New Beginnings

Lamentations 3:22-24 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in Him.'"

Two weeks ago we left Chicago and headed out on our new adventure, a life in Kentucky. God has been so gracious to us every step along this change. He has provided friends for the kids, helped us transition to our new home, and even find a home church. There have been bumps along the way. The day we arrived in KY, Grace told us she believed she had pink eye. Thankfully, we stopped at Costco for groceries on our way to the house and they had an opening at the ophthalmologist and he gave her medicine for her eyes. Then on Monday, just three days of being in Kentucky, Micaela felt ill. We took her into the hospital to rule out her appendix. Unfortunately, it was her appendix making her ill and she had surgery Tuesday morning. We transferred her from the local hospital to UK Children's Hospital. God worked all the details out! Micaela was thrilled to ride in an ambulance. Even through all the pain, she had a huge smile for me as we drove to UK. The time at the hospital showed me two things: 1) having family near by is a HUGE blessing since they all came to visit us at the hospital and 2) the church we are going to attend had two pastors visit us, which shows they have a heart for their congregation even though we had only just visited their church! These two things ministered to my heart as I was feeling so far from everything familiar. God is so good!!

Wayne and I have decided that living in Kentucky will mean a healthier/fitter life. We have been taking a daily walk around the neighborhood and the HILLS here are crazy! Today I took a bike ride with a neighbor and about died coming up one of the hills. Unpacking and moving in is taking time, but slowly the house is becoming home. We are all loving the extra space! We are also enjoying all the time we can spend at my parent's house at their farm. This last week the kids helped my dad plant his garden and they help my mom with the chickens too. Bonus: farm fresh eggs!!!

We have been back and forth a few times to Chicago since we moved. We had our last week of school (see below), visited friends and said more "see you laters", and have dealt with selling our home (that should close at 1pm today!!!). Sorry for the photo overload. I have to get caught up since I'm so behind after being busy moving. The very bottom will have prayer requests.

Harriet Tubman

Abraham Lincoln

Davy Crockett

Our entire class (DJ was Benjamin Franklin but changed before I could take his picture)

My chicken "Rhoda", who is a Rhode Island Red.

Abigail is getting more brave and learning to not fear the animals!

Enjoying the hot tub!

Naomi and her CC tutor

While we were in Chicago, we also celebrated Joella's birthday early. She has been saving her money for two years to buy her doll. She wanted Mary Ellen, which thankfully, Costco carried at Christmas time. We learned in the past that the Costco doll came with extras and really was a great deal. We have been hiding her doll for six months! She was so thrilled to spend the day alone with her parents. She had requested Wayne to come with us because she had always been too young to go to Wayne's work with him like the other kids. She had a smile on her face the entire day!

My first homeschool friends in the area. This was a hard "see you later"!

All the back and forth between Kentucky and Chicago has made me a tired woman. I don't drink coffee, but I found a great caffeine alternative, chai tea latte from Dunkin Donuts. This early morning drive (5am) warranted a large tea!

Here are some more pictures with our friends in Chicago. I may have just got teary-eyed looking at all of my amazing friends (aka family) from Chicago! We love all of you!!!

Sophia wants to be a police officer when she gets older. "Uncle Zack" took a picture with her with his uniform on and placed his hat on her head.

Our friend we made at 7-11. This woman, Sonja, is amazing! She lectured my kids a few times, in a loving way, and we just loved her. 

Some of the best neighbors we could have asked for. They are like family to us!

The girls missed their last two music classes due to illnesses and us moving. Their amazing teacher had us over to make Mbira.

Abigail and Caleb performing their Lincoln-Douglas debate for their CC class.

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Prayer Requests:

- Wayne's next MRI is June 7th. We will be traveling up to Chicago for the weekend for his appointment and to see our friends.

- For our trip out West. We will be visiting all of our family on the West Coast and taking the kids on a missions trip to help prepare a summer camp.

- Pray for my dad's doctors to have wisdom to know what they need to treat and how to treat him.

