Champions!!

Look at this awesome team! Dominic's team was really great this year...so many boys improved and they played as a team...and they had great coaches (Joe being one of them). Here they are with their FIRST place trophies after today's game. Go Blackhawks!!

Never in a million years...

While much of what I choose to put on this blog is about the fun times we have together and with our awesome families, it feels right to post something about what has been consuming me lately. My mom's leukemia diagnosis. Really? My mom has leukemia? I really can't believe that's what is going on in our lives now. I've spent my entire child life career helping cancer patients and their families, I just never imagined I'd have to help my own family through it. My dad's treatment was so different, but the treatment my mom is going through is so much what I know from my previous life experience.
Don't get me wrong, I value that experience because I feel like I can prepare the family for what to expect and where there are gaps, Steven is amazing at filling in the details (because of his career and previous life experience). Knowing what to expect is only part if this, knowing what I will feel...impossible to predict. I don't think I even wanted to think about it as real...until the second bone marrow and that's when the emotional roller coaster finally had gotten to the top of the first summit...and down the hill we go! This whole month has been a roller coaster of emotions...and most of you know I do NOT like roller coasters!
At the bottom of that first hill was the looming "hair loss". My mom's hair was slowly coming out, but she still had quite a bit of hair...which was driving her crazy all over the pillows, her clothes, and the room. So last night I did something I never in a million years thought I would do:
I. shaved. my. mom's. head.
And you know what, we laughed (thank you Amanda!!), we cried, and we moved on to the next fight in this war. Fortunately for my mom, she has a beautifully shaped head and she looks great bald! Not saying it was easy to see...for us or for her...but all things considered-- she's bald, she's beautiful, and she's bad a$$!

Chicago Conference

This past weekend, in the midst of all the other "stuff" going on in the Sexton world, the annual Child Life Conference was held in Chicago. Many months ago, one of my coworkers (Brooke) and I submitted an abstract for a presentation...and we were accepted! On Saturday, we gave an awesome "Humanism in Medicine" presentation...and in my opinion, we knocked it out of the park! I was so happy with the way the whole thing went and I couldn't be more proud of Brooke!! To think it was less than 5 years ago that she was giving her intern presentation to our staff and here she is presenting on the national stage--well done Rookie:)

Brooke and I, less than an hour before our presentation.

The other exciting thing about this conference is that our entire staff had the opportunity to go because of the location! We had a great time with one another and I'm sure there were lots of memories made (I can't help but think of Hope in the backseat of the convertible with the top down...on the highway:)!!) We also had a nice time relaxing AFTER the presentation and I'm pretty sure all of the folks at P.J. Clarke's loved our group too:)

Amber and I...AFTER the presentation...gotta love my work spouse:)

Storytime

Steven and I had a great time having dinner with the Gockley's on Friday night. It was nice to catch up and see the kiddos again too. I think my favorite part of the night was story time. L read me a story (I know, can you believe it?!?) about Star Wars. Then I read everyone a cute story about getting married.
It was a super time and we can't wait to have them over later this summer!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to two of the greatest moms-- Mary & Sharon :)
Our Mom's really are wonderful women and we are lucky to have them in our lives. Thank you for being great!
(This is a photo from our wedding, just after they lit the candles for the unity candle)

T-Ball at it's best...

The kids get a chance to hit before using the tee. Andrew was knocking into the outfield:)

E I E I O....

In honor of Joe's birthday, I thought I'd post a little about the farm.

So this farm season is turning into a bigger endeavor than we expected!! Dominic is old enough for 4-H, so he's starting his 4-H career with PIGS!! He'll probably show 3 of them, but we have 8! Dominic also REALLY wants chickens, so be on the look out for the next chapter of farming attempts!

Last season we had good luck with our cattle co-op, so we thought we'd try again...little did we know that we'd miss the mark on cattle, so we've had a little trouble finding the right size for the right price. So, for now we are going to work on growing our own little herd:) She doesn't look pretty right now, but this little heifer has been very nice and calm around us. I wonder what the boys will decide to name her (hopefully something better than Blade the Cat...but that cat is pretty ugly, so I guess the name fits).

This gal should have a calf to add to the mix in July or August!


Of course, I can't forget a picture of our little farmer in training.
..if he could join 4-H, I'm sure he would!!

Andrew, the pig whisperer...these little guys are MUCH bigger now!