The Nursery Reveal and here comes the Party of 5

So the last few days has been BUSY!!!! Laney Bug went for week 2 of consolidation and did great with her LP procedure and chemo! Her White Blood Cell (WBC) count was very low, only 0.8, but didn't need any blood products thankfully. Sadly, she is on fever watch with her counts being so low. It also means if she does spike a fever, she will be automatically admitted which would not be fun since we are having a baby tomorrow!!!! Luckily we have only run low grade temps this weekend, but they have been a little higher today, so we are praying her fever stays under 100.4!!!! Please pray with us!

Waiting Room Fun

We have been working like crazy to get Avery Grace's room ready! My mom brought all the bedding and goodies with her, and arrived early Sunday morning. In case you haven't realized it, my Mom is amazingly crafty and talented, and has been working nonstop on the nursery bedding and cute outfits for the girls.  My awesome hubby is also an incredible decorator and designer and helped decorate and build everything! I really love how Avery's nursery turned out. We based her theme of Psalms 127, and how our kids are like arrows, and the Lord allows us to guide them and lead them. So with that in mind, the arrow theme was chosen  The wall art came from free printables from pintrest I printed myself, and I then got inexpensive frames for (all under $8 total for everything!) The maternity and family pics were taken by my amazing sister Amanda, and I also found a set of frames at Ross for those! Jerry built all the monogram letters as well! Her closet is full to the brim, thanks to my friends Allyn & Becca (who blessed us with some amazing clothes from her daughter and Addy and Alayna's hand me downs!) and the dresser was refinished by Ron as well, so the nursery was definitely a group effort

Psalm 127:4-5

Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift?

    the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?

Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows

    are the children of a vigorous youth.

Oh, how blessed are you parents,

    with your quivers full of children!

Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you;
 you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

I have also become rather addicted to my FitBit this week and took part in numerous different challenges with our friends.  It was so fun to exercise, walk, and run, and basically have something to keep my mind of everything else.  I went for a final run tonight, and I am slightly sad I will have to stop exercising after Avery Grace comes, but give me a month or so, and I will be right back at it, FitBit in tow!  We also GOT OUR DATE NIGHT TONIGHT!!! Dinner at Outback and grocery shopping thanks to my parents being in town lol! We both sat at dinner and thought, "Are we crazy? What have we gotten ourselves into??" but are ready for whatever the Lord wants to throw at us!

Last Run before Avery Comes (in the rain no less!)

Tomorrow we are scheduled to go in at 6am to start the induction process  Please pray they actually let me come in at 6:00AM. Sometimes they make people wait, so we are hoping that will not happen to us. I truly hate that I will be induced, but know with our chemo schedule, it is what is best for our family. We are so excited to meet our sweet Avery Grace & are still in shock that we will soon be a Party of 5! 

PRAYER LIST

1. Please pray for a smooth induction process, with a great fast delivery, and that I will be able to actually start on time tomorrow. Normally I go in the night before, so it makes me a little nervous, but know the Lord has it all planned already!!!! Also that Avery will just come with no problems and be healthy, and happy,  and go with the flow. 

Psalm 139

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. 

2. Pray Alayna will not spike any fevers above 100.4. We know her chemo causes low grade fevers, and she only has one more day of this kind of chemo, but we would love to not have to be admitted in two different hospitals with two different baby girls. Also that she will stay happy, and will adjust to being a big sister who just happens to have leukemia.  

3.  Pray for Addyson's little heart.  Prayers as she gains another little sister, that she will adjust, and not feel unloved at all. Prayers for Alayna to feel just as loved, and for us to learn this new zone defense, in the middle of our storm, with chemo and treatment.  We are praying and believing the Lord will give us strength, and that Avery will give us Grace. Also just that the Lord would give me strength and no problems in delivery, so I can do all I need to do with three amazing little girls.  If I went quickly, I wouldn't complain at all :)

Jeremiah 29:10-11 MSG

“This is GOD ’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”

4.  Prayers for our house continue. Our goal was to have it sold before Avery, but the Lord's plans are better. We had 4 showings this week and continue to get showings, but no offers. Most people say they wish the downstairs was larger, but we can't fix that and it worked perfect for us!!! Hoping someone will fall in love with the house we loved, and there will be an offer very soon!!!

