Lil’ Ry has a birthday this week! We had a fun session with bubbles and balloons!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIL’ GUY!!!

Ry1 ry2 ry3 ry4 ry5 ry6 ry7 ry8

If  I’ve  said it once I’ve said it a million times, my word for

a wrinkly, soft, silky smooth lil’ bundle of  JOY…

YUMMY!

I couldn’t resit posting some in color but I still love ‘em in b&w.

What do you think???

AND I’m crazy about this one with mama.

This little bundle was just three weeks old when she entered the heart and home of Taber Bingham.

 Being a mother of four amazing kids and wife to a sweet man with

a heart of gold, Taber knew she wanted a baby girl to add to her beautiful family.

Knowing the risk of falling in love and having a foster baby being removed at any given moment was worth it,

 she knew her family would have these bundles come & go and when the time was right, 

her prayers would be answered with a daughter and sister

for a her family to love forever.  

This little bundle stole the hearts of this family right away, she lived with Taber for awhile when

MaryOliva’s birth mother realized at that time that her baby would be better off

with Taber. She loved her so much that after months of going through

the system, the birth mother came to the decision that her little

girl would be in a better place with Taber’s family. Can you imagine?

 Her birth mother saw the good, and all the love that

they had for this girl and she knew her beautiful daughter would be taken care of in this home.

I think that is one of the most selfless things you could do for a little human being.

Her mother relinquished her rights and placed this little life into the hands of Taber.

What a blessing.

The adoption date was set! November 6th, 2010.

MaryOliva had been having a hard time the month before, Taber thought that because she had been teething

she was just not a happy little girl but as days passed she knew something was not right. November 5th came, the day before

the big adoption and Taber being a mother of 4 and a nurse knew her little girl was not well so she took her in to the doc

and had some blood work done and a check up.

Her pediatrician called a few hours later and told Taber to get this baby to the

hospital immediately. Later that evening they were given the news that MaryOlivia had Leukemia.

The family cried and held her all night, the next day a judge came to the hospital and finalized the adoption

and three days later she had her first bone marrow biopsy where she was officially diagnosed

with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

A year has passed and Taber has kept a journal so I thought I’d share a few tidbits of what life has been like.

1/24/2011

I find this very fitting as I watch my beautiful little girl dance around her room in constant play.

She is the epitome of B +. She always has a laugh and a smile to share.

 Not to mention she can cuddle like no other. MaryOlivia is the little girl that all the nurses want.

 They come to her room just to be perked up. During our first month here MaryOlivia started selectively blowing kisses to some of the staff.

Those who were recipients were very proud, those who were not tried harder to get their kiss.

Eventually, everyone received their kiss.

MaryOlivia’s disposition refuels our family when the negative leukemia demons fill our heads.

 She is our constant reminder that life is beautiful. Every moment is precious and sacred.

Every giggle, dance, kiss, and hug lifts our souls. MaryOlivia is petite in size, but her ability to turn any frown upside down is remarkable.

02/09/2011

MaryOlivia was granted a three day home pass. She went home on Sunday and we just returned today.

 Her second consolidation/intensification phase began earlier in the day with some intrathecal chemotherapy.

 Mary tolerated the anesthesia well and bounced back quickly. By early afternoon she was coloring and finding mischief.

Since her immunity is relatively up, she also got to walk Snickers the miniature horse.

She has always been to compromised to spend time with Snickers, so today was her opportunity.

This phase is a six day course with about sixteen chemo treatments.

 Both intravenous chemotherapies given are high dosages and we have been informed that this cycle will

make her neutropenic for an extended time.

 What this means to us is extra diligence, restricted visitors, and many prophylactic measures.

 In addition, one of the chemotherapies is very cardio toxic. Thus far her heart has tolerated the other cardio toxic chemotherapies,

but the strenghth on this cycle is about four times stronger.

MaryOlivia will also be receiving steroid eye drops to prevent a chemical conjunctivitis

 caused by the other high dosage chemotherapy given.

