Counting our blessings.. and still trudging along

  Tonight we’re on the road, returning from a GREAT few days away with family.  We took our kiddos and went to Baton Rouge to visit my parents and my siblings and their kids.  It was a great trip and a nice break.  We realized that we haven’t been to visit Baton Rouge in a year.  I guess traveling this year has proven too difficult. So, it was a nice trip.  Clayton was able to go with his cousin, Sophie to see Santa, he rode his bike for hours, built legos, and did lots of eating.  It was so fun, and lots of sweet memories were made.

     It was certainly easy to “count our blessings” and be extra thankful this year. We have so much to be grateful for.  So very much!  Part of me wants to think about how awful this year has been , how unfair, how heart breaking and how exhausting.. BUT, just seeing Clayton alive, cancer free, and thriving kinda makes me forget that black cloud that has hovered over us this year.  This road is coming to an end, with a positive outcome, and that, my friends, is the BEST, most awesome blessing we could ever ask for.

   Clayton has two more big chemos left.  He is officially done with his IN TOWN chemos.   Those are the chemos that  consists of one drug and don’t require him to have an overnight stay or have high blood counts.  We are excited to close the door on that treatment.. now we just finish the two big chemos, and our final scans.  After that, he’ll be seen every 4 months for at least 5 years.  His next big chemo is scheduled for THIS Tuesday.  We are praying that Clayton’s bloodwork is good enough for him to have the treatment.  We’ll check his blood early Tuesday morning, then head to Ft. Worth if the numbers are right.  Please pray with us that everything lines up to allow him to have his treatment.  We are tired and ready to cross the finish line.  His final chemo will be three weeks following, hopefully before Christmas and before his MAKE A WISH TRIP scheduled right after New Year.  We will be having a big celebration, which EVERYONE is invited to, after his final chemo.  More news on that to come.  Just prepare to celebrate with us!

    We have some exciting times around the corner with a new house, a Disney trip, Christmas and all that comes along with it.  We are so so so thankful that we have four kids to do it all with us.  We are so very grateful for God’s provision for our family, health for all of us, and healing of Clayton.  Words can not express the gratitude we have toward our friends who have stepped in and helped us out this year.  From the Jones and Evans keeping our kids for nights on end, to friends who cooked dinner so many times,to moms and dads running carpools for us, and most importantly the many many prayer warriors who daily stand in the gap for us.  We are so blessed and honored that you all love us so much.  Please keep praying us through.  I can see the finish line… now… if we can just keep moving toward it!