Sweet

I am thankful for a full week of fun…

~ for a great week for Tatum K. She likes all these birthdays and parties and holidays for one important reason: CAKE! If you’ve seen my Instagram, you have seen her insistent chanting: “Cake! Cake! Cake! Pie! Pie! Pie!” There is no denying her love of sweets, and she was one happy girl to get to indulge this week!

~ for Gavin’s 2nd grade class chapel program, celebrating that the Bible is God’s Valentine to His children. Such a sweet message, and the kids did such a great job.

~ for a dear friend’s good news that made my heart sing.

~ for excitement for Cooper – thrilled that he made the A team for Jr High baseball! He started practice last week, and games will commence soon. Carson Grace is enjoying playing on the Varsity Softball team. Come on SPRING!!!

~ for new signs completed for Giddyup and Whoa. Bear and Tatum K both got to be sign models.

~ for two special back-to-back birthdays. Kora turned 10 on the 13th and Gavin turned 9 on the 14th (Gaventime’s Day!). Yep. 366 days apart! These two are used to sharing birthday celebrations, and Gavin knows his birthday is going to be red and pink every year until eternity. They are great sports about it, and we do our best to make their individual days special for each of them. We feasted on box macaroni and cheese and pizza and pink and blue cupcakes.

~ Miss Kora had no reservations about what she wanted for her birthday: pierced ears! She marched right in and hopped up in the chair! She made some pretty intense, horrified faces during the piercing, but she was super-duper brave! So pretty!

~ for surviving the epic amounts of sugar consumed by my household this week: from “special birthday breakfasts” to class birthday treats, birthday cupcakes, ON TOP OF class Valentine’s Day parties. It was a high-fructose corn syrup and Red 40 flavored week. We may be doing a cleanse these next few days!

~ for the single-most highly anticipated evening of the year: the Father-Daughter Banquet/Dance at Tyler Christian Fellowship. There is nothing that thrills my girls more than to hear the doorbell ring and open it to find their beloved Daddy with roses in his hand to offer to each one of his beautiful girls. They all dressed in their finest, and they dined, they danced their little tails off, and each one of them soaked up how much they are loved by their Daddy. Even Carson Grace cherishes this time. I love that this is a memory they will always treasure. This year I had a really great time with Tatum K (too young to attend) and my boys. We cooked some tasty nachos and watched a movie. But the highlight of the evening was playing Pie in the Face! We all got “pied,” even mom, much to the boys’ delight. Lord, help me to relax and have fun with my kids. They really are so easy to please….all they want is time and some good laughs. And sometimes it really is as simple as a fistful of whipped cream smeared on my face.

~ for a special time of fellowship and sharing after church. Leadership hosted a lunch for new visitors, with a tasty meal and encouraging testimonies from people in the Body. Love the opportunity to get to meet, welcome, and encourage new families.

It’s been a good, full week. Plenty of hard, but also plenty of sweet moments. I think that’s just where we are in life. I think it’s always going to be some flavor of hard. Large family life is uniquely challenging. Adoptive family dynamics are complicated. Life after cancer is ugly hard. But God is just so faithful. His Word reminds me of His new mercies. His Spirit comforts mine and reminds me that no matter what I feel like, I’m never ever alone. And Jesus meets me: in my brokenness, in my joy, in the moments when I feel like an utter failure, and in those fleeting moments when I breathe a sigh of relief that I finally got something right. We serve a God of second chances! Hallelujah! He never gives up on us, and I’m so thankful. And while my loving Father never ceases to extend grace to me, I also need to DO MY PART! It’s my responsibility to get into the Word and seek Him. My flesh is never going to feel like praising Him. But I have to do it anyway. And I know that He will meet me.

Tomorrow is a very special day that you may not know about…February 18 is International Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day! It’s a special day set aside to support children who are fighting or who have fought cancer. Gold Network of East Texas is encouraging people to eat ice cream for breakfast and post pictures on social media, with a caption in support of kids with cancer. You can participate by posting a picture on Facebook or Instagram, tag @goldnetworkofeasttx and @eaticecreamforbreakfastday, and tell us who you are eating for. If social media isn’t your thing, just dish up a sweet treat and say a prayer for the kids. You can even email me a picture at info@goldnetworkoet.com. Our family will be eating ice cream for Sawyer. And Eric. And Olivia. And Sophie, Brock, Jase, Liam, Michael, Izzy, Bristell, Hudson, Addie Leigh, Anna Luisa, Kaitlyn, Abigail, David, Ceely, Parker, Emerson, and all the other children whom we have met in person or online, and kids around the world. No child should ever have to fight cancer. But for now, we can eat ice cream. And we pray.

