My Wonderful YW

In case you couldn't tell, the Young Women of our church congregation play a big role in my life. I've been serving and working with them for almost five years now and they definitely hold a special place in my heart.   Here's a few snapshots of what we've been up to recently:  

Our basketball team has been undefeated for several years now, yet they are still down-to-earth, show good sportsmanship, and are welcoming of all players, regardless of skill level.     I love attending their games and cheering them on! 

We also recently did a YW retreat, which consisted of doing service at a nursing home...

Including performing some scenes from the Wizard of Oz.   

We also helped decorate for Easter and visited with individual patients...

It turned out to be a great experience.

After the nursing home we went to Sandy Springs Adventure Park in Maryland, where the girls spent about 4 hours at the ropes' course.  

It was so cool to see their confidence grow as they did progressively harder and harder courses...

and I loved seeing the friendships that were formed and/or strengthened.  

The girls seemed to have a great time and could have kept going all night I think.  

I enjoyed the challenge and being out there with the girls, but, man, I was exhausted and bruised up by the end!

After the ropes' course, we went and had some more activities and a campout in our camp director's backyard.   

It took a lot of planning to make it happen, but I think it was worth every second of it. 

Last, but not least, we had a personal progress activity where we asked people to dress up in rainbow costumes.   Some of the girls got really into it.  :) 

I love the privilege it is for me to spend time with these beautiful young women each week. 

They have blessed my lives in more ways than they will ever know 

The Anti-Billion Dollar Bracket

Back when we were first married, a bunch of our friends each pooled a couple dollars and had a March Madness bracket tournament.   I am not a huge sports fan, but in the name of fun I filled out a bracket anyway.  With a bit of serendipitous luck,  I somehow ended up beating everyone else.   Too bad the organizer  was so annoyed that a girl won that he refused to award the prize money.  Despite my lack of a prize, though, for twenty years I have prided myself on my skillful bracket choosing and have opted not to ruin my "streak" by filling out anymore brackets.

Until this year.

For some reason, even unbeknownst to myself, I got a bee in my bonnet a couple of weeks ago that we would have a whole family March Madness  tournament and the winner would choose a family adventure for us to go on.   I printed off brackets for everyone, painstakingly explained the whole numbering/ranking system to everyone, then handed them pens.  Glen and the kids were a little perplexed at my random burst of interest in basketball, but did not complain about the potential for a fun family activity (except for Ellie who decided it was too much writing for her).

I was a little giddy about it all and thought that this was my chance to prove my basketball predicting skills once and for all.

Too bad my luck ran out a couple of decades ago, because this year I officially have the worst bracket... EVER!

I like to call it the "Anti-Billion-Dollar Bracket", because not only am I not going to win any of Warren Buffet's prize money, but I'm also losing to the member of my family who picked their brackets based solely on which color of jersey she liked best.

I will take a little solace, though,  that Glen isn't winning either and it looks like we might have an eleven-year-old who inherited a bit of his mother's skills (from 20 years ago).


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Next Best Thing to Being There in Person!

Spence may not have been able to go to the Verizon Center to watch Jimmer and the Kings take on the Wiz tonight, but this autographed Jimmer photograph and Kings' jersey he got in the mail this week  came in as a worthy consolation!

  He was so excited for me to take a picture of him that he almost threw up from joy!

And Glen was so excited about it all that he drove straight to my favorite store (Michaels) and had it displayed in this beautiful frame within 12 hours of receiving it! 

  Thank you to Jimmer, the Kings, and whomever arranged for Spence to receive this package.  Despite his pained expression, it really did make his day! 

IT WAS AWESOME! 

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Update:

• Spencer was feeling nauseous last night, which is the first time during this process when it seems unrelated to anesthesia or exercise.     Thankfully, Zofran and Tums seem to be taking the edge off so far.  

