Steph Won.

Last day of 2011

2011-12-31T10:29:00.000-08:00

I regret that I have been away from my blogs for so long. Life just keeps happening and the speed at which it happens, sometimes leaves me breathless! I am pretty good at updating facebook because it is quick and usually only requires me to come up with one-liners. One-liners, by the way, are my specialty. Especially if they involve inappropriate humor. I feel the need to do a little update. The number one question I am asked is, "How are Scot and the boys doing?" I am so thankful that I always get to respond with, "They are doing GREAT!"

Scot is busy busy with work. He is loving his new job at Kickapoo. When he isn't working, he spends every waking moment with the boys. They started playing UNO in the evenings and from what I hear, it get's pretty heated! It seems that Drew and Levi have their momma's competitive spirit. They are living the life of bachelors in what has been dubbed by some, The Fraternity House. ;-)BUT, make NO mistake...it's the cleanest fraternity house you've ever seen!!

Drew is loving school. He got an awesome teacher this year and is so blessed that his past two teachers have kept a very close eye on him. They always check in and make sure he is doing well. This child has the best sense of humor. Many say that he is a lot like me. Lucky kid. ;-) He is thriving.

Levi is a tough little dude. If he falls (read, BITES it big time) he will jump up and say, "Well that was fun!" Forget the blood pouring from his knee or elbow, he will NOT admit that it hurt! While he is very tough, he is a cuddle bug of the sweetest variety!! He is animated and about as agile as they come.

The dynamic between the boys and my kids has changed drastically. Drew is a man's man and wants to play war games with Cohen on the X-box, while Levi and Claire spend their time together drawing, playing and exploring. It's fun to watch this unfold.

The Lord has blessed us with some pretty amazing people throughout this. Relationships have grown into things we never thought possible. We live our lives so differently. It is an honor to be doing His work and building His kingdom.


Merry Christmas From the Phillips Boys!!

Our Gang. (Thanks Auntie Karen!!)

The Kickapoo Lady Chiefs in their new uniforms. These will be worn each year for the Kickapoo Classic which was renamed this year, The Stephanie Phillips Classic.

See...we know how to party!

I saw the sign.

2011-08-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

This is a little piece of land recently purchased by a certain SuperDad. It needs to be cleared off before they begin to build. Luckily, the home owners behind his new lot have agreed to take down part of their fence and let SuperDad dispose of his yard waste in their burn pile.

Who does that?!!?!

Nanny and Papa, that's who!!!

That's right! Scot purchased a piece of land that backs up to my parent's back yard!! Steph would be THRILLED to know that her guys are going to be so close. I have to share this story about the "sign" we got the day we were discussing the idea of him buying these lots.

The idea was presented to him by a friend and realtor who has been showing him a few houses. She mentioned in passing that those lots were available and pointed out that they actually touch my parent's property. We didn't realize that, and of course it planted a seed in our minds. Mom and I walked back one day with Scot to look over the fence. We were talking about his options and how great it would be for the boys to be able to walk over. All of the sudden I stopped....and listened. The radio was playing just loud enough for us to hear. The song..."Home" by Michael Buble. This was a special song for Steph and Drew, as well as one of the songs that was played in the video at her funeral. We knew it was a sign. Scot made an offer the next day. The offer was accepted and he is now the proud owner of A LOT of brush!!! Not to mention rocks that my mom threw over the fence years ago!

I tried.

2011-07-06T13:42:00.000-07:00

I sat down with the intentions of writing a blog about the anniversary which is coming up on Sunday. However...I can't seem to find the words. What I CAN say is that we never could have made it through this past year without some great friends, a wonderful community and most importantly our GOD. We give him ALL of the glory. Since I was short on words I put this together. Just some of the special moments during the past year that she would have loved. Enjoy and God Bless.

A Year Without Her... from Chrissy George on Vimeo.

2011 Relay For Life

2011-04-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

My mom and I went to our captain's meeting last night and I left feeling very encouraged. I have felt a little overwhelmed until now. I have never even attended a relay, much less headed up a team, so I don't really know what to expect. Of course, I want to raise as much money as possible, but I also want to be surrounded that night by ALL of your sweet faces. So even if you haven't joined our team, I want to invite you out to be a part of it. I would love nothing more than to meet every person who has said, "You don't know me but..." and also hug those of you who I DO know but haven't seen in ages. Please consider joining us on the night of May 20th. We will be at Hillcrest High School in Springfield and the event starts at 7 pm and lasts until 9 am the following morning.

I am very excited about our on-site fundraiser. One of the main concerns from our littles when Steph passed away was the fact that they wouldn't be able to talk to her anymore. We told them that anytime they would like to send her a message we could write it on a balloon and send it to Heaven. They know that once we aren't able to see the balloon anymore, she got the message. So the night of the relay we will have balloons that can be purchased for $2.00 per balloon and you can send your own message or prayer to Heaven. They can be messages to Steph and/or any of your loved ones that you would like to honor in this way. We are looking into doing a big balloon release during the "Fight Back Ceremony" and I think it will be a very powerful moment that night. (I'm still working out the details on that part) Be sure to come by campsite #435 and purchase your balloon! I will let you know what time the release will be as soon as I find out for sure.

I am planning a team meeting at my house on May 10th at 6 pm. I am extending the invite to anyone who wants to purchase a luminaria that night! Let me know if you would like to come and decorate your own so it can be displayed with all of ours. Our kids are really looking forward to decorating their own in memory of Steph. They are $5.00 and are lit the night of the relay as the torch passes by. I have heard it is a very moving and emotional experience...so I will be sure and have the tissues on hand!!!

If you are a survivor please join us and walk in the survivors lap. YOU are an inspiration and we would love to have each and every one of you there so we can celebrate YOU!!!!

Happy Birthday SuperDad!!!

2011-04-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

My post is a day late...shocking I know.

Yesterday was Scot's birthday. I won't reveal how old he is, but let's just say...next year will be HUGE and we are already planning! He started the day with presents and a Superman cake from his boys. Nanny took them and let them pick out something. They each picked a T-shirt (Captain America and Ghost Busters.) Then they insisted on getting him Batman and The Flash undies!!! I think he was surprised even though Drew told him the night before, "Dad! Don't be a snoop!" Levi chimed in and said, "Yeah. Don't snoop under Drew's bed!" Mom and I stopped by to take him some treats at Kickapoo and the ladies in the office had a buffet of food set up for his special day! They are wonderful to him and SO much fun!! We had nachos for dinner at Nanny's house and just sat around and talked.

As the evening came to a close it was decided that since Claire didn't have school, she and Drew were going to spend the night with Nanny. I went to round up Mr. Cohen from the basement and Scot was down there collecting Mr. Levi. As he scooped up Cohen to give him a hug and kiss goodbye, he said, "I love you!" Cohen, of course, expressed his mutual love for SuperDad and my heart was overflowing with love. Steph would be so proud. She would LOVE how Scot has just planted himself right in the middle of our family. She loved our chaos and she would be so proud of him. Just as much as she was like a sister to me, he has become just like a brother. I look back at the battle he fought right along side her, and I am so incredibly proud of him. For three years he was in survival mode. We are all healing and seem to be "coming out on the other side" of the darkness. It's hard to find the words to express how we feel about SuperDad. I feel like he has accepted the hand he has been dealt and is doing it with such strength...such courage. There is no doubt in my mind that he misses her, and if he had the choice, she would be here. But he is finally enjoying a "simple" life. A life that does not revolve around watching his wife suffer. He is making her proud each day by making his boys THE top priority in his world. He LOVED the days this winter when school was canceled and he got to just PLAY with Drew and Levi. He was so sweet and nurturing to Drew as he had surgery to remove his HUGE infected tonsils. He is already planning fun things to do this summer with the boys. He can't wait to take them fishing and has already scoped out a local golf course that has a small course for kids. We are planning swim days at Nanny's as well as at our new pool at the clubhouse. He never complains, unless he is expressing his concern that he doesn't get enough time to just play with the boys. It's never about HIM. If you don't get a chance to be around Scot, just imagine the best possible scenario. These boys are SO lucky to have him. WE are lucky to have him....even if he is REALLY old. Ha! SuperDad, we all love you so much and hope your day was a good one. Thank you for being you!

Best St. Patrick's Day...EVER!

2011-03-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

(Post copied from my blog)

I remember the days when I was....oh, say...21 years old when the best St. Patrick's day ever would NOT involve a day at the hospital! But March 17, 2011 will go down in our family history as the best St. Patrick's Day ever.

We received a precious gift from God at 10:14 when sweet baby Elise Susanne came into this world weighing in at 7 pounds 10 ounces and measuring 20 & 1/2 inches long.

Here she is just minutes after her arrival...and yes, that is my sister-in-love who actually birthed her!! And now I will share the story that this little girl will hear every year on the day of her birth.

Her birthday had been on the calendar for about a week. Thanks to modern medicine we knew she would be a St. Patrick's day baby. We also knew that the Pitocin (used to start labor) would be the only modern day medicine used because my girl Ashley, is Super Momma. I woke up with a spring in my step and a song in my heart because I KNEW it was going to be a beautiful day! It was in fact a GORGEOUS day. The sun was shining and the warm wind was blowing...a great day for a baby. We dressed in our green and headed to school. Claire was on Spring Break but our amazing Pre-school family insisted that she stay and help in class with the littles. She was thrilled and LOVED every second she was there. As we left the school we told everyone we saw, "We have to go!!! We are getting a baby today!!!" My mom went on to the hospital and I ran up to grab a special lunch to take back to Claire and Cohen. (Special lunch means, mommy didn't have time to make lunches before we left the house.) I dropped them off and kissed all the kids one more time. I thought about stopping to grab an iced tea on the way to the hospital, but decided to wait. THANK GOODNESS!!!

I arrived at the hospital and walked in with Nee Nee and Pa (Ashley's parents) and we strolled into labor and delivery. The receptionist pointed us in the right direction and told us to knock before we went in. Assuming my mom and dad were in the birthing suite just chatting up the soon to be parents of two, we knocked and waited. To my surprise, a nurse poked her head out and said, "Sorry, she is actually getting ready to push!" WWHHHAAAATTT????? Just then my parents returned from grabbing a snack and we all did a little happy dance in the hallway! They hooked Ashley up at 7:00 and just 3 hours later she was pushing....then 14 minutes later, she delivered a perfect baby girl.

I heard her first cry and was overcome with emotion. I was there for the birth of my nephew Hunter, Drew, Levi, Alivia and of course my own children...but this emotion was different. With the older kids, I remember my main emotions were excitement and pure love that I could hardly contain. This time was different. I was flooded with gratitude. As I made my way into the room and the grandparents snatched up that sweet girl, my focus was on my brother and sister-in-law. I closed my eyes and thanked God for these two people....for so many reasons. I looked at Jarad, and couldn't keep the tears at bay. I am so proud of him and the man he has become. I am so thankful for our friendship...and for his flawless wife picking abilities.

When it was finally my turn to hold the baby, I remember silence....and then a song started playing on the ipod.

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay.
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say.

Word of God speak.
Would You pour down like rain.
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty.
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness,
Word of God speak.

I'm finding myself in the midst of You.
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice.

Word of God speak.
Would You pour down like rain.
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty.
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness,
Word of God speak.

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay

-Mercy Me
Word of God Speak

The tears could not be stopped. As I cried I looked at this precious girl and was overwhelmed with gratitude. Our God is so good. He is SO, so good.

As the song ended, I heard whistles in the background and turned to see the NCAA tournament just starting....and I knew Steph was watching.

God is Good...ALL of the time.

2011-03-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

July 10th, 2010. A day I will never forget. A day when I faced my greatest fear. My fear of losing someone close to me. She was close...and she was leaving. I kissed her that morning and knew it would be the last time. Someone else very close to me shared a moment with her as well. My sister-in-love Ashley, fought back the urge to whisper in her ear, "I'm pregnant." She fought back the urge because scientifically speaking, it was too early to really know. There had been no test, no pink lines and no reason to really believe that she was with child, other than the fact that she felt it in her heart. Ashley knew in her heart. Moments later, I am sure our maker shared the news with Steph. I can just see Him taking her aside and letting her in on His little secret that we were not yet privy to.

On the morning we were to lay our precious friend to rest, Ashley woke up to find herself CERTAIN that she was carrying a miracle. A few days later, the pink lines confirmed her suspicions. When she told the family we were thrilled. We also KNEW it was going to be a girl...and it is. SHE is.

As I have watched Ashley's belly grow, I am in awe. I remember when Steph was expecting Drew, Miss Rosanne from Riverbluff said to her, "When you hold that baby in your arms for the first time, it will be impossible NOT to believe in God." Truer words were never spoken. All of our children are amazing gifts. We KNOW that each one was made just for us and their arrival was planned for the perfect time. The amazing thing about this baby....we think we know WHY. We know that at the very moment God was preparing Steph for her journey home, he was forming this precious angel in her mother's womb. She is a little gift, just like the rest of our little babes...but also a constant STRONG reminder that He is forever faithful. He will never leave us. He will always provide. He is good...ALL of the time.

I pray that little Elise Susanne will know how special she is....and how amazing her namesake was. Godspeed little one...we will see you before the weeks end. Aunt Kiki loves you already!

A Birthday Wish.

2011-03-09T13:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, she would have been 37. We put candles on her cake. A candle shaped like a 3, and one shaped like a 7. My mom asked the kids, "Who knows how old she would be today?" Levi immediately said, "SEVENTY THREE!!" We wish. We wrote messages on balloons and sent them to her in Heaven. Levi's said, "I want you to come back." We wish. Yesterday was filled with wishes. Most of all, a wish that the day would be a celebration of her life. We wanted the day to be a good memory for the boys. And it was. A day that ends with the Pizza Inn buffet, is always a good day! Please take a moment to watch this sweet video, and then consider helping us make our wish for a world with MORE birthdays, come true! Join us or donate to our Relay For Life team "COACH WON" by clicking HERE!

Happy Birthday Steph! from Chrissy George on Vimeo.

Because of Cancer.

2011-03-05T17:58:00.000-08:00

Because of cancer....

I have a broken heart.

I know who I can count on.

I have seen goodness at work.

I don't sweat the small stuff.

My faith is stronger than it's ever been.

I am sad.

I find joy everyday.

I am proactive when it comes to my health.

I am brave.

I am strong.

I never take one single moment for granted.

My God is using me in wonderful ways.

