Thursday, October 11, 2007 11:49 AM, CDT

Hello,
I haven’t written in awhile because I figured I had nothing so say (did I just write that???? I always have something to say). However, I’ve had several people ask me when I’m going to post again so here goes.
And it’s a two parter!!!!!!
Part I
I figure I’ll post every now and then so I can keep you up to date on my life after cancer.
Is there a life after cancer? I hope so!!!!
The last time I wrote it was the end of the summer and here it was just Columbus Day Weekend. We finished our summer vacation with a trip to Rhode Island to stay with my Auntie Jean and Uncle Bob. They spoiled us ROTTON. Thank you!!! Then we headed to the Cape where we stayed with our friends Al and Colleen. The girls immediately fell in love with Colleen and were pretty much her shadow for the few days we were there. Thank you for letting us stay with you and turn your quiet vacation into chaos!!!
The kids started school—Steven is in the fourth grade, Kate is in the first grade and Lauren attends pre-school three days per week. With the start of school also begins the various activities the kids do. Steven is playing soccer and the girls are taking dance classes. Yes, we found a dance academy that was willing to take my Kate on as a dancer and she is in her glory. She puts on her leotard, tights, and her ballet skirt and floats out of the house on cloud nine. The girls take a class in which they do both ballet and tap. They’re both thrilled. Katie has also started piano lessons. She feels very grown up.
Katie is in love with school, which is quite different than Steven. However, I think he is enjoying fourth grade because they’re going to be learning so many different things. Katie goes to school and can’t wait to tell me about her day. Steven…..not so much!! I sometimes wonder if the bus really drops him off at school because he doesn’t come home with half as many stories.
Katie tells me who she sits next to at lunch, what everyone who sat around her had for lunch. She tells me what they sing in music class and what they do in gym and can’t wait to show me what she did in Art class. She loves doing her homework and belts out the Dawson school song at the top of her lungs. And just for the record, I had no idea there was a school song because Steven never sings it….or even tells me about it.
We got a new kitty about a week ago and we named her Sophie. She’s orange and white and absolutely adorable. Jackson isn’t so sure about her….there’s been some growling (from Sophie not Jackson), some hissing some spitting and some swats on the nose. And thankfully, for a change, it hasn’t been me and Greg doing those things!! J
We have a ton of apples in the house right now. Between our family trip to the apple orchard, Katie’s field trip to the orchard and the Dawson School Apple Festival, we’re at maximum capacity. I feel like I’m going to have to be like Bubba Gump. But instead of finding things to do with shrimp, it’s apples! Let’s see, whole apples, sliced apples, apple pie, apple crisp, apple dumplings, apple muffins, apple bread, baked apples, apple sauce, candy apples, caramel apples……..