I Will Not Be Afraid...

Philippians 4:6,7 … do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I need this peace you're offering, God. We all do. Especially my Mom.

Mom and Dad went for PET scan today. Nic is taking them back tomorrow for the results at 10:30 and to meet with the surgeon about getting the port put in.

I will not ask why.
I will not ask why.
I will not ask why.

Ronnie's Road to Remission!

Amazing how one phone call...or text...can change your entire life.

Monday, July 30. A normal day in the log woods for my Dad. That was until he got jerked around on his loader so bad that he had to sit in the work truck for about an hour and half. Simply thought he had pulled a muscle or bruised a rib. When he got home from work, Mom called me to look up the symptoms of gall bladder trouble. She said Dad was hurting on his side. The symptoms didn't match up. He told her if he was still hurting in the morning then he would think about going to get it checked out.

Well morning came and the pain was worse and his breathing was heavy. Mom drove him to the walk-in clinic in Hot Springs. He told the doctor about his loader accident the day before. They did an xray to confirm what everyone thought...broken ribs. The results came back showing fluid in one of his lungs. Puzzle solved! He had a broken rib which punctured a lung. Before treatment of this can began a CT scan must be done first. OK, set it up. 2:00 at St. Joe's.

Doesn't God work in the most mysterious ways?? 2:00 came. And went. 3:00. 4:00. Why isn't anyone answering their cell phone? 5:00. Text from Mom. "Be at the house at 6:30. We love yall." YEAH RIGHT. Really?? You send a text. What else are they supposed to do? I wouldn't know what to do either. I immediately call Mom. Can't understand what she's saying. Something about Dad. Cancer. Don't be scared.

WHAT?!?!?! A loader accident...cancer...doesn't add up. Yes, it does...God is in control. 6:30. Pull up, get out, walk. Inside...Terry, Kerry, Jerry, Debbie, Donnie, Leca, Mamaw, Michael, Mom, DAD. Nic, Michelle, Todd, Shanna arrive next. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING?!?! This isn't real. I'm so confused.

Pancreatic cancer. Spread to liver. Biopsy Monday.

Dad says I can't question God. He says not to ask why. WHHHHHHYYYYYY???? Why MY Dad???

I don't know. It's not for me to question. That's the last time I ask...

 The following days are a blur. I caught myself on several occassions going over a list of men/dads in my head...who should have cancer instead of my dad...how sick is that?????? Time to pray. Not just pray. PRAY. "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31:8) I don't understand and I don't have to. But I do have to trust that God is in complete control. For whatever reason, he believes my Dad and those around him will benefit from this. From cancer? Yes.

Monday, August 6. 11:00. Arrive at Outpatient Center at St. Joseph's Hospital. Mom, DAD, Mamaw, Terry, Jerry, Donnie, Nic, Michelle, Tripp, Todd, Shanna. 1:00. Dad goes back for biopsy of his liver. Doesn't take too long...maybe 30 minutes. His bed gets pushed by our waiting room and off to recovery. He's in good spirits. No pain. He had to stay awake for the procedure so he could hold his breath and breathe when they said and so forth. He thinks he doesn't have much pain medicine in him. He was a bit loopier than he thought! Not bad though. Just weird seeing him in a hospital bed. That's my Dad laying there? That's my Dad laying there.

5:00. He gets released after about 4 hours. Doing good. No pain.

Wednesday, August 8. 8:00. Text from Mom. "Isaiah 41:10. Joshua 1:9". 11:45. Arrive at Cancer Center at St. Joseph's Hospital. Cancer Center? Yes, Cancer Center. I don't know why, but ok. Mom, DAD, Nic, Michelle, Todd, Shanna, Barry, Kenny, Brenda. Only 5 can go back. Mom, Dad, Nic, Todd, me.

Yes, it's cancer. Liver. Came from pancreas. Had it a year. Stage 4. PET scan. Port. Chemo. Once a week. One hour. 3 months. More scans. Dad says ok. Smiles. Hugs. Let's go eat. That's my Dad.

PET scan will be Monday, Aug. 13 at 1:00. Dr. Reddy needs exact location of cancer. Port will be inserted next. Chemo will start asap. Chemo? For my Dad? Yes, my Dad needs chemo.

I hope he doesn't lose his hair.

And, yes, we went to Cracker Barrell. And it was good.

Project: Laundry Room!

A few months ago we took in this room and made it a laundry room. Up until then, the washer and dryer shared our bathroom. My dad and Barry did an awesome job...I've just been lazy getting the rest done!

BEFORE:

Here's the new laundry room right after the wall was put up.

This used to be an office...then a tanning room...now my favorite!

There's the actual new wall. It used to be a door way leading to the living room. Doing this also made a solid wall in the living room which helps alot there, too! Barry added the shelf and hanging rod.

I don't know how I made it without this room for so long!!

AFTER:

Here's the opposite wall AFTER I finally painted it a minty green color!!

I've had this metal sun for awhile, now I get to use it! New curtains to match! They're actually from the kitchen...I'm reusing some old ones in there that Mom fixed for me. Look at me...being all recyclable...my mother-in-law should be proud!! (:

I'm going to add a curtain to these shelves do give it a decluttered appearance...Pinterest project!

The pictures don't do it justice!! I'm very proud!!

Project: Baby Nursery!!

So Sadie's room is coming along! Mom painted it Baby Girl Pink back in May. Since then here's what's happened...

The crib was bought new for Gus. Not a mark on it when he finished! Then came Bo...I'll have to take a picture of all the teeth marks on the inside railing!! (:

(We'll see how Sadie cares for it!)

In the crib you see...a piggy bank from Memaw, burp rags monogrammed by me, Say Your Prayers sign I found at Kirkland's half price, hand-me-downs from cousin Adi, and a perfectly matching lamp shade Memaw found at the Dollar Store!!

