It was one year ago that Carly was diagnosed with Cancer.  I'm happy to say that her scans yesterday came back free and clear of cancer!!!  Each day Carly still surprises me with how mature she has become in the last year.  Carly was always mature for her age, but going through the past year has really made her more adult then I would like to see.  I feel like she went from a young teenager to an adult overnight. She only really needed me for the IV during her MRI.  This girl has tough skin and small veins (Just like her Mother)!  At her appointment yesterday, she was in control of everything.  She was asking questions that most adults would never ask. She wasn't afraid to talk about anything, even with Pete, Catie (friend) and me in the room.   Overall, the appointment and scans couldn't have come out any better then they did.  ALL GOOD NEWS!!!!

In the coming months, we have some awesome things to look forward too.

1)  Hawaiian Cruise - March 6th - March 14th.  Thank you to Wishes and More for giving us this once-in-a-life-time trip.
     They are sending Carly, Pete, Brandon and Myself on a 7-day cruise around the Hawaiian Islands.  We will fly into Honolulu, leave port for Maui for 2 days, Hilo, Kona, Kauai and cruise around Na-Pali, back to Honolulu.  We have some excursions planned to go snorkeling with tropical fish, turtles, coral reef and whatever else we might see.  We will rent a Jeep for a day. Take a Hoppa-on-Hoppa-off Bus Tour.  Go on a tour of waterfalls and parks.  Go to the beach for a day.  Do as much as we can fit in on the ship.  We couldn't be more excited for this adventure in a few weeks!

2) Special Spaces - Carly was referred to an organization called Special Spaces.  Another organization called Hearts and Hands referred her.  Hearts and Hands helped us out back in the early days of Carly's treatments.  Nance, President of Heart and Hands remembered Carly and found that Carly met all the qualifications for Special Spaces to come out and make-over Carly's bedroom.  Yes, you heard that right.  They will come out and give Carly a new bedroom to continue to recover in.  Carly wants a Cozy-Simple room to relax and take a break from her everyday busy life.  We are still in the early stages of planning and we aren't 100% approved yet.  Staff from Special Spaces will be coming out on Sunday February 23rd to meet the family and take a look at what they have to work with.  Carly's room is small, but I'm sure they will do something amazing.  IF they approve us, they will send us away for a couple days, come in and re-do the room.  We will come back for the unveiling.  Again, we don't know how to thank these two amazing organization.  We will keep everyone posted.

3)  Whispering Pines Resort in Ely, MN - June 20th - June 27th - MN Outdoor Adventures is giving us a week vacation in a cabin and guided fishing trip of Lake Vermilion.  They are sending all 5 of us, plus my Mom for the week.  Carly loves to go to cabins and spend time outdoors.  MN Outdoor Adventures is having their big ball this Saturday Feb 22nd.  They have invited Carly and family to be guests of honor at this event.  This is where they will present us with the vacation.  We can't wait to go and relax for a week.

After all we have been given in the past year, it will be our turn to help give back.  I don't know what that will look like right now, but we will pay it forward.  When we were at the hospital yesterday, I could see the faces of scared, overwhelmed families.  With organizations like the ones I have listed here, support is out there.  People will reach out and want to help.  Carly and I are excited to be there for other families, share our stories and experiences whether good or bad. We will be working with our social worker to help connect us with anyone that wants/needs our help.

Our family has been blessed to have such amazing people in our lives.  Whether you helped out in a big way or a little way, everything was unbelievably generous.  We may not have been able to Thank you personally, but trust me when I say......You will never be forgotten.  I tear up whenever I take time to sit and think about this past year.  I will look at some of my journal entries and think about who we were, who we are and who we will become after this journey.  

We have some ideas where we want to start giving, volunteering and creating new adventures. 

Sincerely,

Candi and Family