Whoooo hooooo! Get a load of this!

I know that my blog habits have been pretty awful lately, and I apologize for that. BUT, today's blog is chocked full of GREAT NEWS! So, read on!

I must first begin with the best news for today, March 9th. My baby boy turns 12 years old today! Happy Happy Birthday, Nathan Patrick Jones! I woke up this morning remembering that exactly 10 years ago today I brought my son home for good. We had been visiting almost daily for weeks. I drove to Kansas City (where Nathan was born and raised for the first 2 years by a lovely foster family) to spend time with Nathan ... just waiting for all of the legal "stuff" to be completed. I remember the first time I met him. He looked at me with those gorgeous blue angel eyes and I knew he was my son. He had long curly red hair and was so so tiny! He was almost 2 years old when we first met, but only weighed 16 pounds! Now, my Nathan is a wonderful young man, but still as cute and as charming as ever. He made me a mommy and was the beginning of The Backyard Gang. Nathan Patrick, I love you to the moon and back. Thank you for making my heart so incredibly happy and bringing laughter to my days. Happy Birthday, Nate the Great!

Yesterday I got the best news I've had in over 2 years. God is hearing your prayers. He's hearing mine. I met with my oncologist at the Siteman Cancer Center yesterday morning. I was terribly frightened, because I had decided that no matter what, I was going to find out what my CA-125 numbers were. I hadn't asked for them for months because I knew that I was getting much sicker and already I had been told that I only had 6-12 months to live. It's easier not knowing and just pretending that all was OK. But, I didn't even have to ask. My oncologist walked into the examining room with a smile on her face. My CA-125 was cut in HALF just in the last two weeks of chemo treatment! My number is 55!!!!!!!!! This is huge! I've been sitting in the 300's since last spring. Every doctor told me that I was chemo-resistant and it was "only a matter of time." God knows better than us! I have been feeling so well the last month or so. Now I know why! We are going to continue this regimen of weekly chemo treatments, and I accept that in order to continue to live, I may have to do this forever. But if I can have "forever" then it will all be worth every bit of it! I have hope. I am sitting here in tears just being able to put those words out there without fear. I WILL get better and God willing, I WILL beat this cancer! What an incredible feeling!!!!!!

This past weekend we were blessed with the presence of our dear little honorary Jones Kid, Chase. He spent the weekend with us after a very long time of no visits because of my health. What a joy! He amazes me. His life is so chaotic, yet when he's here he fits in like a piece of our family puzzle. It breaks my heart when he has to go home, but knowing that we will always know him (and Alyssa will always know her biological brother) makes the separation easier. I was with his mother when he was born. He is so special to me and I am so grateful to her for sharing that miracle with me.

Anyway, I packed up the kids (including Chase) and we hauled ourselves up to New Douglas, IL for a day of fun with the Yetter Family at Happy Tales Farm. The kids loved playing with the goats, holding the baby chicks and running around the acreage without a worry in their mind. I'll post a few pictures below to share with you. I'd love to have the financial resources to buy a small acreage with a nice little house on it so my kids could live like that everyday. We are so cramped in this little suburban space of ours. When I see my children playing in the open air, I want to give that to them. I just want a home with a big front porch so I can sit out in my rocking chair watching them play. Someday we may have that. First, I'm going to beat the .... well, I'm going to get rid of this cancer. I won't let it take that dream away!

OH! Anita won 3rd place in her Science Fair this year! Congrats, Nita! I'm proud of you for persevering and getting it done! Now you can breathe, and enjoy the last quarter of your time in 6th grade.

Well, I've blabbered on enough for today. Thank you all for your prayers and well-wishes. Enjoy the pictures!








This is an awful picture of me, but I wanted to share my "sister-friend" with you, Tonya









All of the Jones and Yetter kids ... SITTING together (for just a moment!)











A friendly afternoon sword fight











The Jones Girls (did you really think I could have found all 3 Jones Boys for a picture? NOPE!)









Farmer Chase (Notice his boots! He just HAD to wear Isaac's army boots to the farm!)







Until Tomorrow,
Kathy