Over Due

Here are a few pictures from Henry's 2 Bday!!! He's so cute!!! I have tried to download like sixteen different pics... and I only got two. So here's what I have this morning. I'm going to Anchorage, hopefully I can find some wireless to post on the other computer. Had a wonderful birthday! Isn't he just growing into a little man!!! He is definitely acting his age.. here come the terrible two's.. but we're oh so grateful for it!

First Steps!!!

Henry has taken his first solo steps!!! He has been cruising... and I do mean cruising around the house with a little shopping cart, but yesterday he walked to Mommy with out any helping hands!!! He won't walk to any one but Mommy.. but he's making progress. And then, every night when Daddy leaves for work the kids give him hugs and kisses and then watch out the door as he drives away. Well tonight Henry parked his shopping cart in front of the rug and walked at least five steps to the door all by himself, with out mom asking him to or help from any one!!! It was awesome! So exciting to see him continually moving forward! Hooray! He'll be walking in no time! He so loves to chase around the house with Elizabeth and her stroller.
We went out in the jeep the other day, just bogging around in our yard.. with tons and tons of snow.... and Henry LOVED it! He wanted to sit as close to the windshield as he could so he could see everything! He was laughing and really excited... and definitely didn't want to get out of the jeep. :)
We are having so much fun being at home! And although Elizabeth is still checking to see if we're staying in Alaska every day.. I think she's excited to be home. Not really that excited about change... even when I moved the table around.. she got upset. Silly girl.
While life is wonderful for us right now, a lot of friends are still having lots of struggles, and my heart goes out to them, and they are in my prayers. I am so grateful for the experiences we have had over the last two years, and am even more grateful for the peace and calm we have enjoyed over the last few weeks! What great miracles fill our lives every day.

Still Waiting...

My wonderful hubby has hidden the device used to load pictures on the camera. Not really it's in his other car, but for now all I can do is tell you what we have been up to.
Daddy hurt his back, thus he's home for the week, Hooray for us! :) We like having him around, but feel bad because he's in pain!
Mommy is enjoying being at home, and shoveling all the snow, seriously a foot at minimum in one day! The kids love it!
Elizabeth got all new snow gear and has been outside numerous times enjoying the freedom of being outside by herself and playing in the white stuff. Her attitude is slowly adjusting to being here, but still is as stubborn and fun as ever. She got sick and because she wasn't feeling well I let her watch TV, however, I have realized that it's coming back to bite me in the bum! Now she pretends to cough and says, "I don't feel good, I need to watch some TV." Yes she has everything in life figured out!
Henry is extremely jealous that Elizabeth can play outside and he can't... something about letting him scoot around on his bum in the snow seems harsh... so he walks around with Mommy and jumps in the piles of snow. Loving every minute! He inevitably caught Elizabeth's cold, but hasn't had any fevers, thank Heaven! He is getting his two year molars though, one has broken through part way and the other one is causing great pain.
Both children are very very slowly learning to sleep with out mommy. Probably because they are on meds! But for a few hours each night they sleep by themselves.
Henry is eating really well, his new favorite food of the moment is pancakes with lots of syrup. Oh and he's drinking his lactaid milk finally! Two sippy cups of chocolate milk today so far... we'll see how the night goes. His counts continue to climb and we are seriously talking about getting his Hickman line out soon. His Platelets are at 47 and his Hematocrit is 29, with an ANC of almost 3000!!!! All of his counts are slowly creeping up every week instead of down which is huge! We bought him a plastic shopping cart to push around the house. He doesn't need mommy's fingers anymore! Soon enough he'll be walking on his own! He desperately misses his Annie and Grandpa! Every day wants to look at their picture and talk to them.
His weight continues to stay low, but we're working hard at feeding him all the fatty foods he can handle like Donuts!!!! Which he also loves.
We're all adjusting to being home and hoping to get healthy soon so we can see some friends! Elizabeth played outside with the neighbor girls for the first time today and LOVED it!
Life is Wonderful! We are so blessed! The Lord truly compensates for the tears and heartaches we face in life, what joy fills our lives these days!!!!

Settling In

Sorry i haven't posted in a while... I know many of you were anxious to hear about getting home. The flight was alright, Elizabeth was awake until we began the "final descent" into Anchorage. She was looking out the window for Daddy, she couldn't quite see him, so I told her to keep watching. (Good one mom!) So the wonderful flight attendants helped me carry bags and children out of the plane.
Elizabeth was so excited she ran up the ramp to the airport, and some how couldn't find Daddy even though he was standing right in front of her. I think the buzzed head didn't help and she may have been still dreaming or sleep walking. Uncle Brad and Aunt Sarah brought us home, I think they brought us home a year and a few months ago too.
Elizabeth and Henry have both been very excited about all the snow and Henry has to go outside at least once a day. Elizabeth is very sick, I think this happens every time she comes home. I don't mean to offend anyone by not visiting, but while I'm a nervous wreck about sick people being around us, I don't want to take my sick kids around you.
We are all so excited to be home and although Daddy thinks it's too cramped and is past ready to build another house, I am LOVING it! Home and safe, and our first visit went wonderfully! Henry did awesome for the nurses and felt right at home. His counts continue to go up! He's eating like a CHAMP! He loves taco meat and guacamole and salsa, and is eating whatever Elizabeth doesn't eat. We play games to see who can drink the most juice, so I'm pretty sure he's at or close to his goal liquid intake.
So the transition home has been wonderful! Easy and while I am sure there may be bumps in the road ahead I am so grateful the Lord has made this trip home so wonderfully easy.