A summer of "news"

    The past 3 months have been full of new things...

New-

1) home

2) community

3) health challenges

4) schools

5) church

6) schedules

7) job for Jason

8) sports

9) grocery store

10) target 

Okay, the last 2 aren't a huge deal, but, still takes some getting used to.;)

A week after school ended in May we left our beloved Point Loma community. It was another week and a half until we could move into our new home in Bonsall, so we were vagabonds for a short time. Housed by friends and family...so kind❤️. Around this time I had a scan and it revealed that my cancer was progressing on my liver, so I began Chemo.

Once we got settled into our home, which took quite awhile because I was fatigued from the chemo, we dove into our new surroundings...a new church, a new beach and the boys joined the Fallbrook swim team and water polo. These were sports both Jason and I did as youth and it's so fun to see them enjoying them now.

The 2 older kids began attending youth group, when we were in town, and began to connect. Our hope and prayer was that the Lord would provide a friend, so when they began their new schools in August it would ease the transition. 

The Lord, once again, went before us and chose the perfect teachers and friends for each of them. Of course, today is only day 3 of school but we already see how the Lord orchestrated these things! We are so grateful.

I had another scan in July and it showed that, even though I was doing iv chemo, the liver was getting worse. This has been very frustrating and I've really had to work through this with the Lord. (Probably why I haven blogged in awhile truthfully;) ) I stopped the chemo and 2 weeks ago I began yet another targeted therapy (supposedly blocking the cancer pathways). I will have another scan in September. I have not had many side effects from this new med duo, however, I did have to make a Sunday night ER visit a few weeks ago and found out I had pneumonia, due to my compromised immune system.  I'm on the mend, feeling much better, but still not 100%. Praising the Lord it was just pneumonia though, and not another issue from cancer!

Because it seems like I'm flying through treatment options, I decided in June to pursue a second opinion at City of Hope. I'm so thankful that I have this option and that after 2 1/2 months and countless hours back and forth with my insurance, it was FINALLY approved! Praise be to God. Only through his mercy did this happen. My appointment is this Wednesday. My sweet dad will be taking me up there and my kind mom will be holding down the fort because(takes a village!)....praise the Lord, Jason got a new job! Full time with benefits. 

That is a whole other story about God's timing and learning hard lessons on waiting and God's provision when it seems so stressful. 

This, by far, cancer diagnosis aside, has been the hardest, most stressful, uncertain summer of our lives. But, with it has come growth as a couple, as a family, lessons on waiting for God's timing when you literally have zero choice, and hope. Sweet hope. Where would we be with out HOPE? 

We are thankful that God allows us to experience Him in this way. He is our Hope. And we will look to Him because without Him there is no hope, in this life, or eternity. 

I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Acts 27:25

There is never a majestic mountain without a deep valley, and there is no birth without pain.

Daniel Crawford, streams in the desert

    High School-10th:)

    Middle School-6th!

    Our 3rd grader:)

    Kinder for this little!