Keep your face to the sun, and you will never see the shadows.
~Helen Keller
I'm sharing these just because they're cute. These kids are full of personality!
fun with hats (and apparently tutus can be used as hats)...
College Game Day at school...
Sleeping angels...
Bath time fun...
I recently flew to Houston, to be with my parents for my dad to have surgery. It was the first time for me to leave Bryce, but my kiddos were in great hands (Daddy's and Grammy's). Pop Newman (one awesome man) got me a direct flight, so it didn't take long to travel. Poor Papaw got some tough news at his last check-up at MDA. Oddly, his CT of the neck revealed tumors in his left lung which proved to be more cancer. We were very sad to hear it because Dad was just truly recovering from his last surgery/chemo/radiation treatments. He is still unable to taste food, and he has lots of trouble swallowing. Due to this, his main meals consist of little food and several Ensures. He's lost well over 100 pounds, but Dad was a big man, so he had it to lose. He is now officially retired, and was using all his renewed energy working on projects around the house and gardening.
The thoracic surgeon at MDA felt he could surgically remove the tumors from the lung in a pretty low-risk surgery; however, once he entered the lung, he found that most of them (and several tiny ones he hadn't seen) were in the pleural lining rather than the lung itself. While he removed a large tumor from the lung, it would've caused too much bleeding, etc. to take anything more. Those must be treated with chemo sooner than later. Hopefully, the sample taken will provide some way for doctors to target the cancer with a more specific drug, but that is up in the air. Dad will return on September 24 to discuss his plan of treatment, and have his portable chest tube (he was sent home with) removed.
I am in awe of the man my daddy is. He is ready and willing to do whatever he has to do to get better. The doctors, nurses, and medical staff adore him because he is so kind to them as individuals and gets to know them as best as he can. He appreciates every little thing any one does for him whether he is in pain or not. He is an excellent patient. If they ask him to do something every hour throughout the day, he watches the time and makes sure he does it. When the surgeon told him what the news, he told the doctor he knew they did an excellent job and he appreciated his work. He said he'd do what he has to do to get rid of this stuff, and I believe he will. One moment I must include is a moment that occurred while Dad was in recovery. He asked Mom and me to hold his hand. We asked him if it was because they were cold (we thought he may want us to warm them up), and he said it just felt good. He then told us that "he loved his girls." I love that man! We've once again been overwhelmed by the love, prayers, and support of friends and family. Dad is the strongest man I know, and I look forward to the day he is cancer-free, fishing, playing with his grands, and truly enjoying his well-deserved retirement (not that 2 out of 4 of those things haven't been going on any way)!
On to Miss Sassy Pants...
This is my new saying for my little Avery Bell. I just feel it fits her perfectly, and it is something I hope she remembers throughout her life.
Avery began taking dance lessons from Miss Whitney in August, and she loves it! Tap, of course, is her favorite. I get more joy than I even expected out of watching her through the tinted glass each week. She's watching her teacher, following directions, and dancing her little heart out every Tuesday! I hope she will wear her costumes and participate in the recital when spring arrives! Avery is so funny about certain things, but she is also always FULL of surprises. You never really know what you are going to get!
I've been so blessed lately listening to Avery talking out loud as she plays. She's been repeating bible verses she is learning at school each week, and she has said some from church too. More than anything in this world, I want Avery to be equipped for life. I know that those verses will guard her heart, encourage her, and teach her how to live, so it means so much to me that she is learning them at such a young age.
Avery got her first "sad" note at school a couple of weeks ago. Jake must have really fussed in the car because by the time she walked in the door and looked at me, she was sobbing! She "played and wouldn't do her work," and "pinched a friend at lunch!" Her teacher told us to keep the note for her baby book. I know this won't be the first time she gets in trouble! She is such a mess, but thankfully, she has always been a "joy" at church and school with her teachers and friends. We all have our days I guess!
This past week, Avery came home with 3 "happy" notes! The teacher didn't have to get on to her at all through the day, she did all of her work, and followed directions. Mommy and Daddy were very proud! The next day, Avery told me she was good again and said, "Mommy, you are very proud of me again?" I told her I certainly was!! She got to pick out a little "good job" necklace this weekend as a reminder!
