Keep Me Abiding

I am officially not computer illiterate! With some tips from a friend, thanks Jennifer, I have added music to my blog. Take a minute and really listen to this song. It is so awesome and moving. I have always had trouble focusing on God when things in the world get crazy or beyond my understanding and control. This song brings my focus back and calms the storm. May Your voice be louder, sweeter, and nearer than all the others. Root my heart so deep in You so I may bear fruit. Keep me asking, keep me kneeling, keep me abiding. Wow, just those words bring me to a sense of who is in control. It forces me to close my eyes and block out the world around me, press in, and then look up to the healer....Today is big day for Max. It's his third type of Chemo this week and by far the most risky. When they say risk, may God's voice be louder. Keep praying, it's working, Max had a great miracle yesterday. He went from needing to start insulin to normal blood sugar levels. Even the doctor was amazed! I cry all the time and the emotions of all it are so overwhelming, but in my heart I know who holds the future and in my time of blocking out the world, I picture sweet tiny Max sitting in the palm of Jesus' hand....safe and secure.

Max's Journey Begins

On New Year's Eve we got a call that Max was in the hospital having tests done, with the diagnosis looking grim. You never want to hear, best case scenario is leukemia. My mom, Jenny, and I flew to Austin to be with Christian, Max's mom, and the news came almost hours after we arrived. He has ALL. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. I won't get into the details, you can easily google it, but in the words I used to tell my kids, some bad cancer cells have invaded his body and are attacking our body's friends like the red blood cells. He's already started chemotherapy and so the journey begins. It has been an intense and very emotionally overwhelming weekend, it almost feels like a dream. Max is a total trooper. He has been through so much already and is awesome about it all. His little attitude is filled with his laid back personality and sense of humor. For example, he thought his bloody nose was from getting too much blood in the blood transfusion. He is even okay with losing his hair. We are totally getting Max some killer hats! God is great and has already answered prayer. His spinal fluid was clear of cancer and that is HUGE! Please just keep praying for Max everyday. Pray for Christian and Jeff as well. Even though I love him as if he were mine, he's not my child and I am really struggling. They need prayer and encouragement for this entire duration. This week holds alot and it needs to be bathed in prayer. Thanks for your prayers and support. It means alot to our entire family.

How long will this last?

The other night I was cooking dinner with the usual hectic surroundings. The kids were hungry, cranky, tired, and everybody wanted something! I pulled out some play vegetables from a decorative bowl in my kitchen and set them on the floor. Within minutes all three kids were dragging out pots and pans, cooking utensils and anything else they could find to make a restaurant. They were pretend cooking for each other, borrowing ingredients from each other and having a great time. I was able to cook in peace, but more than that I got a little emotional. I couldn't help but wonder how long this would last. My 9 year old playing with the girls making his "famous chili" on my kitchen floor. They just grow up too fast. I had to take pictures to remember this moment. It was one of those times I never want to forget. It was a huge mess before it was all over....but a mess I didn't mind cleaning up.

Old Friends

Yesterday I went to Amarillo to run some errands. It was just an ordinary day of doing the usual things....the mall, a little Home Depot, and Target of course. I was so tired and ready to go home when I turned the corner in Target and ran right into Hollie, my best friend from high school. She lives in Oklahoma and was traveling through Amarillo to see family in New Mexico. There she was with her husband and six kids. Yes, I did say six kids. Shiloh, Merridith, Issac, Braden, Jude, and Madeline. I say their names and yet I really don't know them at all. I was so happy to see her, yet so sad that so much time goes by without seeing each other and catching up. I don't have the opportunity to know her kids and she doesn't get to know mine. What a tragedy. At one time we shared everything....all of our dreams and ideas, our future plans, our fears and deepest secrets, and yet all we have shared this year is that hug in the greeting card isle at Target. I left the store after a 20 minute catch up session and a hope to see you soon. I got in the car and told my mom I wanted to cry. After I got home I did. All I could think was why didn't I go back and give her one more hug......just one more moment. Life goes by and we lose touch with people who mean so much to us. As I went to bed I realized that when we get to heaven we can hang out all the time. We can laugh for hours like we used to.....about nothing. We can do crazy stuff and never have to worry about catching up. For today though I'm kinda sad. I miss my friend.

My beautiful kids

I'm so proud of my kids this week. They are finishing their first week of school and have done so well. They have gotten up to an alarm and gotten dressed before getting Barry and I up for breakfast and to make lunches. They have been exhausted, but we have officially survived the first week. Spencer, Abbie, and Isabella are such a joy to our lives. I'm so blessed!

Why am I here?

My friend Rachel is making me do this. She says it's way better than myspace. I guess we'll see. I'm new at this. So new in fact I didn't even write this. I'll be adding more to this later. Hope you enjoy!