A Very Merry Carson Christmas!

A-P-L

Wait. Isn't it A-B-C? 

I have had a hard time putting this past week into words. It comes down to this. My brother-in-law has cancer. He is 34 with a wife, twin 2-year old little girls and a 6-week old little boy at home.  My sister's husband, has APL Leukemia and he is going to kick it's hiney to the curb.  It wasn't invited to their party and it sure isn't welcome. 

This news has been nothing short of devastating, heartbreaking, and emotionally draining for Ashley and Landon and those close to them.  A journey that started last Wednesday when Landon went to his primary care doctor for some bruising he noticed that was unexplainable.  No other symptoms at all. After some blood work and some incredible guidance from Landon's brother and a good friend of ours in Oklahoma, Landon found himself at the ER Thursday for more blood work and was admitted right away for a bone marrow biopsy later that day. The next several days would be a rollercoaster to determine his true diagnosis of what type of leukemia he has. 

Very late Sunday night, they received the diagnosis it was APL. This was a prayer answered. Landon said it best, "This is the BEST BAD news I have ever received."  Yes, really.  He is pretty amazing. To have APL and to catch it early is one of, if not the best, diagnosis of leukemia you can get with a very high cure rate and also usually a low need for bone marrow transplant. We have been praying daily for certain results and each and every day we have had reason to cheer. Is this going to be an easy road? Absolutely not.  Is there light on the other side?  Absolutely yes.  

Landon is not only a friend, an Aggie, a son, a brother, an uncle but an amazing husband and the best father to 3 adorable little ones.  Ashley hit jackpot in the husband category, ya'lI. With that, we hit jackpot with another brother.  I had mentioned to Landon I think last Friday I was praying for him and all he could say back was "I am at peace and have no doubt this is just a hiccup. Please pray for Ashley and the kids".  This guy leads his life with a heart centered on our Lord and his family. It is evident in every step he takes. 

What happens next?  Landon will be in the hospital for a month at a minimum.  He has a great team of oncologists fighting this with him and is getting fantastic care at Medical City. He started treatment Monday through his PICC line. It isn't considered chemo (blessing!) but is still very toxic. He gets it daily for 3-4 weeks. There will be ugly side affects of the drug no doubt. At the same time, his blood counts are being monitored extremely close and he is given blood and platelets as needed to aid his fight. He is on a very strict diet. No fresh fruits and veggies. No cold meats. No pepper. All to prevent an infection. The smallest sniffle, bacteria, germ that comes in contact with Landon puts him at a very high risk for a setback and a very serious one at that. 

Perhaps the hardest part of this journey right now for Landon is that he cannot see his kids because of the risk of infection.  There is a whole lot of FaceTime happening with Daddy! We are not sure if and when getting to hug those sweet faces will be a reality for him again. Ash has packed up the family for the foreseeable future and has found a home at my mom's with the kiddos.  She is splitting her time between the hospital and her kids, trying to find that right balance. By staying in Plano, she is over an hour closer to Landon than if they were home which is very important now and also thru his recovery once they bust out of the hospital. 

Ya'll. Prayer is so powerful. Through prayer and our gracious Father, we have seen so many blessings amidst the storm this past week.  The people in Ashley and Landon's life have the most generous hearts. It is going to take a village to weather this storm and a village they have. Their village is so deep with love and most importantly faith.  

I'll finish with this. If you are the praying kind, would you consider joining us in this fight? 

Heavenly Father, we trust in You. We pray for strength. Strength for Landon, Ashley and their entire family physically and emotionally.  We pray this only strengthens their marriage. That they always know how much they are loved.  We pray for Landon's body to react to his medication in the greatest of ways and to remain infection free throughout this journey.  We pray Father for you to be a source of comfort and counsel for both Ashley and Landon.  I pray for my sister. That she leans on You and those around her as she navigates these choppy waters and life in two different places. That she finds comfort in knowing her kids are in loving hands when she is away. And peace with a new normal.  I pray for Harper, Landry and Beckham. That they feel showered with love while they are away from Mommy and Daddy. That they always know how much their Daddy misses them and loves them.   Lastly, I pray Ashley and Landon always feel your presence Lord and never doubt your  ability. You are a wonderful, powerful God. In your gracious name, Amen. 