I. Miss. Her.

2011 Relay For Life

2011-02-27T08:23:00.000-08:00

I went to my first captain's meeting last week for the 2011 Relay For Life. It wasn't until I walked through the front door, that I actually stopped to think about what I was actually doing. I sat down in the front row and the first person began to speak. She talked about some of the other things the ACS does, besides fund research. The first thing she mentioned was the Road to Recovery program. They need volunteers to pick up cancer patients who are not able to drive themselves to treatment. That's all it took for my tears to start flowing. Someday, I will volunteer for that program...but I'm not strong enough yet. I gathered myself as I learned about the "Look Good, Feel Better" program where local cosmetologists donate their time to help instruct chemo patients on how to apply makeup, wigs and eyebrows. But I was still a little teary, thinking about my brave Auntie Karen who went through everything those ladies were talking about. However, as I looked at the empty chair to my right and the empty chair on on my left...I thought I might have to get up and leave. SHE should be sitting next to me. SHE should be preparing for the survivors walk. I became overwhelmed. Crap. More tears. I miss her so much. What am I doing? Am I ready to be the captain of this team? Will I be able to do it justice? Will I make her proud with my efforts? I don't know. I will tell you what I DO know. I can't do this alone. I need YOUR help. I want to be the best...in honor of the best. Click HERE and it will take you to my page. You have the option to donate or join my team. I would LOVE to have a huge team this year. I also know we have A LOT of visitors on this blog who live far away. Either way...come support our team!!!

2011 Relay For Life

2011-02-17T20:00:00.000-08:00

I finally did it!! We have a team for the 2011 Relay For Life! Please visit our page HERE and join or donate! Please let's make a huge difference this year. I KNOW she would want us to do everything we could in order to help find a cure. Go...now....hurry...only 92 days left!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day,,,,

2011-02-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

from Levi, Drew.....

and the gang!!

(Levi 4, Cohen 4, Drew 7, Alivia 3 and Claire 6)

Hall Of Fame

2011-01-30T18:45:00.000-08:00

Tonight was a huge night for Stephanie's family and friends. Tonight Stephanie Suzanne Thurman Phillips was enshrined into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. As the video played, the tears flowed. There is something about seeing video footage of her that tugs at our heartstrings. As all of her family and friends looked on, Scot accepted the award on her behalf. He did a wonderful job and at the end talked about what a great opportunity the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame has given him to show his boys what a difference their momma made on this earth. He fought back tears and I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye in the house. As they presented him with the plaque, the room erupted and EVERYONE stood to give her a standing ovation. It was breathtaking. I don't have a lot of pictures because I was just taking it all in.

We realize that had she not passed away, this would not have been the year she was inducted to such a prestigious organization. I KNOW without a doubt, had she lived a long healthy life she would have been there eventually. I wish she was one of the inductees that could stand up and talk about her kids and grand kids. I wish she was receiving the award after winning 10 state championships and coaching 40 years worth of amazing athletes. But like they said as they introduced her, "It is often the quality of life...not the quantity that makes someone a legend." No matter the circumstances, I am thankful to have been part of her life. I am blessed to have known such an amazing woman. I am humbled to think that I was important to such an important person. I am forever grateful to her for picking such an amazing man to be her husband. I can't even imagine how proud she must be of him, for so many reasons. My favorite quote of the night came from Scot. He was explaining a moment that took place between a college coach and another coach. As practice began he said, "You can always tell which kids are Kickapoo kids." She would be SO proud that her girls continue to conduct themselves in the manner in which she took such care to instill in them. She has truly left her mark on the athletic community...on the world.

Stephanie,
I miss you more than I even could have imagined possible. They say, "time heals all wounds." I would be willing to bet that the person who said that...never lost anyone like you. I know you were there tonight. We can always feel your presence. We see your smile on the sweet faces of your precious boys. (Who looked SUPER handsome tonight by the way!) I miss your laugh. The real laugh. The one we hadn't heard in quite a while. I miss "the look" you gave us. Mostly me and mom...when we were being flighty and girly. I have moments every single day when I think, "Man I wish Steph was here to see this." You are forever in my heart and I miss you so much it physically hurts. But we are doing it. We are continuing on, finding joy. Some days it's harder to find than others, but please know...I am better because of you. I love you sister, so much.
Love,
Chrissy

Happy Birthday Levi!

2011-01-09T17:04:00.000-08:00

Today our sweet Levi turned 4. I put together a video for him and discovered the following...

1. Levi is NEVER photographed alone.
2. Pictures of Levi as a newborn are NOT on anyone's Shutterfly account, which is where I steal all the pictures from.
3. 95% of the time Levi is either eating, holding food, covered in food or all of the above.
4. The only pictures I have of Levi and Scot....Scot is topless.

So...keeping that in mind, here is my birthday tribute to our littlest boy!!

Levi's 4th from Chrissy George on Vimeo.

A Visit to the Phillips Home.

2010-12-05T08:12:00.000-08:00

Another First.

2010-12-02T16:37:00.000-08:00

Thank you KY3 for covering the first Lady Chiefs game of the season so beautifully. Go HERE to see it.

Congratulations to the 2010-2011 Lady Chiefs and their coaches who opened up with a win. You looked good and I know she was proud of ALL of you!!

It was strange to be there without her. It really hit me after the game when the boys were running around shooting baskets. She is supposed to come out of the locker room and they are supposed to run full speed yelling, "MOMMY!!!!!" Obviously, it was different. Last night....it was, "PENDER!!!" I know that made her smile. You know what else I think made her smile? The fact that I looked down AFTER the interview with KY3 and noticed my zipper was undone. Awesome. I can hear her now..."You're such a dork." I miss that.

2010-11-18T20:10:00.000-08:00

Drew had a wonderful birthday and I can't wait to share the pictures we have. It really was a beautiful day. But until then, I have to share this story.

Last night, Claire and I were in her bedroom putting the finishing touches on her Christmas tree. Our conversation went like this:

Claire-"Oh momma, when my tree is all decorated, my lights are on, my room is clean and I have my Christmas music on...it feels like I'm in Heaven."

Me-"Awww, is that what you think Heaven will be like?"

Claire-"I think Heaven is whatever you want it to be like."

Me-"Do you think Steph will have Christmas lights in Heaven?"

Claire-"Yes I do. And I think she is going to have the BEST Christmas EVER this year!"

Me-"Oh really? Why do you say that?"

Claire-"Because she gets to celebrate Jesus' birthday WITH HIM!"

Through my tears I thanked God for my precious girl, hugged her tight...and gave her a giant bowl of ice cream because how on EARTH do you say no to a child who just said THAT????

Happy Birthday Drew Baby!

2010-11-15T21:23:00.001-08:00

Happy 7th Birthday Drew! from Chrissy George on Vimeo.

Untitled

2010-11-15T12:36:00.000-08:00

When we found out Steph was with child, I decided I would keep a journal for the baby. I KNEW this baby was going to be special and I KNEW he or she would be a part of my life forever. A few times each month, I would jot down my thoughts and the things that were happening. I put together a scrapbook for Drew. It tells him the story of the night his momma told her team she was expecting, the day she called me and told me it was a BOY, the day he got his first Radio Flyer from my dad (yes, before he was even born), the morning sickness that lasted all day and the day I sat and watched him roll around in his momma's belly. I had not looked at this book in well over 3 years. I picked it up a few months ago and read the last page. It was my last note to Drew before he was born.

Well buddy, this will be the last time I write to you before you are born. I wanted to give this book to your mom at her last shower tomorrow so I have to finish it today. I can't even express how excited I am to see you for the first time. I think about you a lot and I can't wait to hold you. I want you to know that I would do anything for you and I will always be here whenever you need me. I know when you first get here that you really only need your parents. But later in life, you just never know! Good luck on the way out and I will be praying for you and your mom. I will see you very soon!

I love you forever and always,
Chrissy

I read that and was so sad. Later in life, you just never know. When I typed that, I was thinking YEARS down the road...when he had done something naughty and was in trouble with his mom and dad. I NEVER thought THIS is how it would be. I never imagined any of this. This happens to other people, not us. It makes me mad. It makes me sad and for the first time, I am actually asking God WHY? I hate that I am asking that, and I KNOW I will never have an answer in this lifetime. I can hear story after story of people who were impacted by HER story, and I am thankful for those people who have taken the time to share. I am thankful that she brought people closer to each other and more importantly closer to God. I am truly glad about all that...but it doesn't make me miss her less. It doesn't bring her back. It doesn't take the pain away. I can't change our circumstances, but I can keep the promise I made to her in my room that day in early July and the promise I made to Drew in his book. I will be here. I will help take care of these precious babies until they have babies of their own. (If all goes as planned with the arranged marriage, Drew's babies will be my grand babies!)I will tell them about the day they were born because that's what the mom's in my family do and I KNOW that is what she would be doing if she were here. I will also do birthday posts for them...so tune in tomorrow for Drew's!

Happy Birthday Grandma Edna!!

2010-11-14T17:15:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned before, our family has a habit of adopting people. One of the very special people we adopted is Steph's mom Edna. Steph LOVED how the kids ALL consider each grandparent their own, even if the bloodlines don't exactly match up! Grandma Edna, we hope you had a wonderful day! You brought a precious gift into this world that changed our lives forever, and we thank you a million times over. HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

He gives and takes away....not always in that order.

2010-11-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

In our case, He is giving AFTER He took away. Our family is overjoyed at the thought of a new baby girl to love and spoil. My little brother and his beautiful wife will welcome a sweet little girl into the world sometime in March. My mom said this, "My forever friend, Steph has been gone 4 months now. I miss her. I wanted so bad to be able to call her and tell her that my baby boy is going to have a baby girl. She knows."

I can picture what her reaction would be because I've seen it...three times. She would be excited. She would be there in March, standing outside the door with us as we listen for her first cries. Just another thing we have to do without her physically here....but another thing we KNOW she is watching and will forever be a part of.

Congratulations Jarad, Ashley and Alivia! We can't wait to meet this sweet baby girl!

Chuck Taylors.

2010-11-06T06:19:00.000-07:00

In 2006, we took a girls trip to Las Vegas. My mom, Steph and I spent a few days stuffing ourselves, shopping and watching all of the March Madness games that were on. I truly think you haven't experienced March Madness until you have done it Vegas style! Watching one of the games on the HUGE screen at Ceasar's Palace was awesome....but not as awesome as the look on some guys face when he saw Steph's bracket and heard her rattle off reasons why she picked the teams she picked. He thought she was just another cute girl with a bracket based on the color of the uniforms and who she thought was good looking. We had a great time, made LOTS of memories and even learned something new about Steph. THAT is a story in itself and someday I may share it with you all....it was a pretty amazing story. The last day we were there, we went into this shoe store where I purchased my first pair of Chuck Taylors. It only took me a few years to convince my family that EVERYONE needed a pair! Soon, all the kids had them and Steph purchase a pair for herself and Scot. Ashley jumped on the bandwagon, but my parents and Jarad still refuse. Even Brian ended up with a pair! I'm sure many of you remember this picture I took at state this spring.She got up that morning and her toe was hurting her so bad. The thought of wearing dress shoes did not excite her so she decided her Chucks would have to do. Suddenly, she became KNOWN for those Chucks. They remind us of her now. I was SO excited when I got the chance (thanks Big Daddy!) to design my own pair on the Converse website. I went with red and black, because those are our school colors....and I am NEVER moving again. I personalized them in honor of my dear friend.

And apparently...the idea is catching on! These were designed by Miss Amanda who was a senior on Steph's team last year!
Personally, I think this is a great idea for Christmas presents. (I am not advertising here, I just LOVE these shoes!) But if you do happen to make your own....send me pics. I would love to have a gallery posted of everyone's Chucks. Here is a link. Follow this link to check out the shoes I just created on Converse.com. You can change them up to make them yours, it's really quite fun!

WIN.

2010-11-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

If you will remember in a previous post, I mentioned that Steph was being honored again this year at the WIN banquet. They had renamed the courage award to "The Stephanie Phillips Courage Award." It was presented to the 2009-2010 Lady Chiefs Basketball team by none other than our very own SUPERDAD!!! Scot did an amazing job. Lucky for you...I got it on video.

Untitled from Chrissy George on Vimeo.

It was a very emotional evening for all of us. When they asked for last year's honorees to stand and be recognized...my heart broke. SHE should be here. SHE should be standing. It makes me so sad. But just one look at those precious boys and I am overcome with gratitude. Thankful for a God who knew we would need them as much as they need us! Here are a few pictures from the evening.

Halloween.

2010-11-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

I was nervous about Halloween this year. This would be the first year we have ever trick-or-treated without Steph. For five years, we dressed our babies up in silly costumes and took as many pictures as we could considering our wiggly subjects. Three years we were at our old house, two years we were at Nanny and Papa's and last year we were at our new house. It's another first for us, and let me tell you...they haven't been easy. So the "grownups" decided we would dress up this year. I was SO glad we did. We had a great time and it really took the focus off of what was missing and shifted it towards making more memories. She loved our chaos. She loved that she was always a part of it. She would love that all three of her boys are still a part of it. I can just see her rolling her eyes and telling us all we are "such dorks." So here we are:
Jarad the Vampire
Ashley the Witch
Brian the Werewolf
Cohen the Cowboy
Me the Queen of Hearts
Claire as Yoshi
Levi as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Scot as Darth Vader
Drew as Luke Skywalker
Livi the Littlest Witch
Chandler as Thomas the Train
Grandma Edna as Grandma Edna holding Chandler because he was terrified of Scot and Brian
Carsten the Elephant
Jackie as Jackie holding Carsten because he was a little freaked out too!

From Steph Won.

We hope you all had a fun time this weekend. We did...and I'm still washing the red spray out of my hair!!!

From Steph Won.

Drew's Day at the Dentist!

2010-11-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

We have the most amazing family dentist. He is kind, caring and makes going to the dentist easy! He has been a part of our world for years. In fact, he was at my wedding!! He has an amazing staff and we love them all too. They ALL are always so kind and fun when we go in and always offered up sweet prayers on our behalf. We love it at Dr. Ryen's office! Since we started making babies around here, we knew that they would go to Dr. Ryen as well. Claire and Drew have each had the unfortunate experience of a cavity. I dreaded Claire's filling appointment so much I made Big Daddy take her...only to get a call after the appointment saying that she went right in, plopped down and never made a peep! SO, we knew Drew would do great. Thankfully, Nanny captured some of the highlights!

