Rumble in the Jungle

Wow! Reading yesterday's thankful comments gave me goosebumps. It's so good to take just a moment, isn't it? A moment to think about blessings. And though some of you may be thankful for the blog, I'm thankful for you reading it! Your participation with this site makes you all tremendously important to Kyrie.

A couple of weeks ago, Uncle Chad and I read a little story for Kyrie featuring Chad's amazing talent to sound like barnyard animals. I'm so lucky. Today, we're happy to invite you to listen to another story: Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae and illustrated by David Wojtowycz.

p.s. No Muhammad Ali impersonations on this one. Sorry to disappoint. ;)

p.p.s. Let's pray this Palm Sunday that God, indeed, has Kyrie in the palms of His hands, especially in light of her MRI Monday.

Thankful Thursdays

Even with a topsy-turvy Wednesday, our girl was feeling a bit better yesterday. She even ate better, which unfortunately means that she had a stomach full of food this morning when she got sick.

Kyrie was even a little bit more ornery, too. She pulled the tissues out of an entire box of Kleenex, one by one! I've always wanted to do that.


And Lacie says that the sedation makes Kyrie silly. Yesterday, Kyrie laughed and grabbed her Hickman line, looked at Lacie, smiled and said, "No, no ..."

Jordan and Lacie's fridge is bursting with medications, IV packs, syringes and the like. Her new anti-nausea medication, Metoclopramide, must be mixed with saline and given to her over the course of 10-15 minutes through Hickman line three times a day. She still recieves her other anti-nausea med, Kitryl, two times a day every 12 hours. And she also gets her IV food that has to be mixed and put into an IV bag, then administered through her line for eight hours day for the next week. A lot of important work for our little family.

Lately, I've been thinking about blessings and gratitude. So many people have said that Kyrie's situation has made them appreciate their lives, their children more. Very glad for that, but it's a shame that it takes a threat to make us count our blessings. It's in the same realm as when we pray our best only in times of need. And it's easy to count the big blessings: health, home, friends, family, finances, but what about the itty bitty ones? What about the ones that are so small that you don't even notice them? Are they not blessings, too?

So I thought maybe on Thursdays, we could all reflect on the past week and find something miniscule, something you might have overlooked for years, something that brings a measure of goodness or ease or personal growth. It may not be big, it may not be perfect, but nevertheless you are grateful that it's in your life.

Today, I thank God for Kleenex.

What about you?

Rescheduled

So somehow, some way, something wasn't scheduled correctly at the hospital for Kyrie's MRI this morning. Her scan has now been rescheduled for Monday, which is frustrating just because of the extra hassle and extra sedation, but hey, it gives us five more days to pray really, really, really hard.

Despite the scan snafu, Kyrie did undergo her "hearing" test this morning. Her hearing is completely gone in her left ear. All of it. And according to the audiologist, it won't be coming back. The hearing in her right ear is a little worse than her test showed nearly two months ago. Jordan said that this is a result of the chemo. The little, tiny hairs in your ears help pick up mechanical vibrations of sound waves, which then cause cells to produce brief electrical signals that are sent to the brain as a wad of acoustic information. Chemo makes you lose even those little, important hairs. Even if they stopped chemo, it's unclear if the hairs would grow back and if her hearing in that ear would improve.

Kyrie will be getting some different anti-nausea meds today. She has been sick many times during each of the past few nights and vomited in the hospital this morning, too. They've also started the IV nutrition, so that should help keep her nourished while her body fights the cancer.

We knew two months ago that this would be a very tough battle, and I think we've just arrived at the trenches. Let's dig in, buck up and bolster Kyrie, Lacie & Jordan with an armory of heavy artillery prayers and support.

At 8:30 a.m. tomorrow

our girl goes in for her big MRI. I know it's asking more of you than I can possibly reciprocate, but please remember her in your prayers before bed this evening, in your prayers when you can't sleep and in your prayers as you begin your tomorrow.

One tiny child. One almighty God.

Psalms 62:7
My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Tuesday News

Good news: Kyrie's blood counts are up again, which means that the Neupogen injections that Jordan gives her are working. However, it looks like we'll have to start another intravenous routine. Kyrie has always been and continues to be in the 90th percentile for her height compared to other kids, but due to the vomiting and appetite loss, she's losing too much weight. Her doctor is starting her IV food today. Pharma-Care will be bringing out a pump and a week's supply of the liquid supplements. The doctor told Jordan and Lacie that it looks like milk and is packed with proteins, fat, sugars and calories.