If this were a boxing match, no doubt Landon won Round 1.   We are some of your biggest fans and are cheering you on, Lan. Bring it Round 2. 

Carson - Party of 5!

We have been keeping a little secret...

Carson Baby #3 is due in February! Addison and Luke are VERY excited to have a new baby brother or sister.

We are so grateful to experience this journey again and are praying for a healthy baby and smooth pregnancy.   Only 26 weeks to go! Let's do this.

Party at the Carson Clubhouse

We did a dual-birthday party for this kids this year in the middle of May since one has a birthday at the beginning of the month and the other at the end.  Probably the only year I get away with that!  So... welcome to the Carson Clubhouse!

 

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a daily thing in our house and even at 4, Addison still enjoys it so a Mickey and Minnie party it was.  Addison's only request was for a "pink" Minnie, not a red one.  Pretty simple request in my book.

We did a mid-morning party and served breakfast foods...kolaches, fruit, and donut holes.  Super easy! 

 

 

The kids colored, ate a little bit, played some "Pin the Bow on Minnie", and went on a scavenger hunt for their party favors.  Then we sang "happy birthday", ate some cake and opened gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luke wasn't really into the attention.  Its just not his thing.   He loved the sight of cake and as soon as the song started it went downhill.  But Addison, well... she loves it.   

 

 

 

 

 

"Oh, it's over?  Thank goodness.  Where is my cake?"

 

 

We had a super fun morning and kids had a blast making new memories.    A big thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with us! 

 

 

Luke Matthew: 2 Years

The big 2!!   Oh, I could just eat you up.   You are tough, you are headstrong, you are sweet, you are cuddly.   You are our Luke Matthew and we love you so.

Here is what you are up to these days.  You....

- still LOVE food, particularly "nacks" (snacks).
- are expanding your vocabulary daily.  We are so proud of how much you are talking!  And you understand very well.
- love to "hide".  "I hiding" you say.
- like to sing songs with Mommy or sister.  ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle are your favorites.
- are airplane and bus OBSESSED.
- will sit content looking at books all by yourself.  A big change over the past year.
- are always looking for cows outside your car window (or buses)
- are really good with an open cup at the table and your fork and spoon.
- are STUBBORN.  You must get that from the other male in the family.
- LOVE to play outside.  "I mow" everyday, all day long.  You love your weed-eater. You love sand.  You love dirt.  You love your shovel.

- are such a big helper.  Whether we are pulling weeds or vacuuming, you want to be right there ... "I help".
- don't like to get your hair cut
- are very shy in large crowds at first, even if its just family, and take a minute to warm up.
- are slowly but surely getting the hang of the potty.  School is potty training you and you wear underwear at school.  I haven't been brave enough at home yet but it is soon to come.

- still have your paci only for sleep time.  I know, I know.  It's going away by the end of the summer.
. are still in your crib and making no efforts to climb out.
- are in bed between 7:30 and 8 pm and are usually up in the mornings by 8.
- take a 2-3 hour nap everyday.

I want to always remember...

- your cheeks. I know you won't have those chubby cheeks forever.
- your kisses.
- your hugs.
- the way you run.  You are fast and your cheeks jiggle.
- how you ask "what you doin" and always proclaim "I do it". 
- how you run to greet your daddy when he gets home from work... DAAAADDYYYYYYY!"
- that you ask to be rocked each night and when you are ready point to your bed and in you go.
- your laugh... it will make a bad day a good day and the greatest day an even better day.

 

Gosh, what would we do with you in our life!?  You have a chunk of our heart.  You are such a gift.  We can't wait to make memories with you this next year.

Addison Leigh: 4 years

And just like that another year has past and we turned the page on life as a 3 year old. You are 4 years old today, sweet girl. Just a couple months ago you went to bed a toddler and woke up this little girl. Today we celebrate you, our big 4 year old, our little girl - forever our baby.  

At 4 years old you....

