Update.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!!!

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.

**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!

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

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

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

Fearless

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

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

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.

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.

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

Pain Scale

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.

It's what I do.

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

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!

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

I LOVE this picture!

Click HERE for the article about our Lady Chiefs!

(Picture from the Springfield News-Leader)

State Bound!

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

Quarterfinals

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

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."

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

*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!!

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

Tonight in Ozark

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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

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!

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!

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

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!

WIN Banquet

Last night I was honored to spend the evening in the company of so many strong and amazing women at the WIN banquet. (Women's Intersports Network) As I looked at the list I realized that I have been blessed to play basketball for THREE of these very women!

Courage Award
I have mentioned Trish Marsh on my blog before. I played AAU basketball for her in 8th grade. She has battled and BEAT breast cancer. Her speech touched us all as she talked about "bouncing back" from the blow she was dealt. She cried as she looked at her wonderful husband (the swiffer master) and her two beautiful children. She talked about her "chemo buddy" and I cried. She is blessed to have an amazing support system and I am so thankful for that.

Senior Sportsman Award

Coach Sue Schuble was my basketball and volleyball coach in high school. She retired a few years ago and is spending her retirement years volunteering ALL over the place! She has a passion and love for animals and nature that so far I have only seen in my OWN child! She has backpacked and camped in ALL 50+ of our National Parks. I was glad to see her and we set up a time that I can bring Claire to the zoo and get a "backstage pass" thanks to Schub!

And of COURSE we can't forget the Most Challenged Coach award! I didn't get a picture because I was too busy taking video! So here they are! My mom presented Steph and then Steph gave a speech that was SO very important! The mic was a little "hot" but hang in there, it's worth it!

Check it out!

THIS was in the Springfield News-Leader today!

The following individuals will be honored at the fourth annual Women's Intersports Network (WIN) Awards Banquet on Wednesday, Oct. 7, for being strong role models in the area of girls' and women’s sports:

• Challenged Award — Stephanie Phillips, Kickapoo HIgh School basketball coach

• Courage Award — Trish Marsh, Missouri State associate basketball coach

• Mentor Award — Barb Cowherd, Drury University Associate Athletics Director

• Senior Sportswoman — Sue Schuble, retired Kickapoo coach

• Corporate Award — Donna Powers, McDonald's

• Bee Payne-Stewart Spirit Award — Linda Dollar, retired MSU volleyball coach, currently city's Director of Community Olympic Development Program

The event, which includes a silent auction in which all proceeds go to benefit WIN of Springfield, begins at 5:30 p..m. at the Doubletree Hotel.

Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, who recently wrote a book entitled, “Timeless Women Speak: Feeling Youthful at Any Age," will be the keynote speaker. Tickets are available at the door.

Ticket prices are as follows:

• Event sponsor — $250
• Team rate (15 or more people) — $65
• Table of 8 — $65
• General public — $15
• WIN members $10
• Students — $5

Very cool! Can't wait for this!!!

Larry Happ

We received news that Steph's step father passed away yesterday morning. The entire family is in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Lawrence R. Happ

Larry Happ, 64, passed away in his home in Nixa, MO September 5, 2009. He was born in Mendota, IL in 1945 where he grew up with his beloved brothers and sisters. He was a graduate of the University of Illinois with a degree in metallurgy. He was very proud of his work as an engineer. He was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Mary Happ, his brother Donald Happ and his daughter Debra Happ. He is survived by his wife Edna, the love of his life. They enjoyed dancing, traveling and spending time with their seven grandchildren. He is also survived by his three sons, Brian, Don and Greg all of Wisconsin and step children Stephanie Phillips and Jon Thurman of Springfield and Ryan Thurman of Fayetteville, AR. His surviving siblings include his brothers David, Norbert and Douglas Happ as well as his sisters Carleen Anderson, Marleen Davis, Angela Happ and Eunice Taylor. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He was a very active member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic church in Nixa, MO.

Visitation will be at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Springfield, Mo on Tuesday, Sept 8 from 6:00-8:00 pm with a prayer at 7:00 pm. Funeral and mass will be held Wednesday, Sept 9 at 10:30 am at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton followed by the graveside service at Resurrection Cemetery.

As many of you know, things around here seem to be slightly out of control. At least that is what I would have said a few years ago. With my Uncle Gary's diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and his passing just 65 days later, we were devastated. But let me just tell you, the moments and days that came after his passing were not what I thought they would be. I am surrounded by people who know that our lives are NEVER out of control as long as we trust in the Lord with everything we have. HE is in control and it is obvious as I watch my family heal. One of the most amazing things has been watching so many people come to our aid, Steph being one of them. I can't say enough how truly blessed I feel to be part of this family. I should also make very clear that family doesn't just include those in my bloodline. We have a habit of "adopting" people and we have very special friends who we consider family....for example the Phillips family! (among others!)

Because of the funeral, Steph changed her chemo day to Wednesday so that she could help my mom. Without her and our dear friend Pam (a.k.a. Mimi) the day would have not ran as smoothly...AT ALL! Chemo seems to be really packing a punch on our girl right now. So please pray that it gets better. Steph is SO tough so it's hard to see her feel so bad. She is a fighter and she is fighting harder than ever before. Pray for strength and complete healing!!

My Uncle

Gary Joe Marshall

December 10, 1961-August 27, 2009

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears. There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face But until that day, we'll hold on to you always I know the journey seems so long. You feel you're walking on your own But there has never been a step Where you've walked out all alone.

(Jeremy Camp-There Will Be A Day.)