The Erickson All-Stars

2012-01-10T22:28:00.000-08:00

A Quick Review

2012-01-05T12:21:00.000-08:00

A few highlights of our 2011...

(in a crazy random order)

* Emilie got her central line out in March which meant swimming and water therapy. Emilie was "free" in the water and it was such a joy to see her in the water since her legs went south.
* Traveled to Windsor CA (very cute and charming city) to work a water stop for our Purple Peeps. It was great to see our Aunt Steph, meet Chandra and Bobbie and the other Team in Training members. Truly inspirational.
* Emilie finally got her straight leg braces. She initially started walking with a walker, but quickly moved to forearm crutches. Great progress!
* We traveled to Disney World for Emilie's Make-a-Wish and stayed at Give Kids the World. Nana and Auntie Vicki joined us for the week. We had an awesome time as a family...lots of laughter!!
* Celebrated birthdays...Emilie turned 11, Paul turned 14 and Nicolas turned 7. As always, the kids got to pick their birthday dinner restaurants. Emilie and Nicolas chose Tyrolean Inn and Paul chose Buca de Beppo. "Good times, good times!" Emilie had a group of friends over for appetizers and dessert and Nicolas had fun wet/wild party with a water slide in the shape of a huge wave. It was literally as tall as our house. Super fun!
* There is always baseball...Paul played Bulldog ball and Nicolas played his second year of single A.
* On Mother's Day, Nana was honored at Twin Lakes Church as "Mom of the Year". You can read about it here.
* Emilie has a group called Crafty Chicks 4 Charity which is a bunch of girls making crafts. The money raised goes to a charity specified by Emilie. Speaking of blogs, Emilie has a new one called Tweenology. Blogging keeps her mind busy and her heart happy.
* Paul cut the tip of his pinkie off with wire strippers which sent him to the ER with Eric. Not a big event, but it just had to be documented.
* Emilie went back to school in September and did very well for pretty much missing 5th grade. Our school, Baymonte Christian School, installed a lift so that Emilie could attend classes on the second floor. We love the staff, parents and kids at Baymonte!!!
* Our family participated in the Baymonte Tech Trek 5K. The kids got their bibs and took off without us. Paul and Nicolas ran while pushing Emilie in her chair. Awesome!!
* Paul graduated from 8th grade and is now a high schooler. Scary and fun at the same time.

I love, love, love my family and am so grateful that we were able to do all that we did in 2011!!!

He Knows

2012-01-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Per our normal operating procedures, I go home on weekends and Eric stays with Emilie at the hospital. I cannot stay away, so I will go home to sleep and see the boys and Nana and then return to spend the day with Eric and Emilie at the hospital. Saturday was no different...sleeping in, hanging out with the boys and doing some errands. I got a call from Eric that Emilie barfed (correct medical terminology) on her PJ's and blanket during the night and would I bring a plastic bag to carry the yucky laundry home in. Whenever we are inpatient, I bring a pillow case and a blanket from home to make things a little "homier" for Emilie. The next call I got was from my mom telling me that a package had arrived at home for Emilie and if I was still in town to come by and pick it up before heading to the hospital. Back home I went to get the package for Emilie and then off to the hospital. At the hospital, Emilie was thrilled to receive a package and immediately opened it to find...

the most beautiful, encouraging, uplifting quilt made by our friend Mitzie!!! See, God knows what we need and when we need it. Not only did we need a clean, happy blankie, but we also needed a good dose of God's love that was shown through this wonderful gift.

My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19

Thank you, Mitzie, for blessing us with your creativity!!! The colors, design and words are perfect, perfect, perfect!!! We are grateful for you and Kay! Thank you for your love, encouragement and support!!

I took the above photos with my cell phone quickly. The quilt reads:

What cancer cannot do...

It cannot shatter hope

It cannot invade the soul

It cannot steal humor

It cannot kill friendship

It cannot conquer the spirit

It cannot destroy peace

It cannot erode confidence

It cannot corrode faith

It cannot cripple love

It cannot erase memories

It cannot stifle laughter

It cannot silence courage

Cancer certainly does stink, but it is so true that it cannot rob us of the things that are most important.

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas From Our Family to Yours!

2011-12-24T21:21:00.000-08:00

Vomit and Headaches

2011-12-20T12:07:00.000-08:00

Emilie is on chemo day 4 of 5. Have I mentioned that chemo stinks? Emilie is having a hard time with this round...vomiting and severe headaches. She is having to resort to morphine for the pain which knocks her out even further. Please pray that the headaches go away so that we can go home tomorrow after our last chemo.

We took the above shot at St. Jude last year and thought it was perfectly appropriate!

Nuff Said

2011-12-15T09:50:00.000-08:00

24 Hours Later and an Update

2011-12-14T10:46:00.000-08:00

November 16, 2011 was yet another sad day for our family. We learned that the cancer had returned and Emilie would have to undergo more treatment. Really? How could this be? After 17 months of remission, how could this be? Our life was back to normal...school, friends, shopping trips to the mall, swimming, baseball games, etc. While we were wallowing in "why us?", Emilie was on to something more productive...thinking of others. You see, the following day, we had a consult with our oncologist and Emilie would miss her Operation Christmas Child packing party at school. Two weeks prior, we spent a good chunk of time at the Target Dollar Spot picking out items to fill her boxes, making sure that the the items were fun and useful. Less than 24 hours following the news, Emilie decided that we needed to shop for more OCC boxes before travelling to Packard for our consult. Off to Kmart and to the Dollar Store where once again, Emilie carefully picked special items for kids in other countries. Amazing! Emilie continues to inspire me with her positive attitude and her quiet trust and faith in God!! Here is a quick shot from my phone of Emilie preparing her boxes.

I don't think Emilie knows this scripture in her head, but it just has to be in her heart.

We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again. 2 Cor 4:8-9 CEV

Here's the update...Emilie had one week of chemo over Thanksgiving and weekly IT chemo (in her spinal fluid) in hopes of putting that nasty cancer in remission. If her tests results show that she is in remission, she will undergo an bone marrow transplant in January 2012. This will require chemo, full body radiation, bone marrow transplant and a 4-6 week stay at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. Our sweet Nicolas is Emilie's donor and he will have to have a few tests with a short procedure to harvest his bone marrow. He is excited to help Emilie and is not afraid of what's ahead. We will be living at the Palo Alto Ronald McDonald house for about 60 days following our stay at LPCH since Emilie's immune system will be at "zero". They want us close to the hospital in the event of a fever. If all goes as planned, we could be home 100 days from transplant. Emilie will be in isolation mode for approximately 6-12 months, which will be made better with Facetime and Skype. (Email me for video chat info). That's alot of "if thens", so we are taking everything day by day and sometimes hour by hour.
We would so appreciate your prayers regarding...
1.) the cancer is destroyed
2.) chemo, radiation and transplant go well with no events
3.) Emilie stays joyful and positive
4.) the boys stay on track with school and sports while we are gone
5.) strength, health and endurance for Nana

I will leave you with our first ever professionally photographed family shot by Michelle Riddle taken only four days prior to learning that the cancer returned. (Michelle selflessly donated a portion of all her family Christmas sessions to Cookies for Kids Cancer... thank you Michelle.)
Please, please, I encourage you to spend the time, the money, and the anxiety to do this for yourself and your family. Trust me on this one!!

Moments

2011-11-25T16:10:00.000-08:00

In the happy moments, praise God.

In the difficult moments, seek God.

In the quiet moments, trust God.

In EVERY moment, THANK God.

So grateful for moments, all of them...the good, bad and ugly.

Goodbye Navigator

2011-10-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

Our time at Navigator Drive has come to an end. Farewell wonderful house, you served us well!

Friday Fotos

2011-08-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

Big news of the week.....

We have a high schooler in the house.

Emilie is standing with her right knee unassisted. Woo Hoo!

The Only Thing That Hasn't Changed....

2011-08-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

...is his haircut!

I've got lots of feelings on Paul's first day of HIGH SCHOOL, but I'm just so grateful that I get to be his mom. Happy first day of high school Paul. Love you lots!!!

The Sky Is The Limit

2011-08-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

1. Neat isle at our local Mexican market.
2. Local beach mural.
3. Artwork spotted in our church's parking lot.
4. New shoes for Emilie, but way too big...mine now.
5. Straight leg braces and first time on forearm crutches!!!!! Wow, Emilie is walking beautifully. Bob, the brace man, told Emilie that with her new braces, "The Sky Is The Limit"!! Thank you God for muscle return and perseverance!!
6. Night off from cooking.
7. Super cute iPod case for Emilie.
8. School supplies.
9. Swimming with Sandy.

All I've Got...

2011-07-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

This is all I've got for the ~~week~~ last three weeks. Lots of photos, but this is the best and the most important of the lot. I found this quote by Kay Warren on Stephanie's blog, Homegrown Hospitality, and I knew it had a home on our chalkboard! So perfect!

Friday Fotos

2011-06-30T22:07:00.000-07:00

Oops, Friday Fotos on Saturday!

2011-06-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

Still loving my iPhone and Instagram App. Makes me happy, happy, happy!

Friday Fotos

2011-06-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

So, I have been following this blog, My Home Sweet Home, and I just love Dawn's Camera Phone Friday. Any blog with great photos pulls me in and Dawn has such wonderful photography and editing skills!!!! I absolutely L O V E my iPhone and love that I can capture life quickly and anywhere without lugging my "big girl" camera. Oh, and Instagram....I really don't have to say more. It's the little things in life! Please join me and put your iPhone/Instagram addiction to good use....

