Hope is the anticipation that the outcome will be good.
Worry is the anticipation that the outcome will be bad.
Faith is the anticipation that whatever the outcome, it will be for our good.
amen.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
I Found This....
while reading this blog which I found through this blog which I follow because of this couple who are currently recovering from an airplane crash in August.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Beware...not a "feel good" story.
Last summer, my mom recalls sitting by the pool watching the kids play. Steph was opening some mail. She opened one of those solicitations from a cancer foundation of some sort. She told my mom that she felt compelled to donate to avoid tempting fate. She did and well, you all know how well that worked out. SO, on Tuesday Steph's phone rings. The lady on the other end is from that particular foundation and is asking for another generous donation this year. She then proceeds to go into great detail about how the chances of beating cancer are getting worse and worse. Something along the lines of "Cancer is SO HORRIBLE and people are DYING AS WE SPEAK!" She then asked Steph if she knows anyone with cancer. Steph's reply was something like this. "As a matter of fact...I HAVE CANCER and I just want to thank you for the amazing pep talk there lady. I'm sure you can understand why I am not in the position to donate at this time and I am thankful for all the OTHER people you are helping today." (My thought: Yeah! Because you certainly didn't do anything for me or my mood!) Sheesh.
Monday, October 13, 2008
The latest
Steph called from Houston after her appointment this morning. She asked my mom, "How do you feel about more chemo?" My mom, forever the optimist, says, "OH sure! I've missed the bonding time with you!" Steph doesn't share her enthusiasm but appreciates it nonetheless. They found another tumor on or around her ovary. It is 2x3 centimeters so they don't want to remove it surgically because there is a very good chance there is more cancer around the area that is too small to show up on the scan. The tumor was not there in April. However, the last scan that was done in Springfield did not go down far enough to tell if it was there then.
So, it's more chemo. The good news is that the chemo will be different so hopefully she won't experience the numbness and sensitivity to cold like she did last time. The bad news is, she gets to go back into full on tourist mode with a fanny pack! She is very anxious to get home and thanks to Stan (her pilot), Dan and Shelly...she will be doing so tonight! I will leave you with this.
May this journey bring a blessing.
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.
Jesus guide me through the tempest
Keep my spirit staid and sure;
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.
May this journey bring a blessing.
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.
Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go -
And at the end of this long passage
Let me leave them at Your throne.
By Keith and Kristyn Getty~ Ireland.
So, it's more chemo. The good news is that the chemo will be different so hopefully she won't experience the numbness and sensitivity to cold like she did last time. The bad news is, she gets to go back into full on tourist mode with a fanny pack! She is very anxious to get home and thanks to Stan (her pilot), Dan and Shelly...she will be doing so tonight! I will leave you with this.
JESUS DRAW ME EVER NEARER
Jesus, draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm;
You have called me to this passage,
And I'll follow, though I'm worn.
Jesus, draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm;
You have called me to this passage,
And I'll follow, though I'm worn.
May this journey bring a blessing.
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.
Jesus guide me through the tempest
Keep my spirit staid and sure;
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.
May this journey bring a blessing.
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.
Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go -
And at the end of this long passage
Let me leave them at Your throne.
By Keith and Kristyn Getty~ Ireland.
This poem reminded me that God is forever faithful. As we fully trust in His plan, He will use each experience to mold us in His image. We MUST trust in Him. Have a blessed day!
Prayer Request
If you are looking at this on Monday morning, please take a second and pray for peace for our dear friend. She texted my mom this morning from the doctors office and said she was very nervous. Please just pray that she finds peace in her heart this morning. I will post as soon as I hear anything. Should be sometime today. I am actually spending the entire day at home today so I will be close to my computer. Stay tuned and keep praying!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Houston Appointments
Just wanted to post a quick note updating everyone. We basically have gotten no news yet. On Thursday they didn't have the scan results yet. They want to do further genetic testing so they did that yesterday. We will find out more on Monday regarding those results and the results of the scan. We did find out something interesting. When she had surgery last year, they took out her appendix! How's that for a surprise? I guess she didn't need that ol' thing anyway! I will post more later but I must run now! Thank you all for your continued prayers!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Refiner and Purifier
I found this entry on THIS blog that I read often. I thought it was worthy of a post.
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it."
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it."
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Get comfy...it's gonna be a long one!
Here are a few pictures from the "Steph's done with radiation celebration" that I managed to get my hands on!
Scot giving Steph some lovin'!!
Scot, Steph, Cheryl and Kenneth
I have been waiting for a meeting with my mom about what to post, but it seems as though there is at least one little person demanding our attention so we rarely have a full conversation! So I am going to post what info I have in order to keep everyone up to date.
Steph will have an appointment in Houston on October 8th. This is a Wednesday and she will basically be doing tests. Then Thursday she has an appointment with the doctor where she will, I believe, get the results of these tests and a plan for the future. The people in Houston have said that they are not in the business of giving second opinions, they are in the business of treating people with cancer. So we are very hopeful about the appointment and are very anxious to hear what they have to say.
