WACKY WEDNESDAY!

Hi Friends!

Bill is off at church for Warrior Wednesday giving his talk. He was up until 2 .m. last night putting the finishing touches on it! I hope it's going well, and that we'll get to hear it when he comes home. Annie and I were thinking of dressing up like men and sneaking in , but we decided against it.

Homeschooling went well this morning. Nate and Isaac learned the story of Creation, and they did a daily devotional for Bible this morning. They also practiced their handwriting, read me stories, and learned about the different bones in health class. We had time to play a board game, which is really important for Nate to work on with socializing with others. He needs cues to be a gracious winner or loser, depending on how the game turns out.

At 12:20 -- I went to pick up Cameron from school. It was his last day of semester 1 Finals. He was glad to be done and come home. I spent the afternoon cleaning up around the house, and doing busywork. Nate and Isaac went over to Judi's to play with Will on the WII.

At 2:50 -- I walked to meet Molly from school. The walk is only .75 miles each way. But it's a nice chance to talk to her alone. After we got home, she invited Heather over to play with her. Heather is like her little sister!

I got a lot done this afternoon, I hired a cleaning service; filled out all the paperwork for the 1st Baptist ISP; made a gyn appointment. (The lupus/chemo has put me into early menopause.)

I even balanced my checkbook and paid some bills.

At 6: 00 p.m., Bill came home and got his materials before leaving for the church. Annie took me and the kids out to eat at Red Robin. She had bribed the kids with an special surprise earlier in the week IF they behaved for me. They had done pretty well until tonight -- at which point, they all seemed to go mental. But we had fun anyway.

Tomorrow and Friday, the kids have off of school. At 8:30 tomorrow Molly has an orthodontist appointment, at 10:30 I have my bone density scan, and in the afternoon Annie has a dental appointment. Then on Friday I am going out to lunch with my 3 chemo buddies, because 2 of them are having birthdays. So, that will be fun.

Much Love,

Michele

HOME SCHOOLING HEAVEN

Hi Friends!

Bill and I made the decision to home school the 2 youngest boys for now after the whole fiasco at Grace Brethren. We are using the ISP (independent study program) through 1st Baptist Church in Thousand Oaks. That is the same school we used last year for all 3 of the younger kids while home schooling. We made the decision with much prayer, and we did what we thought would be best for the kids. Starting at yet another new school this year wouldn't help with all the changes they've already been through. Nate has expressed fear that I am going to die and Isaac has experienced separation anxiety since my illness got worse -- so by being with me each day, we feel it will comfort them while easing their fears. They are both thrilled to be back at home. I have a lot of support from friends who are willing to help me with the schooling -- and I am feeling a bit better. So, I'm up for the challenge! Bill and I are going to use some of the money that we previously spent for tuition (and really couldn't afford) on housekeeping, etc. So, that way I won't be taking on more than I can handle.

Yesterday Nate, Isaac, and I did a field trip to the library, and we discussed what the boys are interested in learning about this year. Today we've done almost a full day of science. Also, I did some baseline testing to see where they are. For those of you who are unaware -- I spent 8 years teaching before giving it up to focus on raising our family. Cameron and Molly have Thursday and Friday off as it is now semester break for them. Also, Cam had finals this week. So, he's done at 12:20 each day this week. That makes for a quick day for him.

Tonight is Boy Scouts for Cam and Bill. They are having a Court of Honor. And tomorrow Bill is the featured speaker at the Men's Group Warrior Wednesday. Molly also has choir practice for church on Wednesday, and I have several appointment Thursday and Friday. So, it's shaping up to be a busy week. But I am no longer heartbroken and I have a renewed sense of purpose!
I am waiting for Molly to call. I promised her that when she was done with Math HIP (after-school math help) -- I would walk to meet her. Isaac is going to come with me on his bike. Annie is over playing cards with Nate, and they are having a good time. And the teen-ager, Cam, is watching TV as usual. But at least, he's into Animal Planet and educational shows!

Much Love,
Michele

Genesis 45: 5, 8

After Joseph revealed himself to his brothers... "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. .. So now it was not you sho sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt."
--Genesis 45: 5,8

Hi Friends!