Baseball, Meat Trays, Funerals and Gratitude

2011-06-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

I get lots of ideas for blog posts while just doing life. Today as I watched the Giants game and the after game show, I got one more thought for this long overdue post. The announcers were talking about Ryan Vogelsong, the old guy, almost has-been pitcher for the Giants, who obviously has never given up. Never give up! This is a family phrase that we have said for many years, but especially for the last year. Never give up! We, especially Emilie, have been on a wild ride this year, but we have never given up. Never given up on God, never given up hope, never given up our faith....never given up. When Emilie was diagnosed last year, I tried to explain the situation to the boys. I explained that Emilie was a 2 strike hitter and she was battling at the plate. Each successful treatment, MRI, procedure, etc. was a foul tip and she was waiting for that perfect pitch that would put her safely on base. We are all "2 strike hitters" in this life, so never give up.

This month is a month of celebration. Celebrating life, family, birthdays and graduation. Paul is graduating middle school and we are so proud of him. It has been a crappy year for him and he has dealt with it beautifully. As I was at our local market ordering a meat tray for the graduation ceremony, a lady next to me was ordering food for a funeral. I thought, wow, I could be here ordering food for a funeral, but God has given us another year of life. Life that is not taken for granted. Life that is celebrated daily. Life...live it!

One year ago today, we faced a very scary diagnosis. In looking back, I am grateful. Not for the diagnosis or the stuff we had to deal with, but for the Grace that God gave us to live minute by minute with hope and faith. We have learned to be grateful in all things and to wake up and experience the blessings in life.

Go out and live life big, love on people just because and wake up to the blessings all around you!!

So Undeserving Part 3

2011-04-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

So undeserving of this gift, this gift that is free for all of us sinners. The Lord Jesus paid our debt of sin on the cross and, if we receive Him, we are free to enjoy God's love and live in His favor....FOREVER.

God's Grace is truly amazing!!

We are undeserving and so very grateful!

You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about. Ephesians 2:8-9

So Undeserving Part 2

2011-04-23T08:47:00.000-07:00

So undeserving of a "Wish" donated by total strangers whom we will never meet to thank personally. Selfless strangers making a wish come true. We are undeserving and so very grateful!

So Undeserving Part 1

2011-04-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

So undeserving of the love, concern and care shown by our "Purple Peeps" who began loving on us when Emilie was first diagnosed back in June 2010. 95% of the "Purple Peeps" were total strangers to us until 2 weeks ago when we were fortunate to meet them at one of their training sessions. Thank you "Purple Peeps" for the countless emails, the wonderful gifts and for walking and running to end blood cancers. We are undeserving and so very grateful!

Fourteen

2011-04-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

Happy, happy birthday Paul! You are growing up to be a wonderfully kind, caring and helpful young man. Thank you for being "you"! You bring lots of happiness and joy to our lives. We love you so very much!

Eleven

2011-04-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to our Supergirl! We are so blessed to have you in our lives. In the last year, you have shown us how to love, how to be courageous, how to trust God, how to persevere, how to endure, how to be grateful, and how to be joyful! You are amazing, Emilie! Thank you for being the very special "you" that you are! We love, love, love you so very much!

HAPPY * HAPPY * HAPPY

2011-04-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

Happy is what these shots make me feel! Thank you Pascale Wowak for the dose of happiness!

The Crazy Train Goes Green!

2011-03-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

Crafty Goodness!

2011-03-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Let's get crafting to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It's going to be a great day filled with a variety of crafts, snacks and girl chit-chat. Please join us. Email us at cc4charity @ aol . com for our address or more information.

26.2 + 13.1 = LOVE

2011-03-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

Really, 26.2 + 13.1 = LOVE, and it's also equivalent to HOPE.

Here are our TNT/LLS friends that are running and walking to find a cure for blood cancers. Please check out their fundraising pages and perhaps donate and leave a comment of encouragment. We have been touched by the love and support of our TNT/LLS friends, many we have never met in person. Thank you Chandra, Bobbie, Dana, Genine, Annie, Aunt Jen and Aunt Steph. We love you all!

Chandra's Fundraising Page can be found HERE.

Bobbie's Fundraising Page can be found HERE.

Dana's Fundraising Page can be found HERE.

Genine's Fundraising Page can be found HERE.

Not shown is Annie Warr who is a fellow Baymonte mom and quite the athlete.
Annie's Fundraising Page can be found HERE.

Aunt Steph's Fundraising Page can be found HERE.

This is Aunt Jen and she is a past TNTer. She and Uncle Mike are expecting their first child in September. We are so excited to meet Baby Borelli!

18

2011-02-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

Two weathered and dirty clothespins that endured days of rain, fog, wind, the heavy weight of wet clothes, bird poop and spider webs, yet are still standing together.

Standing firm rejoicing in Sunshine!

Happy Anniversary, Eric! Thanks for hanging on the clothesline with me! I love you!

Overwhelmed!

2011-02-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

We are O V E R W H E L M E D! Not by our daily life of school, therapy, sports, homework, preparing dinner, cleaning house or grocery shopping, but overwhelmed with GRATITUDE. Gratitude to God for His provisions, blessings and grace. We are also so grateful for so many wonderful people who have shown God's love to us by supporting our family. Specifically, our gratitude for the staff, students and families at Baymonte Christian School. This post has been in my head since Emilie went back to school at the end of January, but it's been hard to post. When Emilie went back to school, I felt like I was taking my first born to his first day of Kindergarten....nervous, anxious, sad! Was she going to be okay in her wheelchair? Would her classmates shun her? Would kids make fun of her very short hair? I sat in my car in the school parking lot with my cell phone clenched in my hand waiting for the call....the call that signaled "Help". No call came. I sat in my car in the school parking lot strategically parked so that I could see Emilie during lunch in the event that she needed "Help". No red flag waved. I finally dropped Emilie off at school yesterday and left the campus to run errands with my cell phone still clenched in my hand...no call came. I came to the realization that the staff, students and parents who supported and loved on our family during Emilie's treatment are the same staff, students and parents who are loving on Emilie and ensuring that she is safe at school.

Words can not adequately express the amount of gratitude that we have for everyone at Baymonte and for the love they have shown us in so many different ways.
We are thankful that our kids attend a school where the staff sincerely cares about their students and prays for their students.
We are thankful that the staff are accommodating Emilie and her needs.
We are thankful that the Student Council is selling "Emilie" bracelets to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
We are thankful that Emilie's classmates love her and help her.
We are thankful that Emilie was interviewed for a "Better Together" video by a couple of wonderfully sweet Baymonte moms.
We are thankful that "the boys" have been looked after by parents and staff.
We are thankful that the staff assisted "Nana" during our absence.
We are thankful that a Baymonte mom is running the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma society and has chosen Emilie as her honoree.
We are thankful that Emilie's friends "run" with her and make her feel "normal".
We are thankful that Baymonte families loved on Emilie during her treatment with "happy care packages".
We are thankful that parents and staff not only ask how Emilie is doing, but ask how our whole family is doing.
WE ARE GRATEFUL!!!!

Thank you Baymonte staff, parents and students! We have been challenged emotionally, physically and spiritually, but our hearts are happy due to your compassionate actions, your kind words and your endless prayers!

Always be joyful.
Never stop praying.
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Just Because...

2011-01-19T22:23:00.000-08:00

Woody and Buzz

2011-01-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

What a week! Emilie had a bone marrow aspirate, lumbar puncture, her last IT chemo on Monday and a brain/spine MRI on Wednesday. The results of her aspirate and LP both came back negative. Her MRI results, as read by our wonderful oncologist Dr. Phil, showed improvement. We will be meeting with our neurologist on Wednesday to further discuss. Thursday, we will be travelling back to TN for our last St. Jude visit, BBQ and of course, sweet tea! Thank you Jesus for negative test results and nerve regeneration!!!!

As I was preparing this post, Nicolas and Emilie were playing Wii Fit. Emilie received this as a birthday gift last year and is now unable to play most of it due to her legs not working. I was happy to see the above as I walked out of my office....Emilie is stearing the bike and Nicolas is doing the "propulsion running". I love the creative teamwork and the sweet bond between the two!!

When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles
From your nice warm bed
Just remember what your old pal said
You've got a friend in me

You've got troubles, well I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together and we see it through
You've got a friend in me

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Celebrate, It's EOT Day!

2011-01-12T08:58:00.000-08:00

On Monday, Emilie went to Stanford for an LP, BMA and IT chemo....standard procedures. As our nurse was going through the "pre-procedure checklist", the NP that was actually doing the procedure came in and declared "EOT". EOT? Yes, that is right, it was END OF TREATMENT day! Seven months after Emilie's diagnosis and she is finally done with treatment!!! The clinic visits and procedures will continue but the chemo gets to stay in the pharmacy! We are thankful to God that we have endured for the last seven months and that Emilie's test results have all come back negative. Emilie is scheduled for a MRI tonight to check the status of her legs. We are seeing improvement; please pray that the MRI also shows nerve restoration. Emilie is doing well in all areas. She is actually enjoying reading again and loves her newest class reading assignment. She has a wonderful appetite which makes my Italian heart very, very happy! Emilie is wrestling with Nicolas, crawling through the house and even keeping up during our weekly Nerf gun wars. Her hair is growing back and it's resembling the Erickson boys' buzz cuts! Life is good! Really, really good.
I found the above photo while looking through photos of Emilie from June and I thought it was perfect. The beautiful floral arrangement was from our friends "The Mitts" and I love how our "celebrate" is in the background.....CELEBRATE LIFE!

