Labor Day Weekend

As I always seem to say on here, everything can change so fast for us. Friday night, Miss Ally came home from the hospital. And Saturday morning she was feeling so good that we headed to our lakehouse for the day. I don't know how, I don't know why, for the most part I can't even begin to predict....when our girl is going to feel ok. But when she does feel good we really try to capitalize on it. We hadn't been to our lakehouse all summer. We opened it up on Memorial Day....got everything out, cleaned, spent $200 at the grocery store. We were ready for a summer at the lake. Life changed. Again. This Labor Day we packed everything back up, cleaned it yet again, and threw the groceries away. I can't help but wonder where we will be when lake season rolls around next year. I am praying praying praying that it will be the end of Ally's intense treatment and we will be on our way to a fun lake summer. Oh how I wish we could just fast forward to that time and put all of this behind us. But I am confident that we will persevere.

Ally really enjoyed the lake. It was so great to see her smiling and happy and almost as if the disease was not there. Her grandparents drove almost three hours and brought her two cousins up for the day. And it was the most beautiful day of weather. We got so lucky! We went to the boat beach. Ally is not allowed to swim in lakes, but no matter. She sat on the boat and worked on a quilt given to her by Grandma Booher. Bella and Madison stayed with her for part of the time. She even got in the water once, but was perched safely on top of Uncle Bubba's raft. Carly cooperated and slept on the boat so we were able to stay out on the lake all day. Ally even drove the boat with Daddy. We had a yummy steak (STEAK for Ally!) dinner together and then Grandma and Grandpa drove the three hours back. Makes me tired to even think about it. I better mention too that the Ally/Madison nail salon was in full effect. Quite a few people on Breezewood Lane had their nails painted! They waited all summer!! Here are some pictures from our day:


Ally did beg us to stay another night. We almost did...but we had a few obligations to get home to. We mainly wanted to attend a fundraiser for Micheal's House...this is a child advocacy center that my family has sponsored and been very involved with. The center mainly helps abused children and is a very noble cause. In fact I was talking to one of the women from the children's hospital who writes grants to get more funding for this center. I had never met her, but she said she reads the blog every day. She told me that this blog has been a real help to her in her work...she now can write the grants with more knowledge about the patient's perspective on things. She told me how the blog has inspired her to write and helped her with the grants. Who knew it could do that? I had no idea. And thus, I have even more reason to keep on writing. If I can help someone...anyone...it is worth it.

Today I am home trying to recover from some serious allergy issues and also trying to get caught up from the week spent in the hospital. Things can build up so quickly around here when we are gone so much. Mail, email, clutter, laundry, dishes, old food...yikes. But Ally is enjoying yet another day with her cousins as she went to Columbus to celebrate Ben's birthday. We were going to have to keep her home...because they were having the party at a sports/game room/putt-putt place (germ central)...but rainy weather forced them to have the party at their home. So we let her go. Another last minute change that we are just gonna roll with. Happy Birthday Sweet Ben.

Plans are to send Ally to school tomorrow. She is saying she wants to go. She also has to make a trip to the blood lab to check that ANC number yet again. I do think it is on the rise, but we shall see. Another "delay" week should have her feeling pretty good. I hope all of the Army is enjoying (or enjoyed) our Labor Day holiday.