I am feeling better today. We spent the weekend around home, catching up on housework, grocery shopping, and miscellaneous stuff. We are no longer contagious, so we were able to have Brandon over on Saturday to hang out with the boys. They were thrilled as they hadn't seen him for several weeks. He is a big blessing in our lives as he is like a big brother to Nate and Isaac. Cameron doesn't interact with them as much as they'd like due to his autism. Shirlene made us some great home-made chili and a cornbread souffle, and she brought it over -- so we've been eating it all weekend.

Today we got to go to church. Our friend Annie came with us, so that was nice. I am struggling still with my severe lupus headache. The doctor is trying me on some new meds -- one of which had a copay of $150 per month, and of course -- it's not working. So, we'll keep trying for me to get some relief from the headache. The good news -- I went to church even with my headache, and it didn't get better. But after worshipping, I felt better able to cope with it.

After church Annie and I went home with the kids, and Bill stayed at the church for a meeting. He is giving a talk to the other men in our church this Wednesday. The theme is "Staying Close to God During Difficult Times." I am proud of him and I know he will do a great job!

I am no longer as saddened by the Grace Brethren situation right now. I still feel we were mistreated, and I do feel motivated to let the people involved know the laws they broke. However, Bill and I can now clearly see the blessings that will come out of removing the boys from that school. Basically, as referenced in my Bible passage above, God uses what man intended for evil to accomplish his plans and for good. Usually it takes longer to see what blessings come out of the storm, so we are thrilled to identify them already. For example, we are going to be able to restructure our budget and household, because we will now have access to the $1147/monthly we were paying for tuition. We didn't really have the money to do that anyway. More on this to follow, but we are excited about the new plans we have for the boys.

Tomorrow Cam and Molly are well enough to go back to school -- finally! Cam has finals Monday-Wednesday, and they both have off Thursday and Friday for semester break.

Currently we are watching a movie -- "Get Smart" as our family day activity. So, I need to go join the family!

Much Love,
Michele

SHAKING THE DUST OFF OUR FEET...Matthew 10:14,15

Hi Friends!

I haven't blogged for a while due to a saddening situation that has consumed us this week. I am truly disillusioned and broken-heartened. Shawnna, my sister-in-law, sent me the words of a song at the beginning of this month. It's called "Praise You Through the Storm." Shawnna -- I saved the words and I needed them today more than ever:

I was sure by now, God you would have reached down and wiped our tears away.

Stepped in and saved the day.

But once again, I say "Amen" and it's still raining.

And as the thunder roars I barely hear your whisper through the rain, "I'm with you..."

And as your mercy falls I pray to God who gives and takes away.

And I will praise you through the storm and I will lift my hands

You are who you are, no matter where I am.

And every tear I cry, you hold in your hand.

You never left my side.

Though my heart is torn,

I will praise you in this storm!

To make a long story short-- My kids have been sick (very, very sick -- high temperatures, horrible coughs, puking!) for the last 2 weeks. It's antibiotic-resistant, so several of the kids have been several different antibiotics. They have all missed tons of school, so I can only imagine the make-up work when they do go back! Also, I have now caught the illness and am on antibiotics and inhalers, too -- but we are all concerned due to my chemo-compromised immune sytem.

To top that off, we were forced to withdraw Nathaniel and Isaac from Grace Brethren today. I won't go into the details of what happened but I am beyond disappointed by how we were treated by "Godly" people. In a nutshell, you know how some non-Christians state that they wouldn't want to be Christian because they believe that Christians are judgmental, close-minded, hypocritical, cliquish, think that they are right and everyone else is wrong? Well, we met that kind of Christian at Grace Brethren and they asked us to leave the school. Please pray for wisdom and direction as we look for a new school for the boys. They are obviously confused by the situation as well! While Bill and I can behave in a Godly manner -- we can't control the actions of others.

It was raining today -- it seemed fitting! Bill went into work, and I decided to take my sickly children, my sickly neighbor (Annie), and my sickly self on a fun outing! So, sorry for exposing the rest of Simi Valley to us -- but it was necessary. I was depressed and the kids were all stir-crazy! So, we went to see Bedtime Story (which was at the $3 movie theater -- so score!) and we also had lunch at McDonald's. Then we ended it with a trip to our favorite spot ever -- 7-11 for Big Gulps and candy.

Bill is currently out in town picking up the 3 P's for us -- prescriptions, pizza, and paper plates.

I wanted something easy for dinner.

Much Love,

Michele

TOOTHLESS TUESDAY UPDATE!