Now the logistics. I'm not sure who is going with Steph to Houston. She has had MANY MANY offers from so many people and we can't thank you all enough for your loving support. My parents will be in Vegas all next week and Steph INSISTED that they not change their plans because she knows how important it is for them to get some quality alone time together as well as with my Uncle Bobby and Aunt Donna. If you know my family, you know that time with them is ALWAYS exciting! We cherish our Oklahoma family and treasure the time we get to spend with them! Steph has also insisted that Scot stay behind with the boys. She wants them to have their Daddy at home with them each night to maintain some sense of normalcy. Scot, being the amazing husband and father that he is, will stay behind and "hold the fort down." He will also be depending on the help of his family as Nana (Scot's mom Joyce) will be there to take care of the boys during the day. I'm sure that Grandma Edna, Papa Larry, Papa JL, Oma, Papa Ed, and Granny Pam will be pitching in like they always do!
While Steph is in Houston, she will be staying with a wonderful family who lives close to the hospital. Please forgive me, I have forgotten their names. I will use the excuse that I am still so amazed at the kindness these people have shown us and I am simply overwhelmed. They are very familiar with the hospital so they will provide rides to and from her appointments as well as opening up their home to someone they have never even met! When I get more info about them, they will be the proud recipients of their very own post!
Now I'm going to get mushy. There are some people who deserve a lot of recognition and I plan to do that now.
Scot,
I feel like you often get left out of the blogging. Knowing you, you are probably rolling your eyes at me because being the center of attention is not your thing. But you deserve some serious praise. I marvel at the amount of stuff you do in a day. What is even more amazing to me, is that you just do it. You don't complain (from what I know!) and you just get it done. I also have it on good authority that you do laundry. Pretty impressive! You are in this fight too and I hope you know how much we all love you.
Dad (Kenneth),
You have been so wonderful through this whole thing. You are there for everyone when they need you. You have welcomed another man into your home every single day and allowed him to take over the attention of your wife. (Drew, you are a lucky little man!) And don't think I don't notice that you are truly growing in your walk with God along this path. I'm proud to call you my Dad.
Mom (Cheryl),
I think you know how I feel about you so there's no need to pull out the big guns tonight. I know Steph feels the same way. I love her like a sister and I am so thankful that she has you to be with her during all the appointments as well as taking care of Drew. I love being stay at home moms together!
Brian (my husband),
Thank you for allowing me to sit here and type away while you watch Project Runway. (He's gonna love that I included that!) But seriously, you are my rock. When things get too tough, you offer me that big strong shoulder to cry on and that's all I need. You make my dreams come true everyday. You know when I've hit my limit and are always so very understanding. I remember seeing you in the gym at Cherokee Jr. High at 7th grade orientation. It was love at first sight. (for me anyway...I don't think you even noticed me until at least a year later!) I still can't believe that you are my husband and I am the mother of your children! I love you to the moon and back!
To Steph and Scot's families,
Edna, Larry, Ed, Pam, Joyce, Mike, JL, Cheryl and all of the brothers and sisters. Thank you all for helping out with the boys. They are truly blessed to have such a HUGE support system. Family is such a gift and you are each so very important to all of us. I know I'm not technically related, but we have a habit of adopting people....so consider yourselves adopted!
Pastor Scott,
You will never know how much you mean to us. You married Brian and I. You were in St. Louis to pray over Drew as he fought for his life. You were there to dedicate Claire and Drew in one of the most beautiful and touching dedication ceremonies I have EVER seen. You were there the day that I came forward and made a commitment to Christ. You dedicated Levi to the Lord and you were on my mind the day that Cohen was dedicated by Pastor John at our new church. You have been there for the big things, but most importantly we know you are always available for the small stuff too. You were the first person we called when we learned about Steph's cancer and offered prayer and your usual message of encouragement. We love you and thank God for putting you in our lives.
Our River Bluff family,
I miss you! Even though Brian and I are attending another church, we still think of you all very often. You will always hold a special place in my heart because you were my first church home. There are so many wonderful people there and we can't thank you enough for your unwavering support and countless prayers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
To the blog readers,
I never thought in a million years that this blog would become what it is. Thank you all for your prayers, support and kind words. We feel your prayers working and sincerely thank each and every one of you. May the Lord bless you.
WHEW! I feel better! I read back over my post, and am reminded at how truly blessed I am to be a part of this journey. In the words of my sweet baby girl, "My heart is all filled up...with love for you." Yes, that means you.
Scot giving Steph some lovin'!!
Scot, Steph, Cheryl and Kenneth
I have been waiting for a meeting with my mom about what to post, but it seems as though there is at least one little person demanding our attention so we rarely have a full conversation! So I am going to post what info I have in order to keep everyone up to date.
Steph will have an appointment in Houston on October 8th. This is a Wednesday and she will basically be doing tests. Then Thursday she has an appointment with the doctor where she will, I believe, get the results of these tests and a plan for the future. The people in Houston have said that they are not in the business of giving second opinions, they are in the business of treating people with cancer. So we are very hopeful about the appointment and are very anxious to hear what they have to say.