• When I told my Dad that Spencer was feeling nauseous, he gave me a surprisingly heartless sounding response, "What's new with that?"  I was a little taken aback until I realized that apparently he'd misheard me and thought I said he was being obnoxious, rather than nauseous.   After I stopped laughing I had to agree with him that obnoxiousness is a common enough occurrence that it would hardly be worth mentioning.  :)

• Spencer has been able to get outside the last few days and shoot some lacrosse balls around the hospital courtyard.   The weather this winter goes down in history as officially the wimpiest winter in my entire life.   70 degrees in February?!  Next thing you know we'll be seeing  flowers starting to blossom...

this photo of real deal flowers blossoming in February is from my friend Karen's facebook page

• I've been informed by anonymous sources that Spencer's tutor is a Santa Claus look-alike who spouts  socialist ideals.    In other words, Spencer loves his 7+ hours of tutoring every week!  (insert sarcastic tone)

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"Botanists say that trees need the powerful March winds to flex their trunks and main branches, so the sap is drawn up to nourish the budding leaves. Perhaps we need the gales of life in the same way, though we dislike enduring them."

        - Jane Truax

Horsing Around in the Fresh Air!

Now that his first round of chemo is done and the worst of his side effects seem to have passed, Spencer's been able to enjoy the opportunity of being unhooked from his IV for a couple hours a day.  Earlier this week when the temps were in the upper 60's, the nurses (one in particular) were eager to get him out to the courtyard to get some fresh air. 

The first day he was a little tentative, but his friend Sean helped him out by chasing him around on his trike and trying to steal his hat. 

 
Sean's good cheer and silliness seemed to give Spence a little boost of energy and fun times were had by all. 

Success! 

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At 72 degrees, the next day (Wednesday) was even more fabulous.   That day Glen, my mom, dad, and sister were visiting with Spence. My sister, H, was the photographer. 

Spence and Grandpa ended up playing some catch together....

And Spencer proved that the leukemia hasn't affected his throwing arm...

Afterward Glen and Spence played a little game of HORSE where they got creative in the tiny courtyard...

Spencer ended up beating Glen soundly....

A fact which he likes to remind Glen of frequently. 

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Today's Update:

--Spencer's friend Sean (mentioned above) had his last chemo today and was heading home for good!  This picture shows their departing high fives!   We'll miss his cute little voice and friendly visits to the room. 

--The doctor mentioned next Thursday as a possible going home day for Spence.  Of course, in the end, it will depend on how his blood counts are going.  Today his ANC is about 28 and we need it to be 250 and trending upward before he goes home. 

--He'll still be quite neutropenic (immune-suppressed) when he goes home, so he still won't be able to go out in public and we'll have to hand sanitize at home like we've been doing at the hospital.  

--Fridays are the day to change the dressing on his central line (IV in his chest).  Today I had to remind the nurses to do it and still they haven't done it at 10:00pm. 

--Cami got a PR in the mile run at the indoor track district meet tonight!

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“Let us never forget to pray. God lives. He is near. He is real. He is not only aware of us but cares for us. He is our Father. He is accessible to all who will seek Him.”

― Gordon B. Hinckley

Three Steps to Being the Most Popular Kid in School

1.  Be cheerful and friendly

2.  Be kind and respectful to all you meet

3.  Volunteer to be the mascot at the school faculty basketball game

Your admirers will flock to help you and swear to keep your identity a secret....

The hugs and smiles will start almost immediately (even before leaving the bathroom)...

You'll get the crowd to cheer louder than anyone else in the room....

You'll inspire confidence in those around you....

Your little sister will treat you like a walking, talking teddy bear and never leave your side (but of course your secret is still safe with her)....

You'll never give and get so many hugs and high fives in such a short period of time...

And when your team wins the game, you'll be mobbed with adoring fans....

My three gurrrrrrrrrls....

Go TIGERS!!!!



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Day 65--Entire Paycheck to Papa Johns

Right now I have 8 ravenous basketball players hanging out in my basement watching Hoosiers with their awesome coach. Play-offs start next week, so Coach Glen wanted to get them psyched up with a good old-fashioned basketball feel-good story. It was Glen's first time coaching anything and I think he rather liked it. :)

I think Papa Johns rather likes us this week too.