The chemo's side effects continue; Kyrie is still gagging without warning. Yesterday, Jordan and Lacie received more Kytril to help calm her gag reflex and hopefully lessen the vomitting. They had to wash That twice last night after she had been sick on it. Gotta love a friend like That.

And ... since Kyrie chooses to go from room to room, she now has TWO dogs set up! Check out the new pup!


Sleeping on the new dog that has Farrah Fawcett hair.


Sleeping on Ol' Reliable. (The patch is her Hickman line.)

Gearing Up

Okay, team, we've got a big week. As you read in Lacie's letter, on Wednesday this week, Kyrie will be going in for her MRI scan to check the growth or rather the reduction of the tumor in her brain. We've got two full days to send truckloads of prayers, thoughts, wishes and hopes upward to help her (and the rest of us) go onward. This will be the first scan since starting the chemo, so we'll be able to tell if her chemo is pummeling the tumor or not. And since the neurosurgeon was unable to get 100% of the tumor during her surgery, we're really counting on the chemo to tow the line.

It was a cranky weekend for Kyrie and her nausea. Good news is that she learned a new word: "room!" However now she'll say "room" and Jordan and Lacie have to take her and Dog and That and whatever else is at hand to another room. Lacie says that being upright as Kyrie is carried from room to room may help her when she feels like she's going to be sick. Kyrie is going to the doctor this morning to check her counts.

Your prayers have brought us this far. Let's keep going!

Thank You for Being With Us This Week.

A big round of applause to all those who bravely commented for the roll call! It's so nice to hear from you, the prayer warriors in the field. I have a hunch, though, that we have more than 15 people who check in regularly. ;)

*A footnote to yesterday's post: Some of you asked about Kyrie going to the mall. Don't panic. The quick trip was sanctioned by her doctor as a way to boost Kyrie's morale. He told Lacie & Jordan that she doesn't have to live in a bubble. Do something she knows as normal. Don't go during a peak shopper time. Don't stay very long. Don't touch much. Go while her counts are high. Stay away from crowds. And you know ... that day started her string of better days. Guess retail therapy really does work!

Speaking of her counts, as of yesterday, we've hit a new low. Kyrie's white blood cell count on Friday was 40,000. The results from her blood work on Monday say that it's now .5. She's still feeling okay, but for the next few days to a week, no visitors. Jordan and Lacie are still giving Kyrie the Neupogen injections to stimulate the production of white blood cells. She received her vincristine chemo yesterday at her oncologist's office. Only threw up once last night and slept for nearly five hours straight. Very good for our little trooper. And ... last night was the first night that she wanted to sleep in her room. Excellent! So that's where she and Mommy slept with her books, her toys, her dog and her 'toons.

A Sweet Letter from Lacie to You

My name is Lacie Thome, and I’m Kyrie’s mom. I’m no Aunt Megan when it comes to writing, but I’ve wanted to say some things for a while. I just couldn’t find the words. Well, now it’s my turn to personally thank everyone for your thoughts and prayers for my beautiful daughter. They mean more than anyone could possibly know right now.

My family has been through a whirlwind of changes these past two months. Now we are just trying to cope and find what has to be our new “normal.” Every aspect of our life has now changed. Our lives are filled with doctor’s appointments and our errands we used to run together we can’t really do because of a world full of germs. We are trying to prevent everything we can so we must be careful where we go. Now I rely a lot on my mom (Nana) to do many of my errands for me. Last week Kyrie had her first outing, and we went to the salon I work at, then we decided to take her to the mall and get some new head-band bows. We had just switched to pony tails before all of this started. Not that any of that is important. It’s just sad because since the day she was born she has always had some hair. That was a great day, she was happy almost all day long. You come to appreciate days like that.

From day to day we really don’t know how it’s going to be. The two days following chemo we have learned are rough ones, but for such a little body I think she is so strong! I know I have a tough little girl. She knows how much she is loved and she’s going to put up the biggest fight, bigger than any cancer!!! Kyrie knows how much her mommy and daddy need her! That baby is my world. Lately she has been having several good days. Thank God! I just thought everyone should know right now she’s doing well. Today she sat in her Bumbo and colored, we played some ball, read some good books and watched some toons ("toons" is Kyrie’s word for cartoons).

