In Case They Ever Wonder

Whew! I just returned home to Atlanta, and I feel like the air has been let out of a balloon. I've been gone just shy of three weeks, and it is hard to believe all that has transpired. I am so thankful I was able to go with the family to meet Dad's oncologist, hear more about his lymphoma, and most importantly, to hear the plan of attack that will bring about his cure. Just after the appointment, our family went to lunch to debrief and "rehash" as Dad says we girls like to do. I felt like I had "caught" the confidence that Dr. Murphy exudes. Though I am the least "half-full" member of our family, I listened as the doctor encouraged us to view the glass as he does, "all the way full." Now I don't know that I'll ever get there, but I was at a solid three-quarters full after the appointment. At lunch I noticed that my normally "half-full" father looked like someone had drained his cup. Now, I pride myself on always being th...

We are working on keeping our head up around here. Dad did an amazing job letting TPC, our extended family, know about his new journey today. On Tuesday, we will meet with the oncologist and hear the plan of attack. This has been a tough week, and an even tougher 72 hours. It is one thing to deal with Dad having cancer; it is another thing to hear that the diagnosis is more serious than we originally thought, and then another to hear him relate the events of the week to a few thousand people and to realize this very personal struggle we are dealing with affects many others. Again, my mind is still swirling with thoughts and emotions that I'm sure I will process for weeks and months to come. In the meantime, we are working hard to keep our heads up - specifically our eyes lifted up to the One from whom we know our help comes. But I am oh-so-thankful that He understands when discouragement and frustration set in. He isn't afraid of our feelings, be they anger, fear, or sadness. H...

This has been a crazy few weeks. I herniated a disc in my back, had a beautiful baby girl, and found out my dad has cancer. I have lots of thoughts, feelings and emotions, but they aren't sorted out yet. I do know that our family is embarking on a new journey. I couldn't be more proud of how both my dad and my mom are handling this news, and I am thankful that they are beginning the journey with such strength and grace. Our family is chronicling Dad's journey at pastorricksjourney.blogspot.com . For now, I am thankful for amazing friends who are praying like crazy, a loving family that supports one another, and a faithful God who meets all our needs.

Bless his heart, he was all dressed for Valentine's Day lunch, when he decided to squat and "play trains" for a while. This certainly isn't the first rip he's made in a pair of pants, but it is definitely the biggest! We moved on to some 4T shirts already, but I'm thinking we may be ready for 4T pants. He and Sophie will be wearing the same size in a matter of months! I guess this sheds some light on Will's obsession with whether or not things fit! But whether he pants fit or not, we love our big boy!

Lillie is three weeks old. She is absolutely precious. Matt and I were very thankful to have the opportunity to spend five days spending time with just Lillie while Sophie and Will had fun with Patti-Grams and Tato . (It reminded us so much of the time right after Sophie was born, with just a mama, a daddy, and a baby! But as fun as that was, we were thrilled when big brother and big sister returned home!) Though she is still a little on the sleepy side, I love getting to know Lillie and noticing the similarities and differences between Lillie and her siblings. Lillie seems to be a very mellow baby. She seems to be more laid back than either her brother or sister. She rarely cries, and even when she does, we can't believe how how much less severe it is compared to her siblings. Sophie could (and really still can) cause one to move at warp speed with her wail (it starts low, but quickly escalates until that hair on the back of one's neck is standing up), and Will is all about t...

Will is obsessed with things "fitting." Every diaper, shirt, pair of pants, coat etc. either gets his mark of approval, "this fits" or not, "this too tight," "this hurts," or "no fit." I'm convinced this is a result of him being so crazy-big and hearing me say so many times, "I can't believe this doesn't fit!" It isn't just clothes though, he also decides whether his trains "fit" on his track, if his automoblox "fit" together. He is just obsessed with things "fitting." There was a time when having a little boy did not "fit" in my plan for my life. I imagined myself mothering little girls, just like my mom did and just like her mom did. Never having had brothers or even boy cousins, I just never thought having a little boy was likely, and I didn't understand people who had such a strong desire to have sons. Oh, how thankful I am that the Lord knew just the pieces need...