Valuing the Simple Things

Greetings friends and family,

My mindset is shifting more each day.  I desire to be with Kendra every waking and sleeping second.  Every second spent typing here on the keyboard is a second I'm not close to my wife.  I'm learning to appreciate each moment and really soak them deep into my memory banks.  Kendra is doing well physically with continued healing of her vertebrae and normal side-effects of chemotherapy.  She's tired all the time, but has so much strength to power through each day taking care of what must be done.  She finished 16 of 26 chemo treatments.  As far as we know, Halloween is still the target date for her last chemo event.  The next thing we will go through is the PET scan in a week or two that will show what's going on in her whole body.  Pray in agreement with us for the results to be favorable.  We are believing existing tumors are shrinking and no new tumors will exist.  that would be fabulous and miraculous.  

My favorite thing to capture in pictures lately is just simple things like Kendra helping Layla get her hair up in a high pony tail for school.  None of these common, daily-life sights meant much until I realized how valuable they are.

Special moments like this one where Kendra pulled Easton's front tooth with him.  He was brave now that he's had a few teeth fall out and knows it doesn't hurt.  Easton was so excited to show me.  I hear his lisp when he talks and it makes me smile every time.

I wanted to take a picture with just Layla, but Easton wanted in on the picture so much.  We sat at the table talking about nothing important.  Easton on her lap and Layla on mine.  We have some wonderful conversations, but I rarely remember the subject.  I just remember the joy and innocence of the 4 Webbs enjoying each other.  I call Layla, "Princess Warrior", which is a really long pet name, but anything shorter wouldn't be sufficient.

I still call Easton "Big Time", but for some reason, "Hot Dog" is becoming more common from me.  He is super proud of his big gap.  The new tooth is already on it's way in.  I love how he's not embarrassed or self-conscious one bit.

The newest edition to our household is the iRobot Roomba.  The twins named it "Mousie" and treat it like a pet.  This is Kendra's anniversary gift.  although it is way more expensive than I planned, it gives Kendra peace of mind knowing her floors are swept because she is still not cleared from the doctor to do that kind of rigorous activity for a few more months.  After 13 years of marriage, you would think I have learned not to get a vacuum for my wife as an anniversary gift, but I think this one is a unique situation and blessing.

Easton and Layla take full advantage of Saturdays.  They play Legos and build forts so they can be kitties and puppies.  I thought this stage of imaginative playtime together would have lost interest, but all it takes is some free time and they jump right in with playing together happily.  There are still regular occasions where they push each other's buttons, but overall it is music to my ears to hear them having fun and being kids together.  Part of me wants to give them more directed homework or reading time, but I know they'll have a lifetime of that coming up real soon and this age won't last long at all. Feels like I blinked a couple of times and "poof!"  they are no longer toddlers, but real kids.

See you soon!