Friday Things #489
1. Last week I mentioned that Dominic had a series of scans (and a bone marrow biopsy) and we were waiting to hear the results and next steps from his oncologist. A few days ago, we got that call… his bone marrow was clear and his PET scan was negative, so they have deemed him clear of any active disease and he is now done with active treatment. His next step is enrollment in the neuroblastoma vaccine clinical trial, which is a series of ten shots over the course of three years (though the first seven are all in the first year), that train the body to identify and destroy any neuroblastoma cells. This is to help get rid of any that remain but do not show on a scan, as well as to help prevent relapse.
This is a HUGE milestone and honestly, one that looked light-years away when he was diagnosed 17 months ago. He has gone through so much and we are so thrilled that this is a step closer to him just being able to enjoy being a kid. On one hand, it is a sigh of relief, but on the other, not without some anxiety. No more active treatment means not being in attack mode and praying that nothing comes back… 50% of kids that are diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma relapse. It’s the flip of a coin, and we hope that the vaccine will up his odds. He will continue to get scans every 2 to 3 months for the foreseeable future, and we pray that they continue to be disease-free. Thank you all for your continued prayers and good thoughts for Dominic and our family ❤️
2. A great little refresher >> 5 Cooking Techniques to Become a Better Home Cook
3. There are currently tons of Labor Day deals on kitchen things on Amazon; if you’ve had your eye on any of these, now would be a great time to shop! >> All-in-One Veggie Chopper (20% off) / Ninja XL Air Fryer (29% off) and the Ninja DualZone Air Fryer (28% off) / Clear Plastic Bins (20% off) – I love these for organizing the pantry and bathrooms!
4. I’m knocking on every wood surface available to me, but today closes out two full weeks of school and none of the kids have gotten sick so far… they usually don’t last the first week!
5. I’ve never been to any of these places and now I’m dying to go! >> The Best Spots for Stargazing in the U.S.
6. A seasonal reminder that now is a perfect time to start a batch of homemade vanilla extract if you’d like to gift it for the holidays… it will be full of flavor and ready to use!
7. Is it just me or were the strawberries really not good this year? I don’t think we got one good batch all summer long.
8. I’ve seen so many people talk about the Bonne Maman advent calendar over the last couple of years… do any of you get it? Is it worth it?
9. Right now we’re watching the new Justified series and Special Ops: Lioness, but they both only release new episodes once a week and we haven’t found anything to binge in between. Give me all your suggestions!
10. TGIF! Judith is the queen of cozy…
Absolutely wonderful news for all of you I am so happy that it is the out come that you have been preying for,
Great news about Dominic! Thank you for sharing. I have full faith that all will be well. Love to all.
Wonderful news about Dominic. Continued prayers for him and your family. Last year on a cooking blog I belong to, someone’s husband gave them this advent calendar. She made a different thing with each jam (they are very small) – sometimes she used it in a dessert, a drink, a main dish sauce, etc. It was so much fun to see what she came up with for each jam.
Great news! May God keep and protect you always!
So happy for Dominic and your family. Thank you for sharing your journey and your wonderful recipes. Wishing you the very best!
Michelle – Just had a good cry and thanked our Lord for giving this sweetheart a new chance for a long and happy life. God Bless your family.
2 things: 1) Thrilled to read the good news about Dominic! Thank the Lord! and 2) an advent calendar full of adorable mini jars of jelly? Of course, you should get one.
GOD is good, keep praying.
Am crying tears of happiness and relief for your family and especially for Dominic! Prayers that this vaccine works and no relapse follows.
The absolute best news for Dominic! I wish for continued clear scans, getting on with being a kid and peace for you all. Thanks for sharing his story and updates.
This is great news!! Thank you Lord for answering prayers. I am happy for Dominic and your entire family. Thank you for your weekly emails and Friday things, I do enjoy them.
I am so happy to hear the good news about Dominic. I know you’ll be looking over your shoulder for the foreseeable future but I wish your family good health, and an easy school year for all of your beautiful kids.
I can’t tell you how happy I am to see this update. I’m so happy for Dominik, but also for you all as a family. Praying for the success of his vaccine trial and that this will become a distant memory for you all soon. 💕💕💕
I’m so very happy for Dominic and for your family. Prayers are answered! That picture of him is adorable!
I am so happy for you. I have been praying for Dominic every day since he was diagnosed and will continue to do so. Your update brought tears to my eyes 🙏🙏
SO glad to hear about Dominic! Those are some answered prayers! It looks like he is starting to get a little taller too!
I’m thrilled to hear Dominic’s good news! For the past 17 months, I’ve prayed for him every day and will continue to do so.
I can only imagine the rejoicing that is happening in your heart and in your home. I am rejoicing with you! Thank you for sharing this great news! ❤️
Hi Michelle, Thanks for the great news about Dominick (and continuing to pray 😍!! Love your Friday Things, as usual! 🙏💗
So happy for the good news for Dominic!
I am so very happy to hear your good news. God bless Dominic and your beautiful family.🙏❤
Continued prayers for the health of your family, I’m so glad you had good news to share!
For the Bonne Maman calendar- it is very fun to open a new surprise each day! I actually paired that with a few loaves of english muffin bread (sliced and prepped for the freezer) and each day my parents would toast some bread and open up a new jam to share! The jars are small but I thought it was a fun way to say “I’m thinking of you” when they were navigating some health issues.
The news about Dominic is truly wonderful, and I am sure a huge exhale for your family. Hoping the series of injections that come next will provide the added security that this will never return🤞🙏🏻🥰.
The news about Dominic is truly wonderful, and I am sure a huge exhale for your family. Hoping the series of injections that come next will provide the added security that this will never return🤞🙏🏻🥰.
I’m so thrilled with Dominic’s results. Will continue to pray for Dominic and all your family.
My heart is taking in this wonderful news about Dominic’s health. I understand your caution for the days ahead, but I’m so going to give this over to prayer (regularly) for continued great news.❤🙏
I have gotten the Bonne Maman Advent Calendar as a gift and it is great. It is fun to try 24 different jams/jellies. However, keep in mind that the jars are small and you are paying about $2 per jar so you just need to decide if it is worth it to you.
So very glad to hear that Dominic is cancer free! Praying the best for him in the future. Hang in there Mama!
BEST NEWS EVER!!!!!!!!!!
I have been on pins and needles waiting for this post, knowing what a long and difficult journeyDominic has been on for there last year and a half. Your whole family must be feeling so positive and hopeful for Dominic’s future. I am a “half full” kind of person so I am believing that he will be in the 50% of children that remain disease free. And how fortunate that he will be part of a trial to help support that end.
This is such wonderful news. My best to your amazing little warrior and to your whole family.
What fabulous news for you and your family! I will keep up my good thought and prayers for Dominic.
Such great news about Dominic! Will continue to pray for him and your family.
Please add Crater Lake National Park on OR to the star gazing locations.
No light pollution and it’s amazing
So happy to read the positive update. When I saw his big smile I was hoping that you had a great update but I will continue to wish only positive thoughts for his continued good health!
Making your Crockpot Mac and Cheese for a party tomorrow. My go to recipe that is always a huge hit!
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
I can only imagine how rough these past 17 months have been for you and your family. Thrilled that Dominic has received a good report.
So happy to hear the wonderful news on Dominic! That’s great to hear. Continued prayers to your family.🙏
So grateful to read your good news!
I ‘am so happy to hear about Dominic’s latest outcome. God bless him abundantly. I know He is along with all of you. I so enjoy reading your updates/photos on you & your family. Dominic is my hero. He’s truly a blessing & inspiration to all your readers.
strawberry season was very disappointing here in upstate, NY. Looking forward to apple picking. I enjoy your recipes very much. Thank you so much for brightening my day. Betsy
Oh Michelle! I am crying tears of joy with so many other fans of your work I’m sure! God bless your family. Dominic is heroic. Health and happiness always!
Love, Anne
We used to watch NCIS but then the characters changed and it wasn’t as good. Then we discovered we could watch season 1 and all the old episodes. they were so good. So we’ve watched them and enjoyed them all over again. We also enjoyed LongMeyer, (not sure I spelled that right), Outlander, and Heartland.
Thank the Lord for Dominick’s new results! I will continue praying for him and your family. Wishing you all the best in the new seasons ahead!
Such good news about Dominic! Here’s hoping it continues forever.
I have been growing strawberries in a raised garden bed this year and while the plants are amazingly healthy (compared to other years), I’ve had few strawberries. There are many now waiting to ripen though so here’s hoping they all do so before it’s too cold. The few I’ve had were sweet and delicious. Store bought are so disappointing these days.
The Bonne Maman advent calendar didn’t come up for me but I’d go for the Walker’s shortbread, Body Shop or L’Occitane ones instead.
I’m currently watching Then helge a Detective and One Lane Bridge on Acorn. Just finished The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart on Prime which was dark but good.
Such great news!!! He must be so happy! Thank you for sharing & continue sharing! Prayers are still coming your way for anything further!
That is awesome news for Dominic and your family! Prayers continue big time!!❤️🙏
All I will say is Praise the Lord I truly believe prayer works. Dominic is one brave boy and I am so happy to hear his progress, I will surely keep him in my prayers and for every single child that suffers from this horrible disease.
Michele…so thankful for Dominic’s diagnosis. Prayers and faith, I’m sure have been
the comfort that you needed through this difficult time for your entire family. Thank
the Lord for the positive outcome. Enjoy your Labor Day!
So thrilled to hear the wonderful news about Dominic’s test results! Prayers will continue, of course….
Wishing you and your family a fantastic weekend!
(Always love Judith’s adorable face) 😊
Praise God for the good report on Dominic’s health! Thank you for sharing the update and much love and Blessings to you and your family ! Continued prayers for this precious child and to come against fear and anxiety for your family . God is bigger than cancer Amen
Joyful news! Will continue to keep Dominic in my prayers but so glad things are cautiously optimistic with the neuroblastoma. Watching “Only Murders in the Building” which drops weekly but they’re 4 episodes in on season 3 – so could binge to catch up? Live in a star-gazing state and so amazing when out with a clear starry sky- my adult child spent one night away from city lights taking pictures of the last meteor shower- so a amazing. Glad everyone stayed free of school found illness-😊
I have been praying for Domenic every night since you revealed his condition. I was brought to tears hearing this wonderful news for him and your family. He is such a
strong
little boy, always smiling. I am so happy for all of you…I will continue to keep him in my
prayers..Enjoy! Celebrate!! Life is good…Have a wonderful, joyous holiday season..
……..
GREAT NEWS!!!!
xox
Thank you for sharing your family’s happy news. My prayers continue for all of you!!
Hugs! God bless!!
Praise the Lord! So happy to hear the great news on Dominic, aka Super Hero! We always love to hear when our prayers are working and they did for Dominic! May each day be a blessed day for your beautiful family❣️Love & prayers ❤️🙏
Thank you for sharing Dominic’s good news! Please know that our prayers continue to surround him and your family.
Awesome news for Dominic, I pray for him (and another little guy, he’s doing good, back in school) every day. I hope he will continue to be cancer free, I’m glad he’s being enrolled in the trial clinical. You guys have a great Labor Day weekend. We have no children at home, so hard to just cook for 2 people, hubby will eat left overs one day. LOL.
So happy for Dominic’s (and yours) great news! Thanking God and continuing to pray that Dominic continues to stay healthy.
Such wonderful news for Dominic AND his beautiful family! Sending tight hugs for future continued good health & excellent reports! Prayers will continue to be offered as they are God’s RX❣️ 🙏👍🤞🙏
I absolutely cannot be happier for Dominic and your entire family, praise God for answered prayers!! I will continue to hold you all in prayer as he continues the scans and shots.
YIPPEE!! HOORAY!! So happy to hear the good news about Dominic.
I am praising the Lord from NJ! I got the chills reading this about your sweet boy with that contagious smile and how God has intervened. I continue to pray for the Lord to bring him successfully through the neuroblastoma vaccine clinical trial. I also pray for peace for you, Michelle, and your entire family as Dominic goes through this trial.
What a WONDERFUL post to read this 1st Friday of September!! So happy for Dominic and your family. I will keep praying for continued health and happiness for your little guy!!
Such WONDERFUL news! Dominic is a warrior and so are you! I will keep him and your family in my prayers.
That is such amazing news!!!!! So glad for you all. Continuing to send best thoughts for the vaccine trial’s success.
Hi Michelle: I am so beyond happy to hear that Dominic’s scans have all come back clean!! I will continue to pray for Dominic, you and the rest of your family, and doctors and nurses. This made my day xxoo
Michelle
Praise God for the news about Dominic. He looks so happy in his picture. I will keep him in my prayers. What a blessed day for good news.
Praise the Lord for a battle won, will continue to hold you all up in prayer esp Dominic what a warrior he is.
Praying also for a blessed year of school and normalcy at home. Won’t that feel stupendous
Sandy
Wonderful news about Dominic.
Bonne Maman advent calendar is so fun.
Two thumbs up on the Bonne Maman Advent Calendar. Makes a great gift for those “who have everything” .
Praising God this morning from Texas for Dominic!
Huge and heart-felt joy for Dominic and you and your whole family! Will continue prayers and blessings for continued freedom from cancer – and any other nefarious stuff that comes your way.
Absolutely thrilling to hear the wonderful news for Dominic and all of you!!
So much love and so many prayers are always sent to each of you.
The Spangenbergs
What wonderful news about Dominic. Please give him a hug for me. 🙏🏻💖🤗
This is the best news ever!!
So very happy to hear about Dominic’s test results! Praying for him and all the other people fighting cancer! ☀️☀️☀️
Hi, I am full of joy for Dominic and your family! Continued prayers always! ❤️
Congratulations, wonderful news!!
Wonderful news on Dominic. Continued prayers!
I was gifted the Bonne Maman calendar last year. They were good but some didn’t have a ton of flavor. The Tony jars are cute though. I couldn’t have the orange ones, I’m allergic to oranges, and many had that. There were a couple I really liked but that tiny jar didn’t go far and it was never made into a big jar. For me, I’m glad I didn’t purchase it because I felt wasteful with what I couldn’t use, and the ones that were ok went into the fridge to be tossed at a later date. That’s just my opinion you may love them.
I too did t get good strawberries this year. Oh well! Try again.
Continued Blessings for your family. Judith…..you are beautiful:)
That is wonderful news for your family about your son, Dominic. I will keep him and your family in my prayers.
Bonne Maman jams are the only jams I buy! I discovered the advent calendar last year and I absolutely loved it! It contained a lot of new, yummy flavors and was such a treat for my adult self to open one each day in December along with my kiddos opening their chocolate advent calendars. The tiny jars are adorable and I’m hoping to reuse them in some way. Completely worth the $ in my opinion if you are a Bonne Maman lover!
Number 1 is everything! I saw your post on IG and got tears in my eyes while reading it and I did again just now. I’m so happy about Dominic! I hope and pray he continues this way!
As for the strawberries, I had one good package all summer. They’ve been terrible here in MA.
Such wonderful news! I’m keeping Dominic and your family in my prayers and sending all the good vibes!❤️
Such wonderful news! So happy for Dominic, you, and your whole family! Continuing to pray that he remains disease-free, and that the vaccines are easy on him and successful.
😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃🙏 what wonderful news for Dominic and your family!
Michelle- I’m thrilled to hear about Dominic’s great news! I have been a follower of your blog for many years, but have followed this personal story of yours closely. You all have been so brave, especially Dominic!
PS- if you want amazing strawberries, visit a strawberry farm in SC in June/July. We have tons of them down here and the strawberries are truly the best!
Such great news to hear about your son’s health. I cannot imagine (as a parent myself, even though my children are well into their 30s) having to cope with such a serious illness of my child – the ups and downs and trying to stay strong for him (and your other children) while navigating through day-to-day life. You are a strong lady! Best to you and your family.
Great great news for Dominic and your family! Continued daily prayers for all of you. Always love reading your weekly updates. That advent calendar looks very cool and yummy too!
Excellent news for Domenic and your family. This makes my day brighter. Prayers will continue for all of you. Enjoy the weekend.