Leyna, Leyna Lou -- We Love You!

Well, I completed my 5th round of chemo this week. It was the first time I attempted it on my own, trying to live life normally without depending on mothers or sisters for help. Not to say I wasn't dependent on my fantastic husband. Eric was a huge help. I bought him a tshirt this week that says, "Trophy Husband." I meant it to convey what a prize he is for me, but I think he's too embarrassed to wear it outside the house -- something about feeling like a piece of meat. ;)

I have to confess that it was rather easy this time around because 90% of my workload was missing. Leyna was in AZ all week staying with Tiff & Joan. She came home today and boy -- it's amazing the noise level and chaos a 2 year old can produce! I'll take that chaos most any day, though -- we all missed her enormously. I mean, come on, look at these photos. How can you not miss a rugrat like this?

Random Playtime Photos

Kami wears rollerblades constantly. You'll even find her watching tv with them on. No surprise that she had a blast ice skating the other day for the first time with Kaija & Mishayla Fortuna.

Kade is the best 7 yr old skateboarder I've seen. I tease him that I love him skateboarding, but the day he starts sagging his pants the board will be taken away. What is with that trend anyway? I've never been able to figure it out.

Notice Gavin in the background. If he doesn't appear on the XGames in the future, I'll be surprised!

Isn't this what all 4 year olds do?

A note to all fellow bloggers....

I love hearing from all of you, and love checking in on your lives, as well. Many of you have left comments on my blog, but I don't have your emails or #s to contact you. So a request to all my fellow blogging friends with closed sites -- Can I be invited to view your blogs also? My email is SimiSix@roadrunner.com. Thanks, my friends.

Serena Visits from Oklahoma

Well, I had intended on showing Mom & Serena a good time this week -- full of hiking, movies, museums & shopping. Wouldn't you know it, but I had the most nauseating week of chemo yet and was sedentary on the couch pretty much the whole time. Serena's visit essentially consisted of cleaning house and chasing kids...yet she still insists that she had a great time. We hope you'll come back and visit sooner than later so we can show you what a great time really is like, Sis. Thanks for all your help! We love and miss you already!

Great News!

Once a month, a CEA blood test is done to determine how much disease is in the body. To give you an idea, before surgery the count was about 450. After surgery it dropped to 146. (They want the count to be below 2.) After 3 rounds of chemo, the CEA count came back at 10!!!

I knew it was going to be low, but after seeing the doctor's and nurses' reactions, it made us feel all the better. Our oncologist was amazed and practically speechless, the nurses had chills.

I think regardless of the blood and CT scan results, they want to continue the chemo treatments just to make sure there are no microscopic amounts of cancer left. It's a pain, but so worth it! I just finished round 4 today and am dealing with the nausea, muscle spasms, and neuropathy side effects, but it's soooo worth it when we know it's working so well.

Thanks to all of you for your support and help, and especially the prayers and fasts which I know have more power than anything else! I'm so blessed to have each of you in my life!!!

Love you all!
~Bri

Christmas Holiday

Gavin's Preschool Performance

Gavin stood in the front looking down the entire time. He's cute even when he's uncooperative -- that's trouble.

Kade's 2nd Grade Holiday Performance

Kade with his buddy, Ryan

Toy Soldier, Kade, just taking a seat

Family Home Evening

We enjoyed the most special family home evening on Monday at Margaret & Bob Spease's home, along with the Gardner & Bateman families. Margaret cooked all day, preparing delicious homemade tamales, taquitos, enchilada, & salsa. Then, she read stories to the kids and we all participated in acting out the 12 Days of Christmas until Santa showed up with gifts for all the kids, which they all love! I have to say, though, my gift was the greatest of the night. Words can't express how special it was to receive such a beautiful Christus that we'll have forever, to be constantly reminded of the Savior's enormous sacrifice and example to all of us! Thanks Bob & Margaret, for such a heart warming evening!

Happy 34th, Eric!!

Eric celebrated his birthday by taking me to doctors' appointments all day. We did get to eat lunch at Blue Fin, though. Yum yum. At least you got new bike clothes and glasses, right? I love you, babe!

Kami's Letter to Santa

Dear Santa, it would be cool if you gave a Wii and an idog. That would be fantastic. Thank you, Kami.

Excercise Girls

When Mom decided to try out a new workout video, Leyna wanted to join in. She ran into the garage to get a ball and joined Grandma. So cute.

Child of God

Just wanted to post a little something I hope not to forget about Gavin. Each day as he says his prayers he thanks Heavenly Father for Child of God, says he loves Child of God, and asks Child of God to make us all happy. He's been doing this for months. As you have probably guessed, he is referring to Jesus. Isn't that sweet? Jesus is a child of God, so he's right, but I wonder what it was that triggered him to refer to our Savior in just those words each time?

Kaden Christmas

Kaden wrote this letter to Santa:

Dear Santa,
Thanks for all the gifts you gave me. If you have time please make a Nintendo DS and XBox if you can. Also if you decide to do just one well for the Nintendo it will be lego star wars to come with the Nintendo and for the XBox. Please can you put in one thing with it and that is Star Wars Battle Front 2 and if you decide to do Xbox and it is to big just put it under the tree and Nintendo in the stocking. Thank you From,
Kaden

Cancer Diagnosis

All those close to our family are aware that we've had an eye-opening, shocking, and extremely humbling month. After several negative health symptoms arose, I finally got myself into a doctor, which led to tests of all of kinds, unraveling the truth about my condition: I have stage 4 colon cancer. Doctors guesstimate that I've probably been living with it for 1 or 2 years. Turns out the cancer had gone undetected for so long that it had time to not only affect my colon and intestines, but also took over my ovaries, omentum, and my liver.

I spent 11 days in the hospital recuperating from a traumatic surgery to remove as much tumor as the doctors could, but because the disease has spread throughout my liver, they weren't able to surgically remove any part of it. Because I had tumors in other parts of my body, I am no longer a candidate for a liver transplant, which means that chemotherapy and the power of the priesthood are the only options for a full recovery.

I have done one round of chemo so far and will probably do another 7 rounds (every two weeks) before doing another CT scan to determine how much of the cancer has been destroyed.

It's been physically taxing on my body to say the least, but I wanted to thank all of you who have been an overwhelming support to our family. I knew I could rest and focus on recovery in the hospital because our family was being taken care of by friends, family, neighbors, & ward members. I've been in and out of the hospital and doctors offices nonstop and am unaware of who exactly has contributed what, making it impossible for me to thank you all for your love and support. Please know that I am humbled and have shed more tears of gratitude than tears of sadness during this trying time as a result of your love.

Thanks for all the blessings, healing rocks, drinks, meals, babysitting, books, phone calls, flowers, emails, card games, foot and back massages, chapstick, lotions, socks, clothing, scrapbooks, photos, heart notes, visits, magazines, blanket, word puzzle books, gifts for the kids, and especially for the prayers and fasting done on our behalf. Time is a precious commodity and I am grateful to all of you who gave and continue to give of yourself for our family's benefit. My heart is full of love for each of you!!!

~Briana