summer on the move

Usually, when the 4th of July comes each summer, I start to feel a little sad. Sad that the fun of summer is already half-way over and sad that Fall will be here before I know it.

The 4th of July will already be here next week and this year I am happy. And thankful. It means we are that much closer to Maintenance, the last and longest stage of Ethan's treatment that should start sometime at the end of September. It means we've made it through some of the hardest treatment Ethan will have to hopefully endure. In some ways, I can't believe we've already come this far in Ethan's treatment. But I'm grateful we're here. That Ethan's still in remission and that God has helped him to endure the last 5 months of his treatment and carried us all this far.

We've thankfully been enjoying a nice time at home, and have been fairly busy just enjoying some low-key togetherness. My dad and step mom were in town this past weekend and we had a chance to celebrate the last of the birthday parties for Ethan & Eloise. This time we got to have the doctor party that Ethan specifically wanted.

Sleeping bags from Grandpa Todd & Grandma Bonnie were a big hit. Lots of "camping" after the party. :)

Eloise also had an especially big weekend as we moved her on up to a big girl bed!

And we went to a Sunday afternoon BBQ in the park. It feels so great to be able to do some of these normal summertime things!

Sunglasses have been big around here lately. And anything else that the other sibling has.

And tonight we went to Ethan's favorite restaurant, Chili's.

So as you can see, we've had a chance to get out more often this past week and it's been great. Ethan is scheduled to have his labs checked tomorrow and then will have chemo on Thursday this week - which is the second to last treatment day for this phase. He has to be sedated to have intrathecal chemo and will have 2 other IV chemos. We are scheduled to get started at the clinic around 8:30 and his sedation is scheduled to start at 10:30.

Please pray for protection over Ethan during Thursday's sedation and that his chemo infusions go well. After Thursday's treatment we have one more treatment scheduled for this phase in another 10 days and then a couple weeks after that, will start the next phase, Delayed Intensification, sometime at the end of July.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Ethan and for all of us.