the many faces of harper...

in no particular order...

the 'i look like a fish' smile!

the 'i didn't do it' look

playing the role of little brother

"heehee" smile!

angry face

a little more angry :-)

the little-tiny big brother look

the "so big" face!

the "i made you think I was going to pick my nose" face!

"i am exhausted, leave me alone" face

"i love my mom" face :-)

the "i'm naked...give me my clothes mom" look!

the super-duper happy face!!

a little humor

This is the conversation that took place between Chad and Charli a few nights ago:

CHARLI : Daddy, I have a frog in my throat. (as she puts her finger in her mouth to show him)



DADDY: I am sorry Charli!



CHARLI: It's not your fault daddy, he jumped in on his own!!


DADDY: (laughing) What do you mean he jumped in?



CHARLI: When we were fishing in the water he just jumped right in!!



The next morning at breakfast she told me the same thing...but this time added...



CHARLI: It's a redeyed treefrog mommy!!!!!!!!!!!

from the mouths of babes....

Landon

Landon went into surgery around 10:30 this morning...still waiting to hear more information beyond that.

In the meantime you can follow Eric and Courtney's updates on Landon's carepage by going to www.carepages.com and click on "visit" (top of page) enter the name LandonRussell (with no space) and you should be able to find their page. If you have problems please let me know...I can send the link to you directly.

Thank you for all the prayers for their family!

quick Landon update

Please keep the family in your prayers Tuesday. Landon will be having surgery some time Tuesday morning, a time has not been given.

Landon's left kidney has been completely destroyed from the cancer so it will be removed in full. He will also have a port placed so that when he heals he can start chemotherapy...around 18-24 weeks of treatment.

Now that they know what is going on and have a treatment plan I know that things will start to look up for them, as much as they can when your baby has cancer, but please keep them in prayer. This is probably (and I hope) the toughest battle they have to face as a family and as individuals...it isn't easy but it is something they will beat and overcome...they just need a lot of support, hope, faith, and love. So many of you have been sending notes of concern for them, and they are strangers to you...that is the amazing thing about the human spirit - we just come together when we need to and I thank you for that. Courtney has been an amazing friend to me.

Thank you to all who have put Landon on your prayer list, circle, and chains - I can feel the power of prayer working for him already. He is such a tough kid, Eric and Courtney - he gets that from you I hope you know!!

I will post updates as I know them. I know in my heart and soul that he will be okay...it will be a journey, but he will prevail!!

prayer request...

I am not sure if this is fate, irony, or just plain crappy-crappy "luck"...

Three years ago I met one of my very best friends, Courtney, because our kids are the same age (Charli and Landon are 3 weeks apart). She lives in Iowa but made the long trip to come to Charli's benefit and her entire family (husband and son Landon), came to the Relay last year when Charli was "honored" and has just been a great friend to me, all ways - always. We meet with them a few times a year so the kids can play and we can enjoy some adult time too! These are the friends we went to the baseball game with several weeks ago before Harper was born.

Long story short...Landon was diagnosed with cancer today. He is three.

He has something called Wilms tumor, a cancer of the kidney. He went for his 3-year check yesterday and his doctor felt a lump on his kidney and she requested an ultrasound for today...Courtney got a call this morning confirming her worst fear. Thank you God for his dr. who was proactive...she is a great doctor!!!

As soon as I saw her name pop up on my caller-id I knew...i knew it wasn't good news.

It is funny how fate places people in our lives. Courtney and I are so very much alike...our personalities, our husbands, our pasts...everything. Why did we have to have this in common too? When she was expressing her fears to me, I thought - of course he will be FINE- what are the odds that two best friends would have kids who are the same age BOTH have cancer. It just wouldn't happen, life will be normal again after the scan. Their life will never be normal again.

Landon will have a CT scan on Monday to determine more information on the tumor. I pray that it can be removed and no other treatment will be necessary. Please pray for that too.

Even if that is the case, their world will never be the same again - ever. I don't care what anyone says...their world has been shattered and although it WILL be rebuilt on an even more solid foundation, it takes some time to get there. And even when he is healthy and perfect again, the fear is always there. Trust me.

So please pray for Eric, Courtney, Landon, and their baby on the way that they will have the courage, strength, faith, and patience to make this journey. I know that they will, but they wonder how they can do it...I know them well enough to know that they CAN and they WILL come out on the other side stronger because of this.

Why does life throw these things to us...will we ever know? I think we all have our own hardships for various reasons. While I do not know why Landon was handpicked by our God on this road, I know he was...they all were picked by Him to do His work though this fork in the road. I "think" I know why Charli was chosen, although I will never truly know until I get to ask Him myself...but she is serving as an inspiration to Courtney right now...and that is enough for me.

Courtney, Eric, Landon, and baby R...we love you so much and are heartbroken with you and for you. We have faith that you will be taken care of. And please remember that in your moments of weakness and doubt, I will be here with enough faith for all of us - so please allow yourself to feel whatever you need to feel to get through the day. The truth of the matter is, there is no one way to handle this...you do what you can, and allow the rest of us who love you to do what you can not. In the meantime...welcome to this crappy club, it holds a life long membership...so while we are here we might as well make the best of it.