1 Chronicles 17:10 MSG

“And now I’m telling you this: GOD himself will build you a house! When your life is complete and you’re buried with your ancestors, then I’ll raise up your child to succeed you, a child from your own body, and I’ll firmly establish his rule. He will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom’s rule forever. I’ll be a father to him, and he’ll be a son to me. 

5. Friday is day 15 of consolidation and Alayna will receive the chemo drug Pegaspargase.  We are praying for no allergic reaction. It is VERY common at this point to react to Peg, but we are praying against any kind of reaction, and that we will have a great day 15 with a newborn in tow!!!  Please pray that Alayna's counts will continue to rise, especially her WBC's....fever watch is no joke and makes this Mama a nervous wreck!

Thanks so much for those who purchased a t-shirt! We are so excited to see everyone in their shirts and hope you send us tons of pictures....Here's the nursery reveal....we hope you love it as much as we do!

Entry Way with Sign from Avery's Shower 

Guest Bed

One of my favorite sections

Bed View

love love love

Big Bed Bedding

Love the Pallet Shelf Ron Made 

Gotta Love a ruffle crib skirt

Our Prayer for Our life right now

Thanks so much and we love you!!! We can't wait for you all to meet our sweet Avery Grace and know this is just another part of our amazing journey and story


Ron and Jenny

Hospital Life

Just wanted to give y'all a quick update since our last update was Friday.....

Friday we started CONSOLIDATION!  Friday truly was the longest day in the world....Alayna had to stop eating and drinking the night before since the LP's are done under sedation and we were not sure if she would make counts, so we had to go to clinic at 8:00AM and then wait for labs, her Lumbar Puncture (LP), and then an additional 30 mins before she could eat....She definitely wasn't happy about not eating till after 11, but I had given her a unopened peppermint and she just kept holding on to it, knowing she couldn't have it till I told her it was ok....When she was finally able to eat the peppermint she was one happy girl....

She did great with her Lumbar Puncture, where they also gave her chemo in her spine.  Because she is High Risk, she will actually have LP's the next 4 weeks in a row, with chemo each time.  A lot of people have asked me why she keeps having LP's....well basically, when you receive chemo, either IV or orally, it typically won't cross into the spine, otherwise known as the blood brain barrier.  Leukemia is super sneaky and loves to hang out in spinal fluid.....so every time she gets a lumbar puncture, they pull cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) to make sure there is still no leukemia in her spinal fluid, and they also give her chemo in the same spot, to help prevent leukemia from ever getting there.  We are also part of a research study through a national cancer group and we were unsure if she would be receiving just one individual chemo in her spine, or three different drugs mixed together.  We found out this week we would just receive the one type of chemo, so that is a blessing...it is a randomized study, so we had no control over it, but we are glad we are only getting the one drug version.  However, the drug she receives in her spine is called Methotrexate.  It is a very common chemo drug and has been around for a long time.  However, every time she has received this chemo in her spine, she has also spiked a fever.  Fever's aren't super common with this drug but it seems to be how she is responding.  Last week when we went to the ER for fever, it was after her LP with methotrexate....the first time we were admitted for fevers it was on day 9, the day after she received methotrexate in her spine the first time...so we were kind of expecting it this week but we were praying against it.....

After her procedure, she also got 2 different forms of IV chemo....this whole process took a very long time because we needed to wait for additional labs, which took almost 3 hours, and after those drugs she was required to receive a large amount of fluids through her port, which only made her swollen....After the steroids her swelling has continued to come down, but on Friday with all the fluids on board, she looked so different and swollen...I am learning that although she may not look like the Alayna I remember, she still has the same sweet spirit and nature deep down, underneath all the drugs and fluids.  Please keep praying with us that her swelling will continue to come down and her face will become less swollen....

My Happy Asian

....needless to say it was a very long day and I was so thankful to finally get home.  Our sweet friend Nicole, who used to be our nanny, ended up ordering us dinner and I honestly was so grateful.  After the longest clinic day ever, it was so nice to not have to cook and just relax as a family.

