Welcome Harlee Abigail Chapman

Our beautiful Harlee Abigail

On December 30 at about 10:30 pm, Teddi called me and told me she thought she was in labor and that Donnie was taking her to the hospital to check and see if it was "the real thing".

She had experienced so many Braxton Hicks contractions that she didn't trust that she was in labor. That and the fact she wasn't due till Jan 21. So they went to the hospital and called and told me "this is it". I had a bad cold and had just smeared Vicks all over my feet, chest, and nose trying to breath and had taken Theraflu so I was in great shape. I jumped in the shower and did my hair and makeup real quick and headed to Vegas. By the time I got there Teddi was dilated to a 4 and within a couple hours to an 8. At that point it went really fast and she delivered Harlee at 6:02 am December 31, 2010. Harlee weighed 7lbs 6 oz and was 20 inches long.

Mom and Dad during delivery. As you can see Teddi was as cool as a cucumber. She was a champ and never made a squeak. Just followed Dr Harter's directions and out Harlee pooped.

She looks like she has had some good drugs in this one

Mama and Mima just before the big event

Our darling angel just after she was born. The first thing we noticed was she looked just like Olivia, but she started to change immediately and soon looked more like Donnie than Oli.

The happy new Mama and Daddy

Mima and her 4th grandchild. What a sweet day

Olivia was so thrilled to see her new sister. She told us all that Harlee was her baby

Daddy Donnie performing the very first diaper change. He is a great daddy!

Since it was New Years Eve the nurses gave Oli party favors and she was partying down. She was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited.

Oli holding her baby

Mama and her girl on New Years Day getting ready to leave the hospital

Daddy sleeping waiting for the Pediatrician to get there so we could "get out of there". Donnie, Teddi and I had been sharing the hospital bed, a pull out chair, and a rocking chair to sleep on for 2 days and we had had it. I'm sure no one could sleep with my snoring.

Our Sugar bear

Teddi , Donnie, Charlee and baby Harlee

And finally the time came and we took sweetness home. Mommy Daddy Oli and Harlee are doing well. Teddi's in-laws came for a week from California so she will have lots of help and Harlee will get lots of love.

Last Chemotherapy Treatment

Well today was my last chemotherapy treatment. I am amazed that it has been 15 months since I started treatment with Dr Haslam. His office staff has been so wonderful to me and I can never repay them for all they have done especially their kindness and caring. I often wonder if I would even be alive if I hadn't found Dr. Wintch, Dr Haslam, and Dr Hyde. IHC has been an amazing oasis of kindness and professional treatment. It seems that my care team was more like old friends than life doctors. What a wonderful bunch.

They tell me the hard part is yet to come because now that treatment is over most patients feel like they are cut loose and just sit and wait for the other shoe to drop. I am working hard not to feel that way and instead trying to really explore what the word faith means and work on having it. In my life it has often seemed that people used the word to convey that they "had faith that the lord would answer their prayers" or the Lord would do this or that. That always seemed so strange to me. So I have decided that real true faith is realizing that you don't have to ask God for this or that, you just have to believe that whatever happens is your path and faith comes in when you believe God knows what he is doing and if anything you pray for the strength to quietly and with dignity allow that path to unfold in front of you and say,"Aso it's all perfect.
This is my nurse Heather. She was with me from the first treatment and became a good friend and ray of sunshine.
This is my nuse Lee, she is from Mesquite area and came on board when I was about 2/3 done. She was a wonderful person.

Teddi Jo

Went to Vegas today and spend the day with Teddi. I don't get to do that very often so it was really nice. We went shopping and she got a couple little things for Harlee and we went to lunch at Chili's. I ordered corn chowder and it was wonderful. Don't know why I have never had it before but sure enjoyed it.

We went back over to Teddi's new house and she showed it to me. They are still in the process of moving in but have most of it in and put away. Donny's Mom is coming this weekend and I think they are going to finish it. Then I am going down on Monday morning and go with her to her amnio test and the we go over for them to place the balloon in her cervix and inflate it. That is suppose to put her into labor we'll see doesn't sound like fun to me. LOL Anyway by sometime Tuesday we should have a baby.

While we were out shopping Teddi bought this cupcake hat for Olivia. She was so sweet and looked so cute in it

Merry Christmas

Well we made it home through the blizzard for Christmas and here is the proof. We ate and then we ate and then we ate again. And of course there was a visit from Santa who always manages to find us. We even had the Christmas pageant.
Here is Cheyenne Christmas morning before and after Cliff woke her up. What happened to the days that kids woke up at 4 am. We had to wake them all up to get the party started

Cheyenne with her Paper Jam guitar

Tony with his new TV

Gorda with all her haul

Dad with his baby

Daddy Daddy and the Gorda

Mima and the Gorda

Cheyenne with the milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer

Cha and her little baby girl

Alecia and Cheyenne

Gorda got this nutcracker and kept saying it was her baby. She insisted on a picture

Sweet Oli and Cheyenne

Olivia with her dolls

The house all ready for the holidays

Snow and Floods

Well we have been so busy the last few weeks I really need to get caught up on my blog. Seems like the days just slip away. We spent the last few weeks in Colorado but finally made it home Tuesday the 21st. We left Colorado on the 20th but got snowed in in Richfield UT. It was awful. I was driving our Mustang with our youngest daughter Cheyenne and Cliff was in front of us in our pickup. It started snowing at the top of the summit right before Richfield and before we got from the top of the summit to the bottom, about 30 miles, it had snowed 2 feet. Cliff was in front and did fine but our poor little Mustang just could not get traction. I finally came to a complete stop on the freeway and was scared to death some one would plow into the back of us. I finally got going just a little and managed to get to the first exit in Richfield and got off the freeway and met Cliff at the Flying J truck stop. Then we couldn't get the car out of the parking lot so we just said no way and went and got a motel room.

The next morning we had to buy tire chains and Cliff drove the car and we finally got out of there. He ended up chaining up the car three times before we got to clear roads. Then it started to rain like none other. When we got to St George we traded vehicles and Cliff and Cheyenne went on home and I stayed in St George and went to two doctors appointments. I stopped and got a couple pizzas for dinner and started down the canyon. I didn't get far before I know there was trouble. The minute I saw the river I knew we were in for terrible floods. I have never seen it that high in all the years I have lived here. It was beautiful with all the waterfalls coming off the cliff's in the canyon , very primeval with all the fog etc.

Anyway when I got home sure enough the whole town us flooding. They had Red Cross stations, sand bagging stations, they managed to hold the worst of it back here but 6 houses were completely destroyed in Beaver Dam and about 71 flooded all together. Sad right before Christmas

Mom & Dad Cole's 50th Wedding

Cliff's Mom and Dad , Cliff Sr and Joyce, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 18th. We had their anniversary party at their church the Assembly of the First Born in Grand Junction Co. It was a really nice party. Cliff's two sisters , Julie and Jolene, planned the party then the rest of us pitched in and helped with everything. All the members of their church were invited along with all the members of their extended family. There were lots of people and I got to meet lots of family members that I had not met before. We had a really nice time.

Cutting the cake. Mom said she was at a distinct disadvantage because she is blind and can't see if Dad was putting the cake in her mouth or just smashing it in her face HAHA

Cliff Sr and Cliff Jr now there is two peas in a pod. They are just alike in temperament and polar opposite in beliefs. They fight like crazy and love each other more.

The Cole gang

All Cliff's brothers and sisters were their with their spouses except for his older brother Brent who was working out of town and couldn't make it Back Row: Laurie Cole, John Larsen, Julie Larsen, Les Cole, Linda Cole, Kelly Hovis, Jolene Hovis, Debra Basora, Cliff Cole, Lana Cole, Justin Cole. Front Row: Cliff and Joyce Cole.

Laurie Cole Julie Larsen Jolene Hovis

One of Cliff's favorite cousins Greg Cole and his wife Rhonda

Cliff and his brother Justin

Happy Birthday Dad

Cold Colorado

Well I have been here with Cliff in Colorado for a week today and it has been really nice. He is in drivers training for two weeks so he has been home by about five every night and it's been wonderful. Just like real life. It has been cold to me but actually very warm for the Western Slope this time of year. The days have been in the 40's nights in the 20's. That is suppose to change today for a few days with the weather turning colder and we are even expecting snow or rain for a couple days. Then it is suppose to warm up again by the end of the week and be back in the upper 40's by Christmas. Hopefully we will be in Mesquite by then I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Teddi and Donnie are moving and if I was there I'd kick her butt as I know she is doing to much. I feel guilty that I am not there to help her but I am not so I guess I have to live with it,HA. It's a lot having to move when you are 9 months pregnant. She seems to think that she won't go until the 4th but I hope she does or at least till we can all get there to be present at Harlee's grand entrance. Really whatever is best for Harlee is what I hope happens. I am thankful that Donnie's family is so supportive and that Elaine is coming to stay a while when Ted has Harlee. It will be a big help to us all. Anyway nothing like a new baby to bring such brightness and happiness. I know that Olivia is just beside herself. What a wonderful thing new grand children.

Alecia is coming to spend the night tonight and I got to have lunch with her and her girl friend yesterday so that was fun. I am completely finished with Christmas shopping etc and ready to enjoy it all. Cheyenne will be here Saturday for Christmas. We are going to watch her bowl and go to her Bowling Christmas party on Saturday morning then have Cliff's company Christmas party on Saturday night so lots going on this week. Plus it's Cliff's Mom's birthday, so a wonderful week.

Had to post these pictures of our Christmas tree in the 5th wheel and Gabby riding "reindeer".

Sisters R the Best

Made it back to Colorado on Wednesday night. I had been in Mesquite since Cliff left after Thanksgiving. I had some doctors appointments that I had to go to and Olivia's birthday so I stayed in Mesquite. Mom, Diane, Pam, and Tina came for a two day visit. It was so much fun. We sat around and talked, had Ron & Sharon down for dinner along with Charlee's family, then went to Vegas on Tuesday to see Teddi and Olivia. We went to lunch and then did a little Christmas shopping. It was nice to see everyone. Wednesday morning we went to St George to my last doctors appointment, then had lunch, and headed to Colorado. Pam rode with me to the exit to Tina's house and met Mom and Tina there. They went on to Tina's and I went to Grand Junction. I so appreciated Pam's kids being so kind and letting their Mom come visit me after them not having seen her in so long. Thanks guys.

It was really interesting to talk to Pam about China. I am glad she seems to like living there and her stories about the little orphan babies she volunteers with and loves so much was so touching. She and Kevin are so special to me and I wish them the best living in China.

It was so nice to be back with Cliff. Neither one of us are good at "batching" it. He had done really goo and there wasn't too much mess. He was living out of a suit case having not unpacked since he got back from working in Wyo. I unpacked for him and did all the laundry, bought groceries, and then we were good to go. I even got us a little Christmas tree and decorated it. It's kind of cute and kind of Charlie Brown ha, but it's really too big for the camper as it is but I just could not stand not to have something festive while we were here. So we are enjoying being together again and looking forward to the holidays. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we get to go home for Christmas.

Olivia's 4th Birthday

Our darling Olivia turned 4 on December 4th. She is the sweetest baby girl and we love her so much. She got so many presents that we lost track of everything. Some of the gifts were her Jack & Sally dolls, a new bike, Rapunzel prince, princess, and horse, v reader and games, clothes, pj's , lots of drawing and craft materials as she is our artist

She loves these dolls from Nightmare Before Christmas. Donny and Teddi took her to Disneyland for Halloween and the whole place was decorated like Nightmare Before Christmas and she got to have a picture with the "real" Jack and Sally. She has been obsessed with them ever since.

She wanted a Princess party with cupcakes and that's what she got.

Teddi and Kayleen hugging little baby Harlee (she's still cooking) at the birthday party. Donnie's family was so wonderful and drove up from California for Olivia's birthday and brought Kayleen with them. Now that is a great family. Teddi is lucky to have wonderful in-laws that will sacrifice like that.

This is Kevin with the kids. Kevin and Becky are Teddi 's next door neighbors and he always dresses up for every occasion and does face painting for the kids. It was a great kid party

Here's my two angels at the party. Gabbi did really good about not trying to take Olivia's presents but you can see for the look on her face if was an effort. My sweet darlings.