Hi Friends!

Just wanted to let you know that I now have both of my front teeth again. I went to see my dentist this afternoon. He is very nice and squeezed me in. He didn't want to put a new crown on it just yet as I'm in the middle of chemo. So, that makes me bleed easily and also puts me at risk for infections. Instead, he decided to build up the tooth with a porcelain filling, which should last for the next year (if I'm more careful!). It looks the same as the crown did. Then after I'm all done with chemo, I can get a new crown.

Much Love,
Michele

TOOTHLESS TUESDAY!!!

Hi Friends!

It's toothless Tuesday, because last night I broke off the crown on my front tooth. So, now I look like white trash! The dentist is going to squeeze me in today at 4 p.m. to do something temporarily so that I look less ridiculous. Also, today I had 2 doctor's appointments -- one with Dr. Cohen (rheumatologist) and one with Dr. Menco (oncologist). They went well. My bloodwork is good except that I'm anemic, as usual. I have some new medication to try for my headaches, so hopefully -- I'll get some relief.

Much Love,
Michele

SUNDAY/MONDAY

Hi Friends!

We are all still sick. Cameron and Molly are the worst. They are hacking up mucous everywhere, which is quite gross! Yesterday, Nate threw up all over me and the sofa and his bed, so Bill turned into Mr. Clean and has been disinfecting everywhere. However, as of today -- Nate says he is cured. Isaac, too, seems better. Right now he is at the doctor's with Bill for a recheck. He is having chest and arm X-rays. Hopefully, it goes well, and then he won't have to wear his cast anymore.

Yesterday we went to Judi's for Heather's 6th birthday party. (All except Cam who was way too sick to leave the house!) We had fun, and it was good for the kids to get out as they've been cooped up in our sick house for too long! They got to use up all their excess energy in the Jumper. I, however, made the mistake of eating chocolate cake. I thought it might be OK since I had eaten oreos this week without getting a headache. But it didn't work out well for me, and I got the headache from hell! I tried Vicodin and every type of sleeping pill I had -- but I couldn't sleep last night because the pain was too severe! Finally, my sweet husband rubbed my head like a baby until I fell asleep. I don't know what I'd do without him, because the pain was so bad I was on the verge of crying which is never helpful!

I got to sleep around 2 a.m. and Bill let me sleep in until noon today. I then got up and had to take my morning and noon pills/supplements -- which was 28 pills. So, that was fun. My head is still killing me, but I'm going to fake it until I make it today. It seems sometimes that if you focus on the pain or try to rest -- it just makes it worse.

So, I'm planning to help the kids clean up their rooms today. We need to change sheets and disinfect the sickly rooms. Tomorrow I have an appointment with Dr. Cohen, and Bill is going to take me. Annie is still here. She's been a big help to us as usual, but she is scheduled for her own surgery on Wednesday. So, we'll have to let her leave eventually!

Much Love,
Michele

SICKLY SATURDAY!!!

Hi Friends!

Again this will be short, as the kids are still dropping like flies. Isaac is recovering from pneumonia and his broken arm. Cameron is recovering from severe bronchitis. He actually stopped eating for 2 days -- that's when you know your teenager is really sick! Molly and Nate have respiratory infections. Today they are both puking and running very high temperatures. Everyone is on antibiotics, and now Bill and Annie are starting to feel sick, too. I feel pretty good -- still tired from chemo, but none of their symptoms yet. We are all worried, though, since I just did chemo on Monday and my immune system is still compromised. Isaac has been attached to me all week, and today Nate threw up all over me. I'm hoping I'm protected by the flu and pneumonia vaccines that I got earlier this year during my chemo prep. Your prayers for everyone's health would be much appreciated. I'll keep you up-to-date.

Much Love,
Michele

FUNKY FRIDAY!!

Hi Friends!

We made it through last night, but it was rough. Cameron was up most of the night feverish and throwing up. I got up with Bill at 7:30 and helped him and the younger kids get ready for work and school. Then, after they left, I gave meds to all the sicklies and we went back to bed until 11 a.m. We're now up and moving about, but the kids still look pretty bad. Annie is coughing right now and I'm not feeling the best either. So, let's hope it gets better from here on out!

Much Love,
Michele

BIZARRO DAY...