Quote of the Day-By Levi.

2010-10-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

"This costume is not Jesus. I'm Hans Solo. See? I have a light saber."

I Still Believe.

2010-10-13T18:10:00.001-07:00

I still believe in miracles.

Looking at our situation, you could say that we didn't receive the miracle we were praying for. Sure, so many prayers were answered. God was there....there was never any doubt about that. However, we did not get to witness a miraculous healing. Of course that makes us sad because we miss her so very much here on earth.

Having said that, I still believe in miracles. They happen and I could be bitter about the fact that they happen to OTHER people and we didn't get ours. But, being in a situation where we HAD to have a miracle in order for Steph to live, I understand the urgency. I know the sense of desperation. That is why, when I hear of someone else getting their miracle....I rejoice. I praise the Lord that he spared another family from what we have endured. I trust His plan and His reasons and I am thankful for his mercy.

But man I miss her. We all do.

What I Learned Over Summer Vacation.

2010-10-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

1. The most precious gift you can give anyone is the gift of your time. When we die, we take nothing with us. I can't be sure but I imagine (and hope) that you do get to keep all your memories when you get to Heaven. That's all you get. So go make a difference.

2. Over the years, I have seriously underestimated the power of a card or a bouquet of flowers. So send a few.

3. What you sow, so shall you reap. (Okay, I learned that a long time ago but it was proven time and time again this summer) So get to sowin'.

4. People will amaze you. So put yourself out there.

5. People will disappoint you. So put yourself out there anyway.

6. Mostly people will amaze you. See #4.

7. No gesture is too small. I have never been good about stepping up when someone has experienced a loss. I often think "I should take a meal or flowers or send a card," but often I chicken out. I fear the meal delivery like no other. What if they don't like it? What if they already have a meal for that night? What if I give them food poisoning? But I learned that it doesn't matter. As long is it comes from the heart (and is cooked thoroughly) , it doesn't matter. When someone came through the door, it didn't matter what they were bringing...it meant the world. (Especially if it was ANYTHING that Grandma Joyce baked!!!!) So just do it.

8. Kids are still good. In a world filled with negative stories about our youth, kids are still good. So many high school kids were so affected by Steph's story. They also chose to go out and make a difference. Whether it was a fundraiser or a prayer vigil, they were doing something. Kids are still good. Invest time in yours.

9. God will never leave your side. In a time that should have been SOOOO dark, he was there. The devil was and is working overtime to gain control over us, but God is bigger than the devil. God is bigger than us. God is bigger than cancer. Trust in Him.

12. Don't be so quick to judge, the person who just cut you off in traffic may be having the worst day of his or her life. The girl who doesn't return your smile at the grocery store may be waiting for one of her best friends to leave this earth forever. You just don't know. Instead of being mean back....say a prayer for them.

11. Life is fragile. If it's worth saying or doing, don't wait. Call that old friend or relative and make amends. Hug your kids tighter. Read the extra story. Say yes when they ask you to lay with them. Say yes to dessert. Find the joy.

Let's Hear it for the Boys

2010-10-06T09:01:00.001-07:00

This post is LONG overdue. I have had it rolling around in my head for months now, I just wanted to make sure I did the topic justice.

So many things in life, in my opinion, tend to be geared SO much toward women. I would be willing to bet that the majority of the blogs on the web are aimed straight at women. Stories of triumph in the face of adversity, horribly sad stories of people losing their loved ones and even just simple crafty blogs pepper the blogosphere. Movies, TV, commercials, radio, store front windows....all are desperately reaching out for the attention of women. We are the talkers. We are the sharers of our feelings. We are emotional. So often, the strong silent ones....the men, are overlooked. I wanted to make SURE our men are NOT overlooked.

Scot. I'm not sure I will ever be able to express to anyone how amazing he was. It was just such a sight to behold. I was watching true love in it's finest moments, which also happened to be the darkest days. He was THE picture of devotion. He served his wife until she took her last breaths. He did so with such courage, such grace, such compassion....a true example of Christlike love.

Dad. (a.k.a Kenneth) He opened up his home without a moments hesitation. He offered up his wife, not just for 3 months....but for 3 years. Since the day Steph was diagnosed, my dad planted himself firmly on the back burner and was happy to stay there for as long as he needed to. He knew that her health and her boys were the top priority and he was ready to move mountains to make sure she was as happy and comfortable as possible. He went to doctor's appointments, picked up kids, delivered food, picked up medication and most importantly offered support to my mom when she was dealing with the stress of being a main caregiver.

Brian. My sweet husband. He was here. Here for me when I was so so so sad. He was always up for an impromptu slumber party with the Phillips boys. For a month, he basically flew solo at night while I was helping at my parent's house. He took over the bathing and bedtime ritual with our kids so I could do it for the boys. He even took ALL FIVE kiddos to Jump Mania BY HIMSELF so we could have some quiet time at the house. He was my rock. My big strong shoulder to cry on....and trust me, I did plenty of that....still do. He is my true love....and he's cute too.

Papa Ed. Steph's dad. He was there in the mornings to sit with Steph while mom and Scot got prepared for the day. Whether they were picking up and straightening (a nervous tic for both), getting cleaned up or just being quiet before the hustle and bustle of the day began, they knew Ed would be there to make sure Steph was not alone. He also offered some serious excitement for the kids as he would fly over in his helicopter! They LOVED that!

Papa J.L. Scot's dad. He was there at a moment's notice to bring whatever he needed to bring. He ran errands and brought treats for the kids. He was there for Scot. Like a huddle, he would come and pump him up.

Jim Pendergrass. All I can say about Pender is a direct quote from Steph. "Pender is my most favorite visitor. When he comes and we talk, he makes me forget I'm sick." They had an incredible friendship. He would come, and they would talk sports. That's all. She loved it. So did he. He took over her team without hesitation and did it with complete faith that "she'll be back." He knew she would fight back for her girls and he was ready to step aside when she did.

Jarad. My baby brother. He fielded SO many phone calls and e-mails. He was kind of our "PR guy" if there was such a thing. He started the foundation which funded ALL of Steph's medical procedures, medications and trips as well as offered a little extra when she was missing work without any paid sick leave left. If something needed to be done, we could call on him and KNOW that he would drop EVERYTHING and it would be done. I will never forget sitting at Steph's last game with him. How so very appropriate. He sat in the stands and watched me play for her as she coached her first game...and he sat with me as we watched her coach her very last game on earth.

These men were and are amazing. I feel blessed to have them in my life, and I KNOW without a doubt, Steph felt the same way. I love each and every one of you and thank you for all you have done and continue to do.

WIN

2010-10-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

The Springfield chapter of the Women’s Intersports Network (WIN) has renamed its courage award for the late Kickapoo High School basketball coach, Stephanie Phillips. The 2010 recipient is the 2009-10 Kickapoo girls' basketball team.

This award and six others will be presented at the annual WIN Awards on Oct. 6 at the Doubletree Hotel on North Glenstone Avenue. The evening will begin with hors d’oeuvres at 5:30, followed by the ceremony at 6.

Awards to be presented:

• Stephanie Thurman Phillips Courage Award — the 2009-10 Kickapoo girls’ basketball team

• Bee-Payne Stewart Spirit Award — Marilyn Moore

• Mentor Award — Karen Fielding

• Sportswoman Award — Marilyn Grier

WOW Award — Fetlework (12-year-old girl from Africa who plays basketball and soccer at the Boys & Girls Club)

• Corporate Award — Glenda Bond of Waddell & Reed

• President’s Service Award — Betty Ward and Jim and Ivy Wilfong

**Pam Clark-Springfield News-Leader**

If I had a million dollars....

2010-09-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

At breakfast yesterday, I did what I always do....I ask the kids questions. The reason I do this is twofold. One, it keeps them more focused on us and less on the salt shakers that always seem to attract attention. Two, I LOVE to hear their answers. So here are some answers for your entertainment.

I asked the kids, "If you could have breakfast with ANYONE in the world, who would it be?"

Drew's response, "Claire."

I then asked them if they could meet someone famous who would it be and their answers are as follows.

Drew: Justin Bieber

Levi: Superman

Claire: Britney (from Big Brother)

Cohen: Adam Lambert

The best one of the morning was when I asked what they would do with a million dollars. I don't really remember what anyone else said because Drew's answer was priceless.

He said, "I would make it so Claire would be my wife."

We are hanging in there. The boys are doing well. We are thankful for wonderful teachers. We are missing her more than we could have ever imagined.

Thank you.

2010-08-26T08:19:00.001-07:00

Butterfly Catcher

2010-08-26T08:11:00.001-07:00

The night before Steph's funeral, my mom was in the pool and she was starting to get stressed about a detail that was not working out like we had thought. She said, "OK, I'm starting to stress." As SOON as the words left her mouth, a butterfly landed on her head then flew away. (a brown and gold butterfly to be exact!) That butterfly just flew around all evening. The next day, as the limo was pulling up to the graveside service, a butterfly flew right up to the window and then fluttered away. Mom and I were looking at a catalogue talking about decor, and a butterfly landed on the corner of the page and just sat for the longest time. Since Steph passed, we have been visited at LEAST once a day by butterflies. Just last week, mom was in the pool with Drew and Levi when they got their daily visit. This butterfly landed on Levi, Drew then my mom. They decided then and there, that Mommy must be sending these butterflies to let us all know that she is watching over us. With all that said, I wanted to share this video that Greta took yesterday. It speaks for itself.

My Moment.

2010-08-15T08:31:00.001-07:00

I have shared this story with a few people IRL (in real life) and I decided it was time to share it with our blog family. It's about a moment when God revealed himself to me in a very tangible way. A moment that was very special, and some people may think too private to reveal on a blog, but I am willing to share. I want to put it out there so people who don't already know can understand more about the God I serve. The God who knows when we have hit our limits and when He needs to throw us a rope. I will set the stage.

It was a Friday. Ashley and I had been at the house with Steph while everyone else was at the funeral home making arrangements. The Hospice nurse showed up before they returned. I was nervous about mom and Scot not being there. They were the only people who knew EXACTLY what to do. They were the ones who were there 24/7 so I was slightly terrified that a situation might arise where I wouldn't know what to do. It did. I was faced with a situation that I wasn't prepared for and it upset me...bad. (Let me be clear, it was not anything the nurse did. She was AMAZING. It was just a situation that came up that was out of our control.) Then they told us we only had a few days left, I had a chore to do that I was glad to do but it was very hard and someone threw a Bible verse in my face regarding my tattoo. All the while, I had a heartbreaking image running through my head. I went home and felt completely defeated. There was A LOT of sobbing and ugly crying. I wasn't sure I had the strength I needed. Until the next day.

Saturday. Back at mom and dad's. We were in my old room. Just me and Steph. She looked at home next to the orange walls and homemade art from Claire and Drew as well as the sports sheets I found during a retail therapy trip to Target! It was quiet. I gently stroked her forehead and tried to tame her wispy locks of hair. I prayed over her and told her what the boys were doing outside. I kissed her face and started to cry. I already missed her. She had not been talking much during the previous few days and the week before was filled with a lot of talking...but not much of it made sense. I whispered to her, "Oh Steph. I just love you so much." Much to my surprise, she whispered back, "I love you too." She paused and said, "I am so grateful for you." I couldn't believe it. She was having a lucid moment, and I was blessed enough to be sitting there when it happened. I asked her if it would be okay if I read to her. She nodded. I grabbed my Bible and said, "Okay God....give us something good." (It never fails, I do the "open and point" expecting God to send me this amazing passage and I get a family lineage passage or something equally as confusing!) He heard my cry. I opened to Ecclesiastes 4:9

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

I cried harder. I grabbed her hand and said, "STEPH! HE sent this for US! WE are going to takecare of you and WE are going to make sure these boys are okay. ALL of us!"

She whispered, "Thank you."
I whispered back..."No, thank YOU."

Those were the last words she spoke to me and I will treasure that moment for as long as I live. God knew I needed that moment. He knew I was torn down. Isn't that amazing? Isn't HE amazing? I think so.

Just plain strange.

2010-08-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Life is strange right now. We are going about our lives but it's weird. I walk into a restaurant full of people, and no one knows that just weeks ago I listened to one of my very best friends take her last breaths. Or worse, I am walking through the grocery store and see someone I recognize (as someone I should know but can't quite place their face) and I see in their eyes they notice me too. They DO know what we had to do just weeks ago. My stomach flips and I fight back the tears....then go get cinnamon rolls, maybe that will help. PS, it doesn't.

We are doing okay, really we are. Things are just so weird. Brian and I went with our kids and the Phillips boys to ride go karts and play putt putt. The guy working was watching Drew (of course, not knowing our "situation") and made the comment, "I think that boy is having more fun than anyone else here!! LOOK at that SMILE!!!" It made my heart happy and so sad at the same time. SHE should be here watching this. Then last weekend we all went to White Water. Had a BLAST. We get in the car to head home and Drew starts singing "What's New Pussycat" but thinks the words are "Watch you Pussycat!" Levi takes a sip of his Orange Julius and says, "MMMmmm this tastes like vanilla orange juice!" Pretty impressive for a 3 year old! My mind immediately tells me, "Don't forget to tell Steph that when you talk to her." Only that sucks because...I don't get to. Boo.

Scot is very busy getting ready for the new school year. He is excited about his new job and is looking forward to working with the Kickapoo family again. But he also misses his football guys so we will make sure that he gets some "man nights" with the old crew!! When Steph was nearing the end of her journey, we could sense that Scot was getting worn down. My dad made the decision to rally the troops and have a little guys night for him. So his coaching friends grabbed pizza and headed over. I hope they and their families realize what an important night that was. He was able to escape for just a few hours....even if it was just to the back yard, and recharge. These guys (you know who you are), are a great group of gentlemen...thank you.

Drew told my mom that he was starting to get nervous about school starting. She asked him if he had been praying. He said, "Probably not as much as I should be." So they decided they should pray. He bowed his head and folded his hands and said, "God, please let Cross be in my class this year. If he's not, I know you will help me make lots of new friends." Wow. We are praying for a smooth transition this year. Drew is going to miss his teacher so much but I'm sure his new teacher will be wonderful too. PLUS, we will surely still see Mrs. M on a regular basis. Especially since there is a 50/50 chance, Cohen and Levi might need to teach someone in her family to play the "guitar." **wink wink**

Our New Normal....

