Isabel has her eleventh month off treatment check up and blood draw tomorrow. We're driving to Oakland in the morning, hoping to be back home by noon and with perfect blood counts once more.

I am still in shock that Isabel has been off chemotherapy treatment for so long. I can't believe it's been eleven months. I wonder when the shock of it will wear off.

Time sped up so fast, it's amazing the difference. This year just flew by. The way she ended her treatment in the hospital last March is still fresh in my mind. Wow.

I can't believe I'm on the other side of the camera now. I never really thought about what it would be like to be here. I just wanted to be here so badly I couldn't stop snapping photo after excruciating photo. I was making memories, damnit. That horrible spinal tap photo capturing Isabel's pain is the past. The hospital stay, the recovery room, the dripping IV chemo, even at the moment I was taking the picture, I was putting it in the past. People commented on my obsessive photo taking personality, and I told them the truth. It helped me cope. I was making memories, something to be remembered because it would end. The pain would end. It helped me cope with the fear and anxiety before, during and after each and every one of Isabel's procedures. I snapped compulsively, making it over, making it done, almost at the finish line, someday to look back at those photos....and...I never thought that far.

And here I am. It's really painful to look at those photos and I haven't in awhile. It was really hard and horrible, terrible, awful stuff that chemotherapy treatment for our child. Really suck.

And in the past. Forever, I hope. I can't wait to hear Isabel's good blood count results.

We enjoyed the brief few hours of sunshine at the creek today. Alan and Gabriel skipped rocks and Isabel climbed on everything she could.




In this photo you can see Isabel's port scar on her upper chest.

It's been raining here for days and days. Today the kids enjoyed a beautiful, soggy nature walk and played in a running stream (then it was home for a warm bath, footed pajamas and hot cocoa).

Lucky us, we were able to see The Red Panda Acrobats at the library today!

We had the pleasure of witnessing a beautiful rainbow this afternoon in between storms.

Gabriel was invited to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese today. Now that Isabel is 8 years old, she felt that was a little too babyish for her. She stayed behind while Gabriel and I went for a mind numbing 2 hours of over stimulation. My best friend treated Isabel to a 3-D movie and a trip to the toy store for some of her new favorite toys, little animal Japanese erasers. Needless to say, the kids had a great Saturday afternoon!

Isabel's grandmother and aunt came over last night for a special rib dinner celebration. It was a lot of fun and the kids stayed up late enjoying the family party.

After a delicious dinner (I'm so glad Isabel requested ribs!) we had yet more birthday cake!

Isabel enlisted her brother's help to blow out all the candle sparklers.

It's family tradition for Alan to play Happy Birthday on his trumpet. This year Isabel got into it and tried to play a little herself.


Isabel and Gabriel were so tired after all the activity and fell asleep within minutes of getting into bed. Isabel still has party popper string confetti on her pajamas in this photo!

Isabel had a great 8th birthday celebration filled with family and friends. She received so many thoughtful cards and gifts from people in other states and even one from Germany! I was touched by how many people celebrated her good health and happiness.