God has a sense of humor!

Some wonderful friends of Jope & mine have 4 awesome girls. The oldest of which is friends with Emma (they are around the same age, give or take a year), then the other 3 girls are "betrothed" to my boys (only one of them are in agreeance with us, but I'm working on the others!). Well mom is pregnant, and so we are thinking she'll have another girl to go with Michael. Not the case! Michael will have a buddy, not a girlfriend, and this family is in for a huge awakening! I love my boys! Funny how you think it's gonna work out one way, then God reminds you that once again, He's in control! (you will find I use that phrase alot!)

Balance

OK, so those of you who know me only a little (just enough to know I have a husband, 5 kids, daycare, church nursery on weekends, and a sick dad) think I'm "supermom". No kidding, ya'll really call me that, and I'm NOT! I need some advice. Please comment below and tell me how to balance that husband, 5 kids (who all have something extracurricular-especially the oldest) the daycare (which has a great group of girls and a wonderful asst director, but still needs me there everyday, church nursery, and sick dad. I am now feeling guilty about not seeing my dad more often. Did I also mention that I'm on a co-ed softball team, or my house stays a wreck, or my laundry piles up? I guess I need help learning to pioritize, got any suggestions?

BTW.....................

GO TIGERS!!!!!!! Way to pull it off right at the end!!!!!!!!!

It's OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Radiation on the brain is over! He is expected to get more tired now that it is over even though he hasn't really gotten tired through it. He's feeling great so far (except for bad migranes at night). I really don't think that radiologist knows what he's talking about. I won't give you his name because I don't like to talk bad about people, but he's got my dad figured out without even knowing him. He don't know that my dad is superman, but he's learning! Pray for good reports at MD Anderson's, we leave a week from tomorrow. I know Dad's going to be glad to have a week on normalality (even if we know it's temporary). I'll blog more later, watching game 7 of the ALCS, go Red Sox (yes I'm a huge Braves fan, but they sucked this year, and I was born in New Hampshire, so my roots tend to lie there also!)!

Almost done!!!

So dad sees the radiologist on Wednesdays. Cindy & I went with him. The Dr. was so pleased at how un-tired he is for being 8 out of 10 doses into the treatment. We finish the brain radiation Friday, and we just heard from MD Anderson's that he has appointments starting the 30th for 3-9 business days. I will be going with him for the first week, then have to get home b/c Jope, me, Emma, Nick, and Jacob leave for our cruise on the 8th. I'm so blessed to have such good friends all over the country that I can bring Jacob, Cameron, and Michael and have someone there (thanks Robin & Krisi!) to watch them while I'm gone during the day with dad! I didn't want to leave them, to help take the stress off Jope (but I know he'd love it if I did leave them!). Pray for the visit, who knows, maybe they'll start looking and find nothing! My God is that big, is yours?

Life goes on

I need to stop every once in a while and remind myself that the world doesn't stop turning even if I feel like mine has. My kids still go to school, my daycare still opens, Jope still goes to work, and the baby still has those adorable moments you just have to catch on film! Life goes on................

vision night...............

We had a gathering at church last night called "vision night" where all the campuses get together and reflect on the last 10 months and look forward to the next year. It was amazing. As always worship was great, Dino was informative, yet with a humorous twist, it was electric. As I stood there, getting my mind ready for the week ahead (dad's second week in radiation), God whispered in my ear that I was going to be O.K. with what happens. That's the trick, you have to be O.K. with what happens, because if you are obedient, and faithful to His direction, He will be faithful to comfort you, prepare you, love you no matter what He allows you to go thru. Because you're going to go thru it anyway, so why worry about what will come, and live in what you are going thru right now? If you are a God fearing person, live life, love life, let go and let God!

end of the week

TGIF! I don't know when I've been so glad to see Friday come. Today makes the 1/2 way mark for dad's radiation. So far so good, just a little tired at the end of the day! Pray for his strength! Thanks!

Day two.............

Today is a good day. Met with the oncologist, and as soon as I entered into the waiting room, I felt a peace. I like him, and so does my dad. He's a very optomistic person, and I think that's very important when you help someone fight for their life. I'm happy my dad's happy. Thanks for your prayers!!!!!

Day one, radiation

Had his first dose of radiation today, so far, so good. From what I hear, the radiation isn't the hard part, the chemo is, so we will just believe that he will overcome any and all side effects that either treatment has. Keep praying. We meet with the oncologist tomorrow. We are also waiting to hear from MD Anderson's, dad called them today and gave them all his info. I need my daddy to be O.K., so please believe with me b/c the bible says somewhere in it that when two or more are gathered together and ask in His name, He will honor that request (or something like that), so please believe with me. Thanks! I love all the support you've given me! You all are awesome!!!!!!!

Received news Friday that the cancer has spread to the brain............

