Hello Everyone!

The ski mountain this morning.
Maddie playing one of her solos.

Maddie playing in a quartet.
My grown up Maddie.
I am feeling so much better these last couple of days.  I did have a relapse for about 3 days and was not feeling well.  But the last 2 days have been really good.  We went to Maddie's viola recital yesterday.  She was amazing.  Her teacher even called her the "star of the show!"  She had 5 solos!!!  We were soooo  proud of her.

We will be in Texas soon.  I am still not really up to much socializing.  Please understand if I'm not in touch.  I'm just not myself.  But I have faith that when this is over, I will be ok and back to being a BETTER me!

But thank you all for your continued contact.  Even though I may not even write back, believe me, I feel it in my heart.

Love,

Julie

P.S.  We have had so much snow!  It is absolutely beautiful.  I feel like God is just putting on a little show just for me!

Harrison sprained his ankle!!

We had a little excitement yesterday.  Amy took both kids iceskating after school.  Harrison was running around on the bleachers, his favorite thing to do at the rink.  He twisted his ankle on the way down.  They came home and we thought he was fine.  We wrapped and elevated his foot.  I snuggled with him and we watched several episodes of Gilligan's Island.  But he kept saying ow ow ow ow.  I got a little worried.  It was swollen.  So at about 9:00 Scotty decided to take him to the ER.  They took an X-Ray.  Harrison was so brave.  He does have a sprain with a contusion on the top of his foot.  He came home with a boot and some crutches!  He is already really good at using them.  I am feeling pretty well today, it is kind of up and down.  But I am so thankful for any up day!!!!

Love,

Julie

I feel so much better today!!! :)

Hello, everyone!

I am feeling like a new person today.  I woke up feeling so much better.  Very little nausea.  I feel like I can handle  everything better.  Thank you so much for all of your prayers.  I truly feel covered in prayer and comforted.  

We are not going to have a Christmas card this year.  We just couldn't get it together.  Look for a New Year's card.  Those of you who know me well know how hard it is for me to not send out a Christmas card.  But I had to let it go.  I will put up something on the blog.

Thank you again for all of your prayers.

Love,

Julie

It's a winter wonderland here!

Dear sweet friends and family,

    Well, I started my second round of chemo last Friday and honestly it has been very difficult.  Since Friday I have been plagued with terrible nausea and didn't even come downstairs until Sunday night.  I just thank God for my wonderful husband.  I cannot even put it into words how sweet, caring, loving and supportive  he has been to me.   I look so bad, but he still comes into the room calling me his princess.  He is mom and dad to our kids right now, nurse to me, and still running his business.  I don't think I can ever repay him but I will try to be the best wife I can be for the rest of our lives together.  Also, our kids have been amazing.  When I got home from chemo on Friday, there was an "award" on my pillow.  Every Friday at the school the kids give each other homemade awards for nice things that happened during the week.  Harrison made an award for me!  He stood up in front of the entire school and said that I was having a rough time but I was going to get better and how much he loved me!!!!  The Head of School called Scotty later and said that there wasn't a dry eye in the house.  Maddie has been an angel.  She is so sweet to me.  I am so blessed to have everyone's support.  Sorry I have not been in contact, I have just not been up to it.

Specifically, if you could all pray that the nausea will stop.  It usually just lasts a couple of days, but mine has continued for 5.  I believe that God will get me through this, but  it is so hard.

Love to all,

Julie

This is in front of our house.  We have christmas trees in our front yard!

This is our neighborhood.

From our front porch.

We're back in Colorado

Mom, Lindsey, Aunt Cat, Aunt Barbara, me and my cousin Stephanie

Harrison and Senator Thune
We had a very nice Thanksgiving in Texas.  I kept a very low profile.  Scotty and I went to Houston right before Thanksgiving and I got my 12th treatment.  I am now officially halfway done.  Unfortunately the chemo builds up in your system, so I am really feeling the side effects.  I start a different round of treatment this Friday.  I will have one treatment every 21 days for a total of 4 treatments.   I will hopefully be finished in late February.  This treatment is supposed to be a lot tougher so needles to say, I am very nervous.  Please pray for me.

I was so happy that my family came up from Temple the day after Thanksgiving.  We had so much fun.  

On our way back to Steamboat we ran into Scotty's friend and candidate, US Senator John Thune.  He and his wife were so kind to me.  Harrison chatted him up!

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Love, Julie

Our 14th anniversary was yesterday!

The Flowers that came to our house
The flowers that were at the spa
My new jacket and hat
More flowers (red roses) at the restaurant

I woke up yesterday morning with a gift bag beside my bed.  It was filled with my favorite candies and a beautiful card.  I came downstairs and my coffee was ready and another card was waiting, one that I will cherish for the rest of my life.  Also, a large gingerbread cookie decorated with a 14 in the middle!  About an hour later a huge bouquet of gorgeous flowers arrived.  A few minutes later a huge box arrived.  I really didn't pay attention, because it was addressed to Scotty.  I was on the phone with Toni so I just put it by the door.  Scotty came in and said it was for me.  I opened it up and it was a beautiful sheered mink jacket and hat!!!!!  The coat has a gorgeous design and it actually fits me!!!  It is also reversible.  I absolutely love it.  The hat is so cute.

I had a manicure/pedicure appt at 12:00.  Scotty took me.  He had called ahead and arranged for a whole day of pampering.  As soon as I sat in the chair, they brought me ANOTHER bouquet of flowers!!!  I was pampered and happy.  I then walked to the bookstore and did some of my bible study by the fire and had a milky way latte!

We went to an early dinner at BistroCV.  I haven't been out at night in weeks, but I was feeling good!  When we arrived there were red roses on the table!!!

