The day our world stopped...

I want to share with you all some stuff we have trudged through here lately...I have had a few people asking about it even though we have tried to keep it quiet, people still share things...

Hollynn went to her 3 year old appointment the first part of November.  Her blood work came back that she was anemic and she was put on an iron supplement.  We went back the Monday after Christmas to have her re-tested.  She was still anemic.  So her fantastic (we adore their ped.) pediatrician drew blood for more extensive work.  That Friday we were out eating when my phone rang at 8:30 p.m., it was their Dr.  He told me he was going over labs and her iron was actually fine but she was still anemic.  He wanted her in the office first thing Mon. morning and we assumed she was bleeding internally somewhere and losing blood.  Needless to say, I was quite worried.

At 7:15 the next morning my phone rang.  I of course, was still in bed :) but it was her Dr. and I shot straight up.  He said he had been up through the night and had gone over and over her blood work and could not make sense of it.  He wanted her in the office first thing that morning and he had a church event but was calling a colleague to tell them we were on our way.  At this point I had come downstairs, gotten my sister and was sitting on the couch.  When I asked him what was he thinking, I don't remember anything else except the word "leukemia".  My heart stopped.  My breath caught in my throat and I began to cry.  Dr. P. started praying right there on the phone for us, for Hollynn, for the Dr. we would be seeing.  When we hung up the phone I started sobbing.  My body shook.  I sobbed so hard that Will jumped out of bed and ran to the couch and my Dad came running from his room.  My sister ran upstairs to get Jason and tell him what was going on.  There was not a single dry eye in this house that morning.  Not one.  I snapped back too a little when my Dad said, "Go upstairs and wake her up, get her ready, and we'll go."  Casey announced that she was calling into work.  Will would keep the boys.  I had to call and tell my Meemaw.  Meemaw.  My best friend, you guys know how I feel about her, how could I call her and tell her that we were rushing to the dr. to find out if her sweet girl had cancer.  I told Dad and Casey that we would take her, there was no point in all of us going since they were going to be running tests and we would probably just do a lot of sitting.

I got off the couch and made my way back upstairs.  I looked in our bed but Jason was not there.  When I went to Hollynn's bed, he was curled up beside her with tears streaming down his cheeks.  She was laying there half awake but smiling.  Oh baby girl, how could this be?  Surely not.

We arrived at the office and they quickly eliminated internal bleeding (which would have actually been a good thing) and moved on to blood work.  We were told that if her tests varied a lot from that Monday with whatever it was, treatment would start immediately.  As if I hadn't already been shaken to the core.  We talked for a while with the dr. and knew we were looking at 3 things.  1. Cancer (lymphoma or leukemia) 2. Blood Disorder where her body was eating her blood cells. 3. A genetic blood disorder which we were asked several times about, always answering no.

After the blood work was drawn it had to be sent off, so we made our way back home.  That day, we all moved at a snails pace.  I cried at any moment, I think we all could have.  I couldn't even carry on a conversation.  Dr. P. called to check on us that afternoon and Sunday.  Those were two long days.  Very long.  Finally on Tuesday we got a call, a WONDERFUL call, No cancer!  Two fantastic words!  I cried again.

We still didn't know what we were dealing with and were waiting on more of the blood work.  Later in the week we received another call, alpha thalassemia.  Alpha what?  It's a genetic blood disorder that could skip many generations and could go back several hundreds of years ago.  And probably there would be no treatment for her.  More tears.  We would go to a hemoglobin expert at Vanderbilt's Children's Hospital.

And that is where we spend 1/2 of the day yesterday.  She confirmed what Dr. P said.  Ran all of the tests again (I am sure Hollynn will have dr. phobia with all of the pokes and needles she has had lately).  There was so much Dr. talk but she needs her iron reserved raised even though her iron tests regular, there was something in her cells, anyways, she is on a prescription for that for 2 months.  We will go back and be re-tested then and hopefully that will be it.  She is the second type of alpha thalassemia which means when she gets married and has children her husband will need to be tested to see if he is a carrier because there could be big problems for their child if he is.  She said the child would have lots of blood transfusions and problems and in most cases they do not survive.  So he will def. be being tested!  Other than that, Hollynn should live a normal life with some small, different red blood cells.

