well then...

It's been an odd couple of weeks. One of those twilight, out of body confusion, wierd times.

3 weeks ago: my mom emailed us from her mission that she hasn't been feeling well. In two months time she had lost her appetite and a bunch of weight but had some sort of mass in her stomach.

2 1/2 weeks ago: Tuesday: mom had a CAT scan, saw her military doctor and spoke with the mission doctor. He was very concerned with the results and sent my parents home early from their mission the NEXT DAY.

Wednesday: Mom and Dad came home. Yeah their home! Oh no, what was it that she needed to come home for?!

Thursday: Mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Usher in all the feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, frustration, you name it.

Last week: Surgery. Surgery that went 3 hours longer than planned. Stressful! Thankfully the surgery went really well, but there were many more tumors than expected. Doctors removed a bucket worth of tumors, her ovaries, appendix, gall bladder, half of her colon, and part of her diaphram. Ouch. Thankfully the surgery went well and removed almost all of the cancer. This makes it very likely that chemo will be sucessful with the remaining cancer.

Now Mom is recovering well and expected to be released from the hospital soon. In six weeks she'll start chemo. So with as crazy and difficult as this has been, it's good to look for the silver lining. My mom and entire family has been very blessed throughout this experience, it's great the cancer was caught when it was, my parents flew home before the volcano grounded people in Europe, I've been able to hang out with my dad, my cell phone is full of calls and texts from family and friends, Ruby got to meet her Oma and Opa sooner, and last but not least, I'm going to go wig shopping with my mom.

So, hopefully all will continue to go well. If you want to read updates, my mom has asked that my sister and I update my parents' blog with clever progress posts. So how do you make cancer clever?

identity crisis

People have been asking if Ruby knows her name yet. With as many nicknames as the poor girl has, I don't know how she could. The first day she goes to Kindergarten, she isn't going to know who she is... unless in addition to Ruby they call:

• Ruber
• Rubers
• Ruby D
• Roo
• Boo
• Boo Roo
• Boo Roo Chicken
• Babette
• Runt
• Chunk
• Little Onion
• Stinkers
• Rubies
• Jiblett
• Rubeth

so where have you been?

A few weeks ago we headed to Oceanside, California. It was Jeff's brilliant idea to get me out of the house and away from the cold. It was brilliant. We decided to DRIVE there, and Ruby did very well and could usually make it 150 miles before we'd stop, feed her and let her stretch. This is her after being in the car 6 hours:

Of course we ate A LOT of GOOD food:

Ruby went to the beach for the first time... she was underwhelmed and slept:

She sported Jeff's shades with style:

We had a fabulous meal at Ruby's Diner which is a restaurant on the end of the Oceanside Pier. With a name like Ruby's, we had to go:

And now that we've been home for a few weeks... I'm ready for the next trip.

Houston- we have some smiles

time flies...

And yes we are having fun. And who couldn't when this little face is greeting you? We have some fabulously talented friends who are wonderful photographers. Here's a few pictures taken by Carlye Morgan. Pictures from another talented friend of ours to come soon.

I have to admit that sometimes I just laugh when Ruby cries. Not that I think it's funny that she is crying, but it look at that face.


And look at this hair! I love it. But the poor child is already plagued with crazy cowlicks everywhere. Sorry baby.

She was a very good sport for the photos, though she was rather confused as to why I expected her to nap on a chair, and a rocking chair, and a trunk, and a suitcase, and a basket, and naked...

She managed to pee on Jeff, me, the floor, everything else in her path and poop on a few blankets. And why did no one warn me that baby poop is toxic and will stain like nobodies business? Thank heavens for Oxyclean. So they were messy pictures, but definitely worth it.

suckers

This is how Ruby wants to sleep, in our arms or on our chest. And often that's what she gets. We're suckers, and can't help but want to cuddle up to the little thing every chance we get. I can't help but think that in 15 years, she won't be so fond of us. We'll be the lame parents that won't take her to get her belly button pierced or she'll want to walk 10 feet in front of us because we are embarrassing. So now, while we're still her favorite, I'm going to cuddle with her and spoil her all I can. Yes, I do think about things too much.

Yes, we are smitten. We are in deep smit.

But I seem to remember in years past, when I'd be changing the poopy diaper of a nephew or niece, I'd grimace or pull a face at the smell. People would say, "Oh, it's different when it's your own baby. You won't think it smells bad or is gross." ... right... You people were wrong. Still poop. Still smelly. But we're still smitten.

wow, i really AM a mom

Twice now, when I've seen that Ruby has a smudge of ick on her face, I've licked my finger and rubbed it off! I'm a finger-licker? I never would have thought of such a thing. The humilition for the poor child begins. I just need to get this under control before she goes to school. Sorry cute little one.