Half Hawk or Back Hawk?

There's a trend among little boys (and adult boys too I suppose)... the Faux Hawk.  While I know Dad isn't sporting a Faux Hawk, I do believe he's sporting some sort of 'Hawk'.  A Half Hawk? A Back Hawk?  I'm not sure.  If it grew longer I might call it a mullet.  What should we name it?

It seemed really sudden when Dad lost his hair.  I think mostly because he still has his "Downy feathers" as I like to say. He's only kept his "contour feathers" on this patch in the back.  I didn't notice until one day riding in the back seat of the car on the way home from work. The radiation gun shoots on the left side of his head and then exits on the right side, leaving the very back virtually untouched.   We keep saying we'll take him in to get his head shaved, but I think he's starting a new hair trend! 

I guess this means progress??

Amy left today to go home to Renton, Washington. I guess that means progress right? David is able to do pretty much anything he wants to now (except drive), Abbie gets her car back tomorrow, the last radiation/chemo treatment is next Thursday and every one's schedules are pretty much back to normal. So I guess its time for Amy to go back home, but boy, will we miss her. Let me list some of the things she has done while she has been home helping us through David's surgery:

My basement was painted (with Abbie, Andy and Mike's help)

We have 2 new flat screen TVs

My house has been set up for wireless Internet

We have cable TV now with ON DEMAND - which is the best!!

My garage floor is empty and most of the junk in my garage is gone (great garage sale $700+)

My downstairs bathrooms is completely renovated (with Abbie's design and hard work)

She organized a family BBQ when Melody was here!!! ALL OF THE FAMILY TOGETHER!!! It was the best! She did the cooking, had matching table cloths, napkins, bubbles for the little boys and delicious hamburgers for the rest of us. That day was very special to me.

The toys are organized

The books shelves are organized

The DVDs/CDs/video tapes are organized

Not to mention her numerous trips to take David to the doctors and wait hours and hours with him

She has cooked for us several times a week - which is so helpful to me

She has comforted me and helped me not to cry and to carry on

She has patiently helped David with his physical therapy - when he wanted to do it

Because of Amy and Abbie, I have been able to keep my job. Without them and their assistance, I would have had to quit working to take care of David.

She walks into the house looks around and just knows what to do - whether to pick up, whether to start dinner or whether to just sit down and relax.

And her faith, her happy disposition, her determination and her love for her family have kept us all in good spirits and given us the courage to keep going.

She now goes back to work and the next 4 months will be the busiest for her at her job, so she's not even going home to rest!! Melody will be coming for the summer when she is out of school up there, which will be good for us because Abbie will be living off and on up in Eden while she directs an outdoor school program/camp for children during the summer.

My mother always told me that daughters turn out to be mothers' best friends and she is right. My girls are my best friends. I love them all very much and Amy will leave a BIG hole here at home. Thank you, Amy, for all you have done for us. I don't know what I can do to show you how much I appreciate your love and support. We will ALL miss you! Come home again soon, okay?

Family Time

This past weekend Mel flew in for a quick weekend visit, so we decided to have a Family BBQ.  Amy really wanted a BBQ, so this was her excuse to buy one.  And we're glad she did!  The wind tried to deter us, but we ate outside anyways.  Dad's favorite dish is hamburgers with beans, so that's what we ate (plus some yummy grilled squash and Rob's amazing rainbow jello salad).  The grand kids played for hours (I'm not sure they even stopped to eat) and the rest of us talked and laughed.  Family Time is the best kind of time!

Dad is pretty tough.  He's just now starting to loose some hair and feel some tenderness on the left side of his head.  He's been putting in full days at work for three weeks now.  I'm amazed at how much he continues to do.  On Saturday he did some mowing, helped Mom and I plant the rest of the garden, plus started a full blown war against the wasps that have been hanging around.  He is feeling fatigued by the time he gets home each day, but continues to get up the next morning and continue on.  We are thankful that he is able to do many of the things he wants to do.