What's up?

Andy said I needed to write a blog to update everyone about our life. I thought my lame attempt at screenwriting did a good job. However, I will write a boring and correct estimation of our life at this point. (Deep breath in and deep breath out)Here we go. Andy has been doing radiation treatments for the new (little)tumor under his collar bone that is in a lymph node. We leave every morning at 6 to be down to Huntsman by 7:50 so Andy can lay on a machine and be baked like a large potato in a microwave. Oh sorry, I need to write a boring explanation ignore the last comment about potatoes. Andy is radiated for about 20 min. then we leave and drive home by 10. We have done this since the 1st of August and will continue until the end of August. Andy then takes a nap during the trip down to Huntsman, on the way home from Huntsman, and when we get home for about an hour or so. If he isn't in pain or sick, he then goes into work for a couple of hours. On Thursday he made it for a whole 4 hours. I was really amazed and proud of him (I'm not kidding about this).This treatment has taken a toll on his energy level. He sleeps most of the day and night. The docs told him to try to exercise for 15 min a day to help combat the fatigue. So he has started to do a low impact kettlebell exercise program. I think this is great. I don't know if it is really helping but we will try anything. We will be done with this treatment schedule on the 29th of this month. Just in time for my fall semester, job, and the kids schools all to begin. I did take a couple of classes this summer. They were 7 week block classes. That was the fastest, craziest, and non educational semester I have ever taken. The kids are excited and ready for school to start for them. They all go to new schools this year. Morgan is in the intermediate. Caity is in the middle school, and Shaeli is at the high school. I can't believe that last sentence! Is that real? Alas, it is. My babies are almost as tall as me and growing daily. I don't know if I am ready for school to start for them. I never cried when they started kindergarten but I may cry this year. They are so big and grown up in so many ways. They are my encouragement, pride, beauty, and heart. I am amazed at their whole beings. They are everything I wish I was and they make me strive for better things in this world everyday. Andy is my half that makes me a whole. My kids are my hope and joy. I have to leave this blog with a comment that Morgan made yesterday while we were eating at Wendy's.
Morgan: "If you're called a vegetarian because you don't like to eat meat. Are you a meatetarian if you don't like to eat veggies?"
Out of the mouth of babes.

The tale of Sleeping Beauty: act 1

Setting: Early morning before dawn the alarm clock rings out loudly as a second alarm from a smart phone rings also. Sleepy Andy and Peggy both reach out to turn off the alarms.
and... scene.

Andy: UGHH!!
Peggy: Here we go again.
(Peggy gets out of bed and takes a shower, meanwhile Andy turns over and falls asleep.)
Peggy: (singing)What's up pussy cat, whoa, whoa, whoa, whawhoa...
(Peggy get's out of the shower and enters the bedroom to find Andy snoring.)
Peggy: Andy you need to get up. You're gonna make us late. It's already 5:45.
Andy: zzzz
Peggy: Dear I've been thinking about buying a boat. I feel that we need something for us as a family to do something that we enjoyed when we were younger. It might be the thing to help motivate you to get in shape.(quietly under her breath she says)that way the boat doesn't have to be a cruise liner to get your butt out of the water.
Andy: Wahd ya saying?
Peggy: Hurry get into the shower!
(After a quick shower and getting dressed, Andy and Peggy are off to Salt Lake to Huntsman. In the car listening to radio Peggy looks over at Andy who is fast asleep)
(Peggy has an idea to subconsciously plant the idea about the boat to Andy while he sleeps. She gets the ideas from one of her psychology classes she took during summer semester.)
Peggy: So...remember when we were first married and we went boating every morning and evening. That was great. Us and our friends, we were crazy. So...the boat thing would be fun. I would like an inboard type. We don't have to water ski the first year, just putt around the dams and teach the kids water safety.
Andy: Hmmm.
(Later after radiation treatments and on the way home from Salt Lake Andy is again sleeping and Peggy continues with the boat strategy.)
Peggy: Can you imagine how cool our kids would be with their friends if we had a boat. We could invite them to a weekend thing with us, maybe borrow one of our parents trailers and camp at Willard Bay then boat around all day. That would be fun.
Andy: zzzz...Hmmm...
(Finally at home. Andy and Peggy pull into the drive and Andy wakes up.)
Peggy: Well one more treatment down. Can't wait to do it again tomorrow.
Andy:(yawning) Yeah... (walking into the house Andy stops and turns to Peggy) I had the craziest dreams today.
Peggy: You did?
Andy: Yeah... I think we need to buy a boat.
(Andy walks into the house. Peggy giggles.)

Radiation Shmadiation

For the last few days I have been receiving radiation, which will continue through the month of August. It has been kicking my butt a lot harder than I expected this early on. But there is some good news. I now have another seven tattoos. That brings me to eight, total. Ha, Scott, how many do you have? I am turning into quite the rebel. Maybe I will even get my ear pierced. Oh wait I’ve already had a hole in my ear, and it took a bunch of surgeries to get it fixed. So, no piercings.
Ok a little confession. I am not a rebel. (Don’t tell Scott though.)
Apart from the hot (ok burning) feeling in my chest, and the exhaustion, I am doing great.
The drive to Salt Lake everyday is getting old fast, and its only been 4 days so far. Tomorrow is my last one for the week. Then I get to do it all over again next week, and the week after that, and then some more. But the end result is possibly having my new tumor dead, I am more than happy to make the drive every day.

On the upside, the people I have talked to so far doing radiation have all lost weight, which is something I need to do. So in a nutshell, radiation, heat, tired and lots of travel.
Oh, Peggy, and the kids are doing great. This is the last week of school for Peggy, finals week. So say a special prayer for her. (she has tests tomorrow and Saturday).

you can watch a video of a glimpse of our family party here:



Merry Christmas and have a lovely day.
Love Andy