A sad, sad day

Just in case you haven't heard, at 9:40 last night, Pastor Amy Stockstill went to be with Jesus. Please continue your prayers, but not for a healing in Pastor Amy, but a healing in the hearts of Pastor Joel, the Stockstill's, and Pastor Amy's family. I can't imagine what they are going thru. I ask God to give them strength and peace for the days ahead.

Spread the word

Church Wednesday night is not at Highland. There will also NOT be any Refuge or Pathfinders. We will be joining Bethany South off Industriplex for a Worship/Prayer service. If I'm not mistaken, and someone please comment if I'm wrong & correct me, but I think it starts @ 6. Child care will be provided.

almost there...............

Michael took 2 steps today!!!!!! I think he's going to walk before his birthday!!!!!!

I love my Jope

In the spirit of valentines day, I just wanted to give a shout out to my husband! I couldn't ask for a better mate, father of my children, companion & best friend! He makes getting out of bed each day very easy (not to mention, going to bed each night :) ) I love you babe!

Did you know????

Did you know that the interns of Bethany are beleiving in 1000 miracles from Jan 1, to the end of March(I hope I got the dates right)? My brother-in-law & sister-in-law (Jope's brother and his wife) are the spanish pastors for Bethany, and she was telling me that their interns (sort of like our elevate) have been praying for and beleiving in miracle healings, and to date since Jan 1st, they've witnessed over 400 healings (documented!)! I'm beleiving along with them that "Baton Rouge is a cancer free zone!"! Believe with me, how awesome would that be not only for Amy, but my dad, and everyone else we love that we know is fighting this demon?! Thank you for your prayers, and when you remember my dad, also remember Amy! I love you guys so much! Thanks for caring! You've carried me thru this with your prayers, don't stop!

Pray for Amy

In case you didn't hear, Bro Joel Stockstill's wife Amy has been terribly sick. I challenge all of you to put yourself in either his or her shoes. They are practically newlyweds, and the devil is trying to rob him of her. There is so much they are planning for the kingdom of God in the next 2 years, and the devil is scared! Please lift her, her family, Bethany, and the Stockstill's up in prayer! I know this will be a victory for God! To read more about the fight she's fighting, Joel has a blog at www.Joelstockstill.com .

Good news?

Well, we got the results Monday. They weren't what we were expecting, but in some weird way, part of it was better. We were sitting there in the exam room. Dr. McCanless comes in, says that the tumor is 5 X 7. He looks back and sees that it started out that size-not the news we wanted to hear, the tumor hasn't shrunk at all! But for those of us glass half full people, it hasn't grown either. Then he goes back to his chart to let us know how the tumor between the lungs on the lymph nodes has done.................He flips thru the charts again.......................The tumor between the lungs on the lymph nodes is GONE! Not what we expected, but way better! So now we go thru at least 2, maybe 3 more rounds of chemo. The good thing now is b/c the lymph nodes is cancer free, he now is a candidate for radiation if the results aren't good after the rest of the chemo. Once again, God is in control! He knows just what we need to hear, not what we want to hear! Keep praying, it's not over yet!

Waiting.............

Always know that if you ask God for something, anything, He is going to give you reasons to need what you asked for! Years ago I started to pray for patience. I hated waiting for anything! Well, He gave me patience thru trials that tested my faith! I finally had to understand that He was in control, and all I needed to do was sit back and enjoy the ride! Well, I had to remind myself of that yesterday. Dad went to the doctor, and they rescanned him to see what the chemo has done..................I want results NOW! We have to wait till Monday to get the results, but we'll get them!

(Picture is of my sister and dad)

15 years and counting!!!!!!!!!

Today is my anniversary! I have been married 15 years! I love my life, my kids, my job, but most of all, I love my husband. Had an unusual day yesterday, not bad, but hectic (what's new?). Jope brought me a dozen red roses early b/c he knew what kind of day I had. He also brought me an AMAZING card. The card was nice, but what he wrote in it was great! He's such a hopeless romantic! I hope he's as happy as I am! (FYI, the beer in the picture isn't ours, we were at an awards dinner for his work!)

Daddy

Got good news Friday. Dad did a complete physical @ the oncologist's office. He goes for 1 more chemo today, then in two weeks he will get re-scanned to see how the cancer is reacting to the chemo. When the oncologist listened to his lungs, he said they sounded perfect-not like someone with cancer, let alone stage 4 lung cancer. He is very optomistic about the scans dad will do in 2 weeks! I can't wait to see what explaination the doctor will have when that tumor is gone! (hopefully!!)

