Joshua was a little tired this morning but he got up early to got do the Morning Show at his school. The morning show is on all the televisions in the classrooms and this month they are raising money for Pennies for Patients a project of the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The school had asked if Joshua would come and talk about having childhood leukemia. They even did a special presentation for our little angel Rylee. Joshua and Rylee received special presents from the school. He had a great time and got to visit with all of his classmates afterwards. He sat at the front of the class and answered questions about having cancer. It was a lot of fun and Josh was glad for the chance to see all of his friends that he has been missing.


Joshua came home and finished up the really cool LEGO he got yesterday. It amazes me how fast he and Jarrod can build these things. They really do enjoy it.


After a little rest and a quick bite of lunch it was off to the clinic for chemo. On the way there Joshua, Renee, and Jarrod stopped by the
Children's Cancer Center to drop off a lovely bag of gifts from the Ladies Auxiliary VFW Post 6287 in Ruskin. Josh gave it to Ms. Nicki who gratefully accepted it. I know they will put it to good use.

Chemo went smoothly however Joshua's ANC has dropped to 235. That is a big slide from over 3500 last week. Just when we thought he was going to stay up on the hill for awhile. His batteries have been dying ever since. He was rather fussy all evening and he really doesn't feel good. We are on high germ alert for now and will be keeping Joshua sequestered for a while. We are hoping against hope that he can weather the drop and not run a fever. We have been home for quite a while this time and we would like to keep it that way. The Doxorubicin has once again wonked out his sense of smell. He had a hard time finding something to eat where the smell didn't bother him. He spent most of the evening cuddled up with Renee, a sure sign that he is feeling his worst. I hope he can get a good nights rest and be stronger in the morning.
A year ago today I found something precious that I had lost 43 years ago. It was something so special that I could never put it out of my mind. When I found it I had all but given up hope of ever recovering it. I had looked in all the logical places. I had scoured the unlikely ones, and also the completely illogical. But it was of no avail. Finally through several twists of fate that I had nothing to do with my lost item was returned to me against all odds. Since that day not a moment has passed that I am not truly thankful for this treasure.
What was this precious object you might ask. What could possibly be so important that you would search for it even after four decades had passed?
It was my birth mother. The woman who gave me that most cherished off all gifts, life.
We were separated right after I was brought into this cold world. Separated by circumstance and an ignorant society.
But we are re-united!
In the years between our two meetings many things has transpired. I was fortunate enough to have the love and care of two people who are still with me today, my parents. I was formed and nurtured both by their love as well as the indelible imprint left in me from my mother.
I have two mothers, and for that I am doubly blessed. For I have known the unwavering love of both.
I remember this day a year ago as I paced nervously on the deck waiting for the phone to ring. Waiting to hear her voice for the second time. Not able to remember the first. Millions of questions whizzing through my mind.
It rang,
we talked,
it was perfect.
Since that day we have only grown closer, now we can talk all the time. We have many steps left to fill in the blanks of the last four decades, but we are walking forward together, never to be separated again.
I love you mom.
