Birthday Party Pics

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

Mom had her 62nd yesterday! YAHOO!!!!! Happy Birthday Mom. After many lies and hours, we were able to pull a surprise on my mom. For her Birthday, the girls and I organized a surprise Birthday Bash at the church for her on Saturday. We decided to do it a couple weeks ago and didn't have much time to work with. The picture I used for the invitation wasn't a great one but she doesn't have that many pictures and its pretty hard to steal stuff from a woman that is on top of things like my mom. She had no clue, not even an incline that we were having a party and definitely not one as big as we did. Prior to the party, I made up a big fat lie that I needed to use some of moms quilts for a church quilting party we were having and she happily gave me all her quilts to use. I had all the rest of the family that had quilts from mom bring theirs so it was like we had our own little quilt show. On top of that, her brothers and sisters from out of town were in on the party and came up to see her. We had them go out to the house earlier in the day to throw everything off. She had an idea that they might come earlier in the month but never heard back. However, she felt so good, she decided to go to the quilt show out at the track and was gone when her family showed up to surprise her. Dad worked his magic and got her back home to enjoy the afternoon with her brothers and sisters. She thought she and dad were going to the Bonefish for dinner at 6:45 so she didn't think anything of it when her family had to leave to go back to Milton Freewater. Instead they headed for the church to the party. Sherri called during the day(supposedly from Boise) to throw mom off, and of course that worked. On the way to dinner, dad had one of moms brothers call his cell phone and pretend he was someone from church needing something from dad and that he wanted him to come by the church. Dad stopped by the church to "drop something off," and came back out to the car to talk mom into coming in to see some neat decorations they had inside. Naturally, she pulled the classic, "BOB, I DON'T WANT TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, WHY ARE WE PARKED CLEAR OVER HERE, I DON'T WANT TO WALK, I DON'T CARE TO SEE DECORATIONS, COME ON"..... and so on." They pulled in on the side of the building they never park on but she came in anyway. She walked in to about 150+ people singing Happy Birthday and starting crying. It was awesome! The first thing she said was, " I want to know where this Bonefish place is!" It was hilarious, she kept talking about how bad she wanted to go to Bonefish for halibut.
She was able to visit a while with people, but didn't get to see everyone one on one, as there were so many there. We had a little program, the grand kids sang a Hawaiian song lead my her granddaughter Kelsie Carver. Lisa Killian, Connie Schmidt, Becka Smith, and Tracy Taylor sang one of mom's favorite songs, The Wind Beneath My Wings. Sherri, Kim and I said a few words and we left the microphone open for people to share some stories. She was up in the front by the mic and kept making comments about people's stories. "You guys are lying," or "I don't remember that!" "Did I do that?"
I went out to the house yesterday to see mom and she had a stack of about 50 cards and a few presents to get through. She was pretty tired from the party the night before but she was really happy. It really lifted her spirits and she felt special that so many old friends came to support her. She said that the party was the biggest thing she has ever had done for her. It was awesome because she was smiling so much and she told me that it was just what she needed. She has had a really hard month emotionally and sometimes forgets how much she is loved and how strong she is.
Thanks to all who helped and to everyone who came and supported her. We also appreciate all those who pray on her behalf. It is hard to know what to to or what to say when you have a friend or a loved one ill or having a rough time. I know she likes to get cards and e-mails so if you would like to send a personal note to mom here is the information.
E-mail: chriskcarver@charter.net
Chris Carver
216704 E. Game Farm Rd
Kennewick Wa 99337

I will post more pictures as I get them in. If you see a picture you would like, e-mail me and I will sent it to you. stoneworksmassage@yahoo.com
Thanks- Melanie

Good news!

Mom called after her appointment with her Doctor . She said that the number having to do with some type of cancer marker is 23. She used words like antigens and CEA too. All I know is that the number was 198 when she started and the fact that its now 23 is WONDERFUL. Yea! She will be doing 2 more rounds starting this Friday. After the next 2 rounds the plan is to have a PET scan and then take a nice break from Chemo.
Thanks for all your love and concern and your prayers in my mom's behalf.