Eating has also been quite difficult lately. You see, chemo changes everything, even your taste buds, so we have a hard time finding things she wants to eat. Because of this, she has switched back to mainly baby formula with a little milk so she gets the vitamins she needs. She will eat, its just a few bites here and there.

Anyways, Wednesday, March 28, Kyrie has to go back to Wesley for another hearing test to see if anything has changed. Directly following, she’ll get a MRI to see if the chemo is doing what it is supposed to do: hold the tumor at bay or even shrink it. So please say some extra prayers for Kyrie this week. We’ll get Megan the results as soon as we have them so she can get them posted.

Thanks again for everything everyone has done for my little princess and us the past couple of months. Everything has definitely been appreciated. Please continue to keep up with Kyrie and leave the comments. We love hearing from everyone. The words of inspiration from people we don’t even know have been so amazing. It means a lot to know how many people have been thinking and praying for her. She needs it right now… and I need her more than anything in the world so please keep it up.

With So Much Love,
Lacie Thome



Lounging and coloring.



Kyrie smiling with a french fry. (So happy to see that smile again!)

NEW! Kyrie's Quilt Raffle

Another group of kind souls have pooled their time, talent and resources to help Lacie, Jordan & Kyrie with a fabulous quilt raffle! Many talented quilters who are friends of Nana Jan's and Great Nana Norma's at the quilt shop worked together at a specially-organized quilting bee to make an "opportunity quilt," which resulted in a fun & funky handmade quilt designed to raise funds for Kyrie's medical expenses.

Everything has been donated: time, fabric, batting, quilting, machines, quilt rack for display, areas for display...and the offers to help keep coming in for displaying the quilt, the first showing being a tremendous success last Saturday (National Quilting Day) at Sunflower Quilts in Derby, KS.

From now until July 2007, Kyrie's Quilt will be displayed around area locations with the opportunity to purchase chances to win. Tickets are $1.00 each.


The quilt is sized to fit a twin bed and measures 84" x 75". I love how the funky greens, the cool purples and blues are put together in a sophisticated style. Reminds me of a stained glass window or an aquarium. Wouldn't this be fun in a boy's room? It's so hard to find something for boys that's creative but not babyish or boring, you know? Ooh, just thinking about a quilt makes me want to snuggle in with a good book or go on a picnic!


Kyrie's Quilt will be shown at the following locations, with more venues to be added as they arise:

April 9
Walnut Valley Quilters Guild
Winfield-Arkansas City, Kansas
monthly meeting

April 10
Prairie Quilt Guild
Wichita, KS
monthly meeting

April 14
Sunflower Quilts
Derby, KS
displayed at the quilt store

April 17
Rose Hill Quilt Guild
Rose Hill, Kansas
displayed at the quilt store

June 2-3
Sunflower Quilts
Derby Days Quilt Show
Derby, KS

If you are not in the Wichita area, but still would like to purchase tickets through the mail, please use the following address. Return tickets stubs will be mailed back to you.

Kyrie's Quilt
c/o M. Austin
812 Honeybrook
Derby, KS 67037

And a special, giant thanks to all those who made this possible. From the idea to the finished product, you are all amazing.

In Kind Donations from Friends of Kyrie:
Dan Beltz, A-1 Singer Sewing Center staff,
Siriporn Hollar, Cover Me Up, Longarm National Quilter
Debbie Wiesner, Out On A Limb, National Quilter

Roll Call

I've been hearing that many of you check in on Kyrie's progress here on her site. That's fantastic! We need all the support we can muster. Jordan & Lacie check in, too, and they really enjoy reading your comments. So I thought today might be a good day for all of Kyrie's friends to meet each other by leaving a comment, maybe who you are and where you're from. You can leave a message for Kyrie or for Jordan or Lacie, for me or for the world. It's up to you!

So you won't be scared, I'll go first:

Hi, I'm Megan, Kyrie's aunt, from Kansas City, Mo. I'm so happy to hear that Kyrie has had several good days in a row now—lots of Bumbo sitting yesterday. Wa-hoo! Keep up all the great prayers everyone! It's working!

Okay, your turn. ;)

And the winner is ...