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.”” Jeremiah 29:12-14

Overwhelmed

I am thankful…

~ for our 13th and 14th viewing of the beloved GCS 1st grade production of Little Bo Peep. It is the sweetest play featuring Little Bo Peep and Little Boy Blue on a quest to find the lost sheep, enlisting the help of all our favorite nursery rhymes. Our Zoe gave a compelling performance as Little Polly Flinders. Such a fun tradition, and the moral of the story – that Jesus always helps us when we go astray – gets me every time.

~ for the most loving and godly teachers who pour into our children, and encourage mom and dad when we desperately need it.

~ for some of the most stunning, electric sunsets I have ever seen! God’s handiwork on display never ceases to amaze me!

~ for getting to see Carson Grace speak encouragement to incoming GCS freshmen about being a part of the High School Praise Band. Proud of the poised, talented, and God-seeking young woman she has become.

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~ for a super-fun quadruple birthday party! We just celebrated Samantha last month, and both Gavin and Kora are coming up this week…Zoe isn’t until August, but it’s just easier on Mama’s brain to ding-it-done all in one big shebang! The kids got to try out the new hit attraction, Urban Air, an indoor trampoline park with more extras than you can count: zip lines, ninja obstacle course, rock walls, ropes course…there are so many exciting activities for all ages. Each birthday honoree got to invite a couple of friends and choose their favorite cupcake: chocolate with pink buttercream, chocolate with blue buttercream, chocolate with chocolate buttercream, and funfetti with rainbows! They all had a wonderful time! (And I didn’t have to clean up afterwards! WIN-WIN!)

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~ for a sweet (albeit far too short) visit for Kora, Gavin, and Zoe with their biological big sister, Grace. Grace was adopted by dear friends of ours, but they moved to College Station this summer, so we don’t get to see her as often as we’d like. The four of them stick together like glue when they have the chance. Grace is growing into such a remarkable and beautiful young lady, and it is so special to see her. I’m thankful for the opportunity for the kids to stay connected and make new, healthy, and happy memories to replace the more difficult memories from their early childhood. What a Healer is our God!

~ for a special evening at Gold Network CONNECT, our quarterly childhood cancer caregiver support group. Our group was smaller than usual, with many families out with sickness (can you BELIEVE all the flu around here??!!), but we know that it is truly an anointed time for the appointed ones who come. We enjoyed the most delicious fajitas from Abuelos and decadent tuxedo cake and key lime pie for dessert. And we shared our stories and our lives with one another. Laughter and tears and encouraging words remind each other that none of us are alone on this long, lonely walk. I’m so thankful for the great privilege to come alongside other families and share hope, even though our stories are all so different. Also so very thankful to have been approved for a generous grant to cover the funding for this important program!

~ for Gavin getting some great one-on-one time with Dad, building signs for Giddyup and Whoa. He learned a lot: helped cut, assemble, and stain several signs. Didn’t even mind the chilly temps!

Oh, I’ve been in such a slump. Nothing terrible is going on. We are dealing with colds, not cancer. It’s just been hard to get motivated…to get into the Word, to paint, to stay positive. Maybe it’s the weather? It’s been dreary and cold. Anyone else relate? So anyway, on Wednesday, I dragged my weary, unmotivated self to midweek service at church. House was a mess, kids a wreck…but we got there. Only to find out that instead of the praise and prayer time we have been doing, that this week was going to be a time of sharing testimonies. GREAT! Because I was SO IN THE MOOD to testify. (insert HEAVY SARCASM) Worship began, and I struggled to refocus my heart and enter in. The words made perfect sense to what I was dealing with, but I still felt like I was going through the motions, “I delight myself in You/in the glory of Your presence/I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You)”. Until one of my Littles whispered to me, “Mama, what does ‘overwhelmed’ mean?” And as the song continued, I tried to explain, “It’s like when there’s all this STUFF around you. All the things you have to get done. And you realize how small you are. That’s ‘overwhelmed.’” Because for about as long as I can remember, I have lived in a constant state of being overwhelmed, in one way or another. Then God began to minister to my heart as I continued to explain to my child, “But then you look at creation, and look at all He has done. And you realize how small you are, compared to how big God is and how good He is and how much He has done for you. And THEN, ‘overwhelmed’ is a GOOD THING.” As my Father’s kindness soaked into the parched ground of my heart, I knew He had given me something to testify about. The definition of “overwhelmed” is “to bury or drown beneath a huge mass,” or “defeat completely”. I had (we ALL have) a choice: to live drowned and defeated by the circumstances our eyes see: this messed up world, sickness, evil, fear, STUFF, a million responsibilities…or we can let ourselves be OVERWHELMED by the love of the Father.

