Great Week!

This has been such a good week for Trent!  Friday he began feeling much better so we decided to take advantage of it.  We took all the kids and drove to the City of Rocks in Idaho on Saturday.  It was so much fun!  We love a good road trip and we needed to pull our kids around us with nobody else and just enjoy each other. We got out and climbed all over the rocks and had a great time.  Trent was okay but admitted that it is difficult for him to keep his balance on all the uneven surfaces.  He watched from the burb for most of it.  

Zach, Mallory, Trent, Jarom, Jonathan, Megan

Sunday night we lit a bunch of fireworks.  Trent bought a huge box that I thought was way too many fireworks.  When I mentioned that Trent said, "Holly, I missed the 4th of July this year and last, I missed the 24th last year too.  So this year I have to make up for it!"  Fine.  Good point.  Because of that we had a dandy little fireworks show that lasted quite awhile.  Trent was having a great time and kept giggling like a little boy.

Monday morning we took the kids over to Zion Park (right next to our house) and launched the model rockets Trent and Zach built for Zach's merit badge.  It was way cooler than I thought it would be and we had a great time.  All the kids took a turn pressing the launch button.

Zach and Trent with their model rockets.

Last night we headed to Pack Meeting and Yates Lake in Honeyville.  It was such a nice park and Trent loved it.  He kept saying he felt like himself again.  It was so nice.

I guess if this is how this chemo cocktail is going to treat him, we can take it.  One horrible, awful, yucky week is alright if you know you get two good ones after that.  Of course, I am not the one who has to do it either.  We just have to take advantage of every good minute we get and not put things off until tomorrow.  That's probably a good way to live life all the time.  You just can't let life pass you by, even if you are healthy.

Feeling good and loving it!

Relief

We just heard some great news.  Trent does not have cancer in his brain!  Now for the background.  The last few days Trent has had a lot of numbness in his legs and arms.  Not a good sign.  I called Katie, our nurse, on Tuesday and told her about it.  I had already done my research and knew that numbness was a side effect of Temodar, one of the chemo drugs Trent is on.  It was listed as one of the more severe side effects that a doctor should be notified about which is why I called Katie.  When I told her about it she was concerned and wanted to talk to Dr. Gouw.  She called yesterday and said they felt that Trent should have a brain scan ASAP.  Of course they would be looking for tumors in his brain.  Not a pretty thought.  We went in this morning and had the brain scan.  Just a few minutes ago we got the call we had been praying for.  Negative results.  Yeah!  It sounds weird but negative is good in this case.  There is no cancer in Trent's brain so we are going to continue to monitor the side effects of the drugs-assuming that is what is causing the numbness.

Trent's case was also discussed in the sarcoma conference on Monday at Huntsman.  All the different types of oncologists; radiation, chemo, surgeons, agreed that Trent needs surgery on his lungs again regardless of what the chemo does to his tumor.  We are still hoping it will shrink it but if it doesn't the thinking is that because it is only one tumor it should be removed and then follow up with a couple more rounds of chemo.
That is not a fun thought because this round has not been too good.  Surgery is not exciting either but we will do what we have to do to kick this thing once and for all!

Blessings of Adversity

Trent was asked to speak about a month ago in Stake Priesthood Mtg that was yesterday.  He had been preparing for quite a while and was excited to have the opportunity.  Then we found out about the new chemo plan and it didn't fit really well with the meeting.  He was scheduled to have his Neulasta shot 24-48 hours after the completion of chemo, so we waited until just after he finished his talk to give it to him because it always hits him really hard.  He spoke yesterday at 7:30 am and I gave the shot at about 8:45 am (hour 46 post chemo).  Almost immediately afterward he tanked.  He did make it to church but I had to come home to get him pain meds and make him a shake.  We figured everyone would excuse the 32 oz mug he sipped on through Sunday School. :)  He slept all the way through sacrament and crashed as soon as we got home.  He is really having some bad pain right now and is just plain feeling horrible.  I hope this round at least gives him a couple of good weeks before we do it all over again.  It is so frustrating for both of us because he was doing so well and then he bottoms out like this. Ugh.  The thought of possibly three more rounds is depressing.  However, there are greater powers at work here and I know that, so we pray continually for patience.

