringbridge site for updates or to read his story.

Peace out homies! I'm going to eat some more steak!

Hey, guess what?

LUKAS DOESN'T HAVE CANCER ANYMORE!!!!!

Yes, you read that right. His latest Bone, CT and MIBG show NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE!!!!

He is in remission, he is NED!!! WOOOHOOO

We've been celebrating (and doing a lot of catch up sleeping) the last few days. Pictures to follow when I get them uploaded....