Collecting Memories of Sarah

In honor of Sarah's third birthday, our family is compiling memories of her. Do you have a memory of Sarah? Just leave a comment below. Thank you!

Sarah was laid to rest on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 in the Provo, Utah Pioneer Cemetery. The previous night brought a blanket of white snow which covered the ground. The snow continued to fall throughout the morning. However, as we traveled to the cemetery following the Memorial service the clouds opened to blue skies and warm rays of sunshine.

Sarah's Passing

Brian and I held our dear little Sarah in our arms as she passed away this morning. We are so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who blessed Sarah with a peaceful passing. As we mourn the loss of a valiant child, our family feels comfort and love from family and friends.

Update on Sarah

Sarah is rapidly declining. She can no longer walk, her vision is impaired, her voice is weak and she prefers lying down to sitting. The doctor believes that she has developed the condition of Hydrocephalus ("Water on the Brain").

Sarah still finds joy and comfort in baby Caroline, warm cookies and milk, her favorite stuffed toys and soft blanket. Our family is experiencing sadness as we watch our little girl and sister weaken and decline. The nurse and doctor have provided her with medications so that she is not in pain. We continue to feel strength, love, and increased faith from the many prayers offered daily in our behalf.

An Answered Prayer

This morning Brian offered a tender prayer that our burdens and heavy hearts would be lifted this day. He asked if ministering angels would help bring us relief and love. My heart is full of thanks and gratitude, for this prayer has been answered...

1. A dear friend and her daughter called to send love and hugs long distance.
2. A kind friend volunteered to watch Caroline so that I could have a lunch date with Nathan.
3. Another friend phoned while at the grocery store offering to bring groceries to our family. She showed up on the doorstep minutes later with Sarah's favorite yogurt covered raisins and a loaf of warm homemade bread.
4. Another friend called to ask if she could bring our family dinner tonight.
5. A caring Relief Society sister called and left an encouraging message.
6. Diligent visiting teachers came by for a visit, bringing with them a delightful wooden birthday cake for Sarah and an inspired message to lift me.
7. A teacher at the elementary school asked me if she could drop by Nathan and Maren's favorite meal sometime soon, Mac and Cheese!
8. One more time the phone rang with yet another offer to bring a meal in for dinner tomorrow, chicken noodle soup.

I am learning so much from my dear friends and neighbors who willingly and lovingly serve our family. How blessed we are to have ministering angels on the earth to aide and bring comfort to our hearts.

Today I have been reminded of a recent address from Elder Jeffery R. Holland. He testified, "My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. Nor will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man (or one woman or child) upon the face thereof to be saved."

Thanksgiving

We have enjoyed a week in Utah visiting family members and eating a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. The children have loved reuniting with cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles! We are so thankful for this special time with family.

While looking through a box of photographs, I was reminded of many memories our family has made throughout the year. I am thankful to have record of such special events and memorable moments.

Uncle Greg and Kristen's wedding in Mesa, Arizona

A Saturday at Stewart Beach in Galveston, Texas

A visit to Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah

Nathan's baptism

The birth of Caroline Grace.

Dear Family and Friends,

In response to many recent questions about Sarah's health, here is a brief update.

Sarah continues to show the increasing effects of her brain cancer. On the positive side, she no longer has to take steroids or other medication. She has returned to being her natural happy self albeit with limited ability to walk and lack of energy. On Tuesday morning, we visited the funeral home to select her casket and start plans for her funeral. Despite it being a very uncomfortable task, we are thankful we have the time to make these plans in advance. When the time comes, we plan to hold a viewing and funeral here in Houston and then forward the casket to Utah for another viewing and burial near our extended family.

This week, Sarah began to receive the services of Hospice (home health care). Weekly visits from a nurse and monthly check-ups with the doctor will help us in caring for our little one.

Again, thank you all for your concern and prayers in our behalf. Our family benefits greatly from your show of support.

Sincerely,
Brian & Christine

This afternoon Sarah asked if I would put Caroline on her bed. She carefully took off the baby's socks and explained that she was going to be her Mama for the day.

Hook 'em Horns!

