Sep

Wanted to share this post with you from Ila Jeans Mom:

Today is the last day of September and the last day of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The thing is, that means nothing to the parents of children with cancer. We live this every day and feel the need to scream from the rooftops every day no matter what. Unless you've walked in our shoes, you don't know. However, we love you so very much for being there and supporting us and loving us on this journey. We couldn't get through each day without you, believe me. So I ask you this today and everyday, pray for us.Pray for the families that are missing their child so very much. The sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, grandchildren that are now angels in heaven. The sorrow they are engulfed in everyday is unimaginable. Their brave little souls left permanent footprints on our hearts and will never be forgotten.Pray for the children and their families as they fight for their lives in treatment. There are so many kids out there that are going through such harsh treatments. Some are doing great, others are fighting to stay alive for better treatments to come along. It is a never ending battle that is day in and day out. There are no breaks. The kids are robbed of their innocence and their parents stand helplessly by their side hoping for a miracle. Pray they get one.Pray for the survivors and their families. Pray that the cancer never returns. Although these kids are cancer free, it can return. NOt only can it return, they can develop other problems from all the treatments they've been through. The children can start living a 'normal' life again, but pray for their parents. The parents still struggle every day with worries. The "C" word always hanging over them with every little ache and pain. They will never look at their child the ame way again. Every little illness or injury will bring up the thought of whether or not they should go to the hospital or get a scan. Not what you would think with the average child. Please pray for peace of mind and for continued health for their child.To all of you. I pray that although you go on with your daily lives that may not include a child with cancer, that you still think of them and pray for them. That even though it is no longer Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, you still tell others about them so more people know and can pray for them too. It's such a tough "subject". No one wants to hear about sick children. The problem is, if no one hears about them, how will any one know they are there and need help? Don't wait until it's a child you love dearly.Thank you all for you continued love and support. Love, Jenny

Sawabona!

Deqlan, Keaton and Nanna having a ball playing together, Deqlan and Keaton are really playing nicely together now days! Deqlan is alot more tolerant of his cousin!


Conrad playing with Deqie

Deqlan loves this spelling game he got for his birthday from Megs - HE LOVES TO SPELL, he is so good at it!

Laying next to Grandpa a firm favorite spot at the moment

Had to share this photo- Nan is looking SO well and goes on walks every day with her nurse , we often see them on the road, Nan lights up outside!

Deqlan LOVES his romote control quad bike from Uncle Ken and Aunty Jenni!

Deqlan loves putting the characters from the Night Garden to bed. "Goodnight Igle Piggle. Goodnight Upsy Daisy, Good night Tombleeboos" Thanks Megs and Conrad, as you know Deqlan loves this gift!

Deqlan continues to adore Logan, he loves cuddling up with his sister!

Aren't they precious?

A gorgeous photo Megs took of Logan, she is growing up so quickly!

Deqlan on his birthday enjoying all the festivities!

Wanted to share this picture of Deqlan allowing the clown to paint his face - major stepping stone for him!

Deqlan and his Grandpa snoozing. When we go to sleep , Deqlan says " Good night, sleep tight, sweet dreams, God Bless!"

Sorry we have been a bit quiet! Deqlan is on school holidays this week so been busy enjoying him being at home for this week!

He has been on antibiotics, again, this time for a upper respiratory tract infection - its been brewing every since the Little leaps big walk - and was first treated as allergies. Deqlan had terrible reactions to the medicine - like clock work every night for 1 week, he woul cry and be upset and frustrated so we had to stop that! Then we tried paed coryx and corenza which has colourants in, we knew Deqlan would probably react, but we had to try something to dry up the sinuses when needed, let them run when needed and try and help with the cough. Then when asking the doctors if we should just let him cough for another 2 weeks, all three we asked said to leave it , we needed the rain to ease the allergies! Last week, we just where not happy with Deqlan coughing most of the night, lots of green coming from his nose, so off we went to our fantastic Dr Anne, who got Deqlan on an antibiotic as things were now infected. Thank goodness for Dr Anne. Deqlan has slept most nights the last week without coughing - still a bit of a runny nose, still a cough at times, but on the whole, please Lord, he is getting better!

This bug has hit everyone in the family - i have just finished a 4th round of antibiotics, mom has just finished her, Mark has just started, Dee has bronchitis, Megs is also on antibiotics now , Keaton an Khloe to!!!!!! Please Dear Lord send the rain to help clear all the bugs in the air so we can all get better!

Deqlan has been blossoming and taking more giant leaps the past few weeks. His love of different languages amazes us all. He is now speaking quite a few Afrikaans words and sentences , counting in Afrikaans and saying the entire alphabet in Afrikaans to. This is all thanks to chanel 307 Koowee - which has now also a zulu option - so you can only guess what i am going to type next - yip, Deqlan is picking up Zulu words to!!!! Its so cute to hear ' EWATCHI' for watch . Something that sounds like 'PIGGY' for scarf. He is to darn cute and clever!

His association is also fascinating - the way he is figuring things out, understanding things, remembering things - i am so VERY proud of you Deqlan!!

