silly boys

Friends, thanks for checking in on Isaiah's blog. It's always so encouraging to hear who is sticking with us!

Isaiah had a quick appointment today. The good news: His back is stable. There are no new fractures and the existing ones have not further deteriorated. Good news indeed. The not-so-good news: His ANC has dropped from 2900 two weeks ago to 300, probably due to a slight increase in one of his chemotherapy drugs. So we're nutrapenic which means lots of hand-washing and very limited contact. Please pray that he'll bounce back quickly and stay healthy!

Dancing at Sadie's wedding

yosemite

We enjoyed a good weekend with friends at Yosemite. Carmen and some girlfriends hiked Half Dome. We were really proud of them: over 16 miles, 5000 vertical feet, almost 14 hours! Isaiah and his buddies played swords for hours, climbed rocks, and swam in the Merced River. Great time. We were grateful to be healthy and able to go. Our camera broke somehow as the kids were taking videos of each other in the back seat on the way home. Grrr. We'll try to post some good camping pics soon.

We'd appreciate prayers for Isaiah who has been feeling very angry and acting out lately. We're not sure what this is all about - maybe just the culmination of the daily fasts, chemo, etc. We need wisdom and grace to parent well through this phase. Thanks friends.

september

Isaiah had an xray taken of his back today to check on his multiple compression fractures. We have a check-up and blood test at the clinic tomorrow. Perhaps we'll hear about the xray results then, but probably not.

This week Isaiah has been drawing Star Wars figures, building Star Wars ships out of Legos, working on a mummy project and reading about Egyptian burial customs, reading Genesis, reading about sharks' teeth, collecting pond samples, reluctantly practicing his math, and working on spelling with his tutor, Ms. Kathy.

He told his aunt Angie, "Today I counted to one hundred for the first time...in my life."

aaargh!

Ahoy Maties! It's steady as she blows in these parts! Calm seas, they be! Blast it all if'n the crew be sneazin' and fightin' colds, says me. It's all hands on cough drops and swabs! Aargh. There be an xray on the horizon, boys! Makin' sure the back side be straight and true. Ay, Cap'n, straight and true!

pirates Isaiah and Santana