Happy 2011 and One Little Word

2011-01-01T14:03:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011 to all our family and friends. 2010 had it share of craziness, but we have been very blessed in so many ways. Thank you to everyone who loved on us by bringing and sending gifts and meals, providing rides for the boys, celebrating birthdays, hosting hotel sleepovers, giving swimming lessons, running/walking marathons, sending cards and emails, etc. A very huge thank you to Nana for putting her life on hold for the last 6 months so that she could take care of Paul and Nicolas. Thank you, Mom, we could not have made it this far without you. We love you. Another huge thank you goes to Auntie Vicki, who has been "homeless" for the last 6 months due to fire damage, but has been there to help Nana out with the boys. Thank you, Auntie Vicki, for all that you have done for us. We love you too! We pray for a healthy and joyful 2011 for you all!

For the last couple years, I have selected "one little word" for the new year. One word to think on and attempt to incorporate in my life. In the past, I have chosen such words a "joy" and "gratitude" and really tried to see and experience "the words". This year I am breaking the rules (really, there are no rules) and I have selected 5 little words:

Wherever you are, be there!

This book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, inspired me to "be present and be grateful". It is an amazing book and a very quick read. Life changing, really!

The Red Candy Dish

2010-12-26T19:22:00.000-08:00

The red candy dish...full of love, full of selflessness, full of compassion, full of caring...full of life. The red candy dish sat on Auntie Gemma's coffee table full of candy; candy to be enjoyed by all. My kids would enjoy their piece of candy during our visits to Auntie's house. They would always ask for more candy and I would always reply "no". Auntie would throw her hand in the air and say, "Aww, let 'em have another", and so they did. Auntie died the day that Emilie and I arrived in Tennessee. We did not tell Emilie as we did not want to upset her so far from home. Strangely, Emilie talked alot about Auntie while in Tennessee. After her NK cell infusion, Emilie had to have six injections every other day for two weeks. While waiting for the nurse to arrive with Emilie's second shot, Emilie talked about how Auntie endured daily insulin shots because she was a diabetic and at that point, she decided that if Auntie could give herself an injection everyday without complaining, she could do it too. Emilie then remembered the red candy dish that Auntie had and said that she so loved getting candy every time we went to Auntie's house. I squashed my emotions as we sat quietly. Emilie then said "Auntie was not a selfish person because she always had candy for kids even though she couldn't eat any of it herself because she had diabetes. By the way, how is Auntie doing?". Before I could answer, the nurse arrived and gave Emilie her shot to which she responded, "that wasn't so bad at all".

Auntie Gemma...full of love, full of selflessness, full of compassion, full of caring...full of life.

Joy To The World

2010-12-26T12:12:00.000-08:00

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

SOS

2010-12-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the day we depart this place. This place where we have been the recipients of such love and selfless giving. This place where we have heard stories of success and stories of sadness. This place where we have seen smiles breaking through the sadness.

SOS...I spotted this sign on a building in Memphis today as we took our last cruise through the city. I Googled it and found this: SOS = Service Over Self. (Read their story HERE ) Service over self? Service over self! So, this is what we have been witnessing in this place. Not from the SOS Organization, but from the many volunteers who serve at St. Jude and at the Ronald McDonald House. I can not adequately express how wonderfully we have been served here. Perhaps one day I can get the words out. The servers here aren't concerned about your skin color, your financial status, your marital status, your religious beliefs or your specific story...they just flat out care and serve selflessly to fill a need. We have heard many stories here.

The grandma with her nine year old grandson at a follow up visit for liver cancer. The boy's dad is not interested in being a dad and the mom has to work. Grandma is in charge. Grandpa just died and was the little boy's "papa". Twenty years earlier, Grandma was with her son at St. Jude while he battled the same liver cancer as her grandson. Grandson smiles and talks about bass fishing, grandma endures.

The toothless dad making frozen meals in the RMH kitchen for his daughter. They eat silently in the dining area and will be spending Christmas at RMH. Where is mom?

The 18 year old girl who loves softball and soccer. Chemo side effects led to blood clots in her heart resulting in open heart surgery. Steroid side effects which led to hip erosion; she now sports a new hip. A hip replacement that is usually seen in the elderly.

A cute two year old RMH neighbor whose face is swollen from steroids. His parents can not be older than 25.

A man-boy who has lived at RMH on and off for the last three years with his mom. He is wheelchair bound due to extreme pain in his legs. His mom cares for him and is half his size.

A sweet toddler, waving at every passer-by, with only one eye. His mom obviously hacked off at the world. Grandma is helping as best as she can.

Stories. We all have them. Share.
Our story in this place is not just a story of cancer treatment, but a story of seeing and experiencing deeply. We are deeply grateful for all things...the good, the bad and the ugly. In being grateful, we have experienced much joy!

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Job 8:21

Gratitude: A Morning in Memphis

2010-12-15T16:23:00.000-08:00

Sunny and 21F

2010-12-13T11:06:00.000-08:00

Still in TN...one more injection and then a few days of monitoring. The injections are to keep Emilie's newly acquired NK cells alive and fighting. Go NK Cells!

We are hoping to be home before Christmas. We had an early (8:30am) appointment this morning and the temperature was 21F. Sunny and freezing. Nice!

Photo courtesy of JcPenny photographer. Not the best photo, but I am grateful that Emilie and I are both in it!

Super Sonic Saturday!

2010-12-11T15:26:00.000-08:00

It's a super Sonic Saturday here in Memphis! A little grocery shopping, a little schoolwork, a little crafting and a little Sonic sweet tea cut in half. Maybe 44 ounces shouldn't be considered "little". It's okay, the cup was half filled with "perfectly engineered ice". Great day!

Whassup Paul Sr??

2010-12-09T18:45:00.000-08:00

After our many appointments at St. Jude, Emilie and I stumbled upon a St. Jude shindig. We entered the pavilion, tried to navigate through the crowd and then we decided to leave because there were just too many people. On the stage we saw important looking folks speaking about who knows what. Well, we stayed a bit longer and they introduced Paul Sr. from OCC. I quickly took a few shots and then Emilie and I left with a giggle. Paul Sr.....really?

Just A Glimpse....

2010-12-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

...of God's love. I could write a book about God's love shown through the people of Tennessee. I am amazed daily at the love and kindness that folks have shown to us from the medical staff here at St. Jude to the strangers who decorated the RMH for Christmas. Amazing! I/we have never been on the receiving end of such love and selfless giving.
So, what's this Santa have to do with God's love? A few days after arriving at the RMH, Emilie and I learned that there would be a sale of past RMH Christmas decor. Having not much to do and not wanting to pass up a sale, we checked it out. There wasn't a whole lot of good stuff, but we did bring a small tree and a Grinch back to our room to add a little "Christmas" to Room #7. Emilie and I chatted with a RMH volunteer who told us that she had a daughter named Emily, a granddaugther that had ALL and a son who lived in the Bay Area. She was also kind enough to fill us in on some of the good local restaurants. The above Santa was standing on a table with some other stuff. I showed him to Emilie and told her that he reminded me of a Santa that my parents displayed every Christmas on the fireplace hearth. I shared with her my love of that Santa and how I would just sit and look at him when I was a kid. He was a gift that my parents received when I was 10 months old. Every year, Santa would stand on the hearth and every year I would sit and look at him. My mom displayed Santa every year, but after my dad passed away, Santa seemed to stay in his box during Christmas. We left the Christmas decor sale and went back to Room #7. Later that day, Emilie and I went for a little walk and checked our mail. We had a note in our mailbox that there was a package waiting for us at the front desk. We were both so excited thinking that perhaps Nana had sent us a care package of some sort. The volunteer at the desk, searched and searched for a package for Room #7 but came up empty handed. She then spoke with the other volunteer about the package that could not be found. Together they searched and searched and finally found the "package". The "package" was not a package at all, but rather the Santa that I was admiring at the Christmas decor sale. Immediately tears flowed from my eyes as I held the Santa. Emilie, being the funny kid that she is, started to giggle at me and ask me "why in the world are you crying over a silly Santa". I told her that it wasn't the Santa, but it was a message of love from God that showed up as a small act of kindness from a volunteer.

Our new fat man in a red suit is holding a big sign that reads

***God loves you....ALOT***

Can you see it?

All Systems "GO", We Have NK Cell Infusion 1717 Hours CST

2010-12-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

Today was the big day! Emilie had her NK cell infusion at 5:17p.m. today. The tech arrived with the NK cells in a small cooler ready to go. We asked him a few questions regarding the harvest and processing. The harvest was plentiful: 285,000,000 cells were harvested which is 4 times more than what they expect to harvest. The tech was very excited to have processed such a large amount of healthy NK cells. The processing took approximately 10 hours. The actual infusion was 10mL over three minutes. Emilie was on the monitor for two hours post infusion in the event of a reaction. Thankfully, she did really well and did not react to the cells. The first image above is the infusion showing the actual syringe with NK cells. The second image is our NK team: "NK Master" Carleton, Nurse Miranda and Nurse Wanda. The last image is post NK cell infusion recovery.

We are so grateful that God gave our doctors and researchers wonderfully creative and smart minds and that He gave us this opportunity to further eliminate any remaining cancers cells.

We have very happy hearts today and are singing this song.

My favorite Veggie Tales song, The Thankfulness Song"

I thank God for this day,
For the sun in the sky,
For my mom and my dad,
For my piece of apple pie!

For our home on the ground,
For His love that's all around,
That's why I say thanks every day!

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!
I'm glad for what I have,
Thats an easy way to start!

For the love that He shares
'Cause He listens to my prayers,
That's why I say thanks every day!

Go NK Cells, Go!

2010-12-06T18:34:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the 7th day of December.
Tomorrow is exactly 6 months from the date of Emilie's diagnosis (7th of June).
Tomorrow is the most important part of our St. Jude treatment.

Today, I had the NK (natural killer) cell collection process which turned out to be a piece of cake; a four hour piece of cake. The procedure filtered every ounce of my blood and my NK cells were "harvested". The cells will be processed tonight and tomorrow morning with Emilie's infusion being tomorrow afternoon. The infusion is actually about 5-10mL of cells that will be pushed through her line in about three minutes. Pretty easy!

My NK cell understanding is this...Emilie's NK cells did not see her cancer cells as "enemies", so they were allowed to grow crazy in her body. My NK cells are just different enough to see her cancer cells as "enemies". So, if there are any cancer cells that survived the chemo attack, my NK cells will seek and destroy them. Go NK cells go!

We are very grateful that this treatment was available and that we had a parental match. God is so good!
Please pray that 1.) the NK cells will identify, attack and kill any leftover cancer cells and that 2.) Emilie will not have any adverse reactions to the infusion.

This Is Why We Call Him "Uncle"

2010-12-03T09:34:00.000-08:00

This is my cousin Nick or as my kids call him, "Uncle" Nick. Nick recently shaved his head in support of Emilie. He took these shots of himself and posted them on Facebook. I just had to document his images and his words here. He is crazy fun and we all love him! Thanks for keeping us laughing Nick!

A Little Monkey Business

2010-12-02T15:49:00.000-08:00

Emilie and I visited the Memphis Zoo this last weekend and had a blast. The monkeys were the most fun to watch. This monkey came up to the window to see us and I am guessing it was a "she" because she was so darn friendly and cute. She knocked on the window to get Emilie's attention (missed that shot) and then she sat and gazed at Emilie. Emilie then put her hand to the glass and the monkey did the same. So sweet! When I had Emilie turn to me, the monkey knocked on the window again to get Emilie's attention back. Emilie just loved this interaction and I loved seeing it. Thanks nice Memphis monkey!

Erickson boys, you are going to love this. This monkey was a little bid odd, but seemingly pretty smart. It was by luck that I got these shots. This monkey obviously stepped in something (my guess...poop), stopped to look at it and then smelled it. Yucko! Here is where the monkey put her smart hat on....she found some gift basket filler to wipe it off with. Very funny; Emilie and I got a huge laugh out of this monkey!

Mosquitos and Fried Okra

2010-11-30T19:17:00.000-08:00

This morning we were told that the chemo and subsequent NK therapy was on hold due to Emilie testing positive for the West Nile Virus. West Nile Virus? How crazy is that? We see one mosquito a month in Scotts Valley. What we learned was that WNV can cause havoc, very serious havoc, in patients with compromised immune systems. The NK therapy uses immune suppression to ready the body to accept the NK cells; Emilie's counts are looking great now, but the chemo would drop her counts quickly. Eric and I were very upset that this therapy would not be an option for Emilie. As I sat here, a little irritated with visits from infectious disease docs, nuerologists and oncologists, I reminded myself that God is in charge even in the midst of total chaos and confusion. I entrusted Emilie and her medical treatment to God. Still irritated and a little angry, I thought through the logistics of packing our belongings here at the hospital and at the RMH, returning a rental car not at the airport, hitching a ride to the airport and then managing my Supergirl through the airport, through (annoying) security and on the airplane by myself. Questions from Eric that I couldn't answer were irritating me too. I couldn't wait until the attending oncologist came through the door so that I could give him Eric's phone number so that he could answer all his questions. Six hours after the WNV news, the doc did walk through the door with the news that Emilie's WNV results were recorded in error and that, in fact, she was tested negative for the WNV. Tears of happiness flowed and I was so full of gratitude that God was still really in control and that Emilie would still have the opportunity to have the NK treatment. Both Emilie and I have more testing, but are so close to the end. Emilie started her chemo today and did great with her first dose. She still has a great appetite...that's where the fried okra comes in. Dinner for Miss Emilie tonight consisted of a huge hot dog, chocolate shake, a push up and fried okra. So y'all, I leave you with this scripture, which I posted as a self-reminder but if it works for you...RIGHT ON! (Please no grammatical judgement from all our wonderful readers in education.)

We L O V E Ronald McDonald And His House In Memphis

2010-11-28T21:13:00.000-08:00

We arrived in TN last Monday and it has been a crazy week of tests, appts, tests, appts, tests and appts. The first three days here were super busy, but the last few days have been pretty relaxing. We will be going inpatient tomorrow for a week and then back to the Ronald McDonald House where we have been staying since our arrival. Lots of words are flowing through my head, but I'll let these photos do the talking.

These girls spent some time chatting with us. They were with a church from KY that served lunch to the families of RMH. Very sweet and kind girls. The girl on the left talked to Emilie about cancer and chemo and told her that she understood because her dad had cancer. She told Emilie that she would pray for her. Such a composed and mature girl, especially at the age of 13 and without a dad.

The following shots were taken by Emilie around RMH. I love her perspective! This swing shot is my favorite.

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

2010-11-21T19:18:00.000-08:00

As I was sitting in my office attempting to come up with a title for this post, I heard the Erickson kids singing "Celebrate Good Times, Come On!". Perfect title! Many of you know we have a sign in our kitchen reading "celebrate" and that is exactly what we did last night. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner yesterday with our "crazy train" family! The Borelli boys did a great job with the bird, pumpkin pies and almond brittle. We even turned out the lights and opened the slider to enjoy the rain, thunder and lightening. There's a reason we call ourselves the "crazy train". Emilie's oncologist emailed yesterday to let us know that her cerebrospinal fluid was free from disease and that her bone marrow aspirate showed "recovering cells, all normal and expected cell types, no disease". Such great news and a perfect reason to celebrate! We are grateful for our family and friends who have made our journey thus far very easy and are ultimately grateful to God for giving us the strength and the courage to face each day. I will leave you with the best photo I got today while trying to get a good Christmas card shot of the KIDS.

Where oh where could those Erickson boys be?

Rockin' the Dockers

2010-11-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

Love this! The guy "rockin' his Dockers" is so Eric, right down to the dorky cell phone holder and goatee!

We Are...

2010-11-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

That's right, Emilie and I will be flying to Memphis on Monday in search of Elvis! Elvis? Really? Maybe, but we are primarily in search of some great natural killer cells to attack any remaining stubborn cancer cells in Emilie. We will be gone for a month, but only inpatient for a week. We would so appreciate prayer for travel safety, no adverse effects from chemo (Emilie will have some mild chemo prior to NK cell transfusion) and most importantly that my NK cells will not do harm to Emilie but rather will attack and kill any remaining cancer cells.

Farmer McNugget and The Interview

2010-11-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

I am happy to introduce to you....Farmer McNugget. Nicolas was Farmer McNugget in his Thanksgiving play at school and he was a super cute farmer. The whole family, including Nana, was able to make his performance and he was so happy to see everyone in the crowd. Nicolas was standing next to a little boy during his performance and he told me that he helps him in class from time to time. I asked him why he helps him and he simply answered "he needs help". No judgement, no criticism, no nothing! Just simply "he needs help". What a lesson I learned today from Nicolas: don't complain, don't question, don't judge...just help! Thank you God for using Farmer McNugget to show me how to love and serve selflessly!

Emilie was happy to be back at school for Nicolas' performance. She was able to see her classmates, Mr. Ward and teachers from previous years. She was so perky after visiting school. She is looking forward to returning in January. Today was Emilie's big interview with Mrs. Siemsen. Mrs. Siemsen asked Emilie about her cancer, how it has changed her, and how was life in a wheelchair. Emilie answered that she is not afraid of anything now, that her faith has grown and that being in a wheelchair is not much different that not being in a wheelchair. Emilie continues to amaze me with her positive, non-complaining attitude. God has really given her a great attitude through this journey and I am so proud of her perseverence and courage.

Go Emilie Go!

(Yucky shots in low light with high ISO....Santa, if you are listening, a new camera, lens, etc. would be greatly appreciated.)

Who Loves You Baby?

2010-11-14T14:58:00.000-08:00

Lord, you are good.

You are forgiving.

You are full of love for all who call out to you.

Psalm 86:5

Box+Tube+Magnifying Glass+Curiosity=Budding Photographer

2010-11-13T08:43:00.000-08:00

Last week Nicolas came home with the Super Scientist backpack from his class. His assignment was to choose an experiment, practice it home and then demonstrate it to his class. Before Nana picked him up from school, he had chosen the "Construct a Camera" experiment. I really thought he would have chosen something that exploded or oozed, but no, he went for the camera. With the help of dad, Nicolas built his camera from a cardboard tube, empty tissue box, magnifying glass, vellum and tape. He donned the super scientist coat and gave me a few shots of his creation. His teacher was thrilled with his selection as he was the first child to build a camera. Nice Nic, nice!!!

You can actually see the inverted image that appeared on the vellum.

It's Ashton Gillin Day!

2010-11-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest news about Ashton! He is a sweet little guy that has endured 2 years of chemo, pokes, prods, scans and recently got his feeding tube removed. It's a wonderful day for Ashton and his family. They have come a very long way and endured alot of pain and sadness. Thanks Gillins for your encouragement and support and we pray for many many more "Ashton Gillin Days"! Thanks Ashton for your cute smiles that makes Emilie so happy every time she sees you!
Here is the first post I posted about Ashton. Go leave some "love" on their blog!

* 5 * Peeps * 12 * Times *

2010-11-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

September 2010 has come and gone with no family photo (my toes are proof that I was here for September 2010...need to work on handing my camera to others). This is the best I have and I am totally okay with it. September 2010 = chemo, school, homeschool, football, fly-in and baseball. Life is good!

Giants Anthem, Erickson Style!

2010-11-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day in baseball history as the Giants won the 2010 World Series. Emilie and I are still at SCVMC for rehab so we enjoyed the game here, while the boys and Nana watched the game at home. The boys went nuts in the street, banging pots and pans and screaming with the neighbors. Good, good fun! We are thrilled with the win, but are already missing baseball! When's opening day?

While Emilie was out on a day pass this last Sunday, we made this video which is a take off Ashkon's video. (See previous post. I still don't know who this Ashkon guy is.) So fun. Nicolas as Brian Wilson just cracked me up, although, I think the rally thong was getting to him.

Backing up to Saturday. Emilie had a half day pass so we celebrated at Buca's with Nana, AV, Mike, Nick, Jen and Kate. I so love my family even as crazy as we are. Fake birthdays, baseball and pasta...all to celebrate life and family!

Go Giants!

2010-10-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

Go Giants!
We left LPCH on Monday and arrived at SCVMC on Monday for rehab. Emilie started her workouts today and is working out 3 hours a day. So far, so good.
Go Giants!

Gotta Have Faith!

2010-10-19T21:06:00.000-07:00

The Sky's A-Falling!

2010-10-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

Henny Penny was so, so wrong. The sky is really not falling...it's just a yummy acorn from the chocolate tree. I borrowed this idea from Joy's Hope and Lipstick and Laundry and signed Supergirl and Frosting up at the acorn factory. Paul was my quality control guy. Simple: Nutella, mini vanilla wafers and kisses. Nothing better on a cloudy fall day!

Nicolas obviously didn't read the memo regarding the food safey training class. Geez, wash your hands dude! However, I do love the writing on his forearm. He told me it was his new tattoo and it reads "I love Mom love Nicolas".

Thank You!

2010-10-16T22:19:00.000-07:00

As I am writing this, lots of folks are gearing up for the San Francisco Nike Marathon to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society which is tomorrow. We want to thank Auntie Jen, Auntie Steph, Chandra, Bobbie, Vanessa and Vanessa's sister for raising funds and running/walking for LLS. We are so very grateful for your efforts! We also want to thank all of our family and friends that have supported these runners in their fundraising efforts!! Here is how your donation helps:

$1000 Supports one week’s salary for a medical researcher at UCSF, Stanford, or Berkeley who may discover key information to developing curative treatments for blood cancers.

$500 Provides a blood cancer patient with financial assistance for one year to help with transportation and co-pays.
$200 Funds one Family Support Group meeting of 9-15 participants; the SF Bay Area chapter has 9 monthly support group meetings.
$150 Allows 5 patients to make a First Connection with a trained peer volunteer.
$100 Provides 3 patients access to an information teleconference.
$75 Is the average cost of tissue typing to become a bone marrow donor.
$50 Is the cost of a CT scan.
$40 Is the cost of sending a comprehensive packet of information for children with cancer.
$35 Pays for transportation expenses for a patient living in Northern California’s most rural areas to treatment at a comprehensive cancer center.
$25 Covers a single prescription co-payment.
$5 Is the cost of sending a newly diagnosed patient information about support and their disease
So, again, thank you TNTers and thanks to those who donated. We are moved by your love!!

Last week while staying at "the resort" waiting for Emilie's counts to recover, Emilie accompanied one of our favorite doctors to speak to a group of Team in Training ladies. Dr. Jeng spoke about how the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society helps at Stanford and Emilie spoke a little bit about her journey. I was very proud of Emilie as she was able to speak confidently and honestly about her cancer. At one point, a TNTer/cancer survivor asked Emilie if she had to have many lumbar punctures. Emilie answered yes, but they weren't that bad and she kind of enjoyed counting when they gave her anesthesia. That is my girl, always looking on the bright side of life. Getting back to Dr. Jeng. Dr. Jeng was the doctor that admitted Emilie back in June and we couldn't have asked for a better doctor to do that hard job. Dr. Jeng is very intelligent, compassionate, kind and loving and he truly cares for his patients. Dr. Jeng is not Emilie's primary oncologist, but he is one of our favorite doctors. In addition to being a fantastic person, Dr. Jeng is also a TNTer and has run many marathons. Thank you Dr. Jeng for loving on Emilie and our family!!!

Happy Birthday and Weekly Gratitude!

2010-10-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's my Auntie Vicki's birthday today and we celebrated yesterday here at the hospital with a lovely lunch at the LPCH cafeteria followed by a yummy assortment of birthday cakes. Now you can cross "celebrate birthday at LPCH" off your bucket list! Glad we could help you with that one. Happy Birthday Auntie Vicki...we love you.

At the beginning of the year I started documenting my weekly gratitude. Well, I am not caught up, but decided to continue as I have lots of time on my hands and many, many things to be grateful for.

Here goes...

Speaking of gratitude, I just read this quote in Holy Experience, my new favorite blog.

“The more I study gratitude, the more I have come to believe that an authentic, deeply held sense of gratefulness toward life may require some degree of contrast or deprivation.

One truly appreciates a mild spring after a harsh winter, a gourmet meal following a fast….Some blessings are not known until they are lost.

[In the study of individuals with neuromuscular diseases, researchers]
“were also struck by the redemptive twist that occurred in nearly one-half of these narratives:
out of something bad (suffering, adversity, affliction) comes something good (new life, new opportunities) for which the person feels profoundly grateful.”
~ Richard Emmons

Just Because It's Orange October!

2010-10-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

We are still in the hospital...waiting, patiently waiting for Emilie's counts to recover. We have even started to do the "Bone Marrow Dance" and have seen her WBC (white blood count) go from 0.2 to 0.4. Nothing to do with the Bone Marrow Dance, but rather God's hand at work.

As ~~our~~ my patience is tested, our gratitude list continues to grow.....
**Emilie's attitude and appetite are still great and she has been fever free since we were admitted.
**Emilie is attending Stanford (hospital school that is) and getting caught up with her school work. Her classmates vary in grades from 5th to 12th and she really loves going to school with the big kids. She even wants to hang out in the cafeteria with the kids between school sessions. She told me I could be in the cafeteria too, but that I had to sit far away. Boo Hoo!
**Emilie is getting multiple physical therapy treatments per day.
**Emilie and I are doing some fun art projects at the Forever Young Zone daily. I'm still waiting to see Steve Young.
**We have seen lots of Giants baseball and have made fast friends with our nurses who are also Giants fans.

Emilie will have her next IT chemo/LP on Friday as well as a bone marrow aspirate. Please pray that the IT chemo does not have any funky effects on Emilie and that we get to go home in the near future.

Gulfstream 777EE to San Francisco Tower....

2010-10-05T15:58:00.000-07:00

...requesting immediate landing due to impatience.
Emilie is still in the hospital waiting for her counts to recover. Emilie is keeping busy with school and activities at the Forever Young Zone. (I'm still waiting for Steve Young to drop in while we are busy making tissue paper flowers.) School is great here. Emilie is able to work on her Baymonte curriculum with (almost) one on one attention. She loves it and even wants to go to the morning session which is saying alot as she is not an early riser.
Some time ago our family was discussing something (don't even remember what) and Emilie stated, "It's not all about me?". Such an amazing statement coming from her and it got me thinking about life and getting back to our "regularly scheduled program". Yes, our life is different now and yes, it will probably continue to change, but it is not about just one of us. Emilie is correct, it's about all of us; all 5 of us! So, here we go...back to the original "The Erickson All-Stars" blog and what better way to start with a couple shots of Nicolas and Paul and their street graffiti.

In A Holding Pattern

2010-10-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Emilie had a blip of a fever last week, which took us back to the hospital until her counts recover (SOP). She has not had a fever since and she's feels great. It's going to be a long week! Please pray for really fast count recovery so we can get out of our holding pattern.

Helpie Helperton

2010-09-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

This morning Emilie was a little nauseous and had some vomiting. Nicolas was hovering while I was helping her. He left the room and came back 15 minutes later with a clipboard in hand. The above reads: "EmiliE brFe one. Two.". Translation: Emilie barf one two. I keep a daily log of Emilie's meds, food and fluid intake, temperature and miscellaneous notes (such as vomiting, etc.) and it seems that someone has been watching me....and watching me very closely. Thank you Helpie. You are truly a sweet, caring kid!

Run Forest Run!

2010-09-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

We are home again! Yippee! When we are discharged, I feel like Forest Gump running out of the hospital but lugging duffel bags, a backpack, a laptop, a purse and pushing Emilie in a wheelchair! Comical!

Speaking of running and walking, I'd like to share two very special people with you. First up is our wonderful cousin-in-law / Aunt Jen! Aunt Jen is running to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and is doing a great job in training for her first half marathon!! Here is a bit from her fundraising page.

Hello Everyone,
Thank you so much for visiting my Team in Training (TNT) fundraising website. I joined TNT in an effort to help raise money for blood cancer research and in honor of my ten year old niece, Emilie, who was recently diagnosed with Leukemia. Please revisit this website to check for updates on my progress in training for the Nike half marathon in San Francisco.
Thank you in advance for your donation and your support.
Love,
Jennifer
Go visit her fundraising page!

Second up is Chandra!

Chandra is essentially a stranger (friend of Auntie Steph's) who has taken Emilie as her personal honoree and is "walking like a girl to save lives!!" Here is a bit from her fundraising page.

Welcome family and friends to my Team In Training/Leukemia Society (TNT/LLS) 2010 home page!!

Sunday, September 19th.

WOW....4 weeks and counting until the Nike Women's Marathon. I cannot believe it is almost here!! This season's team is amazing and being Honoree Captain this season has brought the meaning of the cause so much closer to my heart. Bringing our honoree's stories to the team has given all of us the extra push we need to train each Saturday morning (bright and early) and to fund raise. We have been so fortunate to have some of our honorees come out to our trainings to not only help out at water stops but some also are able to train with us. What an inspiration they are to us. This season we have 2 children who are team honorees, Emilie who is 10 and Dylan who is 8. I long for the day we find a cure....no one should endure having cancer but especially not a child.

Thank you for joining in my efforts to find a cure!!!!
Go visit her fundraising page and read more of her story.