Hi Friends,

Well -- this will be very short as my day has exploded. My children are dropping like flies. Isaac is still recovering from pneumonia, and today I had to take Molly and Cameron in. Cameron has severe bronchitis and he started antibiotics today. Molly also has a respiratory infection and she started antibiotics as well. They are both sleeping now and will stay home from school tomorrow. Cameron, in particular, looked really bad and was throwing up. So far, Nate is the only one who seemed to just get a cold and recover. So, please pray for our health -- I am really vulnerable to infection this week after chemo, and it seems my entire family is getting sick.
YUCK!

Much Love,
Michele

SICK DAY!

Hi Friends!

Well, Annie is having a busy day today -- as it seems half of the Bland family is home sick. Isaac is at home recovering from pneumonia. He sounds a little better, but he still doesn't sound great! Molly also came home sick from school yesterday. She has a bad headache, and she is home again today. And then -- of course, I'm here recovering from chemo. Bill has started me on a bunch of supplements, and he is very confident that this is the round of chemo that will "knock my lupus into remission!" I basically slept all day yesterday, all last night, and I didn't get up until 11 a.m. this morning. The chemo really wipes me out! Today the nausea is starting to hit me, so I'm not eating much. But I feel pretty decent -- considering!

Last night, Kelly Mako brought us dinner and it was very tasty. Thanks, Kelly! Tonight the Fields' are bringing us dinner. It really is a big help! Bill is very busy trying to balance work and home with me being sick. But, he's doing a great job, and I'm very proud of him!

I'll write more tomorrow. Hopefully, we won't add anymore people to our sick day hospital!

Much Love,
Michele

CHEMO #5

Hi Friends!

This will be short as I just got home from chemo and I need to go lay down. Annie and Shirlene took me. I slept through most of the chemo, because it really wipes you out.

In other news -- Isaac has pneumonia. He woke up this morning with a horrible cough and trouble breathing. So, Bill took the day off from work to take him to the doctor.

Please pray that Isaac and I feel better soon. Also, pray that I don't catch his sickness with my compromised immune system.

Much Love,
Michele

SUNDAY BEFORE CHEMO #5

Hi Friends!

I'm having a good day. We went to church this morning, and then I spent the rest of the day at home. I had groceries delivered and got the house prepped for my week off. It usually takes about 7 days for me to recover from the chemo. Although this time, I felt like I got jipped, because of how I spent last week being sick. Bill took Nate and Isaac to EB Games to spend their allowance. We also finished construction of the wall in Cam/Isaac's room. It still needs to be painted (maybe next weekend), but we got all the furniture back in and rearranged with the bunkbeds down. It should be much safer now.

Shirlene and Annie are taking me to chemo tomorrow. It is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Then, Annie will be staying with us for the week to help me and Bill with the kids. It's also nice to have someone here to take care of me while the kids and Bill are at school and work.

I'll try to blog or have someone blog for me tomorrow.
Much Love,
Michele

SATURDAY!!!

Hi Friends!

We are having a quiet Saturday evening. The kids are watching a movie, and Bill is putting a wall up in Cam/Isaac's room. It was a loft, and he is boxing it back in. That way we can take the bunkbeds down and spread the boys out a bit in their room. (Necessary since Isaac broke his arm last week launching out of the top bunk!) It's looking good so far. I am catching up on my paperwork and ordering groceries tonight. Last minute nesting before doing my chemo on Monday! (Yes, I did get the OK.)

Last night we had a Bible Study potluck at our house. Social interaction tends to exhaust me at this point -- so I had to sleep in this morning to recover. I took Cam and Molly to Wal-Mart today to spend some of their Christmas money. We had a good time and ate at the McDonald's, too. They both bought videos and some clothes. Shopping with teenagers can be fun although Cameron thought me and Molly were taking much too much time looking at the clothes. He is definitely faster at decision-making!

Brandon was over today, so we had someone here to entertain the boys. They did a lot of skateboarding.

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to going to church, and it will be nice to spend one last "normal day" before chemo begins.

Much Love,
Michele

ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY, I HOPE!

Hi Friends!

I'm starting to feel a bit better with the Zofran (anti-nauseau meds) and Ultram (new pain med for my kidneys and head). The big news is that I've kept some food down. Yesterday I managed two bananas and a Jamba Juice (with bananas in it). Do you sense a theme? Yes, my potassium is low, so I'm supposed to eat lots of bananas. Today I ate a blueberry muffin for breakfast, so I'm off to a good start. Now, I'm just playing the waiting game with all my labs to see if I can do chemo on Monday.

