Multiple Generations

One thing that is becoming more and more rare as people choose to have families later in life, is that children are born without having or knowing any of their grandparents much less great grandparents. Jasmine is fortunate enough to have a great grandpa (paternal) and great grandma (maternal) and both grandparents on her dad's side; and both great grandparents (paternal) and a great grandma (maternal) and both grandparents on her mom's side. Truly a rare occurrence :) Of all of them, Jasmine has now met all except three. Just this weekend she has met two!

This is a rotating and overlapping Baker family weekend and week. B's aunt and girlfriend were down Saturday and Sunday, his grandpa came in Saturday afternoon and will be heading back tomorrow morning, and his dad came in Sunday afternoon and will be returning Saturday morning. Lots of fun visiting and good meals! Below are some special pictures from the visiting thus far, including a rare 4 generation picture. The picture of Jasmine in the polka dot top is over her signing "bird" at the Oceanside harbor, plenty of birds to see! :)

Excitement is Brewing

As we approach the end of the year 2012 the preparations are a welcomed cheerful contrast to the preparations this time last year. This year I look forward to the weekend of Thanksgiving as a happy time with my family knowing the end of treatment for B will be less than a week away rather than the dread of heading into it. B and I are also excited to plan a little anniversary outing that we will both enjoy and get to actually attend. And even though our finances are much tighter this year, we are having fun planning the list of Christmas gifts for family and friends. 

The excitement of Jasmine's real first experience of Christmas (she was only a few months old last year) lets us get excited with her. There is a real Joy in the air as pictures are taken, cards are ordered, and plans begin to fall into place for the most magical time of the year. 

Now for the fun part... creating our own family traditions!

We would like to do at least one festive light tour/hunt/walk/drive each year. And try to find a fun new spot each year to help keep the magic of the find and experience alive. 

 It would be fun to attend a Christmas Parade 

We will always have a live tree, noble fir if possible, fully lit with white lights and decorated with ornaments.

Decorate the house the weekend after Thanksgiving

As the children get older they will get to pick their own annual ornament as we, their parents, have done together for several years 

Stockings are hung each year but we are fine tuning the actual stuffing of them and when to open them, etc. I'm still new to the full blown celebration of Christmas

and the newest item as of this year will be Santa...

I still don't know how that is going to work but we are going to try to incorporate Santa into a Christian Christmas. Probably tell the story of Saint Nicholas and how his name changed.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and have fun planning for Christmas <3

Give Thanks!

thank·ful 

[thangk-fuhl]  adjective

feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative.

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us"

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us 

Give Thanks, Give Thanks, Give Thanks 

What am I thankful for? There isn't one or even 24 answers to that question but many. I am thankful for God's Mercy and Grace! Without it (Phil. 4:13) I would not have made it through the past year and a half. 

I am thankful for my husband's health and life! I am thankful that he has been surrounded by a very skilled medical team. I am thankful for the knowledgeable and caring nursing team. For the stable hands of the skilled surgeon. The Anesthesiologists and Phlebotomists for their steady hands and careful measures. For the initial Oncologist that put us in touch with one of the best local experts on Melanoma. For the Oncologist that has cared for and watched over Brandon for the past year, knowing when his liver needed a break and when to keep pushing forward to the end goal. For the kind staff and receptionists for making us all feel welcome, supported and loved.  I am thankful for the sound advise we have received from family and medical staff alike. I am thankful for the Psychologist that has helped B manage his medications and narrow down the best balance to improve his energy level to functional.  I am thankful that my husband only has 3 1/2 weeks of home treatments left!

I am thankful for our beautiful daughter. I am thankful that we were able to spend precious moments together as a family before the chaos of surgeries and treatment began. I am thankful for her good health and steady growth. 

I am thankful for the support that we have received. For those that came with encouraging words from unexpected places and directions. I am thankful for Uncle Brad and Aunt Nancy, they have been more encouragement and help than they will ever know. I am thankful for our amazing church. 

I am beyond thankful that B made the decisions to move forward with his surgeries.

I am thankful that I have pillars of care and strength in my life. For the unconditional love I receive from my dog, Chico, who cuddled me and let my tears fall.

I am thankful for my family, including the one on the way, and the memories we will make together. I am thankful that B and I get to celebrate another anniversary together.

And above all, I am thankful that God has placed His healing hand upon B.

So Close!

This has been a whirlwind of a year and two and a half months. This Friday marks the Four Week Countdown to when B is done with his home injection treatment. We are both so looking forward to the return of his old self. I'm not sure who is looking forward to it more actually, ha! :) It sounds like it will take about two weeks before he notices any real difference in his overall health and energy levels and around two months before he is "back to himself". So come February he should be full of energy just in time for me to have very little. I'm looking forward to getting to do more family things though. Like getting back into the routine of taking the dogs to the park for a good 2-3 mile walk multiple times a week. That will be great exercise for my big baby belly too. Yes, in the midst of this tornado called life we will be adding another little bundle to the family in April/May 2013. We're excited and I'm especially looking forward to B getting to enjoy more of the little things when the baby comes that he didn't really get to fully enjoy when Jasmine arrived. Now, we wait. We wait for the treatment to be over, for his energy to increase, and to find out if the family team will be tipping the score card in favor of pink or blue.