On Saturday, October 25, the Giles brothers/cousins/brother-in-law/buddy celebrated our annual Mancation (man + vacation = Mancation) at a University of Texas football game in Austin. Thanks Bart, Greg, Mark, Allen, Nick and Todd for the good times! Our traditional pre-game meal at Pappasito's Tex-Mex and post-game wings at Pluckers are always must-haves. And the winning streak continues! Texas beat Oklahoma State 28-24! When the Giles bunch is attending, the Longhorns are now 4-0. As an added good luck charm, Nathan "Nate Skate" Giles came along. This 8-year-old quickly became a fan favorite as he bodysurfed after each touchdown. The game ball goes to you, pal!

Brian

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Best Friend Friday

Sarah's dear friend, Ashley Sallaway, drove the distance from their new home in Dallas to Houston for a play date on Friday. What fun the girls had dressing up as princesses, playing in the back yard, making a trip to the mall for lunch and "Build a Bear"! Ashley and Sarah met during the summer of 2006. Since that time they have enjoyed two years of friendship. The girls reunited on Friday with big smiles and hugs, picking up just where they left off...laughing, playing, and snacking together as only toddlers could. It was such a wonderful day to see my little girl as a happy, playful child instead of a patient. She is now asking for more playdates this week and that is just what Dr. Mom has ordered!

Sisters

Sarah adores her new little sister Caroline. She loving calls her, "Oh, Caroline." This afternoon the baby gave her first smile to Sarah.

Last month we endured 15 days without electricity. No more cooking under the light of lanterns or changing diapers at night with a flashlight! These were certainly difficult days, however lessons were learned and I am now much more appreciative of air conditioning and our washer and dryer (as well as all other modern conveniences)! After a week with power, I feel the home and yard are once again in order and life is running rather smoothly.

Yesterday Sarah had an appointment with her Oncologist at Texas Childrens'. Her symptoms from the tumor seem to be increasing. We are learning to live with effects of steroids. Constant need to eat, fatigue without sleep, sensitivity and irritability to name a few. Early this morning (1:30am) Brian and I awoke with a plea for pancakes and syrup. Knowing that we could not convince Sarah to go back to sleep, we pulled ourselves out of bed and served her a warm breakfast. Between Sarah's midnight snacks and Caroline's feedings we are learning to live on little sleep.

Thank you dear friends for the kind and encouraging words you write. Your prayers continually bless us. How thankful we are to have such support.

A picture of the 50 ft. tree that fell into our backyard during the night of IKE. Thanks to the missionaries and friends from church, the tree is no longer there.

Major Life Event #3 (aka Hurricane Ike)

And the hits keep coming....Hurricane Ike crashed our area at 11 p.m. Friday night and did not fully leave until about 12 p.m. Saturday afternoon. We chose to "hunker down" (that's the new Texas catch-phrase borne by the hurricane) at home through the storm. Friday night/Saturday morning (9/12, 9/13) we could feel the walls and windows pulsating as the hurricane passed over us. Rain was blowing horizontally against our windows. It literally felt like we were in a vacuum and that the house would explode any minute. Fortunately, the storm passed and we had no damage to home or family--just some major landscaping issues. We had a 50-foot oak tree uprooted and tossed into our backyard. The tree missed our house by about 6 inches.

When we woke up the next morning, the outside view looked like a bomb had hit. Huge trees and power lines were down everywhere. Roofing was torn off some homes and trees had crushed brick walls. Power poles had been snapped in half. We lost electrical power about 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning. With no air conditioning late in the Houston summer, we quickly became hot and sweaty and cranky. Our neighbor saw us on Sunday afternoon and reported that he was able to stand in line for six hours at Lowe's and bought 1 of about 200 generators they had left. Figuring our "ox was in the mire", we quickly drove to another Lowe's location and happened to arrive just as a shipment of generators was arriving. I was given a ticket by the store attendant for generator #79 out of 200. After about 1 1/2 hours, I emerged with a generator, some extention cords, more gas cans, and a big fan.

Over the next few days, few stores were open and gas stations were either completely empty of gasoline or did not have electricity to power the pumps for the gasoline they had. We had 10 gallons of reserve gasoline for the cars. However, we needed that gasoline to power the generator (which kept our refrigerator, chest freezer, and fan going) and, even then, the gas would power the generator less than 20 hours. On Monday morning, no one in the city of Houston knew where and when gas would be available. After some family prayers, I left home and drove around Houston looking for a station that had gas. After about an hour, I stumbled on a truck stop that actually had fuel! I waited in line for about an hour and was able to fill up the car and 30 more gallons of gasoline in other containers. In our eyes, this was a major miracle and answer to prayers. As I filled up at the station, I talked with people who had come from 30-40 miles away to find gas.