Saturday morning was a beautiful morning and I got to take Addyson on a date.....Definitely had a mommy fail, however, because I wanted to take her for her first pedicure and we found a place with a princess chair that was just her size....We went and got donuts first (and iced coffee for Mommy of course....Did you know Dunkin Doughnuts has their Sugar Cookie Flavor again!!! Oh my goodness, it's amazing...and I am kind of obsessed....which I shouldn't be but yes, love me some Dunkin Iced Coffee! and I am going to go broke going there getting it!!) but after donuts, we came to the nail salon and I didn't make an appointment because it's a walk in place (or so I thought!),  and sadly the princess chair was booked for a birthday party all day...Needless to say, Addyson was not happy and I felt horrible...but we are hoping to go back this week before new baby comes!

Saturday afternoon I was showered with love at our Baby Shower for Avery Grace.....everything looked so amazing and Kelli and Elizabeth made sure I had all the food I had been craving all throughout my pregnancy like guacamole, buffalo chicken dip, and Coke Zero of course...It was so nice to see a lot of friends that I haven't seen since we were diagnosed....Avery stocked up on diapers and wipe,s and we got some things off our Target Registry too! I definitely feel so blessed to have so much love surrounding this new baby and our entire family....The Lord knew a year ago that we would be faced with all these challenges, and we are so blessed to have our Action family on this journey with us

Sweet Shower Host Elizabeth and Kelli (And Annabelle Too!)

1st Corinthians 1:4

4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says

So after I had finally opened up all the presents, and was just enjoying time with my sweet girl friends, I got the call....The same call I got the weekend before....the call I have learned to hate....Alayna Hope had fever of 102.4.......and regret set in....

So for any other kid in the world....Fevers aren't that big of deal...In fact, I even teach my students about the myths of fever and how they really can be treated at home and with medication, etc....However, for a Cancer Kid, fevers are a BIG DEAL. Anytime Alayna has a fever over 101 it means we have to be seen.  Because she has a port, a fever could mean her port has an infection.  Also, because chemo typically kills off the good fighter blood cells, there is a huge risk for infections that her body doesn't have the ability to fight off...This is why she can't be around anyone sick or go to school or be in the nursery at church, and we have to constantly check her....However, certain chemotherapies will cause fever.  On friday she started a new chemo, ARA-C, which comes in the form of a shot (which we have to give her) or through her IV.  Well Saturday morning we gave her the shot and my rockstar husband, with some nursing advice ha, even gave it to her....about 4 hours later is when she spiked the temp.....So not only did she have the LP with methotrexate, but she also had the ARA-C....which pretty much was setting us up for a fever...Since our clinic days are on Friday, our oncologist office is closed, which means we have to go to the ER.......being a pediatric ER nurse myself, it is really no fun to have to go there....we have to put numbing cream on her port, pack our bags (which I am learning to just not unpack ever), find a place for Addyson to hang out, and head straight there......Its really not how I planned to spend the last weekend before Avery comes....

Sadly, we haven't had great experiences in the ER and Saturday night was no exception.  We ended up waiting over 7 hours and we were finally admitted at 2:30AM to the hematology floor.....Our ANC was actually very good, but her blood level called her hemoglobin was critically low, 6.5, and we would need blood....so, there we were again, admitted to the hospital 

Hanging out in the ER with Mr. Chemo Ducky (He goes everywhere with us!)

Finally asleep around 10PM

Bored in the ER! His new name is Ronald Alom Shiek Baar. Have I mentioned he needs to trim 

Sunday Morning I was still aggravated from our ER experience and just found myself mad...Mad at our situation...Mad that we were all sleeping different places and couldn't be home as a family...Just mad that my daughter had leukemia and we were having to go through this and REALLY mad that we still don't have an offer on our house, even after we dropped the price of our house....I found myself wanting to complain, and realizing it was ok, I let the Lord know I wasn't happy with our situation....I texted some friends and they all gave me great encouragement...but the Lord knew I needed more...and he sent that to me in the form our an amazing message.   

