A Very...

Happy Thanksgiving to YOU!!!! 

Enter into His gates with  thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise:  be thankful unto Him and bless His Name!  Psalm 100:4

Our Little Spat

Every now and then I hope you don't mind if I stray from the topic of Sarah and the kids to something else.  Today it's something you can chew on.  And it's a personal story about a little "discussion" we had.  That's always a good read, isn't it?


So...remember in my last post I mentioned that the devil began to attack us after our great news.  First, Scott had to work a lot and I was really tired.  Then, Ben got that stomach flu, and if anyone is reading this who knows me for real, they know that when I say I hate the stomach flu, I really, really mean it.  I mean, we might get it in our house once or twice a year, and those days are the very worst days of the year for me.  That is how badly I hate it.  I get stressed trying to keep everyone else from getting it, and I am afraid of getting it myself.  And I do everything possible to avoid getting a germ from someone in the house.  I change clothes after hugging the sick person, I do not kiss my husband,  just IN CASE he might be harboring the germ without knowing it.  And this all came on the heels of me being in the hospital for a long time and he had a cold (and so we were not really snuggly then either...)  Well, things were stressful. 


So, he asked me out on a date on Friday.  Cassandra agreed to babysit, and I was glad to get out of the house.  I could tell that he wasn't very happy as we were leaving, so I asked him what was wrong. 


I will keep our conversation private, but suffice it to say that he told me something about how he felt about my behavior.  And it wasn't positive.  He wasn't mean, and it was just matter of fact, but he just laid it right out there on the table.


Well, that was just about all I could take right then.  Seriously??  You tell me this right now??  I was so hurt and angry.  My gut reaction was to go on and on about how we had the stomach flu in the house, and I just got out of being in the hospital for 3 weeks, and our daughter just got done having cancer, for goodness sake, and he wasn't exactly being Prince Charming either, and you get the picture.  I was just so hurt.  Oh, it was not a pretty sight in that car I am sorry to say. : (


We didn't go out together, I was so upset.  Instead, I went to the mall, and got some warm soup and hot tea at a book store, and planned on nursing my misery.  Only, something else happened.  As I sat there and stewed for a while, I also started praying about the whole thing.  And as I prayed, I decided to stop pitying myself and start thinking rationally about what he said.  And the more I did that, the more I realized he was right.  *GASP*!  Now, I knew he was not perfect either, and his timing for telling me how he felt was probably not the best, considering how stressed I had been, but the thing he told me was correct.  And I knew that I needed to repent and apologize, no matter how difficult that would be.  By the time I left for home, I was pretty well done being angry at him, and planning out what I was going to say. 


Things were strained that evening, but I did tell him that he was right and I was sorry, and I even refrained from saying anything to him about all the times he wronged ME... (You know how tempting that is.)


This is a very personal story, and I really didn't want to share our dirty laundry with you, but I did it for a reason.  Early in our marriage, I was very bad at this.  This scenario most likely would not have happened, because we both tended to be me-centered, and it was hard for us to apologize without pointing out the other one's faults.  When something icky came between us like this, sometimes it would take a long time for it to get resolved because we were both so stinking stubborn. 


But since I allowed the Lord to speak to my heart and do things His way, this little spat ended very differently.  My hubby apologized too, for making me so upset, and he admitted that he had not been the perfect husband either.  The rift was mended immediately.  I am not so scared about that stomach bug anymore, so we even smooched some. ; )  And today that man of mine was going out of his way to make me feel loved--including cleaning the kitchen for me.


There are two ways we can handle it when we are angry with our spouse.  We can get defensive and angry and nurse our pain, or we can think about what they said, apologize, and let it go.  Did you know that the Bible tells us all the answers about how we should handle every situation?  And if we just listen and obey, the result is always the best!  How I wish I had learned that part about being repentant and selfless a long time ago...but I hope you can learn it and use it in your marriage now!

Where have I been??

Oh, I've been here. : )  Thankful every single day for our wonderful news. : ) 

I haven't written in a few days, one, because I just wanted to sit on that last post for a while.  Why rush on?  And two, because every time God blesses your socks off, the devil comes in not far behind to try and steal your joy.

