Happy Birthday Shelbie

 Last Thursday, we celebrated Shelbie's 28th Birthday!  I know...every mother on the face of the earth wonders how it is that her children get older yet they are still just barely a day over 30!   I don't get it, it doesn't add up that I have a 28 year old!   I was complaining to someone that I was so tired and getting fat and their response was..."Well, you can't do what you use to do at your age."   I seriously had to stop and scratch my head...At my age?  I'm only 51, that isn't old...and then I realized that basically, it is old.  

Anyways, we had a full and busy weekend.  My Wasband was here and Spencer and Ashtin got off a plane from their trip to the coast and drove straight home to help us celebrate Shelbie.   On Saturday morning, the boys and their dad finished all the trim work in Shelbie's bedroom.  It's been at least 8 years since I built her a bedroom but never did the trim or baseboards.  I was so grateful for their time and talent to do that.  It only took them a couple of hours.  

Saturday afternoon, we had the most fun we've ever had for a birthday celebration and I recommend this activity for any birthday or just any old day!   I came up with 5 categories and we split into couples and each couple had to buy a gift for Shelbie in each of the categories.  We all drove into the City and had to stay at the mall or Target and we set a $50 spending limit. 

The categories were...Shelbie's favorite treat, something in her favorite color, something to do, something to wear and something that reminds them of her.  Everyone was so creative!  When the shopping was done, we went for dinner and then home for Cheesecake and gifts.  

When it was time to open the gifts, we didn't wrap anything but just went around the room and each couple presented her with the first category and talked about why they chose the gift and went around like that with each category.  Shelbie was in Heaven! We laughed at all the funny gifts and creativity.  

And then...things got serious.  Shelbie broke down in tears.  I think she was feeling so much gratitude and love but she said that she had felt this was her last birthday and wanted us all to go outside for a group picture so we could remember this moment.  It was our whole family, her two best friends and her half sister as well as her sisters in law of course.  I don't have a copy of the picture yet but it was sweet.  

On her actual birthday, Sam and I took her to her favorite custard joint and put a candle in her Gelati to blow out.  I love these pictures of Shelbie, she looks so happy and actually, pretty healthy! 

I will always love the way my boys take such good care of their sister. 

 It was good and it was sad.  I don't know if this is her last birthday, it could be mine for all we know.  The day of her birthday, I received the call from her Salt Lake team of doctors that treatment is a go.  They are working on insurance authorization and as soon as that goes through, we will start.  I know the drug they are going to use.  It's in the same class that she had the last time she did Chemotherapy but it is different than we did.   It is possible she will lose her hair, or at least it will thin out.   There is a host of other side effects we can expect but we'll just have to see.  

Shelbie is taking it in stride for the most part.  I believe she will be having weekly infusions until they get to a therapeutic level and then it will be less frequent, anywhere from every 3-6 weeks which is manageable but it could go on for more than a year, even 2 years.  A lot will depend on how she reacts and if it puts her in remission. 

So, that's the latest and greatest!