2010-07-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

is still so strange. We are making it work of course....we don't have a choice! I just wanted to update you a little on the boys. They are doing really well. Scot is being his usual Superdad self and they are all three just marching on. We know there will be tough days, but so far we have been blessed with A LOT of great days. The boys have no problem at all telling people about their momma and how she is in Heaven. We talk about her all the time. We had Claire's birthday party last night. It was tough for me. This was the first birthday party for our family since she passed. I miss her. However, we made the best of it. It helps when Scot walks up with his sweet smile on his face, Levi in one arm and a gift bag in the other complete with a gift for the birthday girl AND a gift for the brother who was so excited that Scot thought of him! It helps to watch the kids run and play together without a care in the world. At the end of the party, we wrote notes on the balloons and sent them to Heaven so Steph could be a part of our celebration. The kids love including her...and so do we. I just miss her so so so so so much.

For my mom.

2010-07-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

My Favorite.

2010-07-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

I watch this...a lot. I love it. I linked to it yesterday, but just wanted to make sure everyone gets to see it. Thank you KSPR 33 and Whitney Scott.

Yesterday.

2010-07-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful service. Filled with beautiful people and beautiful words. The support was overwhelming. For those who couldn't attend, I wanted to provide some links for you to look at today. But first, I must share with you the most precious part of the day that not many saw.

The Missouri Highway Patrol had the roads blocked off for the funeral procession. As the horse drawn hearse would pass by, they saluted. Drew took notice of this. When we arrived at the cemetery the casket was taken from the hearse. As the pallbearers walked past Drew....he saluted his momma. OH how I wish someone would have snapped a picture. It was a memory that will forever be close to my heart. The boys are doing well. ALL of the kids were exhausted yesterday so it was an early night for all of them. Uncle T (Scot's brother) was there to pick up the boys today for some fun and they were really looking forward to it! Please continue to pray as we all find our new normal.

KSPR 33-Tribute to Coach Phillips

KSPR 33-Honoring the Life of Stephanie (**BEAUTIFUL**)

KY3-1974-2010

KY3-Funeral

KOLR 10-Celebrating the Life of Coach Phillips

News-Leader-Michael Stacy

News-Leader-Pam Clark

News-Leader-Matt Schoch

News-Leader-Pam Clark

News-Leader-Pam Clark

Thank you all from the media who have so respectfully and beautifully shared our story with the community. We are so thankful that we will have all of these tributes to someday show Drew and Levi, just what kind of impact their mommy had on this earth.

She will never be far.

2010-07-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

**Photo by Auntie Karen @ by george Photography**

Over the last month, I thought a lot about what tomorrow would be like. I wish I had the nerve to stand up and speak in Steph's honor. I would do it in a heartbeat. I don't fear speaking in front of the crowd...especially the crowd of "her people." But I know, it just wouldn't happen without A LOT of tears so I thought it best to leave it to the professionals. But I do have a message that I want shared with the masses. So here it goes.

From the very day we were told of Steph's diagnosis our thoughts immediately turned to Drew and Levi. We eventually made peace with the fact that God may take our precious friend from us. We, as adults, could manage. What we could NOT deal with, was the thought of God taking Drew and Levi's mommy away. That seemed impossible to accept. It is no doubt a HUGE reason so many have been drawn to this story. People are drawn to Drew's beautiful brown eyes and infectious laugh. People are sucked in by Levi's beautiful pouty lips and kissable cheeks. No one can resist their matching smiles that just melt your heart! I want to share with you how I came to terms with this myself, in hopes it will help you to understand God's way.

In January, I was really struggling. We were coming to terms with the fact that we were nearing the end of the last treatment options. I was praying to God for a miracle...if I couldn't have that, I needed some way to tell my heart how to go on. Well, I'm sure you've heard about our God and his perfect timing. My answer came, fittingly enough, in the form of an athlete in the Winter Olympics. I don't remember her name or even her event, I just remember her story. She talked about losing her mom when she was just 18 months old. She said that she didn't remember her mom, but she KNOWS her. The people who were left behind to raise her made sure of that. She spoke highly of the group of family and friends who pulled together to raise her and finished by saying that she never missed out because her mom isn't here on earth.

These boys will ALWAYS have a momma. She will ALWAYS be in their hearts. They will know their momma. They will understand it is because of HER love and loyalty that they are surrounded by people who only want the best for them. They will always have their wonderful daddy who was hand picked by God and perfectly matched with their momma for a very special purpose. They will grow up in a community where their momma was respected and loved and will never be forgotten. We will pull together, in true Lady Chief fashion, and do exactly what Steph taught so many young athletes to do. We will PULL TOGETHER as a TEAM and make sure these boys feel the love of their momma every single day. She will never be far. You can count on that.

Fund For the Phillips Boys

2010-07-13T20:01:00.001-07:00

A memorial fund has been set up to benefit Drew and Levi Phillips at:

Oak Star Bank

1020 E Battlefield St

Springfield, MO 65807

(417) 877-2020

2010-07-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

Stephanie (Thurman) Susanne Phillips

On July 10, 2010 Stephanie Susanne Phillips of Springfield, Missouri was called home by our Lord and savior after fighting tenaciously for almost three years against stage four colon cancer. Stephanie was born March 8, 1974 in Rolla, Missouri, to Ed Thurman and Edna Happ.

She was employed with Springfield Public Schools as a Physical Education teacher at Kickapoo High School. She took great pride in her position as the head coach of the Kickapoo Lady Chiefs basketball program. Her most important role was the role of wife to her wonderful husband Scot and mother to her two precious boys Drew(six) and Levi(three).

Stephanie passed away in the home of her very dear friends Kenneth and Cheryl Giddens. During her last few weeks of life she was surrounded by family and friends 24 hours a day. They cared for her, covered her in prayers and showered her with love.

Stephanie was preceded in death by her grandfathers, Jake Seiler and Alva Thurman and her step-father, Larry Happ.

Stephanie is survived by her husband, Scot Phillips; sons, Drew and Levi Phillips; mother, Edna Happ; father, Ed Thurman and his wife Pam; brother, Jon Thurman, his wife Abby and their son Chandler; brother, Ryan; step-sisters, Neisha Rogers and Monica Tosspon; grandmothers, Frieda Thurman and Marie Seiler, as well as loving extended family; a wonderful group of in-laws and so many amazing friends. Funeral services are open to the public and will be held Thursday July 15, 2010, at 10 a.m., in Second Baptist Church in Springfield, Missouri and a grave side service will immediately follow in Rivermonte Memorial Gardens, under the direction of Klingner-Cope Family Funeral Home at Rivermonte. Online condolences may be made at www.klingner funeralhome.com.

Memorial donations may be made to:

American Cancer Society,3322 S. Campell, Ste P, Springfield, MO 65807

St. Jude Childrens Reserch Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105

Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks, 949 E. Primrose, Springfield, MO 65807.

Steph Won.

2010-07-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

I know the most common way to describe a situation where a person has cancer and dies is to say, "They lost their battle with cancer." True. Cancer claimed the life of our dear friend. Cancer took her away from her husband and two beautiful boys. But cancer did not win. In my humble opinion, cancer HAS to be of the devil. The devil wants us to be afraid of cancer. He wants us to crumble and give in. He wanted Steph to curl up in a ball and curse God for doing this to her. The devil wants us to sit and cry. He wants us to turn away from God. He wants us to be angry at God for allowing our friend to suffer like this. He wanted Steph to lose.

Newsflash Mr. Beelzebub. YOU lost. STEPH won.

She won because she NEVER cursed our Lord, but only praised Him for the blessings he bestowed upon her BEFORE she was diagnosed that made it so much easier to fight this disease. She won because THOUSANDS of people have followed this blog and taken the time to e-mail us with testimonies about how their faith has been strengthened through Steph's story. She won because she went out like a champion. Her last weeks were spent listening to Christian music 24/7 and her friends reading scripture to her and praying over her. Her last breaths were taken as a room full of GOD FEARING relatives and friends showered her in love and prayers. She won because she is now in Heaven cancer free, most likely showing the angels a thing or two about how to play defense.

No, Steph did not win in the way WE had hoped she would. But she won by keeping her faith. She NEVER gave up on God and he NEVER gave up on her. Until she took her very last breath, His fingerprints were all over her story. They still are.

Her story will live on in her two beautiful boys. I never told her I was going to do this, but I have a feeling it's what she would have wanted. On Thursday, we will close a chapter of this blog as we celebrate Steph's life here on earth. The blog will soon take on a new meaning. The blog will be a place where you can all come to keep up with the boys. A place for YOU to come and heal. I want to do that for the boys, for Scot and most importantly for Steph. She always loved that I blogged for my children and wanted to do the same...she was just busy fighting for hers. It is my honor to do this for Drew and Levi.

Funeral Information

2010-07-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

We invite each and every one of you to join us as we celebrate the life of our sweet Stephanie.

Thursday July 15, 2010

10:00 am

Second Baptist

3111 E. Battlefield

Springfield, MO

Graveside services will immediately follow at

Rivermonte Memorial Gardens

4500 S. Lone Pine

Springfield, MO

2010-07-10T19:31:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna miss that smile
I'm gonna miss you my friend
Even though it hurts the way it ended up
I'd do it all again.

So play it sweet in Heaven
Cause that's right where you wanna be
I'm not cryin' cause I feel so sorry for you
I'm cryin' for me.

-Toby Keith

Stephanie Susanne Thurman-Phillips

March 8, 1974-July 10, 2010

We Love you Steph...to Pluto and back.

I Love America 2010

2010-07-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

On Sunday Brian and I took the Phillips boys to the I Love America celebration that our church puts on each year. The kids loved the fireworks. Levi fell asleep right in the middle of the big show! I was blessed to spend 4th of July with these precious children. Here are a few pics from our evening together.

Guest Post from Steph's Forever Friend - Cheryl

2010-07-07T04:54:00.000-07:00

I have been telling Chrissy for weeks now that I need to guest post on her blog for Steph. I have a story to share. A story that has God's name all over it. A story that some already know. It is the reason why........

Eighteen years ago in May, my husband Kenneth suffered a heart attack at the age of 40. This was the beginning of many health problems for him. At this time, our daughter Chrissy was in 6th grade and our son Jarad was in 3rd. This was the very same time that I met Stephanie Phillips. She was just graduating from Catholic High School. Chrissy's basketball coach and our good friend, Tom had brought in a few girls to work with his little team of 6th graders trying to improve their skills for the big move to Cherokee Junior High. He formed a friendship with her and kept her involved with the girls and in helping her make extra money. More and more Steph would seek me out to talk.

As we all know, Steph signed with the SMS Lady Bears. She moved into the dorms but would still call me. One day, before the season started, she called and sounded so different. Almost lost. I said, "are you okay"? Those three words changed our lives forever. She started crying. I was SHOCKED. Hard core Stephanie Phillips, I was positive, would NEVER cry! She asked to come over. This also was the beginning of our hour upon hour of marathon talks.

Our friendship began. We talked (and still do) daily. She became part of our family. She loved the busyness of our home. You might ask yourself why a girl would spend so much time with someone else's family when she already has a family, a great family. She loves her family. Well, simply put it's a God thing.

During the first year of our friendship, Steph and I were at my house doing what we always did.....talking and eating. I remember the moment. I became very serious and somewhat emotional. I told Steph that our friendship scared me. I told her that I felt like God put her in my life for a reason and that it was health related. I was so sad. She agreed with me; she felt it too. We talked more (because that's what we do) and I told her I felt like I was going to lose Kenneth and that she was supposed to be there for me. I was confused on how this 19 year old girl was going to help me. Hey, I was 34. I was the elder. So Kenneth continued to have health problems and Steph continued to be by my side through each one. We never talked about losing Kenneth again. She would just tell me things like "I will push you in your wheelchair", "I will wipe the drool from your face", "I will NEVER be able to do your hair". We laughed. She told me she would be my forever friend. She insisted that we label ourselves as such.

Fast forward to January 2010. Sitting together in the bathroom of our hotel room. Scot, Drew & Levi fast asleep in the beds. Steph knew that she was going to die. We cried. She wondered what her funeral was going to be like. She wondered if Levi would remember her. She was especially sad that she was going to be responsible for breaking her mom and dad's hearts....forever. She cried to me and apologized for what she had done to my life. How she has consumed so much of my time, how her children have consumed so much of my time. I stopped crying. I felt so peaceful. I looked at her and said, "Oh Steph, do you remember many many years ago, in my house, our conversation about our friendship and it being health related. It was never Kenneth, it was YOU."

I have such a peace about my life. I have tons of joy everyday. I want to share with everyone I know and with most I don't know that while we are waiting for our Father to take Steph home this house is full of love and joy. Love from my family and her family. She is surrounded daily by these people and special friends. We love on her. We read Scripture to her. We share special messages from cards that are sent to her. We play her favorite music. All the little ones kiss her and tell her they love her, she smiles, it's precious. The joy, oh the joy! There is nothing better than to watch Drew and Levi play with THEIR forever friends and be so content.

I now understand why even though this is one of the hardest things I have ever done, it is the easiest. I don't do this alone. Never have. Never will. Steph has an amazing husband in Scot, my husband Kenneth is equally amazing. We are making a great team in keeping Steph comfortable. I'm surrounded by Chrissy and Jarad, who hug and kiss me more than the little ones. One started the blog and the other the foundation. My son-in-law, Brian who drops by to check on ME, who wraps those big arms around me and tells me he loves me. My daughter-in-law, Ashley, who calls me her mother-in-love and who drops everything to take Drew & Levi to Bass Pro to pick something special for their Daddy for Father's Day. While Scot, Kenneth and I tend to Steph's needs, we never have to worry about the boys and if they are being cared for and loved on. Most importantly, I know I am not alone because my Father in Heaven is holding me every second of every day. I have always known the Lord. He has always been a huge part of my life. It's time like these that he NEVER leaves my side.

I wanted to share our story. People have just always known Steph as a part of our family, but many often ask me how EXACTLY we met. Most importantly, I wanted people to understand how God has put us together and carried us through this journey. It is truly amazing to all of us and we are eternally grateful for His faithfulness.

Why I blog.

2010-07-01T20:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight I will talk about my purpose for this blog. When I first started this blog, it was to keep family and friends posted on Steph's progress. Since then, it has evolved into something SO much bigger.

