Another great few days of beautiful weather and a healthy Bennett! You just can’t beat it and ask for anything else. It’s always a great day when everyone is feeling well no matter what else our days might bring.

Bennett hung out at home yesterday afternoon after church. He was able to ride the dirt bike some and go with me to run some errands just to get out of the house. We went to the movies last night together.

Tonight,the sophomore’s had their first football game which was in Nashville and we won! Bennett hung out with some friends after school and than rode the bus to and from the game.

His Dr. didn’t make any changes to his chemo pills so he is still on 75% reduced. She didn’t want to change anything, keeping his counts a little higher because of the Alaska trip. We will check his counts on Monday. We are so thankful that he is feeling so well!

Bennett is doing really good. He finished his last dose of steroids today which he is always thankful to have this behind him!

He is loving school and he really likes all of his teachers. He has a class called academic support and it really is helping him keep up with his homework. His teacher in this class is extremely nice and supportive.

Our varsity team played Friday night at home and we lost. It was a tough game, everyone was hoping for a win. Bennett went to practice Saturday morning and they watched films. He hung out at home with a friend this afternoon and went to the DuQuoin State Fair tonight.

Hamilton’s football team played twice Saturday. We tied the first game and won the second game. It was a weekend of Football and beautiful weather!

“The Lord will work out His plans for my life – for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for You made me.” Psalm 138:8

Our family has been blessed and we are very excited that Bennett has been asked on a Hunt Of A Lifetime trip! His wish was to hunt Moose in Alaska and the non-profit organization Hunt of A Lifetime is making his dream come true!!

This organization helps kids with life threatening diseases enjoy the outdoors through hunting. They are paying for Sid and Bennett to go on a hunt with a outfitter guide in Chisana, Alaska. Hamilton and I couldn’t be left behind so we are paying our way and tagging along.

There is no roads to the Outfitters camp, it is literally in the wilderness and only accessible by air. We will be taking a charter plane from Fairbanks, Alaska. Most of the hunt is on horseback and sleeping in a cabin or tent and is located by Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Reserve.

We were going to go last year but Bennett was too sick and had a very low immune system.

We leave in a couple weeks and will be gone for a total of two weeks. We are all so thankful, excited and almost giddy about our adventure!! We haven’t been on a vacation longer than two days as a family so this is really a big deal for us.

We pray Bennett stays healthy enough to go and he doesn’t have any problems while he is thousands of miles away. We pray he has a breath taking experience and can observe God’s beauty while doing what he loves, hunting and being outside.

Holy Cow! That’s what we were saying at the Dr. office yesterday about Bennett’s weight. He now weighs more than ever, it’s almost time for a diet! LOL He weighed 139.9 !!! We had a bet going between each other. Bennett guessed 136 and I guessed 139, he owes me lunch! Before we left the Dr., he got on the scales again and he weighed 141. I told him it must be all that muscle and his long hair!

Today at football practice, Bennett ran up and down the stadium stairs, he said he did it 10 times! He is really motivated now to get back in shape. He also lifts weights at home every night unless he lifted at practice. He really looks healthy, it’s the best he has felt and looked since this all started. We Praise God for his gratefulness!

We have many blessings that we are thankful for which reminds me of two special people that have faught the fight. We Thank God for our dear friend Brittani Shurtz Nolen and how great she is doing! You would never believe she had two lung transplants and all the trauma she has been through in the last four years.

Another is my uncle that was in the horrible auto accident a year ago. He showed me pictures today of his vehicle again and a picture of him with all the tubing keeping him alive in the hospital. We are so thankful he is home and is feeling pretty good considering.

It’s unfortunate that it takes these fatal circumstances to really realize what we have and bringing us closer to our savior.

I thank God for making us a witness of his miracles that he performs daily! We celebrate the gift of Life.

Everything went great today! We were glad to see his main oncology Dr. and catch up with her. She examined Bennett and thought everything looked good including his ankle! She agreed that he could do as much as he can on it but not to overdue it. She said it was okay that he jogged a mile the other day at football practice but again don’t do anything to an extreme.

She thought his counts were good. His throat looked a little red today, she said probably not from infection but maybe allergy. So we will be praying that it doesn’t turn into anything.

He had his normal monthly routine and medicines, chemo vincristine, pentamadine breathing treatment, immune globlin infusion which took about 5 hours in the clinic so makes for a long day. He started taking steroids which is twice a day for five days.

Bennett mentioned that his hands have been cramping more. He can be using his hands by either opening up a bottle of water, holding unto his duck call for awhile or hand writing out something and his fingers will lock into place and not move. This has happened continuously but might be happening more often. He takes gabapentin 2 to 3 times a day to help with these nerve endings. We pray that it doesn’t get any worse.

We’re thankful for Bennett’s good health, beautiful weather, and the love/support from our family/friends!

“Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.” John 21:25

Boy does time fly, it seems unbelievable that it is time for Bennett’s monthly appt in St. Louis tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. so another early morning. We hope to see his main oncology Dr., she has been on vacation and we didn’t see here the last two times we have been there. We expect everything to be good.

Bennett is still doing good. He had a great day at school and than football practice from 4:00 to 6:30. The first varsity game is this Friday night at home.

Hope everyone has peace, happiness, and love in their heart.

“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.” Romans 15:5

Bennett’s ANC today was 1,920 from 3,465 two weeks ago. His WBC is 3.0 from 4.5 and neutrophils are 64 from 77. His hemoglobin is 13.4 from 12.0 and platelets dropped to 169 from 212. We went to get his blood work today after church instead of going yesterday. It really helps to go on the weekend instead of going so early before work and school on Monday morning. We’re thankful his counts are good!!

Yesterday morning, Bennett went to varsity football practice. He lifted some weights and ran a mile with the team. And the best news is that his ankle held up and didn’t swell or have any pain. Praising God for answered prayers!!

Hamilton had a game yesterday against Johnson County on the high school field. We won by 2 points! Hamilton played Great along with the team, it was a lot of Fun!
Below are a few pics: #42 “Hambone”

“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16