Looking Back.....Looking Forward

The Carlson family looked back on an incredible 2008. We learned this year just how essential it is to have an incredible family surrounding you. A family that includes those who appear on a family tree, and those who are considered family simply because of their proximity in our lives. We have taken an initiative in our family to pour ourselves into the lives of those around us. We reached a point this year where our pitcher had run dry and needed to be refilled. The love and support that we received from those around us was comforting and overwhelming all at the same time. There were people there for us when we needed physical support, mental support, and spiritual support. 2008 was a year where we got a chance to see the very best in people.

As we look forward to 2009 - we are anxious for the awesome things that God has in store for our family as well as for each of us individually. There are a number of areas where we have felt that God has been preparing the soil for an incredible harvest. Some of these areas will stretch us more than we would probably like. But many of them will allow us to grow in ways that can bring us closer to Him.

My prayer for our family in 2009 is that God continues to work His will in our lives and that we become increasingly purposeful in seeking after Him and listening for His guidance.

We thank you all for helping make 2008 a year that will never be forgotten. We also pray that 2009 brings incredible blessings in to all areas of your lives.

Celebrating Joshua!

Starting Monday morning Joshua will be Star of the Week in his 2nd grade class.

Here are a few great photo's celebrating our awesome son.

Growing up!

Joshua - 2nd Grade

Jacob - 3rd Grade

This weekend both boys surprised me by wanting to post on the blog. Jacob got things started after he spent an afternoon building with Lego's. He has so much imagination - he doesn't just build, he creates entire universes filled with action and adventure. Every piece is part of the story and has so much detail behind.

Joshua wanted in on the action the moment he saw his brother typing. His love and passion is baseball and he wanted to share a few of his favorite baseball cards with all of our friends and family. This year when we ordered school pictures, some of the wallets came "baseball card" style. Joshua immediately got out his binder for 2008 and put his new card in with all of the other Red Soxs players. How cute will that be to show when he is rookie of the year!

Joshua's thoughts on a few of his baseball cards

Man what great stat' wouldn't you say?

What a picture!

What a player.

Nice stance!

What a guy.

Nice hit.

Man he's great!

Some fans.

No one like him!

What a throw.

Lego Jedi Battle Scenes

The Sith have invaded the Jedi outpost base and have killed most of the Jedi!



A Jedi is holding onto the Jedi plank.

The prison cell.

Watch out for breakouts!

The droid shocker Sith.

Alien prisoner.

The Jedi outpost base.

Sith guard in action!

Maintenance!

On behalf of all of us at the Carlson household - let me be the first to say - we have made it to maintenance! I don't just want to say it - I want to scream it, yell it, sky write it and shout it from the mountain tops.

Jake's counts came back today with very positive results, a huge jump in numbers (800's) indicating that he is producing blood. Wonderful, healthy, life giving blood!

Red blood cells - check!
White blood cells - check!
Platelets - check!

We have completed the first 4 phases of chemotherapy during the last six months and God has been faithful and present EVERY minute and EVERY step during the last six months. When we heard the word cancer there was no way we could fathom all that was coming our direction. Neither could we have imagined how the good would far out reach and out weigh any of the down side. I know that it sounds like a very trite cliche - but cancer has brought about so many blessing in our lives. Some of the greatest we have yet to see but are looking forward to them being lived out in our lives.

You - are friends and family - are some of the riches of these blessings. Thank you so much for your love, prayers, encouragement and every other wonderful act of kindness you have poured out on us.

Tomorrow morning Jacob and I will be heading into the clinic to start the first treatment of the maintenance phase. We will be in this phase for the next two and a half years and it is this stage of treatment that transitions us from remission - to cure. Jacob will be taking oral chem0 on a daily basis and having clinic visits once a month. These visits will consist of IV chemotherapy and every 3rd month a spinal tap with intrathecal chemotherapy.

During maintenance most kids are able to live a normal life. School (which Jake is very anxious to return to) church, playing and being fully active and on the go. We will need to continue exercising good judgment and limit exposure to sickness and disease but no more lock down!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The Great Turkey Escape!

Bruce Turkey doesn't want to be Thanksgiving dinner. He is imprisoned in a pot on the cupboard. He jumps out of the pot. He uses the Bat Rope to get down from the cupboard quietly. Bruce uses his Bat - Teleporter to transport underground and there Bat Turkey suits up. He teleports to the vent system. Bat Turkey climbs to the roof. He uses the Bat Rope to swing on the roof tops. At TM (turkey manor), where Bat Turkey's gadgets are invented, he gets in the Bat Plane to fly in to the turkey cave where he is safe. He meets Turkey Wing (you know - like Night Wing) for another adventure.

For more information go to www.BatTurkey.com

Story and Art by Jacob Carlson

The web site listed above was for story purposes only!
We do not support or endorse the British American Tobacco industry.