Trent wanted to share the talk he gave yesterday on the Blessings of Adversity.  It pretty much sums up how he has viewed this whole experience.  I really wish I could have been there to hear it.  I thought I might have to give it for him because he was so sick.  He took Zach instead, just in case Zach needed to read it for him.  We heard from many people yesterday how powerful the meeting was and how inspirational Trent's message was.  I hope you enjoy it as much as they did!

The Blessings of Adversity 

I consider it a great privilege to have this opportunity to be able to speak with you about the tremendous blessings that are abundantly given when adversity befalls each of us.  Waiting upon God with great patience and having an unbending faith that He will hear our pleas, answer our prayers, provide comfort and hope are essential components of the Plan of Salvation that bind us eternally together.  I testify that our Heavenly Father is acutely aware of our needs and that He is in absolute control.  If we are able to step away from the challenges we face for a moment, there is ample evidence of divine intervention, where God has placed both people and circumstances in our path to help strengthen us individually and as families in times of unimaginable adversity.  He knows exactly what we will need to overcome those trials.  The Plan of Salvation that encompasses every aspect of this mortal existence is there for each of us to benefit from in times of calm and during the storms of our lives.

In the New Testament (JAMES 1:2-3) the apostle James counsels “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations” the Joseph Smith Translation substitutes temptations as “many afflictions”.  Indeed this mortal life is full of afflictions that are meant to prove us worthy and more importantly to gain access to the blessings promised for pursuing after righteousness.  James also states the following “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith work patience”.  It is because of our willingness to surrender our will to God through patience and long suffering that we relinquish control to the one individual with a complete understanding of what is best.  That exercise of faith requires a mortal being with limited sight to trust an immortal being with a perfect view from beginning to end.

It’s crucial that I begin with a brief explanation of the circumstances that have defined my recent life.  To merely state that over the course of this past year and a half I was sick, would be a gross understatement.  After being misdiagnosed for five months, it was in May of 2010 that I was correctly diagnosed with stage IV cancer and the life I knew, would never again be the same.  This was brought on without any warning, no known cause, and a mystery that has baffled the medical staff dedicated to preserving my life.  We started with two very aggressive rounds of chemotherapy because of the advanced nature of the disease.  They were unsuccessful and complicated by a staph infection that threatened to take my life.  A decision was made to immediately remove the college football size tumor that had developed on my hip and treat the infection.   After recovering for a short time, it was determined that two more rounds of chemo should ensue to battle the remaining tumors that had grown in my lungs, but this too was unsuccessful.  With no signs of tangible progress, another change was mandated that ultimately entailed an additional seven rounds of chemotherapy.  It was nothing short of miraculous that in February of 2011 I finally qualified for thoracic surgery, to remove the few remaining tumors from my body.   

We moved forward with the hope that this ordeal was far behind our family and we would be fortunate enough to continue onward with the pursuits of life. However, in June another tumor was found and two more rounds of chemo have ensued.  Our last scan determined that the tumor was still growing and at least two or possibly four more rounds of chemo, and probably another surgery is in the works to remove this new tumor. 

  Every aspect of being ill from the aches, pain, nausea, fever, chills etc. I have experienced over and over again and to extremes during this adversity.  I would spend the entire year in bed, unable to do much of anything for myself, a glaring contrast to the way I had lived my life before, now completely dependent upon others for everything.   With these events unfolding day by day our family’s future was very uncertain and yet there was great peace in knowing that whatever was going to happen would ultimately be for the very best.  I learned to trust more absolutely in God.

The scriptures repeatedly testify to the many types of adversity we face and the opportunities given to each of us to overcome those trials.  It is a tender mercy from God that there are blessings found when our spirits and physical bodies are broken.  In the Old Testament, (Psalms 145:9), David proclaims “The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works”.  All too often the negative aspects seemingly outweigh the positive if we fail to recognize how much of our lives are truly impacted by God.  There has been ample evidence of God’s tender mercies repeated countless times during this trial that have demonstrated His magnificent love and concern for our family.   I have found solace in the teachings from the prophets that proclaim how adversity has the ability to draw us closer to God and the abundant blessing He desperately wants to provide to His children. 