The boys all came to church with us for the first time in a while last Sunday, and Tuesday night, Ben had the stomach flu. : (  So, I was up all night with him that night, and it's hard to catch up on sleep after a full night of none.  Plus, I am freaked out over the stomach bug, so I have been working hard all week to keep it from spreading.  Sanitizing, sanitizing, harping at everyone to wash their hands, sanitizing some more...   I hate the stomach flu. 

A few other difficult little things popping up here and there let me know that the devil did not want me to have any fun.  But I'm sorry...a little old virus and other such bumps in the road will not take away my joy for long!!  Praise the Lord!!!

The boys and I are getting ready to fly across the country to see my family on Thanksgiving!!  Please pray that that stomach bug will be LONG GONE well before we leave.  Ben is almost all better, but not 100%.  I am still praying it won't spread, especially this close to that wonderful day.  I have not been with my entire family--mom, dad, both brothers and their families, all at one time, ever before!  It doesn't get much more exciting than that!  I just can't wait! 

Sarah's exam with Dr. Aaberg

In June we were told by Dr. Aaberg that our precious Sarah had cancer.  Not only did she have cancer, but it was really bad.  He was sure it had spread to her brain and spinal fluid.  He gave us very little hope if any, and the expression on his face said it all.  We felt hopeless--and helpless.  He told us later that he was so upset that night, he hardly slept at all.

This morning Dr. Aaberg examined our precious Sarah again.  We waited in the waiting room talking about the journey we have been on, and speculating about what the next leg of the journey would look like.  We prayed, and we trusted, and we knew that God is sovereign.  His way is always best, and we would trust Him come what may! 

Dr. Aaberg came out to see us, and the first words out of his mouth were-- there's NOTHING!   I thought he meant her eye was still not dilated, and he could not get a good look yet.  But I was wrong.  He really meant NOTHING!  There was NOTHING IN THERE!

Dr. Aaberg was the bringer of bad news, but today he brought the best news we ever could have hoped for!!

Sarah is Free of Cancer!!!

I can't begin to tell you, dear friends how it feels to get this kind of news.  To be on this journey for 6 months, and then hear that it is done.  We are simply praising God with everything we have in us!  It was Him who picked out Sarah for our family.  It was Him who brought her to us.  It was Him who provided all the care she needed...Him who bolstered our faith...Him who helped her to sail through with virtually no symptoms--laughing all the way along!  It was Him who got us through the high dose of chemo and the bone marrow transplant, and Him who got her out of the hospital in record time.  It was Him who healed our girl, and all the glory goes to Him!  He loves our little Sarah so much.  We rejoice in our great God!  Our loving heavenly Father!

And Dr. Aaberg had a pretty great day too. : )

Tomorrow is exam day!

Life is great around here!  Sarah is doing so well!  She is really back to her smiley, sparkly self!  She is eating and drinking well--today we didn't even have to force her and she has already reached the full amount she is supposed to drink! 

Maybe the best part about a trial, second to the spiritual growth that can accompany it, is how really wonderful normal life feels when the trial is past.  I am ALWAYS grateful for Sarah's happy little personality.  But hearing those laughs and giggles throughout the day and seeing that smile and those eyes squinting into little slits--all day long...

There is just nothing better. : ) 

Tomorrow morning we see Dr. Aaburg!  Please be praying tonight that if that tumor is still there today, it will be GONE by the time he peeks in there tomorrow!  I was nervous.  Very nervous.  I didn't even want to go to the appointment.  I didn't think my heart could take the suspense!  But now I am feeling at peace.  I know one thing for sure.  GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS.  And if that is true, then His Word is true, His promises are true.  And one of those promises is that He will never leave us or forsake us.  He also promises that EVERYTHING works out for the good of those who love Him.   The Bible is plumb full of wonderful news for us, His beloved children.  How can we doubt Him even for a second? 

Check back tomorrow, and I will let you know the results...thanks for praying, dear friends and lurkers!

Just plain tired.

Okay, I feel the need to start this off by saying that I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm complaining!  I am still so very thankful for how the Lord has carried us through EVERYTHING.  I am not ungrateful or untrusting, or anything like that.  I know He is with us, and we are really doing well.  Sarah is still doing great!  In fact last night and today, it seemed like she was really showing her true, spunky Sarah colors!  So this little post is just a peek into how I am feeling because emotions are just what they are sometimes, right?  We are human beings after all.