It turned into a place for me to share our WHOLE story. I have been able to let you all in, and have been received with open arms. So many faithful readers have shared in our struggles, but have also taken the time to read about our everyday lives together. You have smiled through slide shows of our happy time pictures. You have celebrated anniversaries and birthdays right along with us. You have cried as we said goodbye to family members. You have read along as I, sometimes selfishly, turned this blog into a place for really cheap therapy. YOU, even though many of us have never met IRL (in real life), have become family.

It has served as a place for us to be heard and request your sweet prayers that are so precious. It is a place where I have had the privilege of sharing the story of this amazing family. Most importantly, it is a place where I am able to share the gospel. I was talking with Jackie (Scot's cousin) today about this very thing. I am not very good at evangelism. I am great about talking about my faith with other believers, but unfortunately witnessing to non-believers is not my specialty. Maybe I'm afraid of an argument in which I would most likely fail miserably. Maybe I'm afraid of making people uncomfortable. That is why I love this blog. I feel like maybe it is preparing me for the task that I am instructed to take on. Writing comes easy to me...in comparison to talking face to face. This fact was made painfully obvious to me as I read my quotes in a recent article where I was clearly very comfortable in conversation mode with Michael Stacy from the Springfield News-Leader. What I do know, is God has opened up this little space on the web for me to share my faith...our faith, with the world. What a blessing. I pray that my words are exactly what HE would want them to be.

Today, this blog has taken on a new life. For now, the blog is to keep you posted as we watch something we hoped we would NEVER have to. I feel nervous every time I hit "publish post" for fear I may give away too much. So many of you know how private our dear friend has been throughout her life, but at this point it is important for us to share her message. You MUST listen to your body. You MUST be your own advocate. You MUST make people listen if you feel something isn't right. Reading my previous posts, I worry that it may seem we are giving up. I'm here to tell you, that is not the case. We will never give up. We may be fighting for different things, but we will never give up. We will not give up the fight to keep Steph's pain under control. We will not give up on keeping life as normal as possible for these sweet children. We will never stop sharing our story of how God has carried us through this.

My other purpose here today involves one of my personality traits that sometimes can be a major flaw. I'm a fixer. I want people to be happy. When the people I care about the most are sad, my world is not right. Heck, when complete strangers are sad, so am I! Well, I can't fix this. But I can try. I know that many of you have been so touched by this story because of the two precious boys involved. In order to help I want you all to understand, right now....these boys are okay. Their days are FILLED with loving Grandparents, aunts, uncles and a dad who is nothing short of AMAZING. They spend hours outside in a little paradise with their best friends in the world swimming, riding bikes and throwing back more Popsicles and homemade goodies than you could shake a stick at. We try to keep the house relatively quiet, but they know at ANY time ANY of them can sneak upstairs and love on our girl. It's sweet and you never know when the mood will strike them. And it does....often. When they get tired, they love to retreat to the basement. They throw on Nanny's t-shirts and cuddle up on the couches and usually fight over what movie they will watch on Netflix. They like to turn the lights off and have popcorn and pretend they are at the movies. There are nights like tonight when sweet friends come to take them to the REAL movie theater and they look forward to it all day. Tomorrow night Drew will have a sleepover with a very special friend who has some very AMAZING parents and we love them! Some days we get special surprises like we got today. Papa Ed flew over the house in the helicopter!! It was really exciting and definitely the highlight of the day! Here are a few pics of everyone waving at our special visitor!

It's the little things in life that bring us SO much joy! Thank you Papa Ed!!

So there you have it friends, if you really wanted to know....that's why I blog! Keep praying for relief from the pain. Steph had a rough afternoon and my mom was talking to the nurse about what we need to do next. Please pray for answers and above all...comfort. Thank you so very much!

We won the battle.

2010-06-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

Someone came yesterday to hook Steph up so that her pain meds will be administered through her port. This is good. Thank you VERY much to our hospice nurse Linda and the medical director who made that possible. We feel like we won that battle.

Steph had a bad weekend. We are thinking it was due to the steroids she was put on instead of the pain pump. Hopefully we won't have anymore days like that. Unfortunately, she can't have those days back. Frustrating to say the least.

Today, I heard a little rumor that Steph, my mom and the guys had coffee on the back deck together. I told my mom, "That makes me happy....a little jealous....but SO SO happy!" Keep praying for moments like this. When I hear about them, or better yet get to see these moments, I feel like running to the computer and sending a note to all of you simply saying, "THANKS." I know you are all praying for "normal" with us, so thank you.

God's Blessings

2010-06-29T09:11:00.001-07:00

There are moments when I think this is just too much to bear. I do fine...until I am alone. Sunday, I had one of those moments. I went up to check on the kids. I peeked in and watched the light from the TV dance on the precious faces of Drew and Claire. I went to Drew's side and prayed over him, asking God's blessing on this sweet child. Asking Him to give Drew strength, comfort, peace and wisdom beyond his years. I crept out and over to the next room where sweet little Levi and Cohen were resting peacefully. I prayed over Levi...the same prayer. I felt God in those rooms with me. I didn't make it to the stairs before I lost it. The sobbing was uncontrollable. I tried hugging Brian, I tried walking, rocking, sitting, standing, laying...nothing was making it stop. Nothing was helping me to breathe. I went outside on our deck and called my sister-in-law. As I we talked, I calmed down. We began to talk about God's blessings.

The thing is, this sucks. HOWEVER, God knew this was going to happen. He is not surprised by what is taking place this very second. From the day Steph was born, He knew she was going to touch the lives of more people in her 36+ years than many do in a LIFETIME.

He knew when she met our family, that we would form this special and amazing bond and he knew WHY this would be so important down the road. He knew that my mom and dad would open their home to her more than once during her life. He knew by doing so, she would feel at home when she was welcomed in one final time.

He knew when Scot was born, that he would grow and be shaped into the man who would take care of her and raise their boys. And let me tell you...he picked the right guy for the job. Scot is ABSOLUTELY amazing. There aren't enough blog posts in the world to describe how incredible he has been.

He knew when those two boys were born that they would need us. He knew there would be nights when they would be in my home during a very difficult time. I know that is why I have bonded with these boys the way I have. I am so comforted by the fact they feel at home here and I can share the burden with my parents and Scot. (Please know that I am not tooting my own horn here...GOD deserves the glory. He is responsible for all of this!)

He knew that someday, we would become family with her family and Scot's family. That is why he gave us this habit of adopting people as our own!! He knew my kids needed a Grandma Edna, Papa Ed, Granny Pam, Papa "Jail" and a Nanna Banana! Then he threw in an Uncle Jon, Aunt Abby, Uncle Ryan and an Uncle T for good measure!! Of course Drew and Levi hit the mother load of relatives too!

He knew my brother would be hired on at the office so my dad would not have to worry about work during this time. Jarad has stepped up and taken the load off of my dad. He also knew YEARS ago, who would be in that office with dad and Jarad during this time. He knew it would be a group of people that had been in our lives for a VERY long time. People who have offered up prayers, meals and special treats to make this a little more bearable. People who are like family. (See previous paragraph about our habit!)

He knew that my brother would marry one of the most amazing women I know. He knew she would fit right into our family. He also knew that she would become my very best friend in the whole wide world. He knew she would be the one I leaned on while my mom was where she needed to be.

I could go ON and ON about the road that he has paved for us. He knew we were going to be here someday. What an amazing gracious God we serve. He put all of these people and things in place for us. If this is how it has to be, He has done everything to make sure that we come out of this fog together. Thank you God for your tender mercy and your blessings. I pray that we are always able to see them, no matter how rough things get.

Please continue to pray for EVERYONE during this time. May God bless each of you, and may you take the time today to notice the blessings of the Lord in YOUR life!

One day at a time.

2010-06-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

That's our motto right now. Some days are good. Yesterday was good. Steph was up most of the day, which hasn't happened in weeks. She had a visit from some Lady Bear teammates and Coach Middleton. She REALLY enjoyed it. As they were catching up, Drew came in and said,"EXCUSE ME!! We need to be talking about ME! Start asking ME some questions!" We think he gets that from his Nanny, we KNOW he doesn't get it from his mommy or daddy! Nanny recognized that it was probably time for the boys to move along and said, "Boys, do you know what time it is?" Levi jumped up and yelled, "IT'S LEVI TIME!!!!" These boys light up our world! Scot's family came for a visit and Steph was able to spend some time with them before she was exhausted and went up to bed.

Some days are bad....other days are worse. Thursday night was horrible. Friday was bad. We are having a hard time keeping her pain under control. She is on A LOT of pain medication which is causing her to be nauseated most of the time so she is often vomiting shortly after taking them. It is hard for the pain meds to work from the toilet....I'm just sayin. We are pushing for a pain pump for numerous reasons. First, it would obviously be the most effective way to administer pain meds. Second, it would be far more efficient. Third, it would take a lot of stress off my mom and Scot who are having to keep track of what she takes and when. It sounds like a win win win situation...right? We are still pushing, I will let you know when we win. You know we will.

Today, I have the privilege of hanging out with the boys. Steph is not doing well today. We are not sure if it's the medication or something else, but she is not herself. We thought it would be best for the boys to be away for the day so we are planning a great day at our pool and I am sure ice cream will be present more times than one today!! Right now they are playing "tigers" together....wait, I stand corrected...they are playing "tigers" without Cohen. Probably because he refuses to wear his tiger pants....or tiger underwear....or any tiger clothing at all. I wish you could have seen what just happened as I was typing. It involved a huge snot bubble and an uproar of laughter from four precious babes. And now, they are ALL back to playing "tigers.".

We had art therapy a few days ago with the littles. Some of our long time friends brought TONS of food and two really great baskets for the kids. One full of snacks and one full of fun toys and activities. There was a package of t-shirts and a box of fabric crayons. Drew went first and he decided we should make shirts for his momma. Claire and Drew made theirs, I made Cohen and Levi's, but they told me what they wanted the shirts to say. We snapped some pics...here they are!

"I love you to the moon and back."

"Der Mom, I love you so much up to the planit Plooto."

Care Calendar

2010-06-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

I started to get really anxious about coordinating a food schedule again. It was a major project, and honestly...I don't have it in me right now. However, I was directed by a few people to the Care Calendar page and it is WONDERFUL. SO, I set one up and it will take the place of my sad attempt at organization. If you will notice, River Bluff Fellowship has already taken over many of the dates but there are still some available. We can also post other needs on there as the come up. I believe if you sign up, it will alert you when new needs arise. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Here is the log in info.

http://www.carecalendar.org/
Calendar ID : 42920
Security Code : 3276

We have not designated a certain time for food to be dropped off. Since Steph and Scot have moved in with the boys at my parent's house, there should be someone there around the clock. I will be keeping an eye on the schedule to make sure there are no conflicts. It seems so silly to just say that we appreciate all that everyone is doing. There really aren't words. Just know, that you are ALL making our lives a little easier in a time that is so difficult. We are thankful from the bottom of our hearts.

Update.

2010-06-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we spent the day at my parents pool. I arrived to find Steph sleeping. A very good thing. I went up to check on her and she said she wanted to eat something because she was determined to make it to MSU to watch her girls play at team camp. She ate and took a bath. My mom dried her hair and put it in a ponytail. I decided that Grandma Connie (my mother-in-law), Scot, Grandma Edna and Uncle Ryan (Steph's little brother) had it all under control so I went with them. Steph enjoyed watching them play and was very excited about the upcoming talent. I was amazed to see her talk to the girls with such strength. She encouraged them to keep working hard. This girl...she is incredible. When we got in the car we realized, she had overdone it...but I'd be willing to bet she wouldn't take it back for the world. We talked on the way home and we decided that it was time to call Hospice. We need someone to help keep her pain under control. She and Drew decided to spend the night with my parents and the next morning she was excited to report that she had a REALLY good night. She hasn't had one of those in a very long time.

Sunday morning your prayers were felt. My mom made coffee. Coffee with my mom is one of lifes simple pleasures. As my mom was telling me about their morning, I remembered the last time I sat with Steph and my mom and drank coffee. We were on St. Pete's Beach and is one of my greatest memories. SO, they sat outside on the daybed and watched Drew swim while they sipped their coffee. Mom read from a book that our friend Shelly Jones brought over the day before. Drew came up and sat for a while and decided that he would like to read something a little more entertaining so he went and got his Curious George book. They sat and listened to him read. All you mommas out there know, this was a wonderful moment for them. We are praying for more mornings like this.

Yesterday a decision was made. Steph, Scot, Drew, Levi, Nanny and Papa decided it would be best if the Phillips family moves in with Nanny and Papa. The upstairs is a little more secluded so noise won't be so much of a problem which will allow Steph to rest and the kids can still be kids. It will just be easier for everyone.

Today, all of the littles understand what is going on. Please pray for wisdom as we are all asked questions that we wish we didn't have to answer. Pray for their little hearts.

If you would like to bring a meal, please e-mail me at cgeorge1980@gmail.com and we can work out a time for you to drop it off. We are thinking Tuesday and Friday nights for drop offs. I know many of you have said you would be willing to do this and we are at a point where this would benefit us greatly. Thank you in advance.

While doing the book for Steph, I cam across some really great pictures. This one (which I am really afraid I left out of the book, BOO!) is a sweet moment captured on Easter two years ago at Nanny and Papa's. Steph is helping the youngest of our bunch (Miss Alivia Jane) find her eggs.

That's Steph...always a coach!!

Game Plan.

2010-06-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

It is time. This part of our journey that we hoped we would never see. It's here. In true athletic fashion, we had to talk strategy. Our goal is to keep things as normal for the kids as possible. We ask for your discretion when in the presence of our littles. We decided that it is important at this point for one person to be devoted to caring for Steph and Steph only. Of course, my mom has gladly taken on this role. She has noticed that this has made a big difference in Steph's strength. Keeping up with medication and making sure she is getting enough to eat is a very important job. I know better than anyone what an amazing nurse my momma is. I know I'm a little biased, but really...she's awesome. In the meantime, Scot is keeping the boys busy and the George family is always eager to take the boys whenever they want to come play. I got to put my old fort making skills to good use on Tuesday. We had a great time, but I was not allowed in either fort. One was ONLY for 3 year olds and the other was ONLY for 5 and 6 year olds. Hmpf. I guess next time I will make my own...so there. I finally finished my project for Steph. It is awesome if I do say so myself...all 93 pages! I can't wait for it to get here! I can't believe it took me so long, but the crazy ambulance/spinal tap incident set me back a few weeks!

