Happy New Year to you all!!! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We had a wonderful Christmas, Birthday, and New Year! Ella had a very exciting first Christmas! My extremely talented friend Candice took this picture of Ella on Christmas Eve. I know I'm a little partial but she really is a beautiful little girl! She had fun at all the parties and family activities. She was a trooper through all the craziness of Christmas. We had a wonderful time in Augusta with my family. We were able to see many of our friends and family and Ella had a great time with Nanna and Grandaddy! Ella had so many gifts to open Christmas morning that she got tired and had to take a nap. I think we had more fun then she did.
We are officially halfway done with my big chemo. This last chemo was a little easier because I just rested. I didn't try to keep going like I've done in the past. I also found that sitting in my parents jet-tub helped tremendously with the joint pain. I will be returning to Augusta for a few days after my next treatment not just for the tub but help with Ella too.
This last round of chemo will probably release the last little bit of hair I have. My eyelashes and eyebrows are hanging on (thank goodness)! I've gotten used to wearing hats although sometimes I just get to hot and have to take them off. I get some strange looks but oh well. I meet with my oncologist next Wednesday to discuss how all my treatment is going. It feels good to be halfway through all this. My last big treatment will be February 27th if all continues to go so well. My plan then is to hopefully have my second reconstructive surgery and then return to work. I will continue to receive Herceptin until November and then we will really be done!!!
We are preparing for Ella's big first birthday next Saturday. We are having a FIESTA!! We've invited some of her friends from church and family. We can't believe it's already been a year. What a blessing Ella is to our lives.
As Joel and I prepare for the year ahead, we don't make resolutions. We look at the past year and give ourselves a life/spiritual/relationship check-up. There is always room for improvement so we decide what goals we set for ourselves in the upcoming year. As we say good-bye to the Year 2007, what a life changing year it has been. We've become parents, lost a lot of sleep, changed jobs, and fought cancer. We are stronger for it and forever our lives will be changed. We are excited to see the adventure God takes us on in 2008!