Perhaps the counsel given in the Book of Mormon, from Lehi, a father, to his son, Jacob about “opposition in all things” (2 Nephi 2:11) is a timeless reminder that this life will be full of challenges.  It’s because of this opposition that the greatest growth occurs.  To understand the admonition from the prophet Lehi “righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad.  Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one.” we need this opposition in order to meet our full potential.  It’s a necessary part of our development as spiritual beings, living a mortal existence, to face adversity.  This adversity allows each of us the opportunity to more fully appreciate how wonderful our Heavenly Father is.  If we step back from our reality and look at the bigger picture we will assuredly see the hand of the Lord guiding us, protecting us, and providing a way long before and during our most difficult and trying times.  We have never been left to do it alone.  How humbling this has been for us to witness.

In the (Doctrine & Covenants 122:7) the Lord spoke to the prophet Joseph Smith while imprisoned in jail at Liberty, Missouri and proclaimed “that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” We know that this was a time of great distress because of the tremendous persecutions the saints were facing and that the pressure was deeply troubling for the prophet.  In the midst of this adversity the saints were being prepared for incredible blessings due to their faithfulness. 

I have also felt on many occasions that in the deepest moments of despair that the blessings our little family was receiving were not only giving us valuable experience but were also for our eternal benefit.  However discouraging and ugly cancer was in a physical and mental state, it has been comforting that our spiritual framework was sound.  It provided the necessary relief that acted as a counter balance to the disruptive forces that were attacking my system.  I’m thankful for the teachings of the scriptures and the simple fact that they provide strength when times are dark and uncertain.  The comfort gained from reading these passages in the scriptures is quite remarkable.  I have experienced it time and again during this battle.

The hymn “Be Still My Soul”, # 124, has messages that are quite profound.  In the first verse written by Katherine von Schlegel, she eloquently demonstrates the calming effect that is attainable when we turn to God and place our faith, devotion and hope towards the Lord, that anything is truly possible.

1. Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;
With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In ev’ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

In the third verse we’re reminded about the disappointment, grief and fear disappearing and love’s purest joy restored.  How magnificent a reward to have all safe and blessed when it counts the most.  I sincerely hope that I’ll endure this trial well.  I have witnessed through Priesthood blessings, charitable acts, family fasting, prayer and service rendered that “love’s purest joy restored” is absolutely real.

3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

In the beginning of this trial, the effects of this disease were terrifying and the range of emotions surrounding our immediate future was overwhelming.  The mere thought of having a disease that would brutally attack my body without regard was challenging to cope with. 

My concern was directly related to the possibility of not being able to care for my family’s immediate needs and provide the necessary opportunities for their future growth and welfare.  Their well-being was weighing heavily on my mind.  It was at this difficult moment that I was given a priesthood blessing from our bishop in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Bishop Hahne declared that I would be made whole and live to raise my children to maturity.  He confided much later that it had been a real trial of his faith because although he had been prompted to say those words during that blessing, as a medical doctor he knew of nothing that supported what he said.  These promises have since been repeated numerous times in subsequent blessings of healing and comfort throughout a very difficult year.  I have grown to appreciate the real power of the priesthood in action and have seen a peace restored in my life regarding the direction that Heavenly Father desires for my life.  I have developed a more abiding love and respect for Him because I have witnessed His remarkable love and concern for me, individually.  Knowing and feeling of this genuine love helps us overcome the most challenging obstacles we may face.

There have been several instances where we have seen the love of our Heavenly Father through people He has placed in our lives.  When I had first fallen ill, I was an unemployed graduate student and my wife was only working part time and we did not qualify for insurance with her company.  The expenses for the treatment of cancer are staggering and without insurance we would have been sunk.  Before the MRI confirmed that it was indeed cancer , my wife’s boss, Craig Larabee,  had suspicions that it was worse than what we were expecting and had already decided to grant my wife full time status with the necessary amount of hours to qualify for full coverage.  He was willing to give up his personal vacation days to help guarantee the policy would be intact when we needed it and make certain that our family was okay.  This act of kindness continues to resonate with his constant worry for our family throughout this ordeal and we are eternally grateful to Heavenly Father for Craig’s powerful influence in our life.  This was not a coincidence.  He is a genuine friend that has strengthened my wife’s testimony quite significantly by helping her recognize Gods hand in all things.  His church group would immediately bring in boxes of food, supplies for our home, gifts for our kids and most important, prayers on our behalf.

