Elise's Battle with Brain Cancer

So I stopped updating this blog years ago now but I want it to stand as a read for people interested in her or her struggles with cancer. Sadly the world lost an amazing person in October of 2008, and my family is forever changed. If you are here to read about her go to here and proceed chronologically. Update: So it's shortly after Thanksgiving 2017. Our son is now 14, trumpet player and honor student. He is so much like her she is always with me through him. It hasn't been easy but life rarely is for anyone. She scrawled something across the bottom of a calendar in her shaky left handed writing, after losing the use of her dominant hand. I will try to do her words justice: "It's not what we go through that defines us, but how we handle what we go through." We all go through hard times, how we do is more important. Sometimes you have to choose to be happy despite circumstances. To anyone who has lost someone they love, you will always miss them, but it will get easier with time. Almost ten years later I still mourn, I still miss her, but it is more of a loss that has become a part of me instead of an all consuming entity. She was a very important part of my life, and her being there was a gift to me, and the fact she was mine for the time she was I will always cherish. May you find peace in your life too. -Cameron

winter time

Hi all,
Things have been good, aside from the occasional bouts with the winter illnesses.
Christmas was awesome, we spent the night at Suanne and John's Christmas eve and woke up to a yummy breakfast and present opening. Later in the day we headed to Carma's to have a nice Christmas dinner with her, Kayla, Erin and Peter.
Thank you all for the great gifts!
We spent New Years Eve at home due to being sick but had some nice time together.

Jasper is still big on reading and will turn of video games to read, he actually reads more then plays video games, without me even asking.
He got "The Phantom Tollbooth" for Christmas and has been reading that a lot, it's his first book that's without pictures he's gotten into, he calls them chapter books.
Jasper might have ADD, we will find out soon. That's about the only big excitement at home recently.
Today school was closed due to snow so Jasper is having fun playing with a friend.

It seems there are a few family members have been battling their own health issues, so we wish them the best and a speedy recovery.
You are all in our thoughts and we send love your way.
-Cameron


Jasper Halloween Fire Station visit, he got to work the lights too!

Dr. Jasper

First snow of winter 2010

Opening a present on Christmas night after getting home.

tooth fairy

Jasper lost another tooth today, this time at school. The growing never ends.

first grade

Wow it's been a fun summer but now we are gearing up to have Jasper back in School.
This coming Wednesday will be his first day of First Grade! We are really both excited. This will be his first year of all day school, which will leave me plenty of time to do my errands and have some me time.
Jasper's Seventh Birthday was a lot of fun and I appreciated all who came and sent their happy birthdays.
I go through this every year but time just seems to pass too quickly, my baby is Seven and going to School all day, OMG!

happy daddy day

Happy father's day dad's. We are gonna go see the new Shrek and chill out today.

the battle of the sidewalk chalk

So one day Jasper is drawing on the sidewalk with his sidewalk chalk, no big deal, he does it every so often as children do,and I get approached on my back porch by our new apartment manager. She proceeds to tell me that the chalk is tacky and takes away from "curb appeal". She says it's not allowed and not to do it anymore. I was mad, we lived here for 2 years, a third of Jasper's life, and in that time it has always been ok to draw with sidewalk chalk.
So I argued with her about it. She said it was in my lease that it was not allowed, which I said give me proof. Later that day she arrived(with a manager from another complex) with a copy of of a page from my lease with this sentence highlighted, "Tenants shall not interfere with the rights, comforts or convenience of other tenants.".
I told her that I fail to understand how temporary sidewalk chalk drawings would be impeding any of those. The other manager then started saying it was defacement of private property. They kept changing their reasons as I logically argued why their reasons were invalid.
It all was ridiculous, and just angered me. When she first approached me it made Jasper cry because he thought he did something wrong, this made me want to fight this. Also Jasper wasn't the only child drawing but she chose to single me out.
I was speaking with the other parents about this and one of them contacted the District Manager of the properties. To her credit this woman came out the next day to check out the issue.
I got a text that the District Manager was outside so I went out to talk to her. I had a great discussion with her while the manager was present. I presented my argument well and let her know my frustrations with the current management. She was extremely nice and helpful.
Cut to two weeks later....
I receive the apartment newsletter, on the front it says that the area, that Jasper got in trouble for drawing on, is now the designated chalk drawing area, and all children are welcome to draw there.
It felt good to win the battle of the sidewalk chalk and now Jasper and friends draw with a smile knowing it's ok and no one will tell them differently.
-cameron

sunny

Wow, it's been so nice out that we've practically live outside these days. As soon as we get home we are out back. Jasper playing with the neighborhood kids and me sitting on the porch enjoying the beautiful days.
Jasper lost his third tooth this year, so that makes his two front teeth and one bottom one. He looks so cute and toothless.
Also after having some difficulties in school with behavior 2 weeks ago he hasn't had one issue since. I made him a deal, no fusses at school for the whole week equals big treat on the weekend. Must be working cause he's doing fantastic now.
Academically he's still top of the class. He's a remarkable reader and will sit reading for an hour easy. His favorite books are science ones. Carma got him some science books and he'll just sit and read them so happily, jumping up every few minutes to tell me some extremely random fact he learned.
So things are going good, feel like to a degree we are finding our comfort space with life.
Oh and we bought a rose bush and planted it for Elise's birthday, Jasper chose out the plant, red rose bush, can't wait for it to bloom.