Surprises all around

I love surprises. I mostly like doing the surprising but getting one is also so fun. Yesterday we got both! At clinic check up, the doctor told us we could take Charlotte home! Besides a couple check up appointments, she will have 3 weeks home before stem cell transplant #2! And so we loaded down my car with what we could and drove home yesterday afternoon just in time to surprise the kids at the bus stop after school. And we noticed a little God wink when, as we got near our neighborhood and Charlotte could begin to recognize the place she has known all her life but hasn't seen for 6weeks, the radio blasted one of her favorite songs: Rachel Paton's Fight song. And while Charlotte (and let's be honest, me as well!) sang it loudly, we turned on to a road near our neighborhood and literally followed Taylor and Parker's school bus into the neighborhood! It was so cool! She was so excited. And besides wanting to give her dog a little love, she wanted to go straight up to her room. And the three amigos happily played together up there as if they had never skipped a beat. I teared up a little feeling all the bliss and JOY being home with my family, while the innocence of children took no notice of anything momunmental occuring. I love that. They can really help me lighten up or else I would often be an emotional fountain haha. Brian and I will get 3 full weeks home together with all of our littles and then the fight continues.

So needless to say, Charlotte is recovering beautifully from transplant #1. We are slowly watching her appetite improve and our hopes are now that she is no longer receiving IV nutritional supplementation, it will really start to take off. We need her nourished and ready for round 2 and we need it fast. We need her organs to be healthy and that is where our prayers are focusing. We need to keep hitting this cancer with all the force available to us. So although she gets to be home for some R&R, we can not stay here long. She must keep going, keep moving. And if her body's strength can match her spirits even in the slightest...well then that won't be a problem. She'll be ready come November 15. But for now we are celebrating over here after 6 weeks apart. We are truly feeling God's presence surround us. We feel like there is nothing we can't do. We love you all and thanks for being part of this journey through your love and support and witness.

Toes in the sand at a little playground at the hospital 

Our goofball 

At clinic, being happy 

Family day on the Duke Golf Cart 

Cuddles at the apartment

Brian and I took some time to go out and play with just Taylor and Parker while Grandma stayed in with Charlotte 

Treehouses 

Being a kid 

Apartment playground 

Miss pouty is over mom's camera lol 

Leaf collection 

The three amigos reunited again and playing in Charlotte's room yesterday 

Playing at home with Nana