Amazed

I cannot tell you how many times today I was just stopped in my tracks in amazement of my daughter Ally. Just this small break from chemo and I feel like I have my daughter back. Here are some examples that I can think of offhand.

1. She didn't complain when I told her we had to get in the car at 9am to take her brother to camp.
2. She ate! Not a lot, but she had a few meals and sat at the table for lunch and dinner. Without complaint.
3. We drove to Panera to get her a strawberry smoothie (I buy the girl whatever she wants to eat...I am desperate) We passed by Daddy's work at the Pentagon Tower. I said "Do you want to stop in and see Daddy?" I was fully expecting her to say no...she said YES. And we went.
4. She didn't want to leave the pool (although not swimming today but crafting on the side of the pool). I coerced her by saying she could have her friends over.
5. We had our friends stay for dinner (no dinnertime nap today!) and we all ate at the table together. Thanks to Keli Dukeman for bringing enough food to feed the five of us, plus two more. Ally exclaimed: Yum, I love this beef. I almost dropped my fork.
6. She was sassy, spunky, and even a little bossy to us.
7. She asked if she could walk (WALK!) down to Madison's house to see if she wanted to come out to play this evening. And she did. All by herself.
8. She read a book before bed.

Oh yea, and about that dinner. We had the Winger boys over and we normally pray before we eat our meals. Our tradition is that we go around the table and everyone says something they either want to pray for or something they are thankful for. Ally said she was thankful to have Joshua and Sam for dinner. Sam said about the same thing. Evan said he wanted to say a prayer for his Ma (his Grandma) in heaven. (He always does that.) And then, in a serious voice, Joshua says...."I am thankful for Wendy's and their junior bacon cheeseburgers. They are the best." I think I am going to crack up about that one for a long time.

Carly was still napping and Jerad was taking the picture

We took all the kids to Ritter's for dessert. It was dog's night out and our dog Reilly will be 13 years old on Wednesday. So we took him to get his ice cream dessert and ran into our neighbors there with their dogs! Here are the kiddlings right after they sang Happy Birthday to Reilly:
I know our days our numbered because Ally is due back to the hospital at 10 am on Friday. We are hoping to have one last "fun day" on Thursday before she is hit with the chemo again.

Once again, I am soo soo grateful to be enjoying this bit of normalcy. When you go through what our family goes through, I am telling you life is viewed in a whole new way. We are thankful for even the simplest of things...so thankful. It seems that all the petty little things that used to irritate us or anger us, they are gone. Life is too short to let small things get in the way of our big lives. My wish is that everyone I know could see the big picture, live in the moment, enjoy your friends and family, and realize that things you planned for today can always get done tomorrow.