I wish I could say I am full of fresh new perspective and that all my weariness has been transformed to purposeful strength…but the truth is that the slump persists. I’m still overwhelmed. But I do have renewed hope. I know that God is not watching my progress with a clipboard and checklist, marking off what I do wrong or right. I know that He is not asking me to be successful or even improving. He’s asking me to be faithful whether I feel like it or not. He’s asking me to keep moving and not quit. He’s got my kids. He’s got my marriage. He’s got my to-do list and my worries and my anxieties and my health. He’s got ME! I am thankful for the God Who Sees Me, and for the knowledge that His grace will always be sufficient.

Thanks for giving thanks with me. Let’s love one another well this week.

“These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:4-5 NIV

Special shirt from our friends the Mayers

February 3, 2019

Bear and Chewy (Sawyer) at the chilly softball game

~ for deep conversations with Sawyer: Sawyer:”Who gave you that pillow?”

Me: “My Aunt.”

Sawyer: “You mean your mom?”

“No, my aunt.”

“So she’s your different kind of mom?”

“No, she’s my aunt.”

“Oh, so your aunt is your grandma?”

“No. My aunt is my aunt.”

“Oh, Ok!”

(Sawyer is also VERY excited that the “Brown Hog” did not see his shadow yesterday, because it means Spring is coming. And he knows my birthday is coming up, since it is “Feb-loo-ary.”) Oh how this boy keeps me laughing!

~ for the wonderful privilege to speak at MomTalk, a bi-monthly lunch for GCS moms. I got to talk to the other moms about the importance of sharing our stories with one another, finding our common threads, and encouraging each other through our trials. They encouraged me so much!

~for Carson Grace’s first softball game. She and her teammates had a great game, and it was fun to cheer for her. Now I will say, the combo of 40° weather, brisk wind, 6 whiny kids, and a non-leash-trained puppy were not ideal. Hoping for nicer weather for the rest of the season.

~ for Zoe having a great time celebrating the 100th day of school. She ate her tasty necklace of 100 Fruit loops, and the class did lots of fun activities.

~ for a thrilling lesson on the letter “F” for Sawyer and his JrK friends: petting a real live FALCON!

~ for our sweet new friend, Bear. He is just a love. All the kiddos can’t get enough of his wet puppy kisses and his fuzzy puppy paws. And I love him, despite cleaning up puppy messes every 7 minutes. Potty training a puppy is NO JOKE. Haven’t done this in 13 years. Thankfully he’s a very sweet boy and seems to be a pretty quick learner.

~ for new mercies every morning. I know I say that a lot. But I say it a lot because I NEED it a lot. This week my patience ran thinner than thin. We are all in various stages of a little annoying cold, puppy training is incessant, the kids have been AT each other constantly over anything and everything…it’s just so easy to default to irritation, which is exactly what I did. I’m not proud of my responses or my tone. But Jesus extends His unwarranted grace to me; allowing me to extend that same grace to my children. And every day really is a new day! So thankful to have a fresh opportunity to try again each morning. Thank You Lord for do-overs! Anybody else need a good, old-fashioned do-over?

~ and for the BEST NEWS OF ALL! Today our sweet Sam-girl was baptized!!!! She asked Jesus into her heart several months ago, and since then, she has been eagerly anticipating her baptism, but has been forced to wait due to various illnesses and schedules not coordinating. So this was a long-awaited event! What a blessing to see this beautiful girl answer the prompting of the Holy Spirit, make the personal decision to follow Jesus, and then publicly share this commitment in front of her church at the age of 11! So wonderful that our daughter is now our sister in Christ! And it was made even more special because we had so many people with us to celebrate: aunts and uncles, grandparents and cousins, all together to share in her joy because she is so loved. What a beautiful picture of the redemptive love of Abba Father. God is just so GOOD, y’all!

