St. Patrick's Day

Hopefully, no one will recognize the bar "The Clover Club" and no one will realize we took Shayla to a bar for dinner on Monday evening (smile). It was great to meet up with Shayne's mom and her friend and, much to my surprise, dinner was wonderful! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Many times this evening I thought back to our NYC days and St. Patrick's day in 2003. On that day we did not realize Christi was to have yet another day of stem cell harvesting and in the afternoon we received a phone call from the Day Hospital asking where Christi was and why she didn't show up. PIC: Yet another day of harvesting her stem cells (Christi, age 5, March 2003)Well, I guess it turned out to be a wonderful thing! We said many times throughout her treatment years that the goal was not to die with extra stem cells and despite trying to have just enough, she died with stem cells in the freezer! Today I was very happy we took her to the St. Pat's (incredible) parade in NYC instead of subjecting her to spend yet another day trying to collect stem cells!!

Shayla's still trying to make the decision on what to do about her bunny. I thank you very much for your kind posts and emails, sharing your insight and wisdom as this 4-H thing is entirely new to all of us! (And I apologize, but I've been spelling Shayla's bunny's name wrong. It is SWIFFER. I guess Shayla's spelling problem doesn't fall far from the tree, eh?! Hee hee!)

Shayla on Shayne's lap (March 2003) at "Start with Art" at the Met in NYC! (With teachers Caroline and Nitza, we still keep in touch with them!!)We didn't receive the greatest of news at the eye doctor's this afternoon. Her doctor feels her right eye is starting to slip back into the problems she was having before last year's many months of vision therapy in Toledo. Ergh! I knew that it could happen, but because she's doing remarkably well with reading, I never thought of it! (Her third grade teacher came to me last week telling mne she tested Shayla's grade level for reading and it is a sixth grade level. She's now moving on to some independent reading work at school and is reading "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" - a great story with a reading level of sixth grade, eighth month. The story takes place at the Met in NYC! Shayla remembers her days at the Met with great admiration!) Soooooooooooo, we won't have that "eye patch burning party" she talks about quite yet; we are now back to doing daily eye exercises to try to get her right eye back on track, but at least we don't have to travel back to Toledo. (Amazing to me is she gained five grade levels in reading in a year. Her uncle Jeff recently joked with her, "Keep that up you'll be going off to college next year." Upon hearing that, she blushed, looked down and had a large grin.


Yes, a bagpiper in the bar. (See? Culture and education, right?! Hee hee!) Next we went to musical practice where she had a ball! I continue to marvel over her amazing attitude, drive and spirit; what a blessing! We are so blessed to have her!! Today I contacted a friend (and single mom) who lost her only child to neuroblastoma on this day in 2004. Thank you, dearest Lord for Shayla!! I am not worthy of this incredible gift!

Our thoughts and prayers continue for Christi's best friends' parents. One is back home after being life flighted to Toledo, another is having surgery to remove a tumor in the brain tomorrow. May God be with them all. May God give them strength and courage. Those girls have been through too much at their age!