Congratulations Wendy Meyer of Andale, KS, winner of the Fringe Salon raffle!

Belated Introductions

Hello, everyone! I'm thrilled to introduce you to That. That, meet everyone.


That is the name for Kyrie's blanket, lovingly handknitted by Great Aunt Ann. That earned its specifically vague name by the zillions of times Lacie & Jordan pointed to the blanket and asked Kyrie, "Do you want that?".

That is probably Kyrie's very best friend on the planet. Much like Linus's blanket, That goes everywhere with Kyrie and has been with her since her very first days on earth. The coolest thing about That is its nubbiness. A decorative edge runs around the square perimeter featuring Chiclet-sized holes into which four perfect, little fingers wriggle and grip.

That is really good at taking naps with Kyrie, like here,



which coincidentally looks a lot like this nap.



That is in a lot of Kyrie's snapshots, kind of like a Where's Waldo of security blankets. Can you find That?



That has been especially comforting in the last several weeks. Thank you, That.

Fashion Friday

Hey, everybody! Check out Kyrie's new hat that she's wearing today!


p.s. Feeling better this afternoon. Even ate some baby food!

Round Two

So this week, Kyrie received her second dose of the heavy-duty chemotherapy cytoxan, and Jordan said that this round was rougher on her than the first. Lacie and Jordan were ready, though, with two loads of clean towels waiting for nauseating side effects to begin. The first night, she vomited and dry heaved so much that it made her little voice hoarse. Each day since, though, she's been sick less and less, so that's very good. Understandably, she's still on an IV at home to keep her hydrated, but hopefully soon, she'll get her appetite back to build up her strength for round three.

Thank you all again for your prayers this week. Each one of those prayers has been put to very good use.

Just Three More Days!

Three days left of Fringe salon's fundraising raffle for Jordan, Lacie & Kyrie! For a list of the goods you could win, look here. Just $5 a ticket or six for $25. It's a really great way to help this family with the giant bills that are starting to roll in.

And with the raffle ending on St. Patrick's Day, I started thinking about that guy. As a teenager, he was kidnapped from Great Britain and taken to Ireland to be a slave shepherd. Six years later, he escaped and took up studies to become a priest with the intent to return to Ireland to teach his former captors about God. Talk about love thy enemies! It's hard to comprehend the strength it took to follow a call from God, study when he'd been educationally stunted through slavery and then to pursue his mission in a constantly warring, pagan land that still practiced human sacrifice.

The prayer of St. Patrick, popularly known as "St. Patrick's Breastplate," is supposed to have been composed by him in preparation for this victory over paganism. Here is part of it:




Christ shield me this day:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

Isn't that what you want everyday? Just to be spiritually loved and protected?

This is my prayer for Kyrie today.

Home and Getting her Meds.

Yesterday, the fam went from the hospital to the oncologist's office for Kyrie's second round of the big chemo, cytoxan. Three hours of it yesterday, one hour of it today. Swelling from the lymph node infection has subsided considerably. Mommy and Daddy went home with a bag full of anti-nausea meds, her post-chemo flush and her antibiotics that they will give through her Hickman line for the next 11 days.


Getting sleepy.


At home lying on a towel, on Dog, on a blanket with her IV pack held inside a toy lion.

And so it goes ...

Oh, the crooked irony. Of course, it's the cobbler whose children have no shoes. It's the musician who wakes up deaf, the painter who goes blind, and the athlete who is the victim of a bizarre, paralyzing mishap. And so it goes that a mother whose occupation is hair styling would have a darling daughter who loses her hair.

The chemo has left its most telltale calling card with Kyrie. Just changing her shirt inadvertently pulled out a chunk of hair. The rest of it will likely be gone this week.

The big picture? It doesn't matter. It's just hair. It's okay, it's okay, it's okay.

But she just got the hair four months ago.

For the past year, tiny, smiling hairbows have held on for dear life to Kyrie's fine baby hair. Now? Kyrie will be playing hair stylist with Mommy & Daddy and a bucket of bows. Kyrie has been given plenty of cutie-patootie hats now, too. Heck, she might singlehandedly create the next haberdashery fashion trend!

Kyrie won't care about the hair. It's the rest of us who see this sobering sign upon her tiny head.

It's okay.

Lose the hair. Keep the Kyrie.

