Tuesday, June 21, 2011

A long over due update..part one!

Wow Wee-Mee! I cant believe its been almost 2 months since I last posted!! SO much has been going on in our family, but I am happy to report that it is all good! You have been feeling awesome, looking healthy, and been super happy and active. Who can complain about that??

We'll start with your May hair update...even though it IS the end of June!

I really dont think these pictures do it justice, but
you are pretty stinkin cute!
LOVING your curls, and its so much lighter
than it used to be!
So, since the last post, your playhouse was completed and moved to its permanent spot in the yard, we have been to DISNEY WORLD and back, totally remodeled our backyard, and we have had a Make A Wish Celebration party in our backyard!! No wonder I havent updated in awhile. Its been so much fun!

First, the playhouse! It has turned out SOOO cute. Here are some pics of the process from start to finish...
Daddy and Grampy finishing the cement...
You and Ry putting handprints, names,
and dates in the cement...
Daddy using his tractor to move the playhouse
to its official home...
To say this was nerve wracking for me would be
a gross understatement, but dad and grampy
didnt seem the least bit worried they could do it...
...and they were right, and you were SO HAPPY!
While were on the subject of playhouses, we'll show the pics of your Make A Wish Celebration party now. Even though its out of order from our list of things to update...

The party was just this last Saturday, June 18th. It was SO MUCH FUN! We had such a wonderful turn out. We have been so overwhelmed with all the love and support we've gotten this year, it was so nice to be able to share such a happy and uplifting event with all those supporters. You had tons of friends, cousins, aunts, uncles, grammys, grampys, and people from our ward come. It was a bit overwhelming to you at first...you are not one to love the spotlight, or to love talking to people you dont know. But you came around shortly after your "special guests" arrived. RAPUNZEL AND FLYNN RIDER!! 

They were so much fun! They played games with all of the kids, and gave you some special one on one attention. Flynn was hilarious and had an entourage of little boys and girls wherever he went. That was ok with you cause you were totally in awe of Rapunzel and didnt leave her side the entire time.

It was such a wonderful event to be a part of. Make A Wish is such an amazing organization. The whole "wish process" has brought us so much to look forward to the last 6 months, and I couldnt help but feel overwhelmingly blessed as I looked out on the crowd of supporters we had at your party.
First and foremost, your AMAZING wish granters,
Tom Hagerman (he's been volunteering at
Make A Wish for over 10 years!), and lovely
Lezlie Barber (she brought you a Rapunzel doll, dress
and wig, which you wore the entire party!)
Macunzel (thats what Flynn Rider called you) in front of
her treat table! Favorite neighbor Angie made chocolate
covered strawberries, Tom brought a princess cake, and
Lezlie brought "One Tough Chick" sugar cookies!
One of your cute tables...
Me and you with some amazing people...YOUR
WISH SPONSORS! They are Bob Whitney, and Sharla
Ellis. They are a loan officer and real estate agent who are
working together to donate $180,000 of their OWN earnings
this year to Make A Wish! There are some amazing people
in this world...
A small portion of the amazing support we received
at your party, and over this last year. We have been
so blessed!
Rapunzel and Flynn Rider arrived and thats really
when the fun began for you and the other kids!

There was Freeze Dance with Rapunzel...
Red Light-Green Light with Flynn Rider...
Ring Around the Rosie with Rapunzel...

Rapunzel, WeeMee, and BFF Ry. Could you get any closer
to Rapunzel???

Raaaapuuuunnnnzzzzellll, let down your haaaaiiirrr...
and she did.
Flynn and his "smolder", Rapunzel hugging you
super super tight!
Every little kids dream house....did I mention they
brought furniture??? They did. Pics of that will
have to come at a later date...

I look back on what we were doing at this time one year ago, and I cant believe how far you've come! Last June you were at the height of your steroid side effects. Your cute little body was bloated and achey. You felt emotional, tired, and sick all the time. You were so sick, and that first phase of treatment was so rough on us all. At the time, dad and I were on auto pilot I think. Your daily care was exhausting, but we were just so grateful there was a treatment and good prognosis we didnt care. We were, and still are, so grateful you are here with us. You have truly earned the nickname "One Tough Chick." And we are so proud of you!!

Here are some pictures from last June so you can really see the difference...
I remember this day like it was yesterday...
it makes me cry to look at you hurting so much.
You were pretty sick. Look at that steroid belly
poking out of the bottom of your shirt!
This was the first time you tried to jump on the tramp
after you were diagnosed. It was bittersweet...so
happy to see you actually WANTING to do something,
but sad because your legs were so weak you couldnt
jump...thats why you are clinging to the net.
This was just a few weeks ago...look how HEALTHY
you look! Amazing what can happen in a year!

I wish I could articulate better how I feel about all that you have dealt with and handled with such grace, and with such a positive attitude. You have come out of this last year a more confident, happy, outgoing, positive girl You are such a blessing to our family.

4 comments:

  1. Lea, I think you articulate all of this very well. I always get tears in my eyes when you post! She looks awesome and so healthy now. Those pictures of a year ago when she was sick break my heart. Its great to see her feeling good again! The Make A Wish celebration was phenomenal! I couldn't get Haydyn to leave she loved all the games with Rapunzel & Flynn. McKall is certainly one tough chick! I am digging those curls!

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  2. That looks amazing!!! I am so happy McKall is doing so well! She is adorable!

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  3. Thank you for sharing! So much love has been shown to you and your beautiful family! Our thoughts and prayers will continue!
    love, Jane

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  4. what a happy update! it put a big smile on my face. i'm so happy to hear that things have just been going well lately!! the pictures of mckall's star raising party are so sweet. i love make a wish!! it all looks like a dream come true!

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