Big Milestone!!

This weekend has been full.  It started Friday with David's six month checkup at UVA.  

Here is David with our beloved Dr. Belyea.  We were one of his first patients when David was in treatment and we adore him. After a day of tests, labs, and oncology visit with Dr. B we got the news that David is now five years cancer-free!!  I actually heard the word cured come out of Dr. B's mouth when he called me.  This was the moment we have worked so hard for all these years.  The five year milestone is huge and we feel it.  We give God the glory for healing David and for changing us as a family.  We are all different people than we were on November 17, 2011 when this nightmare began.  You cannot witness God's glory, protection, provision, and mercy and not be changed.

We will now transition from traditional oncology appointments to the survivor clinic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The great news is that we are in the survivor clinic, the bad news is we transition from Dr. B to a different oncologist.  I am sure he or she is lovely, but we are pretty attached to Dr. B.

His kidney numbers were a little high but Dr. B. said he is not worried so therefore I am not worrying.  He is going to run them by nephrology and get their opinion on them but if you have seen David in real life lately, you know that he is in the midst of puberty.  He is now 5'1 and weighs 115 pounds.  He is muscular and is actually growing a little mustache.  So the kidney numbers could be a little high to compensate for his puberty growth.

Friday afternoon while we waited on the good results and for Dave and Mike to get home Hope had a cute set of twins over to play.  These girls are hilarious and when together they sound like the chipmunks!  When Mike and Dave got home we ate pizza and loaded up to the high school football game.  Our team was playing an in-county rival and the weather was beautiful!

Saturday we worked around the house and then Kyle headed to a friend's house to watch the big fight.  Another Mom who hosted the fight watch party (God bless her.... )  sent me this picture.  Kyle was rooting for Mayweather and this was at the end of the fight.  I love Kyle's big eyes!

After church today we loaded up for a family fun day.  These sleepy heads (all but Sam) took a power nap before hiking four miles!

Another big milestone we celebrated this weekend was Mike's birthday!!!  We spent his day going to church and hiking with friends.  We are so thankful for all that he does for us and that he makes us all "do the right thing" every single day.  He is a good guy and it has been such a joy to see him get to enjoy life again now that he is in a new job.  He is obsessed with playing tennis, he is now coaching Hope's basketball team, and he never misses anything his kids do.

We visited the Cascades today and despite the chilly water, we all enjoyed the hike to see this beautiful waterfall!

Kyle and Sam modeling under the falls.  Have I mentioned how chilly the water was???  Brrrr....

These brave kiddos had to get below the falls even if it was chilly and the rocks were slick.

Hiking with Dave is a challenge.  He wears out easily and has difficulty pacing himself.

But with the help of Chris Austin David loved every single minute of the falls.  He was so proud of himself that he made it across the slippery rocks and he did it!  He got over there and then begged Chris to carry himself (remember he is 115 pounds) back to shore.  Chris and David will sleep well tonight.