Hello from Icy, snowy Lewisburg, Tennessee!

We finally got some good winter weather. Mom and Dad came over and got snowed in. They even got some snow at home!
I hope everyone had a great holiday season. We did. Santa brought the boys a Golden Retriever.
His name is Titan. We are big fans of the Tennessee Titans so hence the name. And..He is going to be a huge dog. He's a little over 3 mos and already weighs right at 30lbs! The boys are having fun with him. He chases Mason around nipping at his little bootie. It reminds me of the old Coppertone Commercial where the girl is running and the dog pulls her swim suit down exposing her bootie. So Cute!!
Hayden is doing well besides a sinus infection right now. He is now going to school full days which is a great accomplishment. We are having surgery on March 5 to repair his palette. We ask that
you please pray for him that everything goes well and his tissue heals nicely. The surgeon feels that it will but there is always a chance because he has had radiation to that area. We are having it done at Vanderbilt by an ENT named Dr. Steven Goudy.(Sp) We are feeling like this is our year for restoration and healing so please pray for that. His right side continues to still be some weak. There are days where I think I see improvements and days not. I have not gotten him back into physical therapy yet. The school is supposed to be doing some of that but when we put him on half days before Christmas they discontinued it until he was there full days. It is very hard at times for me to get everything organized on a day to day basis. I run up and down the road during the week feeling like a taxi service more than anything. Hayden is working his arm a little at times on his own without being told which is good. I hope that being at school and around his friends will cause him to push himself a little harder. Please remember this prayer as well. I feel like a drill sergeant so much of the time and less of a mother. I get some criticizing for not getting everything done which even more frustrates me. I am only one person and with David working in Spring Hill a lot falls on me. So please pray for me because I lose my temper on this matter having to defend all that I am or am not doing.
We are so thankful for the prayers. We should be in the Hospital for the weekend for his surgery so I hope that is all that it is, no complications through the whole process.

Christy

Good Evening!

As I begin to write about how we've been doing, I am completely overwhelmed with a wonderful
report from Dr. Liebsch. He is in agreement that Hayden's scan looks good and feels that all that
we wanted to accomplish with radiation has done its job thus far. I am soo thankful to all who have continued to pray without ceasing. God has been faithful even when I feel that my life is
spinning out of control with worry, doubt and just plain FEAR! A month or so ago the boys began
compiling their Christmas list. Hayden wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas and I said that all I wanted was my boys to be happy and healthy. I wanted Hayden to just be a little boy
again..no more tumor. He said Mom that's not a good present you must want something?? I said
Hayden, that would be the best gift! I remember those days when wishes were more to do with toys or dolls than an illness. My, how thankful I am that Hayden can still be filled with the wonder of the season than the reality of Cancer. My God has truly brought more blessings than
I deserve! We will probably be doing another scan in late spring or early summer and possibly
go to Boston for that because Dr. Liebsch wants us to come for a year check-up. Please continue to pray for strength for Hayden and his continued therapies.

From our house to yours,have a very Merry Christmas!

Love,
Christy

P.S- I'm also thankful for that little rascal who's name is Mason Parker(as he says). We always had to try to conceive ( the first 2) but then along came this ball of fire named Mason. God gave us great comic relief with him..we are constantly in stitches with the things he does and says!
Today while in Wal-Mart we were walking past the toy section..mistake number one! Anyways, he saw this drum set and would not walk away from it after I stopped to let him play for awhile. I ended up just putting it in the buggy and putting him in as well and he was going to town! (Let me add one more detail he had on a red cowboy hat that he just had to leave the house with!) So..needless to say he performed for every person passing by. It took forever to leave because people stopped to listen to him say that he was in a rock band and watched him play! One cute teenager stopped with her friend and then began to leave and he yelled out hey, where are you going? I'm not done yet!! Thank you God for a wild child named Mason!