UPDATE TWO

Seems the lemon-sized swelling of Kyrie's lymph nodes in the right cheek and right side of her neck is due to an infection, bacterial or viral. She was in PICU much of Saturday and transferred to the pediatric floor for Sunday. The CAT scan of her chest and neck checked for trouble with her drainage and Hickman lines, but both were clean (yea!). The scan did show inflammation of those lymph nodes. She's running a fever, which is a good sign that the body is fighting off infection, and her white blood count is up, another good sign since the chemo can wipe those out. Kyrie's been placed on double-dosage of antibiotics, and hopefully the fever will break, and the swelling will go down.

Her scheduled chemo for Wednesday will depend on whether the infection subsides.

UPDATE

Kyrie is back in the hospital. Lacie woke up Saturday morning to see that the right side of Kyrie's face was swollen. They went to the hopsital yesterday morning. Cause is known right now, maybe swollen lymph nodes? She had another CAT scan, and we're waiting on those results.

Please keep praying!

Love from Nearly 200 Miles Away.

Last week, on the March 1, Kyrie celebrated her half-birthday. She's now officially 18 months old! So for a little fun, Kyrie's Uncle Chad and I read her a story. To see it, click here!

p.s. You may need a high-speed connection to see it fully.

Recreating Normal

Since Kyrie is either lying on her plush dog or sitting in her Bumbo most of each day, Lacie has to come up with fun stuff for a sedantary 18-month-old to do. Coloring is a good one.


Very "beat," don't you think? Like a swanky, beatnik artist at her craft? Move over Jackson Pollack! Seeing this photo, I half expect her recite improvised poetry.


And then Mommy & Kyrie played "Hollywood."

This was a good day.

Heaping Bowls of Goodness

Over the course of the last month, warm love and abundant generosity have been oozing up through fissures of this affliction. When your world is cracked open and even your most modest dreams hang by a spider's thread, it's the love, care and prayer from others that weaves your only safety net. I think we have some expert weavers around this family.

Many of you have generously contributed to the bank fund, to the salon raffle, to the PayPal fund and in many more ways that neither I nor the family even know. We are completely overwhelmed with gratitude. Some of you have simply handed small, valuable pieces of paper to Jordan or Lacie in person. Special friends dropped off a gift basket overflowing with fun toys and goodies to occupy and amuse Kyrie. The Love Box company matched a spontaneous collection taken up by Jordan's co-workers.

On behalf of great-grandma Norma and Nana Jan, A-1 Singer Sewing in Wichita did something very special. Since Kyrie is especially vulnerable to germs right now, they gave Jordan & Lacie a super-duper air purifier and sanitizer, a machine that cleans the air for Kyrie! And the Young Couples' Life Group at Family Church all pitched in and delivered a slew of delicious Super Suppers meals for Lacie & Jordan.

Kindness stirs the soul, doesn't it? Above all, though, are those compelling prayers from all over the world. Such good medicine.

Kyrie is returning home from her chemo treatment right now, a vial of vincristine and more anti-nausea Kytril (she was sick to her stomach last night). According to the oncologist, her cell counts are where they should be, and Lacie is going to start giving her Pediasure today since Kyrie's appetite is dwindling.

New photos to come soon.

Twelve Days of Raffling

Just 12 days left to purchase tickets to win the Fringe Salon fundraising raffle! One raffle ticket is $5 or you can get six tickets for $25. The winner will be drawn on Saturday, March 17—St. Patrick's Day! (Kinda cool since the kicked off the fundraiser on St. Valentine's Day.)

Chad and I stopped by last weekend to check it out, and whoa! Not only is the salon a hip place to flip your wig, but the raffle prize basket that they've put together is incredible! Check this out:

Fringe Salon
"The Works," includes haircut, color and make-up application
Drs. Mar & Lennon Dentistry
Sonic Complete electric toothbrush and Crest Whitestrips
Kate Lane
opera handbag, $25 value
Brooks Brothers
necklace, $184 value
P.F. Chang's
$25 gift certificate
Chester's
$75 gift certificate
Piztro's
$40 gift certificate
Doc Green's
$25 gift certificate
Craig Allen's
The Executive Package, $120 value
Bonefish Grill
$45 gift certificate
Red Robin
$50 gift certificate
Fox & Hound
gift certificate
Individually Yours
Classic Facial with Valerie
Specs
BCBG sunglasses, $149 value
Peel's
Cricket ceramic straightening iron & Redken styling package, $90 value
Homewood Suites
Presidential Suite
Dr. Conrad
Active C Anti-Wrinkle Treatment, $40 value

See what I mean about the "whoa"?