Baby Caroline seems to be taking the heat better than anyone. I guess she's used to being in 98.6 degree temperatures, right? Thursday night, a neighbor dropped off a small window air conditioning unit that could be powered by our generator. Huge help! The kids slept a lot better and actually felt a little cold in the morning!

On Sunday, our ward held church for the first time since the storm. Since the church building still did not have power, we held sacrament meeting in the dark. The only light came from windows in foyers and classrooms. A few families brought flashlights and lanterns from home. We used a lantern at the pulpit for conducting and for the sacrament. The pianist had her little boy sitting on the bench beside her with a flashlight in his hand so she could see the music. We had to quickly choose hymns known by everyone because the congregation couldn't see the words in the hymnbooks. Those of us wearing suits were soaked in sweat. It was an experience that will be hard to forget.

Without electricity, doing laundry has become a little more complicated. Our generator can run our washer but not the dryer. After trying numerous methods to wash and dry clothes, Christine decided to try a local laundromat. Her experience, shall we say, was less than satisfactory. After waiting in a long line (I see a theme developing), she managed to get all clothes washed. Oh, and the laundromat had no air conditioning (theme #2) and she had three children and a nursing baby with her (theme #3) and no place to sit (I'm losing count now). Final nail in the coffin--when she pulled out her husband's batch of white clothing from the washer, she also pulled out....(any guesses?)......TA DA! A pair of gray XXL women's underpants! Hint--they didn't belong to me or her or the kids. At that point, waiting in another line to dry the clothes wasn't happening. I don't believe the laundromat will be receiving any of Christine's future business.

Finally, the good/bad news: Good We're going to get power! Bad Not until Sunday.

Brian

Announcing Caroline Grace

Sunday, September 7, 2008

4:50pm

7 pounds

18 inches

A beautiful, content little girl has joined our family!

Baby Caroline has filled our hearts with joy and gladness.

A Note of Thanks

Dear Family and Friends,

Your support and love at this time means a great deal to our family. Your letters, emails, blog posts and sweet packages have brought smiles and comfort. I wish I had more time to personally call or write each of you, to thank you for the love and help you are blessing us with. Because of your prayers Brian and I feel that this heavy burden to carry has been lifted off our shoulders. We have been given the strength and patience required to care for our Sarah and maintain a healthy, happy household with all three children. Please know that your kind words and acts of love do not go unnoticed or unappreciated. I have prayed in your behalf that the Lord will pour out blessings upon each one of you for the service, the compassion you have shown us.

Much love and appreciation,
Christine

Precious Sarah

We have made a decision regarding Sarah. As we counseled with physicians and prayed for guidance, two facts became very clear. Due to the characteristics of Sarah's tumor, doctors could not remove it and we had no good option for successfully treating it. In addition, any treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiation) would have caused her much more pain and would only prolong her life for a very brief time. Therefore, we have decided not to do any treatment and, instead, savor every moment we have with our little girl.

Coming to this conclusion has been the most difficult decision of our lives. However, we feel absolute peace and assurance that this is the best path for Sarah. We have felt the strength of your diligent prayers and fasting on Sarah's behalf. Our family will continue to need those prayers in the coming days and months.

Sarah's Diagnosis

This morning we met with medical personnel regarding the outcome of Sarah's brain biopsy. Unfortunately, the news was not good. Sarah's brain tumor is cancerous (or malignant) and is officially called an "Anaplastic Astrocytoma". The type and location (thalamus region) of this tumor are very rare, especially for a child of Sarah's age. Therefore, it has no certain cures.

Doctors have counseled us that the best treatment options (chemotherapy and radiation) present a very low probability of eliminating this tumor. Because of Sarah's age, treatment would likely start with chemotherapy followed by radiation in approximately six months. Side effects of such treatment could include learning disabilities, lower IQ, and other cognitive effects. If the tumor reoccurred after radiation treatments, then Sarah would have no chance of recovery.

Based on the characteristics of the tumor and side effects of cancer treatments, doctors also mentioned that we may consider not going through any treatment at all. This option would boil down to a decision on Sarah's quality of life. Although Sarah would only have six months to live, her quality of life would be much higher during that time.

