Thursday Thoughts....

As I was checking my work email this morning I received another notification from CaringBridge. This website is sort of like a blog for families that have loved ones that are ill. Every few days I receive an update (when the family updates it) and the last few entries for precious Timmy have been very difficult to read as his brain cancer has progressed. Here is a link to the caringbridge site below.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/timothycameron

Let me tell you a bit about Timmy. Little Timmy is a precious little guy that I have had the privelege of working with the past 2 years. He will be attending 2nd grade this fall, but I have been seeing him since kindergarten, but this past spring he graduated from my services. He is a very special little boy with such a wonderful soul and outlook on life. I wish I could be half as optimistic as he is! Timmy missed the first 7 weeks of the school year last year as he was in Boston receiving experimental proton therapy in order to hopefully shrink his brain tumor. When he came back his class was so happy to see him. He then started a regimine of chemo and radiation every other Friday. On the opposite Fridays that he was in school that day was deemed "tie dye" Friday. Timmy wore his tye die shirt proudly and at the final 1st grade program last year, his whole class proudly sported their tye die shirts! This lesson in community, empathy, and teamwork from first graders is something to be admired! We adults should take a lesson from these first graders!

This morning as I was reading the latest entry on Caring Bridge I was so saddened to hear of the recent news and progression of his tumor. I can't stop thinking of the words on the screen. His family has been through so much and I can't imagine the depths of their dispair. Even with his own mother being a physician, it doesn't dampen the raw emotions of seeing your child in such pain.

I hope everyone can take pause and read Timmy's story and be thankful for those loved ones in your life. Sometimes we don't say often enough "I love you", "I care about you" , "I am glad you are in my life!", so in honor of Timmy pass on the love to everyone in your life and please say a little prayer for this precious little guy as well.

The many activities of Brylee

My favorite activities....playing under my baby gym, chewing on my hands, and trying out my excersaucer!

some new pics

Thursday Thoughts...

Sorry for the lack of blogging but the Bushard's have been quite busy over the past month!
Here's a quick recap:
Darryl's parent's arrived from NV the end of July, Jimbo's wedding, Angie's wedding, family reunion, meeting up with friends and family, etc. And now...we are down to the last few weeks of summer! I can't believe how fast time has gone by. Every summer flies by for me, but especially this year since having Brylee. (I even got an extra month this year!). I am sad to go back to work, but I know that Brylee is in good hands with G'ma Nancy and with Mary (our childcare provider). Plus, I do miss my co-workers and of course all my kiddos that I work with! It's funny how when you work with kids, you can't wait for the breaks because the kids drive you nuts, but when you are on breaks and vacations, you actually end up missing them!
So, as my summer is winding down I am trying to soak up every last minute of summer (wish the weather would cooperate more!) and moments with Brylee. I am excited for the 09-10 school year as it brings new challenges, but also new memories. We are also looking forward to Brylee's first holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.), juggling everything with work and at home, and anticipating Colby's graduation next spring! So many great things have happened this past year and we are so excited for the future. Enjoy the final days of summer everyone!!!


Lastly, Darryl's parents are returning back to NV today. We had a great time catching up while they were here. It was great that they finally got to meet Brylee and spend time with us, Eric Leah and their other 3 grandaughters.

Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks...

3 month pictures

Brylee's 3 month pictures can be previewed at:
http://www.jstoiaportraitdesign.com/index2.php

Then click Clients in the lower right corner
Enter brylee as the password

Another Wedding weekend

This weekend we ventured south of the border to IA, to attend my cousin Angie's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and it was fun to catch up with family.
The weather was stifling...99 degrees in Des Moines, but fortunately the church and reception had air conditioning! Brylee was a good girl throughout the wedding and reception and had fun being the center of attention.

Wordless Wednesday

Busy weekend-Jimbo's wedding

We had a busy weekend. We celebrated Heidi's 30th Birthday on Friday night at Chino Latino's in uptown. Unfortunately they forgot our reservation for 20 people, but were eventually seated and enjoyed the good company of friends. Brylee got to hang out with Nana and Grandpa Bushard at home.

Yesterday, we went to our friend Jimbo and Cheryl's wedding. I am so proud that my matchmaking skills paid off and resulted in a marriage. We are so happy for both of them! We had a great time at the wedding and Brylee had her first sleepover at G'ma and G'pa Voigt's. She was a good girl and even ventured out to the mall of America with them.
Here are a few pics from Jimbo's wedding.