To this day the idea of other Christian denominations actively praying for a sick father of five who happens to be LDS has been inspiring.  I have been humbled by this charitable act because I know for a fact that it did not happen just once but in many cases has continually occurred throughout the year.  Bereans, Catholics, Lutherans, and Latter-Day Saints, etc., pleading to heaven for a common cause, many individuals whom I have never personally met are examples of truly wonderful people and it’s profoundly humbling to have strangers pray on your behalf. 

Another incredible blessing has been returning home to Brigham City to live with the Frandsen’s.  We have sincerely appreciated the genuine kindness and concern shown for our family at a time when everything normal in our lives was turned upside down.  We would have experienced something very different had we not been able to have a place to live and focus entirely on simply enduring this trial without so many additional worries that our family was faced with.  They have been nothing short of outstanding and exemplify charity at every turn.  It has become a huge blessing that we will always hold dear and perhaps never be able to repay. 

These are just a few examples of the blessings that we have witnessed firsthand through adversity.  Despite the challenges that have shaken our foundation we are more able to handle these various problems because we have been strengthened repeatedly and felt the guiding influence of our Heavenly Father.  I take great comfort in the opportunity I’ve been given to wait upon the Lord. In the New Testament, (2 Corinthians 12:10) the apostle Paul wrote “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities….for when I am weak, then I am strong.” This statement is applicable to any situation because when things seem impossible they are actually achievable through Christ.  I marvel that He willingly experienced the pain, suffering, sorrow and despair through the atonement that would allow for a much greater understanding of the obstacles we face.

I have gained a tremendous level of gratitude for the pure blessings of the gospel.  The positive influence on our family has been manifest through numerous acts of compassion, love and service given through grandparents, parents, siblings, uncles, aunts and cousins.  It has most assuredly provided a constant protection in the thick of the storm.  Having this knowledge has reminded me of the amazing love that our Heavenly Father and Christ have for each one of us no matter the difficulty we face.  I’m thankful for the blessings made available through adversity that demonstrate how the Plan of Salvation is meant to save us all.  I love what the gospel represents that no matter how difficult things may be there is always hope. 

Perhaps the greatest measurable blessing of adversity is being able to know our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ.  It’s this relationship that has provided a sure foundation, where waiting upon the Lord with faith and patience is a blessing that we should all strive for in our lives.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides safety with the knowledge that our Heavenly Father is waiting with open arms for our return.  The lessons I’ve learned over this last year as we have battled cancer have assured me that developing patience and faith in God’s plan is a remarkably powerful means to overcome the problems we face in this lifetime.  I am grateful for all of these blessings found through adversity, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  

Trent Hal Rasmussen/Stake Priesthood Meeting/July 17^th, 2011                                                                                                   

Day 2 of Round 14

We are here at the Huntsman receiving the second dose of the new chemo.  Trent has done fabulous so far.  He was a little tired yesterday but that was probably because we were up at the crack of dawn for a very long day of tests and infusions. 

Today Trent had the echo done and it seems that all is fine with his heart.  No alarm bells have sounded with anyone so we are going ahead with the chemo.  They have to monitor his heart because there is a lifetime max with the doxorubicin.  Once you have received a certain amount of the drug it becomes cardiotoxic so they monitor it very closely.  He will have another echo in about three months I think. 

Trent is feeling really good and optimistic about this chemo.  When we saw Katie today he asked if the chemo could already be working because he is already feeling it less in his back.  She told us that sometimes patients who are on this chemo and have superficial tumors, can see a difference with a day or two.  That was exciting to hear!  So we are going to go with that option-hopefully the shrinking has already begun!

The beeping has started and that is our cue to leave so we are outta here!  Well, until 8:00 tomorrow morning. :s

Swallow

Well today was scan day.  We took Mallory with us so she could stay with Olivia.  That was a nightmare.  She threw up twice in the car on the way down and then all over the parking garage.  Traveling with that girl is not the most fun.  Trent had his scan done while Mallory and I cleaned up herself and the car.  After that we waited.  As the minutes ticked by I got more and more nervous.  By the time we finally went to see Dr. Gouw I had used the bathroom three times.  I am not sure how much of that was nerves vs. the orange juice I had for breakfast!  To say the least I was anxious.  Trent had not slept much the night before because he was so nervous.  He had confided that he did not think the chemo worked because he can feel the tumor in his back.