As we continue our fight in childhood cancer we will always expect miracles and am humbled to personally know and love two tiny miracles who are fighters, warriors, and most of all...survivors.

what you said...?

Charli says some funny things...

Instead of saying "what did you say" she will say (after saying WHAT a hundred times!!), 'what you said?"

Every time she sees a church steeple she asks if that is where we got married. The one she sees most often is the Humphrey St. Fran steeple, and she says that is where she is going to get married. I asked her how many times, she said something like "7", or maybe even "9"!

When she wants something she will offer to give you a million dollars. She will reach into her pocket and slap your hand, as if to give you the money, and then expect whatever it was she wanted to begin with.

She says "thank you mommy" for the slightest of things, even when I get more milk at the store!! She said to me today - "when we run out of milk again mommy, I will give you forty dollar to get more at the store mommy". And trust me when I tell you that she keeps a running list in her little head of things I tell her I need to get at the store (like anything we are "out of" when she needs it so badly...bandaids, suckers, candy, etc!!)

She says "harfer" for Harper :-)

She has recently learned that her Aunt Amanda's name is also Amanda Jo!

She is absolutely loving her baby brother, and wants to be around him all the time! When we go places she holds his hand in the car the entire trip.

She doesn't forget anything. She talks about he circus all the time, and tells me daily "I had much fun at the circus mommy"!

When she wants you to play something with her she will say "mommy you have to say 'can I please play with your balloon"...and when I do she will say "okay mommy, thanks for asking"! :-)

She is very polite and very vocal - telling us "when she is not very happy" or when she is "so happy"! She is a joy to be around, and although sometimes it can be a little stressful to have a 3 year told and newborn...she makes all the moments that are hectic, fun!!! I absolutely love her to pieces and am so proud she is all mine :-)

mommy you have to say...

We have had a busy and fun week at our house! Charli has been home all day all week while Lynn and Lonnie enjoy a vacation! I wasn't sure how this would go as I am tired and Charli never is!! But she has been great. And, I am so proud to say she is NOT plopped in front of Dora all day...although I thought she might be because of me doing other things. She has done a lot of growing up in the last three weeks. OH MY, three weeks!!!! That is not to say we don't butt heads, I guess that is the mother daughter curse that lasts until she is what, 20? Dear God, I hope she is a better daughter than I was. I would be holding back if I didn't admit that when 6:00 hits and Chad walks in the door, I am thankful for the break and ready for it too!!

She has a great imagination that range from conversations on the phone with grandma (by the way grandpa it is NOT VERY NICE to call grandma naughty she says!!), walks with her babies, naming her dolls, and sharing her nap time dreams with me!

Because I hope to lay down for about 10 minutes before Harper wakes up, and while Charli just went down for a nap...I will cut the cute stories short! I guess if you want to know how adorable (!!!) she is you will have to come see for yourself :-)!!

'baby' Braxton, Charli, and Harper

I tried to rotate this picture with no luck!! Braxton and Harper (7 weeks apart)

taking her babies for a walk

still cleaning that slide :-)

" he said I love you big sister!!!"

Harper and his cousin Grant (9 weeks apart)

Charli and Daddy enjoying the suckers they got from the pinata!

SMACK!

ahhh, this is the good life!!

ahhhh, THIS is the life!!

1/2 of the Borg grandchildren...notice the ornery one on the right. Who does she belong to anyway...can't these people control their children??!

Charli and her newest buddy Brad at the Humphrey parade!! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for helping her have a great time!!!

just hangin'

ummm, 1/2 of this picture thinks the other 1/2 is smiling with her-- I will let you decide for yourself which 1/2 is 'happy' and which 1/2 is 'less than' happy!!

she has been playing with her babies a lot this week!! It was almost nap time for this one, and her name is Lucy!!! :-)

the morning of Grants baptism

Charli and Harper. He was thrilled!

two weeks....

So it's been two weeks, and I have only taken about 200 pictures. At this point with Charli I think I wore my camera out!! Of those 200 pictures half are probably from the Relay, which I need to update about soon too! Eventually :-)

Harper has been a good little guy for us. And, aside from his legs being too little for the newborn diapers we haven't had any major issues!! I have realized, somewhat happily, the letters NB to me now mean newborn...and not just neuroblastoma.

Charli has fallen in love with her brother and is taking good care of him :-)

if she can manage the grocery cart and stroller I guess I should be able to too!!

B&B Repair...tuff enough to tow your truck :-)!!!!!!!!!!!!! (sorry Chad, had to!)

what a happy dad! his three loves :-)

one minute before this picture Chad said to me "this is the life"!

sorry Jen... :-)

my little family!

they are the same size, but Wynston still has a good pound on him!

bath time for baby!

this is what a 3 year old looks like when she pouts because she can't go down the "big slide" because there are too many bugs outside!! (yep, she is outside anyway, I know!!)

Thanks Natalie :-)

This is the sign my great friend Natalie made to hang at work to announce the exciting arrival of Harper!! Thanks Natalie for making such a cute announcement for us!!