With Shay Shay at mom and Joe's I just can't quit thinking about Christi's first and last time there. I'm so glad that Christi was able to take that wonderful trip to Florida, spending precious time with her cousins, aunt and uncle and grandparents. Although she didn't feel well the whole weekend, she had moments (see picture) when she was feeling fine. She enjoyed playing tennis with Shelby.
All too soon, the cancer - once again - took off and we landed right back in Philadelphia. My sweet, sweet friend, Shari, flew with me to Philly the day this picture was taken. (Ironically, I have Shari's sweet, sweet, sweet daughter as a student this year!) CHOP told us it was grim. Compounding the horrific news, we couldn't get a room at the Ronald House, nor at any hotel. Sweet Angel Penelope's dad was able to do some finagling and he then put us up at the Four Seasons. When I saw the bill of nearly $500 the next morning under my door I nearly had a heart attack, feeling so guilty. After we were settled in our room, Shari took this picture. I later learned she went out to walk back and forth along our hotel floor, saying a rosary card I had in my purse and crying all the while. (Months later she "decorated" the funeral home for me with Christi's picture and artwork.) I really do believe Christi was very near death here. That high dose chemo she was soon socked with, really did the trick of slowing it down and giving us more months with our precious Christi. I'm so grateful knowing how good friends helped us through horrific times and I'm committed to helping others, since I cannot "pay it back".

I looks like Shayla enjoyed her nature hike with her grandparents this afternoon in sunny Florida. She collected many interesting things. She always loves the giant pine cones.
After church this morning, Shayla picked oranges from an orange tree - wow!

My conference and meetings were fabulous; it's always wonderful to learn new information and to meet up with old friends I don't see often enough! My travel home was uneventful and Shayne was working on some home improvement projects while we were gone. It's going to be really odd to be totally childless this week. As I returned a phone call from a student's parent on the way home from the airport, I thought about calling him back and offering to make dinner for his family and babysit their kids this week so he and his wife could enjoy an evening out, but I thought that might come across as odd. I have scheduled plenty of things to do this week, since I won't be driving Shayla to all of her lessons, but it's still going to be quite strange. I'm certain it will make us appreciate her all the more.