Keep praying for strength, peace and understanding. MOST importantly....pray for our miracle!!! We continue to praise God for His works in our lives. We feel Him now more than ever. He is holding us in the palm of His hand. I stand amazed that he decided I was worthy to be a part of this incredible family. Thank you Lord.

Hardest post...ever.

2010-06-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

I have to write a post tonight that I don't want to write. I have been given permission to update you all on Steph's condition. I'm just going to put it out there...no sugar coating. She wanted to me to ask you all first and foremost, to PLEASE pray for her pain to go away or at least become more tolerable. She is on A LOT of pain medication right now. She has lost 13 pounds in the last two weeks, 30 since January. She is weak, is having trouble eating and is miserable. You can't even imagine how her condition has deteriorated over the past few weeks. Her most recent scan revealed what we feared...more cancer. Even with chemo every week and radiation 5 days a week for 7 weeks, this cancer is ravaging her body. During this fight, we have been afforded the luxury of a seemingly healthy girl. She never looked the part of a cancer patient. She never lost her hair and when she did look sick, it was because of the chemo. We are now faced with the ugly reality that this cancer is overpowering her. Please pray for the following:

1. Her pain to go away. This is the most important.
2. Scot as he tries to keep life as normal as possible for the boys.
3. Her boys.
4. My mom, she has been designated primary care giver for Steph...by Steph.
5. Her family and friends.
6. Her miracle.

My Wish.

2010-06-06T08:12:00.001-07:00

I wish I was here...

I wish I was with these two.

I wish these kids... didn't know the word cancer.

I wish I could go back in time to this day....
and tell her to get a colonoscopy. I wish I could take this away. I wish for a cure. I wish for a lot of things....but I'm PRAYING for a miracle.

Goodbye Kindergarten!

2010-05-30T07:36:00.001-07:00

Drew had his Kindergarten "graduation" last week. I wanted to post a few pictures but before I do that...I want to mention someone who is VERY special to Drew. His teacher. She has gone out of her way to make sure Drew is happy. I can't even begin to tell you in my own words how much we appreciate her, so hopefully you will get the idea based on this little story.

This winter at a basketball game, someone gave Drew a dollar. Most kids I know, including my own would have spent it at the concession stand. Not our Drew. He saved it. Last week at school he gave it to his teacher and told her he wanted her to use it to buy herself a Starbucks. He insisted and would NOT take no for an answer. I think it speaks volumes about how important she is to him and how much he loves her.

So, THANK YOU Mrs. M, for being so great with our guy. We feel that God put you in Drew's life for a very specific reason. You are an angel right here on earth and we appreciate you more than you could ever know!

Now for the pics!!! During the program, they put each child's picture on the screen with their name and what they want to be when they grow up. Here is Drew's. I love this kid.

Here is the proud graduate with his momma, daddy, brother and cousin Chandler.

The whole family!

Mommyhood.

2010-05-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

These two made us Mommys...

and these two were the icing on the cake!

Steph, I love doing mommyhood with you. Happy Mother's Day!

The line.

2010-05-01T22:51:00.001-07:00

Okay, I lied. I was hoping to have this little surprise done by next week, but it's not looking good. (So keep sending stuff in!!) I need more time. She deserves more time. And quite honestly, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Not because I lack pictures, I have thousands. Not because I lack the desire, I can't wait to see this finished project as I know the joy it will bring will be immeasurable. It is because I am overwhelmed by emotions. There is a perfect black line drawn right down the middle of this project. On one side we were carefree. On the other side, our lives were changed forever. My heart aches when I look back at the pictures before Steph was diagnosed. Things were not perfectly simple by any means, but they were so different. I start to get angry and then I keep looking. I sat tonight and stared at a picture of us on the day of her wedding. She was beautiful in her big white dress. Her something old and borrowed was my jewelry that I had just worn months before when I walked down the aisle. The memories came back like a flood. I am not angry. I am thankful. I am thankful for those memories and thankful that we are making new ones everyday. I am thankful that God has given her new strength like she's never had before! Thankful that God has given her the strength to fight for a new line.

Keep 'Em Coming!!!

2010-04-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who has participated so far in my little project!!! You guys are awesome and I KNOW this is going to mean the world to her! I can't wait to see the finished project! Love to you all!!!!! Whoops. It looks like I shouted this entire post. I'll try to contain myself next time....I'm just SO STINKIN' EXCITED!!!!!!! Oh. There I go again.

Request.

2010-04-26T10:02:00.000-07:00

**UPDATE** I am seriously out of it. It seems I have more time than I thought. I will change my deadline to SATURDAY at 10:00 am. That gives you a little more time!**

I will update you all on Steph's status soon. She is sleeping at chemo right now so maybe we will talk later. I did get a text from mom saying, "She is strong today." That is a step in the right direction! Our prayers are working....PRAISE JESUS! Steph said last night that all she wants is for everyone to start praising God for the healing that has and is taking place in her body!

I also have to give a little shout out to Pastor Scott. He came and had lunch with us yesterday. It was wonderful to have him there. He is such a sweet sweet soul and you just feel good when he is around...even if he did give me a hard time for being the family rebel. But don't worry...I got even when I made him laugh and he shot fruit dip out of his nose. It was awesome and I'm still giggling over that one!

Now for my special request. When my mom turned 50, I put a photo book together for her. It started with pictures of her as a baby and went to the present. I also had some of my family write letters to her to go with their section of pictures. It turned out really well and it is something she treasures. My intentions were to have the same thing for Steph ready for her birthday. Well...our world was rocked and I lost a lot of my focus. (See THIS post) Now that we are back on track, I want to do the same thing for Steph. So here is what I need from YOU!

1. Any pictures of Steph that you would like to share...bonus points if they have YOU and Steph in them.
2. A little note explaining how Steph has impacted your life. (Feel free to e-mail a note even if you don't have pictures.)
3. Pass the word along to anyone you may know that may not read the blog (then shame them into reading the blog.)
4. Send the letter and/or pics (make sure you put names with the people in the photos, just in case!) to cgeorge424@yahoo.com. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me.

Here's the catch...I need these by Wednesday at 10 pm! I really wanted to have this done by mother's day, but it totally crept up on me, so a few days after will have to do! Now...what are you waiting for?? Go! Go!! Send me your stuff!! Thank you in advance! Love to you all!

2010-04-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying that Sunday was a day I will never forget. It was beautiful outside. We ate lunch and spent time together. We sat in the back and watched the kids play in the stream. We sat in the driveway and watched them ride their bikes and draw with chalk. The Bradford Pear tree (aka the stinky tree) had bloomed and the tiny white petals were swirling around and floating through the air. It was magical, like something you see on a movie. It is a memory that I will tuck away in my heart and pull it out when I need it.

Now, here are the facts. Steph recently started having severe swelling in one of her legs and in her pelvic area. After an ultrasound and doppler they determined that the blood flow from her heart to her legs is fine. However, the blood flow from her legs to her heart is not good. The tumor near her femoral vein is constricting blood flow. I won't lie, that stung a little bit. We have grown accustomed to problems and illness caused by chemo. This was the first time we have had to deal with a problem directly related to the cancer. So if you had the misfortune of running into one of us in public during the weeks we were processing this...sorry about that.

Sunday we discussed chemo with Steph. This was the week for her "bad chemo" which makes her VERY sick. Before chemo she talked with Dr. Hoos. They talked about the tumor. He said he would send her over to Dr. Helen and see about doing radiation to shrink the tumor and offer her some relief with the swelling and pain. The talked a little about pain management and also decided to take the Irinotecan (the bad chemo) down by %10. This is what they suggested at Mayo, but Dr. Hoos wanted to give it a shot at full force because he wanted to be aggressive. Steph was good with that until she realized how bad the side effects were going to be. It was an encouraging visit, especially when he mentioned something about, "Come September." We needed to hear that.

They met with Dr. Helen to discuss radiation. That woman gets it. Of course, we wish we would never have had to meet her but given the circumstances we are so glad we did! She is determined to save Steph's life. She opened her huge file on Steph and mixed in with the medical reports and results were news paper articles she had clipped out about our girl! She is a class act! She decided that she will do a PET scan tomorrow to get a solid plan in place. Steph will most likely be looking at radiation 5 times a week for 7 weeks. WOW. That's a lot of radiation. So right now, we need you to pray specifically for Steph's strength during this difficult treatment regime. Also pray that when it's all over, the tumor will be GONE! Keep praying for a miracle! WE BELIEVE!!!!

Chemo Day

2010-04-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

Today is chemo. Today I couldn't hate cancer more if I tried. BUT TODAY is the day that the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be GLAD in it! Please pray!

Jimmy V Foundation

2010-04-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kevin Meyers for sharing this with me tonight. Watch and consider what you can do to help!

Fearless

2010-04-10T22:40:00.001-07:00

I just posted this on my personal blog but felt it might apply on Steph's blog as well. I am looking forward to spending some time with the Phillips family tomorrow and hopefully will get some new pics up. In the meantime, you can read my ramblings and please keep praying for Steph. She really needs your prayers right now.

Last month, I had a REALLY bad week. It's really hard for me to even post that on here because my "bad" doesn't look near as bad as another person's "bad," but it was still hard. Big Daddy was out of town for the week. I woke up Monday with a migraine. I was bummed because my mom was coming over to spend the day. Instead of hanging out and decorating, I was sleeping it off. However, I was thankful that my mom was here to hang with Cohen while I slept. That night I went to bed with a "migraine hangover" but was sure I would be fine. Uh...no. I woke up in the middle of the night and was SICK! I finally had to call my mom and ask if she could come get the kids ready and take them to school. I then proceeded to puke for days. I had to stay with my parents because I could not get out of bed!

**My mother is a saint. On the two days that Cohen and Levi had school she would get all FOUR kids ready, take them ALL into Drew's school to drop him off. She would put three back in the car and make the 20 minute drive to drop Claire off then back to Springfield to take the little boys to school!

So, during this time I was also having an emotional melt down. My faith was shaky at best. I couldn't believe how weak I felt physically and mentally. As I lay there I beat myself up. How on earth can I feel so bad when one of my best friends in the world is fighting for her life with such strength and courage?? Why can't I just suck it up? I became almost disabled by fear. I feared the outcome of Steph's fight with cancer. I feared the sickness that was raging in my body. I hated the fact that I added more to my mom's plate. (Make no mistake, my mom is happy to help and was thrilled to have so much time with my kids. She LOVED every second of it, so I'm not sure why I was worried about that!) I missed my husband and was terrified that he would get stuck in New York due to the pending snow storm projected to hit the east coast.
The week went on and don't you know it...God prevailed. I still felt pretty bad but Brian was on one of the VERY FEW flights that got out of NYC before the snow storm hit. He made it home and the weekend came. I went to the doctor on Monday (Yes, I waited until Monday because I seriously could not get out of bed!) and found that I had an ear infection that was causing all kinds of problems. My doctor actually asked if she could look at my ear again because she had never seen anything like it! (P.S. my ear NEVER hurt!) On Tuesday we went to Lifeway and I found a great book that I am still trying to finish. Fearless but Max Lucado. It was as if the book jumped off the shelf into my arms. Hmmm, I wonder how that happened?? I am convinced that God didn't hear my prayers. He heard my mom's prayers. I know she was praying for me. I know she was praying that I could find peace. And I did.

I know God wants me to be a lot of things, but afraid is not one of them. By being full of fear, I am being disobedient to Him. By focusing on the things that terrify me, I am ignoring the things that should be filling my soul with joy. I have done A LOT of praying and soul searching. I have come to some conclusions and I will share them when the time is right. As hard as life has been in the past few years...it's getting harder. I don't know exactly what the future holds but I DO know one thing. I know that I will not survive with the attitude I had last month. Worrying, feeling guilty and being afraid is not going to make Steph's cancer go away. If it could, I'm pretty sure my dad and I could have cured her about a year ago. I don't have all the answers, and never will, but I trust in God's plan. I am thankful for His promise to me. I am also thankful for His decision to put me in this amazing family. Because of these things, I am determined to be fearless.

Baby Audrey

2010-04-01T20:10:00.001-07:00

Many of you in the coaching/teaching community may have already heard about baby Audrey. I personally had her grandpa as a P.E. teacher in Jr. High. Her daddy and Scot go way back. Tonight, I am asking for your prayers. She has been fighting for her little life for weeks in the CICU at St. Louis Children's hospital. We remember that place all too well. It seems like a million years ago that we sat by Drew's bedside and wondered what the future held. CLICK HERE and go to her site. Read her story and pray with all your might for her and her family.

Kickapoo Wins for Coach Phillips

2010-03-13T23:17:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to KOLR 10's story of the game.
Kickapoo Wins for Coach Phillips

"Hide and watch"--Stephanie Phillips

I LOVE this girl.

A little note of thanks.

2010-03-13T22:48:00.000-08:00

Two years ago, I wrote THIS post about a special group of girls who collectively go by the name of the Kickapoo Lady Chiefs. I have to write another similar post. The end of the season is here and I was thrilled to be in Columbia as they celebrated their third place win at the state tournament. It was a great win. You could see it written all over the faces of these precious girls. They were going to WIN. They played with intensity, courage and grace. After the game, one of the mothers came to me and thanked me for what I do. Even though it is hard for me to consider what I do worthy of thanks, I thanked her. But more importantly I thanked HER for raising such a fine young lady. I didn't get a chance to tell anyone else so I will do it here.

To the parents of the Lady Chiefs,

Thank you all. Thank you for your support over these past few years. Most of all, thank you for your girls. You have all raised a phenomenal group of ladies. They conduct themselves with such poise. They are so special to us. I may not have spent hours upon hours with them, like Steph, but I know how she talks about them. They are so very special to her. They are, after all, "her girls" too. As Steph said many times, "They need me and I need them." Truer words were never spoken. You have all been a blessing.

Love,

Us.

State.

2010-03-13T19:37:00.000-08:00

THIRD place. We could NOT be more proud of these girls if we tried. Congratulations Lady Chiefs. We heart you.

Pain Scale

2010-03-11T17:09:00.000-08:00

Here is a pain scale chart they found on a bulletin board at Mayo. (Revised...apparently for effect?)

Steph and my mom found it to be quite hilarious. Steph got the idea to reenact the scale herself.

Zero...NO PAIN.

Two.

Four...MODERATE PAIN.

Six...Um...yeah.

Eight. More pain...possibly some constipation??

TEN!! SCREAMING PAIN!!!!!

If this was anyone else, it may not be as funny. But we found this to be down right hilarious.

