The picture above is from the summit of Mount Rainier, where our friends climbed recently…and raised $12,000 for Team Holmes at Children’s in the process! What an amazing accomplishment and a sweet encouragement to us. A few guys from the group are coming over this weekend to show the kids more pictures from their trip…and also several of the tools they carried with them to make it to the summit. I know the kids will love it.

Sorry I’ve been so delinquent in posting this week. We’re full speed getting ready for back-to-school: backpacks, tennis shoes, clothes, fun magnetic stuff for lockers, etc. I know we all approach Monday with a mix of apprehension and excitement…and thankfulness. Although this year (and the next couple) will be full of challenges for Gage at school, many of the children we’ve met on this journey are not busy with back-to-school stuff right now and aren’t ready to return to school yet either. So, in addition to the daily challenges of leukemia in our home life and in all our relationships, we will add the combination of leukemia treatment (including continued daily chemotherapy) and elementary school.

I know this will certainly be the next chapter in this journey for me as I learn to navigate behind the scenes to help Gage at school. The list of issues will be long (his energy level, his ability to communicate his concerns with the adults he interacts with, his comfort around other kids, possible limits at gym time, his exposure to the germs in a school with 600+ kids…and on and on). Plus, we will obviously miss a bit of school in order to make our many clinic visits.

So, please join me in praying for this transition for Gage and our entire family. I know the Lord knows our concerns in even greater detail than I can explain them…and that He will be with us every step of the way. And, I know that He watches over Gage and cares for him even when he is away from us…a great comfort.

Thanks for checking in and for your prayers.

RH

Gage finished his last dose of steroids last night after an afternoon clinic visit to have his counts checked. We now do five days of steroids and the a three-day taper, where they decrease the dosage slowly. I think it’s helping some with how rough the days after the steroids had been before. To understand, think about how all you coffee-drinkers (like me) would feel if one morning you could have no coffee and no caffeine…ouch! To Gage’s body, the sudden removal of the steroids can cause a lot of pain, discomfort, etc….never good, especially after a week that’s always tough anyway.

And, as always, we have been fixated on food for the last week. Each round of steroids is usually a new craving, and this time it was bean & rolls from Bubbas and/or chicken fingers & saltine crackers from Cafe Express…one or the other for breakfast, lunch and dinner for days. There is nothing like re-heating leftover baked bean for breakfast morning after morning. Yuck.

Also, I’ve been meaning to share about a new adventure I’m involved in these days…training for the Nation’s Triathlon in Washington D.C. on September 14th with ten good friends, including two nurses from Children’s. We all signed up with Team in Training to train for the event and raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It’s been a great way to give back, and I’m anxiously awaiting race day when we will jump in the Potomac River for a one-mile swim, then bike 25 miles and then run 6 miles…both through our nation’s monuments. Certainly, it will be a day to remember. Just as special has been spending time with friends while training, such as the day pictured below when our team did its first open-water swim at a nearby lake:

Lastly, please pray for us as the first day of kindergarten is quickly approaching for Gage (the 25th). I know this will be the next chapter in our journey with him as we navigate elementary school with leukemia treatment that will last through second grade.

Thanks, as always, for your concern for our family and for your prayers for Laurren, Ryan & Ryan.

RH

I have a few prayer requests to share today.

Our friend Laurren Smith received news on Monday that the chemotherapy for her lung cancer (that followed treatment for bone cancer) is not working as they had hoped. She has a spot on her right lung that they will have to watch carefully, and if it doesn’t respond soon to chemo, they will probably have to begin some type of experimental therapy. This is devastating news for their family, so please pray for them and for progress in the fight against Laurren’s cancer. You can read more here on their blog.

Our neighbors a few doors down have a son, Ryan Michael, who was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure last summer a few months after Gage was diagnosed. He has been on dialysis at home for 10 hours each night for the past year. This Thursday (the 7th), he will undergo surgery to receive a kidney transplant. Please pray for a successful surgery for he and the donor, Ryan Nixon, and that they kidney would work perfectly. Please also pray for the Michael family, as he will spend several weeks at Children’s as they monitor his new kidney and his body’s adjustment to it. You can look for updates on the Michael’s blog here. And, you can also read about the transplant from the perspective of Ryan Nixon and his wife Callie on their blog. Blake led a time of prayer last night attended by family, friends and neighbors for both the Michael & Nixon families. It was so encouraging to watch them proclaim their faith in God during this time. The picture below is from last night…

And, a picture of Scott & Ryan Michael (R) and Ryan Nixon (L) who will be donating his kidney…

As Ryan Nixon shared last night, he has been the recipient of great physical sacrifice because of his trust in Christ’s death on the cross…and he is motivated by his love for Christ to make this amazing sacrifice for Ryan Michael. It was a night that those there will not soon forget.

