Our Family
September 18, 2016
(Painters, Reynauds & Adams)
Our family came together on Sunday for an impromptu photo session (with the amazing Hannah Marie Voiles) at my brother's home.
When I look at this photograph, it reminds me of a similar photograph that we have from many years ago on my mother's side of the family in Arizona. I can remember taking that photograph all those years ago with my cousins. I love that photograph. It is a precious piece of our history. I think it was my grandparent's anniversary, but I would have to ask someone to make sure. I cannot really recall.
Years down the road, when my children look at this family photograph, I pray they remember the love that it captures and not the reason we came together so quickly.
What is the reason? Why so quickly? Well...?
My mother's endometrial cancer is back and has spread to the peritoneal lining and fluid of her abdomen.
Tomorrow, my mother begins chemotherapy in an attempt to keep her cancer at bay and Lord willing, put it in remission for as long as possible.
We do not know the future, but the Lord does. We are trusting in Him. We don't want to talk about stages and time periods and statistics... We just want to put one foot in front of the other and live life while doing the next thing. She does not want this diagnosis to take over every aspect of her life and her conversations. We respect that and we are so happy to be here living life along side of her.
We have many things to be thankful for already, including this photograph of our family.
I am thankful for the peace that can only come from Jesus and His Holy Spirit.
I am thankful that the Lord gave my mother a pulmonary embolism which caused her a quite a bit of pain so she ended up in the hospital in mid-August. I'm thankful for the scan about the blood clot that revealed the cancer. Considering her hysterectomy was just in February, the doctors were not suspecting recurrent cancer as the cause of her mild abdominal swelling and swelling legs and feet.
I am thankful for supportive siblings and family, especially Bec who lives here in town with us. (Which happened in March of this year because she wanted to be closer to my mom and me- another thing to be thankful for today.)
I am thankful that the Lord has simplified my life this year in numerous ways.
Specifically, He laid it on Kinsey's heart to keep her extra curricular activities limited to only Christian Theatre; no more piano, or robotics, or science olympiad, or mock trial this year. During the summer, I attempted to encourage her to do more, but she held strong. I am so thankful.
I am thankful that Jason has a positive outlook on his ruptured achilles and how it will keep him home more while we minister to my mother.
I am thankful for the peace that the Lord has given me about our current school year. It's not easy to explain, but He has impressed on me where my focus needs to be and I am freed from checking boxes in a way which I have never experienced.
I am thankful for my friends-my prayer partners, my lifelines, my comic relief.
Please lift my mother up in prayer.
Please pray for all of us as we embark on a new adventure in our lives.
Thank you.
If you want to send my mother a card to let her know that you are praying for her, I'll be happy to send you her address.