Will you just praise the Lord with me for a moment?  Because our little girl is healthy, she is not sick, what they didn't think she had at all, she did.  And a genetic blood disorder is just great in my eyes with what we were looking at.  While I am so so so full of joy over how all of this turned out, I am so broken for those who don't get the news we received.  Because what is different from us and the other family that didn't receive good news?  Nothing.  Yesterday we were at the cancer center and as we went into the room where those children were receiving chemo, my heart sank.  I looked at the mom's sitting next to their babies.  The siblings in there watching t.v., the volunteers doing science experiments.  Horrible.  Awful.  Can I be blunt?  It just sucked.  So while I praise God for our great news, I also plead for Him to help.  Stop this stuff.  Comfort.  Strengthen.  Heal.  Bring Joy.  Only He can.  So while you praise with me, will you also plead with me?  Cancer Sucks!

Poland...

Quick update...Will and Casey have arrived safely in Poland. They should be meeting my niece tomorrow. I cannot wait to see pics and get an update. They cannot share any info. On social media, but let me tell you she is beautiful!

I have some pics to post but am on the iPad and I'm petty technology illiterate. Some friends of ours who are adopting from Ethiopia had an amazingly well priced photo shoot fundraiser that we participated in. So glad we did. Although I have missed Melissa not taking our pics this fall. Next year when our budget is different we will be back on routine.

The kids are doing well, Heath is talking like crazy. Hudson's latest obsession is bow hunting, and Hollynn is the biggest animal lover there is.

Jason is working a job where he gets up at 2:30 a.m.  But he of course is off early and I think it's good for our family. We have actually had supper together as a family consistently since he started!  We turned down a ministry opportunity in North Alabama, that I'm not going to lie, I absolutely loved. I have had a really hard time knowing we aren't going. Large Free Will Baptist church, contemporary (I know!), sound sound preaching, I could go on and on, but I know it's best for our family to stay here right now. We need to replenish and focus on our little family.

We are in fun month at the barn and then will start our winter break.  I am really hoping that the barn gets completed in 2014. A girl can dream, right?

LOTS of changes

I wish I had some Halloween pics to accompany this post but I am on Casey's computer.

We have had quite a few changes going on in our lives here lately.  The biggest being that Jason resigned as youth pastor of Friendship on Oct. 1st so his last day was the 31st.  There were several reasons for us doing so and it boils down to this is what was best for our family.  This was not a rash decision but one that we spent months praying over and making sure we were doing what the Lord was wanting us to do.  We are still confident it was the right thing.  Friendship has been very kind to us through this process and we are very thankful.

We have moved back to the farm, as in, with my Dad.  So right now it's quite crazy and entertaining I'm sure.  Our family of 5 are here, Will and Casey are here while their house is being finished up, and of course my Dad with his posse of dogs.  There are boxes and bins everywhere b/c I don't want to do much unpacking until we know our next move.

Speaking of our next move, we would really appreciate your prayers.  We have some HUGE decisions to make and we need all the discernment and wisdom we can get.

On a different note, Heath is doing EXCELLENT with potty training.  I thought he was going to be the death of me there for a few minutes.  Hudson was so easy to potty train, Hollynn potty trained herself, and Heath, well, he beats to his own drum.  It took a while but he has been accident free for days now and I am so close to not having any children in diapers!!!!!

One last thing, just because I am so excited...tonight we are going to a dinner where George Dennehy (look him up if you have a few min.) is speaking and Mercy Me is playing.  It's a formal thing so I have my dress, one of my students sister is doing my hair, and I'm even going to shave my legs (ha!).  The dinner is for One Less Ministries who I hope to start doing some volunteer work for.  We've had it on the calendar since the summer so needless to say I am pretty pumped for it to finally be here.

Oh, and how can I forget, the best Dad in the worlds birthday is tomorrow!  Happy Birthday Hoss!!  I pinned a quote that goes something like this..."The only thing better than having you as my Dad is my children having you as their Grandfather."  And that, my friends, gets an Amen from me!

Won't Be Shaken...

Had to share...

As our normal morning routine, when the kids get up I am usually sitting on the couch checking e-mails, devo., etc.  It takes me several minutes to get moving in the a.m., okay, a little more than several.  Hollynn usually crawls up in my lap and hangs out with me until Heath wakes up.