2010-03-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

It's what I do.

2010-03-10T19:55:00.000-08:00

I was talking to my mom while she and Steph were at Mayo the first time. All of the sudden my mom said, "Steph...look at that guy." Steph glanced over, "Uh...okay?" Mom says, "Well, doesn't he look...ummmm basketball-ish?" I could only imagine the look on Steph's face at this point. After discussing his attire (Adidas) and google-ing a picture of his wife on Steph's phone, they decided that it WAS in fact...BOBBY KNIGHT! After hanging up with me she stood up and walked straight over to Coach Knight who was eating lunch with his wife and talking with someone else. Since he was in the middle of a conversation, my mom approached his wife, Karen. "Karen Knight?" She looked up with a nervous look on her face, "ummm yes?" My mom began, "I am SO sorry to interrupt and normally I would NEVER do anything like this, but your husband needs to meet my best friend." That's right folks...she told BOBBY KNIGHT that HE needed to meet Steph. Awesome! So Steph came over and they chatted for a bit. My mom explained that Steph coaches girls basketball but she just recently stepped down in order to focus on her battle against stage 4 colon cancer. Coach Knight pointed out that his wife coached girls basketball as well and has won 5 state championships. "She has already won TWO," mom eagerly pointed out. She did fight the urge to say that her team was class 5A! They chatted for a moment more and decided it was time to leave them to their lunch. As they were leaving Coach Knight said sincerely, "Good luck to you in this fight against cancer." Steph turned and confidently said, "Thank you. I will beat this, It's what I do....I win." Love this. Love her.

Final Four

2010-03-10T15:02:00.000-08:00

I came across this picture and HAD to put it on here.

This is Claire and Drew in a hotel crib in Columbia during their FIRST state championship! I just couldn't resist. What lucky little people to be a part of something so awesome! We will be sure to get pics this weekend of them at their SECOND state championship with their brothers enjoying their first!

GOOD LUCK LADY CHIEFS!!!

Happy 36th Birthday!

2010-03-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

Steph,
You are so precious to us. Your strength is amazing. We are so thankful to have you in our lives. You brought 3 guys into our world and we wouldn't be the same without them. We love you to the moon and back!

Love,
Us.

News-Leader Article

2010-03-07T13:39:00.001-08:00

I LOVE this picture!

Click HERE for the article about our Lady Chiefs!

(Picture from the Springfield News-Leader)

State Bound!

2010-03-06T12:22:00.001-08:00

Congrats to Steph and her Lady Chiefs who are headed to the FINAL FOUR!!!! So proud of all of you!!!

Quarterfinals

2010-03-06T11:04:00.001-08:00

http://www.khsprairienews.com/live-events/varsity-basketball/

Click on the link to watch the Lady Chiefs live in Rolla today at 1 pm!!! GO CHIEFS!!!

Faith

2010-03-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

I am convinced that NO ONE has more faith than Steph. She inspires me. On Monday, Steph was laying in a hospital bed being pumped full of medicine to ward off any life threatening side effects. She looked at my mom and said, "I am so excited." Whaaaat??? She continued, "I can't wait for the moment I get to tell everyone my cancer is gone." She is a fighter. She is so strong. And she has more faith in her pinky finger than many people experience in a lifetime.

She is doing better today than she was yesterday. Monday, chemo went pretty smoothly and was fairly uneventful until the very end when she started experiencing extreme nausea. They were going to keep her overnight but she convinced them that she was fine. She continued to be nauseous yesterday. Drew was ABSOLUTELY precious telling my mom that, "I need to stay here with my mom when she is feeling this sick." He ordered her to stay in bed and rest then told Levi, "NO, you need to go to the bathroom yourself or brother can take you...mommy needs her rest!" I found it quite funny/sad that when we mentioned Steph being sick, I asked Drew if she was pukey like I was last week. His eyebrows went up and he said, "Oh no, she's not that sick!" Yes...I felt like a weenie!

In case you had not heard, the Kickapoo Lady Chiefs have had a "guest coach" on the bench recently. Steph missed the girls so much. She draws so much strength from them and wants them to realize their dream of making it state. She has been coaching at the games and it has been so good for her and the girls. Tonight they take on the Hillcrest Lady Hornets in Bolivar after a big win last week against the Glendale Lady Falcons for the District title. There MIGHT be a chance that the game will be live on the Kickapoo Prairie News website. I will check and post the link if it is. Keep praying for a miracle and stop to appreciate the miracles around you! (Thanks Holly!)

Post I would rather title, "We don't need no stinkin' chemo."

2010-03-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, Steph had a scan on Friday. Unfortunately, we did not get the news we wanted...this time. According to the scan, the tumor has grown a little and the lymph nodes have also increased in size. It also revealed a small tumor on her liver. Based on this information she decided to start chemo today. She will be taking Erbitux every Monday and Irinotecan every 3 weeks. She is at the hospital now and will soon be getting her first dose of both. She has to do this at the hospital because of the possibility of severe side effects. She started the morning off with about 5 or 6 medications to hopefully prevent this from happening. When I talked to them, she was taking Albuterol as a precaution, to keep her airways open. She has been told that this process could take up to 8 hours and she may have to stay the night, depending on how her body reacts. This is not acceptable to a momma who wants to get to her son's basketball game by 5:30! We are very optimistic at this point. Erbitux is often very scary for people. So scary, that many people don't even try it. Not our Stephanie! She is facing this head on with strength and courage like I have never seen. She is also very encouraged because she has taken CONTROL of her body and let me tell you...it is a temple! She does not put a single thing in her mouth that isn't 100% healthy. I'm not joking. She has felt great lately! She is in very good spirits and I can't even begin to tell you what an inspiration she is to me. Please pray for NO side effects and 100% healing!!!!

Benefit Concert

2010-02-15T12:47:00.000-08:00

I got a note today from Laura from Younglife here in town. She had been in contact with me about a group of Christian artists that were coming through town. She decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to have a benefit concert for Steph. Thank you Laura for thinking of us!!!

WHAT: "Coach Phillips Benefit Concert"
WHEN: Wednesday, February 17th
WHERE: The Gillioz Theatre
TIME: Doors will open at 6:45. Concert will run from 7-9:30pm. It will cost $10 at the door (cash and check only).

The concession stand will be open. Artists will sell merchandise. The artists are Ryan Long, Jake Ousley, and Mark Wagner... The skinny Improv will do a special performance as well!

Wow.

2010-02-10T08:22:00.000-08:00

Morning Sports Report

Last night was absolutely amazing. From the opening prayer from Anthony Tolliver to seeing the joy on Drew's face as he smashed a pie in "Big Red's" face. The stands were FILLED with people there to support Steph. As I addressed the crowd before the game with a message from Steph, I ended up looking at the wall. I simply could not look into the crowd. Too many sweet faces. Too many people who would do ANYTHING to help. Kids packed into the student section like sardines. Family. Friends. Friends who have become family. Cancer survivors. Even Doug, who is on his 2 week leave from Afghanistan! I sobbed as someone paid $700 to throw a pie in the Principal's face. I cried as 3 WONDERFUL men bid against each other for the trips to Hilton Head and Belize. It was such an emotional night for us. Each dollar raised will make it that much easier for Steph to focus on the task at hand. Surviving and lovin' on her guys.

Silent Auction

2010-02-08T18:54:00.000-08:00

The alumni game is tomorrow night at 5:30...in case you hadn't heard! What you may not know is that the silent auction that will be taking place until half time is going to be A.MAZ.ING!!! I was talking to Greta, a former player who is helping put this whole thing together, and she couldn't believe how many people have come forward and wanted to donate SO many great things! I'm just saying...you don't want to miss this!!! You also don't want to miss my spectacular performance on the court, so you better get there early. I don't think I will last long! I have been made aware of some little practice sessions that have been taking place among the faculty. This scares me. Not nearly as much as the thought of what I may look like in a uniform.

2010-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

First let me start by saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY (yesterday) to my wonderful mom! I wish I had a beautful heart felt post about how amazing she is...but I don't. My words aren't flowing as freely these past few days. Maybe it's the sinus infection, maybe it's the weather or maybe I'm just tired. But I am sure if you read this blog regularly or if you have the privilege to know my mom in person...I don't have to tell you how wonderful she is! She spent her 51st birthday in the car driving to Minnesota with Steph. On Friday Steph got a call from Mayo telling her that they could see her Monday morning! They tried to get a flight, but had no luck so they decided to leave on Saturday and drive. They were able to spend the entire weekend talking and catching up. They stayed Saturday night in Iowa somewhere and got up yesterday to head to Rochester. My mom enjoyed ALL of the text messages she got on her birthday as well as all of the messages on facebook! They were VERY close to running out of gas because they forgot to fill up when they left that morning! Right now they are probably waiting to see a doctor. She just wanted to get another opinion just to make sure she has covered all her bases. We DID get a little bit of good news from St. Louis. Dr. Fleshman is the surgeon she is seeing. He was "Listed in Best Doctors in America, 2002 - 2009," (Best Doctors, Inc). He feels confident that he can remove all of the visible cancer but radiation would be neccessary first. The radiation oncologist and the medical oncologist didn't seem to agree. They seem to think that the cancer will continue to flourish in other places while they radiate that area. However, after a lecture from....ahem....a discussion with Steph he is on board. Now we think he understands exactly WHO he is dealing with. She made him understand that she is NOT a statistic and she will NOT give up! They are currently putting together a plan of attack.

I also wanted to share a little something else. I woke up yesterday and felt terrible. I didn't mind getting out of bed, but I just wanted to stay home and drink coffee while I was warm and cozy by the fire. I knew it was Vis10n Sunday which meant we would be watching a video of what our church had done over the last year and talk about our goal for this year. I KNEW I would love it, I always do...but I just didn't want to go. Thankfully, my wonderful husband encouraged me to get up and moving. In the meantime he got both kids ready which made things SO easy for me! We got to church early (that's two weeks in a row!) and got the kids to their classes. I filled out my 57th (approximately) prayer request for Steph and got ready for my favorite part of the service. The music at our church is truly amazing. We praised and worshiped as the sick came forward to be prayed over by the elders of the church. As the music faded and Pastor John came out he said something that I was truly meant to hear. He was doing his regular, "Thank you Jesus! He is GOOD! We praise YOU!" All of the sudden he just said, "It is such a wonderful thing to praise Him before He moves!" He briefly spoke of times in our lives when we are hurting and how those are the times when God is testing our faith. They are the times when we should praise Him!! The people of Jericho we shouting His praises BEFORE the walls came tumbling down!! I knew right then, God got me to church to hear JUST that. The other stuff was AMAZING as well, but THAT was what I was supposed to hear. I am so thankful to be serving a God who knows just what I need! So join me today and praise Him for the wonderful things He does for us every single day!!!

We also need a little extra prayer today. I got a text from my mom this morning saying that Steph was up all night throwing up! She has the flu!!!! Wow. I will post as soon as I hear something from Mayo.

Alumni Game

2010-02-06T07:58:00.000-08:00

Tuesday at 5:30 in the KHS gym something great will take place. NO, I am not referring to my performance on the court. I am talking about a group of people coming together to support Steph. There will be T-shirts you can buy and from what I hear, they are pretty great. We are also having a silent auction with some REALLY great stuff! If a hot air balloon ride for two or a week ON the beach in Belize sounds like your kind of thing...you better be there! We have been so touched and truly humbled by the kindness and generosity that everyone has shown. We are amazed at how Steph's battle is bringing everyone together. It may sound strange to some, but I feel peaceful. I feel God working. I believe He is pulling everyone together and making her story so huge with His own hands. Why? I believe He is getting ready to do something big. So come be a part of something big!

Fundraisers

2010-02-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

*KHS Faculty v. Lady Chiefs Alumnae Basketball Game on Tuesday, February 9 at 5:30 in the Kickapoo High School gym. Cost is $5. (You should come check out my dazzling skills on the court. Should be impressive. Please note the sarcasm.)

*Faculty teams from all 5 high schools will compete at the Glendale gym on Saturday, February 20. Details are forthcoming. (Prouty, you better be there in full gear.)

*Every Saturday during the month of February, Texas Roadhouse will commit 10% of your food purchase for Coach Phillips. Just mention Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Basketball to your server. (Six more of these and I won't have to cook the entire month of February!!!)

Also, listen to Jock 98.7 at 4:30 today; or listen online at http://www.radiospringfield.com/

We Believe!!

2010-02-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

Five Teams, One Goal....We Believe!

Tonight in Ozark

2010-02-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

The Lady Tigers wore brown and gold. They passed a bucket to raise money for the Stephanie Phillips Foundation. The announcer told everyone about the fundraiser next week every chance he got. They were kind and sweet....

and they looked good in brown and gold!

We realized later, that the Hillcrest Lady Hornets were wearing these shirts in support of Steph.

To say the evening was touching....would be an understatement. Thank you.

Monday Night

2010-01-30T08:49:00.000-08:00

Got this e-mail a few nights ago and wanted to share.

The Ozark Lady Tigers will be holding a fund raiser for Stephanie on Monday, Feb 1, 2010, during the Ozark vs Hillcrest Girls Basketball game. The girls will be wearing Kickapoo colors during warm ups to honor Coach Phillips. I know that Kickapoo has a game the same night, but if you could spread the word around to let people know to come out and "Kick the Poo out of Cancer for Coach Phillips"
Keeping Stephanie and her family in our prayers.
-Ozark Lady Tiger Parent

So if you are in the area, stop by and show your support! I will be there with my future Lady Tiger!

News

2010-01-27T21:18:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting to post anything. Ultimately, it is not my story to tell so I am always very cautious. I haven't talked to Steph personally yet. I will. Today was not the day to do that. I will not share details tonight because again, they aren't my details to share. But this was posted to the News-Leader website tonight.

Kickapoo basketball coach Stephanie Phillips stepping aside to focus on family, fight against cancer
Michael Stacy • January 27, 2010

After receiving a diagnosis Tuesday that her cancer has spread, Kickapoo High School girls' basketball coach Stephanie Phillips told her team this evening that she is stepping away from basketball to spend time with her family and focus on her fight against the disease.

Phillips has been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.She and husband Scot have two young sons, Drew and Levi."I just feel like I need some time away," Phillips said tonight, "to take a break from (the team) right now and from basketball and from all of that and just focus on me and my family and doing everything that I can do to get healthy."

