All things Jason

Since this blog is mainly dominated by Jack and my ramblings. I thought I would feature a whole post about our aspiring PA Jason Balls and what his life is like these days.

What he said about me doing this post "are you asking me or telling me to answer these questions." With that in mind let us begin!

This semester Jason is taking 34 credits with classes ranging from physical diagnosis, pathophysiology, clinical medicine and surgery (which is like eight classes in one)and clinical lab.

His daily attire is light blue scrubs and his white coat. His schedule. Wake up early. School. Lunch at home. School. Studying. Dinner at home. Back to school to study. Home to bed.

His need for candy has increased since it is his favorite food to study with. This is the candy stash at the house. Before Jason leaves the house he loads his coat pockets with candy. His favorite right now is nerds. He even has gotten those who study with him hooked on them as well.

Jason recently got a new toy for school. An I-Pod touch. It is handy for all his medical and study needs. He had it inscribed with this...... yes he is that guy now.

Jason's favorite and few non school activities are listening to Aggie basketballs games, spending mealtimes at home, going to sea world, playing with Jack and going to the beach.

Favorite thing about Florida- the winter weather

What he misses most about Utah- The mountains (and it goes without saying his family)

What has changed the most about him since moving from Utah- His navigational skills have taken a hit. Since there are no mountains to go by anymore. It is a good thing he has such a great co-pilot.

What has stayed the same- he still rides his cruiser to school everyday. The poor thing is getting old and rusty. In fact the security guard told him one day "I hope that once you become a PA you can afford a nicer means of transportation."

When I asked him what keeps him motivated he responded quickly with "FEAR". That he could kill someone, flunking out and having a lot of debt, and not being able to provide for his family. In short WE are his biggest motivators.

I hope he knows that we (the two below in the picture)are his biggest SUPPORTERS as well!

Well there it is all things Jason. This blog is used as a document of our lives and a big part of our lives right now is Jason and his schooling. So yes Jason I "blogged" all about you today. But then you are a pretty big deal.

* At least I didn't include of any close up pictures of you. For some reason all the ones I took of you for this, you had a upset look on your face.

Joy

Last night our prayers were answered and efforts paid off.
There were shouts of joy and dancing all around.
Jack finally after a five month hiatus went in the potty all by himself!
Much celebration was had.
Calls to Daddy, Grandma, Papa, Nana and Pepi, each praising Jack in his accomplishment.
Dinner was abandoned on the table as we went out for frozen yogurt, luckily Kate got home from work early and got to join us.
Then to the store to get our potty party provisions that was promised(say that three times fast)if he went, to have with dad when he was home Sunday.
Jack and his proud and rather in shock mother enjoying our favorite frozen yogurt treat

The beginning of the potty party (may sound odd but we promised him a party and we need to remind him what the party was for) We had brenner-breakfast for dinner- A Sunday tradition at our house now since church gets out later and I am too exhausted to make a huge meal. Jack just wanted the meat.

With his cookie cake!

We both earned this! Seriously.

And for Heaven's Sake Jack went again today and made it through the whole day without an accident! I may seem a little over the top but this has been such a struggle that it really was something to be celebrated! It is times like these how I think my life has changed now that I am a mother. My weekend was awesome because my son went the bathroom! Party Animal!

Jam Session

Last night Jason was educating Jackson in the way of music. There was a lot of Neil Young, some Pearl Jam, Michael Jackson and ABBA. With a side of Rise Against's swing life away. It has become our theme song.

Jack started strumming subtly at first on his guitar

Then he had to stand up, once he got really into it.

Then Jack rocked out on the keyboard.

Then back to the guitar

Jack then offered to be the guitar so Jason could play.

I was the vocals.

We rocked pretty hard. Maybe one day when we get our Wii fixed we can actually play rock band. Because we have skills.

This is a true definition of Jackson Cooper these days. Potty training this kid has been such a struggle. I have tried EVERYTHING people have suggested, things that I have read and he won't budge. He would rather hold it all day than do what I ask him to do. He has to do everything on his own. Yesterday we had an episode that showed how true this definition is. He saw some peeps in the pantry. He asked to have one. I reminded him that he didn't like peeps. He always just takes one bite and hands it back to me. He said that he wanted it. I told him I would give him one but he had to eat it, again reminding him that he didn't like it. He said he wanted it and he would eat it. So I gave it to him. He holds it a while...takes one bite and then comes and hands it to me. " I don't want it." Yep that is what I told you but he is already gone playing with his toys. Fast forward to this morning when he asked for a peep....and round and round we go.
I say he gets it from his father....Jason says he gets it from his mother...It's probably both and also the fact that he is a three year old. All I have to say is when Jack is potty trained I am going on a long vacation to unwind all the tension, I hope I make it.

Bikes,Cars, Parks and Nana and Pepi.

