School Days

School has now been in session for just over two weeks.  I am pretty sure I was more nervous than the three of them put together on the first day.  I sat at home all day and prayed that they would find one friend.  Just one.  One friend to eat with and play with at recess.  I got my wish.  They loved it.  And have made a ton of new friends.  The waking up part has been difficult for all of us considering we are not morning people and school starts at the crack of dawn in this city.   Jeff and I were talking the other day about how this has seemed to be the easiest transition we have had with them.  It is the third school Jake and Cole have gone to.  (We really really need to stop moving around and make up our minds on where we want to be.  Sheesh.  Three schools.  And Cole is only in the third grade.)  We have stayed busy, busy, busy, and are loving every second of it.



Jake started fifth grade.  FIFTH.  It is crazy.  We worried about the transition with him.  He has been out of school more than he has been in it.  He has about one to two hours of homework every night, and we have only had to listen to him tell us he would rather just get a zero on it because, "there is no way they will hold me back and fail me, so it doesn't matter if I do it or not."  We are working on it.  He does very well on a schedule and today he knew what to do and did it without complaining or us asking.  Hopefully, it continues to go this this way!



Cole is in third.  Cole is Cole.  There is not much to say about this kid and school except he has made friends very easily and finishes all of his homework before he comes home.  Except for the reading which is a pain in my side.  We ground our oldest child from reading while our middle child has to be bribed or grounded to get three pages read in the twenty minutes he is supposed to read for each night.  I am not sure what to do with the kid.



Crew is in kindergarten.  Sniff.  Sniff.  Thank the heavens it is only half day.  I LOVE having him home with me and am pretty sure I would not have sent him had it been all day.  He just makes us happy.  He loves school and finally has some friends that are boys.  He counted down the days for weeks until he started and has been in heaven ever since.

CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS

Today marks the first day of childhood cancer awareness month.  Five years ago, I never would have even given a second thought to September.  Now, it is ingrained in every aspect of our family life.  It is everywhere.  We know numerous children that have been diagnosed in the last five years.  We know numerous children who have since relapsed.  We know numerous children that have lost their lives to this disease.  And unfortunately, they can do nothing about it.  But WE can!  Please be aware this month.  There are so many things that you can help do to bring awareness to this awful disease.  Our kids cannot speak up, but we can.  Please help be their voice and help bring an end to these children's suffering.

*Wear Gold this month!  Gold represents childhood cancer.  Bring it to other's attention.  Let them know our kids need a voice.  Childhood cancer does not pick and choose who it will affect.  We are not only fighting to save those undergoing treatment, but for those who have yet to be diagnosed.  It could be a neighbor, a friend, a sister or brother and even your own child.

* Give blood this month.  It saved Jake's life more times than I care to count.

*Please sign up for the bone marrow registry at bethematch.org.  It is free!  They send you a kit in the mail and you swab your cheek.  That is it.  Easy. Done.  No pokes.  No doctors.  Nothing but a mouth swab.

*And finally, if you can, please donate to Curesearch.  They are the only organization that gives 100% of their proceeds to childhood cancer research.  We have been on numerous studies with them and they are wonderful.  Look to see if there is a walk going on in your area and attend.  

Childhood cancer is petrifying.  Jake had a 3% chance of relapsing.  3%.  It is such a low statistic but is obviously not good enough.  This year has been a hard year for us in our cancer bubble.  We have attended funerals and watched cancer come back to child after child.  It is hard not to be frightened.  Every day we hope and pray that it will stay away from our own family.  It is even harder to realize Jake is the only child we know of that has relapsed with ALL and is still living.  All of the other children we know that relapsed have passed away.  And it is frightening.   Please help.  Please give these children a voice and help them speak out.  Help us find a cure!