Avery's latest appointment was with Dr. Harmon, her urologist. We've been lucky to only see him yearly so far. With every appointment Avery has, I remind myself how amazingly far she has come. During my pregnancy, we couldn't even see Avery's right kidney. The doctor thought she didn't have one. The left kidney was full of fluid, and there was a serious concern for proper kidney function. Of course, part of her miracle story is that the right kidney did appear. It was covered in cysts at that point and full of fluid like the left. Miraculously at birth, both kidneys were fully functioning. She has had reflux since then, but we've been able to treat it prophylactically with a daily antibiotic. While her reflux has been pretty bad the last several years, we've been very blessed she hasn't had one infection. The infections are what cause the kidney damage, so this is a big deal. We've been able to put off surgery in hopes the problem would resolve itself. This appointment is always very mentally and emotionally tiring because Avery gets so upset and we have to hold her down for the VCUG and ultrasound. Thankfully, in the end, Avery always perks back up. She still hugs everyone and gives out high fives to lighten the mood! Every year, I wait on the doctor to tell us the reflux is gone, so we won't have to worry about another surgery, but that has happened quite yet. While the reflux is gone in the right kidney, it is still pretty bad in the left. If we took care of the problem now, it would require open surgery. The chances of the issue resolving itself at this age is minimal, but my hope is that it still goes away or gets better allowing us to do a less invasive procedure. Dr. Harmon feels we can wait a year again unless she begins to have infections, so we will put it to the back of our minds for now and continue to pray for complete healing. All the while, we are thanking God for the healing that has already taken place. Avery is also being tested for allergies due to some issues she's been having including a concerning cough. She didn't test positive for anything during the first round of allergy testing and is being watched for asthma (which we really don't think she has). The next big appointment is Avery's cardiology check-up in December. She will still see her new allergist, her endocrinologist, and her ENT for check-ups over the next two months as usual.
I have to give it to her, the child is a character. She makes us laugh all the time (and most times we have to hide our smiles because she's acting up). I find so much comfort in my children, and God shows me daily that he chose me for them and them for me. Avery still goes "90 to nothing," and I have no idea where all the energy comes from! She loves to look at books, watch Max and Ruby, eat snacks, color and draw, go to church and school, and play with the funniest of things. She is quirky with a personality all her own. She has the unique ability to bring smiles to the faces of complete strangers every where we go, and we completely adore her (even though she is a pill that completely wears us out and drives us crazy, lol)! She was born to be awesome, not perfect!
On to Bryce-Man who is now 8 Months!!! Oh my goodness, I have no idea where the past few months have gone! I seriously turn around and he is doing something new. He is still the sweetest baby ever, and I still kiss all over those chubby cheeks and pinch his adorable chunky legs constantly! Bryce is on the verge of crawling. It will happen any day now. He scoots on the floor, rolls around, and even tries to pull up on things. While he is strong as an ox, he has trouble lifting that heavy little body of his without tiring. He gets very frustrated about not being able to move the way he wants. Bryce tries to grab everything in sight, and his favorite toys are those that feel good on his gums. He just cut a top tooth! He is beginning to eat some easily dissolvable snacks. I need some type of shield when I feed him because he likes to spit and blow food all over the place! Feeding time is messy around our house needless to say!
Bryce stops in his tracks when Sid the Science Kid is on. For some reason (colors?), he really loves that show. His favorite thing to sit in is his bouncy seat, and he looks like a chubby marionette doing a Russian dance while bouncing in that thing! Bryce LOVES his sister. He goes nuts when she walks in the room, or when he sees her when we walk to her room to pick her up from daycare. It is funny and completely sweet! Bryce loves to arch his back and lie upside down, so be careful when you hold him. He is still saying "Dada" all the time, but believe it or not, he has begun to say "Ma!" We'd been working on it for a while, and Jake sent me a video when I was in Houston for Dad's surgery of him saying it for the first time (well right after the first time). I had just found out the results of Dad's surgery, and I watched it and cried. I love my boy!
A little about me...
I've found myself feeling different lately....just down and stressed with life. Lots of things have changed. It's so easy to become overwhelmed. Poor Jake probably doesn't know what to do with me. How did I get so lucky? My husband is an amazing man. As usual, God shows up and reassures me everything will be ok, just as he promised he would. I tell myself to look for him in things daily, so I don't overlook what he's trying to show me.
Just this past week, I've been praying really hard for lots of things. I met a student of mine's grandmother at an event at school. We were talking about her grandson, and I told her he'd really touched my heart a few weeks ago. He is very shy, but he ran for student council. He tried to say his little speech in front of the class, but he just couldn't do it. I told him to think about it, and he could try again the following morning before we voted. The next day, he came up to me and said that he'd prayed for God to help him say his speech, and he felt like he could do it. I told him that he made my day and touched my heart. I also told him that I do the same thing when I need help. He got right up in front of the class and said his speech! His grandmother was thankful I shared that with her, and she mentioned that she had been teaching him to pray and take things to God. She told me that it was great because now her grandson sees that it's the truth...he's praying and God really does help him.
That conversation along with a few other things that happened this week have reminded me of that truth. God doesn't promise an easy life. He promises that he will never leave nor forsake us and gives us an eternal life we could never deserve when this one has passed. When I feel sorry for myself, when I feel stressed and overwhelmed, when I feel like I can't take one more thing....I have to tell myself that...I need to quit complaining.....I need to pray more....I am blessed profoundly....I have a beautiful life....and I need to keep my face to the sun!
The scripture I've been memorizing lately....
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
