These pictures are from a couple of weeks ago...back when we were allowed out of our houses and able to go to church. I know I will never take that blessing for granted again after all this!
Peaches was able to do the offertory that Sunday. I thought she would be scared to do it, but she was so brave and hopped up there like playing for a 100ish people was no big deal!
Noni took this picture. Look how little she is...her sweet and shiny feet dangling off the bench. :)
The girls videoed for me so I could help her stay on track. She did such a good job! Especially because she messed up and kept going! We had been working on that because when she messed up at home she would stop bang both hands down on the piano and say, "UGH!" So I was even more proud of her than if she had played it perfectly! She even sang while playing! SO sweet!
And I had to sneak this picture in later. Lou does NOT like napping at church...too much to do! But Noni can usually persuade her. :) So sweet.
On February 28th we got the news no one wants to hear. Our precious Noni was diagnosed with breast cancer. We knew nothing else and for a brief second it felt like the world was caving in.
But in the next second we remembered that God is in control. He holds each one of us in the palm of His hands. This wasn't a surprise to Him. He knows each and every part of us, and He knew that this was there.
I think He was also answering prayers before we could even pray them. We later found out that the cancer was detected as early as possible (praise!). The insurance that was supposed to take most of the week to process, processed practically before we could finish praying...before noon that Monday (more praise!). Noni was assigned to one of the best cancer doctors in our city, and her surgery was scheduled for just over a month after initially finding out (triple praise!). The cancer also seems to be contained and they don't even think she will need any chemo (so much praise!). Blessing abound.
But on that day we didn't know any of that. We only knew that we were facing a cancer diagnosis. This was the day we had been to the dentist. We got back to the house, ate lunch, celebrated Papa's birthday, and then Noni sat down and told the girls the news. And the second thing out of her mouth was that if God can use this cancer to bring even one person to Him it will all be worth it.
If there was ever an award for the most Godly, faithful way to handle a cancer diagnosis Noni would receive it hands down. And of course she wouldn't accept it because she takes selflessness to a whole other level. I don't even know how to put it into words. She is, quite simply, amazing.
The girls were, of course, unsettled by the news so after she finished explaining she suggested we all go outside. For February it was quite a warm, beautiful day. It felt like Spring! Another blessing straight from God. We sat out in the sunshine talking and playing. Lou got to try the slide for the first time and she absolutely loved it.
Look at this smile! So much joy.
We even got to hear her first sentence, multiple times. "I did it!" It's hard to pick out but she says it at the bottom of the slide.
Noni, with her beautiful, selfless, giving heart turned what could have been a tragic day, into a fun memory. She is truly gifted at blessing others.
I am a natural worrier at heart, and the thought of life without my precious mother strikes terror straight into it, but I have truly felt the presence of the Lord through all of this. I have indeed felt His inexplicable peace.
7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
I know that He is in and over and through all of this, and I pray that our family brings Him glory through every step. I know my amazing mother will be a blessing to every single person she comes into contact with through all this. Her smile alone blesses others every day. I also know this has already been a good lesson to the girls in the power of prayer.
Because of all the Coronavirus stuff Noni's surgery actually got cancelled. The hospital said they were only going to be doing emergency surgeries in order to conserve supplies. Noni's doctor told her she would do her best to get her back on the schedule as soon as possible since she has a fast growing cancer that is not eligible for a pill-based suppressant like some types. Needless to say we were very concerned...especially when we finally got news that they wouldn't be doing non-emergency surgeries until April 15th and they weren't even trying to schedule them yet. We were praying hard for several days that it would happen just as soon as possible when we got the wonderful news that the surgery would go through as planned! Praise the Lord! What an amazing answer to prayer!!!
And speaking of prayer, the big surgery is TOMORROW so prayers would be much appreciated! Thank you so much! I will give an update soon. In the meantime...
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Lou is turning into quite the "helper". This day she was helping me by putting tiny Barbie dogs into the dish soap holder. And of course climbing IN the dishwasher every time I turned my back.
She loves unloading the dishes too...clean, dirty, it doesn't matter. Bonus points if she can get the sharp knives before Mommy can stop her. :P
She also LOVES to "help" me by getting anything and everything out of the pantry and bringing it into the main kitchen. Cereal is her favorite and she is getting pretty darn good at getting it open no matter how I try to secure it.
She was trying her hardest to climb up on this chair.
She also drags out the bags of recycling because I'm sure I need them in the middle of the kitchen floor. :P
Somebody found a bag of Fritos. This was her face after I scooped her up and plopped her in her high chair so she would stop stepping on them. :P
You can't really tell from this picture but we have had 8-10 inch mud ruts the last couple months. I've spun out several times just trying to get out of our driveway. :P
Peaches brought this home from Preschool a while ago. She showed it to me and shook her little pointer finger in my face, "Don't eat the Cheer-o's with glue on them Ma-ma! You. Will. PUKE."
Chillin' in the library.
Silly girl!
Whenever I thought of living in the country I always pictured making lunch or dinner while the girls were outside playing. The other day I realized I was "livin' the dream". :)
For some reason...the way the house is positioned I guess...even if it is freezing (literally) outside, if it is sunny and there is no wind I can open our bedroom window and it is not cold! It seems bizarre, but it's so nice to get fresh air!!
S, E, and D had checkups the other day. They did pretty well and didn't tear the place down. :P Although there was a lot of chair spinning...
And Peek-A-Boo.
This silly one was making us all laugh, including the doctor. Funny girl.
Peaches was "brave" and opened her mouth, took deep breaths, and did everything else the doctor told her to do.
The doctor said they all look happy and healthy and are sticking to their growth curves. Boo had some more warts frozen off again and this time I think it took. Poor thing could hardly use her hands for days. Peaches has a little ring worm on her back, presumably from Jax, but it's nothing a little athlete's foot cream can't take care of. Lou looks good, and only needed one shot so we pushed it off to her 18 month appointment since she will need another one then anyway.
I thought that I had gotten Peanut her checkup in August since I normally try to do it around their birthdays, but apparently I didn't. They didn't have time to squeeze her into this appointment so she and I went back alone the next week. The doctor said, "Forgot this one last week? Middle child syndrome." Whoops. Haha. Peanut looks great too, and didn't have to have anything extra done. We are VERY thankful for our healthy girls!
The girls had their dental checkups the other day. Look how long Bug looks in the chair!
Peanut the pro. :)
Lou was opening cupboards and drawers and looking for anything and everything she could get her hands on. :P
Peaches was excited to be there.
She happily talked to the nurses.
And laughed and giggled her whole way through her exam.
Apparently it was nervous laughter though because when we took her glasses off there were tears in her eyes! The hygienist felt so bad! She was fine, but she must have been scared because afterwards she said, "I was so brave!"
Lou wanted to do everything the big girls did.
Noni helped her watch Boo's exam.
Peaches got x-rays. She actually has two cavities. :( Her molars are pressed super tight together and the has cavities between the bottom ones I think. They are going to leave them alone unless they start bothering her though because they are baby teeth that will fall out eventually. Until then we just have to make sure they get flossed every day.
We grabbed some lunch on the way home and went to Noni and Papa's house to celebrate Papa's birthday which had been the day before.
Texas sheet cake! Yum.
We got him a Mariners shirt in T's favorite style of logo.
