Happy Birthday to Charlotte!

Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Baby Girl, my Monkey Butt, my 'Mater (she was born during the Hanover Tomato Festival), Zazou the Amazing Can Can Dancing Creature (long story)!

Today will be one of those ultimate special days. We get to meet former Redskins football players at the clinic (OK, it's more for Daddy than CJ!), we get to see a concert at Chcik-fil-a with great music, great food, and Star Wars characters walking around. Really, the 501st Star Wars Regiment will be there for pics and all!

Charlotte will be there for a little while, not sure exactly how long, "Big" Rompy (strangely Daddy sized) will be there as will a parade of folk/bluegrass musicians. Bring your "axe" and someone might let you jump in! Music should commence at about 5:30pm

Romp ' Roll will be open for free Open Gym starting at 5:00pm so if you want to take a break from the festivities, come on over!

Mommy and Daddy are giving her a kid-themed digital camera because she was showing a definite interest in taking pictures earlier. Good occupational therapy as well. (SHHH! Don't tell Charlotte.)

THEN!!! The big O' Birthday Bash on Friday at 6:00pm! Charlotte's official party ar Romp n' Roll. EVERYONE is invited. There will be enough cake for both the Hatfields and the McCoys (Chek yer wepuns at the door). Don't bring presents, just love and an appetite for cake and pizza.

Concerning the trip: we are getting our appointments lined up bit by bit and we've found out that Monday the 13th will be a simulation run to give everyone a chance to organize exactly what's going to happen. Then she gets an MRI on Tuesday and then...nothing until NEXT Monday. That's right, they say they need a few days to plan everything so we will be doing just chemo at that time. (JUST CHEMO?!?!)

We have a temporary place to stay until an official agency comes through with an appartment thanks every so much to our guardian angel, Meredith, for getting that going.

I've contacted the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros about covering the Sunday game between the two. (Why not multi-task while we're down there, eh?) If it happens, I'll let you know where to hear/read it. Most probably WHAN 1430AM on Monday morning.

Update:

What a day! Busy and good...and did I mention BUSY?

My day consisted of a haircut, many errands, and then off to Romp n' Roll to work.

Daddy took CJ to the clinic where they got to meet some retired Washington Redskins. Charlotte actually got to hold a Super Bowl ring in her hand. I'm not sure who was more excited about this visit (Charlotte or Daddy) but I think the icing on the cake was when the football players sang "Frosty the Snowman" to Charlotte in honor of her birthday. Our nurse (April) was back from vacation and everyone made a big deal out of the birthday girl's big day. She got a present from the clinic (wrapped in SNOWMAN paper...too cute!). And, of course, Charlotte got to see Dr. Khan (her favorite doctor). Rumor has it that the moment with the football players was captured by WTVR and was on the news but I haven't seen it yet. Couldn't find it online.

In medical news, we have our first appointments for next week so things do seem to be lining up. We are in email communication with our nurse practitioner out there and the Houston Angel Network is coming out in full force. We continue to get messages from people who know us or know of us and are helping us make connections for ANYTHING we might need in TX. I know that we will be well cared for.

Our local Angel Network is hopping too. The concert was a success. God served up some beautiful weather, Chris Fuller and Charles Arthur played their greatest hits, Childtime had some fun kid's crafts, the 501st Brigade was there (Darth Vader, Storm Troopers, even an Obi Wan Kenobi) taking pictures to raise money for charity. I even saw a few storm troopers directing traffic! The Star Wars group raised over $200 for Charlotte PLUS, Chick-Fil-A donated 10% of the evenings proceeds to us (a little over $100) PLUS over 23 people donated blood today! Yay! Even Rompy got in on the action and came to visit all the kids.

Our biggest Angel of the evening came in the form of plane tickets. I am not sure if this Angel wants to be acknowledged yet so I will let her remain anonymous, but let me tell everyone that almost ALL of our remaining plane tickets for travel to and from Houston have been bought and paid for. We will only need to purchase Charlotte's and my return trip at the end of August (and we just don't know the date for that yet). What a gift! What a blessing!

So 36 hours from now, we will actually be IN Houston (that's scary!!). I've got a lot of packing to do and before that we are going to party like it's on sale for $19.99. Romp n' Roll: be there or be square. 6 PM. We may have to call the Fire Marshall :-)

Gotta run and be productive (oh and rest...)

Rachel