Camera shy..

Warning to all family members....You better not be camera shy, because I will be snapping pictures non-stop for the next month. Soooo....Mom, Dad, John Eric, Sara, Leslie, Nathan, Kaitlyn, Kylie, Bebe, Poppy, Mama Lou, Kirk, Jess, Mike, Jacob, Parker, and Eden....this warning is for you!!!!!! That's right....I get to see all of ya'll!!! Yah!!!! I already went picture crazy with Billy and Jessica, so they're safe. :) I'm sure ya'll are all wondering why. Well, I have been meaning to have a room dedicated to our family....just framed pictures with all my loved ones. The most important people in my life.... :) Anyhow, consider yourself warned!!!!

XOXO,

:)

Best buds...

Here's a few pictures of the kids playing together. They get along sooooo well. Nate is obsessed with Leah...he always want to hold her and share his toys with her. I wonder how long that is going to last?! Anywhow, Leah is Nate's biggest fan....she laughs at everything he does. She especially loves it when Nate puts her on the couch without Mommy's permission. Big NO NO!!!

Best news ever!!!!!

Wow....we are soooo blessed!!!! Billy went into to see his surgeon for his weekly skin graft checkup and the doctor informed him that his lymph nodes came back clean. Thank you LORD!!!! Words can not describe this feeling!!! I truly feel like this is whole ordeal was a blessing because it reminds us how important prayer truly is. All of those who kept Billy in your prayers.....THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

Waiting....

Well the past few days seem like forever!!!! Billy meets with his oncologist next Monday and it couldn't get here any quicker. Everyone is a bunch of nerves around here waiting for his biopsy results.

I have spoken to Billy quite a few times, because that's kind of routine. We like to call eachother when we are in the restroom...or "our office" as my mom calls it. "Toilet Talk" is what bonds Billy and me! Anyhow, he seems to be in good spirits. He seems a little worried about the healing process of his skin graft, but that's normal to have anxiety after surgery. He meets with his surgeon this Friday to check out his skin graft and make sure they it is taking. Jessica, Billys' girlfriend, is taking great care of him...cleaning his "booboos". She is the best thing that has happened to Billy and my family can't thank her enough for all the she does for him. We love her! :)

As I mentioned before....we are still waiting. I will post any new updates as soon as get them. Also, thanks for all the prayers....keep them coming! :)

Post-op update

Billy's surgery went well and they finished a little after 3:00 p.m. Eastern. They removed the tumor, three nearest lymph nodes for dissection, and then performed the skin graft to patch up things. Leslie and I got to talk to Billy on the phone shortly after he woke up. He mentioned something about how he'd gone to battle with ninjas and won. I guess the anesthesia reverted him back to his ninja turtle days. He told me he was Michaelangelo! LOL!!!!

Anyhow, the surgeon said everything went well and he was optimistic. Of course, we will not know the results of the dissection until 8/17. That seems like sooooo far way!!! Keep praying!!! :)

Another funny story....I spoke to my mom this evening and she said they had planned a lite dinner for Billy, because they thought he want to chill. However, not three hours after his surgery....Billy decided he wanted Outback!!!! That's my brother! Go..go..go! Hmmm...thinking about Outback is making me hungry!

Update on Billy

Billy is being prepped for surgery at this very moment. They performed a procedure called a lymphoscintigraphy where they inject a radioactive substance to trace a blue dye through the lymphatic fluid. The dye is first picked up by the lymph nodes closest to the tumor. His surgery is scheduled to start at 1:30 and should take around an hour and a half. The plan is to remove the tumor and the surrounding healthy tissues....after that they will do a skin graft from his upper leg to patch up the booboo on his shoulder. They also plan to remove two lymph nodes from under the arm and one from the neck for dissection. We will not know the results of the dissection until 8/17. However, all of the tumor will be removed, so that is one obstacle out of the way. Please keep Billy in your prayers....pray for his surgery to go well...pray for him to keep his spirits up and be strong....and pray that the cancer has not reached his lymph nodes. I will blog the post-op updates ASAP. Thankyou!!!!!

Kaley's visit

Most of ya'll know that Kaley, MY cousin...by marriage, was in town visiting us this past week. I can't speak for Kaley, but the kids and I had a blast. Nate loved having Kaley around, because it was one more person for him to bug. Poor Kaley got to experience our real lfe alarm clocks known as Nate and Leah, which come in the form of screaming, giggling, or screeching. :) Also, Kaley got stuck with wiping Nate's heiny....yikes...she may never want to have kids after that experience. I certainly appreciated all the help. I really enjoyed having two extra arms. :) Nate loved him some Kaley. In fact, he told me today that Kaley was his best friend and he was going to marry her. I guess I'm going to have to explain the "kissing cousins" subject again. We've already been through that with his cousin Kaitlyn. Anyhow...we really enjoyed her being here.

This picture is sooooo appropriate because it shows Nate's little gremlin side.

Here's what happens when we let Nate share is pudding with Leah.

We need your prayers...

Today my younger brother, Billy, was diagnosed with melanoma. He is 24 years old and has skin cancer....wow....that doesn't even look right reading it. My little brother who can do anything from a back flip on his first try to snowboarding down a steep mountain in nothing but his holey jeans and fleece has skin cancer. Cancer is not prejudiced to anyone...it doesn't care if you're white, black, yellow, red...it doesn't care if you're male or female....young or old. It can affect a young child, a new mother, a former Olympian athlete...it doesn't care. Damn!!!!! I hate cancer!!!!! Why does this have to happen?!!! Obviously I'm upset, but what really matters are your prayers. I'm asking for everyone who reads this or hears about this to please....please....say your prayers for Billy and anyone else out there who has cancer. I'm begging you!!!

I don't have all the specifics of Billy's diagnosis because they have yet to stage the cancer. I'm praying for Stage I, because it's the best case scenario. Anyhow, please keep him in your prayers. I would really appreciate it. :)