We are soldiers!

If you look carefully you can see the cut and stitches under Deqlans chin
Clever boy!

Working so hard!

Hello Everyone

Happy St Patricks Day - may the luck of the leprechauns be with you, as my mom says!

Hope you all had a great weekend - we had a very eventful one...

It started on Friday afternoon where Deqlan pulled Grandpa's bed side lamp, with a glass covering, over onto his head - right in front of me! He either was reaching for the latest edition of Living and Loving or he was trying to climb onto the bed side table to stamp and march like a soldier ( which he loves doing now!) I dont think it was the Living and Loving he was after...thank Our Lord, the marble base did not bash Deqlan over the head, but only the glass covering that shattered - Deqlan recieved a scratch under the eye and one on the side of his eye - it could have been a lot worse, it was terrible to see and i saw visions os stitches.....little did i know...

Saturday morning Claire came to fetch me and off we went to meet Gillian and Darryl , Declan Du Toits parents and one of his grannies, Granny Jill from PE. It was an honor to meet such an inspiring family who are going to make such a huge difference to children that our fighting cancer. Declans legacy will live on forever and he will continue to help so many others. It was wonderful to meet up with such wonderful, down to earth friends, who we can assure you we will support in all endevours to fight childhood cancer. Our prayers are with you always and our suppport and friendship to and i say we should do it all again, including the chocolate mousse cake very soon! Claire and her mom made the most exquisite pillow with a smiley picture of Dec on with the words of Jesus loves me embroidered around the front and the poem Darryl wrote for Dec around the back - to stunning for words

Then Saturday evening i had a call from Meggie saying that Keaton had fallen very badly onto a step at a party! His face blue and bruised! Oh Dear - these boys of ours are really rough and tumble boys....then on Sunday Meggie said Keaton had fallen again, and cut his lip this time!!!!

Sunday Morning we took Deqlan shopping for some new winter clothes and Dada kitted him out in some very snazy gear - even some socks and shoes - i dont know how we are going to get those on him, as you know he hates shoes, but we got to try for winter.

On Sunday evening we had an unplanned trip to the emergency room....Deqlan had a lovely bath , he didnt even moan about me washing and rinsing his hair, and just as i was praising him on how good he was, he stood up and slipped and hit his chin on the side of the bath! It immediately started bleeding and i screamed for Mark to come and look. I just cried and panicked and Mark told me to calm down while he had a look and when he said the words, ' He is going to need stitches' a full panic attack followed. While Mark brought me back to reality i tried to gather a few things and get Deqlans pjs on as we headed towards the car.

By now, Deqlan had calmed down and didnt even seem phased by his open gaping wound . I went through everything i could with the nurses who did Deqlans observations, then again with the nurses we got us ready while waiting for the doctor . " Has Deqlan had any surgeries?' " Yes, 6' Immediately she looked up at me and again we went through the history, the story and the great news.

While we waited Deqlan jumped up and down the hospital bed, giving me the biggest kisses ever, stealing the nurses hearts, smiling and laughing and being cute as a button, at 10pm in the evening , in an emergency room!

The doctor was AMAZING and spoke so nicely and calmly to us and explained exactly what was going to happen. They had to wrap Deqlan in a sheet so he would lie still , two nurses holding him down, me stroking his head and Dada his feet. By this time Deqlan was no longer the happy bunny rabbit we arrived with - he screamed and howled and cried and i tried by best to keep it together and just sing and talk to him.The doctor first injected the numbing agent into the area around the cut and this stings for a bit, then she started the stitches - i had to look away. Two beautiful done stitches after about 3 minutes. Deqlan immediately calmed down after being unwrapped but the sweat was just pouring of his little face, making the plaster impossible to stick. We finally got home and asleep after midnight!

We have to take them out between Friday and Sunday - he thinks its very funny when he pulls on them, and i say no, he laughs and continues to fiddle with his little 'goatey' But i think he has gotten used to it now, so its a little less, but we still try and take his finger away whenever we see it heading in that direction. This also means no jacuzzi. No playing in the sand. so we have had a very frustrated little guy on our hands and just try and distract him with something else - we cant let any dirt get into the wound until we are sure its completely closed and safe!

