Cinderella...CinderBella!

The kids took a little vacation weekend run to Branson..Bella talked about it a lot yesterday! I had given her some spending money because she wanted to get Mommy and Daddy something. I told her their hotel had an ice cream shop so she was very excited about buying them all ice cream! Of course they didn't have her favorite (and her Daddy's favorite) mint chocolate chip..so she settled for chocolate with "yummy sprinkles"!

School work went very well yesterday and today! Bella tried her hand at painting on canvas this week. She has wanted to go to Pinots Palette or someplace similar..unfortunately most places don't have 4 year old painting classes...so Grammy set up our own painting place!  We had little table easels, music, and juice (instead of wine).. we had so much fun!  She thanked me several times for making our own special place to paint!

The new "Cinderella" movie arrived..by the time she came over she had already seen it twice!  Of course we were reenacting the various scenes Thursday and Friday!!  We were switching dresses constantly between "scrubber girl Cinderella" to "ball dress Cinderella" and "wedding dress Cinderella!!"...And  MUCH to her delight her new Cinderella dress arrived today!! She couldn't wait to get that one on!!  I did manage to get her out of it for her nap!  Today I had to be the "mean step-mother", and the prince! Of course when she went home tonight we hurried into her bedroom and changed into her new costume so she could be properly "presented" to Mommy and Daddy!  She is such a hoot!!

Today Bella baked a special cake for her Daddy because he had another doctor appointment today.  She asked me if I was sad today..I thought I was doing well at hiding it but I couldn't lie to her..not when I could easily have burst into tears at any moment today...and was able to do any crying when she was not looking...so I said I was worried.  "About my Daddy?" (Yes..I am worried about him.) "Me, too, Grammy. I worried, too".

Bryan has had some sort of virus for almost a month...started with a severe headache, fever, stiff neck. Doctor said just a virus...which he has been treating for a couple weeks...but then he ended up in the ER with what they said was pleurisy (caused by his unknown virus more then likely)...but while in ER they did chest x-rays and CTScans.  The CTScan showed multiple nodules in his lungs..A follow-up with his physician (and subsequent blood work) showed liver enzyme levels twice the normal level. A referral to a pulmonologist said his lungs sound clear and he aced his PFTs ..they are going to do a sweat-test (because of Bella's CF) next week and a PET Scan was ordered (which was today).  They aren't sure what the nodules are yet...(histoplasmosis is suspected)... So to say that I have been worried is probably an understatement.  The unknown factor is driving me insane.

So today Bella was my little comforter..she gave me lots of hugs and I gave her lots of hugs. If I looked "sad" she would come and give me a hug and kiss.  Nap time she put her arm around me and said "don't cry"...so much for me hiding it from her during the day!!  So I was really glad that her costume came in today and we were able to pretend to be in another place...a place where fairy tales come true and everything is perfect in the end!

Thank you, Bella..for being my comforter today!
I would have been very lost without her today!