My sweet friend Kristin Becnel, whose daughter fought cancer and won, and who I've talked about before, spoke at Bayside with her husband about having a bad day a few weeks ago and I have been trying to watch the message, but just had not been able to yet...Sunday morning I decided to go on a run and was watching or more like listening to the message as I ran....Here I am, 38 weeks pregnant, running down the road at a snail's pace, balling my eyes out, listening to her and Jordan's message....and it was exactly what I needed.....Just like us, they felt like they were chosen by God and found a purpose in Charlotte cancer journey...their message reminded me that this whole thing ISN'T ABOUT ME!!!! In fact, it's about the Lord working through us, and every life that hears our story has the chance to b changed...It took me 30 mins, an amazing message, and an awesome run on a beautiful day to snap me out of my funk, and allowed me to realize that the Lord can handle my anger...He already knew I was mad...and He has a purpose in all of this.....That afternoon I spent about an hour talking to our charge nurse on the floor about our ER experience, and in the end, we were both in tears, just talking about the Lord and all He had done for us.....It totally just solidified why we are going through this and I just have to keep believing our house will sell and God has the perfect buyers already lined up......if you have ever gone through anything or every had a bad day, I highly recommend listening to this message...and make sure you have a box of tissues with you

Jordan and Kristin's Amazing Message

Isaiah 58:10-11 NIV 10 “...if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 

So today is Monday, and over the last few days we've been living in the hospital....So Thankful for Kelli and Tim watching Addy on Saturday night....I feel so torn because if we end up going to the ER,  I really don't like going without Ron....It just makes things easier when He's around....but I also feel bad because that means Addyson has to stay with friends....She is already staying with friends on Fridays and We have had amazing friends that have really stepped up and allowed her to hang out with their families, but I worry about her.....One of my new Mommy friends who has a daughter with ALL described it perfectly...it's like whiplash....you never really know if you will be in the hospital, clinic, or actually at home, and sadly Addyson can't really understand all of it, no matter how much we explain things....she's 4 and she hasn't been coping in the greatest way....but since Sunday we have been rotating shifts at the hospital...typically Ron spends the night with Alayna so I can sleep in a normal bed and hang out with Addy, I then take Addyson to school, and then he goes to work and picks up Addyson in the afternoons...he gets time with her and around bedtime we switch again....Although it works great for our girls...It's definitely not ideal for our marriage...but I have to remember it's all part of this season of life...I am really hoping we will get one last date night before Avery comes...but I guess that is up to the Lord....I truly am so thankful for a husband that not only supports me, but also goes above and beyond to support our family and love our girls..

Wagon Ride Fun

One crazy fun big Sister

We cannot leave the hospital till Alayna is fever free for 24 hours....today was the last day of her ARA-C and then we get Tuesday, Wed, Thursday off before we receive it again in the clinic....the one good thing about being in the hospital is that while she is in the hospital, she can get this drug through her port and we haven't had to give her the shots in her leg...Both her and I are very happy about that! Addyson has also been able to come up and spend time with Alayna, since this time around, we are not on contact precautions....Which has been great....The chemo she is on makes her feel like she has the flu and so she definitely has good moments and bad moments and hasn't been eating a lot...but thankful that the hospital food service keeps us stocked up on Guacamole because we know she will always eat that :) While I am here during the day, it's easy to go stir crazy.....This week my goal is to work on my Premier Jewelry Business....with all this going on, and a new baby on the way, I will not really be able to work (plus I am about to start maternity leave anyways), so I am so thankful to be a part of a company that will allow me to spend all day with my girls and then just leave occasionally at night and still have the chance to make great money, bless other women, and share our story in the process of it all!!! Hoping to get things up and going again soon! 

My sweet girl

So how can you pray for us??????

1. NO MORE FEVERS!!!!! I would love to get out of the hospital for a couple days, and have time to finish getting ready for Avery...we can only leave when she is fever free for 24 hours and today her fevers have been lower, but she typically spikes fevers at night so who knows when we will actually be discharged!!!! Also, please pray for no fevers in the coming weekend, and her body will learn to adapt to the new crazy chemo drugs...also as her hair thins, she is scratching like crazy and her head is very dry and cracking...it doesn't help that she can't have showers or baths while we are here, so pray we can find a solution and she will continue to not have many side effects from the chemo.....