Lastly, Gage is on steroids this week after his long clinic day on Monday. So, although this request is small in comparison to the two above, please pray that he would not feel too crummy this week (his words)…and for wisdom and patience for everyone else at home as we live with the side effects he feels.

Thanks for checking in.

RH

For those of you who don’t live in Dallas (and those of you who do, but don’t get the Dallas Morning News), I wanted to let you know that we’re in the news today!

Click here to read the story about several friends of ours who are climbing Mount Rainier to raise funds for Team Holmes at Children’s as we fund the first full-time childlife specialist position for the inpatient onocology floor.

Galatians 6:2  “Bear one another’s burens…”

What another amazing and creative way those around us have loved and encouraged us on this journey. Thanks friends for bearing our burden, as well as the burden of those we have come to know also fighting cancer at Children’s. And, please pray for the safety of our friends as they are currently on their trip.

RH

We had a “quick” clinic visit for a finger poke yesterday to check Gage’s counts. Avery and Ellie came with Gage to clinic, which he always enjoys. And, as you can see above, he and Avery enjoyed interacting with the other kids at clinic. Although the physical challenges evident in each child’s body raise lots of questions and emotions, I’m glad Avery and Ellie can go with us to clinic and understand a bit more about the world Gage is living in. And, I did have to laugh when Gage and another patient got into a smack-talking, finger-pointing game of Uno…you never know what to expect at clinic!

As for Gage’s blood counts, his ANC is improved but still borderline at 512. He will take a reduced dose of chemo this week and then have his counts checked again next Monday, when we also start another week of steroids.

Please pray for us this week as we balance

*Gage’s counts (still pretty low),

*the oppressive heat outside (100+ every day),

*Wesley’s need to be at home to nap twice a day (and the kids’ need to be somewhat quiet even though we’re all a bit stir-crazy) and

*the fact that most indoor, air-conditioned play areas are off limits because of germ worries (Chick-fil-a playground, the kids room at our gym, etc)

And, please continue to pray that Gage’s counts would continue to rise so that his body would be more protected from infections. Thanks, as always, for keeping up and for praying.

RH

I’m happy to report that Gage didn’t catch any strange virus while we were in Nac, the kids and I had a great time, and we didn’t have to come home early. Yeah!

Thanks so much for praying for us. As I shouldered the burden of being alone with the kids while out of town and knowing how vulnerable Gage was to infection, it was a huge comfort to know that many of you prayed.

And, it was great to be back home. Even better, I can cross one more event off the post-leukemia milestone list: the first trip back to Nac. The kids loved staying at my parents house, playing with all the old toys I used to play with, swimming every afternoon and even taking a trip out to the golf course. We didn’t take too many pictures, but here are a few…

The kids with my parents

A crowded playing field on the greens

Ellie’s winning approach

Gage’s favorite thing, aside from driving the golf cart down the fairway…nothing like rolling down big, grassy hills

Thanks again for carrying our burdens before the Lord and trusting that He truly desires for us to cast our cares upon Him.

RH

For our first trip this summer, we went to Florida. Now, we’re on our second trip…to Nacogdoches! You may laugh, but this is home for me. Today, as I drove with the kids for several hours to get here, I spent the (few) quiet moments thinking about our last year. I actually haven’t been to Nac since Gage was diagnosed, and Wesley (now 10 months old) hasn’t made the trip to my parents either.

As we passed the many familiar sights on the way, I kept thinking, “The last time I drove down this road…the last time I saw that spot…it would have been over a year ago now…and I had no idea what was ahead in my life.” It was certainly a strange feeling.

And, for now our third trip in a row (following time in Nashville & Florida earlier this year), we have a bump in the road with Gage. Thankfully, it’s a small bump…but it still forces us to deal with his leukemia in an environment outside of our comfort zone (and his). Blake took him to the clinic this morning before we left, and this afternoon as the kids swam at a friend’s pool, I heard from the nurse that his ANC is 182. (Anything below 500 tells us his immune system is even more suppressed than normal) So, he can’t have any of his nightly chemo this week, and we have to be on high alert for germs.