Now the logistics. I'm not sure who is going with Steph to Houston. She has had MANY MANY offers from so many people and we can't thank you all enough for your loving support. My parents will be in Vegas all next week and Steph INSISTED that they not change their plans because she knows how important it is for them to get some quality alone time together as well as with my Uncle Bobby and Aunt Donna. If you know my family, you know that time with them is ALWAYS exciting! We cherish our Oklahoma family and treasure the time we get to spend with them! Steph has also insisted that Scot stay behind with the boys. She wants them to have their Daddy at home with them each night to maintain some sense of normalcy. Scot, being the amazing husband and father that he is, will stay behind and "hold the fort down." He will also be depending on the help of his family as Nana (Scot's mom Joyce) will be there to take care of the boys during the day. I'm sure that Grandma Edna, Papa Larry, Papa JL, Oma, Papa Ed, and Granny Pam will be pitching in like they always do!
While Steph is in Houston, she will be staying with a wonderful family who lives close to the hospital. Please forgive me, I have forgotten their names. I will use the excuse that I am still so amazed at the kindness these people have shown us and I am simply overwhelmed. They are very familiar with the hospital so they will provide rides to and from her appointments as well as opening up their home to someone they have never even met! When I get more info about them, they will be the proud recipients of their very own post!
Now I'm going to get mushy. There are some people who deserve a lot of recognition and I plan to do that now.
Scot,
I feel like you often get left out of the blogging. Knowing you, you are probably rolling your eyes at me because being the center of attention is not your thing. But you deserve some serious praise. I marvel at the amount of stuff you do in a day. What is even more amazing to me, is that you just do it. You don't complain (from what I know!) and you just get it done. I also have it on good authority that you do laundry. Pretty impressive! You are in this fight too and I hope you know how much we all love you.
Dad (Kenneth),
You have been so wonderful through this whole thing. You are there for everyone when they need you. You have welcomed another man into your home every single day and allowed him to take over the attention of your wife. (Drew, you are a lucky little man!) And don't think I don't notice that you are truly growing in your walk with God along this path. I'm proud to call you my Dad.
Mom (Cheryl),
I think you know how I feel about you so there's no need to pull out the big guns tonight. I know Steph feels the same way. I love her like a sister and I am so thankful that she has you to be with her during all the appointments as well as taking care of Drew. I love being stay at home moms together!
Brian (my husband),
Thank you for allowing me to sit here and type away while you watch Project Runway. (He's gonna love that I included that!) But seriously, you are my rock. When things get too tough, you offer me that big strong shoulder to cry on and that's all I need. You make my dreams come true everyday. You know when I've hit my limit and are always so very understanding. I remember seeing you in the gym at Cherokee Jr. High at 7th grade orientation. It was love at first sight. (for me anyway...I don't think you even noticed me until at least a year later!) I still can't believe that you are my husband and I am the mother of your children! I love you to the moon and back!
To Steph and Scot's families,
Edna, Larry, Ed, Pam, Joyce, Mike, JL, Cheryl and all of the brothers and sisters. Thank you all for helping out with the boys. They are truly blessed to have such a HUGE support system. Family is such a gift and you are each so very important to all of us. I know I'm not technically related, but we have a habit of adopting people....so consider yourselves adopted!
Pastor Scott,
You will never know how much you mean to us. You married Brian and I. You were in St. Louis to pray over Drew as he fought for his life. You were there to dedicate Claire and Drew in one of the most beautiful and touching dedication ceremonies I have EVER seen. You were there the day that I came forward and made a commitment to Christ. You dedicated Levi to the Lord and you were on my mind the day that Cohen was dedicated by Pastor John at our new church. You have been there for the big things, but most importantly we know you are always available for the small stuff too. You were the first person we called when we learned about Steph's cancer and offered prayer and your usual message of encouragement. We love you and thank God for putting you in our lives.
Our River Bluff family,
I miss you! Even though Brian and I are attending another church, we still think of you all very often. You will always hold a special place in my heart because you were my first church home. There are so many wonderful people there and we can't thank you enough for your unwavering support and countless prayers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
To the blog readers,
I never thought in a million years that this blog would become what it is. Thank you all for your prayers, support and kind words. We feel your prayers working and sincerely thank each and every one of you. May the Lord bless you.
WHEW! I feel better! I read back over my post, and am reminded at how truly blessed I am to be a part of this journey. In the words of my sweet baby girl, "My heart is all filled up...with love for you." Yes, that means you.
Too much time on my hands...
or am I just REALLY good at wasting the time I do have? Either way, Brian and I stayed up WAAAYYY too late last night making funny pictures. Here are a few.
Steph and Scot
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Levi
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Me and Brian
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Drew and Claire
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Cohen
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Me and Brian again
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Brian
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Steph and Scot
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Levi
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Me and Brian
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Drew and Claire
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Cohen
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Me and Brian again
Create your own FACEinHOLE
Brian
Create your own FACEinHOLE
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