Well, he was right.  The tumor has continued to grow, albeit slowly.  It is now the size of a golf ball, which explains why he can feel it in his back.  Dr. Gouw was not too concerned about the size.  He said we have at least six months, maybe up to a year before it would start to impair heart function.  I guess that is good news.  Because the tumor did not respond to the chemo we are changing agents.  The results from the lab in Arizona indicated that this tumor should respond to Doxorubicin and Cisplatin.  These are both agents we have used before and not had good results.  We are also adding a third agent, Temodar.  It is commonly used to treat melanoma, but the lab results also indicated it should be effective on Trent's tumor.  So, Dr. Gouw is wrapping them up in slightly different packaging from what we have seen before and we are going to go with it.  The new regiment will go like this.  Three days of infusion then 18 days off with labs being done every four days to track how far Trent's counts-especially platelets-are going to fall.  Today he had liposomal doxorubicin which is a 90 minute infusion, Cisplatin which is a 60 minute infusion, three hours of hydration, and Temodar in the form of two horse pills.  Tomorrow and Friday he will only get the Cisplatin and Temodar.  Tomorrow Trent will also have an echocardiogram to make sure we have a baseline to measure from for the Doxorubicin which can potentially damage his heart.  This was a lot to swallow.  But we did it.  Trent even gathered us all in for "Go Team" before we left the exam room-which was a first for our doctor and nurses.  What a goof.  We are not defeated, just delayed.

We quickly went out to say goodbye to Mallory who was waiting with Jill, Olivia, and Claire.  When we shared the news I was fine.  By the time I had walked them down to their van I was swallowing.  A lot.  There is nothing to do but swallow that news and move on.  After the girls left I sat on a bench in the lobby, put my head in my hands and prayed.  I prayed for patience, endurance, a good attitude, strength, and of course success.  I watered my toes pretty good with my tears as I sat there for about five minutes.  After swallowing several more times I was pretty sure I could put on a happy face.  When I got back to Trent in infusion, he was disappointed but determined.

We talked to Kelsie, who works there with a different doctor who treats GI cancers.  She told us he uses the experimental lab in 100% of his patients and swears by the information he gets from them.  That gave us both a lot of comfort.  We are anxious and optimistic and eager to see what this next regiment can do for us.  We are hoping that the side effects are minimal and that Trent will tolerate it well.  We will scan in six weeks and see what the next step will be.  Surgery is probably in the future but right now we are aiming for a decrease in size or at least no change.  Baby steps and a lot of swallowing.

End of Round 13

Round 13 was bad.  Well, a few days were.  They were as bad as any chemo was before Trent's surgery.  But thankfully it was only for about a week.  Trent got really sick again and was in bed for about five days straight.  He was so weak he could hardly move but then he would go into a rage and have all the energy I have ever seen.  Not good energy though.  At one point he was yelling and screaming and throwing things as I was ushering all the kids out of the room.  I have never seen him so mad!  When I looked in his eyes I did not see one thing that resembled my husband.  I was totally calm and not mad at all.  I knew that he was out of control because of the chemo and I really don't blame him for any of it.  I know he remembers what happened and feels bad/dumb about it but truly couldn't control his brain at the time.  It is just another way that cancer/chemo is so ugly. 

I took the kids upstairs and had the "damage control" kind of talk.  Zach was pretty broken up about what he saw but we talked and I explained that the medicine in Trent's body affects his mind too.  In addition to that it has got to be awful to feel so sick all the time.  We talked about patience and how we just needed to pray for the spirit to be in our home and those kinds of incidences won't affect us.  And no matter what, we love each other.  I think the kids responded pretty well and were okay after that.