I've always considered myself a person of faith. I walk in faith everyday, with everyday things. I thought I had it mastered-I hear someone's bad news, I tell them "God will fix that, or heal that, or provide for that". Well, I know now that my faith lacks. I have seen with my own eyes, heard with my own ears of the miracles that my God has provided, but still have a hard time accepting that it could happen to the only person I've had in my life everyday since they day I was born. My dad is superman, and is supposed to leap tall buildings in a single bound. He's supposed to be untouchable. I need prayers to help me believe that my daddy's gonna be o.k. Just wanna close my eyes and wake up from this nightmare...................Or just wanna close my eyes and wake up knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is healed. I'll take either, but need one..............................

Good news for Bad news

Dad did his biopsy, and then a petscan. The biopsy came back positive for cancer in the lung and lymphnodes between the lungs. I was scared it had spread by the way the doctor was talking, and so was dad. He started telling me about his life insurance policy, his bank accts, etc-just sort of giving up. Then he was the one to receive the call with the results from the petscan. The cancer was ONLY in the one lung, and the one set of lymphnodes they biopsied. PTL!!!!!!!!!! He hung up the phone (we didn't know who was on the other line) and said "I have hope now". God is so faithful! I know dad will pull out of this, and be a better person when it's over. Thanks for the prayers, and keep praying! It's working!

Scriptures to stand on......Thank you my friends with your encouraging words!!!

1-4 But now, God's Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel:"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine.When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end—Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior.I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you!I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you. Isaiah 43:1-4
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Prayers needed..................

For those of you that are used to me "swooning" over Jope, I'll change it up a little. I'll still "swoon", but it'll be after my daddy. I'm such a "daddy's girl". My dad raised my sister and I after he and my biological mother divorced. He is my superman. Well last night (or should I say this morning?) around 1:30 a.m., after going to the hospital for inhaling chlorine when he tried to shock the jaquzzi, the doctors did an xray and had a previous xray to compare it to from 2005. They found a mass that had grown enough to worry them into a catscan last night. It was confirmed that he has a tumor in his left lung. He smoked for 38 years (2-3 packs a day), but has been quit for 10 or more years. Please pray. If you get a chance, I need some scriptures to stand on, I'm drawing blank here. I'm so quick to spit them out for those who need it, and now can't remember a one. Please help!

Catching slack..............................

O.K., I'm catching slack from "certain people" (Deuce) about my swooning over my husband. So my apologies to those that are not quite as outspoken about their marriages as I am about mine :), but I do not apologize for loving my husband, my kids and life as much as I do! I will try to "refrain" my blogs from so much swooning (maybe only once a week-hey, that's asking alot!). By the way, this doesn't count, b/c I didn't say HOW MUCH I love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Am I wrong??????

Am I wrong to be in love with my husband more today than the day we met (16 years, 3 months ago)?

Am I wrong that my heart still skips a beat when I see my husband for the first time that day? Or when I smell his cologne when I wake up, but he's already left?

Am I wrong to have 5 kids, and love life enough to want more?

Am I wrong to be O.K. with a day full of changing diapers and wiping up spit-up?

If I am wrong, then let me be wrong...................but I'm happy being wrong!!!!!!!

For all the girls...........(and guys if you wanna understand us at all!)

TOP TEN THINGS ONLY WOMEN UNDERSTAND
10. Cats' facial expressions.
9. The need for the same style of shoes in different colors.
8 Why bean sprouts aren't just weeds.
7. Fat clothes.
6 Taking a car trip without trying to beat your best time.
5. The difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.
4. Cutting your hair to make it grow.
3. Eyelash curlers.
2. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.
AND, the Number One thing only women understand:
1. OTHER WOMEN

How awesome is my life?

Some people see me get out of my truck with all my kids, and they think "poor woman, probably has no time on her hands for herself", but that could be farther from the truth! My children are a part of me, therefore, I have nothing but time for me. I also have some pretty good kids, (not perfect, but really good), and that allows me to be by myself here and there. I can't imagine people who choose not to have kids......what a boring life! For those of you out there who feel sorry for me, don't! I have an awesome very full life! I love you Emma, Nick, Jacob, Cameron, and Michael! Forgot one.................I love you Jope! (he is the biggest of my kids!)

I thought this was good!

I WAS DRUGGED AS A CHILD
The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, 'Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?'I replied: I had a drug problem when I was young:
I was drug to church on Sunday morning.
I was drug to church for weddings and funerals.
I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profane four-letter word.
I was drug out to pull weeds in mom' s garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields.
I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.
They are stronger than meth, weed, cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

~author unknown

I made it!!!!!

OK, I made it. I started w/5 kids, 2 dogs, and a daycare when he left, and I had 5 kids, 2 dogs and a daycare when he got back. I think I did pretty good, no life threatening injuries, no fires, wrecks, or any other casualties. Only the fact that I moved forward in selling our house while he was away, but then I didn't need him here to make that decision (did I?). Anyway, I am SOOO glad you are back, baby and I love you SOOOOOO much! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!! Te amo mucho!