As recipients of leading edge leukemia treatments, we know how critical it is to fund programs in order to continue research and find a cure for leukemia and lymphoma. Speaking of leading edge treatments, we just found out that Emilie will be undergoing Natural Killer Cell Therapy in St. Jude's Hospital in Tennessee. She will have this treatment after her final chemo treatment at LPCH. This is truly a blessing as not everyone can get this treatment. It turns out that my natural killer cells will be used in Emilie's blood to kill any cancer cells that are hanging around. It has been used on ten kids and has been successful on all ten. Emilie will be the first patient from LPCH to undergo this treatment. We are very excited and very grateful that this treatment is available for Emilie.

So, that's the excitement for the week! Run Jen Run! Walk Chandra Walk!

Please consider making a donation to LLS by visiting either Jen's or Chandra's fundraising page.

We appreciate you Jen and Chandra and are grateful for your LLS fundraising efforts.

Make It Count

2010-09-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

"Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see." Corrie ten Boom

Quick update....Emilie is back home after 2.5 days of chemo. We will return on Monday for the last 2.5 days of chemo of her second to last treatment. The treatment consisted of four doses of high dose chemo which made us a little nervous, but she has done fine so far. She is sleeping as I type. Yes, I know it's 10:11 a.m., but the girl deserves a good rest. The hospital is no place for rest or privacy. It's a joy to be home again.

Speaking of "making it count", read a few posts on this blog. I have been moved by reading this blog and by so many people who are "making it count".

I've Got Nothing To Say....

2010-09-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Only because I know nothing about football. Wait, I do know "something" about football and I do have something to say...
#87 looks great (think gazelle) running in his football gear and
#87 knocked an opponent down who just happened to be running with the football and
#87 happens to be the sweetest 13 year old I know.

Photos courtesy of E^2.

Rad + Awesome = Rawsome

2010-09-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

Emilie loves to cook and had a last minute idea to play "Chopped" at home. Nana was at the store picking up some groceries for us when Emilie called her to bring home three mystery ingredients. Nana brought home a white cake mix, chocolate chips and walnuts. She went to town making a white cupcake topped with faux chocolate ganache and a candied walnut. The girl loves to create in the kitchen!

Out of the blue, Emilie told me that it was "so rad and awesome" that she has been home 25 days without getting sick. I agreed and together we called it "RAWSOME". The "rawsomeness" will come to an end on Monday when she goes in for her second to last chemo treatment. I guess it's really still "rawsome" in that we can see the light at the end of the chemo tunnel. She will be having a high dose chemo, so please pray that her little body handles it well and that she has no funky side effects.

Peeps and Flying Machines

2010-09-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

My favorite people at one of my favorite airports watching my favorite flying machines!

EKG, Echocardiogram and a Quick Pity Party

2010-09-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Emilie had to have an EKG and echocardiogram. Nothing new, just tests that are done prior to each chemo treatment. As she was having her echo in the darkened room, while happily watching Hannah Montana, I was having a pity party for us without the cake and balloons. I wondered why this child of mine had to go through cancer and why I had to sit and watch her heart working on a monitor. In the last three months, I have seen images of practically every part of her body. Really?? I thought the only ultrasound images that I should have to experience are those during pregnancy. As the tech did her job, I quickly left our pity party and realized that I was witnessing a perfectly designed heart.
A heart made by the God who loves Emilie very much!
A heart that has endured horrible cancer meds.
A heart that has endured a lot of sadness.
A heart that loves others.
A heart made by God!

I thought of my "Emilie" pregnancy and how I loved hearing her heart beat at each doctor's visit and how I loved seeing her little body in the ultrasound images. While pregnant with Emilie, I had a favorite song by Steven Curtis Chapman call Fingerprints of God. The lyrics perfectly matched my feelings and since I'm not that great with "words", I planned on using the lyrics on a scrapbook page documenting Emilie's life in my belly. Never got to the scrapbook page, but since this blog is our new scrapbook.....here goes!

Never has there been and never again

Will there be another you

Fashioned by God's hand and perfectly planned

To be just who you are

And what He's been creating

Since the first beat of your heart

Is a living, breathing

Priceless work of art

And I can see the fingerprints of God

When I look at you

I can see the fingerprints of God

And I know it's true

You're a masterpiece that all creation

Quietly applauds

And you're covered with

The fingerprints of God

The Back To School Monkeys

2010-09-01T11:34:00.000-07:00

Every year on the first day of school, the "back to school monkeys" arrive. They visit for a quick 10 minutes and then they are off to ~~the zoo~~ school. "Back to school" is a bit different today. Paul (8th grade) and Nicolas (1st grade) will be going back to school and Emilie will be starting at the "Erickson Academy". As the boys got their backpacks and supplies ready, Emilie organized her desk with her school supplies, text books and workbooks. The kids' school, Baymonte Christian School, has been very helpful and accommodating regarding Emilie's education. I will be her teacher while she is at home and at the hospital. Her real teacher, Mr. Ward, is super (he was Paul's 5th grade teacher as well)! Emilie is really excited to get back to school and experience 5th grade with Mr. Ward and her friends. Paul does a great impression of Mr. Ward ("Mr. Ward, Mr. Ward, my brain is on fire!") which I'm sure he will say to Emilie daily. We are truly blessed to have the support and love from the Baymonte staff as well as the Baymonte families!

Love this...Emilie's posing and the boys are goofing around. So typical!

* 5 * Peeps * 12 * Times *

2010-08-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Here is our * 5 * Peeps * 12 * Times * photo for August. I am super grateful to have another family photo!! Emilie is still home (2 weeks as of tomorrow), fever free and doing well. Her next chemo treatment is tentatively scheduled for Friday and her last LP showed that her spinal fluid is clear of cancer cells!!!! Nicolas is home from "Nurse Nana's" and the house is full of wonderful noise. He lost his first tooth while at Nana's. Nana told him that the tooth fairy that visits her house only leaves a quarter, so he brought his tooth home to place under his pillow because he was hoping for "20 bucks"! Paul is busy with football and baseball. He is enjoying football although I am not liking the bruises he comes home with.

Life is good! Really, really good!

Words

2010-08-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

Word art using Bendaroos by Emilie.

These are the words of a girl with leukemia.
These are the words of a girl who must use a wheelchair because her legs are not "working".
These are the words of a girl who has thinning hair.
These are the words of a girl who spent the majority of her summer vacation in a hospital.
These are the words of a girl who will not start school with her classmates and friends.

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Philippians 4:8 (The Message)

"Normal" Is So Overrated!

2010-08-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

**Update 8/22 @ 2:13 pm**

Nicolas' blood test came back NORMAL!!!! Thank you Jesus!!!

We have redefined normal in our family. Actually, everyday "normal" takes on a new meaning. Today our "normal" is....
Nicolas is still sick with a fever and some "junk" in his lungs and is now on a second antibiotic. We requested a blood test just because we are overly concerned. He is still banished to Nana's where he is well taken care of, loved and nourished. My mom is and always has been a great nurse; lots of sodas, popsicles, saltine crackers and TV. Nicolas has been living with my mom for almost a week and just told my mom today that he hasn't seen his mom in FIVE days. Makes me sad! Please pray that Nicolas' blood test comes back fine and that the second antibiotic works. Please also pray that Nana stays healthy and sane!
Paul's "normal" is living here during the days and then going to our local motel to swim and spend the night with Grandma Marlene. She has been here for a week helping out and is now at Costco with Paul getting things we will need for the week. Paul has been going to football during the week, mowing our lawns and hanging out with his friends.
Emilie's "normal" is actually pretty normal for Emilie. She continues to do well at home: no fever and no sickness. She had a visit from the Make-A-Wish organization this morning and is so excited for her "wish". Emilie continues to have a great attitude and is so full of spunky goodness despite not being able to walk. She sings and laughs almost all day. Amazing! I just love this girl and her attitude encourages and inspires me every day!
Eric and I have never been normal...enough said! Really, I have been having a difficult time with Nicolas being sick, Emilie's challenges, not connecting much with Paul and generally being totally out of control. The "funk" has finally departed and a first hospital memory came to mind. The early morning that we were admitted to LPCH intensive care unit we had a very sweet, comforting nurse that was wearing a bracelet that read "Be still and know that I am God". That was the first thing I saw when she examined Emilie. Amongst the chaos, God let me know that He was there with us! This is a verse that I need to have tattooed on my arm!

Be still and know that I am God!
Psalm 46:10

All You Need Is Love and ...

2010-08-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

Art!
Today seemed to be a good day to break out the art supplies and create.
A quick update....Emilie was readmitted to Stanford on 8/10 for a lumbar puncture, bone marrow aspirate and a round of chemo. She was admitted earlier than planned due to her counts being "good". We spent a mere 6 days in the hospital and are now back at home. The results from Emilie's procedures have come back negative and we are so grateful! She is doing great regarding the leukemia and we are still praying that God restores her legs to "soccer status"! Oh happy day! Our Frosting, however, decided that he was going to get sick. He has been banished to Nana's for recovery. Stay tuned for the next update.

May God, the source of H O P E, fill you with J O Y and P E A C E through your F A I T H in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

The Good, The Bad and The Chicken Pot Pie

2010-08-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

The Good....Emilie's counts recovered quickly after her last chemo treatment. We are also thrilled to have had 14 days at home with NO fever!

The Bad....Really, not so bad. Since her counts are up again, her doctors want to start her next chemo treatment right away. We have gotten fond of "home". We are off to Stanford tomorrow morning for a 1:00p.m. bone marrow aspirate and lumbar puncture, followed by R & R at the lovely Bass Center!

The Chicken Pot Pie...Emilie has been havin' a hankerin' for Nana's chicken pot pie. Nana came through with the fixin's and left the pie crust for Emilie to assemble on the pies. She did a great job rolling and making a "floury" good mess.

