Happy Birthday, Branagh!

I can't believe my baby girl is 11 years old today! Wow...in some ways it seems like she JUST turned 10, and in some ways it seems like it can't only have been a year ago that she came home from the hospital after Round 3.

I'll have to admit that in the past, I've taken birthdays for granted. I just assumed one happens every year, so you plan for it and celebrate it and go on. Now birthdays mean more, as does every milestone. Every day with my babies is worth celebrating. We tend to take one day at a time and really appreciate it rather than reliving (and regretting) the past or worrying about tomorrow. Life makes it so hard to do that sometimes, but then I hug my daughter and bury my face in her curly hair - and remember that she's one of four gifts that God gave me, and I have her TODAY. Whatever lies around the corner, I have them all TODAY. I hope I never lose that perspective.

I'm always amazed at the time I've let pass between updates, but there's always so much to report! Branagh participated as a featured artist in Art With a Heart, and her painting sold for $525 in the silent auction! She was so proud of herself. The proceeds went to Oklahoma Children's Cancer Association. 

We also got to go to the clinic last week for a special celebration for the OU Women's Basketball team. Branagh got to crown Sherri Coale and meet several of the other players. Kay and the volunteers at the clinic really go out of their way to make sure these kiddos have extraordinary experiences!

Branagh is going to be an Honored Hero for a local Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training! In celebration of their efforts, I am donating 10% of the May sales from my Dove Chocolate Discoveries™ business to the team. We're very excited about being able to "give something back."  (Of course, it's still beyond me why anyone runs voluntarily without trying to catch - or escape from -  someone or something, but then it's probably a mystery to some people that I sometimes put wheels on my feet for no reason.) Please join us in cheering their team on, and go to http://pages.teamintraining.org/ok/rnr09/adavisg9by  to donate - or contact me to buy some chocolate!

Thank you all for the prayers and support with which you've blessed us during the past year. Please continue to pray for Branagh and for all the children and families who suffer from childhood cancers. We know that not every outcome is positive, and that prayer heals.

Happy April 29th, everyone. Hug your children, moms, dads, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, mechanics - in honor of my precious Branagh and in thanksgiving to He Who Gives Us Today.