August Anxieties....

Sorry it's been a couple days, but it gets a bit tougher to find time and type things (at least with two hands!)....So after meeting with doctors and looking at the scans, we learned some good news, but also some trying news. Mom's amount of cancer cells in the tumor has gone down, and the tumor has not grown, nor has it spread-which is wonderful! It does, however, need to come out (we're not sure when that will happen....) because it is a foreign body taking up space in Mom and is starting to cause more digestive issues. In order for the tumor to come out, it does need to be smaller, so Mom will begin a new Chemo treatment in August. For 2-3 weeks, she'll go once a week, and receive chemo through an IV for an hour/hour and 1/2....She'll do this mostly on Fridays, so as to have the weekend to recuperate. The good news is that through August Dad will be around to help Mom in case she reacts badly..we are having faith that she'll rock this chemo like she did in the past. At this time, radiation will not be occurring (too much radiation is a bad thing).

Mom is nervous about the future-the surgery, the timing, the finances (if she's out of work, and Dad, of course, is retired...), working with my work schedule and the boys...But we've seen the goodness of God-His perfect timing up to this point...with Cam's birth, with my coworkers graciously stepping in when I need to tend to Mom or the kids, with Lauren coming to help-God has worked out everything...He is Good. He continues to work things out, and though we are facing new storms, we are finding joy in the every day things-the joy that small children bring...the joy of family togetherness....the joy of friendship...So, like I said to Mom, we're going to face one day at a time, fight one battle at a time, and continue to kick this cancer's butt-to allow God to continue His good work...this whole time God has been weaving together an amazing testimony for Mom to share, and she's already touched so many lives...can you imagine her testimony a month from now? 5 months from now? Just think about it!

Prayer Requests:

-Safe travels and a relaxing vacation in Myrtle Beach for our dear family-this is a very needed getaway!

-Lauren and Justin's plans of Nepal have been slightly altered, so prayers for upcoming decisions regarding the future

-Mom's fears about the chemo and surgery-that the chemo will have little side effects...