Check back for updates and please keep praying for great results from her procedures, pray that her legs will be restored to "normal" and pray that her next chemo treatment will go smoothly.

Home At Last!

2010-08-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

Home again, home again, jiggity jig! Oh, what a happy day it was when the docs told us we can go home for a while. It was initially discussed that we would be moving to the Palo Alto Ronald McDonald House which was "okay", but Emilie's doctors thought she was doing well enough to go all the way home. Emilie has been home for 12 days now which has been wonderful. I was ~~a little~~ super nervous at first and worried about everything. Worried about fevers, worried about administering the IV antibiotic, worried that I wouldn't hear her in the night, worried that the house wasn't clean enough, worried about the boys getting too close to her...Yes, I am a little nuts! We have made the adjustment pretty well considering Emilie is still not able to walk. I should actually say that Emilie has made the adjustment pretty well in that she is so positive and patient. Her upper body is getting really strong which makes our job of moving and helping her with daily tasks pretty easy. We have stayed home with the exception of our 4 visits/week to Stanford for clinic appointments and physical therapy appointments. Emilie's counts are still very low and we didn't want to bring her out to a crowded, germ-infested location. She is itching to go shopping, but that will have to wait a while. Sadly, Paul came down with a high fever on Wednesday, so we banished him and Nicolas to my mom's. It has been hard for the whole family with the boys being gone. They so want to hang out with Emilie and just "do life" at home rather than at the hospital.
Emilie will have her next bone marrow aspirate and lumbar puncture on Tuesday with her next chemo starting Friday. Please pray that her results come back negative and that her next chemo treatment goes smoothly.

. L . O . V . E .

2010-07-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Romans 12:9-10

Hand stitching idea borrowed from A Pocket Full of Posies.

Helpers

2010-07-21T21:53:00.000-07:00

If we are having trouble, it is so that you will be comforted and renewed. If we are comforted, it is so that you will be comforted. Then you will be able to put up with the same suffering we have gone through. Our hope for you remains firm. We know that you suffer just as we do. In the same way, God comforts you just as he comforts us. 2 Cor. 1:6-7

This is Pastor Gary from Twin Lakes Church. He is a 3 time cancer survivor and a very sweet man who made time in his day to visit Emilie. During Pastor Gary's visit, he prayed, did a few magic tricks and shared his cancer journey with Emilie. He shared with us that during his bouts of cancer and treatment, he smiled
E V E R Y D A Y! He also shared a Bible verse that helped him....
"May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. " Romans 15:13

Thank you Pastor Gary for giving Emilie a chuckle and a great dose of encouragement and hope.

This is Theresa. She is also a cancer survivor as well as a wonderfully kind, patient and confident young woman. Theresa is also from our very small community of Scotts Valley and has been visiting Emilie on a regular basis. She brings a craft to share with Emilie and for the last couple visits, she has also shared her crafty goodness with Nicolas (did I mention she was very patient?). She is such a sweet girl and her visits are really really good for Emilie. Thank you Theresa for not wasting your journey, but rather sharing it with Emilie.

These are some of the many luminaries that lined the SV High track for the SV Relay for Life. Not pictured are two very brave Scotts Valley cancer survivors. Ashton is a five year old who was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma in 2008 and is now doing great. He had another MRI today and the preliminary results came back negative. We were lucky enough to have a visit from Ashton and his parents today. Ashton is a super cute little guy full of joy. Thank you Ashton for bringing a big smile to Emilie's face today!

Evan is another Scotts Valley cancer survivor. Evan is a ten year old who was diagnosed with leukemia (ALL) in 2008 and is doing just wonderfully now. Evan and his family visited during one of their visits to LPCH. Thank you Foy Family for sharing your journey and giving us great hope!

Are there not some in your circle to whom you naturally betake yourself in times of trial and sorrow? They always seem to speak the right word, to give the very counsel you are longing for; you do not realize, however, the cost which they had to pay ere they became so skillful in binding up the gaping wounds and drying tears. But if you were to investigate their past history you would find that they have suffered more than most. They have watched the slow untwisting of some silver cord on which the lamp of life hung. They have seen the golden bowl of joy dashed to their feet, and its contents spilt. They have stood by ebbing tides, and drooping gourds, and noon sunsets; but all this has been necessary to make them the nurses, the physicians, the priests of men. The boxes that come from foreign climes are clumsy enough; but they contain spices which scent the air with the fragrance of the Orient. So suffering is rough and hard to bear; but it hides beneath it discipline, education, possibilities, which not only leave us nobler, but perfect us to help others. Do not fret, or set your teeth, or wait doggedly for the suffering to pass; but get out of it all you can, both for yourself and for your service to your generation, according to the will of God. Taken from Crosswalk the same day that I composed this post. Amazing!

My "Budding" Photographer

2010-07-17T14:39:00.000-07:00

Emilie took these shots last month when her legs first decided not to cooperate. She took all these photos while in her wheelchair. I let her use my camera, set the settings, picked my fav AF point and let Emilie go to town. She did an awesome job for her first time using a DSLR. All shots are SOOC.

Supergirl and the Visitor

2010-07-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago, Emilie had a special visitor.....our dog, Sandy. Emilie was so happy to see Sandy that she cried happy tears and Sandy was so happy to see Emilie that she jumped up on her lap. Very, very sweet. Thank you Eric for bringing Sandy to the hospital; you made Emilie's day!

Emilie started her second round of chemo today. The doctors are thinking that her leg paralysis is due to one of the chemo drugs that they gave her in her spine (intrathecal) during the last induction. She did not receive the intrathecal this phase, but is receiving the drug via IV at a lower dose. It is pretty scary, but she is being closely monitored by the neurologists as well as her oncology team. We have requested that the chemo be administered during the day when we are awake so that we can watch over her as well as having more medical activity on the floor. Please pray that the chemo treatments zap the leukemia and that Emilie does not react neurologically to the chemo.

Frosting and Supergirl

2010-07-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

The final histocompatibility report is back. "Frosting" is a PERFECT match for "Supergirl", that is in phenotypes/genotypes. Hopefully, Emilie will not need a bone marrow transplant, but if she does, Nicolas is her man!

Never, Ever Give Up!

2010-07-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Emilie had a great weekend and a great Sunday filled with super nurses, visitors, a magic lesson, a chocolate fountain (provided by Sunshine Kids), lots of walking around campus, wheelchair races with my three boys and a new way to do family dinners. Paul arrived home from Camp Okizu Sunday and Emilie was so excited to see him. He brought her many "friendship bracelets" that he made at camp and the kids even had some quiet time alone to chat. We had our first ever LPCH Crazy Train family dinner with take out "Buca" at the cafeteria courtyard. Emilie had seconds followed by a Drumstick! Fun, fun time.

Medically speaking...Emilie is currently undergoing her 5th plasmapheresis treatment today. She has not shown any sign of movement in her legs, but the renal doctor came in and said that it may take awhile. It is not looking like a typical Guillain Barre Syndrome, but may be due to a chemo toxicity. The neurology and oncology teams are really getting a workout. We are praying and also ask for prayer for MD wisdom in treating Emilie, leg movement restoration and elimination of leukemia.
(Photog Eric did a fine job, even capturing Nicolas trying to touch the mole under my chin. Weird kid!)

Plasmapheresis and Mr. Toad???

2010-07-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on Emilie and her legs. After an additional MRI, the neurology and oncology teams have found some inflammation on Emilie's spinal nerves. She will be undergoing plasmapheresis which is a filtering of her blood to get rid of her antibodies that are attacking her nerves. She will have her first treatment this afternoon in the pediatric intensive care unit (which she is not happy about because it is too noisy) and the following four treatments in her room (which may not be our room tomorrow). She will also be getting another lumbar puncture and a new line in her neck so that the plasmapheresis can be run at a fast rate. We are hopeful that this will restore her legs to "soccer status" and are glad that her bone marrow test came back "good" so that chemo can be pushed out a few days.

So that is where we are on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride!
(The canine is an employee of LPCH and her name is Carly. She is the sweetest dog ever and she knows exactly when Emilie needs a soft ear to rub!)

* 5 * Peeps * 12 * Times*

2010-07-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

This is a project that I wanted to start long ago and being the very anal being that I am, I was going to start January 2011 seeing that I missed January 2010. Kind of like starting a diet on Monday...pure kookiness! So, thank you Tara Whitney for the inspiration to start "whenever".
Here is our "* 5 * Peeps * 12 * Times *" project for July 2010 and our new family motto: GET BUSY LIVING!

DNA, Bone Marrow and Frosting

2010-07-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

In 2003, when I first found out that I was pregnant with #3, I was in total shock! Two kids seemed just right and really, how in the world could a 40 year old be pregnant? (No need to answer, I finally figured it out.) I accepted reality and trusted that God had a great plan in place. I quickly fell madly in love with "Baby E". After Nicolas' birth, we realized that our family of 5 was perfect! We refer to Nicolas as "the frosting on our cake". This morning, I received a patient family report for bone marrow transplant which, after blood draws, shows which family member would be the best bone marrow donor. They gather this information early on in the event a bone marrow transplant is needed. I've believed that God has a special plan for my kids. Presently, it is looking like God has a great purpose for Nicolas as Nicolas' bone marrow would be the best match for Emilie. When things seem crazy and out of control, God is always in control and has a purpose and plan for everything. I'm blown away by how much God loves us and cares for us!