I bought the pink gingham bedding at a 2nd hand store in Hot Springs for $15 originally from Pottery Barn! I washed it, ironed it, and put it on and it looks brand new!! Memaw Becky sewed 2 valances together for me to make one full one.

She also has a good eye for things. She found this hutch and dresser, as well as the nightstand below, at a flea market for $40!! Well, it was more than that but she's got a way of talking them down! (:

It's solid oak and in great condition! She sanded it, primed it, and painted it black to match!! LOVE!!

Here's your big brother Bodee checking out the night stand for you! He put in the new light switch cover and said he was hiding it from Gus!!

So having a girl opens up a whole new world!!! The first thing I bought when I found out I was having a girl was bows!! (: I ordered this bow older off Ebay for $16.99!! It matches perfectly! Only thing...I'm gonna have to buy more ribbon to add to each strand!!! (:

This is your first picture!! Well...the first one where you actually look like a baby!! This was taken April 13, the day I found out you were a girl! And just like the caption says, "You are wonderfully made by God himself!!"

Shhh...don't tell Memaw!!! Big brother Bodee was soooo excited he wrote "Sadie" on the wall!!!

Mom and Dad got the boys stools like this (minus the flowers) from Home Goods a while back. I thought I would never find one to go with theirs...wasn't even looking...cause Home Goods never knows what they're getting. Well low and behold, I walked in and this stool was just sitting there waiting for me to buy it!! Somehow, though, it always ends up in the living room!! Bodee...

99% of the clothing I have is hand-me-downs!! Keep em coming!!

Ohhhh Daddy, look at all those empty shelves!!!! ((:

We need to fill them up!!

Under the crib is a drawer. This is where I always kept the boys shoes, blankets, and sheets. Guess I'll do the same!! The first two pair on the bottom were mine!! Wonder if I'll keep up with yours for your daughter?!?! :/

How neat is this???????

The blanket was my mom's when she was a baby!!!

The dress was my first Easter dress!!

Here's something I actually did buy...Little Sisters Rock!

Your first pair of skinny jeans!!! Thanks to cousin Hannah!!

Bye-Bye Tonsils!!

Together the boys have had strep throat 18 times in 18 months!! After being referred to our ENT Dr. Pate and much prayer, we decided it was time to get the tonsils out!! We arrived at the outpatient center on Thursday, June 14 a little before 6 a.m. Check in was fast and before we knew it, it was all over. I took a few pics to document our big day!

 Before surgery - Bo thought his bracelet was pretty cool because it had his name on it! Of course, Blackie and Blankey had to come along (they even went into surgery)!!

Gus showing his bracelet!

 Dr. Tolleson - the boys were supposed to change into these.

Bo refused and ended up having surgery in the clothes he came in!!

 This is Gus on goofy juice!! Bo went into surgery first. He refused to take his goofy juice and spit it all over the bed. He had just enough in him to make him calm, but not silly. He looked like such a big boy sitting on the bed cross-legged as they pushed him down the hall!! (That might have been when I broke down...)

 At first it was funny to see Gus acting this way! He would hold his head and say, "Why does it go round and round?" We would have to make sure he didn't fall off the bed! He was hollering at Bo asking him if he liked his medicine. I told him Bo was already in surgery. After about 10 minutes though it became less funny to me. I couldn't understand what he was saying and his eyes were glazed over and he couldn't focus. Barry and I realized during all of this how blessed we are to have such healthy children. I'll definitely be praying for the parents who have to go through this type of thing often with their kids.

This was right after he took his medicine...hadn't gotten goofy yet!

 Post-Op Room: He ate 4 popsicles in about 30 minutes.

Look at that face...breaks my heart to have them hurt.

I couldn't take any pics of Bodee in post-op because I had to hold him the whole time!! He wanted his IV out and all the other things stuck to him!! Soon as they took it off, he drank a little apple juice and went right back to sleep!!

Please continue to keep my boys in your prayers as they recover. It's been a day and half already since surgery, and we have at least 8 more days. We have to keep the boys inside, quiet activities, meds every 4 hours, and no solid foods for 10 days total. So far they are doing good. Bodee's fever goes up and down and he doesn't always hold down his liquids. He is VERY active, so to see him so sluggish breaks my heart. Gus is doing better than Bo. He hasn't thrown up at all and has more energy. He has even eaten mashed potatoes and gravy plus drank alot. I hope Bodee gets better quick and that the next few days go by quick for both of my boys!!!



T-Ball Party!! June 12, 2012

The Riser Mustangs year-end T-ball party was held at Coach Jeromy's house. They had a sprinkler, water balloon toss, cheetoh toss, hot dogs, and trophies!! The boys and all the other players had a blast! It was a good ending to our first season!!!

 Ready for the water balloon toss!

 Team Gus and Jena!

 Throwing balloons at the coach is much more fun!!

 He was a very good sport about it!!

 Sprinkler time!!

 Bo has a crash at the end of the slide!

 Brothers!

 Cheetoh toss on the shaving cream heads!

 Bo's turn!! Gus and Bo's team won by one cheetoh!!

 Ready for trophies!!

 Yay!! Bo says he got his because he hit the ball so good!!

So proud of their trophies!!



Riser Mustangs 2012!!!

Jolie, Jena, Gus, Bo, Kolton, Montanta, Haley, Grace, Ty, Coach Jeromy, Alyssa, Nicolas, Kason

Hannah and the Boys

Gus has said for awhile that he was going to marry Hannah!! Recently Bodee has decided that he wants to marry her, too! Gus says when you go on a date you should put your arm around the girl's shoulders...so here they are practicing/fighting over their girl!! (: