IT'S BETTER!!!!

Still here in G'ville- but wanted you to know the MRI went well- he's almost cancer free in his spine- those tumors that train-tracked up and down his spine are GONE and there's just a tiny bit at the base of his spine. The brain "tumor" has not changed- but they aren't sure what we are looking at- it hasn't spread or grown or seeded in the spine- so they are going to continue with his regular chemo (THANK YOU LORD!) and do another MRI in two months. It's been so wonderful to be here. This is the first time I've seen Amber, Dennis and Noah since this happened. What a precious family I have. They are amazing parents and Noah is so precious and has had the happiest personality all weekend. THANK YOU precious friends for caring and for praying- check Amber's blog for the "real" update. I'm on a hotel lobby computer so I can't hyperlink to it. Thanks again!

In Gainesville....

I'm in Gainesville with Amber, Dennis and Noah and my in-laws. BB is with me. We are here to support precious, strong Noah as he has this MAJOR MRI today. This MRI is crucial- it will determine his entire future- please pray with us- pray the cancer is gone and that they can leave this precious boy and his little body alone. If there is any cancer- they are going to have to endure the worst type of chemo that I can't even describe here. Pray friends! Thank you!

Closing time....

Well, this is it! Tomorrow morning we close on the new house! Tomorrow afternoon my parents will help us paint the kids rooms (thank goodness for one-coat paint) and start moving in stuff. I'm so excited- we went for the walk-through tonight and I still love it. I'm not going to post too many pics on the web for privacy, but here's a sneak peak at the great room fireplace and the foyer. (P.S. We think we've sold our old home too- yay!) The "BIG" move is Saturday so I'll probably be out of pocket for a while. P.S. Please continue to pray for Noah- his next MRI is Tuesday- he needs faithful prayers!

Take note....

When you are moving and leave boxes everywhere you may wake up to a box fort, courtesy of the 5-year-old boy. He will tell you it is "Greek Stone Fort" because they had "forts in ancient Greece mommy".
P.S. Pay no attention to the Billy Joel piano music on the piano- I have to have a hobby okay?

St. Patrick's Day Parade and Party

Well, it's another year, another St. Patrick's Day parade! Today was the big day and for the first time since we've been participating in it- it didn't rain and was beautiful outside! Here's the guys-
Lest you think a lot of folks don't come out to celebrate....have a look-

This year Aung Shana came and marched with us....she's Irish after all!

Because we walk at the very beginning of the parade, we were able to stop at the end and watch the rest of the parade go by....

The kids got a lot of beads and candy and heard some great bagpipe music!

Here I am hugging Marc and his beautiful hair goodbye (more on that below!)

A super-fun parade- now on to the party!

At the party they had two groups of Irish dancers and a pipe band played. Then it was time for the big event. The whole event was put on to raise money for Noah's Light, a pediatric brain cancer foundation my sister-in-law has put together to fund the pediatric brain cancer program at Shands Hospital in Gainesville. Here is Marc holding up Noah's picture and telling the crowd that he not only met, but exceeded his goal- raising over $7,000 for Noah's Light.

The beautiful hair BEFORE.....

Marc and another of the brothers getting their heads shaved! Click HERE to see video!

TA-DAH! Do you trust this attorney?

Tucker wasn't sure at first who was holding him.....

Daddy is that you? You look like ME!!!

Yay for beautiful bald boys!

What a wonderful day to celebrate....

...and have one little part in helping our precious angel Noah fight this battle to win! We love you Noah- keep spreading your LIGHT!

Mini-vacay!

Julia at aquarium..

Daddy, Marky and Sissy in simulator...

T-man stays warm!

Us and our friends (whose daughter refused to be photographed), wish I had taken my long black coat off- my face is kind of drifting in from space....

Hello! Look where we went this past weekend! We took a little mini-vacation to Huntsville and Chattanooga. We drove up early Sunday morning (don't worry Catholics we went to Sat. night mass) to Huntsville and spent the day looking at all the rockets and space shuttles. That place really is amazing- I can't belive it's right here at our back door! Marky especially loved seeing the surface to air missles. (P.S. if you have a McWane membership it gets you into Space and Rocket for FREE and you get a BIG discount on lunch!) We ate lunch there and then headed on to Chattanooga. We stayed in a hotel right downtown and got there in time to walk around and enjoy the beautiful, clean waterfront. We walked to dinner and then to get icecream and then spent the rest of the night swimming in the indoor pool- what a treat! We spent all day Monday doing to aquarium and Imax and walking around. A quick trip and lots of fun. Baby Tucker was a champ and so happy even though he got NO NAPS for two days. What a sweetheart! Sadly, this is the only pic I have b/c some little girl in our house put our new camera in the bath tub. (Remember when I took those pics of Tucker in the bath?....then I took him out of the bath and while I was drying him off.....splash). Hope you locals are enjoying your spring break. We will be spending it packing and showing the house- we had one couple come today and two more are coming tomorrow- so I have to pack my house while keeping it perfectly clean! Not easy!

Quote of the Day, etc.

Marky: Daddy, Julia is not letting Tucker play with the CD player...he wants to open and close it.
Daddy: Well, I think Julia is listening to a CD and doesn't want him to stop it.
Marky: Yes she is, but she should know that little Tucker is more important than songs.

