Thursday, (May 19th) Chris had his last chemo for awhile. He continues to have a rash on his face, verrryyy dry finger tips (bleeding), but still has hair:) Other chemo patients didn't think that was fair:)
That night after chemo Meg and I headed to BYU where we had tonnss of fun. Learned how to register for classes, sang the fight song so that we could get free t-shirts for her and her room mate (room mate lives in New York), saw Meg's dorm, went out to eat, got warm Krispy Kreme donuts (no store by us) and just got excited about school. My mom was kind enough to stay with the kids so that Chris could rest.
Friday, we went and saw Pirates. Sooo good. We have to go and see it again. Tay's camp out got cancelled because of mud (been raining here a ton). Rye, went on his. Tay and Jacob stayed home while Meg, Katie, Chris and I went to are brother-in-laws mother's viewing. I don't do viewings. I refuse to go and see the "body" in the casket. When I go to a viewing family members are always so kind to come and visit me out in the hall:) Viewings bring up a lot of emotions for me. Seeing funeral homes. Cemeteries. Too much. After the viewing we went to Rodizio Grill (Brazilian restaurant) because we were close, fewer of us, and Chris had a craving:) We told them it was Chris and Katie's bday. They gave them each a piece of flan (yuck!)
Saturday, Tay went to scouts and worked on merit badges (thanks leaders:). Meg and I went shopping and got her her graduation dress (I got one also- hey, I had to put up with her, hee hee). Then off to Chuck E. Cheese for Katie's party. We had lots of fun. Chris' sister from AZ was in town running a marathon so her and her friend came - good to see them.
Sunday, Chris' bday. Rye spoke in Sacrament (he remembered that morning after helping prepare the sacrament:). He did a fine job for about 10 minutes of preparation. We had carrot cake (Chris' favorite) with the family. Celebrated another year:):)
This past week we had FHE, did some spring cleaning and I worked in the HS selling Senior Sunset tickets, putting labels on yearbooks for MS, making phone calls for volunteers, . . . (end of the year). Tuesday, we went to a special senior dinner for parents and students that have excelled through their high school years. It was verryy nice. Chris was extra tired but made it through. Wednesday, Rye had a choir concert and Chris' mom and dad came for a visit. Friday, Katie graduated from preschool:( Hard to believe that's the last child to go to preschool. After Jacob and Taylor got home I immediately put them to work. Cleaned inside of fridge, washed blinds, windows, folded clothes, . . . (alot of work for me:). Oh, and sorry to all of you who got a naughty email from me - someone hacked my facebook account. I'd like to speak to the people who have nothing better to do then wreak havoc on other people. I have plenty of chores for them to do!!!!!!!!!!
So, this week is CRAZYYYYY!!! Tomorrow, Meg speaks in Sacrament. Monday, FHE and hanging with family (and eating). Tuesday, handing out yearbooks at the MS and helping with the 9th grade dance during the day. Jacob has scouts and that night and Meg has yearbook signing, Seminary Graduation, a viewing for a member of are ward who died this week and we have the Track banquet!!!!!!!!!!!! Not sure how that will all work out:):) Wednesday, Rye goes to Lagoon for his 9th grade graduation and Meg graduates!!!!! WOW where has the time gone???? I will be like a leaky faucet this week!!:) The faucet started leaking at preschool graduation. No, it started when I took Meg to BYU. OK, I can't remember when. Hee, hee.
What an exciting time in our lives!!! Fun, fun and sooooo happy and grateful to still have Chris with us to celebrate these times. Chris will sometimes say "Why am I still here?" Don't know but I'm glad the Lord is letting him stay here and drive me crazy for awhile longer:):):) Chris had something weird happen to him the other day. He was drinking soda and took one of his pills. Then awhile later he burped and smoke came out his mouth and nose!!! Not sure what happened. Scary!! But not scary enough for Chris to let me call the doctor.
"My plea is that we stop seeking out the storm and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life, we accentuate the positive. I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment and endorse virtue and effort." Pres. Hinkley
Love ya, Ricki

Chris had chemo Thursday. Lost 2 pounds. White blood cell count 1.8. After chemo Chris and I headed to Megan's track meet. For once it was a warm day so I had Chris sit under an umbrella as he cheered for r school (not suppose to be in the sun). He lasted four hours. We watched Meg run one of her races, the other she called and told us about. While there I got a parking ticket - I swear I was parked in a legal spot on the street but I guess a police officer felt differently. (I dropped Chris off then parked farrr away). Chris' hands are verry dry - bleed at the finger tips and his face continues to be red and have acne. He has been tired but he couldn't resist helping us clean the yard on Saturday:) Rye mowed the lawn and the rest of us weeded or cleaned out the garage.