Phillips, in her ninth season as coach of the Lady Chiefs, has a 201-37 record. She has led Kickapoo to two state championships, in 2003 and 2005.Missouri State women's coach Nyla Milleson, a former coach at Glendale High School and Drury University, has known Phillips for years. She praised Phillips — the mother and the basketball coach."I think the big thing now is your prayers and your thoughts go out to her and her family and her husband and two little boys," Milleson told News-Leader reporter Erin Bolen tonight while en route to the Lady Bears' game at Southern Illinois. "These kind of things put so many things into perspective. She's a wonderful mother and a wonderful person, and I just don't know what else you can say about her as a person."And she's got a tremendous basketball mind that's done so much for that team. I'm sure her team will rally around her, but I don't know what else you can do but to offer prayers."I'd known her for years," Milleson added, "but I was already gone from Glendale by the time she came back to Kickapoo. We've been friends and colleagues for a longtime."

MAKE NO MISTAKE. We are not giving up...just focusing on a new plan of attack. We will pray for a miracle and ask that you fall to your knees with us and do the same. We will continue to trust in the Lord our God with ALL our hearts. We will continue to praise Him in this storm.

Update

2010-01-26T12:31:00.000-08:00

Steph has an MRI scheduled for 6:30 this evening. She will also be meeting with a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist. That's all I know for now! Keep praying!

Lengthy and Most Likely Confusing Post.

2010-01-25T14:20:00.000-08:00

I will now attempt to share with you what has been going on in the past few weeks. It will be long. You will be confused. You will be sad. You will also be encouraged. So here it goes.

After meeting with Dr. Biggers, Steph had a meeting with Dr. Hoos. He said he didn't think the PET scan would be necessary, but if she moves on to St. Louis, they would probably want it so "go ahead if you want." She then asked to be referred on to a surgeon in St. Louis and he obliged. Meanwhile, Dr. Biggers is still VERY concerned that she has not been tested for Lynch Syndrome or anything else genetic. She informed him that she HAS in fact been tested for that stuff TWICE. And guess what...when he called the ONLY genetic counselor in Springfield....she had NO record of even seeing Steph. She was also tested in Houston. The tests came back negative again, but they weren't so sure so they requested more information. This would come in the form of a 25 page questionnaire. Questions like, "What and how many times did you eat as a baby,"caused her to push that one aside and never look at it again. That has guinea pig written all over it!

SO, Dr. Hoos referred her to Dr. Chapman in St. Louis. After doing her own research she found that this man specializes in LIVERS!! She called and spoke with his nurse (who said, "Oh, I have your scans right here that you need to pick up to take to St. Louis!" Good thing she called!) to explain that she did not want to waste her time driving to St. Louis to see a doctor that couldn't help her. She was very understanding and assured Steph that the doctor himself would be calling her back before the day's end. At 4:30 she had heard nothing so she left practice that day and drove straight to St. Johns. She walked in without an appointment and in a very nice way insisted that she speak with Dr. Hoos. He explained to her that her scan revealed "more cancer deep within her abdomen." He then assured her that she was going to the right doctor. I don't think I need to tell you how devastating that news was...for everyone.

Steph, Scot, my mom and the boys FINALLY got out of town and headed to the hotel. The next morning was her appointment which they originally thought would be a simple meeting to discuss surgery options. However after talking more about it they decided that they boys did NOT need to be in the office, given the news she had received the day before. So they called dear Aunt Jackie who lives in St. Louis and dropped EVERYTHING to be there. She and Uncle Jerry were at Siteman Cancer Center before Steph was! She sat with the boys while Scot and my mom accompanied Steph. They gave Dr. Chapman the stack of scans and he went to his office to look them over. He came back and said that the scan from December 22, 2009 was not there. He would absolutely have to see this scan in order to compare it to the PET scan from the previous week. Without it, he really couldn't say much. So I guess you would call that...A WASTED TRIP!!!!!!! Oh yeah, he also told her he would look at the scan and most likely refer her on to a different surgeon, you know, one who specializes in the colon.

Everyone came home very confused. Steph called and talked with the nurse about the missing scan. She apologized and said that they request their scans from another department and she wasn't sure how many scans were supposed to be there, so she didn't realize it was missing. Steph said she would send JL (Scot's dad) up for the scan so he could mail it. She told Steph that she would take care of it and get it to St. Louis by Friday. Scot called Steph on Friday and told her that the scan had arrived...AT THEIR HOME!!! JL went up to St. John's in hopes he would find that they had just sent a copy to their house. No such luck. He then mailed it HIMSELF to St. Louis. Now here we are. Today. I just got an e-mail from Steph. Here is what it says.

Going to STL tomorrow. Don't have appt time yet, but should get it this afternoon. The (liver) doctor that I saw last week spoke with me today and said he thinks I would be a candidate for the surgery to have the pelvic tumor as well as the abdominal tumors removed. Pray that he is right! I really think if I can just start with a clean slate I can beat this thing.

Isn't she amazing?

Untitled.

2010-01-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

Here we are. It's 2010. We have been sitting on some news for a few weeks now. Before Christmas, Steph had been experiencing some pain at the site of her tumor. This tumor is near her uterus and was deemed "stable" at the beginning of November. She insisted that she be scanned again. Dr. Hoos obliged and called her with the results. Not good. The tumor has grown by about a centimeter in one direction and a centimeter and a half in the other direction. This was NOT what we wanted to hear. Since then she has seen Dr. Edwards, a general surgeon, to get a little feedback about why we aren't just taking the tumor out. He said he was very apprehensive about doing the procedure, although we still don't understand why, and referred her to another surgeon here in town, Dr. Biggers. He also said he would not feel comfortable doing the surgery and is sending her results to Dallas to see what they say.

What Dr. Biggers DID do was to get the ball rolling on a few other things. He was shocked that Steph has COLON CANCER and had not been instructed to get a colonoscopy YEARLY! That thought had never crossed our minds, but when it did it just seemed like a no brainer! He also could not believe that she has not had a PET scan since her diagnosis. So she will be having a PET scan on Thursday which will show any cancer activity in her body. She will be meeting with Dr. Hoos next week (I think) to discuss some more things. We are very frustrated at this point because we feel like many doctors she has seen (Not the previously mentioned docs) are giving up. We feel like from day one, they looked at her chart and wrote her off as another hopeless case. APPARENTLY they didn't get the memo...STEPH DOESN'T GIVE UP!!!!! They obviously don't know who they are dealing with here!

So now we wait. I think I speak for many when I say...I'm tapped out. I am having a hard time "brightsiding" this. The words don't come like they usually do. I won't lose faith. I will pray. I will listen. I will thank God for Pastor Scott Watson who always seems to have the right words. But, I am not afraid to say....this sucks.

Alva Delzell Thurman

2010-01-04T11:11:00.000-08:00

Alva Delzell Thurman, 86 years, passed to heaven on December 19, 2009 at St.John's Regional Health Center, Springfield, Mo. Alva was born May 7, 1923 in Girdner, Mo., to William and Lydia (Robertson) Thurman. On November 14, 1946 Alva and Frieda Thomas were united in marriage in Mtn. Home, Ark., and to this union three children were born. Alva was a lifelong resident of Douglas County. He was a WWII veteran serving with the U.S. Army. He worked as a farmer, and also served as a Douglas County Deputy Sheriff for many years. Alva also served as a minister and preached at several churches in the area. He was a member of the Mount Calvary Freewill Baptist Church in Ava and the Ava VFW #5993. He enjoyed gospel singings and found so much joy in being with his family and all his grandchildren. Alva was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Naomi Twitty; and a granddaughter, Deanna Thurman. Alva is survived by his wife, Frieda Thurman, Ava, Mo.; three children, Frank Dean Thurman, Platte City, Mo., Alva Edwin "Ed" Thurman and wife, Pam, Sparta, Mo., and Linda Neal and husband, George, Omaha, Ark.; 11 grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren; three sisters, Neva Vinson, Ava, Mo., Zola Harrison, Everton, Mo., and Norva Strong, Ava, Mo., many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. Funeral services for Alva will be Wednesday, December 23, 2009, at 10 a.m. in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, Mo., with burial in the Yates Cemetery with military honors by Ava American Legion #112 and VFW #5993. Visitation will be Wednesday, December 23, 2009 from 9 a.m. to service time in the funeral home. Officiating will be Rev. J.W. O'Neal and Rev. Marvin Loftin. Memorials may be made to Yates Cemetery or the Mount Calvary Freewill Baptist Church. On line condolences may be made to www.clinkingbeardfuneralhome.com.
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To the Thurman family, please forgive me for not posting this sooner. You have all been in my prayers over the past few weeks and continue to be during this time. I wanted to make sure that I posted this to share with all of you. Steph's papa was a very special man and he will be missed by many.

More Chemo.

2009-12-07T21:21:00.000-08:00

No, it's not for Steph. As you know she is taking a break, but her Papa....is not. He was recently diagnosed with cancer. I wish I could tell you what kind but I can't, for the life of me, remember what I was told. But today was his first chemo treatment. So Steph decided that it was VERY important to be there with him today as he experienced for the first time what is all too familiar to her. She spent the day with him, her Granny and her dad. It was hard for her but as she was leaving he told her that he had, "had the best day." I hate it for him. I hate it for his family. BUT, I am so thankful that he is not one of the people sitting by himself as poison courses through his veins. Please add him to your prayer lists. Pray that he tolerates chemo and is cured. Pray for their family as they do this....again.

Happy Birthday Edna!

2009-11-15T17:51:00.000-08:00

Since I didn't get a birthday wish posted yesterday...I wanted to make sure it was extra special! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Edna! Hope you had a wonderful day!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Good News.

2009-11-12T16:05:00.000-08:00

More later...but things are looking good!!!

**It's later! I have talked to my mom and we got good news today. When the doc looked at the scan...for the first time this afternoon as he was sitting in front of Steph, he read it out loud. "Stable. Hmm." For those not up on the cancer lingo...stable=NO GROWTH!!! This is amazing news! They are still looking into some clinical studies in Bethesda, MD that she is a candidate for at this time. HOWEVER, after looking at her scans today, Dr. Hoos decided that it would be okay for her to wait just a little longer on those since the CANCER IS NOT GROWING!!!!! She would have to be gone a lot for those and in case you hadn't heard...IT'S LADY CHIEF SEASON BABY!!!! He wants to continue to scan her because her cancer has been very aggressive in the past.

We feel very strongly that Steph's devotion to her diet and nutrition played a huge role in this positive development. She will continue doing what she is doing. But ALL the glory and ALL the praise goes to God. This is HIS plan and HIS will is being done here. I mentioned in my previous post that maybe we can't change God's mind by praying. I also meant to mention that he always answers our prayers. Sometimes he doesn't answer them in the way we WANT Him to.

But sometimes he does.

Thank you Jesus. Thank you.

Results Tomorrow

2009-11-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

Is there something you do in the evenings that is a complete time suck? For me, it's the computer. I sit, play games, shop and waste time on facebook. I enjoy it. It is my reward for working hard all day. When the kids are in bed and all is quiet, I like to sit and do mindless "junk" on the internet. Sometimes I blog and catch up on other blogs, but mostly...I waste time. Tonight I am going to give up my computer time because there is something so much more important to do. Pray. I have a list of things that need some serious attention. At the top of the list is Steph. So would you please join me tonight? Steph has an appointment tomorrow to discuss the results of her scan and a new plan of action. This is a big one.

But guess what??

God already knows the outcome. He knows her story. He knows exactly what is going to be said at that appointment tomorrow. Then why pray?? Well, I recently read a VERY lengthy blog post HERE about that very question. Long story short, she suggests we cannot CHANGE God's mind by praying...we can only draw nearer to Him so that we may be at peace with the results that HE has chosen. So I will pray. Please join me!

Scan Tomorrow!

2009-11-02T16:39:00.001-08:00

If you are like me, tonight you will crawl into bed with a million things running through your head. What didn't I get done? What do I need to do tomorrow? Does my husband have clean underwear? Did I lock the doors? How long has it been since I washed my hair? And so on. But tonight, I am asking you to take a few minutes from your list and pray just a little extra for Steph. Tonight she has one thing and one thing only on her mind. She is thinking about her scan tomorrow. It's kind of a big one. We NEED this to be good. We NEED to hear that the cancer is shrinking...better yet we want to hear that it is GONE!! Steph told me today that she is fighting the devil daily as he tries to convince her that this cancer is never going away. Lets lift her up in prayer. Our prayers are so much more powerful than anything satan could come up with. Continue to pray tomorrow and the days that follow as we wait for the results. I will let you know as soon as I am able!

Fundraiser!

2009-10-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

On Monday October 26th, we will be having a fundraiser to benefit Ozark's Care to Learn program. I have mentioned before how important this cause is to me. Care To Learn provides immediate funding and action to meet any emergent health, hunger or hygiene issue a child might have; addressing a physical need, restoring respect, and getting that child back in the classroom. We also are participating in the backpack program which will send home backpacks stocked with snacks and easy to prepare meals for children who may not get meals outside of school.

So please join us at McAllisters in Nixa Monday October 26th from 5-9!!

Prayer Request

2009-10-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

WAAAAY back in the old days, I went to high school with Kasey White. Two years ago, through the wonders of myspace, I learned that he and his family had been dealt the devastating blow of a cancer diagnosis. Every parents nightmare...his beautiful daughter Megan had a six pound tumor that had basically swallowed her kidney. They headed straight to St. Jude where she fought the fight and came home cancer free. She is a beautiful and talented young lady that you may have seen or heard on TV or the radio.

They recently returned from St. Jude's after a routine scan (IF you can even call a scan to check your child's body for a life threatening illness routine) with "mixed reviews," as Kasey said. There is a spot on Megan's lung but her brain scans were clean. I am asking you ALL to add sweet Megan, her dad Kasey, her mom Kandice and her brother Danny to your prayer list. Lift them up and pray that God will heal her body. From what I understand, they are going to "wait and see" and then rescan her in six weeks. Please also pray that Megan's family can find peace and rest in our Father's arms.

We are such strong believers in the power of prayer. We see it work everyday and FEEL your prayers all the time. There is SO little I can do for this family so I wanted them to be covered in YOUR prayers. I know personally how comforting those prayers are. To follow Megan's journey click HERE for her caringbridge site. To fall in love with this sweet girl, go HERE to hear her story and watch the video below that aired at Thanksgiving time. (The same time she was on the Today show!!!) She has become quite the little star!