Life on the West Coast

So, recently we got a new addition to our family.

It's our new kitten Socks. Jaymi found him at Bosley's Pet Store among a bunch of teeny little rescue kittens. He was 9 weeks old and is from an organization that rescues cats and kittens, and offers them up for adoption.

He is adorable, and playful, and Jaymi named him Socks - for obvious reasons (his white paws).

In the past year, Jaymi has become so understanding and loving towards our other cats, especially Cookie. She has been incredibly gentle and caring with Cookie. She has put a lot of time and effort towards trying to train Cookie, and she is constantly reading up on cats, learning how to read their body language, learning about how to carry a cat properly, and learning what is good and bad for them.

We knew that this was now the perfect time to get Jaymi 'her own' cat.

This kitten is her responsibility (that was actually her idea). She deals with the litter all by herself, she refreshes his water, she tops up his dry food and feeds him wet food twice a day. She also spends time training him and playing with him.

She is amazing with him! Even when she goes somewhere (like Gramma's house overnight) she writes instructions out and assigns someone to his care while she is gone.

She has really bonded with this kitten too.

They sleep together every night. He sleeps on her bed, curled up against her. It's so cute!

She gives him little sponge baths (one of them was a bit too much water!),

she held him tight while the vet gave him a vaccination,

and she has learned (with Mark) how to clip his claws.

He is growing fast and is now 16 weeks old, and as cute as ever.

Well, I have neglected this blog for many months now, beginning when Jaymi went in for her second brain surgery to attempt removal of her tumour. Since then, I have concentrated only on my 365 Project blog (http://appreciating-every-day.blogspot.com/), which I am still posting on.

I have been wanting to get back into this blog, to be able to post more than JUST my 365 photo every day, and to be able to talk about whatever I feel like - recipes I've tried, crafts/gifts I've made, experiences I've had, lessons I've learned, etc.

So I am going to attempt to post again, on this blog.

And I'm going to ask two favours from you:
1. Please sign up as a follower if you haven't already, so that my updates will go to your email inbox, and please remember to click on any link in the email you receive, so that you can view each post the way it was meant to be viewed - NOT through your email.
2. Please comment whenever you can. Jaymi and I both love comments, and anything is fine. Even if it's just a very short opinion, observation, or your two-cents-worth.

Okay.....so I'll begin with an update of the last 5 months.

BRAIN SURGERY:

Jaymi had her second brain surgery to attempt removal of her brain tumour. There were good results, although not the best results possible - most of her tumour was removed, but there is still some tumour that the neurosurgeons cannot touch because of the location - the brain stem area. Her recovery was quick and amazing from this surgery. She is doing amazing - you'd never know by looking at her, that she has been through this ordeal.

Most of Jaymi's grandparents were there for this surgery.

Getting ready for surgery.....

In the ICU recovering.....

a visit from Sarah, her favourite counsellor at Camp Qwanoes.

Jaymi was pretty depressed after surgery, for quite a while. It took a long time for her to snap out of it.

Walking again for the first time after surgery.....

Leaving the hospital.

2-1/2 months after surgery, her scar looks amazing!

We went back in May, for Jaymi's 3-month MRI,

to see if there was any re-growth at that point.

There wasn't - yay!

We had the opportunity to stay at the Ronald McDonald House and it was so much fun and so much more relaxing. What a great place!

TAEKWONDO:

She had to take 3 months off of taekwondo, which was like torture for her. She insisted on going to almost all of the classes anyway, simply to watch and learn.

She caught up very quickly, was able to do some private lessons during her 3rd month off, and then was back into the classes when she was given the go-ahead.

Soon after that, she earned her green belt,

and last month, her purple belt.

BALLET:

She also had to take about a month off of ballet but was happy to get back to the classes after that. And in June she auditioned for The Nutcracker ballet (showing in December at the McPherson Theatre) - a real ballet with a real ballet company! And she earned a role - she will be a snow flurry! So exciting. :)

SCHOOL:

Jaymi finished grade 3

with fantastic grades and an award of courage.

She participated in the Eco Club this year,

the Running Club, and Faith Girls Club.

1.5 K RACE:

Towards the end of the school year, Jaymi (along with most of the Running Club members and her teacher) achieved another great accomplishment. She ran a 1.5 km run, which was part of the Times Colonist Run (she was in the Kids' Fun Run). As she crossed the finish line, my eyes teared up. I couldn't believe she is well, and happy, and running a 1.5 k run after going through brain surgery!

FUNDRAISER:

We did our 2nd annual fundraiser for BC Children's Hospital, and it was even bigger this year. Jaymi's taekwondo school got involved, as did her elementary school. We were happy that this year, we got the chance to direct all of the funds raised, to the Pediatric Brain Tumour Research Fund!

We raised a total of $5,503.17 !

SUMMER:

Our summer so far has been good. Jaymi has been having lots of fun with old and new friends,

such as Zoe,

Connor,

Bubba,

Emma,

Madison,

Gareth & Kaytlyn,

and she got to be in the Langford Days Parade with her taekwondo classmates (in the rain)!

We've been biking,

Of course, Jaymi has been reading a ton. She joined up with the library summer reading club again (I think this is her 4th year) and was thrilled, recently, to find a Special Edition Warriors book (her favourite series right now) that was over 500 pages long!