We will be discussing these treatment options more over the coming days. As you can imagine, these decisions are extremely difficult and continue to be a matter of prayer. In the end, we know that the path chosen will be the best for Sarah.

Thank you for your continued prayers and words of support.

Sarah

We are so grateful for your prayers, fasting, love and concern for our sweet little Sarah and family. Thank you for the loving support you are giving us at this time. We have been strengthened by your emails, letters, packages and phone calls. We feel comfort from above and all around us. We know that Heavenly Father is watching over us and dearly loves our Sarah.

Baptism Day

A very special day was August 9, 2008 when Nathan was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This was a day we had planned, prepared for and looked forward to for well over a year. He wanted to share this day with his Grandparents and Cousins. Months ago we purchased tickets to fly home to Utah so that family and friends could join us to celebrate this happy, memorable day.

Happy 8th Birthday Nathan!

We celebrated Nathan's 8th birthday on Sunday, August 3rd. It's hard to believe eight years have past since his birth. What a special day it was for our family. How fortunate we are to have such a special, sweet boy in our family. Nathan enjoyed the unwrapping of gifts (Cub scout gear and manual, a Book of Mormon with his name imprinted on the front, an art kit, a tie for baptism day, and a couple of Nintendo DS games). In the evening we enjoyed a nice meal prepared by Grandma and an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins. We love you Nathan!

Jones Family Reunion

Few things can top spending a Summer evening in the beautiful Utah mountains. Our family enjoyed reuniting with our Jones aunts, uncles and cousins at a cabin located in secluded Hobble Creek Canyon. The peaceful setting and prime temperature provided such enjoyment for all. Nathan, Maren and Sarah each took a turn with Grandpa catching fish from a well-stocked pond. I had a wonderful time catching up with cousins! All 60+ of us gathered together for dinner on a large covered patio. Fun outdoor activities and more visiting followed our meal. As we drove home I could not help but feel such gratitude and love for my dear family, grandparents and great-grands who have blessed my life in so many ways.

Trip to Galveston Beach

On Saturday we packed up the swim gear, sand toys, lunch, and kids and headed to Galveston to enjoy a day at the beach. What made it even more special is that our cousin Amelia joined us! There was plentiful sunshine and sand at the beach. We had a great time in the waves, making sand castles, collecting shells, and relaxing under our shaded tent that Brian set up for us. We all got a nice sunburn and came home with sea shells and loads of sand in the car. This trip will definately be one of our favorite Summer of '08 memories!

Happy Fourth of July!

Sleeping Beauty

I may be a big girl, but please don't take away my afternoon nap.

Super Sarah!

Sarah is sailing through her 2nd year. Last week marked two major milestones in her young life. First, she transitioned so well from crib to bed. Second, she potty trained and is now diaper-free! As her mother I am so proud and grateful for the inspiration to help her transition from toddler to "big" girl! She seems so happy with her new found freedoms with the bed and talents with the toilet. Her favorite part about going to the bathroom is the hand washing. It tickles me to watch her place the towel neatly to the side of the sink when she is finished with hand drying. Now, if we can just work on her obsession with the two pink blankies...

Summertime Boredom Buster!

Want to cure boredom and bring smiles to little faces?
Make playdoh!

Best Ever Playdoh
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons oil
4 teaspoons cream of tarter
2 cups water
drops of food coloring

Combine all ingredients and cook on low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when it thickens and knead on floured surface (older kids can knead). Store in airtight container.

This hot Houston weather has Nathan wishing for snow,

so that he can make snow angels next to Frosty.

Sarah and Maren enjoy making cookies to bake in their playdoh oven.

Happy Birthday Maren!

Today we celebrated our six year old by inviting six friends over for a baking birthday party. The little ladies made "Cat Paw Pizzas" and "Ladybugs on a Stick." To end on a sweet note, they dipped pretzel rods into chocolate and sprinkles. They had a wonderful time together making and baking their lunch.

