What great weather we've had recently! We had a super nice time hanging out with our buddies today enjoying the sunshine.

This morning the kids were busy making family Valentine's Day cards. Then we went for a sweet walk where Gabriel climbed trees and Isabel found so many ladybugs.

You can't tell very well in the photo, but Gabriel was very proud of the girl and boy dogs he drew next to the painted hearts and flowers.

My friend and her children made a big batch of valentine cookies for their beloved library staff. I thought it was such a great idea I decided to copy her!

Isabel and Gabriel helped Alan made up a batch of cookie dough using my friend's delicious recipe (www.lifewithgirls.com). Then I stepped in and helped with the frosting. We didn't make very many (mostly due to my burning the first batch) but we had fun and it was a nice way to celebrate Valentines Day.

Alan took the kids fishing today. They didn't catch anything but had a great time nonetheless.



Isabel took the camera and shot some photos of her own:

We spotted another rainbow during our walk today!

Isabel has PERFECT COUNTS ONCE MORE!! On to the one year anniversary!

I found myself somewhat worried and tense today and was impatient to hear the results of this morning's blood draw. I had been mentally pacing and was anxious to hear the good news. I knew it would be good news but I just couldn't help worrying. We've come so far!

The check up and blood draw went very well and took all of twenty minutes!

Eleven months off treatment!

This was the very first time Isabel did not sit in my lap for a blood draw.

The phlebotomist checking out Isabel's long, pretty hair.

We went out to Indian food to celebrate!

Oh, I can't tell you what a joy it is to be Isabel's mother these days. I just love her to pieces and am so proud of my smart, sweet and healthy daughter.

Here we were in January 2007, when it all began.

Six months later.

This afternoon.

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.