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. Jeremiah 1:5

Before an architect constructs a building, he meticulously puts every detail on paper, every component needed to make his dream into a reality. The idea is first conceived in his mind, then is transferred on paper, and then when everything is just perfect, he starts the process of building his creation. In my own limited understanding of God's creation process, this is how I imagine it to be. He first conceived us in His mind, and with great thoughts of love, He began to chart every detail of our DNA in preparation for the time when he would form us in our mother's womb. What a wonderful thought, to know that the God of the universe knew us intimately and set us apart for His purposes even before we were conceived!

from Father's Love Letters

Gratitude!

2010-06-30T22:11:00.000-07:00

Emilie had her bone marrow aspiration and lumbar puncture this morning. She did great during the procedure. Being a control freak and having no control especially when it comes to my chickens is a hard, hard thing. I left Emilie in the hands of very competent doctors and nurses for an hour which seemed like an eternity. Within an hour of returning to our "home away from home", Emilie was back to her spunky, feisty self. She had a great afternoon of crafts (thank you McPherson girls), a photo walk around the hospital and a hospital dinner that she actually enjoyed. While walking on the rooftop, our neurologist came to find us to let us know that her spinal fluid was clear of cancer. Great news! When we got back to our room after our walk, our oncologist was there to let us know that the preliminary look at her bone marrow was good and he even saw some healthy white and red blood cells. A very nice ending to a very stressful day. We are so grateful for all your prayers for Emilie and very grateful to our God for keeping us surrounded in His peace today! Emilie did an awesome job taking photos on our walk today. I will be posting her work later this week. Here is a technically poor shot of the two of us, but I love, love, love it!

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. Isaiah 40:30-32

Not Too Shabby for a Monday!

2010-06-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

Emilie's MRI of her brain and spine came back negative, but she is still extremely weak in her legs. She can stand for short periods with her knees locked, but still can not walk. She is getting a second round of Immune Globulin therapy this afternoon to see if that can get her moving. The docs are suspecting a chemo drug that they injected into her spine back on the 7th of June. This cancer/chemo thing is chaos, BUT....our God is huge and in control even when our lives seem totally out of control.

Today was a wonderful day for Emilie. It is the first time in five weeks that she actually wanted to eat and ordered a Taco Bell chicken taco for lunch AND she fed herself! Woohoo! I have been the food forcer for the last 5 weeks and it is so nice that she is actually feeding herself! Her hair has been slowly falling out and at the same time beginning to look like Bob Marley's hair. I did not want to comb out the tangles fearing that all her hair would come out. We finally cut the dreadlocks out today and Emilie is now wearing her cute hats. She is so okay with her hair loss and has been admiring her new look in the mirror all afternoon. She is such a courageous and strong kid. I am blown away daily by her positive, perky attitude!

Please Pray!

2010-06-24T13:41:00.001-07:00

Please pray for Emilie today as she is going in for an MRI of her brain and her spine. She is having some difficulty walking and they want to see what is going on.
Thank you!

Happy Father's Day to the Best Dad Ever!

2010-06-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to you, Eric. Thank you for supporting our family in so many ways. You are the man and we love you so very much!

This is the day...

2010-06-17T20:25:00.000-07:00

...that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!

Joy!

2010-06-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day for Emilie. No chemo, JOY in a blue can and canine love! Thank you for your comments...they made Emilie very happy!

A New Chapter...Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

2010-06-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

Eight days ago, our lives were flipped, twisted and turned upside down. Emilie was diagnosed with leukemia and is now being treated at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto. It all started with what we thought was a tummy bug. Her little body was not getting better, so we took her to the Domincan Hospital ER thinking that she was just dehydrated. A few hours after we were admitted, we found ourselves in an ambulance on our way to Lucile Packard's Children Hospital. This week has been a crazy ride with lots of tests, MRI's, CT Scans, Ex-Rays, spinal taps, set-backs, discouragement, etc... Emilie has finished her first phase of chemotherapy today, with two more phases to come. I don't know when she will be discharged as we are running a marathon and not a sprint. She is in great care; the doctors, nurses, therapists and social workers are amazing. As horrible as this week has been, I know that God is still in charge and I am truly grateful that Emilie is here and that her bubbly, feisty personality is filling our room with joy.

We are totally blessed with wonderful family and friends. Everyone's phone calls, emails, letters, gifts, care packages are so very appreciated. Please know that we are grateful for your prayers, concern and gifts and wish that we could thank each of you personally, but for now, here is our BIG BLOG THANK YOU filled with lots of love from the Erickson family!!

You can leave a message for Emilie by 1.) leaving a comment on our blog, 2.) leave a post on Facebook (friend me... Patti Nelson-Erickson) or 3.) email pattiaerickson@aol.com . I'll be certain to share with Emilie.

I'll leave you with a bit from Emilie's journal written exactly one month from when she was diagnosed.

"Praise the Lord always. He made me in my mom's womb and he made me special just the way I am. I should praise the Lord always."

A Beautiful Weed!

2010-06-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

I have been watching this "weed" grow in my yard and not quite ready to pull it because the foliage was so beautiful. I think this beautiful weed is actually some sort of poppy...one of God's many blessings!

Crazy Week!

2010-05-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

What a crazy busy week this has been. I have "single mom" status as Eric is in Singapore for the week. Baseball, homework, spirit week, etc. Can't wait for the weekend...wait, the weekend is just as busy. Here are a couple shots from the week. Paul as Napoleon Dynamite for Nerd Day and Nicolas as Jesus for favorite Bible Character Day.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo and Thank You Pioneer Woman!

2010-05-05T16:02:00.000-07:00

My only shot that has a Mexican flair. I know it looks more like day of the dead, but big whoop, I love it. Paul and Eric are in Mexico on a missions trip...mixing cement, loving on kids and sharing God's love. Makes my heart sing.
The four of us (yes, I am including the canine in the count) are home keeping normal life moving along. Baseball, homework, a little photography, trip to the beach and a whole lotta goofing around. We miss the boys! Hurry home El Guapo and El Guapo Jr.
I've been balking at the whole "Photoshop" idea and trying to get a really great shot straight out of camera. The Pioneer Woman has recently added Photoshop Elements actions to her free list of actions. I used PW's "boost" on the above and I used "boost" and "slight sharp" on the shot of Emilie below. I might be starting to like this Photoshop thing.

Thirteen?

2010-04-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

It's unbelievable!...You are thirteen! It seems like yesterday that you were watching Elmo and eating fishy crackers. Now, you are a very sweet and kind young man! Happy Birthday Paul! You are fantastic and we love you very much!

TEN?

2010-04-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

My Emilie is ten! TEN? How did you grow so quickly right before my eyes? Happy Birthday sweet Emilie on this 14th day of April in 2010! TEN? TEN? Thank you for being so kind, honest, sweet, loving, gentle, encouraging, thoughtful, patient, persevering and funny! You are awesome! We love you!!!

On The Boardwalk...Down By The Sea

2010-04-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

One day into spring break and the kids got ants in their pants. We visited the SC Beach Boardwalk on Saturday before Easter and it was a mad house. Four trips around the block looking for a metered parking spot (because I wasn't about to pay $11 to park in a lot) and "bingo" we found one pretty close. Our intentions were to just play video games in the arcade and turn in our prize tickets that we had been collecting for the last couple of years, but we ended up strolling the boardwalk, eating ice cream cones, corn dogs and drinking lemonade. Paul decided he wanted to try to knock the clown's teeth down for $3. He knocked them all down and won the big prize. The little kids also wanted to get a prize, so they quickly took out their $3 and handed it over to Paul. Winner! Winner! They all left with junk food in their bellies and a stuffed animal in their arms. Fun day at the Boardwalk!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3

HAPPY EASTER!

The Erickson All-Stars

A Quick Review

He Knows

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas From Our Family to Yours!

Vomit and Headaches

Nuff Said

24 Hours Later and an Update

Moments

Goodbye Navigator

Friday Fotos

The Only Thing That Hasn't Changed....

The Sky Is The Limit

All I've Got...

Friday Fotos

Oops, Friday Fotos on Saturday!

Friday Fotos

Baseball, Meat Trays, Funerals and Gratitude

So Undeserving Part 3

So Undeserving Part 2

So Undeserving Part 1

Fourteen

Eleven

HAPPY * HAPPY * HAPPY

The Crazy Train Goes Green!

Crafty Goodness!

26.2 + 13.1 = LOVE

18

Overwhelmed!

Just Because...

Woody and Buzz

Celebrate, It's EOT Day!

Happy 2011 and One Little Word

The Red Candy Dish

Joy To The World

*S*O*S*

Gratitude: A Morning in Memphis

Sunny and 21F

Super Sonic Saturday!

Whassup Paul Sr??

Just A Glimpse....

All Systems "GO", We Have NK Cell Infusion 1717 Hours CST

Go NK Cells, Go!

This Is Why We Call Him "Uncle"

A Little Monkey Business

Mosquitos and Fried Okra

We L O V E Ronald McDonald And His House In Memphis

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Rockin' the Dockers

We Are...

Farmer McNugget and The Interview

Who Loves You Baby?

Box+Tube+Magnifying Glass+Curiosity=Budding Photographer

It's Ashton Gillin Day!

* 5 * Peeps * 12 * Times *

Giants Anthem, Erickson Style!

Go Giants!

Gotta Have Faith!

The Sky's A-Falling!

Thank You!

Happy Birthday and Weekly Gratitude!

Just Because It's Orange October!

Gulfstream 777EE to San Francisco Tower....

In A Holding Pattern

Helpie Helperton

Run Forest Run!

Make It Count

I've Got Nothing To Say....

Rad + Awesome = Rawsome

Peeps and Flying Machines

EKG, Echocardiogram and a Quick Pity Party

The Back To School Monkeys

* 5 * Peeps * 12 * Times *

Words

"Normal" Is So Overrated!

All You Need Is Love and ...

The Good, The Bad and The Chicken Pot Pie

Home At Last!

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Helpers

My "Budding" Photographer

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