 
Please keep our family in your prayers. Pray that MaryOlivia tolerates her treatments,

that her siblings have the strength to endure the changes in their life, that Burke and

I remain healthy so we can stay at her side,

and that our family can endure to the end. We feel your thoughts, your prayers, and all of your love.

3/6/2100

MaryOlivia dropped down to about 9.2 kilo’s so the appetite stimulant has been re-initiated.

 Any day know we expect the hungry monster to show its ferocious face. Let me just say,

 the stimulant works wonders, but MaryOlivia turns into a little beastie.

She wakes me up in the middle of the night and demands food.

Not in a mature “mommy pass the cookies way”, oh no in a “Give me the cookies now or I will eat you way!

” I’m really not complaining at all, just preparing for the evening beastie. Oh, I love that little girl!

I feel like we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. One more round and we can all be a family again. Don’t get me wrong,

I realize MaryOlivia has a 50/50 chance of relapse and that would mean many more

 months in the hospital, but I am trying not to go there.

 I also know what her overall prognosis is and I am definitely not going there.

Right now, I am focusing on being home in about 4-6 weeks.

We will go home and we will live. We will live as a family and continue to fight as a

 family despite the battles which may lie ahead.

Please continue to think about, pray about, and chant (Alex)about our family.

 We feel the warmth that it is creating.

Thank you for those moments dedicated to our family.
 

After nearly six LONG months of living at University Medical Center, MaryOlivia got to go home!

4/16/2011

 A little update on MaryOlivia. On April 16th, MaryOlivia packed her bags and said goodbye!

The staff was wonderful. They sang a song to her, shot her with silly string,

showered her with gifts, and banged a bunch of instruments. In the end MaryOlivia pounded an end of treatment gong!

 We will truly miss the staff at UMC. They have been MaryOlivia’s family for the last five and a half months.

We are grateful not only for their superior clinical expertise, but for their willingness to make us feel at home

for so many months. Thank you!

It is exciting being home. We are realistic about MaryOlivia”s relapse rate;

however we are not going to let that stop us from just living our lives.

We will be going to the pediatric outpatient clinic at least twice a month for lab draws.

In the event of a relapse we hope to catch it early as to get her bone marrow transplant protocol rolling.

 I am very optimistic that MaryOlivia will be in the fifty percent cured by chemotherapy alone.

 I have to remain positive and hopeful!

More exciting news- MaryOlivia became the newest member of the two year old population yesterday!

We had a pretty quiet day, but did enjoy some ice cream cake and presents in the evening.

 Thanks to all who called and sent messages yesterday. Your love and support has been a pillar

of strength throughout this whole trial.

 As for today, MaryOlivia is sleeping soundly in my lap and I am procrastinating housecleaning.

It is truly wonderful to be home. 

This entry is my favorite!

6/21/2011 

My apologies on the lack of update for little Mary. MaryOlivia’s bone marrow biopsy was completely clean.

 Not even a sign of an immature cell in sight. Leukemia free!!!!!

 She is making her own platelets and red blood cells quite efficiently. In addition her MCV is decreasing too.

Her white blood cells do remain slightly low; however,

her oncologist attributes that to one of her prophylactic antibiotics currently prescribed.

MaryOlivia started taking Enalapril to decrease the workload of her heart.

Her kidneys and liver are working perfectly so we are titrating the medication

every couple of weeks to enhance maximum effect.

Her BNP has already decreased in the last two weeks. This medication will by no means reverse the significant

damage to her heart,

 but we are praying for stabilization and possibly her body learning to compensate.

What all of this means is that little MaryOlivia is doing fabulous for what cards she has been handed.

She continues to act like the two year old that she is and remains the sunshine in our home.

We enjoy everyday as if it is a gift especially given to us. I often wonder how I got so lucky to be her mommy.

 I pray that MaryOliva won’t have to walk this path much longer but if she has to, 

I couldn’t think of a better family to help her through! 

 One of the positive things that this past year has brought is the bond between sisters.

Raven has stayed many nights with her sister and has endured

many of MaryOlivia’s hard days. After this day shooting her little life story, I’m SO PROUD of

this teenager sister that has really stepped up and carried some of the load so her parents weren’t

so weighed down. Way to go Raven!