Thank you to everyone who has already stopped by. This fundraiser has already been very well received by patrons of the salon, and we hope to make the last several days even better.

And another huge pile of thanks to everyone who keeps the prayers going for Kyrie. Donations help keep this family afloat, but the prayers keep the family lifted. Thank you.

Couple of the Year

With only 18 months of on-the-job training, anyone who has seen Jordan & Lacie with Kyrie in the last year and a half knows what great parents they are. Devoted. Patient. Loving. Happy. Unbelievably, in light of January and February events, they have become even more devoted, even more patient, even more loving and in the midst of it all, they're doing anything they can to make Kyrie happy.

Making Kyrie happy right now is a little tricky. Some days are great: coloring, 'toons, bubbles, fingerpuppets and sunglasses fashion shows. Then, there are moments when you know she wants something—she'll say the same thing over and over and point—but just when you think you've figured it out, like a cracker or soup, she changes her mind and gets upset. She's frustrated with herself. She can sit in her Bumbo and color, but she can't pull herself up to sit from a reclining position nor can she really use the left side of her body. Her left hand can tentatively hold a cracker for a little while. On occasion, she has used her right hand to pull her left arm over her chest so she can touch both hands together for a round of "If You're Happy and You Know It."

After her hearing test, they discovered that Kyrie isn't hearing in her left ear. Her left eye is the one that will look at you, but the muscles on that side of her face aren't responding. So you have to watch the right side of her face for expressions, for smiling and for crying. You can tell that she wants to play; she wants to run from room to room like before, but she simply can't get her body to work like before.

Sleeping on her giant plush puppy in the living room is the new norm—for everybody. Lacie sleeps by Kyrie on the floor upon the puppy's hind end, Kyrie sleeps in the middle and Jordan sleeps on the couch. There are times when Kyrie will cry, "Mama, Mama," and point over her left shoulder, meaning that Lacie needs to lay beside Kyrie on the dog, cheek to cheek or forehead to forehead with her.

Lacie & Jordan have become a great nursing team. Lacie is The Comforter, which means that since she's on the floor with Kyrie most of the day, Jordan has to be The Fetcher. He makes the soup or gets another blanket or another round of juice, and he has to do it quickly. Every day, Lacie has to distract and comfort Kyrie while Jordan gives the injections that build her white blood cell count. They flush the Hickman line, they change diapers and they watch her for any sign of improvement or alarm. And yet when Kyrie sleeps, these two can still share the couch and maybe share a laugh. That's good love.

Kyrie goes in today for bloodwork, and on Wednesday, she'll visit her oncologist for another round of vincristine chemotherapy, just like she did last Wednesday. The vincristine is easier on her than the cytoxam. We don't have a date scheduled yet for another scan.

If the chemo successfully makes the tumors recede, Kyrie may get more control and mobility back. For that reason and for so many more, let's pray that this chemo is doing its job.

Kyrie, Lacie, Nana Jan and Great-Nana Norma.

Sometimes a girl just needs her mom. And even when that girl becomes a mother, sometimes she still needs her mom. And even when that mother becomes a grandma, sometimes she still needs her mom. And even when that grandma becomes a great-grandma, there are times like these when she’s probably asking for extra-special help from her mom.

Motherhood’s delicacy and power careen through our lives every second. From a wondrous vessel, comes the creation of the very vessels that sustain our breath, bone and blood. Mothers keep the world spinning. Her hands butter the toast, zip the jackets and reach for the hugs—that toast, the jackets and the hugs keep us alive. Her wisdom—aloud or silently—wills the development of our own wisdom. We learn beside her; we learn by her, the sum of virtues & faults.

Modernity often belittles motherhood into a mess of years marred by drool, snot and back talk. Sometimes mothers themselves mistake their own worth, and that’s probably because no one has been able to adequately quantify a mother’s love. It’s too immense, too immortal. A mother’s love—all love—pierces miles, generations and even the boundaries of heaven.

Only a mighty holy calculator could measure something like that.

p.s. Chad & I are headed to Wichita for the weekend. Most likely, I won’t post again until Monday.