Deqlan also loves paging through his blog, be it on Nanna's laptop with a mouse or my laptop with the arrow keys or Dada's blackberry with his fingers navigating the keys , and when he has come to the bottom of the page he loves to say ' PUSH THE T TO THE TOP'

Another treat for Deqlan has become a trip to our local Zenex gas station. He loves the signage. 'SNACK SHOP. OPEN 24 HOURS' Whenever he gets upset or frustrated now he asks for the snack shop and off we go down the road and it immediately calms him!

Deqlan still adores school and his lovely teachers - he has been asking for Ayeline and Florie and Little Leaps and Penguin class several times this week and each day i have tried to explain everyone is on holiday, 6 more days, 5 more days etc. Shame , he seems to be ok with that now.

This weekend is Khloe's Christening and we are honored to be her Godparents. We promise Khloe to lead you and guide you as best we can , and to teach you all about Jesus who just loves and adores you more then you can imagine! We cant wait to see how beautiful you are going to look!

Please remember to go and vote in the Refresh Pepsi competition - only a few hours left , they are holding second place, and need to stay there till midnight tonight!

Also, tommorow is breast cancer awareness today so please put on your pink in support! I wish they would put the same amount of focus on childhood cancer - so many adverts, events, campaigns, we need the gold to have the same affect!

Saturday is Livestrong Day- please wear yellow in support of all Lance Armstrong continues to do to destroy cancer !!!

Have a great weekend everyone, promise not to be so quite!

God Bless, lots of love

Mark Samm Deqlan Logan

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

THEY NEED OUR VOTES NOW MORE THEN EVER

Taken from another survivors website:

Hello Friends, This is an urgent plea to vote in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge. Arms Wide Open Cancer Foundation was in 2nd place since Wednesday. 1st and 2nd place win a $250,000 grant from Pepsi!!! We were bumped into 3rd place by the USAction Education Fund. They propose to spend the money to educate people about the new insurance for young people 26 and under. It has no substance whatsoever, and is basically a scam, to get money for a political action group with its own agenda. Google it and see for yourself. Our children suffering from NB need this money desperately. September IS Childhood Cancer awareness month. I can't tell you how many children are needlessly suffering because the research money just isn't there. Parents whose kids are in treatment are holding bake sales, shaving their heads, organizing galas and golf tourneys to raise HOPE for their precious children. 250K is a lot of glasses of lemonade and every cent will go to research. So please help by VOTING and forwarding this e-mail to as many people as possible. Contest ends Thurs. Sept 30. That's up to 3 votes a day! Please vote every day. Vote via internet: (Make sure the vote counter in lower left goes from 10 to 9 after you click on "Vote for this idea.") You can vote for every email address you have, including your family.http://www.refresheverything.com/armswideopenchildhoodcancerfoundation You can also download facebook app to right of page and vote again. Vote via texting: Text Pepsi at phone # 73774 and enter 102653 in message box. Thank you so much for giving us HOPE, All the NB parents, fighters, and angels

Exactly who Deqlan is

We had our family photo shoot with Lisa over the weekend and we are beyond delighted at the gorgeous photos she produced. THEY CAPTURE EXACTLY WHO DEQLAN IS! His beautiful and gorgeous and gentle personality shining through in each and every photo . Thank you Lisa, as you know , we love them! Hope you all enjoy as much as we do looking at our photos!

'mwah' Deqlan has started blowing kisses and saying 'mwah' To precious for words!

'we going to the zoo tommorow'

On Saturday night Deqlan told us ' we going to the zoo tommorow' and we said What a great idea! Normally , its tradition to take Deqlan to the zoo on his birthday and then have his party the next day - but his birthday fell on a Saturday this year! We decided to give a new zoo a go, Lory Park Zoo in Midrand. Not as big as our Pretoria or Johannesburg zoo, but just as lovely - you get to see the animals real close up and get to interact with them on a very close up level One of my favorite - the lemurs - we got some lovely fruit to feed them and they take is ever so gently from your hands - such soft and delicate little hands!
I loved watching Deqlans interest in the animals - our last visits to the zoo have been more entertaining due to the golf carts more then the animals, BUT THIS TIME, Deqlan was interacting and enjoying them to!!! Such a blessing to see this improvement, He really loves animals at the moment!

His favorite was the Koi fish !

The magnificent black jaguar, Deqlan very casually walked passed his name board and read

' BLACK JAGUAR'

Magnificent Puma

This gorgeous white tiger had just moved into his new spot at the zoo, we actually walked with him to his new home!

Gorgeous Lynx - Deqlan loved looking ath them and coutning them saying " two lynx"

I think this spectacular car has become a firm favorite with me, just after dolphins, this has to be one of God's most beautiful creatures

This spider monkey sure put a smile on my face!

A 4 month old white baby lion having his milk bottle, two gorgeous for words!!

Everybody together now , 'aaaaaaawwwwww'

Deqlan loved giving this little red parrot some pears and apples - could ask Deqlan to try another fruit , it could only be pear or apple!

"Iguana!"

Back at the Koi!

A Meerkat- always cute!