May has been a month

I started this post on 4th on May but on the 5th my world got turned upside down. More on that later. 
For now I'll start with good stuff. 
It's hard to imagine that it will be 3 years this July that we moved into our new home. It was an adventure with just the purchase of the home and a couple of near mishaps with almost fires or toilets that plugged up with our first visitors. If you've ever been on septic then you know what a disaster that can be. And Smelly but overall we couldn't ask for a better home. And what difference that 3 years can make. The outside is still a work in process.
In 2011 this was the front view.    

And now in 2014. Notice a few changes. 

In 2011 there was only flagstones for a walkway to the front and back door. And the driveway was in bad need of repair.

And now we have sidewalks and a brand new driveway and wider.

In 2011 the back of the house

And today. New Patio and some added landscape. 

Also want to share quilt #3. The quilting was done by Donna Moore of Donna's Lavendar Nest. I finally finished cutting and piecing to send it off for quilting. Donna came through again with choosing the appropriate design for Kailey. I have one more quilt to make.When trying to findthe perfect spot to take a picture I almost had a disaster. I put the quilt on this rock and just as I snapped this picture a big gust of wind came up and picked up the quilt. Oh crap. I lunge for the quilt and 

almost 

ended up in the lake and so did the quilt. I'm sure the people around the lake in their houses were probably laughing their asses off at the crazy woman stumbling down the hill after a quilt to keep it from going into the lake. Not to mention the camera in my hand. So no pictures of myself looking like an idiot. Well at least none that I know of.

I got back my quilt I finished for my stepmother in Missouri. She knew what the quilt top looked like but she had to wait until I could decide how to quilt it.

Thank goodness Donna did it for me.  Then all I had to do was get the binding completed and take pictures.  

We had our first hummingbird the 1st of May and now I haven't seen another. I love watching these little guys squeak and zip and dart.

Ahh but I still have the barn swallows that swish, dart and swoop. Well here is the product of the nest that David didn't get removed from last year fast enough. Messy little buggers. They're also very noisy. And last week the nest on the other speaker hatched 4 more little birds.

As the first nest babies grew up they learned to fly and guess where they liked to land to rest. Our ceiling fans and made more messes.
Under the crepe Myrtle is a female bunny. A Bugsy offspring most likely.

An now here comes the male bunny. And yes I know the smaller bunny is the female and this guy is the male.  He was chasing her in and through the fence. The were so cute to watch. Well then I got a sex education lesson. "Humping like bunnies and multiplying like bunnies" sayings came to mind at that time.

That was gonna be my quick post the 1st of May but I got a phone call from my little sister in Missouri saying they were gonna take our Dad to the ER thinking it was something to do with his pacemaker.

Well that didn't seem to do the trick so the doctor had them take Dad to the city to KU Med Center.

By Saturday they gave us a diagnosis with of CLL which a common form of leukemia that shows up in older people primarily men. 

But by Monday the 5th the diagnosis changed. The doctors said Dad had an aggressive lymphoma. My heart was hurting as was my sisters and step mother. Without treatment they gave him 3 weeks tops but with treatment they hope to give him months or longer. I mean do we ever really know how long we have.

So Dad made the choice to go for it and we pray for remission. His first treatment was the next day and it was pretty rough. I flew into Kansas City Wednesday.  I walked into the hospital room and there's my Dad sitting up and goes.... "Well you never know what trash you might pick up on the streets" We all start laughing. Dad was feeling just fine after his rough night and his appetite was intact. His doctor was really happy and did a little dance because Dad's body was responding well to the chemo. We're taking all the positives we can and taking one day at a time. They don’t pretend that they’ll cure Dad but they/We continue to pray for remission. 

By Thursday the 8th the doctors allowed him a 40 minute trip outside in the fresh air.

We took a silly picture. 

And Dad took off his mask and to take a picture with my niece.

Monday the 12th he got a port implanted to make it easier for blood draws, transfusions and treatments. He got sprung that afternoon. On our hour and half drive home we had to make a stop for a milk shake for Dad. Tuesday the 13th I left to come back to Houston. Dad was resting as comfortably as he could at home on his couch watching TV and napping.

Thursday the 15th he headed back to the city for the big game plan.
He received his official diagnosis of Burkitt Lymphoma and Burkitt-like leukemia. Since it's not in his lymph nodes it's a leukemia. He is considered to be in Stage 4 but leukemia is not typically. The cancer has affected 80% of his bone marrow and 25% of his white blood cells. So far his good cells are holding their own as the bad die. It's located in all his bones, hips, sternum, spine, spleen and liver. 

He is suppose to have treatments every week for the next 4-5 weeks. Last week his numbers were off so he only got fluids and medication. Hopefully when he goes in tomorrow for labs his numbers will have improved and he'll get his 2nd round of chemo on Thursday. Through it all my dad has been in good spirits and has had a good appetite. 

I have to give my little sister praise. She provide me and our other 2 sisters updates and so far has been the only one there for our Dad and Step Mom. For that I'm eternally grateful.

The one thing good that came from the trip was of course I got to spend time with my dad first and foremost but I also got to see my niece Emily dance. I call her my Tiny Dancer. She is beautiful and a talented dancer.

This is her dance competition pardner. Her mini Me. Her little friends name is also Emily.
They were stretching before they go on stage.  

My Tiny Dancer is such a beauty inside and out.

I'll save the rest of my news for my next post. 

Until next blog..... Keep my Dad in your prayers.
Please excuse my typos and grammar. They're all mine. ;o)