As I think of Maren's first six years, I am grateful for what she has taught me. She has blessed my life in many simple ways, here are six:
1. Her sweet disposition and sensitivity toward others
2. Her desire for order and cleanliness
3. Her spunky, energetic personality
4. Her desire to make good choices
5. Her ambition and excitement to learn new things
6. Her love for Nathan and Sarah

PARTY RECIPES

Ladybugs On A Stick
Strawberries
Purple or Green Grapes
Wooden Skewers
1 package mini-morsel chocolate chips

Directions:
Place a wooden skewer, sliding it all the way to the end of the stick. That is the ladybug’s head. Next, place a strawberry on the skewer, stem end first, and slide it down to touch the grape. This is the ladybug’s body. Lay the ladybug down and carefully push the pointed end of several chocolate chip mini-morsels into the strawberry to make the ladybug’s spots. Repeat until stick is full.

Cat Paw Pizzas
(Makes 8)
1 can large sized biscuits
8 pepperoni slices
Grated cheese
Pizza sauce (optional)
Bell Pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Snip 4 cuts on one edge of each biscuit with scissors to form “cat toes.” Flatten out biscuits, pull toes apart. Put on optional pizza sauce. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and finish with a pepperoni slice on the top of cheese. Add optional pepper claws at the tip of each toe. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Candy Coated Cat Tails
1 pound melting chocolate
1 bag large pretzel rods
Assorted sprinkles

Melt chocolate according to package directions. Dip or drizzle candy coating on pretzel rods and decorate with lots of sprinkles.

Pickin' Blueberries

To celebrate the first day of Summer vacation the kids and I drove to Conroe, TX to pick blueberries at Moorhead Farms. The 40 minute drive from our home was well worth it! The children and I had such a good time and worked hard picking berries for our family. I was surprised how easy and enjoyable this task was (even for a toddler). The ripe blueberries came right off the branches, falling into our hands as we combed through the thick bushes. Nathan and Maren commented, "I sure wish Daddy were here" and "This is fun." From Sarah, "Yummy blueberries Mama!" We came away with four pounds of beautiful berries and honey straight from the farm. It's official, a family tradition in June will be pickin' blueberries!

A homemade treat we've enjoyed with our berries:

Down to Earth Granola

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1-1/2 cups sliced almonds or chopped pecans (we prefer pecans)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl mix the oats, nuts, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir well. In a saucepan warm the honey and oil. Whisk or stir in vanilla. Carefully pour liquid over at mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish mixing by hand. Spread granola in a 15 X 10 X 1 inch baking pan (cookie sheet). Bake 40 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes. Allow granola to cool completely. Remove granola from pan into an airtight container or plastic bags. Store at room temperature for 1 week or freezer for 3 monthes. Makes 9 cups.

The Sound of Music

Maren had her first piano lesson today. She has been plucking away ever since, trying to perfect her pieces to perform during Family Home Evening tonight. She shows such excitement and self motivation in learning how to play! I have thought of Grandpa Giles and how proud he would be of his granddaughter, I hope he has caught a glimpse of her and listened in today. Maren has asked several times, "Can I practice the piano?" I have explained that she does not need to ask for permission to practice! From the kitchen I hear her clap the counts then play away with her small, steady fingers. Her dance classes have introduced her to rhythm and counting which are helping her transition into music. Her simple repertoire of songs have filled our home with happiness today.

Grandpa and Grandma Come to Town!

Grandpa and Grandma came for a visit this week. It's Spring Break in Houston and the kids are out of school! Our Spring weather could not be more beautiful. The trees and flowers are in bloom and the skies are blue. Simply perfect for two who needed an escape from the cold and snowy Wasatch Front.

Grandpa arrived eager and ready to help with a few minor remodeling projects (painting rooms and installing fans), Grandma came prepared with a suitcase full of Easter surprises for our egg hunt in the backyard. She generously filled 87 eggs for the children!

This week we enjoyed: a visit to the Butterfly Museum, a trip to the movies (Horton Hears a Who), Breakfast at IHOP, Dinners out, playing in the backyard, relaxing and having a great time with wonderful company. It was quite difficult this morning to bid farewell to our loving grandparents. It's a good thing Summer and a trip to Utah is just around the corner. We love you G & G!

Nathan as George

Nathan's second grade class presented a Wax Museam at the elementary school this morning. For the past month they have studied important historical figures. The students were given the opportunity to research and write about a person of their choice. Nathan chose George Washington. We have learned a lot about our great founding father as we have checked out books from the library. Nathan proudly wore a costume this morning in honor of President Washington. He was all smiles as he presented a report written by himself, to parents and family members of the second graders. Way to go Nathan!