Thank you for giving thanks with me. In the highs and the lows, in the trials and in the mundane…the blessings are there if we train our eyes to see. But it is a discipline. Our natural inclination is always to look and to gravitate downward. LOOK UP! Give thanks! Let’s love one another well this week.

“Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMPC

January 27, 2019

~ thankful for a super fun day celebrating Samantha’s birthday! How can it be that our little Stinky Girl is 11 years old!? School was out, so we got to really got to do it up. The day started off with donuts for breakfast, and then a trip to the mall. Not just a leisurely trip to the mall to look around. No sir, this was a trip with a purpose. And that purpose was getting Samantha’s ears pierced! This is a milestone first offered to our girls upon reaching the age of 10, but Sam was NOT INTERESTED last year. This year she was SET. Until we got there. Then there was a dramatic change of heart. There were big tears. There was a call home to big sis for a pep talk. There may have been some time spent huddled in a corner of the store. But, she rallied her courage and eventually walked proudly out of the mall with red, swollen eyes and sparkly blue earrings! Then came a Subway lunch date with Dad, and home to make her own ice cream cake, and finally a delicious dinner that evening. She said it was the very best birthday she’s ever had. What a blessing is our sweet, sweet Sam.

~ for encouragement from the Lord through the gift of worship music. Several times this week, certain songs have just ministered to my heart… “have you come to the end of yourself? Do you long for a drink from the well? Jesus is calling…”. and “who am I that the highest King should welcome me? I was lost but He brought me in, oh His Love for me.” What a gift music is! And then also what a gift it is to experience watching my daughter grow into her gifting as she continues to lead worship at school and at church. I’m including a video of Carson Grace from our service this morning. Be blessed. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XE6ANdzNVOo

~ for the simple sweetness of the kids feeding the ducks at sunset. Something so little makes them so happy. All it takes is a little time.

~ for the opportunity to share in our friends’ joy. This week, one of our brave Gold Network Hero friends took his very last chemotherapy medication after more than 3 years of treatment for leukemia. What a day of celebration! And that morning, his entire school dressed in superhero costumes and greeted him with cheers and well wishes, a true heroes welcome! I’m not sure if Sawyer and this dear boy have even actually met, but Sawyer simply knows him as one of his “friends.” He watched the video with me and clapped and cheered for his fellow leukemia warrior, and it filled my heart with so much hope and joy. We HAVE to celebrate the victories!

~ for a great time at the mid-week worship service with my kids. I am loving the intimate setting, and the opportunity to explain to them WHY we are doing what we are doing…explaining WHO GOD IS and why He is worthy of our worship. And everything I share with them is a fresh reminder to me, right where I am. Oh Lord, keep my faith like that of a child!

~ and for a big finish to our week: it’s official – WE HAVE LOST OUR MINDS! We got a new puppy! Josh and I found a sweet pup on Craigslist that captured our hearts, and Saturday morning we loaded up all the kids, sleepy and confused, into the bus, telling them only, “we’re going on a family adventure!” You can imagine the squeals of surprise and delight when their eyes were met with a fluffy new friend! It was such a fun day, and I know we will all remember it forever! Everyone loves “Bear,” and his name suits him perfectly, as he more closely resembles a cuddly teddy bear than an actual live animal. Puppy kisses are the best! A “family adventure” INDEED!

Thank you to so many who have liked the Sunday Gratitude Facebook page or signed up to follow this blog. I am so thankful for this community and all of your support. I hope this week finds you well. If you are weary, hang on, and don’t lose heart. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! If you’re in a season of joy – SHARE SOME! I promise you, somebody’s desperate for it! You never know when you may be the answer to somebody’s prayer. Thank you for giving thanks with me.

“But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” Psalm 3:3 NIV

January 20, 2019

fullsizeoutput_9600 — Brave #SawyerTheWarrior

~ Thankful for a much-needed, long-overdue evening out with my Love. We started with a stop at Lowes, (doesn’t everyone?) and then a delicious meal at FD’s. Finishing the tile floor nearly killed us both, so it was the perfect way to end his week of vacation.