2. PRAY THIS BABY WILL COME SOON!!!!! I am being induced next Monday, which I would love to not be induced...but considering our situation and that randomly going into labor, especially if we just happen to be in the hospital...doesn't work out so well, leaves us with not having much of an options.....I've basically just given up on going into labor on my own.....I've never actually gone into real labor on my own, and I was hoping this pregnancy would be the one time I could....Both Addyson and Avery had to be induced at almost 41 weeks, and the thought of waiting that long this time, especially since if I went to 41 weeks, it would be the same time when we know Alayna's counts will be super low, just does not seem ideal.  So next Monday Avery will receive her eviction notice....HOWEVER....I truly would love for her to come on her own....I read an article this week about how doing squats helps you prepare for labor...so I've been doing squats and trying to go run every day....being a part of different fitbit challenges might also have something to do with that as well lol.....I have tried having spicy food...you name it.....I am still believing that she will make her own grand entrance...but if you could join me in that prayer that would be awesome

3. OUR HOME! I know I say this every week....but y'all, we lowered the price and have had even less showings since we lowered the price...I just don't get it....A lot of people have asked me why we don't rent it out...but once again, we really need to sell it to be able to financially ok over the next 2 years of treatment...we also don't want to even deal with having renters in the middle of everything else we are going through....but 2 power bills, 2 water bills, paying for sewage on a house that doesn't have toilets being flushed...none of that is fun....at all....We are almost $20,000 below all the other comps so it just doesn't make sense to me...it's truly a gorgeous home....I know the Lord has a reason in all of it...but we are down to a week before Avery comes and we need a miracle...THIS WEEK!!!!!!! Please stand and believe with us that this will happen and our mountain will be moved in the next few days!!! 

Matthew 21:21

Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

Also...we still have 2 fundraisers going on and we are so excited to have toddler sizes in our t-shirt fundraiser...Although I keep forgetting to actually order Addyson and Alayna's shirts...I know I need to do that, along with the 1000 other things I have been meaning to do! But check it out...I would love to see all the pictures of your little ones in their shirts and I can't wait to hear all the stories that will come from people wearing the shirts and hearing our story!!!! I just know the Lord is going to continues to show up and show off! Check it out here Prayers for Alayna Hope T-shirts

Finally

4. Prayers for Nesting Needs and a Date Night.....

I know this is a silly request but I would really just love to finish up everything before Avery comes home...Ron was able to paint Avery's new dresser and ours too and it looks amazing...pictures coming soon....My Mom has worked so so so hard on the nursery, and she will be bringing every thing with her when she comes, but I would love to finish decorating the nursery and getting the last few things of our list and registry we need before she comes...Also...since Ron and I are swapping places every day, we really haven't had much time together...we are praying for one last date night before we become a Party of 5, and are believing the Lord will provide a way for us to have this happen...I need time with my man ha! 

Ron got the dresser painted right before her fever spiked

Thank you all so much for your continued support and stay tuned for the next blog....My good-looking Husband, with a crazy beard, has been working on a blog and I cannot wait for y'all to ready it!!!

Trusting in the beautiful and complete.....

Jen

Current Fundraisers

GO FUND ME LINK

T-shirt LINK

There's also a Usborn books fundraiser going on...check out the the link on my Facebook

Look at my timeline for the link

After the 15th there will also be a Thirty One Fundraiser! 

LOVE YALL! 

The Results ARE IN AND Our God is a faithful God in everything

                                                 

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Luke 11:9-10 NLT

This right here is one happy girl. This is a girl who was given an earthly diagnosis but who serves a Heavenly God. Today was a day I will never forget. No matter what the results were going to be, we knew the Lord would still be in control. We would continue to sing of His faithfulness. This however, is also a girl with no leukemia in her body!!!! Our nurse saw us today and asked us one simple question, "How do you feel about 0%?!?" 

And the tears started rolling...

We are less than 0.01%!!!!!! That means there is no leukemia in Alayna's blood or on the microscopic level!!!!

So this means she is in complete remission and we will stay High Risk!!!!

Does this mean treatment ends? 

No.... We will still have to complete the 2.5 years of treatment to ensure complete remission and cure rate with no relapse. But staying high risk means we do not have to be bumped up and treatment will not increase in intensity. 

Our hearts are happy. We had an amazing time on our BabyMoon this week, and we were so thankful to get time together as a couple and it really was amazing...Thanks to our sweet friends for watching our girls....We have a LONG road ahead of us, with many ups and downs I am sure....but through it all the Lord will sustain us!!!! Please keep sharing our story and keep the prayers coming. 

Right now our big prayers are as follows

1. That Alayna will meet counts and we will be able to start CONSOLIDATION on Friday, the next phase of treatment. Also that her liver enzymes and blood count will be back to normal. We might need blood tomorrow so we are waiting on results....Three days of clinic days in a row....Bring on the Starbucks...

