pre-Christmas vacation in the hospital

Isaiah was admitted to hospital on Friday.  He caught the flu which caused his blood counts to tank.  We were just discharged.  So nice to be home!  His immunity is still quite low so he'll be isolated at home for the next couple days but being isolated at home is way better than in the hospital.

Playing a board game

Playing cars

Watching TV with oats

Coming home woohoo!

Pumpkin Patch

Whitehorse

Here are some pictures from my trip to Whitehorse.  The kids and I had a great time seeing the north.  Thanks Giffords for being great hosts!!

Isaiah's first day of preschool

Isaiah had his first day of preschool on September 9th.  He has been enjoying all of the great things that they do at preschool.  Yesterday, they rolled marbles dipped in paint across paper to make a beautiful painting.  He also got to order some new Berenstain Bear books from the Scholastic book order.  He is excited to get his new books!  He has been doing very well.  His treatment is going according to plan.  We feel very blessed.  Isaiah's favourite routine these days is at bedtime when we pick a letter of the alphabet and try to think of words that start with that letter.  We then draw the words on paper.  He is so great at colouring.  He is very determined to stay in the lines.  I love watching him stick his tongue out as he focusses on his drawing.  He also insists that we kneel beside the bed when we pray.  Sometimes I get lazy and try to pray in bed but he won't let me.  That also reminds me that he has become the seatbelt police.  He always asks everyone in the car if they have their seatbelt on.  Yesterday he said to Dave "did you hear it click daddy?"  Sometimes, he acts more mature than we do.  I just love his funny little personality.

Adam is also doing very well.  He is very much into lining up his cars in neat rows.  Looks like he is taking after his big brother.  Adam has become quite the organized little guy.  He follows Isaiah to the bathroom just so that he can be the one to flush the toilet and put the seat down.  If he ever sees that the seat has not been put down, he is sure to be the first one to make sure that job gets done.  And who said having boys was going to be a problem?!  His favourite things to do these days are talking on the telephone, lining up objects and playing with any sort of technology he can get his hands on.  He continues to be obsessed with my hair and spends most of his day sitting on my head so that he can tangle his toes in my hair.  Adam is super affectionate and probably gives me on average 50 hugs per day.  

We've also enjoyed spending time with our little friends; Asher, Caleb and Rosie (who is not in the picture).  Aren't they sweet!









I have been working a bit more than usual these days so the boys have been spending time with Grandma (Gaga) and Nana.  They are really lucky to have the two best Grandmas in the world.  Sometimes I don't think they want the fun to end when I get home from work.

On a sad note, Isaiah's former oncologist past away a couple months ago.  I remember the night we were admitted and Dr. Bond came to see us.  He had such a calm way about him.  He was very gentle and always made sure to make a connection with Isaiah before getting into the medical stuff.  After being our oncologist for six months, he took a leave to undergo treatment for cancer.  He died in July.  I thought it was so nice to have him as an oncologist because he knew first hand how sick the medication made Isaiah feel.

The boys and I will be heading to Whitehorse next week to visit Jason and Val.  We are very excited to see the North!  I hope to post pictures upon my return however you have probably noticed my poor effort in updating my blog.    

Summer update

Isaiah has continued to respond well to treatment.  He has grown to be very brave and no longer cries when he is accessed by the "butterfly".  Here is a picture at his appointment this past Friday.

He was extremely talkative with his nurse.  He asked her questions about anything and everything!  I love your curious mind Isaiah!  

Since I have not posted for some time, I thought I would add some pictures of what we have been up to since the end of May.

Isaiah still continues to enjoy reading.  We have been working on his letters routinely.  He knows all of his letters, both upper case and lower case and knows most of the sounds that the letters make.  He is really into rhyming these days and enjoys coming up with his own unique rhyming words.


In June, my parents took us to Hawaii.  Yes, it is true...we also went in March when Dave's mom took us.  We were very blessed to have gone twice this year.  Our parents really love us and spoiled us.  Thanks guys!