We were supposed to head to Idaho for the holiday weekend but as each hour passed it was becoming more and more obvious that was not going to happen.  So we found ourselves trying to wing it and make a party of our own.  We made some crafts and enjoyed some family time.  Sunday afternoon we found  a "Love Tote" on our porch.  What amazing timing!  It was full of fun 4th of July stuff and was exactly what we needed to save our weekend.  (Thank you so much all you "Love Toters"!)  Another tender mercy. :)

Monday morning we went to a small parade.  Trent was not well enough to get out of the car so it was a good thing it only lasted about a half an hour.  We had a fun BBQ for lunch which Trent was only able to eat a little of.  We let him rest all afternoon and tried to lay low a little.  That evening Keisa and her sister Kari treated us to pizza for dinner.  We set up the new tent in the backyard and got ready for some fun!  All the kids were so excited to sleep outside.  Trent was kind of torn about it though.  He didn't really want us to use the new tent without him but I assured him there would plenty of times in the future that he would be camping out with us.  We made some candied popcorn and headed off to the neighbors' yard to watch the fireworks.  Trent did not make it out with us.  He was absolutely pooped and wanted to rest.  By the time we were ready to light fireworks of our own Trent was able to drag himself out to a chair and watch.  He mostly just laid there with his head hanging back on his chair.  He looked awful.  I felt so bad for him but I still needed to make it fun for the kids.  We got everybody situated in the tent and Trent made sure we were okay before he went to bed.  Our dog Scout, played the part of the watchdog and planted himself right outside the tent's door and stayed there all night long.  I have to admit, that did make me feel a little better. 

It took Trent until about Friday before he started feeling better.  Thankfully he gets a few good days before we head back to the Huntsman for scans.  Wednesday we will know whether or not the last two rounds of chemo have been effective on the tumor in his lung.  We are crossing our fingers and hoping for the best.  Who am I kidding?  We are praying like crazy and exercising every ounce of faith we have.  I don't think any crossed fingers ever resulted in a miracle!

Haircut 2.0

It was just over one year ago that we cut Trent's hair the first time.  In some ways I can't believe the time went so fast but then it also seems like this year has dragged on forever and I am shocked that we are still in the thick of the cancer battle.  It was also one year ago today that Trent had the surgery on his hip.  It was a day full of nerves, tears, and hope.  He has done so much better than I ever dared to hope!  Sometimes I hardly even notice a limp at all-just as Dr. Jones predicted.  He rarely has pain in his hip anymore and nobody can really tell he has anything wrong except when he goes to church and has to tuck in his shirt.  Airport security noticed as well but that is a story for another post! 

Back to the haircut...he really did not want to do it but it was seriously time.  Last night I finally convinced Trent that bald is more beautiful than looking like the Phantom of the Opera when his mask gets ripped off. 

Before:

 After:

Notice that his expression didn't change much between before and after.  He was not feeling great at all.  The neulasta/chemo was really hitting him right then. 

This week has been a little hit and miss for us.  Monday we took the kids to see a movie in the park and had a great time.  Trent was feeling good and it was nice to do something as a family.  We had just barely tucked the kids in bed and fallen asleep when we were woken up by sounds of barfing and screaming.  Sigh.  Jonathan had lost his cookies all over the bed that he and Mallory share and she was screaming about having barf in her hair.  That was a long night.  Over the next two days Mallory and Jarom also got the barfs. 

Wednesday we went for the second dose of chemo and Trent was doing pretty well.  We asked for more oxycodone and that got Grace all worried.  She came in to check on Trent to see where the pain was.  Really he is doing great but we know how hard Neulasta kicks so we wanted to be prepared.  After chemo Trent had an MRI.  We did not see Dr. Jones but Nancy promised he would look at the MRI and call if anything was wrong.  So far we have not heard from him.  Yeah! 

We also stopped by Mark and LaDena's (if you don't remember them you can read about it here ) hotel for a visit and ended up getting a bite to eat with them.  They are such interesting people!  I could listen to them talk all day long.  We had a really fun time with them and are wishing them all the best as they await results of their own.

Friday we were supposed to head out of town but the barfs landed on me and Zach.  Trent was not feeling well at all so we decided to wait it out and maybe go in the morning.  Hopefully we will be heading out soon with the camping supplies, necessities for 7 people for three days, treats, entertainment, masks, medical supplies, and pharmacy in tow.  Between five kids and Trent it takes a lot of stuff to have fun!  Better get packing!