On A more JUBILANT note!

Marky had a check up with his specialist last week.

All systems are GO ! !

He looks good, feels good.

You may be interested to know that MARK IS FAMOUS..once again..

His mystery disease has been written up in the "JOURNAL OF PEDIACTRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY AND NUTRITION"  Authors include Dr. John Pohl, who is Mark's main doc.  Also listed as a contributor to the case is Dr Rawlins.  He is the surgeon who was BRAVE enough to do the exploratory laparotomy when no other surgeon would consider it. 

As reported during that  time, Marky was near death, filling up with fluid in his abd and chest cavity. Constant vomiting, laying listless.  We were BEGGING the docs to do ANYTHING to help him.  But as you remember, they didnt have a clue WHAT TO DO. 

The surgery was agreed upon.  They opened Marky up and discovered the WEBBING of Sclerosis encasing his entire retro-peritoneum.  With no way to "Scrape" it all off, and no idea how it got there, or what could be done.....they closed him back up and reported to us...."We're so sorry" !

Then..the MIRACLE happened.  Prayers were answered...prayers from around the world, prayers from the youngest to the oldest faithful's. 

I know for a fact, the good Lord directed an inspired doctor to look in on Marky that night.  To recommend a treatment plan to give Marky some relief.  To save his life. 

Fast forward to 2 and a half years since that experience..after many treatment drugs and suffering and rejoicing and suffering and rejoicing...etc...he is cautiously termed "in remission"!

LIFE COULDNT BE ANY BETTER THAN THAT !

Mark and Family is DEVASTATED

Colonel, Uncle Kenneth Crocheron is a FAKE

This week it was finally confirmed and proven that our former beloved family friend, Ken, has been deceiving us for the 10 yrs we've known him.....deceived many many more innocent family members and friends and co-workers over the last 40+ yrs. 

He IS NOT a Green Beret, IS NOT a COLONEL, or any other army officer.  IS NOT honorable in any way, regardless of the GOOD DEEDS he may have done for our family, it was all under the guise of rescuing us and trying to impress us with his clout.

Marky and his brothers idolozed him.  Hung on his every word.  Loved him like family.  So did I. 

He has lost EVERY respect from our family.  And needs to be exposed for the Fake that he is.

He has deliberately insulted EVERY military serviceman that has ever sacrificed for our country.  There can be no acceptable excuse for this ....air-breather.  (cant even call him a man!)

We are beyond hurt, beyond belief, beyond pain.  No words can handle this.

Marky has clammed up about it.  Worries me what he is thinking in his mind.   Scott is doing well, mostly very angry.  And Sam...well, he lost his dear beloved " KK" as he used to call him.

Shocked and betrayed.

Jo, Scott amd Mark at VA  hsopital

He got VIP parking !

Hill AFB personnel, and VA friends delivering letters

A few weeks ago, Marky came into the kitchen and said to me,

"Mom, I'd like to write Christmas letters to all the wounded warriors laying up in the Veteran's Hospital."

I said, "Really?"

He said, "Yeah, I remember when I spent Christmas in Primary Children's Hospital...I think it would be nice if all those guys got letters to let them know we care about them."

So he planned a 'letter writing' party.  He and Jonah delivered flyers to lots of neighbors inviting them for the event AND Root beer floats.

Close to 50 of Marky's closest friends showed up that day !

Three local heroes showed up in military uniform to encourage the writers.

You shouldv seen the looks on the kids' faces when those soldiers walked in!   Mouths dropped open and a lot of "wow's" and "awesome's" could be heard!

119 letters, a flag, and a Dollar bill in a Baggie....
All produced that day by these wonderful friends!

All total, 150 letters were written, then rolled up and stuffed in a gift bag with a set of hand warmers and chocolate (of course!)

Marky and Jonah handled the assembling of the gift bags, with some "assistance" from Sammy! (refer to picture below of Sam sitting in the crate, throwing the bags out as fast as the guys put em in)

Then on Tues the 18th, Mark, Jo, Scott, Ma and Pa and Uncle Colonel Kendude presented them at the VA hospital!

Such a neat experience!  The VA staff welcomed him like a ROCK STAR! , toured them through the halls talking to "A Few Good Men" and giving out his letter bags. 

How many people were affected by this valiant "Little Warrior"? ....Hard to say.

I'll tell you this Mom couldve never been more touched by this "Little Warrior's" generous heart. 

Jonah was quoted as telling his proud mom..."That was the coolest thing I've done all year...besides going to Sams Down's Syndrome Christmas party!"  ( by the way, Jonah also told his mom he wanted to take all the special needs kids home after the party!)

Long post, I know....making up for lost time!

But, this story deserves to be told.

Merry Christmas to all our loved ones!  

ALL TOGETHER THAT DAY: 119 LETTERS, 1 FLAG AND A DOLLAR BILL IN A BAGGIE !

MARK GETTING READY FOR THE LETTER WRITING PARTY!

PLAYING ON THE JEEP

LOCAL HEROES

SWINGIN



THE PARTY WAS SO FUN, THE GUESTS WOULDNT LEAVE! THIS ONE HAD TO BE CARRIED OUT !



SAM HELPING STUFF THE GIFT BAGS

CAPT MARK HOLDING ALL THE LETTERS WRITTEN



LOCAL HEROES CAME TO ENCOURAGE THE LETTER WRITERS!



Markys letter writing party

MARKYS REAL BRONZE STAR, ISSUED BY HIS ENLISTING OFFICER

LETTER WRITING ABOUT TO BEGIN!

LETTER WRITERS GATHER FROM ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD

PRECIOUS FRIENDS

MORE PRECIOUS FRIENDS

PROUD LETTER WRITER!

I got the "Itch-ies" Mom !

Marky presented himself yesterday covered with hives !

Yep tons of em, all over his arms, legs, torso, and everywhere in between!

MISERY !

If you've ever had hives before.......
---you know what I'm talking about.

If you've NEVER had hives before....
---Dont get em !

Johnson & Johnson doesnt make enough Hydrocortizone cream to even start to relieve the "itchies" !

He's gotten into something that's irritating his system.  Could be just about anything with this guy!

He's is still, as always, a MYSTERY!

A MISERY MYSTERY !

Quote from Maddie

Here's a quote from Marky's "favorite" cousin named Maddie ........

If you do NOTHING....

NOTHING will happen !

So I decided to do SOMETHING....

and pass along this quote to you!

Love to all of you, Markysmom

DOUBLE DIGITS !

Marky turned TEN !

That's right, double digits!

How'd that happen?

He's had a fun summer.  Lots of fishing, camping and just generalized "hoopla-ing".

Hasn't had a single sniffle or gurgle or twinge!

That means....Mom had a great summer, too!

If you're hearing a loud clonking, it's me, knocking on wood!

I bought a treasure at my dear friend, Vickie's, yard sale last Saturday.

It's a wooden cut-out that sits on your shelf...a very prominent shelf in my house.

It simply says.....

......"So. . .! "

I don't understand why she could give up such a treasure with such a great inspiring message? !

She did say, however, that when she put it out on her table for sale that she thought of me.  And thought that I might like it.

Yep, priceless !  Genius !

To all the heaps of "growth opportunities" that keep hurling themselves our way.....

I say...."So...." 

Which means, in my mind, "Bring it on!", "We'll tote it like we always have..chin up--shoulder's back!"

Carry on!

Love, Lynette

Whattheheck?

What happened to all my pictures???

I must've been naughty.....

.....AGAIN !

Well, you tilted your camera, so I tilted my head!

Well, you told me to hold my head up ! !

My favorite people

Markysmom will not be "Fortysomething" for very many more days !

Just sayin....

I'm not gonna verbalize the actual age of my biological tissues outloud, I'll tell ya that !

However, my spirit and intellect are WAY under age in comparison to my bio-age.....thankyouverymuch !

I've got an "Angel" friend.  She gave me a pre-bday gift today.  Actually her gift to me, that I treasure above all tangibles, is her friendship.

Her card to me quotes this statement:
   "The number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness,
     but the number of prayers we answer may be of greater importance."

I excitedly read that over and over...thinking....WOW, how can I live my life more effectively so I may possibly help to answer someone's prayer? 

What an inspiring idea ! 

My Ph.D. brother, (also...my favorite bro...one of em), wrote a book that I'm still trying to translate a word at a time so I can understand whattheheck he's saying.

But in his book, he contrasts the difference between "Action" and "Passivity".   He refers to a German author whose characters revolve around this conflict of terms.

Man could I relate.  How many times do we "sit and stew" instead of "go and do" ?

As expected, I've only dredged through the first chapter of my bro's book...I think I need a better dictionary to look up his "big-boy" words.

But I'm getting a teeny whiff of what is possibly being described  by him. 

I gotta "go and do" MORE !  Just incase someone needs an answer to THEIR prayer.

Thank you Angela.
And...
Thanks to all of YOU for answering many, many of our prayers!  And for being MY inspiration to keep "pushing my hand-cart" .

Love from your "not forty-something anymore" friend....Lynette

Mother's Love

MOTHERS DAY BLISS

Yeah, that's right....Marky got bullied at school !

They came at him from behind and jumped him.  Landed head first on the asphalt.

He's got a pretty impressive goose egg.  And a very stiff neck from the whiplash of doing a head plant without time to put his hands out to brace the fall.

"Pappa Bear" and "Momma Bear" and "Big brother Bear" are pretty upset ! 

School principle loves Marky, as you could imagine, from the last couple of years of his history.  So she is handling the whole thing with extra concern.

We will see how it all plays out.   Meantime, Marky is home resting..watching John Wayne movies, starting with "The Green Beret's" !   "True Grit" is next in cue!

Bully Battle wounds, Yikes