4 years today

4 years ago today.  The diagnosis that rocked her world.  Everything changed in the blink of an eye.  

She's still here.  She's still fighting and kicking cancer's butt.  I am so proud of her and love her with every fiber of my being.  

Will you come celebrated with us?  The 5th Annual Go Lucy Go 5k/10k is April 18th.  Come run, walk, bring a stroller.  Come for the Kids Fun Run, come for the food, come for the party!  Whatever you are looking for this race has got it!  Maybe you just want to the t-shirt and that's cool, too!

Register now (or order a shirt) at www.racesonline.com

This is the race you DO NOT want to miss.  

Ice Storm 2015

Today is day 9 of Spring Break Part 1.  9 days we've been confined to this house.  Add to that the 1.5 weeks we were here before that with everyone being sick and that makes us being on lockdown for almost 3 weeks.  While I have thoroughly enjoyed being home I would be lying if I said I wasn't ready for everyone, including myself, to get back on a schedule.  Because to be honest, if I don't get out of these stretchy pants, get back to the gym and start another Whole 30 it's not going to be pretty!

Several areas around us have had the luxury of snow.  We, on the other hand, have had nasty, dirty ice.  At least we had one day to play on the ice before it started melting.  

Icy, cold and undesirable weather is supposed to be with us the rest of the weekend but hopefully Monday will bring a new week!

Great News from Surgery

(sorry for grainy iPhone pics)

Today Lucy had a very minor surgery procedure.  It wasn't a major surgery but it sure was important.  There was so much riding on its success.

Ive mentioned that Lucy has had a lot of hearing loss since Christmas.  She basically was working on about 20% of her capacity.  Even with hearing aids in she was struggling.  Every day we could watch her withdraw more and more from life.  She as distant from us as a family and she didn't interact much with her friends.  She dreaded going to church and she had really begun to cling to me when we were in public.  She was nodding yes to everything you said or answering with random comments when you asked her questions.  This past week she even woke up crying one morning saying "I just can't hear anything."  After all she's been through this one just broke my heart.

There were two issues that needed to be resolved today.  First there was chronic fluid build up behind her ears.  We knew this had been there for a while but she had not been healthy enough in the past to put in the PE tubes that she needed.  It was such a simple procedure that we felt 99% sure would help her regain most of her hearing.  The second issue was a little less glamorous.  Thanks to high dose radiation that destroyed most of the secretion glands in her ears and damaged the lining of her ear canal, Lucy is not able to expel ear wax like most people.  I know, gross right?  What happens is that the ear wax becomes like cement and clogs the ear canal.  So, you combine the fluid with the cement and you have a nasty little situation.

The thumbs up tells you all you need to know.  The surgery was a huge success and she woke up (after the anesthesia grumpies wore off) and said "I can hear!"  Talk about smiles.  Erik and I were all grins!  Only time will tell if one set of tubes will do the trick or if Lucy will have to have permanent tubes.  Permanent tubes are definitely not desirable but given the radiation damage the doctor couldn't take them off the table.

Only time will tell and God has a perfect plan for her little ears.  Thank you again for all your prayers and love.  It still amazes me that so many of you still care for my girl.

Oh, and Ella is still just rocking life and winning every day.

Shhh...Sneak Peek!

I thought I would give you a sneak peek at the new race logo we are working on.  The shirt is going to be similar to this in font and color.  Shirts this year are a heathered (faded) royal Soft Style--which means they are super soft.  They are the ones we have used in the past (the red and grey ones.)

We are putting a team in place whose responsibility is to send out shirts after the race to Spirit Runners.  Our goal is to have every shirt mailed within 2 weeks of the race--if not sooner!  

Sign up today for the 5th Anniversary Go Lucy Go 5k/10k.  If you aren't local, support the Foundation by purchasing a t-shirt.  Shirts can be purchased for $18 if you are going to pick them up at the race or $25 to have your shirt shipped to you.  

See you April 18th.

A Vacation

Erik and I are on vacation with our best friends, Amanda and Nelson.  We've done this trip together for almost 9 years.  It's a trip that we never get tired to taking.  Being in Colorado, as I've said so many times before, is such a respite for my soul.  Surrounded by God's amazing creation, I leave this trip rejuvenated and ready to tackle my life when I get home.

We even got to spend some time with my Uncle and his wife who are here at the same time. 

The past few days we have had the best weather and best skiing that I think we've ever had.  Today, unfortunately I am home with these friends..

I don't think its the flu but I'm pretty sure I coughed up a lung this morning.  At least I've got a full day to myself to rest and recover.  As you all know, mom's don't have the luxury of getting sick.  Being out here I can lay on the couch and do nothing all day long!  We fly home tomorrow, so I'm praying all this OTC medicine will do its job soon.  For today, Joanna and Chip Gaines and HGTV are going to keep me company!

Some Awesome News

Well, it's awesome news for me at least.  (this is where I obnoxiously brag on myself)

Yep!  I did it and I'm not stopping.  The first time I did a Whole 30 I didn't have my "head straight" as I like to say.  All I did was count down the days until I was done.  Now really, that's not how you change your lifestyle is it?  This time around it was so different.  I never counted days, didn't have cravings and actually have enjoyed trying all the new recipes that I have found.  I haven't weighed lately but I am loving my non-scale victories:

-So much energy I have to force myself to go to bed at night

-My skin looks great-Erik says my "color" looks good 

-No headaches, tummy aches or muscle cramps

-My mid-afternoon cravings are gone 

-I feel AWESOME!

(Well I did until I unwittingly ingested Gluten and I've been sick for the past 24 hours.  That's not been cool at all.) 

Besides the Whole 30 I've been exercising at least an hour every day.  It's not easy to find the time but I'm committed to making this change for me.  So...here's to a new lifestyle, not another Whole 30!

In other news, Ella played in her first indoor soccer tournament this past weekend.  She had a blast and I loved watching her play.  The games were 15 minutes of crazy chaos.  

This is my favorite picture.  Coach L giving Ella a pep talk and Coach Erik trying to stay out of it!  It's hard being your daughter's coach.  

Lucy hung out with me all day while we watched soccer and then we did a little shopping afterwards.  My sweet girl is actually trying to grow a little so it was time for some new blue jeans.  Jack spent the day playing on the farm with my Dad, having the time of his life.  My Dad taught him how to drive a Trackhoe, which makes me smile when I think about how many happy hours my grandfather spent on one "rearranging dirt."  That's what we used to say he did when he was bored.  The memories they made will last forever.