Gaining Lacy

Lacy came back for Heather & Nick's birthday on Thursday night! Yeah meeeeee!!!!!!!!!! You want to know what I learned the week (felt like a month!) that I didn't have her? I can do this! I can do this and enjoy my children in the process! Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed having my Lacy, but I feel like this time in my life I need to focus on enjoying my kids! I would go thru the motions, because I had Lacy to be the fun one. I now have fun with my kids, and so what if the house isn't spotless, my kids are happy! My husband is happy, and I am happy! I will get to the cleaning, eventually!

Losing Lacy

I can't believe this is the last week I get Lacy. I am so bummed that not only one of my best friends and my kids nanny is leaving! I am going to miss her friendship, and her help! I only pray the best for her life, and her future! What am I going to do without her?!!!! I love you Lacy!

Disney Day One

Disyney - crazy, yet fun at the same time. Day one is complete and everyone survived. We didn't lose any kids, we didn't gain any new kids and everyone came home happy.....well almost. More to come...

Not as hard as we thought, but not as easy as we hoped...........

Tomorrow makes a week that dad took his first chemo. We thought "hey, this isn't so bad", he's had some great days. Then last night hit him hard. When I called to check on him today after church, I didn't even recognize his voice. He sounded so weak, and I couldn't even hear him. He had been sick all night, and all day. I spoke w/him right before he went to bed tonight, and he sounded a tad bit better, but not much. I guess if this is the worst of it, then it's still not as bad as we thought. Please pray for his strenght, and his drive to get better. I don't want to ever feel as if he gave up. Thanks!

Chemo

We had dad's first round of Chemo yesterday. It took right at 4 hours (start to finish), and I am so glad I went with him. I heard stories of his past-my past-that I had never heard. I also lost in 3 games of Gin (was winning my first game when the chemo ended-how convienent!). I can not even explain how important it is to spend time with all the people you love! That's why I can't wait to go to Disney World with Jope and the kids (along with my brother and sister), because that's gonna be memories not only for me, but for them to look back on later in life & appreciate the time they spent with us! I guess if there is only one thing I could say I've learned about dad going thru this is that you can't get back yesterday, but you can absolutely make today happy!

Cozumel

Jope has a good job! A hard job, but a good job. They finished a project that they have been working on for an excess of 3 years, and to reward the team working on it, Blue Cross gave them a cruise to Cozumel. We left Thursday, and came back yesterday. We took Emma, Nick and Jacob with us. It was fun! It's definately something I would like to go on again, this time with all the kids! Thank you Robyn and Michelle for keeping Michael and Cam! I love you!

New do

Thanks to Robyn, I am now beautiful again (well, as beautiful as I can get). Since my girl that reguraly does my hair tore her rotator cuff (OUCH!), I've been sporting about 3 inches of grown out highlites sprinkled with alot of gray! So I decided (with the help of Robyn) to go back to my original color. It's not too bad, guess God did know what He was doing when he created me a brunette! Thanks Robyn!!!!!!!!!!

Back to swooning

For those of you who missed the "swooning" over Jope, I'll throw you a bone! This is what I woke to this morning.................Isn't he the best! I LOVE YOU JOPES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Change

Dino spoke on letting your sorrow be your seed Sunday. I think that was an awesome message. I have always said that the abuse I suffered as a child, the abandonment I experienced made me who I am, and I would not be the person I am if I had not gone through it. I had a mother who left me when I was 3, and then a step mother who physically abused me until she and my dad divorced when I was 8. I don't wish the life I led on anyone, but in return, if I had a chance, or choice to live my life over again, and change something, I wouldn't. Not even the here and now. I think the life we live makes us the children, parents, friends, neighbors, nursery workers, etc.........that we are today. Would you change who you are? If the answer is yes, don't wish to go back, but instead, look forward. You can change it now! Get on your face & get in the word. That's all it takes!
Love ya!

Life

Funny word. You have the power to speak it, you have the want to live it to the fullest, and you have the sorrow to see it go. My life revolves around family. Personal family (Jope-who has been my rock & my kids-who keep me distracted), extended family (the best group of friends I could have ever wanted) & daycare family (basically the people who keep me running all day-yet another welcomed distraction). But at the end of my thoughts throughout the day, my mind goes back to one place..........My daddy has cancer. Well, I now welcome even that thought. In this breakthrough, I have to release my daddy, and HIS problem to God, and realize that it is not my problem. I might help be part of the solution, but it's not my problem. It's not my life hanging in the balance. I'm just grateful for the word God gave me. I thought He was speaking it to my heart to tell a friend, and I'm sure He was, but it spoke volumes to me also. While we were praying tonight, He showed me a booksack on my friends back. In that booksack was burdons, HUGE books, full of problems. Some her problems, some she borrowed from others. He wanted me to tell her that at that meeting, to take off the booksack. That's what I feel like I'm doing. I'm taking off my booksack, my borrowed trouble, and putting it in a pile on the floor. I give it to Him, and get back my life.