Happy birthday to me!

Some *cough* 35 *cough* years ago, I made my debut into this world. Kicking, screaming ... much the same as I am today. *ahem*



Earlier this evening, went celebrated the big 3-5 at a local park. A picnic of sorts ... complete with pizza and pasta from my favorite pizza place.  

Whatever is easiest, no?



Nika once again earned the reward for thee-who-takes-the-longest-to-eat.



And I got to kiss on these delicious cheeks owned by none other than my niece. Hello, baby fever.



Oh ... and these delicious cheeks owned by my you-are-never-gonna-catch-me nephew.



We played games ... ones that I had never played before. Like tetherball. I tried to let Mason win, I really did. I got a little too excited, though.



Mason loves his uncle Jeremy ...



And well, these guys too. We all do.



No picnic is complete without a game of Jarts ... err, I mean ... Darts. Never mind the fact that Jarts have been banned in the USA.



Hi, love bug.



Okay okay ... so yes, I cropped myself out of this picture. Ewww ... it looks much better this way. Ahh ...





Happy birthday to me!

Be the match!

A couple years ago, I registered with the National Marrow Donor Program to be a bone marrow donor. And that was only after a friend's little girl was diagnosed with leukemia ... sadly it took that for me to join the registry. Likely because I hadn't previously taken the time to educate myself about the incredible need for bone marrow donors.

Now it is your turn ... don't wait until you are directly affected by something like leukemia. You have the power to save someone's life now.

Be the match!



Last week my best friend McKenna was diagnosed with CML. Even though I'm already on the registry, I feel the need to ask you to be too ... if you aren't already. I have read far too many stories about patients dying while they wait for their match.

And you have the power to save their life!

While it typically costs money to join the registry, right now it is free! Please take advantage ... it is as easy as a swab of the cheek.

Be the match!

Donor sites by country:
USA
UK
Australia
Ireland
Canada
France

Boy.

I have noticed some jumps in Payton's speech and communication over the past few weeks ... I'm not sure what has prompted it, but I'll take it!

Her favorite new word is 'boy' ... she calls Mason 'boy' and it gets on his last nerve. Ha. 

"My name is Mason!"

She doesn't care what he says. Ha.

The way she says 'boy' ... boieee. So cute. And 'blue' ... that is her new favorite color ... everything she wants is bluuuu.

Here she is, little stinker ...

The mullet.

Payton, Payton, Payton.

Girl ... you better run!



I understand that you wish you were Nika's mommy ... BUT, you are NOT ALLOWED TO CUT HER HAIR!!



Lord help me, my kid now has a mullet.

Love you Momma.

Having a child ... or children ... with special needs frequently exposes you to a world that many people never get to see ... or never take the time to see. A multi-faceted world.

Every day of my life, I hear stories of children being diagnosed with leukemia, diabetes, moya moya disease, atlantoaxial instability, apraxia and more. I hear stories of children receiving developmental therapies several times per week, having g-tubes placed, being fitted for orthotics and more.

This is my world. This is my reality. And it sucks.

But no matter how routine the stories become, sometimes we are blindsided. We are blindsided when we are more directly affected by something like leukemia.

Chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML), to be exact. Those are ugly words, right there.

My best friend ... McKenna ... has been diagnosed with CML. And I have been rocked to the inner core of my soul. Blindsided, to be exact. McKenna is my soul sister ... we are like two puzzle pieces that make the puzzle complete. Our similarities are quite scary, to be honest. Ha. And that is why I love her so.

Please join me in prayer for McKenna, her husband and her three beautiful children. I am confident that if anyone can conquer CML, it is McKenna. I am prepared to grow old with this girl and ain't no damn cancer cells gonna change that.

Love you Momma.