Cousin Aaliyah, Isaiah and Adam playing in the water

Cousin Aaliyah, Isaiah and Adam looking fancy for a dinner out

Grandma and her grandchildren

Adam is just pretending he is awake.  He is actually sleeping under
there.

In June, we brought home the baby chicks from my classroom.  We named them Benedict and Sunny.  The kids really enjoyed playing with the chicks for a few weeks.

 

At the end of June, we went camping at Allouette lake.  Isaiah had a blast but Adam didn't like the idea of sleeping in a tent.  We had fun, despite Adam's unwillingness to fall asleep.  

In July, we went raspberry picking.  So fun!

Today, we went to Spanish banks beach.  The boys enjoyed splashing in the water and digging in the sand.  

Last week Isaiah started swimming lessons.  I'm so proud of how well he is doing.  Tomorrow he starts skating lessons.  We've really been enjoying all of our activities.  We're having a great summer so far!!  We're so grateful to God for our wonderful lives.  We're so blessed!!  

Gone fishin'

We had a great day fishing this weekend with cousin Joey and cousin-to-be Melisa.  Unfortunately, Melisa and Joey were the only ones who caught any fish.  David did manage to catch a garden snake however!  

How does Adam know when to laugh?

Love my boys

My little helpers

Sunny day activity

Isaiah and Adam painting a box

He ended up in his underwear by the time we finished our project

Easter Sunday

One year ago, on April 8th, Easter Sunday, Isaiah hunted for Easter eggs with cousin Aaliyah at Grandma's house.  I felt frustrated for Isaiah as he worked so hard to retrieve the chocolate eggs.  He appeared exhausted and could not lift himself up one stair without asking to be carried.  After a short hunt and few eggs in his basket, he was content with what he had collected despite my urging to look in the places where there were still eggs.  He was tired and uninterested.  What I wouldn't find out until the next day was that his heart was enlarged, compensating for the lack of blood he had, in order to pump enough oxygen through his body.

This past year has been the most difficult year of my life.  Anyone who has a child of their own can understand how hard it is to see their own child hurting.  I remember some nights after Isaiah had received chemotherapy treatments, he'd moan in pain throughout the night.  There was nothing in my power to make him feel better.  All that I could do was hold his hand and be with him until the hurting subsided.

That said, it has also been a year of rich blessing.  We grow during times of suffering as we learn to fully rely on God, knowing that His plans are ALWAYS greater than our own.  After going through this experience, I have discovered that Christ is sufficient.  The way I would like my life to play out has no significance.  God is the author of my destiny and it is so freeing to know that He has a plan for me and my family.  The things of this world are all too temporary.  Even life itself is frail and there are never any guarantees.  It is very easy to be engrossed in the present life.  When God allows these trials, I am reminded that my life is not in my own control.  In order to live an abundant life, I need to keep my focus on Christ.

I am so thankful for all that I have and am feeling so richly blessed this Easter.  God is healing Isaiah and has a special plan for his life.  I am looking forward to this year - to see God working in our lives.  Thank you Lord for all that You Are!

Easter Sunday 2012

Easter Sunday 2013

And of course, we cannot leave out a picture of Oats

Hawaii!!

This month, we went to Hawaii for a week with Dave's mom.  It was such a great trip.  Isaiah and Adam absolutely loved the water and digging in the sand.    

It was a big stress getting travel insurance for Isaiah before we left.  Because he had been hospitalized in February, he did not meet the "stabilization period" for most insurers.  Thankfully we were directed to a company that covered us.  Ironically, it was Adam who ended up in the clinic with an allergic reaction.  We're still not sure what caused the reaction.  

I'm having some trouble uploading the pictures but some of our highlights included spotting a whale on our boat ride, endless digging in the sand, swimming with the fish, visiting the Honolulu Zoo and Dave surprising me with a helicopter ride around the island for our 5 year wedding anniversary.