It's a hat trick!

Yep, three in a row, like when a hockey player scores 3 goals in one game, it's called a 'hat trick' - Kim has scored one in real life, feeling pretty good again today.  We find if she eases into the morning, she feels up to some light activity in the afternoon, followed by a long nap, dinner and then she'll visit with the family until it's time for bed.
  Today, once again, she craved a Subway breakfast sub, she made grits - yep, snuck out of bed while I was taking the kids to school, going to Fry's for milk, fruit, eggs, etc and then to Subway.  Kim made grits and cleared some counter clutter that has eluded me.  This time, she made it back into bed before I caught her!  After breakfast, I ran Bella through the desert - another stunning day, blue sky, mid-70's - we saw a road runner that Bella wanted to meet badly and some chipmunks - but the mountains were absolutely breath taking, the way the sun was hitting them, with the bright blue sky framing them out - just God saying 'good morning!'.
   We got home, got Kim showered up and then she wanted to go to Ross to find an outfit or two.  We took her wheel chair and got a new appreciation for ADA spacing rules (Ross comes close, but pretty tight in some areas!)...she said she felt normal being out and about, and, Kim being Kim, picked out something for everybody but herself!  So, I took her over to Jamba juice and got her a mango smoothy.  It took a lot out of her, being out and about, but she so enjoyed it.  These things we take for granted have become precious for Kim.
    Kim crashed hard when I got her into bed...I ran to get Cody and school and when we got back, Kim was still out.  We set up the nativity scene under the tree together before he started on his homework.  The little bambini's went home with our friend Vonda, her little ones, Mano (who's in Tonio's class) and Maya (who is Aut's age), are great fun for Autumn and Antonio.  She kept them at her house until around 4:30 - getting them home in time for Cottonwood's McTeacher night at McDonald's.  The teachers work at McDonalds, who donates a portion of all food purchased to Cottonwood.  We arrived at 5 and it was getting crowded fast!  Cody grabbed a table with his friends, Alec and Nathan Ball, so we got a good seat.  The kids love going to this fund raiser - they get a 'homework pass' to be able to skip a night of homework whenever they need to (hasn't been a problem thanks to Mrs. Schrantz and Mrs. Rudzena!), there is a raffle to win prizes (Tonio won a $25 gift card!! He told Kim he wants to buy her something with it - he's such a sweetie, like his mama), the school mascot, Comet the Coyote was on hand - it was a great turn out!   We drove through our neighborhood on the way home, looking at the houses decorated with lights, as we prepare for Christmas - the kids thought it was beautiful and we talked about how it is a season of giving, rather than receiving...these kids amaze me. We brought Kim home a fish sandwhich and an apple pie.  Cody and Autumn gave Bella a bath, which seems to make her crazier than ever.  She bounced around the house, like Tigger, terrorizing everyone, but smelling clean, for now.
     She ended her evening playing a little guitar hero with Cody, sitting down to play her part.  Kim chose to play 'Revolution' by Muse, and 'Feel Good Drag' by Anberlin  - she played guitar and Cody played drums.  He's so good at this game - 'I am amused by the simplicity of this game' Ken Griffey Jr. - he makes it looks easy.  I can't tell you how happy it made Cody to be doing anything with his mom, something he has been unable to do over that last couple of months.
     Tomorrow morning at 9:30 will be Kim's blood test to check her blood values.  We concerned that she still cannot walk on her own, but otherwise, her appetite is fantastic, she is in good spirits (ok, no surprise there), her eyes are shining beacons - so, we pray that she can be cleared to receive her next round of chemo on Monday...and that tomorrow brings Kim another day of feeling good.
      Love,
            Dave