So, I need a secretary!!!!!:)
We have been very busy since last I wrote. During UEA break Chris took us to Arches National Park, Mesa Verde and Chaco National Park (in New Mexico!). It was an off chemo week for him and he has always wanted to take us to these places. We had a great time. Chris was veerryyy tired but did a wonderful job. Halloween day was crazy we cleaned the church, had primary program practice and fed the missionaries. Then we "did" Halloween. Tay dressed up as a UofU fan and Jacob drew black lines on himself (who knows what he was) and of course Katie was a princess - Bell. It rained, no down-poured. Chris was to ill to go out trick-or-treating so I went. I usually stay home and pass out candy. Meg stayed home and passed out candy. Rye went to a party. When Katie was cold and wet enough and didn't want to trick-or-treat anymore I let Jacob, Taylor and their friends go out together. It was a sad Halloween. I was glad it was raining so that no one knew I was crying. Last year was are last Halloween with Chris:(
Chris lost 3 lbs one week and 4 lbs the next. The doctor changed the doses of chemo both times because of low white blood cell counts and upped the anti nausea medicine. We also got to talk to the social worker to see how we are doing. Chris has a PET scan tomorrow (Nov. 8th) and then we meet with the doctor Thursday to find out results and have chemo.
This past week we voted, I fed the teachers for parent teacher conference and had parent teacher conferences for Jacob and Taylor, cross country banquet where Meg and Rye received awards.
Saturday, we started are annual tradition of Chris taking a child out to dinner where they want and then Christmas shopping for the family. Because it was a no chemo week Chris was feeling "a little" better. He took Katie out. She picked Chick-fil-a and then went shopping. Poor Chris came home exhausted, but hey a four year old can do that to anyone. Hee, hee. Chris will take out Jacob on Tuesday. We need to fit in as many as we can during his off weeks. He only has two between now and Christmas. He has to take out 5 kids:) One is Thanksgiving day and the other is December 16th. Not a lot of time until Christmas.
Chris is still working. He has been given a new position. I am very grateful to his boss. Chris hopes to continue working until at least January 1st (beyond if he can). Then he will have earned his bonus (which they give out in March). He keeps saying he has to make it. That we will need the money. We were in the process of filling out paperwork to get half of Chris' life insurance money out so that he could pay off the house but company Chris works for is changing from Metlife to Prudential life insurance as of Jan. 1st. So we stopped the process because we found out that Prudential will pay us $13,000 more than Metlife would have. What a blessing that we hadn't turned in paperwork yet.
Yesterday, I went and looked at cemeteries. I found the one that I believe will be good for our family. It has a duck pond, lots of baby trees (it's a new one), farm land all around it and it's in a quiet area (for now:). I will call and talk with them sometime this week about prices etc. Not a fun thing to do but, as I keep telling people I have been blessed to have time to do these things before he dies so that when he dies, instead of having to make decisions and run all around I can lay in my bed, eat chocolate and cry.
During this past week I have cried a lot having to do things that I have never done before (always made Chris do them). Change the light bulbs outside, put away the outside Halloween decorations, change the batteries in the fire alarms, and handle the bills/budget. Chris is becoming to ill to worry about finances. I have always just let him do these things because I already felt to busy and I wanted him to "feel included in the family" Hee, hee. He tells me all the time he is "sorry" but I always start to cry telling him that he is making the biggest sacrifice for our family by continually going to work each day. He doesn't/shouldn't need to worry about anything else. When he comes home from work he is sooo tired. Kids will sometimes say that they want their old dad back. I remind them gently of the love/sacrifice that Chris is making for them. He wants us to have money when he is gone.
Katie does the cutiest thing. Every morning I get up and pick up atleast 3 bowls from around the house. Why? Because Katie has taken a bowl to Chris wherever he goes so that if he needs to throw up he has a bowl. Cutiest thing!!!!
This week Tay is on safety patrol, Chris has PET scan and chemo, scouts, YM/YW, dentist, parent meeting discussing the race that Meg is going to with her cross country team in California in December (FootLocker), Jacob has a special program at school celebrating Veteran's Day (I have seen it in the past by other 3rd graders and it is beautiful - can't wait). He even has a speaking part. It is Thursday night so I hope that Chris is well enough to come. Friday, Taylor and Ryan have a scout camp out, the annual Turkey Shoot campout. Chris made it for a little while last year but I don't know if he will be able to make it to any of it this year. Will see. Hope so. Saturday, Meg has Sadies (dance-girls ask guys) and Sunday, Meg gets to speak in Sacrament Meeting. A big Yahoo goes to Meg she completed the young women's program and will receive her medallion next Tuesday at the Young Women's in Excellence program and be recognized Sunday in Sacrament. Way to go Megara!!!!!!!!!!!
We want to thank our ward. They have taken on the Thursday pizza night for our family. I was talking with a lady in our ward about it and the next thing I know there is a sign up sheet going around for people to sign up to bring us pizza (I didn't see it, they didn't pass it to me- hee, hee). WOW!! Thank you, thank you. That is one less burden on my mom (or myself). My mom usually is trying to juggle kids and pizza so this will be nice for all of us. Thanks again.
I hope to write Friday to let you know what the results of the PET scan were. But just know that no news doesn't necessarily mean bad news. It just might mean that the mother of 5 doesn't have time:)
Love ya, Ricki