More Thanks Due

Jannah~For bringing us dinner on our anniversary....from our favorite Thai restaurant. We gazed lovingly into each other's eyes across the sticky tray table by the flourescent light, fondly listening to machines beeping while the sick baby slept :) So romantic!

Stephanie~For the adorable Wizard of Oz dolls. Jill plays with them every day....she alternates which one will administer her oral meds or swab her mouth (she hates the mouthwash stuff they make her use)...it's so much easier to take when the Tin Man is holding the swab :)

Eldris~I miss you!!! Thanks for the Dorothy Snow Globe Music Box!!! Jilli can't wait for me to turn it all the way, she starts yelling, "Snow Globe" in a most hilarious way (sounds a little like, "Sdleh Dloh"..spit flying) & singing along to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"....it's always "way up high".

Olga & Ralph~For the Dorothy figurine...Jill has to have both the snow globe & figurine at the same time...they talk to each other. Your cards were so sweet. We really appreciate that you thought of us :)

Rosemarie, Belen, & Sheila~For dropping books off on our porch! How thoughtful! We have yet to go through the bag, but are in the process of switching things out. Thanks for labeling them! We'll let you know when she's "done" with them.

Jessie~For your awesome "Jellybeans for JillyBean" campaign & delightful care package! Love the picture collages. Anna loves her TinkerBell lunchbox!! I'll get to the Thank You notes later (maybe), but for now, I'm copping out with impersonal, yet public email thanks. It's the wave of the future (and I'm a little short on time). Oh yeah, and it's only because of your bag of candy that I'm still up at 3:30 am. I was so ready for bed when the Butterfingers screamed my name & I just had to oblige. Now I'm high on chocolate. Thanks a whole lot.

Kevin T. Ridgeway~For your BEEEEUUUUUUTIFUL letter....so eloquent & inspiring. You made me cry. Then I saw you on the ladder picking apples, in the middle of the pumpkin patch, and chumming it up with a drag queen and I couldn't stop laughing. I loved your postcard, too. I need some funny around here. You come on down whenever the spirit leads you. Nuestro casa es su casa. Our food is yours to prepare, our toilets, yours to scrub. I mean it....you got time? Get on da plane.

Jack & Jessica~For staying through the puke (Jack, thanks for cleaning up) & helping me give the Little a bath :) For composing pics with Dorothy (the life-size cardboard cutout, compliments of Miss Jessica) & chatting so late so I didn't have to be alone. Have a good trip, Jack...I have your cooler. Call me when you get back.

Kristi & Ian~For taking Anna for her very first sleepover on Friday and for making it so fun, she didn't even call her momma!! I now have a big reason to love Fridays!! No really, you guys have helped us in so many ways thusfar....we don't know how to thank you :) Except to allow you to take our daughter whenever you need your daughter occupied & out of your hair. Like I said, You're Welcome :)

Ally & Sallie~For visiting on Saturday, bringing yummy food & presents & for your sweet, genuine company. You made me feel better on a not-so-great day. Thank you for being there for us. I will light the lavender candle soon...so excited!!

Danielle~For all the emails & words of support, the Guardian Angel charm & echinacea & adorable pics of your grandson.

Felicia~For the nice card & cardstock! How great of you!!

Carolyn~For your generous gift....I was very moved.

For the anonymous emailer who has offered to pay our cell phone bill (who are you???) It is truly an amazing thing to give and not wish to be recognized. Drives me crazy not to know. If you change your mind & want to tell me who you are, I'll still let you pay the bill. Seriously, though, if there is a way for you to maintain your secret identity & communicate w/me via email, I have some important info to share.....please email me at squashdiddlydoo@msn.com.

Uncle Tom~For the adorable Colorado Moose/Bear books. Anna really digs them!! Jill's a little young, but I really appreciate it!!!!

Uncle Chuck~For your sweet card.

Aunt Ginny & Uncle Denny~For the packages....we devoured the first one, and were a little bummed we couldn't eat the second one :) I think Jill will enjoy the video and am sure Anna will love the Maisy book. And for the monetary gift....thank you so much.

Leah & Sandra~Leah, for giving blood & delivering cardstock & for your loving, kind demeanor that always makes me feel I can talk to you. You know what we are going through and we appreciate your candidness & allowing us (me) to be candid as well. Sandra, I love your comments on the blog. You are so sweet!! I'm so glad Matt is working amongst so many beautiful people.

Michelle & Lisa~For the toys, the dinner, the laptop to borrow!!!! The blood-letting, the visits, the offers of more & more & more help. You guys are truly amazing. Something about Denison just brings out the best in people!!!

Rose & Maria~For the visit!! Jill loved seeing you, Rose....thank you for bringing our attention to the bruising. If you hadn't mentioned it, we probably would not have caught this cancer as soon as we did. We love you.

Susan & Ann~For visiting, bringing cardstock & books & pictures, toys for Jill, and for cheering me up with your adorable babies!!!!

Shana & Dina~For visiting today and for getting our minds off the bad news (next blog..I'm too tired to talk about it right now).....Shana, I love you for just showing up & doing what needs to be done like it's no big deal....for playing with Jill so I can talk on the phone & getting excited about taking action to change this bad news to good. Dina....my coffee saviour! Thanks for all the yummy goodies (still waiting for the BILL!!) & helping me organize. I feel so much better. Thanks to Jim for watching Anna today, too!!

Shaana~For your awesome chicken dish---it was GREAT!!! Anna hasn't seen her purse yet, but she's gonna love it! Thanks for the Cheer Bear/CD...so cute. And for assisting in the organization/carting 'o stuff down to the car. And for the research....I'll look into it soon.

Colleen~For making Anna laugh & for humoring her just about every day when we get home from school. For befriending my Mom....she freaking LOVES you....I'm like, "Okay, MOM! Enough about Colleen already!! Geez, she's not THAT great!" and for the hilarious picture of Anna as Dorothy. And for giving Dorothy an impromptu tour of your house, allowing her to open every single door without asking first and acting like it was no big deal. She digs you in a BIG way. AND for the surprise kitchen!! Jill is going to pee in her pants...which is no big deal, really...she does it at least 8 times every day.

Steve~For the enlightening chat. We are on the same wavelength....shutup Karen.

Mom~For staying with us for 2 whole weeks, playing countless hours with Anna, driving her to/from school, cleaning our house, cooking, hanging out with me at the hospital, and just being there to talk....it was great sharing a Corona with you on your last night. You are such a great person, and I'm glad we're friends.

And to everyone I didn't mention, who called or visited (I don't think I left out any visitors) or made food or brought us a needed item....I am too tired to think anymore tonight, but know that I appreciate every single act of kindness bestowed upon us. We are eternally grateful.

Jill is a ball of energy & doing awesome. She's flying up & down the hallways on her little car...I think they took the NG Tube out tonight. And I guess I'll share...but I don't have much detail....they found out today that she has a chromosomal abnormality (11q23), so she will absolutely need a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. Let the driving (bone marrow driving, that is) BEGIN. My Pedro friends have come up with some pretty great ideas on how to get some media attention or at least raise some funds ....my Torrance friend (Ann) is already fast at work on getting a drive going through TUSD, and my MO family, I hear, is getting it going, too. We need lots of prayer, love, & support (as per usual)....if Anna is a match, that is the best chance Jill's got. They will be testing her this week, I think. Whew. This is way more than I thought I could ever handle. Ask me tomorrow (today) how I'm doing.....I need to get to BED!! It's almost sun up! Thanks for listening....