~ for the warmth and comfort from a crackling fire. I love cozy mornings snuggled up in the dark with my Bible, or painting beside it in the afternoon.

~ for impromptu hugs from my little people, and “I love you Mama” for no reason at all.

~ for a fun night for Carson Grace at Winter Formal. Thankful for sweet friends.

~ for a wonderful refreshing at our newly reinstated mid-week church service. Intimate worship, spirit-led prayer…it was such a blessed way to refuel our hearts with our church body. And I loved experiencing it together as a family. On Sundays, we worship together and then the Littles head off to their classes. In this service, we were all together (all but 2 youngest). No electronics, no coloring pages, no “you-keep-busy-so-mom-and-dad-can-listen.” At ages 7-17, they are all old enough to take in the Word of God for themselves. And pray with adults. Who knows how much they actually listen or understand, but I just truly believe seeds are being planted. I’m excited to see them grow into who God has made them each to be.

~ for Sawyer’s wonderful Clinic visit on Thursday! CANCER-FREE!!! Glory to the LORD! Josh and I are always freshly amazed that Sawyer is doing so well. And it is such a blessing to see others see him as a miracle, too. The doctors scarcely know what to think. It’s my favorite to see Dr. Winick’s eyes shine as she listens to him tell her stories about his family or about school, and be genuinely thrilled with a picture he has made for her. I’ve recently heard of so many of Sawyer’s “friends” specifically those that I’ve met through the online Infant Leukemia community: kids who have dramatic speech delays due to underdeveloped mouth and facial muscles from being fed through a tube for years instead of learning to eat by mouth. Kids with social anxiety from being kept on isolation and never learning to interact with other kids. Cancer in an infant can cause so many issues, with the disease and treatment occurring during the most formative months and years of brain development. BUT GOD! Sawyer has faced so many traumas, yet the Lord has chosen to show healing mercies here on earth. I will never understand why Sawyer is doing so well, when things could be so very different. And have turned out so very different for people who I love. But we just have to choose every day to trust that Our Good Good Father knows what He is doing, and that His plan supersedes our instincts on every level. And keep praying and praising.

~ for good laughs. Near the end of his appointment, Sawyer said to Dr. Winick, giggling, “I know what comes next… you’re going to check my business.” (Each visit includes inspecting his testicles – “business” – for any irregularities. Infant leukemia has a high rate of relapse in boys as testicular cancer.) Then he looked over at Gina, and said dryly, “you might not want to yook at this Aunt Gina. That would be inappropriate.“

After we returned safely home on Thursday, I was astonished to realize it was EXACTLY TWO YEARS since Sawyer’s treatment ended (thankful to have all my Caringbridge entries to look back on!). We didn’t have the long-awaited celebration marking his very last chemo. Instead, he was riddled with multiple infections and unexplained fevers, even requiring blood transfusions. He was getting weaker instead of better. So on January 17, 2017, the oncology team abruptly discontinued his chemo at his Clinic appointment. Very anticlimactic. And unnerving. That day, just 3 hours after returning home from Dallas that afternoon, he spiked a fever and we were right back to be admitted to the hospital. It was such a terrifying time, to see him so sick when we were supposed to be celebrating. BUT GOD! I never could have imagined him two years later: an active, vibrant, healthy, and THRIVING 5-year-old! A living, breathing picture of HOPE! Glory to the Lord!!!

Thankful for a good week. Thank you for giving thanks with me!

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” Psalms 27:13-14

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Carson Grace and her friend, Kellen, at GCS Winter Formal

Welcome to Sunday Gratitude

Sunday Gratitude – January 13, 2019

(Lessons learned on my knees – while tiling my kitchen that is)