Well, we got another offer on our house yesterday! Please, please let this one work out! It's a contingency contract so they have to sell their house first. We are getting ready for St. Patrick's Day- next weekend is a the big parade/party that we help host every year. AND THIS YEAR....Daddy is raising money for Amber's new pediatric cancer foundation and if he raises $5,000 he is shaving his head!!!! If you'd like to come to the festivities, we'll be there and would love to see you. From Marc: Party is at Matthew's Bar and Grill in downtown Birmingham. Admission is $10 at the door (cover charge plus the bands and dancers); food and drinks available at the bar. This is a real Irish celebration – no green beer. The celebration will begin shortly after the Birmingham St. Patrick's Day parade ends (parade starts at 11:30- goes right through 5 pts). Starting at 2:00 p.m., there will be Irish dancers, an Irish fiddler and other session players, and the Ian Sturrock Memorial Pipe Band. Things get a bit more rowdy in the evening (around 7:00), when Jasper Coal, a traditional Irish folk and rebel music band, will play along with Irish dancers. Birmingham's finest pints of draught Guinness will be served throughout, and a cash bar will be available. Slainte!

My view every night....

Pictures Finally

Too long for no pictures- BB- this is for you! Saturday we had soccer pictures-

This is our first year playing Upward league- it's fun- Marky learned the week's scripture memory verse all by himself- I never even saw it. :)

My sweet boys-

I love spending the day outside at a ballfield- it was especially beautiful Saturday. We were so busy that day- early in the morning we had a birthday party, then soccer, then a housewarming party that night. Poor Tucker was worn out.....

Today we got up and cleaned the house really well because two different families were coming to look at it. Then I went to teach Sunday school and afterwards we went straight to the park...

..because SHELLEY (as in college roomie/bff) was in town! They were on their way home from Cullman and stopped by for a picnic. Here are Julia and Ella getting acquainted on a dinosaur- The most precious thing is seeing Streed and Marky together- they have known each other since they were babies and it doesn't matter how long it has been since we've seen them- Marky and Streed jump right back into playing like best buds. When Marky was two he'd call him "my good buddy Steed".

So precious-Nate Nate and Tuck Tuck liked to swing by each other-

So happy!
So grateful to see Shelley- even if they are moving even farther away- we will always keep up- there are just some friends you always keep-
After our lunch picnic, I ran home and changed for a baby shower for my friend Mary Jo who is in my Bible Study. It was a diaper shower because we don't know if it's a boy or a girl. Yet, for some reason, the hostesses decided to let us open the gifts. So it was "ooooh...size 2", "oooooh...size 1...how nice" Ha! Now we are headed to evening mass. A busy weekend, but full of friends and fun.

What to say....

Hello. Long time no talk- no real reason- just busy with the day-to-day. Things are good. We started Upward Soccer last week- Marc is coaching- this is the fourth team Marc has coached for Marky. I'm pretty sure our other kids won't have that luxury. Marky tried to give up his viola for Lent. Nice try! The kids actually ended up giving up (or should we say "offering up") secular television for Lent. I've enjoyed it.

We are packing for the move. We thought we had sold our house, but it all fell apart after the inspection (it wasn't a bad inspection- I think the buyer found a different home). So we are back to square one and come the first of April I will be the proud owner of two homes. Please say a prayer that we find a buyer. I'm thrilled with our new home, though, and cannot wait to get in. I'm really hoping to use the opportunity to do a fresh start with home organization and rules. Like, "in THIS house we can't take food out of the kitchen, in THIS house you have to put a toy away before getting another one out, in THIS house toys stay upstairs, and in THIS house we will do 'school' every day without complaining." I understand that this may not happen, but a girl can dream. :)

I'm trying to stay busy with the tasks at hand. I've realized lately that I try to hurry up and finish my "mundane" tasks so I can get to what I want to do. I'm trying to slow down and see that my work is spiritual and beautiful and what I'm supposed to be doing. The Lord says "my yoke is easy and my burden is light" and it is if I focus on carrying what HE has set out for me to carry. When I try to do more than I should I get frustrated and grumpy and overwhelmed. So, for instance, I'm trying to fold the laundry right when it's done and put it away. Not fold it on the couch and then check the computer. That's probably why the blog is slowing down.

On an interesting note, I went to a lecture at Samford University Wednesday night given by Scott Hahh- a former Presbyterian minister who is now a renowned Catholic author. It was wonderful and fascinating. One thing I'd never heard before was that Jesus is the new "Moses". Old Testament Joseph, an upright man who dreamed dreams, was sold into slavery and put in Egypt, which ultimately led to the salvation of Israel. St. Joseph, an upright man who dreamed dreams, took Mary into Egypt to save Jesus and the new Israel- the church. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt by passing through the red sea and entering the desert for 40 years. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river and immediately went into the desert to be tempted for 40 days. Moses took three men with him up on a mountain and had his face so transformed by the glory of God that he had to wear a veil. Jesus took three men on the mountain to see His Transformation. Moses brought the Law down from the mountain. Jesus left the desert and went to the mountain to give the Sermon on the Mount...the NEW covenant. There's a lot more- but those were the high points. Anyway, I thought that was fascinating and beautiful.

And now, off to bed- some day we should chat about LOST and the Office, but it not this day. :)