Bill is working from home today, because he has a neurology appointment. Also, Nate has a doctor's appointment that Bill will take him to. So, he's doing work stuff in between. It's nice to have him home, though.

My dear friend and chemo buddy, Shirlene, just called and offered to bring us chicken for dinner tonight. So, once again I'm being well cared for.

Yesterday Bill went to Wal-Mart to pick up all my meds. They were out of my new anti-depressant and it won't be in until 2 p.m. today. I thought it was pretty funny, and I asked him why he didn't plead his case by saying how irritable and sad his wife was. So, he said he did tell the pharmacist he'd be back at the stroke of 2 p.m. I'll let you know if I become a lot happier with 2 anti-depressants rather than one.

I decided yesterday to try to be a bit more active and started doing some stuff around the house. Everyone keeps telling me to rest. I know it's important, but when I lay around I can't sleep because of the pain. So, if I putter around the house -- at least it seems to keep my mind occupied. But I'll have to be careful today with Bill around, because he likes to police my activity level!

Much Love,
Michele

HELLO!!

Hi Friends,

This will be very short, but I didn't want anyone to worry as I haven't posted for a while. I ended up with 2 kidney infections in a row, then I caught the flu. I hadn't kept anything down since Saturday. So, yesterday my doctor sent me to the ER to get bloodwork/testing and most importantly IV fluids. I went to see him today. I have a little more energy after the fluids, but still a horrible backache (kidney area) and blood in my urine. So, best case scenario -- it's just the flu and an antibiotic-resistant UTI/kidney infection. Worse case scenarios -- the lupus could be coming back or I may have kidney damage due to the Cytoxan. Not looking forward to the cystosocopy of my bladder -- they put a camera in there. Already had it done once.

Also, not sure if I'll be doing chemo next week due to possible infections. So, keep on praying. My doctor upped my anti-depressant today as I find the whole situation a bit unbearable!

Much Love,
Michele

TOP 10 GREAT THINGS ABOUT HAVING LUPUS!!!

Hello Again!

I've been working for a while on some top ten lists. Some funny, some not! Lupus, like life, can be funny and also change your heart, body and mind all at the same time.

So, here's my first list. I'm calling it:

TOP 10 GREAT THINGS ABOUT HAVING LUPUS!!!
(or any other life-threatening disease, I'm guessing!)

1. Getting ready is so much faster when you have very little hair.
(I remember Julia saying to me and Judi when she went through chemo -- "Oh, you girls and
your hair!" Now I know what she meant. At this point -- I find appearance to be overrated.)

2. I realized I'm not immortal.
(Yes, I always knew I would die someday, but I took it for granted I'd be very old. When
you receive the blessing of knowing you're very ill -- that's when you really begin to live.)

3. There are no expectations of you.
(When you are very sick, people are just happy if you get up and out of bed in the morning.
No one expects you to grocery shop, make dinner, clean house, etc. Those things all seem to
take care of themself -- or not, because maybe they weren't that important anyway. And
on my good days, when I am up to things -- my family says,"It's so nice that you came to
dinner, Mom." or "I'm so happy you picked me up from school, Mom." These little moment
now are special to me as I no longer take them for granted.)

4. People tell you to sleep.
(In fact, the people who really care for me have encouraged me to take care of myself this
year, allowing myself to heal. At first that was hard for me to comprehend, but when I came
to terms with it -- I embraced it and declared this year the "Year of Me." I'm not trying to
sound rude or self-centered, but if I don't get better, which requires focus on myself, then I
won't be around at all for my family.)

5. People are like angels, bringing exactly what God thinks you need.
(Now, more than ever, I rely on God to meet my needs -- for food, shelter, clothing,
a friend when I'm lonely -- and he also reminds me of how loved I am -- through my
the right medical care, and family and sweet friends who are always bringing me trinkets
and Big Gulps, the ultimate key to my heart. Bill and I have learned to accept whatever
help is offered. My motto is "Say yes to anything that's free, and the blessings keep
coming your way!")

6. I love better.
(I don't know how else to say it. I think that I'm a better wife, mother, and friend. I now
value and nurture these relationships more rather than getting caught up in the busy-ness
of life.)