Many of you have been following along on our Instagram stories, watching our tile project in our kitchen. And what a project it has been! We have quite literally spent the week on our knees. But what a great place to be! I find the Lord speaks to me through the projects that I am working on. He always has. This latest project was full of fresh lessons for me. The big one that stuck out this time had to do with how we look at things. If you take a look at our newly completed floor…(not trying to sound prideful…) we have gotten a lot of compliments. And we are very thankful, it really is a beautiful floor. “I don’t know how you did that.” “I could never do that.” “Y’all are amazing. It’s perfect!” From the outside looking in, or on social media, it’s easy to judge someone else’s total package…someone else’s highlight reel, and form an unrealistic view of perfection. I do it all the time. I look at people who I think have it all together. People that aren’t wrinkled. People that aren’t late. People whose kids’ hair are perfectly brushed. Like EVERY DAY. And I think, “I bet SHE doesn’t have an old banana in her purse.” It’s so dangerous and misleading to judge from the outside appearance, and then measure our own blooper reel against someone else’s highlights. Nobody’s perfect. We know that, but don’t we think it anyway? Boy, if a professional tile setter took a look at our kitchen, he would find flaw after flaw. Wrong angles, inconsistent grout lines, tiles that aren’t level. It is FAR from perfect. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO BE BEAUTIFUL. And neither do we. I really hope my kids remember what they saw this week… A daunting project, but a mom and dad who worked side-by-side to get it done. They saw some giddyup. And they saw some whoa. They saw us loving each other, laughing together, and some good-natured bickering. They saw us get tired and worn out and ready to be done, long before the job was complete. And all week they listened to some really great old rock and roll! (And in the interest of full disclosure, I’m also thankful they survived 10 days of moderate child neglect. NOT our finest week of parenting.)

~thankful for the refreshing feeling that comes after putting away all the Christmas decorations! Everything got a good deep clean, and it feels fresh and crisp for the new year ahead.

~thankful for the wonderful opportunity to see Carson Grace lead worship with the GCS High School Praise Band at Elementary Chapel. I can’t believe how grown up she is. It is so surreal to see her operating in her gifting. And even more special, all three of our little girls received Character Quality Awards at Chapel. Special morning for all our girls.

~ thankful that Kora got a 100 on her AR test. I love to see those brown eyes sparkle when she does well.

~for such a unique and fun opportunity for Sawyer. You may remember he was asked to be a part of a charity fundraiser, a fashion show model for Children’s Cancer Fund in April. Wednesday was the event photo shoot. So Josh and I travelled to Dallas for him to meet the other event participants and the event chairs: Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach. Each child was allowed to bring an item to be autographed, and Josh brought a Troy Aikman football card from his childhood collection. On the way home, Josh told Sawyer, “Hey bud, thanks for getting my card signed today!” To which Sawyer replied without missing a beat, “don’t you mean MY card?!“. We all got a good laugh. In truth, Sawyer’s favorite parts of the day were crafting some bug refrigerator magnets and getting Whataburger. Don’t tell Aikman.

~ for a stellar performance from all our Littles as they put on an original play for Mom and Dad. They are a hoot.

~ thankful for my sweet Dad, who turned 70 this week! I miss him, but thankful for technology so we can keep in touch, even across the country.

~for Samantha’s first lesson on her new sewing machine.

We have gotten mixed feedback about moving Sunday Gratitude to Facebook, so we are adding another avenue to follow along, we created a blog website for those who don’t use social media. I’m HOPING it is just as easy (maybe even EASIER) as signing up to receive Caringbridge. You should be able to just enter your email to subscribe. Please let me know if you have any trouble! We are so excited to see what God does with Sunday Gratitude, and excited to take you all along on the journey! https://sundaygratitude.blog

It’s Clinic Week. Sawyer will have his bloodwork done and a checkup and exam from the Oncology Team at Children’s in Dallas. He’s been under the weather since Wednesday, so I’m eager to have him seen, especially since his pneumonia last month. Tensions always build as the appointment approaches, and my chest tightens even now as I type. We never take for granted that his test results will be clear. The reality of cancer always lingers in the background. And as we approach TWO YEARS OFF TREATMENT, (HOW CAN THAT BE!!???!!!???) I know Dr. Winick is going to space out his follow up appointments. And I know that’s reasonable. But man, it’s hard. BUT GOD. I know His grace is sufficient. He will meet me in my brokenness and my fears, and love me through the anxiety. And we will praise Him that Sawyer is here, and thriving, living a life filled with love and joy and laughter – a happy, normal little boy. Glory to the Lord! ((deep breaths for Mama.))

Thank you for giving thanks with me! Let’s love one another well this week, perfectly imperfect as we all are.

“for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”” 1 Samuel 16:7b NASB