Kim

Time Out For Women

Sorry for slacking on updates everybody! Life sure does get busy doesn't it?

Last weekend mom had the opportunity to go to TIME OUT FOR WOMEN up in Spokane with Sherri, Kim and I. We had a blast. We were glad mom was able to make it through the weekend. The event usually starts on Friday night and goes all day Saturday. However, this year they had special tickets for the first 400 women to meet in a more intimate group Friday morning to hear from Sheri Dew, Virginia Hinckley Pearce & Wendy Watson Nelson. It was amazing, we cried and laughed and snuggled together. All the things we miss doing with mom..... even though we are all married and grown up now, there is nothing like snuggling and getting a head rub from mom! Hillary Weeks presented on Saturday and performed a few songs as well as a group called Mercy River sang. One of my favorite talks was by Mary Ellen Edmunds. Mom laughed really hard when she spoke. She is a real funny lady and was talking about being a peacemaker. She said sometimes you have to bite your lip and it is really hard to be a peacemaker, sometimes it's so hard you need a PACEmaker. Mom got a kick out of that.

Sherri was here for a week and got to spend some time with mom. She is working on a quilt for her little girl Chelsea and mom could hardly stand to let it sit there. It was done before Sherri left. Kent turned 25 last week so the family got together at Granny's for dinner. We had a good time, everyone of the kids came but Steven who was at school.

As far as updates on moms progress. She is done with her last round of chemo for now. She has gotten through 4, although as a family we would like to see her do 2 more at least. She is having a really hard time believing in herself. She doesn't want to go through two more but we will see. She is thinking about it. She had a CT Scan yesterday (March 17th) and we will have the results back in a few days. I have seen the first CT and this one compared to the first is a whole lot better. The doctors say they can't hear fluid in her lungs anymore and the tumor looks as though it has shrunk. How much? We are not sure. We will find out more hopefully this week. She is also going to Dr. Kristopher Peterson over in Hermiston who is treating her immune system and doing some herbal treatment. She continues to drink her magic tea and eat Dad's cancer concoction so hopefully it is all doing some good.

Take the challenge. Be thankful for your Health!

I’ve been talking to mom more often through this last round of Chemo. Let me just say that- CHEMO IS NASTY STUFF. There is a reason it kills cancer cells! I’m sure that you many of you know this but watching it first hand is difficult. Ever since I can remember my mom has always been a gal going and doing. Baking, serving, cleaning, lovin’! I don’t remember her being much of a TV watcher or just seeing her sitting around. She always had good health while I was growing up. There were a couple of things that sent her to the hospital but for the most part she was always there to take care of us.

I check in everyday and ask how she’s doing. She tells me its hard to explain. She says, “I I just feeeeel…. vulnerable and I don’t have an oomph”. Despite the fact that she feels like laying on the couch all day, she is still trying to go and do. She finished up my Recipe Book of Carver recipes. She organized her dresser today and plans to organize her hallway closet. She’s been reading the “Rumors of War” series, and was in the middle of reading the Sunday school lesson for next week when I called. What a trooper. What an example. With how sick she is, she is still going.

On a personal note- I’ve been struggling to get my exercise in for the day and as always I’m feeling the effect of my decisions to go another day without moving my body. While talking to my mom today she said, “BE THANKFUL FOR YOUR HEALTH.” I don’t think I’m really thankful for it. I seem to take it for granted. If I were thankful I think I would push myself and realize what I have while I’ve got it. Thanks mom. I’m going to get up early tomorrow morning and exercise, drink lots of water all day, and eat my fruit and veges!!! Take the challenge!!!! Do something to show you’re thankful while you can. I never imagined this happening to my mom but it did and even though she doesn’t have as many chances to mother me she keeps teaching with her beautiful example. I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!