2. OUR HOUSE HAS TO SELL!!! We lowered the price of our house, although I wasn't super happy about it, but financially it is a must. Having two house payments is really challenging and is really hard when Ron and I are not able to work like normal. So financially, with a new baby coming, it's huge!Here's the link with the new price reduction! Praying for a bidding war so the price cut doesn't really effect anything!!! Our Beautiful House

3.  Pray for the perfect timing of Avery coming and that she will come on her own, without having to be induced. This has definitely been my prayer. I'm fine with induction but would love to just go into labor on my own. I am very umcomfy and just ready for this next phase of our life to start. Three girls, one a newborn, one with cancer, & one super strong willed. Prayers are definitely going to be needed lol. So excited to also celebrate Avery this weekend as my friends throw us a sprinkle/shower. I have missed seeing people at church and so I am so excited to see friends and celebrate my sweet girls!! Hope to see y'all there

4. Pray for this next phase, CONSOLIDATION. There's a risk for lots of fevers and possible drug interactions. We are praying for no side effects, no nausea, no weakness, and no more hair loss!!! One drug, Peg, is known to cause anaphylaxis and she will get that on day 15 and 29, so we are praying against that! So pray with us. 

Thank you so much all the support and prayers! We have been blown away by the go fund me account and believe the Lord will keep continuing to provide. We have had a few scares with insurance, and finances are always a challenge, but hopefully they will get all worked out! Also we have 3 days left of Tshirts sales so make sure you order yours before you can't!!! 

T-shirt Fundraiser

“I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O LORD, well know. I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.”

Psalms 40:9-10 NLT

We love you all and are so thankful for the prayers and that we are truly on the way to our #BeautifullyComplete 

Steroids, Screams, Some Scares and Smiles sometimes mixed in between!

This last week and a half has been a steady week, a challenging week, and a little crazy in the midst of it all....

For me personally, it involved a lot of working....That's one blessing for sure.....Although Ron has not been able to work very much, at least the Lord has given me the strength to keeping pressing on, despite being super pregnant and with everything else going on....

Last week we had a surprise visit from Pop Kid and Paw Paw.....I worked another 12 hour shift on Tuesday and it was a crazy day...For some of you that live in other states, our area is running rampent with the Flu....working in a pediatric ER, where I am constantly exposed to it, pretty much makes me worried....I have been wearing a mask...but knowing that I have a sick baby at home makes it way worse...Not to mention, working 12 hour shifts in a crazy busy pediatric ER, well....that made me super moody especially all week last week....I have to admit I had a few moments where I just lost it and needed to kind of run away....but I managed to do that, thanks to my amazing husband

Time with Pop Kidd and Paw Paw (not pictured)

MY SuperGirl

Thursday I ended up teaching and we had a minor scare.....All day I was having contractions....and they were super close together and kind of painful....none of my other babies have ever come without getting an eviction notice....so I find it hard to believe Miss Avery will come on her own...but after all day long contractions, I ended up at the hospital to be monitored....My midwife is great and was really the one who pushed me to go in....After about 4 hours, we realized I was definitely having contractions...and consistent contractions...but I was not actually changing me or causing me to do any more dilating....we found out I am 1cm and 60% effaced, but not much more....Already that's more than I was with Addy and Alayna, but I still don't think she will come on her own.  With the craziness of treatment, I have decided it's ok for me to be induced, and that it is ok, especially since we are trying to plan things around treatment...Now obviously she will come when she wants, but hoping to be able to be kind of prepared and that my mom will actually make it for the delivery...

Fun Times in L&D

Avery looked Great!

With all the working, it made time fly by and by Friday it was time for clinic.  Our clinic visit was actually pretty laid back! We didn't need any blood and we didn't get any crazy news, so it was nice just to have a normal Friday...and weird that clinic is our new normal Friday...I left and ended up having my last day of teaching in the hospital and was so glad to have a great last day! Also, my amazing students blessed us with super sweet gifts, including a date night, and a coloring book for me for the hospital! They said it would help reduce my stress...They seriously were so willing to go with the flow, and for that, we are all so thankful! It was truly a blessing, sticking it out. and continuing to teach, despite the circumstances!!! 

