Summer is finally approaching and I couldn't be happier.  I want the warm weather to come and stay and I want to be able to relax and enjoy the time with my kids.  Parts of this year have been amazing and other parts have been hard and confusing, but I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life.

Maiya is about to celebrate her 3rd birthday and she will be surrounded by those who love her the most.  She will also begin her first year of preschool in the fall and hopefully a ballet class. 

Andrew will start Kindergarten next year and is not quite as nervous as he was earlier (I think he is actually starting to get excited about it).  He has been playing baseball and has loved it, so we look forward to the fall season.

My mom is still fighting hard.  She has had several set backs and the one she is going through now is huge but I have faith that God will be with her and us each step of the way and she will end up on the winning side. 

I don't know what the future holds for me.  I do know that some of it is going to be sad and heartbreaking, but I also know that it is going to a fun and crazy ride.  I look forward to it!

Well my mom had a slight setback this week.  She was admitted to the hospital yesterday afternoon because part of her incision is infected.  They wanted to keep a close eye on the infection to make sure they could get it cleared up using a cream because if that didn't work they were going to have to go in and surgically remove the infected part.   Luckily the cream seems to be working and they discharged her this afternoon.  The bad news is they have postponed her chemo treatments which was supposed to start this Thursday.  The oncologist said that once she starts chemo her body will not be able to fight off an infection and that she needs to be 100% healthy before they start it and it is just too risky.  So we wait now for the infection to heal completely and then find out when her chemo treatments will start. 

1 Chronicles 16:11
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

As some of you know we found out my mom had breast cancer the week before Christmas and then four weeks ago she had a mastectomy.  I went to Ohio to be with her during her surgery and take care of her for the first week after.  Although it was a long week I was really glad I was able to be there for her.  I knew it was going to be emotional, but I don't think that anyone or anything can prepare you to look at your mother without her breast. 

When it was time for me to change the dressing I knew it was going to be hard, but I wasn't prepared for the emotion that overcame me.  I tried to keep it together for my mom, but it was hard and she saw me crying.  In that moment all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around my mom like I did when I was a kid and cry.  Of course I couldn't do that because in addition to her having just had her left breast removed, she suffers from severe RA and just touching her causes her so much pain.  The amazing thing about mothers is they know when they are needed and I needed my mom just as much as she needed me.  She let me cry and then I finished doing what I needed to do and we sat down and played Boggle. 

I love my mom so much and I am scared for her.  I know that God is with her and will help her get through this so I am leaning on Him during this time to get me through it also.  Today she had the port put in because next Thursday she begins the second half of this long fight.  She starts her first round of chemotherapy.