This morning she climbed up, laid her head down.  Then she raised up, looked at me, and in the sweetest 2 year old voice she sang out, "We won't be shaken!"  Then she laid back down without another word for some time. 

And all I could do was take a deep breath and think...sometimes you need a Word, and sometimes it comes from your 2 year old!

We Won't Be Shaken by Building 429:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BJhOgb-unI

Beach!

We had a fabulous time at the beach.  We went to our favorite spot, right by Rosemary Beach and there were very few people which is what I was hoping for :)  The kids LOVED the beach.  It was Hollynn and Heath's first time to see the ocean.  Heath would get his feet wet but spent most of the time playing in the sand while the other two bounced back and forth from sand to boogie boarding and just playing in the waves.  We had some great, much needed family time and I especially enjoyed getting to lounge around during nap time and just chill with everyone and not having anything on the schedule. 

 "Now can we do a funny face picture?"

 Check out that hair flopping as he is running!  ha!

 I'm pretty sure this one was not posed, and it was so cute that I had to get Heath on it for the one below.

Gotcha'

 

        365 days.  Man to man defense to a zone, how else are you going to guard 3 vs. 2?  Three trips across the ocean and finally those sweet cheeks were mine to kiss whenever I wanted.  Cuddly yet aggressive.  Whiny yet sweeter than honey.  Holds his own.  Could sleep for days.  Always has his shoes on the wrong feet.  Eats like a grown man.  Content.  Loves to hug and gives random kisses on my cheeks.  Passionate, whether it's about the "helicopper" in the sky or the toy he thinks he's entitled to just b/c he wants it...no matter who has it.  Follower.  Mama's boy.  Future football player.  Linebacker.  Adorable.  Yes, that sums it up, my adorable little linebacker. 

       He presses my buttons one minute and then tugs at my heart strings the next.  He drives me crazy sometimes but I'm absolutely crazy over him.  Hollynn would be lost without him, they are inseparable.  It never fails when I go out in public someone tells me, "You've got your hands full" and wants to know how far apart they are.  I'm afraid they think I'm nuts, and well, I am but not b/c our family added 3 kids in 5 years (although some days that may be why I'm nuts ;)  So, yes, when you see me in Kroger with 2 in the car attached to the front, one in the buggy, and I'm refereeing while checking to see if I have a coupon so I can add to my overflowing cart of groceries.  Why yes, my hands are full.  Full of lots of love, full of lots of fun and giggles, full of lots of tender moments (did I mention my washing machine is also always full?), and full of lots of Jesus b/c He's the only way we do this thing.

     Happy Gotcha' Day to our Heath James, who God moved mountains for just to place in my arms.  So glad I get to wrap them around him every day.      

  

Mother's Day/Graduation

 So Jason went all out earlier this year and I just have to document it.  He's not known for his gifting qualities and thankfully gifts are not my love language ;)  But this past Mother's Day he made me this card and on the inside are some cute answers the kids had about me.  My fa. are the fact that they they think I weigh 7 and 2 pounds! ha!

 He also made the prayer cards that Heath is holding below.  Mr. Pinterest he is :)

 We had some yummy cupcakes for Jason's birthday...

 Jordan (above)  MacKenzie (below)

And these two girls graduated back in May.  Both of them I taught for over 10 years so these past two weeks of sending them off has been so emotional for me.  I feel like I helped raise them and were sending my own two off.  Like I seriously cried several times.  I have told them I plan on sitting on the front rows of their weddings!  I love them both dearly.  What am I going to do in 2 years when I have 4 graduating and going of off to college at the same time, all of whom I will have also taught for years.  Geeze, I'm getting so mushy in my old age. 

Where have we been?

 Now my Granny loves all my kids, no doubt, but this little boy is her little cuddle bug.  She loves when he crawls up in her lap and hugs on her (who doesn't, right?).  And he is so content just chillin' with her.

 Aunt "Tish"

 Playing with Meme's glasses.

