New Digs

Yesterday was moving day.  It was a very full day--we started the morning off by watching William and Anna walk in the Maple Valley Days parade.  They walked with their football/cheer teams, and braved the cloudy, wet weather.  I forgot to take pictures (oops!), but they had a great time, and it was fun to see so many of our friends and neighbors at the event.  I love living in a small town.  As part of the event, there's a kids' art show.  Anna was one of three second graders at her school to be chosen to have her art displayed, so we definitely had to go view her masterpiece.  She was so proud!

Showing off her artwork.  So excited!!

After we celebrated Maple Valley Days, we quickly packed up and headed into Seattle.  We found out just a few days ago that an apartment opened up at the Pete Gross House, which is where we lived last time.  We thought we'd have a few more weeks on the waiting list, but fortunately, we got a unit just in time.  So now we just have to move once, which is a relief.  We have a corner apartment on the top floor, with a view of Lake Union.  It's more spacious than our last apartment, and it's nice and bright.  And, it's just a 2-3 minute drive to the SCCA.

It didn't take too long for up to unload and get things organized.  We had lots of little helpers.  Anna has been making me pieces of artwork to decorate our place, so she was busy hanging them up for me.  I had each of the kids give me something special of theirs so that I can have reminders of them--I got two stuffed animals and a baseball.  Love them.  We're settled and mostly comfortable, and ready to get this show on the road.

We all went out to dinner in Seattle last night before my parents took the kids home.  The kids are doing really well with all of this so far.  There were some tears last night, but I'm hopeful that new routines will kick in, school will shortly be out, and they'll be able to manage these strange circumstances.  I know there will be many bumps in the road for them, emotionally, and that's to be expected.  But, they have a lot to look forward to this summer, so I think they'll be distracted and having fun.

We were at SCCA early this morning to start Day #1 of my chemo conditioning.  I had a thirty minute infusion, so it was a fairly quick appointment.  I'll have three doses of this chemo before transplant, and fortunately, it sounds like this chemo drug is well tolerated.  They did give me some anti-nausea meds beforehand, just in case, but I'm not expecting to feel too poorly.  I got my Hickman line put in last week, so now my labs and chemo no longer require any needle pokes.  That's the only upside to having a line.  I'm still trying to get used to the two tubes/leads coming out of my chest.  My chest is still a bit sore from the surgery, but I'm slowly becoming accustomed to it once again.  Showering is a challenge, but I've discovered that Glad Press 'n Seal works very well to keep my line dry.  You do this long enough and you get to learn all sorts of tricks.

We're going to enjoy an appointment-free afternoon, and gear up for more chemo tomorrow.  And, I get a visit with my kids today.  One day closer to Transplant Day!

For those of you who have asked, here is our new address for the next 3.5 months:

525 Minor Ave N, #614
Seattle, WA 98109

Just like last time, no flowers are allowed.  But we will be able to receive mail:)

Asking for help

I'm not good at asking for help.  Never have been, and probably never will be.  I also, along with most, I presume, don't enjoy talking about money.  So, put the two together and I'm very uncomfortable.

Philip and I have managed, over the past 16 years, to meet our financial obligations.  With a few hiccups in our early married years, we've been able to make ends meet fairly well.  He earns a very good income that has allowed me to stay home with our kids for the last 13 years, and we've been able to live comfortably.  While we certainly aren't living on "easy street," we've been able to pay our bills, fund the countless fees for our kids' many sports and activities, and enjoy a vacation every year.  We've also been the beneficiaries of my wonderfully generous parents who have helped out when needed, taken us on many fantastic vacations, and frequently gift the kids with the things they "need."  We also consider ourselves extremely blessed to have good health insurance coverage.  Our insurance company has paid every single claim we've submitted since my diagnosis, no questions asked.  But of course, they don't cover 100% of these costs.  We've been able, up until now, to pay our portion (or set up payment plans that we will eventually pay off).  It's been a juggling act, trying to make ends meet through this 14-month journey.  But we've been able to do it while keeping the roof over our heads.  It goes without saying that we've been able to see, first hand, just how devastating cancer can be to a family's financial security.

