Skyla Sno.

I picked Skyla up at daycare today and we kept her until about 7:00. She is so cute. She likes to swing and slide and swing on the tire swing. She talks all the time. Mike pushed her in the stroller down to our neighbor's house. They have 5 zebras now and one baby zebra. The grandbabies love to go down there and see the zebras, and especially the baby zebra.

When I got to her daycare, she ran to me and was so excited to see me. She ran to me and said, "Nannie!!" That's what Hawk used to do. She is so much like him. It is still hard to believe that he is gone. Some days are so painful. I don't know if we'll ever have peace with it. We miss him so much.

Skyla and Brooke: Brooke is staying with us until Monday March 5, 2007. She came on Wednesday. Kevin and Tuesday are in Houston, Texas at an Ameriplan convention. Breanna stayed with friends of theirs so that she can go to school. We went and got Skyla on Wednesday so that she and Brooke could play together. I picked her up at Day care. It was the first time I had picked her up there since Hawk passed away. It was very emotional for me. I cried most of the way home. The first two times we picked her up at her house, it was very hard for Mike and I. We have never had Skyla without Hawk. She is so precious. Anyway, when I got at the house with Skyla, Brooke saw her and naturally thought that Hawk should be with her and Brooke asked, "where's Hawk". We told her that he had went to Heaven. We don't know how much she understands, she's only 2 1/2.

Skyla and Brooke--Skyla was coloring, she wouldn't look at me to take her picture.
Skyla and Brooke playing on the swing set. They were so good with each other. They played so good together. We took Skyla back home on Wednesday night and then picked her up again on Thursday at daycare and she spent the night on Thursday night and spent all day Friday with us. She and Brooke had a great time with each other. We watched a lot of Dora the Explorer. We have that DVD memorized by now. They would hold hands and run through the house. If both of them wanted to do the same thing, they would take turns. Once, Brooke got in the rocker and Skyla wanted in it, so they would take turns with one sitting the rocker and the other one rocking her. On Friday, Mike decided to lay down with them so that they would take a nap. Anyway, I heard a lot of giggling coming from the bedroom. I went in there and Mike was almost asleep and the two little girls were laughing and playing. So I got them and took them in the living room with me and Mike took a nap. Skyla stayed until Friday evening and then she went to stay with Jamie for the weekend. I decided that Skyla is the closest child to Hawk. She has the same parents and the same grandparents. So when I kiss her face, it is the closest thing to kissing Hawk. We can love her and Hawk at the same time.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2007

Hawk, Breanna, and Brooke playing with the Moon Sand that Channel 4 gave him when he was on the other day. We put an old table cloth down in the sun room and they played in there with it.

Hawk can't smile anymore, but is still trying to.

He and Breanna and Brooke spent Wednesday and Wednesday night with us. They went home late this afternoon.



Hawk and Brooke in the Jeep. He tried to ride the 4-wheeler, but he couldn't keep his left foot in place, Mike put him in the Jeep and he did fine.

Just 2 weeks ago, he was riding his 4-wheeler and running and playing. We were told from the beginning that this tumor would be very rapid once it started growing again.

How do we get through this. To watch daily what this tumor is doing to Hawk. It is almost more than we can take. To see this beautiful little boy taken away from us. But we know that we have to do it and so does Hawk. But whatever happens, we will be there every step of the way with him. He is so precious. We love him so much. But as much as we love him, I know that God loves him more.

Breanna on the 4-wheeler.












Here they are in their hide-out we made for them in the living room. Later in the evening, Hawk was getting tired and not feeling very well, so he crawled into the hide-out (we put blankets all around so that it was private) Anyway, Hawk crawled into the hide-out and told us that he wanted to be alone. He lay there and went to sleep. We put Breanna and Brooke to bed and decided to let Hawk sleep where he was. I got on one couch in the living room and Mike got on the other one. We had a fire in the fireplace insert and some time in the early morning, Hawk woke up and wanted Mike to get in the floor with him and pretend that they were camping out and had a campfire. So Mike slept on the floor with Hawk in front of the fire.




Hawk and Breanna. She was so good to him. Here he was sitting in the computer chair while I was fixing them some lunch. Breanna went and got a blanket for him and got her a chair and sat beside him. She told him that anything he wanted she would get it for him. She went and got some trucks for him to play with. Then she told him that she would pray for him and she did.

At lunch, they held hands and he said the prayer.

Tomorrow Hawk gets to ride in the pacer car at the Nashville Super Speedway. Hawk gets to ride around the speedway with one of the drivers. We are going and take movies and pictures.

We would give everything we have to stop all of this from happening to Hawk, but we can't do that. We just have to pray for the strength for Hawk and all of us to get through it.

PSALM 23 NIV

1The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever

AMEN

Wednesday night, January 18, 2007

Update on our family. Hawk is doing so good. He will be on channel 4 on Thursday 18th at 12:00 noon with Make-A-Wish-Foundation.
This Christmas was a wonderful Christmas compared to last year. Last year Hawk was taking radiation treatments and was on steroids and he was feeling so bad that he didn't enjoy the day at all. This year, he was feeling so good and had so much energy. Every year Mike plays Santa. This is the highlight of Christmas day, because of how much fun it is for the children. He is disguised very well with the white beard and white hair and Santa suit.
Anyway, the children were so excited to see Santa. Brooke sat in his lap the whole time he was talking to Breanna and Hawk. Skyla was a little afraid of him, so she sat on the couch the whole time. He brought a bike for Hawk and Breanna and they were so excited. Breanna and Hawk talked to him for a long time and then when Santa got ready to leave, Hawk hugged him and told him that he would really like to see Rudolph. Santa told Hawk that Rudolph was very shy, so he couldn't see him this time.
2006 was a very hard year for our family, but thanks to our faith and God's love and mercy, we have come through it with more faith and a lot of thankfulness. Hawk was diagnosed with the tumor 13 months ago. At the time that he was first diagnosed, we were very afraid about what 2006 might bring, but thanks to God and lots of prayer, we have celebrated 2007 with Hawk doing so good. He is a little miracle. Praise the Lord!!!
Mike was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006, but thank the good Lord, he was able to have surgery on April 21 and the cancer had not spread and the doctors were able to get all of the cancer. This was a big shock to us also, because Mike has always been so healthy and it was a shock to find out that he had cancer, but thank God he survived that is doing great now.
We are very thankful for all of the prayers for our family and for coming through 2006 with more faith and a closer walk with the Lord. All we can do is take life one day at a time and trust in the Lord. And we are so thankful for all of the blessings. OUR CUP RUNNETH OVER!!!