I’m grateful for this family wanting to save a child from a life in the unforgiving, chaotic world of a foster care.

There are so many beautiful children of all ages in the system, if you’d like to become a foster parent please

contact me for more information. You too, can change a life.

What a joy it was to spend a morning with this family. I was so impressed with these children that are kind, loving, fun and helpful!

 Not only are they all that but they are soo good lookin’ too!  Thanks Larson Family!

Larson Family, you are an inspiration to all that know you.

Okay, this post is just out there.

 I’ll start with something that has been bugging me.

I’m totally and completely heartbroken about the famine in Africa. It’s nothing new I know, but I’m constantly praying for the

people over there and am sickened over the fact that they are hungry.

I want to send a gazillion dollars to all the different organizations out there to help

but I can’t send a gazillion dollars so I just continue sending all that I can hoping that it makes a difference.

I want to go there. I want to help. I feel like I need to do more. 

SO NOW WHAT??? 

I’ve decided that Africa is not in my near future. The reality is I am a mom and right now that is the single most important

job I have. As a foster parent I know that kids will ALWAYS need to be helped just as some people will ALWAYS be hungry.

I have some amazing kids, family, neighbors, friends and  a great community that I will focus on for now and I’m okay with

that.  Maybe someday Africa will be my reality, for now my family needs me and I will give them all I have wholeheartedly in

hopes that they will be productive, happy, honest adults with strong convictions…

it’s the simple things that matter most.

“When we have sampled much and have wandered far and have seen how fleeting and sometimes superficial a lot of the world is, our gratitude

 grows for the privilege of being part of something we can count on—home and family and the loyalty of loved ones.

We come to know what it means to be bound together by duty, by respect, by belonging. We learn that nothing can fully take the place of the

blessed relationship of family life”

~Thomas S. Monson~

*AP photo copied from Christian Aid Ministries website.* 

OKAY! Moving on to more randomness!!!

***!WARNING!***

This picture may not be suitable for the faint of heart.

We had a visitor join us for breakfast yesterday, although I didn’t eat much I sure did enjoy watching him eat…

sometimes I’m just sick that way. 

 I always worry about Andie’s best friend being breakfast. 

For those of you that haven’t heard, Justin has been working on building a train with the kids. Yup, a real train!

I know that it may not be finished until our kids are adults because designing and making every little part is time consuming,

I’m just lovin’ that he spends hours in the shop building very important relationships.  

And finally, this little guy that means the world to our family turns THREE today. Spoiling him brings me nothin’ but JOY!

Life IS good.

 Is it that big grin he throws at you over his shoulder when you call his name and he runs away?

  Frustrating I know, but so dang cute.

Maybe it’s the way he will do anything to get you to play peek-a-boo.

It could be the adorable diaper bulge that makes his walk look so funny.

Mother Theresa once said ” We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do” and maybe that’s it…

a simple innocent smile and laugh from the gut of a two year old is all that I need to make ME happy!

Thanks to lil’ Matthew for a fun session!

If you’d like to see more of Matthew click HERE.

and I also get excited to be a little creative myself.

Emilee works at the Live Theater Workshop in Tucson and her passion for acting is fierce, she is just gorgeous and I had a blast with

her…even if it was the most hot and humid day of the year, YUCK! 

This session was so great, who knew the desert could be so green and dreamy…that’s why early August is my FAVORITE time of the year to shoot!

If you hurry, I can squeeze you in too!

WAIT! Before you leave here, you gotta go check out my favorite images from this shoot!

“Emilee’s slideshow”

Yup, and she is a doll! More catching up posts will be up soon. For now, enjoy this little beauty.

You are beautiful. Thanks for this great session, I loved getting to know ya.

I have quite a few session that I’m working on and will post all the goodness soon…for now, check out these!

My friend Robin is incredible, I’m truly grateful for all that she has done for me. When she asked for family photos I was thrilled.

Her kids and their spouses are gorgeous!!!  Thank you Harmer family!!!