I called Children’s tonight to review our plans for the week in light of Gage’s counts, and they said we either needed to cancel several activities or have Gage wear a mask. So, I think we’ll just think of simpler things to do.

Thankfully, Gage seems to feel fine, so hopefully the kids will still be able to enjoy their week here. Please pray that the Lord would protect Gage from the germs that his body can’t fight and that his counts would recover quickly. Please also pray that he would not catch anything that would cause him to run a fever, as we would have to return home immediately (even in the middle of the night) to bring him to Children’s.

Thanks for continuing to care and pray for us.

RH

And, thanks for your prayers and emails as we endured yet another week of steroids.  As usual, Gage felt ok some of the time, but spent much of the week saying he felt crummy or tired.  And, he was certainly hungrier and more emotional than usual too.

Although each part of how he feels is not always overwhelming, the week itself often does feel that way. When he doesn’t feel good from his medicine, it just reminds all of us how much medicine he’s taking…and that the reason is because he is still very sick. Never a good thought.

So, the girls had a harder week because Gage needed more attention and because they were reminded yet again of the daily presence of his leukemia.  And, for me, it’s been a hard week because it can be overwhelming to realize how long this road really is. It’s hard for me at times to work through my emotions, thoughts and reactions to all that is happening…and even more so when I see Avery, Gage & Ellie struggling  as well. In those moments, doubt, discouragement and exhaustion creep in as it seems like so much to handle…for me as well as for them.

And, yet again, I’m so thankful for a God that loves us beyond our understanding and never wants us to bear this burden alone:

I Peter 5:7     Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

Thanks for your prayers this week, and please continue to pray as Gage’s body goes through a “detox” this week as it adjusts to life without the steroids…often difficult days as well.

RH

Our day started early, as we took Gage to clinic, and Avery tagged along to encourage him. And, after Blake’s message yesterday at church, we received numerous emails and posts from people reminding us that they were praying for our day at clinic. As we drove down I-75 towards Children’s, a car drove up beside us, honked and then the driver motioned “I’m praying for you” to Blake. Later, we learned that the guy in the car heard Blake’s message yesterday and was thinking of us as he drove to work…and then recognized Blake on the road! Not the typical way to start your day…and certainly not your typical day either.

Thankfully, even with the long line-up of chemotherapy and procedures, Gage did amazingly well. I’m sure Avery’s sweet encouragement and companionship played a huge part in his countenance. And, we finished in four hours…record time!

Tonight, I overheard Blake talking with the kids before bedtime. He reminded them that they prayed last night about our clinic day today…and that God had answered those prayers. So, he encouraged them to give thanks back to the Lord. Then, I heard all of their voices yelling out, “Thank you Lord!” My first thought was that their rowdy, loud voices didn’t sound much like prayer. Then, I considered the sincerity, joy and child-like faith embodied in their response, and I thought the Lord must have smiled as He heard them.

So, yet again, thank you Lord for answered prayers. And, thanks to ALL of you who prayed for us today. Blake and I said to each other several times today that we believe your prayers changed our day. Please continue to pray for our week as Gage begins his five days of steroids following his long day today.

RH

Like many days recently, our family celebration of the Fourth of July on Friday was greatly enjoyed…and the cause of much reflection. As I watched the kids at the parade and then looked at the pictures afterward, I saw two things. One, I see the kids having a great time with each other and in all the festivities. And I feel relief and gratitude. Especially because the other thing I see is images in my mind of last year’s Fourth of July: Gage…pale, in his pajamas and not yet bald from chemo…trying to enjoy the parade and sitting by the curb in a Spiderman chair because he didn’t have the energy to stand very long. We were devastated by his cancer, but still had no idea all that was ahead in his treatment and in our family.

So, days like Friday are still bittersweet. I certainly feel a sense of loss at the innumerable things Gage and our family have endured so far…and still have ahead of us. Yet, I also feel a depth of gratitude and enjoyment in a simple parade that I had not experienced prior to Gage’s diagnosis. And, I am certainly more aware of God’s care for our family and presence in our daily moments in a new way as well.

I’ve included a picture from last year, as well as several from this year, to give you a small sense of what we see on many days.

Last year…

This year…

Notice Wesley’s toys…can you say 4th child? Flash Gordan action figure & keys…

A sweet sight…Gage was the last one to the car. He was still full of energy and hunting for candy.

A rare family picture before we left for dinner & fireworks that night

I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July as well, and thanks for checking in. Please continue to pray for our long clinic day on Monday and our week of increased chemotherapy that begins then as well.

RH