This is a tag team post (both David and I adding details when we can, so I apologize ahead of time if we make your head spin)... Since our last post in July, we had the chance to head back home to Southern California. Abigail had a great opportunity with her soccer team to play in the San Diego Surf Cup in Del Mar, CA. Over 1,300 teams applied to play in that tournament and roughly 800 were chosen to play. Abigail and her team have had great opportunities to play against good competition, but this was certainly some of the best. The tournament was definitely a lot of fun, but we also had a great time visiting Kristi's mom, visiting lots of old friends, and taking the kids to Disneyland, California Adventure, Legoland, and the beach. Soccer was definitely a great excuse to head home!
Here are some pictures to better describe our whirlwind trip!
Upon arrival to California, we grabbed some lunch and headed straight to the beach to meet up with Kristi's friends, Vanessa (and Allison, although we remembered to take a picture after she left). Allison is Kristi's friend from sorority and they taught together at United Spirit Association. For Allison's 40th birthday, she organized a fun run in support of Andrew.
After the beach, we headed to Wray's house (David's friend from high school) and had a mini reunion with lots of old friends.
On our way to San Diego to check in to the hotel for the soccer tournament, we stopped off at Legoland in Carlsbad. Andrew was really excited about this part of the trip and it turned out to be pretty cool. Seeing Legoland through his eyes made it especially cool.
Perhaps one of the best parts of our Legoland trip was getting to see Grace drive a car all by herself. Grace was an awesome first-time driver; however, if you are standing on the track when she is driving by, you might get an ankle cruncher. She's actually a great driver when she's looking straight, instead of at us as we were cheering her on.
We're good! Thumb's up!
After checking into the hotel in Del Mar, we got to bed early in order to be ready to go for three days of soccer. Surprisingly, it was hot for all three days of the tournament, but that heat (and minimal humidity) was nothing for our girls from Houston. They played great and walked away undefeated, tying two games and winning the other two games. Also, Kristi's friends always do such a great job of going out of their way when we are in town and making time for us (no matter how much of an inconvenience it is for their daily lives). It was so nice of them to drive two hours down to San Diego to watch one of Abby's games and have lunch after the game.
Do you see the second girl in from the left? Her name is Maliyah (she is one of my best friends' daughter) and she is headed to UCLA to run track (she's amazing at soccer too). Crazy proud of this girl... I am now officially a Bruins fan!!! Go Bruins!!!
Grace warming up with the girls! She is like the mascot for her team. These girls are so sweet with her... it's like she has 12 big sisters!
Grace did not want to miss out on any pictures in front of the large posters, so while the team was taking their photo, Grace would wait patiently on the side and when they were all done she would walk up to the stage and strike a pose. These two pictures just couldn't be passed up!
After the girls played their last game, many of the families met up at the beach and everyone had a great time frolicking in an actual blue ocean (all we have is hot, brown, nasty water near us in Galveston, TX).
David was the responsible adult that went out in the water with the kids to body surf... I'm pretty sure he had more fun than the kids did ;-)
We left the beach and headed to Anaheim to finish out our trip at Disneyland and California Adventure! Andrew and Grace do such a great job of cheering for Abigail in her games (especially Grace, she loves to coach the girls with "pass it to each other" , etc) and not complaining about having to go to them all the time, but it was obvious that after three days of spectating, Andrew was very excited about finishing up the trip at Disney.
Our hotel was right across the street from Disney and we could see the nightly fireworks show out of the window of our room!
The kids (especially Andrew and Grace) love all the gift shops in Disney. We have made it a family tradition to take pictures with various hats on (and never buying any of them;)
Andrew loved all these posters!
Grace has finally made it to 42" in height, so she was able to ride some big kid rides on this trip. She did awesome, had so much fun, and got off every ride saying "I'm so brave!" Grace was able to ride Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Radiator Springs Racers, Soarin' Over California, and many other less adventurous rides. Here she is on Radiator Springs Racers!
Gadget's Go-Go Coaster!
Splash Mountain (maybe don't tell Grace's cardiologist about this one)
We were even swallowed by a whale!
The perks of growing up dancing in Southern California is that Kristi somehow has known someone in every parade that we have ever watched at Disneyland. This trip was no different. When one of Kristi's friends that she grew up dancing with found out she was at Disneyland, she asked if we were going to be at the next parade, and if so, where we would be sitting. Kristi informed her and she said she would let some of the cast members in the parade know to look out for our kids. We didn't get many pictures to show it, but they did such a great job of making our kids feel special. While they were in the middle of their routine in the parade, almost every character and many dancers talked to or motioned to our kids.