With the recent news that Philip's firm is transitioning to a new insurance company in a few weeks, we've been spending countless hours trying to assess the effects on my coverage.  While the actual benefits are quite similar to our former plan, the costs will be higher.  And, most important for us right now, they will not cover transplant-related housing.  I so wish that housing wasn't required.  I'd much prefer to be able to stay at home and recover with my family.  But, because of our distance to the UW Medical Center, it is an absolute requirement that I live in the city, no exceptions (believe me, I've tried!).  Our former insurance company granted us a generous housing allowance that would cover most of our lodging costs.  But that has now changed, and we are looking at having to fund over $10,000 for housing for the next 100 days.  With our moving day just days away, this has caused significant stress.

Friends have offered, from time to time, to set up a Go Fund Me account since my diagnosis.  We've politely declined because we felt that this was our responsibility, and that with our insurance coverage, we'd be able to sufficiently cover our medical costs.  However, we now have to set our pride aside, and ask for help.  It's not easy.  Sleep has been lost over this.  But I have to remind myself that the most important task at hand for us right now, beyond all else, is for me to exhaust any and every opportunity to extend my time here on this earth.  This transplant, while certainly not a guarantee of a successful remission, is my best chance at a few more years before we need to look towards the next treatment plan.  There are so many incredible therapies that are emerging on the myeloma front (many being studied and tested right here in Seattle)--I'm very optimistic that we'll have more and better options for treatment down the road.  The trick is to stay alive long enough so that I can potentially benefit from them.  That's my mission.  I don't want to leave my kids motherless while they're in elementary school.  Or middle school.  Or even high school.  The goal is to beat the statistics and odds; to take advantage of every treatment and myeloma therapy that I can possibly get my hands on.  I will do just about anything for more time.  Including asking for help.

We are so very grateful for our friends that set this fund up, and for each and every one of you who feel compelled to help us in this fight (click on link below to view the fund site).  The generosity of others is staggering.  I never thought I'd have to be on the receiving end of a fund like this.  But here we are, doing the best we can.  And we certainly couldn't do it without the help of all of you.  From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

Karen's GoFundMe page

On the road to transplant.

Somewhere within this country, a very generous woman is getting ready to start a series of injections this week that will prepare her body to donate millions of stem cells.  These cells will then be put on a plane, flown to Seattle, and transfused to me on Thursday, June 16th.  I don't know much about her yet--only that she lives in the U.S. and has a blood type of A+, which will become my new blood type after transplant (I'm currently O+).  I also know that she is beyond benevolent to give her time and energy (and blood) to help me extend my life.  It's hard to put into words how grateful I am that she, along with the many other stem cell/bone marrow donors, are so willing to help those of us who desperately need it.

I've spent the past two weeks going through my extensive pre-transplant work-up.  I've had just about every x-ray, scan, MRI and blood test possible.  They've tested all of my systems:  heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, bones, teeth--you name it, they've looked at it.  Plus, meetings with nutritionists, nurses, pharmacists and doctors.  I have to say, they are extremely thorough.  Fortunately, everything has checked out well and there are no concerns.

This week holds more of the same.  We have my final data review with my transplant doctor on Monday to go over the aforementioned tests; I have surgery on Tuesday to remove my chemo port and "install" my Hickman central line that will be a part of me for the next 3.5 months.  I'm not at all looking forward to having a line again--it's not terribly comfortable, and makes taking a shower a huge annoyance.  The rest of the week will be spent learning about my conditioning chemo and radiation that will begin next weekend.  Next Sunday, they'll start my three days of chemo, Wednesday will be a "rest" day, and then on Thursday (the 16th) I'll get a dose of full-body radiation, followed by the transplant later that day.

We will be moving into our Seattle apartment next Saturday.  We're on the waiting list at the Pete Gross building, which is where we lived last September/October.  We're hoping an apartment becomes available soon, but in the meantime, we'll be staying at the SCCA House.  Their apartments are much smaller and not as self-contained as Pete Gross, but it will serve it's purpose until we can  move to a more long-term apartment.  Both complexes are designed for SCCA patients, and are a very short distance from SCCA, which is where I'll be spending a lot of my time.

Surprisingly, the transplant is considered an out-patient procedure.  Half of their transplant patients get through the process without any hospital time, which is encouraging.  Last time, I ended up in the hospital immediately following my conditioning treatment (before the transplant actually happened) because the chemo made me so violently ill.  This time, my conditioning chemo is much more gentle and shouldn't cause me problems.  Hopefully I'll be able to get through the first couple of weeks out-patient.  Once the donor cells start doing their job, they may start to cause some problems for me.  If I spike a fever, or have any severe graft vs. host (GVHD) issues, they'll admit me to UW Medical Center.  This process will be a lot different than last time, and there's just no way of knowing what issues may arise over the next few months.  They do a great job of educating us and informing us of the possible outcomes, but we'll just have to see what we're dealing with.

On the home front, things are going great.  My parents are here for the duration, the kids are busy with end-of-the-year school activities, and they're making their summer plans.  I know it'll be tough when Philip and I leave next weekend, but I also know they'll do great.  We're looking forward to many visits in Seattle as I start to feel better post-transplant, and we'll all just try to take one day at a time.  I'm grateful that I've been able to be here these past couple of weeks to enjoy school BBQs, carnivals, field trips, open houses and all of the other fun stuff that has been happening.  It's a fun time of the year, and we're lucky to be able to enjoy it together.

Starting over.

Today is the day we start over.  Stem cell transplant, round two.  I've been looking forward to getting to this point, but at the same time, dreading every single thing it means.  On the "good" list--we're moving forward, hopefully heading towards a more successful treatment course.  I'm being aggressive, which, from the start, has been so very important to me.  I have too much to lose to NOT be aggressive.  I'm receiving treatment at one of the premier medical facilities in the country, with incredible physicians and medical staff.  They found a willing donor for me (not an easy task!).  My amazing team of caregivers is ready for action--my parents arrived on Sunday, and are ready to take over kids/house/life management.  Philip has cleared his schedule (we are blessed that his firm is so compassionate and supportive of us and our challenges).  Things are lined up, and we're ready to tackle this.

On the "not so good" side is the emotional/mental side of the situation.  I'm dreading the next two weeks of pre-transplant tests, scans, meetings, labs, biopsies, etc.  That's hard stuff.  Not necessarily physically hard (well, the biopsy isn't much fun), but it's more of a mental hard.  Especially since I feel like I just went through this whole process.  It's a wearying process.  It's a big lead-up to a huge procedure.  With constant reminders of just how risky the procedure is.  I'm scared.  Scared that something will go wrong.  Scared that the transplant may work, but that the donor cells will wreak havoc on my body and cause other long-term, serious problems.  Scared that the transplant won't work.  Just scared.

I'm also struggling with leaving my kids for the summer.  We knew this was coming, and we know that it's necessary.  And the logistics are all in place for everything to work smoothly.  The kids will be blessed to have a fun summer with Nana and Poppi.  They'll get to have a few trips to Portland to visit the cousins, they'll go to Black Butte and the beach for quick get-aways, they'll make all sorts of fun memories, and will be in exceptional hands.  But, I won't get to be with them.  As a mom, that's beyond tough.  As everyone else is counting the days until school gets out, and making fun summer plans with their families, I'm having to say good-bye to mine.  This summer will be long.  And hard.  I'll be counting the days until I can return home in September.  We'll get through it, but I can't help but be sad about all that I will be missing.  Three months is a long time.  I'll get to see the kids here and there for visits, depending on how compromised I am.  We know the beginning few weeks will be rough, but we're hoping that once my health is stabilized, we'll get to have more frequent visits.  Time will tell.  And I know I'm sacrificing this summer to hopefully have many more summers with my kids.  But right now, this one looms large.  I'm sad, and a little bit resentful.  Ok, I'm a lot resentful.  Some days I just want to scream that it's not fair.  It's not.  But that's ok.  It is what it is.  And we'll get through it.  And we'll try to smile and find joy.  It'll be there, just not exactly how I pictured it.

Today I meet my transplant team and get the ball rolling.  The rest of this week is filled with a multitude of appointments--we'll meet my attending transplant physician, have various tests (EKG, chest x-ray), lots of labs, meetings with social workers, nursers, pharmacists, and others.  All important steps to get to transplant day.  That's the goal.  And we'll get there.

The Plan

I'm not good at waiting.  Especially when I'm waiting for a plan.  I've been a planner all of my life.  I specifically remember studying my high school class schedule, planning how I was going to get to each class on time, sometimes coming up with alternate routes just in case my first plan didn't work (I also have a serious problem with being late to anything--it stresses me out).  You can say I'm a bit Type A.  I love a plan.  I love to know what's coming up, and I love to be prepared for it.  Since my cancer diagnosis, I've had to relinquish control over making plans.  I quickly learned that I don't get to plan much of anything.  The planning has turned into waiting.  Waiting to be told when to be at doctors' appointments.  Waiting to be given a chemo schedule.  Waiting to learn if they've found a stem cell donor.  Waiting for test results.  Lots and lots of waiting.  The waiting makes me cranky and frustrated.  It makes me start to doubt the course of treatment that we've chosen.  It gives me too much time to worry about what's ahead.

The past few weeks have been a waiting game--waiting to hear about my one potential donor, and waiting for a transplant time frame.  In the meantime, I've continued my chemo protocol--I just started my third cycle this Monday and Tuesday.  This week has been a bit harder as they increased my dosage.  I'm definitely feeling the effects now.  My numbers are still looking very good and stable--no cancer cells detected in my blood.  They're still in there, but they're being held down by the chemo and aren't causing problems.  That's great news, and exactly where we want to be as we head towards transplant.

The waiting finally came to an end yesterday when I got a call from my transplant coordinator.  The ball is rolling, and once it starts, it moves quickly.  I'll start my pre-transplant work-up on the 24th--this consists of two weeks of all-day, every-day procedures and tests to make sure that my body can tolerate the transplant.  I'll have yet another bone marrow biopsy, full-body x-rays, cardiac/respiratory/pulmonary tests, dental exams, MRIs, and another surgery to remove my chemo port (I had a port put in my chest in early March) and replace it with a Hickman central line that I'll have for three months.  All of this should be completed in early June, at which time I'll start the transplant conditioning.  This involves getting a chemo infusion for three consecutive days, followed by full-body radiation, and then the actual transplant which is scheduled for June 16th (dependent on the donor being available that week).  It's a lot to wrap my brain around, and will be a very busy few weeks of preparation.

In the middle of all of that, Philip and I will need to move to Seattle.  Once again, we'll have to procure housing that is closer to the hospital and SCCA.  Unfortunately, we live about 15 minutes too far south of the city.  The requirement is that we must be able to be at the hospital in less than 30 minutes.  We can generally do it in 45 (not in peak traffic), but they're very strict about this rule.  This time, we'll be required to stay in Seattle for 100 days.  That's a long time.  I'm really struggling with having to leave my kids for that long.  I'll see them, but not at home.  I'll miss the entire summer with them.  I'm trying hard to not dwell on this because when I do, nothing good happens.  It makes me so sad to miss this time with them.  My transplant is scheduled on their very last day of school.  I know I have to look at this as a temporary challenge, and that by giving up one summer with them, I'm hopefully going to have many more summers with them.  But that's hard to do.  I know I won't get to see them every day.  They'll be in great hands with Nana and Poppi, but I want to cry every time I think about not being here to tuck them into bed each night.  And I do cry.  There will be lots of tears.  But we'll get through it.

So, we have a plan.  I feel better knowing that, but it's all very overwhelming at this point.  We've done this before, and I know that the key is to take one day at a time.  I have my wonderful support system in place--my husband, my parents, my amazing local friends who are taking great care of us, my faraway friends who are ready to hop on a plane and come to help out whenever needed.  We'll get through this, and I hope and pray that we get through this with good results this time.  It's very risky, and very scary, but if there's a potential for a long remission, then we need to give this a try.  I remain optimistic that this will help me get some of the years I so badly want.  That's what makes it all worth it.

Life Lately

Ever since we returned home from vacation, life has been out-of-control crazy busy.  It's all good stuff (minus the two days a week of chemo), but we've all been running in different directions, trying to get to baseball games, riding lessons, gymnastics, piano lessons, and everything else in between.  It's hard to believe that April is almost over!

Here's a little bit of what's been going on...

Baseball

If you can't find us between now and late May, chances are that we're at the ball field.  The boys have three games a week (Philip is coaching Will's team), so the girls and I are getting good at making ourselves comfortable on the bleachers, cheering on our Crimson Knights.  I plan to take some pictures at each game, but always forget.  I have a few not-so-great ones of Will on the pitching mound.  He's doing great this year--he's had some power hits this past week and some great pitching innings.  The Knights don't have a stellar record right this second, but the season is young.

First Grade Music

Anna's class had their music program the other night.  It's always so fun to see the entire class perform.  No big surprise that she's among the tallest in her class and got to stand on the highest riser. And the best part?  Ice cream with her BFFs after the concert.

Ready to sign their hearts out.

Dessert with Haley and Gracie.

Doctors

We seem to be plagued with some mystery ailments around here lately and have been spending lots of time in doctors' offices (in addition to my multiple weekly appointments).  Poor Anna has been struggling with some low-energy symptoms and had to go through a very not-so-fun day of tests.  Lots of blood draws, and a couple of them didn't go so well.  Poor thing.  Hard for this mama to watch.  We're still trying to chase down the culprit and get her feeling like herself again.  And Olivia is battling fairly frequent migraines (a problem she shares with her sister and her Nana), so we're working on finding the right medication for her.  Hopefully both will get some relief soon.

Trying to stay entertained while feeling not-so-good during a five-hour day of testing.  She was a trooper!

A Girl and Her Horse

Olivia takes riding lessons each week with her horse (not ours--she gets to borrow him every week).  She's been riding a beautiful horse named Tristan for several months, but tonight she graduated to a bigger horse, Premoe.  She started riding almost a year ago and absolutely loves it.  It's so much fun to see the progress she's making.  I think her weekly riding time is very therapeutic for her.  I was never a big horse person growing up (unlike most girls, I think), but she is passionate about them.  I'm grateful that she's found something that makes her heart happy and that she looks forward to every week.  And I've promised her that we will never, ever buy her a horse.  I'm still trying to wiggle my way out of promising her a dog.  And I'm failing.

Olivia and Premoe.

Leavenworth

With our busy days and very little family time these past two weeks, we decided to carve out a day to spend together.  We've wanted to visit Leavenworth for years now, and finally decided it was time.  Last Sunday we piled in the car and took a day trip.  It was a gorgeous day, and we were there in two hours.  Such a pretty drive.  And I was amazed at the scenery once we got there.  This little German-esque town, sitting at the bottom of snow-capped mountains.  It truly felt like we had traveled to Bavaria.  Leavenworth is a darling town.  We spent the day walking up and down the main drag, visiting pretty much every shop there was.  Actually, we ate our way through town.  We hit the cheese shop, the oil and vinegar shop, the candy store, the ice cream store, the sauce/jelly store (and yes, samples were consumed in each and every one).  Philip and I managed to sneak in some wine tasting while we made the kids sit and wait for us (is that bad?) and came home with a fabulous bottle of red.  We traipsed through multiple souvenir shops, and even found a store that Olivia hunted down that told us the meaning of our family name (a very German name, mind you).  Schmitt means blacksmith.  Who knew?  We ate lunch at a little bistro--Olivia and I stuck to the theme and had schnitzel and spaetzle.  Delicious!  It was a perfect day.  The kids loved it and can't wait to go back.  We're thinking maybe a winter trip next time, to see it decorated for Christmas and maybe get a snow fix.  It was a fabulous family day, and we enjoyed some much needed time together.

Gorgeous!

My babies.

Enjoying dessert on the town square.

The kids think we should move there.  Apparently they liked it.

Health Update

I continue to get my weekly chemo treatments.  Today I finished my second round and now get to enjoy a recovery week.  I still have to go back in tomorrow for my transplant intake appointment.  They're getting the ball rolling on my transplant and I'm hoping to learn more about the donor status.  I'm still feeling really good, which I don't take for granted.  I know that it is not typical to feel this good while going through chemo.  I'm so grateful for these drugs.  Not only are they allowing me to maintain my quality of life, but they're killing my cancer.  How blessed am I??  I should have updated blood results in the next couple of days and we're hoping to see even more improvement in my myeloma markers. My hand tremor has returned, and they're taking that very seriously.  But at this point, I don't want to make any changes.  I'm guessing the tremor will decrease during my week off--it seems to be very responsive to the chemo drug.  While on chemo, it flares up; while off treatment, it settles down.  It's not terribly impairing--I have a little trouble writing sometimes, and Anna wanted me to paint her toes the other day which was a fail, but I can manage most things just fine.  The priority is to kill the cancer.  And that's what we're doing.

Some sweet friends have gotten together and organized a stem cell donor drive at the kids' elementary school tomorrow.  My friend, Keri, is spearheading the effort and we're hoping to get a great turnout.  Through this journey, we've been made aware of the thousands of patients who are looking for bone marrow or stem cell donors.  This awareness makes me want to see something good come out of this horrible situation.  I truly believe that with every "bad," there comes some good.  And I'm hoping that this small effort will result in a lot of good.  We're working with Be The Match, an organization that manages the largest marrow/cell donor registry in the country.  The goal is to get people to join the registry--people who are committed to donating bone marrow or stem cells should they be determined to be a match for a patient in need.  I think this process can be a bit scary for those who don't have a lot of education or information about the process, but I'm hoping that those who come will have open minds and kind, giving hearts.  The process to join is very simple--just an easy cheek swab.  And the actual donation process differs, depending on whether or not the donation is marrow or cells.  But in both cases, with a little time commitment and some very temporary discomfort, a life is saved.  The chances of finding my donor in my little town of Maple Valley are extremely remote (although stranger things have happened!), so the goal isn't necessarily to find my donor, it's to raise awareness and stimulate the registry with a bunch of new potential donors.  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone who joins us tomorrow.

Vacation Recap

Spring Break 2016 is in the books, and it was one to remember.  I honestly feel that this Palm Springs vacation was our best one yet.  Maybe it's because I wasn't able to travel last year, so I had a greater appreciation this year.  Or maybe it's because traveling with our kids has gotten so much easier over the years.  After spending many vacations standing in the pool catching jumping kids, carrying them in and out of the pool, dealing with floaties and rings, it's a whole new world now that we have three kids who are strong swimmers and can take care of themselves in the water.  Or maybe it's just that I felt more "in the moment" this year, and tried to enjoy and absorb every minute of this treasured family time that I could.  I have to admit, as much as I try to fight the "bad thoughts", they still managed to crawl into my brain every so often.  Will I be healthy enough to travel next April?  Will I even be here next April?  Is this the last time I'll be able to share this tradition with my kids?  While I can't always control these thoughts, I'm smart enough to know to shut them down quickly.  I don't have the answers to these questions, but I know that there's nothing to gain by worrying about them.  My goal these days is to stay in the moment, and to not look too far forward.  Easier said than done, at times, but very important to remember.

We thoroughly enjoyed our week with my parents.  The kids swam daily--Anna became a professional mermaid with her new tail that my parents got for her.  Lots of football-catching, cannon-balls, a little Marco Polo (until the adults shut it down due to the annoyance factor), night swims, and hot-tubbing.  Poppi spent some time in the pool with the kids which is always a favorite.

At the airport, ready for vacation to begin!

Our little mermaid.

Poppi and his kids.

We hit up our usual spots.  On Sunday morning, we headed to the College of the Desert street fair to wander the shops.  I like to go check out the jewelry, sunglasses and kitchen gadgets.  The kids like to go for one reason, and one reason only--the freshly-made donuts with maple glaze and cinnamon sugar.

Donuts!

We made the tour of our favorite restaurants--Ruby's Diner, Las Casuelas Mexican restaurant, and our annual pilgrimage to In 'N Out.  Philip and I managed to squeeze in a date night and had an amazing dinner at the Ritz-Carlton.

Dinner at the Fish Market & Grill.

Mexican food (and margaritas) tradition at Las Casuelas.

Our annual In 'n Out fix--when will they open in Seattle?????

The kids' favorite--burgers at Ruby's, and our annual photo with Sonny Bono.

We spent one day at the Wet & Wild water park.  William went down just about every slide there was--even the huge 7-story vertical slide.  No thank you.  He survived to tell the tale, so all was good.

Water park!

On our last day, we went on a little hike in Indian Canyon.  Beautiful desert views, some small falls to explore, and groves of palm trees.

Walking to Starbucks for some pre-hike sustenance.

The falls at Indian Canyon.

Philip and I took Olivia out for a "drink" at one of the hot-spots in town one evening.  She was very amused when the waiter brought her a real margarita rather than a non-alcoholic one.  She's 12.  I know she looks older than her age, but really??

Olivia and her non-alcoholic cocktail.

But then I saw this photo and realized that she does look all grown up!  Where did my baby go???

Having fun on Palm Canyon Drive.

Mom and I escaped one afternoon for lunch and shopping.

Early morning flight back home.  Farewell, Palm Springs.

It was a fabulous week, and many memories were made.  The kids are very sad that they have to wait 365 days until they can return.  And I am, too.  But we're back to reality and looking forward to fun times ahead.