Okay! I've missed a few weeks on the blog -- lots to catch up on....
First off -- Johnny WON his first official grom contest the weekend before school started! It was the Ashlyn Would Go Grom Contest in honor of our friend Ashlyn, it was a very touching day to say the least. Storms surrounded the event, with a patch of blue sky that hung over the competitors area. It was as if Ashlyn was looking down on us, keeping the skies clear as long as she could, we stopped counting the amount of water spouts around us, we knew they weren't headed in our direction. Johnny won all three heats -- first place in the micro grom! It was funny, when I was out in the water with him he came up to me as asked "I wonder if I will place 3rd or 4th?". Then after the heat we heard his name over the loud speaker and I told him to go see what the officials needed him for, he came running back with a huge smile on his face -- " I WON!".
That was Saturday. After the contest we spent the rest of the weekend getting ready for the first day of school on Monday. MAN, the summer went by so fast. The boys were super excited for school, although Johnny had his doubts about the whole idea. The thing that excited them the most was riding the BUS -- aka the cheese wagon. I drive them to school (the bus comes at 6:30AM!!!!), and they ride the bus home in the afternoon. They both said it was fun, and Joey thought the whole bus felt "greasy" so he was afraid to touch anything. Johnny didn't know there were girl and boy sides, so he promptly sat on the girls side. Joey brought it to his attention and then they sat together.
Johnny says he hates school and doesn't want to go. When I ask him why, he just shrugs his shoulders and looks down. I think he's scared. He doesn't like crowds, and he actually puts a lot of pressure on himself to get 100% on everything. So far he has been doing really well (okay, it's only been a week...). Joey loves being back in school. Tonight was parent/teacher night, and his teacher said he is definitely the leader, and caretaker of the group. He wants to be a play in a few weeks the fifth grade is putting on, he is the LEAD -- Abe Lincoln! He will do great!
The first day of school went well, the boys were stoked to be together again. Johnny seemed super hyper, and was bouncing off the walls all day and night. About 9PM Mike felt him and thought he felt warm -- he was. 101.1. Mike took him to TCH ER, and luckily enough they were released that morning -- they got home at 5:30AM, so Johnny and Mike both stayed home on Tuesday. Johnny was fine, just a small fever, like he had before SoCal. I asked his doctors if it is the chemo (vincristine), and they said no. But I really feel it is. The past two times he's had it, just about one week later, fever. It might not be directly due to chemo, but I think it's just his body trying to recover. We go again tomorrow, and I will bring it up then.
It seems like since we have been home from our CA trip, things have been crazy -- the weekend of the Grom contest Mike flew out to CA to pick up his truck, so he missed Johnny winning the contest. But there is another one this weekend, and we will all be there to watch!
The remodeling of the house is going along well, it feels like all I have been doing is painting - priming - painting - priming. I truly think my I.Q. has dropped about 10 points over the past week due to all of the paint fumes. I was trying to help Johnny with his homework one night and Mike looked it over not knowing I had already helped him. He just laughed at all of my incomplete sentences I "helped" him with. He told me to lay off the primers for awhile.
We checked out Sophie's new pre-school last week. It is incredible!!! I love it, the boys love it, and most of all Sophie loves it. They do cooking, science lab, music, and even have a pet tarantula and iguana. They change rooms for each activity, each room is ready to go for that activity. It's the best pre=school I have ever seen. Sophie starts the Wednesday after Labor Day. WOO HOO -- party at the Romano's!
Suddenly there has been a resurgence of interest in Johnny's skateboard. After the Houston Chronicle ran a story, Channel 2 (NBC) called and wanted to do a piece on him as well. They shot some stuff a few weeks ago, and I told them about the contest this weekend and they want to shoot that too. I will let you know when it airs -- but I'm pretty sure sometime next week to coincide with the release of the board (9/8).
The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is having it's big drive this week and asked Mike and I too talk to Channel 11 (CBS). After the reporter heard about Johnny, she wanted to do a whole story about him and us as a family and how donating has changed our lives. They were nice enough to come to the house in Galveston, and it was a total mess! I was so embarrassed. But at least the kitchen was clean enough for them to get some stuff without all of the "tester paints" showing in the background. I'm not exactly sure when it will air, but it will be this week, during the 5 and 6 o'clock broadcasts.
I know there is so much more, but really, my brain is fried. I'm surprised I can still type, much less formulate sentences.