Great Clinic Day

Saturday we had a great family day.  My sweet Sister in Love and my twin brother came into town, and we got to spend the day with them.  Amanda (amandasueannecom) has been wanting to take pictures of our family for a while, and I was so blessed by her, because she got to take pictures of us and she even did some maternity pictures for our nursery! She is amazing photographer and so we felt so blessed to not only have amazing pictures, but to spend much needed time with our family...I will post a folder on Facebook with all the pictures...but here's a few of my favorites....

Nickless Life

This picture could not better some up this time of our life

Love my sweet Big Girl

My sweet girls

just love this one

Another favorite

Swollen but still smiling

yes he's good looking even with the beard

that one tear

My sweet girls

Miss Avery Grace

love!

Sunday was also another great day! I was able to help lead worship at church and we had a fun day just spending time with family as well.  My husband has been encouraging to sing a lot before this new baby comes, and I am so thankful for him, because he really just thrives when he's able to serve at church...so it's a hard choice to figure out whose going every week..but thankful for our friends who help us out so we can go together on Sunday nights! And it's way fun jumping around worshiping this far into my pregnancy!!!

Sunday Singing and Super Preggo

The rest of the week was truly spent just adapting to life on steroids....We have been giving steroids twice a day, to help fight Alayna's leukemia, and the steroid life is so hard....She wakes up multiple times a night, after being such a good sleeper before all of this, wanting to eat...she is moody and irritable and downright mean...She is obsessed, beyond belief, with Taco Bell, and I am so thankful for $1 Chicken Quesadillas or I would go broke....The mean attitude is super hard on Addyson....and the swelling....don't even get me started on the swelling....it has been so hard to see her change right in front of my eyes.....She has gained over 5lbs and for this Mama's heart, it's been so hard to see her become this other person...she doesn't even look liker herself to me...so it's really been hard...I literally have been counting down the moments and doses,  and tonight we got to give our sweet girl her last dose for a long time....She will have to take steroids again later in treatment, but never for longer than a week, so the swelling should not be as bad.....I am definitely ready to have my sweet girl back, even though she is pretty cute as a butter ball...

Sweet girls with sweet hats from friends at preschool

Tuesday we also had a lab check up, and once again our counts keep rising, and we didn't need blood, although we did need some fluids...proabably because the steroids are raising her sugar level. We also haven't had as much movement on our house, but we got amazing news on Tuesday.  We found out HGTV has chosen our house for a story in their May issue of their magazine as part of a story on homes across the country! This was a huge honor, and although it won't release till May, it was encouraging.  We still have not had any offers....And this is so aggravating.....there's a lot of pressure to lower the price of our house and I am personally having a hard time with that.  I just want the Lord to sell our house, without having to lower the house.....We even had another relator this week comment about how our house was priced way lower than other comparable houses....so we are faced with a choice to lower the price, or keep having to pay utilities and a mortgage for a house that no one is living in....So please continue to pray for us in this situation and just that we would have wisdom.....We have decided to wait to lower the price till the end of the month and pray about it till then.....Tomorrow we have another showing so we are hoping for good news tomorrow!

Having to wear her a lot because she is just so heavy

Deutoronmy 8:1

Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. 3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 

Tomorrow is a HUGE DAY for us....Tomorrow is our day 29....the last day of Induction Therapy...Tomorrow we will have another bone marrow biopsy and aspiration, along with another Lumbar Puncture where they will place chemo in her spine....we will also get IV chemo and the labs will be drawn to determine our risk stratification.....Although we will not actually receive results till next Wednesday, tomorrow is huge......We are praying the leukemia on the microscopic level will be 0.01%!!!!! We know that God can do this and we are going into this day expecting it! We know we are already high risk, but if the value is not below 0.01%, we will then be placed into Very High Risk....I feel like Daniel and His 3 friends, because yes we know the Lord can allow this to happen....but EVEN IF HE DOESN'T, we are still trusting and believing for Alayna's healing, making her beautifully complete....

Daniel 3:16

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

So overall, things have been consistent and steady, and challenging all in one....Next week is an off week with no medicines and just the chance to help Alayna's counts rise so we can start the next phase of treatment next Friday....CONSOLIDATION!!! Ron ended up bartering some work with a sweet friend who has Disney Vacation Club Points and so we are actually going to get a one night BabyMoon early in the week next week at Animal Kingdom Lodge...which has always been my dream to go to and we will have finally get to have a date night and to have a night away before new baby comes....To say I am excited is an understatement....we will get results on Wednesday, so it will be a great distraction to help me not worry about our results...Also, if our counts are good on Wednesday, we might get to spend a little time with Alayna at Disney Thursday before her counts really start to drop in her next phase....

We received an amazing package today from our sweet friends in the Children's ER 

We have also been blessed by so many people having fundraisers for us, and financially with all that has been going on with the house, and the medical bills starting to come in, it's so encouraging to have the help from friends and family....Currently we have the following fundraisers....

Our t-shirt fundraiser only has about 2 weeks lefts...These adorable shifts are a great way to give and receive something super fun that will help us share our story with the world and give God all the glory....checkout our  Booster T-shirt Fundraiser

Also, we love that Alayna's middle name and second name is HOPE, because we are truly believing and standing on the Lord's Hope in our lives!!! Check out our necklace fundraiser Premier Hope Necklaces for Alayna Hope

Another sweet friend has an amazing headband company through instagram called adiandezzie‬....she is donating 10% of her profits towards Alayna...these headbands are super cute and we cannot wait to show them off! Feeling so blessed for this adorable fundraiser...check her stuff out...it's amazing!!!

Adiandezzie

Also we still have the GOFUND ME fundraiser going on and continue to be blown away by those who have given...this account is being used for this year's medical bills we have coming in....and it's scary, but so encouraging to know the Lord has already provided so much! Alayna Hope's GoFund ME

HERE'S OUR PRAYER FOCUSES

1. FIRST AND FOREMOST!!!! We are believing for the 0.01% MRD results that we will get tomorrow!!! Although we won't know results till Wednesday, we are believing we might even have favorable cells, which would be a complete miracle from the Lord, since we didn't have any on day 8! Join with us in praying that she will be at this level, which would put her in COMPLETE REMISSION!!!! Although it wouldn't stop treatment, it would set us up for a more successful treatment plan and better risk stratification!!!! 

2. That our house would sell and we would at least receive an offer WITHOUT having to lower the price.....and that we would make the right decisions in all of this....we found out just this week we are having to pay $80 a month for sewer that we are clearly not even using and there's no way to turn it off, so the bills for this beautiful house keep adding up, and we NEED THE LORD TO SELL IT ASAP! Please also continue sharing the Zillow link and telling your friends about this gorgeous home that now, even HGTV has selected as a model home! Our lovely house for sale

3. Pray that our counts will continue to rise and we will be able to start treatment for Consolidation next Friday....and that we will be able to actually enjoy a night away from our girls....with no fevers or sickness while we are gone!!!! And pray for our sweet friends who will be watching our girls!

4. Pray for Alayna's swelling, appetite, and attitude, and that these steroids will quickly exit her system.  Also that she will return to our sweet girl we know she still is, and quicker than normal!!! And for this Mama and Daddy's heart and sanity in all of it...it's hard to wake up in the middle of the night and we are tired.  We know that with a new baby coming, that will start happening, but hopefully Alayna can go back to a great sleeper before new baby comes....And just that the swelling will go down even quicker than expected for this Mama's heart!

5. Pray for the timing of Avery....I found out this week I won't be allowed to be induced till 39 weeks, which is totally understandable...I was not wanting to be induced at all, but with all this going on, I realized it's ok for me and I need to just be ok with having to plan things based on Alayna's treatment...but I am soon uncomfortable and getting bigger by the day.....so it truly would be pretty amazing for Avery to come in her own timing, and in the right timing!!! We are constantly praying that the Lord knows better than we know and are going to be excited to welcome her whenever she does choose to come around! So prayers against the pain and discomfort, and that we can also get all we need to done before she comes...nesting is in full swing for sure!!! Psalms 139 has been such an encouragement to me this week....you should all go read it...but here's some of my favorite parts of it

Psalms 139

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 

You saw me before I was born.

    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

    before a single day had passed.

17 

How precious are your thoughts about me,[b] O God.

    They cannot be numbered!

18 

I can’t even count them;

    they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up,

    you are still with me!

Thank you all so much for following us along on this journey....our testing starts at 8:00AM so this Mama definitely needs sleep.....Keep sharing our story......we love already hearing about the lives that have been impacted by our Sweet Alayna Hope.....WE love you all and will update again when we get amazing results on Wednesday along this journey to our #BeautifullyComplete