What a wonderful husband I have.  I truly thank God for him.  I needed a little spoiling, and got a LOT!!

Thank you all for your prayers and support!

Love,

Julie

We had fun in Denver!

Me and Harrison at Elway's

Maddie and Nikkie in "their" room
Arriving
We had a really good time in Denver.  It only took us 3 hours to get there and the roads were clear.  It was sunny and beautiful.  The girls got manicures at the spa while Scotty and Harrison left for some "guy time."  (I rested in luxury!!)  The next day Scotty took the girls to the mall to film.  Harrison and I met them there.  The footage of the film looks great.  Scotty is editing it now.  I will put it up on the blog when it is done.  We didn't get back home until about 8:00pm.  Yesterday I rested all day, it really wore me out.  

Today is my 11th treatment.  Please pray for me.  It seems I get a little weaker every week.  I am almost halfway done, though, praise God!

Thank you all,

Love,

Julie

Ten Treatments down!

Pictures from last year's Super Supper

I am almost halfway through my treatment.  I went to Bible Study yesterday.  It was wonderful.  I know Super Supper  is this weekend.  Have fun everyone.  We will be there next year!

  I am going to rest today because tomorrow we are going to Denver to film a spanish project for Maddie and her friend Nikki.  We are going to stay at the Ritz!!!

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Love,

Julie

My Tenth Treatment is this morning

Maddie's new hair cut
On our front porch

Harrison taking cello
Scotty finally got here yesterday afternoon.  He picked the kids up from school and they were soooo excited!!!  Harrison had his cello lesson and Maddie got her hair cut.  It looks really cute!  I am so glad Scotty is here but I miss Mom and Dad.  They took such good care of me and the kids.  I love you so much Mom and Dad, I can never thank you enough for all you've done for me.

Only 2 more treatments of this round to go.  I will make it, with God holding me.  Thank you for your love and prayers.

love,

julie

Harrison's chicken hat

Harrison got this great chicken hat at Debbie's shoe store and he wanted me to share it.  Mom and Dad left this morning.  We were so sad to see them go, but we will be home in 10 days!  I had a pretty rough weekend but Harrison and I did go to church Sunday morning.  We sang "How Great Thou Art," and a song in spanish, english and an African language.  We enjoyed it.    Scotty flies in tonight.  We are so excited.  My chemo is on Wednesday morning.  Please keep praying for me.

Oh- Maddie is at her first "dry land" training for Winter Sports Club!  I can't wait to see what they did!

Love,

julie

9 Treatments Down!!!

Wyatt and Lily Ann Stewart

Lilly Ann Stewart
My 9th treatment went off smoothly.  I am feeling better this morning.  I'm going to pick Maddie up after school.  Amy will get Harrison.  He can't wait to have a snowball fight after school.  Maddie and I are going to have lunch, then I will take her to her ice skating lesson.  Then she is having her hair cut and both of us are getting our nails done.  I will put pictures up tomorrow.  But enjoy the pictures of my Baylor roommate Ann's new baby.  She was born Oct. 20.  She joined big brother Wyatt.  Soooooo adorable!

Talk soon,

Julie

Harrison and Amy enjoy the snow

A Better (SNOWY) Day

View from the porch this morning

On the way home from Vail.  I think this is Copper Mountain Ski Area

Vail after lunch
I woke up this morning to the most beautiful white scenery.  It snowed overnight!  I am feeling better and have been sleeping better.  I am having lunch with Denise today, the leader of my bible study who had chemo 2 years ago.  Yesterday Mom and Dad and I drove to Vail!  I was feeling better and we knew snow was coming so we left about 10:00am.  The drive was beautiful! We got to Vail about 12:00.  Everyone was talking about the storm that was on the way.  I shopped a little at Gorsuch, a PHENOMENAL ski shop. (I usually buy all of my ski clothes out of their catalog so it was a TREAT to go to the actual store.)  But I didn't even buy anything!!!!!  (Obviously I'm not really myself yet! ha)  We then had lunch at Sweet Basil.  It was absolutely delicious and the atmosphere was great.  We started for home with blue skies above.  Then about 30 minutes away from Steamboat we were in a SNOWSTORM!!  It lasted only about 20 minutes.  It hadn't snowed in Steamboat at all at that point.

Keep praying for me.  My chemo is tomorrow at 9:00.

Love,

Julie

Hi, all

I have had a rough couple of days.  Evidently, the chemo has  a cumulative effect.  Even though I was doing so well  those first few weeks, some harder emotional side effects hit me.  I am soldiering through and I do get out of the house almost every day.  Mom and I went to a jewelry show at the home of one of the girls in my bible study. The leader, Denise, has just been through chemo and completely validated how out of it I feel.  That made me feel so much better.

  

After the show I walked around downtown in the clean mountain air.  I will be ok.  God is right by my side.  Thank you for your continued prayers.  I am actually feeling a little better today.  Keep praying for me.  Love to all

Maddie's nails matched her costume.

My sweet nail girl Christy painted Maddie's nails and they exactly matched her costume.  So cute!

Halloween in Steamboat

The kids had a great time trick or treating downtown.  Fuzziwigs was handing out big boxes of candy!  Maddie was a Gothic Vampire.  Today she lost her tooth that her fang went on so she just had one fang.  Harrison of course was Indy.

Happy Halloween.  My treatment went well today.  8 treatments down!

love, Julie

Indy goes to school

Harrison was off to school as Indian Jones this morning.  They are having a haunted house at school.  He was so excited.  Maddie actually spent the night with a friend so they could do their makeup together this morning.  They are going as "dead soccer players."  Tonight she will be a vampire.

My chemo is today at 9:00am.  Please pray for me.

Love, Julie