Friday, Meg had her Senior Ball she looked gorgeous. Sunday, she had her interview with the Bishop for Seminary Graduation!!! Time is going way to fast!! Sunday, Chris also found that when he washed his hair he had a lot come out in his hands. His hair is thinning you can see his scalp but he still has some.
Sorry, it's now Tuesday morning (started writing Monday morning) life got crazy-no time to write:) For FHE are cousins came over. They brought us Grandma Wach's famous tamale pie. Chris ate a ton!!:) So much fun to visit with them and Meg practiced her seminary presentation on us, we learned about Pres. Kimball and Rye taught us about Pres. David O McKay.
Today, we are going to go and get Chris' new driver's license. He wants to get it before all his hair falls out. Expires on his bday May 22. Crazy to have to pay to get a license for a guy that isn't going to use it long:( We also have a JV Region track meet for Rye. It is raining and cold. Going to be hard on Chris, and not fun for the rest of us.
This week feels extra, extra crazy. So many errands. Tomorrow scouts for Tay and Rye. Thursday, chemo and Meg has BYU orientation. I asked my mom if she could stay "a long time" on Thursday so that I could go with Meg (poor mom - dealing with homework:) Friday, Tay and Rye each have a camp out for scouts, and I'm going to be a "bad mom" and let Jacob and Tay stay home from school so that we can go and see one of the first showings of Pirates. We are way excited!! We also have a viewing that night for my brother-in-laws mother. Saturday, is Katie's birthday. Princess cake and Chuck E. Cheese:) and Sunday, is Chris' birthday. The big 44. We are very blessed to still have him around.
Love ya, Ricki

Chris didn't have his chemo on Thursday. Toooo sick. Chris barely had enough energy to walk into the dr.'s office. When we got there we met with the dr. Poor Chris threw up several times in his office. Dr. ordered labs to be drawn, fluids and Zofran in IV form, and to wait on the chemo. He said that Erbitux the one that he would have received that day (short day) wouldn't have made any difference in his white blood cell count but because he could see that Chris was miserable he said that we would wait. Chris dropped five pounds. White blood cell count 0!!! For the first time in two-in a half years Chris had to sit in the "quarantine" room. Chris is on Levaquin (the verrryyyyy expensive medication- no generic). We are waiting for lab tests to come back. While Chris was getting his fluids I ran to Costco and finished spending the last of the cash from Rye's Eagle project (or so I thought - Rye's ym's leader told me yesterday that at his work he had collected $400!!! Back to Costco I go - smiling all the way. Veryyyyy cool!!!)

As of Saturday he is doing much better. He was still tired. But he had enough energy that we took the young man that helped us a ton with Rye's Eagle project and got his mission call to Brazil out to lunch at Rodizio Grill (Brazilian food). We had fun listening to Chris' mission stories (I told him to keep the scary ones to himself:) and watching Meg, and the young man eat a chicken heart (Rye claims to have eaten one the night before when he came with his school:). After that we went to IKEA (that place is HUGE!!) to get a dresser and then another store to get a computer desk. R furniture is showing it's age. Hee, hee (thanks to five kids). Sunday, he went to church where he, Ryan and Taylor sang a song (other priesthood also) in Sacrament meeting (Katie and Jacob also sang), helped Katie give her first talk and helped in Jacob's class so that the mothers (me -I'm Jacob's teacher:) could go to Relief Society as a Mother's Day gift, made mac and cheese for lunch and put the dresser together. Thank goodness he is feeling better.
This week we have FHE, orthodontist for Tay and Jacob, scouts, working in boys classrooms, Relief Society, track meet, chemo and Meg has Senior Ball. Will pick up the fancy dress on Thursday. The biggest challenge of the week is cleaning up the boys bedroom so the new dresser can fit in, and I think it's that time of year where we change winter clothes out for summer but I'm not quite sure!!!! (rained yesterday and suppose to rain for the next two days!!) Ahhh.
