Weekend whirlwind

What a weekend we have had!

First of all, Saturday morning we went to support a lemonade/cookie stand that our friends Lily (5th grade) and Jesse (3rd grade) were having to raise money for Relay. They’re on our team and were excited to raise some money for Team Peyton. Lily had made flyers and passed them out in the neighborhood the night before and bright and early on Saturday morning we were sitting in the front yard with gallons of lemonade and bags of cookies ready to go. Their goal was $50 and they’d already surpassed that on Friday night before they had even started! They raised their goal to one hundred dollars and with high hopes and the unbounded energy only half a dozen elementary age kids can muster at 10 AM on a Saturday morning, they set out flagging down every car that ventured past the house. They had a wonderful response from friends, family and neighbors. When all was said and done and they counted up the days donations, they’d raised $182 for Team Peyton!!!! How fantastic is that?

We went to a birthday party after that, a roller skating party. Did I mention that my kids can’t skate? Well, they had fun anyway! Peyton put on roller skates and hit the floor with excitement….for all of 45 seconds. Her butt hit the floor and she demanded I take those skates off immediately. “I don’t love falling down”….well, who can blame her? Putting a toddler with a low platelet count on skates is just asking for the department of children services to come out asking what’s with all the bruises! It was chaotic, loud and frenzied….all the elements of a great 6 year old birthday party!

Saturday night we were treated to box suite tickets to a Tampa Bay Storm game. It’s our arena football team and we’ve never been to a game. We didn’t really know what to expect, but let me tell you, it ROCKS! The game is fast, fun and totally cool to watch. If you ever get a chance to go to one, definitely do it. Thank you to the Children’s Cancer Center for sending us to another fun event! We saw lots of the families that we’re getting to know from playgroups and support group and it was nice to enjoy this night out with them.

Easter Sunday we didn’t wake up to baskets…we told the kids that the Easter Bunny dropped them off at Grandma Sharon’s house….and frankly, I didn’t think Peyton could handle the idea that the EB would be breaking into our house in the middle of the night while we’re sleeping and vulnerable. Candy or no, she probably wouldn’t sleep for days!

How angels sleep

The kids looked phenomenal for church, hats, dress clothes, pretty white shoes and fluffy hair pretties. It wasn’t until we got to church that we realized that Rachael’s shoes were on the wrong feet….then we realized that only one shoe was on the wrong foot…yes, the child was wearing TWO right shoes. They were the cutest sandals given by a friend and somehow we ended up with two right ones…of the same shoe, at least. She looked adorable regardless.

Monday morning we have a clinic trip for a finger poke first thing in the morning. If Peyton’s counts look as though they’re on the downward slope we’ll schedule transfusions for Wednesday since I told them that we can’t do it on Friday with Relay prep and all. They’re so good about letting me say “I know my kid has cancer, but can you work around my schedule please?” They do and I love them for it! Peyton’s already scheduled for her chemo on Wednesday, but it’s Vincristine, which is the medication that is causing her leg problems, so I’m anxiously waiting to see if they decide to keep up with the treatment.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter full of blessings and messages of God’s love and purpose in your life.

f.r.o.G…fully relying on God
—-Anissa

I title this picture
“Still Just Dirt”

ps…It just dawned on me that the picture at the top of the page in the Peyton's Hope Page banner is from Easter last year. How she has changed…how we all have. What an amazing year it has been, and not all good in our eyes, but all in God's plan and will. I cannot tell you what it means to be able to post these pictures today of her looking happy and healthy, to be sharing one more day with my family. Every moment is a precious blessing.

Thank you all who visit and care and love and share this journey with us. You lift us up and give us support and encouragement and are a constant source of blessing in our lives.