- Continue to pray for all of my friends who have lost their loved ones to brain cancer. May is coming to a close, but unfortunately, people are still daily losing loved ones to this awful cancer. 

Brain Cancer and the Deadly Effects

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the tings that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

(above:) MRI Picture of Wayne's brain. The black space is the part of Wayne's brain that is missing after surgery.

May is brain cancer awareness month. Before 2015, I had heard of brain cancer in passing, but it had never hit close to home. A wonderful, godly man at our church had brain cancer when I was in college. It is one thing to hear about brain cancer and it is another thing to experience it first hand. Over the last few years, we have had numerous friends lose their loved ones to this disease. Two of my good friends from Moody Bible lost their mothers to this beast; a missionary friend, Andrea, lost her brother to the disease; countless women have lost their husbands to the disease (Lynnie, Jan, Rebecca, Cathie, Lynn, etc). This morning, my friend Mary just lost her sweet husband to brain cancer. They have two children who now have to face life without their earthly father. The one common theme is that all of our journeys with brain cancer has forever changed our lives.

Brain cancer isn't talked about as much as breast cancer, colon cancer, leukemia, etc. They are all awful diseases. Recently there has been more attention given to brain cancer in light of "famous" people who have had brain cancer: John McCain, Beau Biden, Ted Kennedy.  I saw this posted on my friend's Facebook page and I thought it summed up brain cancer very well. 

"Tomorrow starts Brain Tumor awareness month. Unlike most other cancers you hardly ever hear about it, it comes in silently and kills with a quickness and cruelty unmated by other cancers. With Glioblastoma particularly there is no hope of cure. The options of those diagnosed are to go quickly to death or subject themselves and their loved ones to treatments that are almost more violent and cruel than the cancer itself. Treatments that will at the most get them 14 moths of life and will most likely steal their mobility, personality, and quality of life. Their brains are frequently ravaged by seizures and swelling while the brain tissue slowly dies from round and round of radiation treatment. Less than 5% of those diagnosed live to see 5 years, while most survive 6-14 months (the average is 6-18 months). Those who are so "lucky" will subject themselves to multiple treatments, continual tests and a constant waiting in fear for the inevitable dat that the dormant monster that is glioblastoma claims their life. This disease shows no mercy based on age or gender. It affects men, women, adults, children, rich, and poor. The person diagnosed with glioblastoma often requires 24 hour care making it impossible for either person to work. The simplest of tasks requires planning and preparation. Not matter what treatment choices are made, chances are you will lose your loved one piece by piece. A little bit each days as the cancer and treatment agave their brains. Doctors can be of some help, but even the best of doctors are bewildered by this ever changing and mutating cancer that becomes resistant to even the treatments that work at the beginning, always changing and evolving to continue to grow."

Four year difference: (above) Wayne after brain surgery and biopsy. (below) celebrating our 20th anniversary and 4 year brain cancer survivor. We are 10 months from being in the 5% group that makes it to the five year mark. We want to live every day to the fullest for God and make precious memories with each other and our children!

Brain cancer, like all cancer, is awful. The difference with brain cancer is that it truly affects everything about you - your personality, your speech, your mobility...everything. It is hard for outsiders to see because many times the person looks "normal", but brain cancer is a thief. It steals your loved ones a piece at a time. 

Please continue to pray for Mary and her children as they face this new chapter in their lives, pray for my friend Lynnie as she continues to mourn the loss of her husband, and pray for the many other women I have met who now face lives without the love of their life. Please also pray for us. Whenever I know someone who loses their loved one, fear begins to creep into my heart. Wayne's next MRI is June 7. Pray that we, mainly me, would just trust God and know that He is in control. He has determined the number of days for Wayne, not the doctors. 

To help bring awareness to brain cancer, you will see me wearing grey a lot in May. You will also see me wearing my Brain Cancer bracelets. Wear grey in May and help bring awareness to this awful, deadly cancer!