Tay and Jacob still have about 500 chores to go. Any time they whine we just remind them "15 holes in my back fence" that quiets them up:)
"Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we're on our knees but while we're on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us. Selfless acts of service and consecration refine our spirits, remove the scales from our spiritual eyes, and open the windows of heaven. By becoming the answer to someone's prayer, we often find the answer to our own." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Love ya, Ricki

Chris had chemo Thursday. They said he needs to start drinking Ensure (or something like that) because he is loosing to much weight. He hates that stuff, we've tried all different kinds but Chris says that they all taste awful. His white blood cell count was at 1.3. Not good. Anything below 1.5 they have to go and talk to the doctor to see what he wants to do. He said to "go for it - full dose." He has been verrryyy sick. Thrown up alot - even with having taken anti-nausea pills. His face is getting redder and drier. Still has plenty of hair:) And veryyyyy tired. He was only able to come to Ryan's Eagle project for a few minutes and then he just didn't have the strength to come with us yesterday to deliver the stuff to the hospital.:(
Which takes us to Ryan's Eagle project. . . . Friday, we collected the stuff and organized it at the church. Tied blankets, sorted, put boxes together, ran to the store for things we were missing. Had to run to Harmon's and ask for 100 more reusable grocery bags. R goal was that we would make 100 kits then the goal was we would make as many kits as fleece blankets that came in. They just kept coming:) We had lots of great help to get us ready for Saturday. Saturday morning we started making the kits. Had lots of helpers. We finished making 200 kits in 45 minutes. We still had stuff left over soooo my mom ran to Harmon's and asked for 50 more bags. A friend was kind enough to let us use his truck and trailer. There was NO way 250 kits (40 boxes) and 100 (12 packs) of soda (100!!!!!!!!) were going in my van:) As of today we have made 271 kits!!!!!!!!! Items just keep coming. R friend and his family came with us yesterday (Chris stayed home he was reallyyyyy sick and tired) and helped us unload. I called the hospital earlier in the day to warn them to find room and see if there would be some people that would be able to help us. Also if they could round up any carts. We arrived at 4:00 and started unloading. My dad organized all the boxes as the rest of us carried them in. One of the nurses organized the 100 cases of soda and all the snack foods that had been donated and we gave the secretary at the front desk all the hard candy that had been donated (the sweet secretary has been using her own money to buy candy since their budget got cut). It was exciting bringing it all in. Gave the patients something to watch (hee, hee). They are on the second floor so they watched us out the window. We had some extra kits that we had made since Saturday (had to go back to Harmon's and ask for more bags:):) and Ryan walked around and gave those out to patients having chemo. I hope the kids will remember what they saw and heard today. It was verry touching. One man that we gave a bag to had been a scoutmaster for years and he told the boys how proud he was of them. That Rye needed to remember to "pay it forward" to his brothers when they work on their Eagle projects and how much the kit meant to him and the others. Two ladies cried and hugged Rye. We had r doctor sign Rye's eagle paper to say that he had completed his project. Usually, the manager would have but I asked if Dr. Whisenant could do it. Now the paper has r doctors signature on it and it has Chris' (he being on the scout committee). Cool paper to keep forever. Thank you. Thank you to all those who donated, whether time, money or both:) We have to thank also the family who tied 40 blankets for us. As we received them we would take them to their home and they tied and tied and tied. And a big, big thank you especially to r friends that let us use their truck and trailer. Couldn't have done it without you guys!!! (the dad took off work early and man did he have that trailer protected from wind and rain:) Taylor says that he wants his Eagle when he's thirteen. He told me I have ten months to recover:) What's crazy is that now we have to make more then 271 kits. Will probably put fliers on every door in the community and start asking companies for donations earlier (I mean Tay will delegate this to someone - hee, hee).
After the last two weeks this week is a piece of cake:) Today, I take Meg to the dentist (she has a cavity!!! naughty girl). Lunch with my brother and sister-in-law to celebrate their bdays, pack meeting, track practice and a meeting about Senior Sunset - the after graduation party, I'm on the committee:) Tomorrow, PTA meeting, and Tay has scouts, Thursday, chemo, track practice and math lab. Friday, Rye gets to go on a field trip to Rodizio Grill (a Brazilian restaurant) and eat and eat and eat:) Lucky him. May is always a crazy month. All the schools are doing fun things before letting out. Can't believe Meg is almost done with school.
Thank you also to those who have mowed my lawn, fertilized it. The beautiful blanket that was sent to us from all over the United States (very cool!!). Brought us dinner . . . always one less thing off my shoulders. I think today I can finally stand up tall - the Eagle has taken flight:):) (just have to do paperwork - which will be like pulling teeth with Rye)
Thanks again for the wonderful memories that so many of you helped create. We love you!!!
"Though it is often difficult to endure, truly, we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct." Elder Christofferson.
Love ya, Ricki