Lastly, in regards to Disneyland, since Grace has been little she has been terrified of all characters at Disneyland (or anywhere else for that matter). It doesn't matter if the cast member is wearing a big giant costume or if they look like an actual person, just with a costume on. This was true this year as well; however, the last thing Kristi took Grace to do before we left the park on our last night, was wait in line for the character meeting with Elsa and Anna (from Frozen, in case you don't know). Somehow, Kristi convinced Grace that it was okay and safe to go up to them and Grace was "so brave." It was a pretty big deal for this little girl and she was in heaven.
You thought you got to be all done reading the post, but wait there's more. After getting home from California on a Thursday, we rested for one day, unpacked and did laundry, and got ready for a one day 4v4 soccer tournament for Abby on Saturday. Her team did great and they won all four of their games and the tournament, with a goal difference of 41 goals for their team and only 2 goals against them.
We were able to head to church the next day and what a blessing it was to be back in our home church after missing it for a week. After church, we were blessed to meet up with an incredible young man and one of the finest Pine Cove counselors we have ever had the opportunity to meet. After serving at Pine Cove Family Camp for 11 straight weeks, "Spewtane" (Jacob), who was Andrew's Buddy Counselor, was driving home to Mississippi and stopped by Sugar Land to have lunch with us and hang out at our house for a bit. After "Spewtane" left our house, Andrew probably repeated himself about fifty times, telling us that he wished "Spewtane" lived closer and that he really hopes he will see him next Summer and that he really wants to keep in contact with him. He even said "this is one of my favorite days ever!" Thanks for making such an incredible impact on Andrew's life this Summer, Jacob!
On Monday, Kristi had to turn around and fly to Las Vegas for work meetings all week. She got home late on Thursday night last week, took a quick moment to breathe, went to work all day on Friday, and then we headed to The Woodlands for another soccer tournament in nasty, sticky, hot, humid weather. The girls played great in the top bracket for their age group and won their three games, as well as the championship game.
Almost done, I promise. Our kids had meet the teacher on Tuesday night and we are all excited for the new changes this year. Grace starting kindergarten and going to the same elementary as Andrew, and Abigail starting her first year of Middle school. We are excited to see how God works in and through each of their lives this school year.
Grace in kindergarten with Mrs. Lavine! She's AMAZING!!!
Andrew in 4th with Mrs. Stuart! I (Kristi) have only spent a brief amount of time with Mrs. Stuart and I seriously want to take her home or at least hang out with her for a few minutes everyday. She is a little slice of heaven, that's the best way to describe her. She has been teaching for a looooong time and this is likely her final year teaching before retirement. I'm certain that God has her still teaching this year for Andrew. God is so good!
Poor Abby... we totally forgot to take a picture of her at her new school. They didn't have meet the teacher, but instead a scavenger hunt where they could meet some of the staff and get a feel for the layout of the school.
Abby and the AMAZING counselor at Polly Ryan Middle School!
Lastly, clinically Andrew has been doing so well and we have weaned one of his eight pain medications down so much to where he is almost completely off of Dilaudid (which is amazing). He has been on such high doses of that opioid for over a year now, so the fact that his pain is doing so well is just awesome! However, we just got the results from Andrew's most recent blood draws and one of the tests (Chromogranin A-which is a tumor marker) showed that the numbers were starting to climb. The range for that lab is 0-95 and his was at 122, so it is not at 400 like when he was first diagnosed with cancer. But, after getting a few months of labs showing that number to be in the 0-95 standard range, we are left with the question of why that number is higher again. We are hoping that it is nothing to be concerned about, especially given how well Andrew is doing and looking right now, but we do want to ask you all to be praying that number will stay low and not continue to rise. We are choosing to not allow our minds to go to all the "what if's" right now, but that is a definite battle we have to fight (especially since we have had a taste of a much more "normal" couple months), so we greatly appreciate your prayers. The day before we got these lab results, Andrew made the comment "It's so nice... I don't feel like I have cancer.... I mean, except for getting overheated and getting more tired out than my friends, but it feels good!" My (Kristi) heart leapt with joy and gratitude, but it only took the enemy a second to remind me "but this won't last forever.... and then what?" to which I have to preach to myself something like this "...then what?... then God's grace will be sufficient for that time and He is already where we are going..." I don't know how to even process the "then what," but I know He has not and will not leave or forsake us. There are SO MANY moments each and every day when I have to battle the enemies attacks with truth, but it doesn't mean it's easy, in fact it's exhausting, but always worth the fight. I must put on my armor 100 times a day (for Andrew's health of course, but also Grace's health and well-being, and how all of this is impacting our sweet Abby, etc)... I put it on and the sword (of the Spirit) feels like its starting to slip out of my hand, so I tighten my grip again, the shield (of faith) gets heavy... I reposition again, I can't feel the belt (of truth) around my waist, so I cinch it tight again, and so on. Please know that your prayers are what keep us in the fight. God has been so gracious to us. Thank you for walking this journey with us!!! We love you!!!
