Zachary Update....

For those of you who have been following or praying for Zachary's medical issues, we have some awesome news!

Zachary had one of his arthritis clinics yesterday.  They happen about every 3 months and at the clinic he is seen by a physiotherapist, occupational therapist and the pediatric rheumatologist.  They use these clinics to see how a person's arthritis is progressing (or diminishing!) and keep us on track with our medications and exercises etc.

When they all saw him yesterday they were thrilled with the movement in his wrist and when asked to move both the left and right hands together none of us could see any difference whatsoever.  The rheumatologist has asked that he stay on his medication for just another two months to make sure he's totally settled, but thinks that if there is no change by the next clinic he may be off of his meds altogether.  As soon as we got back to the car we prayed and thanked God for his healing and that he is pain-free.  It's hard to remember back to the days when he was in pain every single day, stopping him participating in playing with his friends, sports and many other activities.  We are so blessed.

In other CRAZY news, Zachary starts High School next week !! AAAGGGGHHHHHH

Now granted his school (PCS) doesn't have a middle school so it's a year early but still.... crazy.  Above are photos from his 'Grade 7 Graduation'.  Proud moment :)

Why my kids know so many Bryan Adams songs....

So Friday will be my 4th time.  And every single one of them has been amazing. 

This will be my 4th time seeing Bryan Adams in concert.  The first time was in 1987 when he played the Bournemouth International Centre in Bournemouth, England.  After the release of 'Run to You' I was hooked. I would play his love songs when I wanted to cry, and his rock songs when I wanted to dance.

Fast forward to 1993 when I married the love of my life, and the only song I'd consider walking down the aisle to was 'Everything I Do'.  Jump ahead a few years and I now have 2 children with whom I would have dance parties in the living room rocking out to 'Baby When You're Gone'.  My 2 kids have grown up with 'Summer of 69', 'Rock Steady' and 'I Need Somebody'.  They have sat with me multiple times to watch 'Spirit', and called me every time they heard him play on the radio.

So needless to say, I'm a bit of a fan.  And not in a 'I was 13 the first time I heard him and had a huge crush' kind of fan.  Much of his music automatically takes me back to high school in England, missing Canada after I had moved back to England ("Into The Fire"), dance parties with my children, the joy of my wedding day and the fact that I just love clean, straight up rock!

I have one thing on my bucklet list - and that would be to sing a duet with the man himself.  Doesn't have to be televised, or anywhere public.  The studio will do :)  It may seem silly, but that's it.  One thing.  A duet.

So - when it comes time for him to pull that 'someone' up on stage to duet 'Baby When You're Gone' on Friday night, I will be the 41 year old crazy person jumping up and down in her Union Jack shirt hoping to be 'that girl'.  The odds are stacked, but hey - someone's gotta do it !!!!

Time Flies

There is seriously no time to blog anymore!  I don't know where the time has gone.  So, if anyone reads this anymore this is just a glimpse of what has been going on around here. 

Last November Zachary was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.  It was a whirlwind of emotions, trials and worry but we trust God is in control.  As a result we went on a strict elimination diet from our naturopath which I personally hoped (and believed) would clear it up immensely.  The truth is the swelling in his wrist actually got worse so we ended up having a cortisone shot in his wrist.  Thank the Lord it made a HUGE difference.  We continue to pray for full healing and while we wait we have him on a medication that seems to be helping the remaining small amounts of pain.

In other news the Cake business is growing to a healthy level and I find I enjoy it more and more with each order.

In other other news - BRYAN !  Bryan Adams will be playing in Victoria on June 15th and Yes, of course I got tickets (Duh!).  This will be my 4th time seeing him in concert; he never disappoints.

The kids are nearing the end of 2 weeks Spring Break and although we couldn't go anywhere tropical, we did manage to sneak away to Tigh-na-mara in Parksville for a couple of days with some friends of ours, the Moores.

This one was taken by Eden, age 2 !!

New Year.....New Hopes

Well here we are ....... 2012 ....... who'd have thunk it!  I hope you all had blessed Christmas' spent with family and loved ones.  I hope you had small moments of wonderful luxury, and moments of unending thankfulness.

We had a great Christmas and surprised my sister's family on Boxing Day by catching the 7am ferry and driving straight to Kelowna to hang out with the fam.  Good times!

Then New Year's we spent at our friend's "wigs and stache's" party.  I had a hot fuschia wig, Darrell wore a paper moustache.  Yep, this is how we roll.

No New Year's resolutions at my end, but my eating habits have changed dramatically for another reason I'll go into on another post.  So I anticipate getting healthier via food changes and if there's weight loss involved as a by-product then I can handle it ;)

Concert!

Saturday night, Dec. 17th.
Prince concert.
2 1/2 hours solid stellar funk awesomeness.
Nuff said!

Cake Pops!

The kids and I had a great fun baking party last night together.  Both of them had Classroom Christmas parties today and needed to take something in to share.  Zachary decided he wanted to make a chocolate cake - completely from scratch he made the cake, made the icing and decorated the whole thing.  Then Brooklyn and I were wanting for a while to try some Cake Pops from the Bakerella Cake Pops book.  They were Santa hats and although not as smooth and perfect as the originals, we thought they turned out pretty good!

Hospitals - Done!

I am done with hospitals.  For the year.  Seriously.

In fact, I don't think I have ever before been so looking forward to a New Year's Eve, simply because it will signal the start of a new year in which I hope to never see the inside of a hospital.  In May I was back and forth to the hospital in Saanichton to visit my sick Grandad who passed away that month.  At the beginning of the Fall I was in and out visiting my Grandma with her broken hip.  We have now charted 4 ER visits with Zachary still without complete diagnosis.  They think arthritis but we're praying against that.  And then at 1:15pm this morning the ambulance arrived to take my husband to the hospital for back pain so intense he could not get up off of the floor.

So, I think I've filled my quota.  Really.  And if anyone argues with me about this I think I will refer you to the ER admission clerk or the lady at Tim Horton's who just yell out "Hi Rachel!" now when I walk through the front door.

Still, there is always a positive side to my life and in mine it's the fact that the Christmas season is here!  For all who know me they know that I l-o-o-o-o-v-e Christmas!  All of our decorations are up minus the tree because we always get a real one.  I've got a cookie exchange next Monday and the school Christmas concert later that week.  AND for the first time in ages I am well on my way through the Christmas shopping!  9 presents done as well as some stocking stuffers.  aaaaghhhhh..... big sigh of relief........

AND TO BOOT - I got the best smoking deal of the Black Friday weekend; a Cake Cricut machine on sale from $450 for FIFTY BUCKS !!!!!!!  That's right you heard me ..... $50 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prepare for some sweet cake experimentation to come........

http://www.cricut.com/cake/Home.aspx