- LOVE to sing and dance.  Anything and everything is a song and you have a move to go along with it.
- You love to pretend.  Playing "school" is your latest outlet for your imagination; you are the teacher and usually Luke is your student.  This often entails putting Luke down for a "nap" and not-so-lightly patting his back.
- are a great student at real school.  We think you are pretty smart. 
- can count to 100 with very little help.
- sing Itsy Bitsy Spider  in Spanish
- can put together the most creative and chaotic outfits under sun.
- know your left from your right.
- you often forget your listening ears.  OFTEN.
- are very into the planets... planets I didn't even know existed.

- can throw a tantrum completely out of nowhere and they are lengthy at times.
- don't usually sleep at school during nap time.  On the weekend, you still nap for a couple hours and still need it!  We are going to hang onto that as long as we can.
- have an amazing memory.  We read a bible story at night before bed and you can recite it the next day.
- have a horrible habit of picking your fingers and toes...the nail, the skin...  It drives your Dad and I crazy! 
- can pout.  Oh man, can you pout.
- don't like to move quickly in the morning.
- are in bed by 8:30 pm but usually don't get to sleep until 9, many times after that.  You sing every song you know usually before falling asleep or play "school" in bed with all your animals.

- brushing your hair is tear-filled almost everyday so we may be cutting that hair off soon!
- LOVE arts and crafts.  You love to use scissors, glue, glitter, you name it.  Watch out - if it is sitting around, it might get glued to a piece of paper.
- saw your first musical this past weekend with Nana, Aunt Ashley and Mommy.  Cinderella.  You loved it and are still talking about it.
- are the sweetest big sister (usually).  You give your brother the sweetest most genuine hug and kiss before bed each night.
- really want a dog
- when you are being shy or caught in a lie, you play with your hair and put it in front of your face.  Kinda drives me crazy.
- can ride your bike like a pro with training wheels.
- are getting to a stage that you would rather be inside playing with your dolls or crafting than being outside.

- don't talk back much but if you do it is to Mommy and I admit, I don't have a lot of patience for it.
- are a pretty good eater.  You will try just about anything at least once. 
- love a good daily routine and also the occasional hectic day.
- are a true lefty! even writing things right to left here and there.
- a favorite treat is an "Icy" drink whether its from 7-11 or Sonic and you never turn down a trip to get frozen yogurt.
- are really into playing games.  We have started playing a game together this past month after Luke goes to bed.  Candyland, Trouble, Chutes and Ladders, Memory... you love them all.
- are in very few 4Ts, mostly 5T or XXS/XS big girl clothes.  What!?

I want to always remember....

- that you will still hold my hand
- that you thank me for making dinner every night.
- how you pray.  Be.  Still.  My.  Heart.
- how sweet you are to your brother and how much you love him even at the ages of 4 and 2.
- that you say "wash car" instead of "car wash"

- Rapunzel is "Tapunzel" and anyone named Melissa is called "Alyssa".

- when you are asked what your brothers name is you say "Bubba Luke Matthew Carson" as if he is Royalty in the bubba world.
- how you run to greet your Daddy when he gets home from work.
- how you love a surprise and how the smallest things are the biggest things to you and you are so thankful.
- how you talk on the phone like you are 13.

Addison Leigh, you teach your Mommy and Daddy something new everyday.  You love me even when I am not being my best.   You have a heart of gold and the sass of a teenager.  Three was pretty fantastic.  I can't wait to see what 4 brings.   Love you to the moon and back, sweet girl.

Ice Day 2015

You can count on Texas for a couple things - winter is always a weather rollercoaster and you will get at least 1 snow (aka ice) day a year.  Today we had just that!  When public school is closed, our kids' school is closed so we get to hang out ALL day and I LOVE it.

 

 After a little bit of work and nap time, we headed outside for a little bit because that is what you just have to do when it "snows" in Texas.

 

 

Our sweet little Texans... this little girl just didn't understand why "the ground was sooo hard!" 

 

Luke didn't know what to think at first.  It was still raining/snowing/sleeting a bit when we went outside so he got in their playhouse rather quickly to seek shelter.  He warmed up to the weather and threw a good fit when it was time to go in.

 

 

 

Next up... cookies!

 

And some fort building...

 

We attempted to play nicely with just one box but of course we had to hunt down another so they each could have their own house.  Oh to be a kid again and get so much joy out of a cardboard box.

My heart is full just watching these two all day.  We had a blast and the latest news is... we get to do it all again tomorrow!