So Deqlan and Keaton, i think you were real soldiers this past weekend, but thank You Lord, came out shining and ok! No more jumping on anything other then a trampoline - ok boys?

Deqlan is doing so very well with his activities - we are now doing stacking rings, wooden puzzles, shape sorters, stacking cups! Things he couldnt do before are now more fun to do and he cant wait to put the last piece or ring into place so that we can all clap - a that motivates him to do it again and again! So Deqlan has nearly mastered the first step in the Jenny McCarthy volume 1 dvd - we are so proud of Deqlan and agree with our friend Michele that you can see the kids gain confidence once they understand how to play!

We think we heard, actually i know we heard Deqlan say Kitty the other night - mark and i were ecstatic - only once , and we havent heard it again, but its good to know its still there..just some practise to get it out - Deqlan continues to be very vocal and alot more alert and attentive to us - we definitely see improvements for the better

We have had some issued with the diet this week - Deqlan started a new vitamin c supplement and has had a lot of runny nappies - Dr Louise thinks it could be a sensitivity that he has developed - so we are going to give it a rest for 1 week and then try again and hope its improved

While we were waiting in line to pay for the clothes, Deqlan spotted some chocolates in the check out line and went bananas - he wanted that chocolate there and then - i had to take him out the shop and try and distract his attention off the delicous sweet he is no longer allowed. It happened again in Hyperama when paying for some groceries, and again i had to take Deqlan out of sight and eventually he calmed down - shame, he is doing so well , its just really hard on him when he says the package of chocolate - so out of sight out of mind.

I was eating some ice cream in the lounge on the weekend while Deqlan and Dad played together - i didnt want him to see it - and what do you know, he came on over to inspect what i was hiding . Deqlan never ever liked ice cream so i showed him, and thought that would be that! Well, i was wrong,he dipped his fingers into the delictable chocolate ice cream and put them in his mouth! I nearly choked when he devoured the little on his fingers and proceeded to dipping them again. I had to put the bowl away in the sink and with some tears had to try the distracting thing again. Shame, he hasnt had anything so delicoous in 3 and a half weeks so no wonder he wanted it, he didnt care if it was ice cream or the chocolate bar, just give it to me!!!! Shame, we going to have to be even more careful now and minimise the disctracting till he can understand why he cant eat these things!

Our occupational and speech therapy combined sessions are going very well and Deqlan has already made lots of progress from when we started and he is able to spend alot more time on specific acitivities. He has also gotten used to Tracey and Aneke and even pulls them around by the hand to - so we all getting to know each other and what works for Mr Deqlan!

I have already started planning the big 3rd Birthday party when i discovered some Thomas party goodies!!! I was over the moon as i hadnt seen them before and was certain i would have to order from the USA again as i did for Deqlans 1st Birthday which was Noddy - now there is noddy stuff everywhere! Anyway, i got the table cloths and plates and they are already opened - i couldnt resist watching the enormouse grin on Deqlans face, just by seeing the packaging! so i am going to have to buy and put away so its ready for the big day in Sep!

Got to run, we trying hidden peas in meatballs tonight - holding thumbs Deqlan enjoys them, we got to get more vegies in some how!

Oh Yes, happy 14 months for yesterday Keaton and Happy 14 Months NED for yesterday our beautiful Deqlan - may God continue to take such wonderful care of you both

Congrats to Rob and T and Reece on the great news that they are expecting another miracle from God in October this year - God Bless you and keep you all safe during the pregnancy and beyond

Please pray for our best friends kids in the UK-Sam and Don are really worried about Liam and Mia who suffer from a kidney condition called PKD - one the complications is low blood sugar and Liam has been admitted to hospital for the 2nd time this month because of dangerous sugar levels. Mia is also having some tummy troubles - please please pray for this amazing family who are such a support to us, and need some guidance and healing !

God Bless, lots of love

Mark, Samm , Deqlan and Logan

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD