It is sooo much fun to read Grams & Papaw's blog - and keeping up with Brett & Kelly's crew through their blog - and we've both learned alot following Wade's blog - so we thought we'd update ours just a bit. This past month hit a couple of milestones in our family. Mike and I got to have a long weekend away while Megan stayed with Dara. This was MAJOR in that Dara did all her self care totally by herself. And she LOVES staying with Megan hoping that Dal pops in now and then.

Our long weekend was the first time Mike & I had time alone that was not business related and we LOVED just staying in downtown OKC - going to movies, the farmers market, shopping and 3 movies!!! This was also a trial run for our Nashville trip this coming weekend when Dara will be doing her routine before school (been working on that time constraint!!!) and she is excited to be away from her parents for 5 days!!!

Turning 47 was a fun milestone as well. What a GREAT week!!! LOTS and LOTS of cards, calls & emails. Some GREAT gifts and best of all - we got to spend my birthday at church serving in the music ministry and with the kids. Emmaus Baptist is truly our "2nd home" We love our church family!

Looks like we've set the date for Megan's & ACE's shower!!! With Megan & Dal expecting ACE end of May - MAY 6th we will have their baby shower at Sharla's chapel at 2pm and would LOVE to have family & friends join us!!!

Terri & Gabriel will be coming up for a Sunday night family supper on May 20th celebrating Terri's May 19th birthday and Gabriel's birthday the following week. Then Dara graduates May 26th. UNBELIEVEABLE!!!

Ryan is turning 23 tomorrow - on Easter. And I always remember Bethany's & Charis's birthday this coming week as well.

Ty is vacillating between staying here in OK or heading back down to TX and hoping that a couple of his friends might move up here in August. We continue to encourage him to take some classes at the college while he works and voraciously reads anything he can get his hands on concerning current events.

Chase is almost through with his EMT classes enough that he can INTERN and will be working in Norman. Mike sure enjoys taking both Chase and Ryan out to eat now and then and we LOVE any excuse to have them over.

That's a quick update as these 8 lives turn. No major changes - but it is so amazing to be a part of the journey of these interesting lives!!!

Sure appreciate our friends and family and look forward to deepening our relationships while we continue to make new ones as well.

Cherri & Mike Moxley
the eve of celebrating the annual day of Jesus rising from the dead. Glad we get to celebrate this every Sunday and yet look forward to sharing with many more on this holiday.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO ALL THOSE WE LOVE!!!

Dara and I were surprised by flowers from Michael Wayne and that was after being taken out to lunch with his mom.

We missed Grams & Papaw on Valentine's Day since they were down in Austin.

We hear that Terri & Gabriel laid low for Valentines Day and celebrated together while staying in.

Dal was surprised by Megan getting ACE's nursery ready. And I got to help a little bit with the shopping and putting together the crib. What a delight!!!

And we hear that Ty got to spend Valentine's day with a girlfriend as well!!!

Chase is dating but assures us it isnt serious - yet!!!
and Ryan is currently single -

and thats a quick update on the Moxley/Austin crew.

Dara is doing VERY well and getting most of her routines down.

Mike & I got a promotion in PREMIER and are STILL loving what we do as we continue to learn both in business and in our church.

We keep up with family through Grams & Fern - plus LOVE reading the Burleson blogs - both Wade's & the Brett Burleson's.

LOVE OUR FAMILY & FRIENDS!!!
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

Cherri

GOOD NEWS!!! We got to talk with doctors today and not only did they tell Dara that she start on a liquid diet today (she has has nothing but ice chips since Sunday night 7pm) but they took out one of the 5 tubes she is connected to. We will be coming home with either two or three of the tubes in place since they need 2 to 4 weeks to completely heal (bladder & colon).

Dara is doing VERY well - and has been up in her wheelchair the last couple of days. She is VERY excited about the youth group coming to visit her on Sunday evening!!! She will be up in her wheelchair (tubes, bags & all) and will visit with everyone out on the 4th floor waiting room.

The estimated time for coming home is Tues or Wed and then she will be homebound from school til Jan - one of her teachers has volunteered to be her homebound teacher 3X's a week. We are hoping to be back in church in Dec and then back in school by Jan.

Looks like we will are on for Thanksgiving - out at the retreat center on Wednesday and maybe for a little while out at Harrah if Dara doesnt poop out.

For you NOT members of the Cherry/Burleson family - WATCH OPRAH on Wednesday and see our cousin - John McMonigle as he shows a house that he has listed at $75 million dollars!!!
TOO FUN!!!

Love you guys
and keep praying for Dara's quick and speedy recovery.

Cherri -

P S - Sure have enjoyed my breaks here and there as Mike stays with Dara in the hospital and he has some fun stories he is picking up from the other patients!!! WOW, what a heart for people this hubbie of mine has!!! LOVE YOU, MIKE!!! cdbam aka gc

UPDATE time!!! Dara is doing GREAT!!! The doctors are VERY pleased with the results of the surgery and Dara is proudly wearing her 45 staples!!! She IS in some pain and it seems to come and go. Not sure how long she will be in the hospital - estimation is another week.

Keep us in your prayers as we continue to work and be with her. THANK YOU, LORD, for MIKE!!! He has been a LIFE saver for Dara and me.

Love you guys
Covet your prayers

Cherri

Thank you so much for your calls and prayers. We just finished a fun game night with Mike, Dara and me playing our favorite game BUZZWORD. No snacks since Dara is on clear liquids today preparing for surgery prep on Saturday & Sunday.

Dr Slobodov will be performing an appendicovescostomoy and an A C E - the first precedure connecting Dara's bladder to her belly button so that she can self cath - and the second precedure using her appendix which is already connected to her colon - but connecting it to her side creating a plug so that she can use a catheter to flush water through her colon and be independent in her self care.

The surgery should take 4 to 5 hours and will be performed on Monday morning at Presbyterian Hospital in OKC. Dara is excited, nervous, relieved and getting a bit weak. I think she suffers the effects of low blood sugar and decided to go to bed about 7pm (after helping MOM beat Mike at BUZZWORD!!! - We are ALWAYS excited when we can beat the game meister!!!).

Saturday & Sunday will be used to clear up any UTI's and also clean out her insides so that they can use a part of her intestine as a tube to the belly button.

They are predicting 7 to 10 days of recovery in the hospital and then 2 to 6 weeks at home.
Not sure what this does to our plans for Thanksgiving - but being true blooded Burlesons & Moxleys we just stay flexible and will have fun wheverever, however and with whoever (or is it whomever, Mom?).

Mike & I will be swapping out at the hospital with Dara as we continue to work our business and keeping most of our commitments.

Thanks again for your prayers and calls - and we plan to keep everyone updated by phone calls to Grams & Papaw, church, Premier, bro's & sis's & this blog.

Love ya'll
Cherri

LOVE this extra hour!!! And what better way to use it (since I'm NOT sleeping!!!) than to report in on our wedding October 26, 2006. What a GREAT time we had!!! Starting Wednesday night, Oct 25th when Megan & Dal joined us for Dal's favorite dessert and a fun time of games around the table with some of Megan's & Dal's family. John & Brenda - Megan's mom & stepdad - with Jared & Destiny - Megan's brother & sister - Jenny & Janet - John's mom & sister - Grams & Papaw and of course, Terri, Dara, Mike & I - Ty had to work Wednesday night.

We had a blast eating Oreo dessert and playing Buzzword while getting to know a little bit about each other as in-laws and discussing those last minute details about the wedding.

On Thursday morning while discussing last minute details about picture selections with Fred (who did a GREAT job taking pictures for us - THANK YOU, Fred!!!) Sharla Irby - owner of Ivory Garden's Chapel and my cousin - offered to come and orchestrate the ceremony as a gift to the bride & groom - or maybe as a gift to ME - the mother of the groom!!! With Sharla in charge of the beginnings of the ceremony and Papaw in charge of the ceremony itself - staying true to what HE believes and respecting the wishes of the bride & groom whose journey of truth does not include being believers at this point - the mother of the bride selecting the elements of the reception and Mike & me spearheading the cleanup - I think EVERYONE was pleased with the outcome.

Megan and her maid of honor Destiny were breathtaking - while Dal & Ty & Jared were quite dapper (Melody, I LOVED that word you used) - and the family who drove from Kansas, Texas and ours from Tulsa & Guthrie and then Megan & Dal's friends from Texas & Oklahoma - we had a fun and meaningful time.

Cake, flowers, food, music, celebration and a highlight of toasts from Jared & Ty not to mention the first dance - even mom of the groom dancing - much to my surprise!!! - all came together to create memories for a lifetime.

Thank you, Grams & Papaw for your love and support. Thank you, Terri for your GORGEOUS music on your brand new flute and your helpful support for 2 full days. Thank you, Dara and Mike for being my anchors. Thank you, Dal & Megan, for including everyone. Thank you Great grandma Cherry - and Great Grandpa of Megan's for coming and being with Megan & Dal for one of my favorite pictures. Thank you, Fred, for being flexible and available and just FUN while taking a TON of pictures. Thank you, Tom & Jenny, Melody & Tony, Cody & Nataly for driving down and being with us on this special occasion. Thank you, Sharla, Jessica & Austin for making everything go so smoothly. Thank you, Karen & Keith, Katy & Andrea for driving up from North Richland Hills. Thank you, Janet & Jenny for helping from Wednesday through Friday. Thank you Jared & Destiny for being so personable, fun & loving Megan. Thank you to those from Kansas - Brenda's family - Brenda's mom, Auntie Lynne, Mark & Shaina, Great Grandpa - who drove down to support family. Thank you John & Brenda for your time, money, and the beginning of a friendship as we all love & support this new couple. Thank you, Josh, Caleb, Brent & Rob for being amazing friends and enjoying this couple and supporting them by coming to the wedding. Thank you, Ty, for your blessings in your toast and being a wonderful big brother. And most of all - Thank you, again, Megan & Dal, for loving each other and including us as your family as you begin this journey of life as a family together.

I'm not one for big celebrations - but I might just have to change my mind. How beautiful it is when people come together as a unit each bringing different gifts and insights and sharing with the whole. I LOVE FAMILY!!!

THANK YOU ALL -
Tired but grateful and happy
Mom of the groom and anticipating being GC = grandma Cherri

Cherri

Lots of birthdays in October and November in our family. And we are adding a wedding anniversary - October 26th - Dal & Megan. October 3rd, Chase turned 20 and went out to lunch with his Dad on Wednesday. October 4th - our favorite GRAMS turned an amazing 65 - as she worked in Austin and dueled with Papaw via blogs - LOVED IT!!!

Then of course there is RIN TIN TIN TIN = Tony's birthday and my favorite birthday of all - Cody's on Oct 31st. When someone asks my birthday and I tell them April 1st - I tell them it is the 3 BEST birthday in the world - 1st being February 29th (for obvious slower celebration reasons) and then October 31st where everyone dresses up and GIVES AWAY CANDY on your birthday - my NEPHEWS Birthday - and then mine - April FOOLS Day!!! OH!!! and Dara NEVER lets me forget Sierra's birthday!!!

Now we are adding a November Birthday too - Dal & Pierce's on the 27th - and now Megan's on November 15th. And of course the ORIGINAL Grandma Cherry's on the 30th -

October, November & December are DEFINITELY celebration days around our motley Moxley/Austin crew.

We JUST got back from another Dr's visit yesterday - actually a fitting for Dara's new wheelchair - which will be JUST like the one she has EXCEPT - different foot rests, a hard plated seat which will give her better support and then - yes THEN - POWER WHEELS!!! NOT an electric wheel chair - but a battery that connects to her wheels so that as she PUSHES it HELPS her!!! We wer HIGH FIVIN all over the place!!! BECAUSE I have DREADED the day she wanted an ELECTRIC wheelchair because of the lack of activity that might promote (therefore I told Dara when she QUITS eating - since she wouldnt be exercising as much - she could get an electric wheelchair) and yet we KNEW something was needed to help with her independence.

So the specs are drawn - and now it has to be signed off by the physical therapist - the Primary care Physician and then approved by Medicaid (which a similar chair was JUST approved) and then ORDERED - WOO HOO!!! So we are hoping by Christmas Dara might have POWERED (2 speed at that) wheels!!!

It was FUN seeing her interact with Jason at Majors Medical - this is the organization who donated the body of her wheelcahir 4 years ago.

Well, I'll post more later - Dara and I are off to Sharla's chapel to open up for a couple since Sharla cant be there this morning - and then we are heading out to Meeker to take Linda - a past hostess who REALLY connected with Dara - we are taking Linda to lunch and shopping before we come home and work a bit more in getting the word out about what we do!!!

Love you guys -
and are REALLY looking forward to the holidays when we can catch up in person!!!

Cherri

P S - MIKE WON the chili cook off last Friday night - His GUNSMOKE CHILI was 1st place in the taste testing - and he has been asked to come cook it at our church's Wednesday night supper sometime in November!!! Mike, YOU are the BESTEST!!! GC