 All of the Head cousins are now married.  Tyler and Andi married in June, we love her!  The wedding was awesome and there may or may not have been a FWB pastor's wife on the dance floor ;)

I've missed documenting so much, the summer has been busy but not so much in a crazy hectic busy that my life seemed to have gotten to (although there was still some of that).  I feel like this summer has been a fun busy.  Lots of swimming, we've been to venture river water park, Holiday World, play days with friends, etc.  There are still a few things on our summer fun list that we haven't gotten to yet and even though school is starting back, summer's not over yet!  Quick update on everyone...
Jason will be attending Vol State this fall, getting one step closer to getting his B.A. degree.  Hopefully this year at Vol State and another year at Welch (FWB Bible College) and it will be done.  He just took a week off of work this past week and it was a very refreshing time, and might I say that he deserved it. 

I am preparing for school to start this coming Monday.  And looking at 5 loads of clothes that need to be folded (and I'm thinking there is another in the dryer).  I just joined a women's Bible study that will meet on Tuesday's and to say I'm pumped is an understatement. 

Hudson turned 6 on Wed. (will have a separate post about this...hopefully before he turns 7, Ha!).  He starts 1st grade on Monday.  Took 3 week of swim lessons this summer and is quite the little fish.  He started soccer this week and I might be just a tad excited about this ;)  Okay, I'm pumped...unless the games are early in the morning!

Hollynn is also a little fish and has recently started swimming all by herself.  She learned how to float on her back in swim lessons and when she was jumping off the diving board for fun and then coming up and floating on her back, I knew we had to do more.  Let's just way, when this girl is determined, not much is going to stand in her way.  She is also very into playing with her baby dolls.  One in particular goes everywhere with us.

Heath turned 2 in July (again, separate post coming soon).  So I am in the 3 month stage of having 2 children the same age.  He is finally starting to find his own way instead of just doing anything and everything his brother and sister do.  I think he would eat me out of house and home if I let him.  His vocabulary is so much better and although he can come close to saying Hollynn, he won't do it.  He calls her wah-wah and it cracks me up.  And Hudson is Hudsy. 

Off to soccer practice...

Bragging Moment...

Warning:  prepare to hear from a bragging mom...

I've always thought Hudson was very smart and I tell people that as a kindergartener he read on a 2nd grade level, but that was just me guessing.  So he was just tested with two tests and he reads on a beginner 4th grade level!!  So I'm just having a super huge proud Mommy moment.  I knew I would have to test him b/c I will be purchasing schooling materials soon and a lot of the materials I purchased last year that were Kindergarten and 1st grade we didn't use.  So now I will start looking into homeschooling material for his 1st grade year.

Catching up...

 Our little pirate!  We went to a 5k run for One Less Ministries a little while back and the kids all loved having their face painted.  Hudson requested a dragon, he's on a dragon kick here lately...

 I tried saving these differently but I still can't figure out why when I upload them to blogger they turn them sideways.  I have googled and read and am still clueless, if anyone can help me I would appreciate it, I'm not very tech savvy.

I have several posts going in my head so hopefully I can update a few times over the next couple of weeks but ya'll know how I am!

We are in the midst of busyness.  We start VBS tonight and the kids are so pumped, it's the first thing Hudson said when he woke up this a.m.  Jason has been up to his eye balls in VBS, camp, and preparing for our mission trip.  He spent a week at Cumberland Camp being the evangelist and I'm pretty sure he had as much fun as the campers.  He has another week of camp in Illinois that he is looking forward to.  We will also be off to Chicago for a mission trip one week this summer. 

We were able to get away to Knoxville for a short trip for my cousin Tyler's wedding.  It was good to get away even if it was only for a day and we had a BLAST!  I love weddings and this one was too much fun!

Jason and I celebrated 10 years of marriage on the 6th, he was at camp so it wasn't until this past weekend we got to go out on a date and celebrate.  We went to a swanky restaurant called 360 Bistro but thankfully I had a groupon :)  and we went to the movies.  I'm not too good at picking out movies I've decided. 

My goal this year has been to slow down and not commit to too much stuff.  So far I feel like I've done an okay job at this.  Life does seem busy but I don't feel like I'm drowning and I have been planning one fun thing per week for the kids to do this summer.  We have been to a bounce place and swimming several times (Hudson can swim on his own underwater now :)   I have lots of stuff on our list that I know they are going to love!