Our weekend was full of all things boy....and a boy with his Grandparents. Jason had to do a history and physical on my dad so we were in Tampa for the weekend. We used a gift card from Christmas to get Jack a bike with pedals. He enjoyed it and is still getting the hang of it. It was nice to be in a house and a neighborhood to take Jack on his bike and go to the park. I am so ready to be out of an apartment.

Jack gets the royal treatment when he is with mom and dad. It is fun to watch them with him.

Monday since it was a holiday mom and dad came over and we went to Disney world. Jason needed a quiet place to study since the school was closed so it was a win win for all of us. Mom and dad were so great. They did everything for Jack and I could just enjoy being out and about and in the fresh air. We did all the things Jack wanted to do including the cars.

I went with my mama and she was the driver. We had a nice ride!

One of my favorite pictures of Jack and my dad. I love how their curls glow in the sun.

We are so blessed to be by family to help us all while Jason is going to school. It was nice to have a break and just to sit back and to do things that are out of our normal routine. Thank goodness for four day weekends and for little boys and our families.

To my people.

Jason and I read at lunch together. Last week we were reading out of the Book of Mormon in Third Nephi and we were reading that the Nephites had become hardened in their hearts and had forgotten all the miracles they had seen. This was after they had seen the signs that had fortold of Christ's birth. They had gone on with their lives. I thought how horrible to forget the miracles that you have seen in your life. While I was sick I used carepages to update my status during the first transplant then the recovery then to the tumors returning and more chemo to the second transplant to the recovery. At that point I started this blog to show that joy that comes on the joy of recovery. Today I went back to read those updates. It was heart breaking to read especially the part when I announced that the tumors were back and growing rapidly. I remember typing that and the feeling of hopelessness that I felt. Then to read the joy that I felt on the day of the transplant seeing Jake's cell invade (in a good way) my body. I also had a hard time reading the posts were I was so out of it Jason had to take over the postings and the kind words of strength he expressed in his way through the words that he wrote. There were a lot of hard days especially those first January days of 2008 were I was so miserable and aching to get out of the hospital. Reading those helped me realize the miracles that have occurred but I also read the comments in each post written by my family and friends. Your words of encouragement and hope and the reassuring promise of prayers issued with faith for healing in my behalf touched my heart. Really touched my heart. So I just want to say thank you. It helped me then and it helped me today not to forget all the good that I have in my life. This probably doesn't make any sense and may be a lot of ramble. But it softened my heart again to the many miracles are in my life. One of those big ones are those in my life then and those who have been added since then. I haven't forgotten all that you have done for me.

My Favorite People

By the end of year we got a good family picture! Yippee! It was nice to have someone take it and not have to run back and forth with the camera on a timer.

Since we were all together for the holidays we took some formal family pictures. Here is the whole gang.
It might sound cheesy but all these people are my best friends. They have been the best support crew. I don't know where I would be without them!

One that shows our true sides. I love TJ's look around pose the best and Mom and Cami look like twins. Don't you agree?
A picture of the "original" Mark Brenchley family. We are all just grown up.Even though we are older we still have fun times.
Possibly even better times now because we are older.

This year there will be new additions and I am so very excited for each and every one of them!

Thank You Christmas Toys.

Thank goodness for the new Christmas toys. Jack has been occupied all morning playing with them. It helps take away the lonely feeling we are feeling now that Jason has gone back to school and there is no cute Gracie girl to play with. Hopefully this will keep him out of trouble today while I put away the Christmas decorations.

Jack and I got these fur real doggies from Santa. The closest Jack and I will get to having dogs.

We rocked the beach

On the 2nd day of 2010!

Although it was a bit chilly and windy. This picture says a lot. You can tell who lives in Florida. What can I say your blood totally thins. I have become a wimp in the cold.

This was another one of dad's spontaneous beach trips. He came home from walking the dogs this morning and said "It is a nice clear day we have got to get out." It has been raining so we were all up and going getting things ready to go.
Dad made a race track for the kids. We had lunch with Granddad John and he gave Jack 3 cars this time. Jack had to test them all out in the sand.

Mom prepared a lesson for church.

TJ read and got attacked by some sea gulls who stole his cookie right out of his hand!
Jason just basked in the nice cool, crisp weather.

Cami relaxed. Making comments once in a while how great it was to be outside.

He ran all over the place.

And raced cars of course. Grace wanted to get into the water even though we warned her it was cold. She went in and got wet but she was happy. When we were leaving she asked for her suit. Gracie girl is hard core.

There was some snuggling.

and some cookie eating...while on the lookout for those nasty sea gulls.

It was a fun day but a sad parting at the end of the day. The Archer's fly out Tuesday. Jason starts school on Monday so we had to say "our till we met again's." It has been a great a break for all of us. Jack went straight to his bed when we got home and it was only 6:30. We are all tired but happy.