Time for a little Catching up...

I actually started this post a WEEK ago! Where did this week go anyway?!? The days are flying by, and I'm doing my best to 'stay in the moment' and not let my mind wander- THAT is no small task- believe me! This week has been especially busy with parent/teacher conferences coming up next week. This weekend will be full of getting the paper work ready for that... I just dropped Caden off at a birthday party. He was SUPER excited, except he was mad that we got a present for his friend, and NOTHING for HIM! :) "I never get nothing..." haha- poor kid is so deprived. NOT! So I'm started back a week on this update.

Back to last Saturday-
We got up early this morning to travel to Caden's football game. He missed the first game because we had a wedding to go to. Last Saturday it was canceled due to weather, so THIS was his first and last game of the season. (Which is FINE by me! I'm such a baby when it comes to sitting on ice cube bleachers in the cold!) I usually dress Caden WAY too warm, forgetting he is WARM blooded and NOT like his mommy!

This morning he got up and came down the stairs stopping and standing at the bottom...I asked him, "are you even awake?" He said, "yeah, but I'm not ready to go to my game cuz I'm busy." I asked him what he was busy doing besides just standing there, and he said, "I'm on step three of picking my nose."

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!

I didn't even ask...I didn't want to know what the steps were, I just told him the first step better be GETTING A KLEENEX! haha he cracks me up. He is SUCH a BOY!
On the way to the game I reminded him, if he got the ball to run to the end zone. He asked, "what's the end zone again?" and then answered himself, "oh yeah, like the goal in soccer...then I fall down and celebrate...right?" :)
Here are a few pics from his game. He didn't get to run to the end zone, but he did make a 'sort of' pass for a touchdown, and got to "hike" the ball a few times too. All in all he thought it was great- that HE was great- and that's what really counts I guess...







Celebrating...







OH and backing up a little...Here are the promised pics of his self hair cut last week. The next morning he asked me, "mom? Can I just go to school and say my mom tried to cut my hair with scissors and it didn't work out so good?" I told him, "well, you COULD say that, but it would be a LIE." He looked so relieved and said, "OKAY! THANKS!" :/ Yeah, we're working on the whole "lying" vs. "I was kidding" thing...another story on that next time! :)















Scott spent the afternoon putting doors on the new garage we put up- our old one was blown down in the storm last summer...the insurance paid for PART of it...why does it always work that way? There goes my hopes for some HOUSE improvements- seems like the shop and garage have taken all of those funds!







Speaking of funds- I don't think I ever mentioned this but you know how SEPT. 21st is a day we don't much like...(three years ago it was diagnosis date for Cman's tumor...the next year it was relapse day, then last year we weren't getting the best news for promising treatments)...well this year on Sept. 21st I thought it SHOULD be a good day- couldn't be any worse than in the past right? I went to work...had a pretty good day, then came home and got the mail, only to open a sizable bill from home health care that wasn't covered by insurance. We're STILL getting bills 9 months after Coleman went to Heaven... insane.

Oh well, they can wait just as long to get paid I figure...that's MY philosophy...but Scott is the type who wants to pay a bill in FULL as soon as we get it. He HATES to owe on ANYthing. He's learning though, we can only do what we can do- and keep plugging away, as much as he hates it. We know there are people out there in a wayyyy deeper hole than we are- stupid cancer...it destroys in so many ways. (although there ARE a lot of blessings too and we NEVA DIV UP!) I hate to think of where we would be if we hadn't been blessed with the benefits our angels held along the way to help us out...there are a lot of families who don't get that extra help.

Okay, enought of that- I'm trying NOT to focus on things I cannot change...on to brighter things...
ummm, I had to sit here for a minute and think- :)

How about this...
I promised Caden we could redo his bedroom before his birthday in December. THIS is going to be a big step for me, as he and Coleman shared a bedroom. That makes it tough to change things, but I always told myself when Caden was ready, I would let him lead the way. It's HIS room too after all. He's still deciding on what he wants his room to be- I wish I was one of those talented designer-type people who could crank out a really cool room for him, but we'll see what we come up with.

Sunday-

Halloween's coming up...Caden has his costume and is super excited about trick or treating. Of course that brings back oh so many memories of Coleman and his costume clues last year. Coleman LOVED Halloween! Caden was watching The Great Pumpkin the other night and I almost had to make him turn it off. (he and Cman watched it at least 200 times together)I didn't think it would get to me like it did, but to hear the parts that Caden and Coleman used to CRACK up at, and then have the toyroom full of silence just really, really got to me. Why is it I tear up the worst when I least expect it? When Charlie Brown says, "I got a rock." I can soooo empathize. Those waves of grief can knock you down flat when you aren't ready for them. WHAM! Okay, I guess I'm back to things I cannot change-

For the past few years a couple of my wonderful friends...who I am lucky enough to also work with...have made a big deal out of Halloween at our house by a visit from The Great Pumpkin. They've snuck to our house in the dark and left treats for the boys from The Great Pumpkin...(I love these ladies!!!) This year they wanted to know what they should do...should they keep the tradition up? Would it bother Scott and I to be faced with the memories? Wouldn't Caden wonder if THIS year The Great Pumpkin didn't make his annual visit? What should they do? Well, as far as bothering me- yes, I'm sad that Coleman isn't going to be enjoying this like in the past, but at the same time yes, I want to keep the tradition going for Caden, for now at least. (I'm sure the day will come where he will find this all very lame!) So, I am taking over their tradition they so lovingly started...and Caden will be getting a CLUE each night of the week of Halloween to follow in finding his GREAT PUMPKIN treasures. Something that continues the tradition, but makes it all a little new for him.

Facing the future while remembering our past- kind of our way of life now.
Coleman would want us to be happy. I hear him singing, "my, oh my what a wonnnerful day." Each time I watch that Zippity DoDah video I find myself smiling, and then when it's over, I wish - well, I don't have to tell you what I wish...I'm just rambling now.
So, I'm ending THIS post here...there will be more to come when I have the rambling itch. Thank you for checking in on us, and as always thank you for your prayers for our family, and the so many families out there in the same boat as us, trying their best to ride the waves.
It saddens my heart to know another family has been pushed into our boat this week-Please keep little Donna's family in your prayers- I've mentioned her on here before...what a smart & witty little girl- our hearts broke all over again when we learned of her passing this week.
It makes you wonder when it will stop.
NOT right- it's just not right.

Blessings to you all,
FOREVER TEAM LARSON
teamlarson1@gmail.com

P.S. I wanted to say a BIG thank you to everyone who voted for the University of Iowa's Children's Hospital to win the game room give away- THEY WON A BRAND SPANKIN' NEW $10,000 game room!!!! WooHoo! Couldn't have done it without those votes- THANK YOU!!!!

Also a heads-up: mark your calendars if you'd like to be a part of Team Larson for the Curesearch walk next year- the date...May 1st. Place: Blank Park Zoo! Last year's walk was so amazing~we'd love to have you join us in May... I still can't believe the amount of money we raised last year! Caden is going to help plan our shirts for next year, so THAT should be interesting!
Team Larson...NEVA DIV UP!



p.s. one of Coleman's lessons from last year- and I can still hear him say it..."never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker!" Such a smart boy! :)