7. I have learned to be less judgemental.
(This has been a big lesson for me. I used to think I knew better than others at times, but
after some bad experiences with judgemental people during this illness -- I won't make that
mistake again. No one really can walk in someone else's shoes, so you don't really know how
you would react in their situation.)

8. You find out who your friends are.
(As the song says, right? People I thought would really be there for me are not, and other
people have been like angels, dropping everything for me. This is not a bad thing -- it's
taught me who my friends are, and it's also taught me to be a better friend and caregiver.)

9. You learn what's important and what's not.
(It seems so obvious, but we often get caught up in life. Examples -- Important: Friends,
family, God's work; Not important/Overrated: Material things, a clean and organized
house, etc.)

10. Prayer Works and God has my back!
(I have been transformed from a "do-er" to a "pray-er." I have never been prayed for or
prayed as much in my life as I did this year -- and both my family and I have been
blessed by the prayers. I have people all over the country praying for me. Also, I spent
many nights both at home and in the hospital unable to sleep due to pain. God has used the
pain to draw me closer to Him. It truly has been a journey, but he has prepared me and
guided me every step of the way. Sometimes I'm too stubborn to listen. But I can think of
3 specific examples of Him speaking to me this year.

1. The first day I went to my primary care doctor and failed the neurological exam --
I felt God tell me "It's going to be a long road, but you'll never be the same again." I
now realize He was preparing me to accept the year ahead.

2. After numerous MRI's and test, I found myself in yet another MRI machine pondering
my role in the universe. I asked God in my prayer,"How can I be a wife and mother
and be this sick? " That's how I defined myself, until at that moment he reminded me
that my most important role was child of God.

3. Finally, at the hospital and feeling really lonely -- Bill brought Nate and Isaac to
visit me. It was late and Isaac didn't want to leave. So, he climbed up into my hospital
bed with me, and I put my arm around him. He snuggled up to me and fell peacefully
asleep in my arms. I kept that vision with me to get me through the hard times, and
often when I felt discouraged or alone, I visualized our heavenly Father holding me
with the same love and tenderness I felt for my child. Because I am his child! )

Well, I hope I haven't scared you with my reflective lessons of 2008 today! I'll let you know when my next Top Ten List is done.

Much Love,
Michele

PEACE IS MINE IN 2009!!!

Hi Friends!

I hope that you will find joy and peace in 2009. This year is certainly looking up for me. I wouldn't necessarily trade anything that happened in 2008 or say it was too hard for me -- but what I would say is that it was a challenging year!

We had a quiet New Year's Eve at home with the kids. We were talking about having a party at our house that night, but things never panned out. I think it worked out better this way, and it was nice to just spend time together as a family. We watched GroundHog's Day, which the kids hadn't seen before. And Bill and I hadn't seen it since it first came out in the 1990's. We all found it very amusing. The movie was filmed in Woodstock, IL where Bill used to catch the train when we lived in Lake Geneva, WI (the first year after we got married). So, we had visited the set and it brought back memories to see it again.

Bill made dinner and spectacular ice cream sundaes and we had sparkling cider in "fancy" glasses at midnight. Thanks to Annie for the cider. It was a big hit!

I'm back to walking daily with Judi and I'm feeling quite good. It's nice to sleep in every day while the kids are on Christmas vacation. It will be hard when we all have to start getting up early again. After 5 days on antibiotics, my kidney infection is much better -- so here's hoping I make it a while before the next one hits. Bill's ear is feeling better, too. And Isaac's sprained wrist is much improved. He again wants to be very active and he is upset that we won't let him ride his bike with his cast on.

The kids are starting to get a bit stir-crazy since we've been home the last couple of days. So, tomorrow we're planning a hiking day trip and picnic to wear off their energy. Tonight they're distracted as 2 of the Malone kids from next door are spending the night. Molly has Heather (who's like a little sister to her) spending the night, and Nate and Isaac have Will spending the night. So, the girls are doing "girlie stuff" and the boys have built an elaborate tent city and are playing some type of war game. Cameron has nicely offered to sleep in Nate's room tonight so that Nate, Isaac, and Will can all sleep together in the room that Isaac and Cam share. Hopefully we'll make it through the night without any bunk bed injuries.

Bill is putting the finishing touches on our Bland Family 2008 DVDs. So, he's hoping to burn them and send them out soon.

Much Love,
Michele