First of all, I am missing my husband.  While I was in the hospital so much, he was so busy with all the daily household things that he got quite a bit behind on his work.  His work he gets paid for.  So, now that I am home, he has been so focused on that, I feel like I have barely seen him, even though he is here.  Hopefully he will be caught up soon.

I am tired of making Sarah drink all the time!  You wouldn't think 20-25 ounces a day would be too hard, but when you are a little 24 pound girl, I guess you just don't want that much.  Every day it is a battle to get her to drink which ends up at least once with her in tears, but they say if she doesn't drink enough, she will have to go back on fluids at night. Ugh. 

I am tired of going to the clinic.  Over the summer we went many times twice a week, sometimes staying for  hours, but it didn't seem that bad.  I guess it feels worse now because I am behind on school with the boys, and it feels like so much more of a waste of time now that there is so much more to do.  Also, since Sarah has to be away from people as much as possible, we don't get to hang out in the waiting room with the other families.  We have to be isolated in a room alone.  Yesterday we were there for 4 hours.  : (  Is it better than being in the hospital though?  Yes.  But that doesn't mean I can't be tired of going there.

Here's a sad little story from yesterday's clinic visit...I woke up tired in the morning.  I got Sarah all ready and we were out the door--a little late.  Cassandra was parked behind me, so I had to wake her up to get her keys.  And as I was putting Sarah in her carseat, she says,  "Poopy!"  Yep.  Love those last minute diaper changes.  So after that and moving the other vehicle, we were late.  They have never said anything about us being late before, but this time one of my favorite nurse techs there gently reprimanded me for it.  (Honestly, it doesn't really matter much since it is not a real doctor visit.  Just a blood draw.)  I was already tired, so I wasn't in the mood. 

Then we went to our room, and I knew we would be there for the time it takes to get a certain medicine she needs, which would be an hour, plus the time it takes to get the results of the blood draw.  Not too bad.  It turned out that even though her white blood cell count was still fine, her ANC was low, so she had to get nupogen, (sp?) and we had to wait for them to order it, get it infused, etc.  So, we took a little (I mean long) walk to the pharmacy and back while we waited. 

When we were finally all done with everything and on our way out, I realized I did not have my ring on.  The ring my hubby gave me when we were still dating, almost 20 years ago.  Where did it go?  Oh yeah, Sarah loves jewelry, and had asked me if she could wear it.  That little voice in my head had told me not to do it, but I had thought, "We are just in this little room and she is sitting on my lap.  Nothing will happen to it."  Well, that's what I thought before I promptly forgot all about it, and we went on that long walk to the pharmacy and back.   So, I searched the little room, retraced my steps, told all the nurses to be on the lookout, and called the hospital lost and found.  No ring. : (     I have been even more scatterbrained than usual lately because I have been tired and have this huge to-do list on my mind all the time since I have been home. 

So sad.

Sooooo...Sarah's appointment with Dr. Aaburg to check for that tumor is on Monday morning!  We are praying that that stinker will be ALL GONE.  Will you pray with us??  Then, we truly will be done with it all.  What a glorious day that will be! 

In the meantime, we press on.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

 More silliness!

 Reading with Josh

 Watching Barney with Ben.  Ben said, "Mom, I just want to spend some time with Sarah alone."  : )

 Ben did a little piano recital for us complete with tickets.  He made up some songs, and figured out how to play some real ones on his own.  I need to get to work teaching that boy!  (Another thing on my list...)

 Jacob sitting in the balcony

 Grandma and Grandpa were here for the concert too!  Ben brought the book to Grandpa and said, "Something for the little one..."  lol

 Me enjoying the concert with Josh ; )

Sarah so happy to be back on that trampoline!  (This time we put a sheet down on it to keep germs away!)

30 days of giveaways!

Hi there...


 A little break from my regular stuff to tell you about this fun  little thing.  Stefanie over at her blog, Ni Hao, Y'all,  is doing a whole month of give-aways!  Click on the link over on the side of my blog to see what it's all about!

And Sarah is "doing good," as she would tell you.  She is eating pretty well, and drinking enough to be off fluids (because we are forcing-- I mean coaxing her to.) 

Please be praying because we go in on Monday morning bright and early to have the big exam to take a look at what might be left of that tumor!  Oh, my poor heart can barely take it...  Trusting, trusting, trusting!!!

Hope you are all having a terrific week!  I'm tired, but so enjoying being HOME. : )