More Sugery

Well, mom got the results and found out that they did not get all of the cancer out. But the good news is that it did not spread to her lymph nodes! Needless to say she has to have more surgery. She went to the doctor yesterday and the soonest they could do it is May 8th. So, please keep her in your prayers. Unfortunately, Rob and I will not be able to be there because we are going on vacation that week. But, we know that there are plenty of people here who love my mom and will take good care of her. Most of all I know that she is in the BEST hands of all, those of our Lord and Savior.

Mom's surgery (contin..)

Well, like Rob posted yesterday, mom seems to be doing great. I spend the night with her last night and she is doing a lot better than anyone expected. She really has not had any problems with nausea and she says she really isn't in too much pain. She's walking around, just being herself. Praise God!
The only thing is that we now have to wait for the results. We are hoping that the surgeon got all of the cancer out, but we won't know for sure until tomorrow afternoon. If they have not gotten all of it out, then it could mean a mastectomy. Also we will know if it has spread to her lymp nodes or not, which will determine the stage of cancer she has. Depending on the results, we will know if the doctor recommends chemo or radiation. As it stands now, she will definitely have radiation. Please just pray that no matter what the results are tomorrow, we will continue to trust God. He is the one in control of all of life and His ways are far greater than anything I would even imagine. Thank you so much for all of your prayers! My mom has truly been overwhelmed by the love and support so many are giving her through this difficult time. Thank you all!

Mom's surgery

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and notes of encouragement. They mean a lot to us!! She had her surgery this afternoon from about 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. The Dr. removed a large tissue mass and 5 lymph nodes. She will find out tests results this Wed. to determine if there will be any further surgery needed. She will be undergoing radiation in the coming weeks. This is actually Rob writing this because my wife (who is the normal blogger) is staying at Eileen's house (well FEMA trailer) for the night just to make sure everything is ok. So also pray for me as I try and survive a night of bachlorhood :) (jk - I haven't been married that long....) But she seems to be doing fine. And we are looking forward to seeing what the results are. Anyway thanks once again for all your prayers and support

Deo Volente

Easter

So, I have family that lives "in the country" on a plantation surrounded by sugar cane farms in Bayou Goula, LA. Ever Easter and Thanksging our family would drive to the country and spend the holiday on the plantation. Well, I have not been able to go for a few years. And this Easter, well, it was really Good friday, Rob and I went to the country. Rob, being from NE, loved being out surrounded by farms. We even got the chance to shoot Rob's new gun that I got him for Christmas (yeah, it was the first time he had the chance to shoot it. Living here in NO, there's not really much opportunity to go shooting.) By the way, I'm actually getting pretty good at shooting a gun. I actually learned how to aim. Anyway, here are some pictures of our trip....

Here we are at the smallest church in the world. Yep, it's actually in Ripley's Believe It or Not! Who knew that was in LA??!!

This is Nottaway Plantation (not the plantation my family lives at). This is one of the most famous plantations in LA. On Saturday, we decided to go take a tour!

Here's Rob sitting in the dinning room at Nottaway Plantation! Doesn't he look excited to be there?

Men and women use to have to go up different staircases. Women on the left, men on the right!

We need prayer...

Well, my mom went for a biopsy last week and it was a little scary, although we thought nothing would come of it. Well, my mom called me the other day to tell me that her biopsy came back positive for breast cancer. So, she will be having surgery on Monday April 16th. Please pray for her and our family. We won't know what stage of cancer until she has the surgery, which means we don't know if she will need chemo or radiation treatment.
It's all be kind-of scary and completely shocking. We don't have any family history of breast cancer in the family, and well, my mom has never really been anything but healthy. So, I guess I'm still not so sure how to react. I guess I really have not been thinking about it. Anyway. I just ask that you would please all pray that everything would go smoothly on Monday and in her recovery. My mom and I were talking last night about how this gives us an incredible opportunity to be a good witness to our unsaved family members. We know that God is in control and that His ways are higher and greater than our own. Please pray that we would exemplify God's peace to our unsaved family through this time. Thanks.

Routine

Yeah, so March went by rather quickly. I'm not so sure where March went, but it came and went without much adventure. Just working, doing things at church, spending time with my family and more importantly spending time with my husband, but mostly just working.
So, I distinctly remember visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Virginia a few years ago, when I was still in college. I visited them for about a week. And well, I just realized how routine their lives had become. Of course in my college-student mind I remember thinking, "Does life really get that routine?" And well, I guess it does. After having moved 5 times within our first year of marriage, we have been living in the same place for well, I guess 7 months now (yeah, a record for us!!!) and we have been working for the same company for over a year now. ( I know know, I know, it doesn't sound all that long, but I guess it just seems long) And well, I hate to admit it, or even say it, but our lives have become, well a bit routine. I can almost go through every day of the week and tell you exactly where Rob and I will be and what we will be doing, with a few exceptions on Saturdays. I'm not so sure if that's bad, good, or just the way life is. Probably just the way life is.
I guess all this thinking and writing about routine just gets me wondering about how it effects my walk with the Lord. Am I just letting God be a part of my routine, fitting Him where He goes in my schedule? Or is my life completely for Him, seeking to know Him through whatever comes my way, desiring to know Him more through the seasons of life? I don't want a routine relationship with the Love of my life. I don't just want God to fit in my schedule, I want Him to be what my life is about! Living step by step, day by day, seeking God in all circumstances in life, whether it be in a frustrating phone call with a customer, or driving home from work in traffic learning patience. I want to seek God and what He is teaching me. My prayer is that no matter what tomorrow brings, it will be another day to learn more about my God, and learning to love Him more every step of the way. And that is anything but routine!