Kidlets

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July, one of my biggest concerns...fears...was what I was going to tell my kids (ages 5 and 8) and how they would handle the news. So like I mentioned in previous posts, I got a stack of books from the resource center and sat down with them the same way Steve and I did when we told them we were getting divorced. We handled it responsibly, calmly and with their best interest in mind. The way they've handled my cancer is unbelievable really. They are not just kids, kidlets, sprouts, children...whatever you want to call them, but I've realized that they are just smaller human beings, little people with emotions as big as ours. We've laughed about it, cried about it, and dealt with it. Through all the rounds of chemo, sleepless nights and foggy brained Mommy, we've also managed to have some fun.

After Nana left, I was in a small state of panic. It was the first time since my treatment started that I was really going to have to stand on my own two feet. (Ok, so my Dad booked a ticket to come shortly after because he was worried about me, but I was on my own for a little while anyway.) It is always easier for me to manage the kids when we are outside with fresh air and space to move and breathe. I think that's my 'thing', but they seem to do well outside too. The Saturday after Nana left, we decided to spend our day Letterboxing. It's similar to geocaching and is still something new to us. Basically, there's a 'treasure' left hidden somewhere with instructions to get to it in a post online. There was one at the nature park close to our house so we packed up some water and snacks and headed to the park.

Annika and Josh

Mommy and Josh

Can you see the deer over her shoulder?

Are these kids cute or what??

Yay! We found it! The letterbox was under the pile of rocks that Josh is standing on

Treasure!

That's a happy kid :)

They are amazing kids, aren't they? One unseasonably warm day in the middle of October while I was cooking and cleaning, the kids were outside playing with sidewalk chalk. They had been out there quite a while when Annika yelled 'Mom, come see!!' So I went out on the deck and tears immediately filled my eyes.

Who are these little people?!? <3 I love them with my entire being.

Josh has gotten to a point that everything pink or shaped like a ribbon makes him think of cancer. While we were hiking, he noted a leaf on the ground that had turned red, but looked pink on the opposite side. He said 'Look! A cancer tree!!' And we went to an event where there was a balloon man and what did Josh have made? A cancer ribbon. He is so thoughtful!



Last weekend, while I was out of town with a group of amazing friends at the Ozark Trail 100 trail race (separate post to come SOON!), the kids were at their Dad's house. Annika and her best friend, Sydney, had a bake sale in the neighborhood to raise money for cancer (I think they mean cancer research, but it's the thought that counts) :) They have been talking about community service in the Girls on the Run program and Syd is part of the community service club at school. I got the pics texted to me from Sydney's Mom (and the GOTR coach) my awesome friend Sara. Once again, these amazing little people brought me to tears.

Annika and Sydney

The girls with their 3rd grade teacher, Miss O'Neal...we LOVE her!

The cupcakes they sold <3

These girls have HUGE hearts and I love them!

I try so hard to remember all of the thoughtful and anecdotal things the kids have done throughout this entire ordeal, but there are too many to note them all. I am just so thankful that we have raised such amazing little people who clearly love me as much as I love them :) We are all learning some valuable lessons through all of this and I am confident that we will all come out a little stronger than we are today.

xoxo
Shelley