Football and Jesus

Football and Jesus.  What more does a good Texas boy need?

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful fall day!  We are loving this weather!

A Warrior and My Inspiration

Is anybody out there?  If you've given up on us, I don't blame you.  I should have deleted myself from my own Google Reader several months ago.  I am terrible at this blog thing, but have such a desire in my heart to keep it up!  Sorry if several months go by without an update:)

Life is grand.  Absolutely WONDERFUL!  We are more crazy about our baby boy today than we ever thought humanly possible.  It's amazing how the Lord continues to sustain us and pour into our lives.  He is so so good and we are forever thankful.  

Grayson is now 8 months old. Count 'em... one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, EIGHT months!  How?  Where does the time go?  I already notice myself starting to say things I thought I never would.  Things my parents used to say.  I guess they know more than I thought they did:)  Needless to say, I'm ready to put some bricks on Grayson's head.  He is growing and changing constantly!!!  

The week Grayson was due, my precious mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer.  We were all caught completely off guard and never saw it coming.  She's always been on top of mammograms since she's had over a dozen cysts removed the past 20 years, and in November 2009 had her best one to date!  "Everything looks great, I'll see you in a year!" her doctor told her.  Not 2 months had passed when she found the tumor herself.  She instantly knew it wasn't good.  Crazy how God gives us such strong convictions and discernment, even to the smallest details about our lives.  He is so good and crazy about us.  Each and every one of us.  

Her doctor got her in right away for a needle biopsy.  Malignant.  The very next day (January 27, 2010... two days before Grayson's due date) she had a lumpectomy.  Her dear doctor completely rearranged his surgery schedule to get her in.  What an answer to prayer!  Wonderful, we thought, we'll get this behind us and move on with life!  We've got a baby to meet!!

Well, 6 days later Grayson was born and Lisa received results that the cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes.  They weren't able to get it all with the lumpectomy and she needed to have another surgery to get the rest.  After many many prayers and phone calls, she was admitted to M.D. Anderson in Houston.  Again, God completely orchestrated the timing and had everything prepared for her ahead of time.  She wasn't even supposed to get in for a consultation until the end of May.  Friday, February 26 she endured over 6 hours of surgery at M.D. Anderson - a double mastectomy.  She has since completed 16 rounds of chemotherapy and is currently in Houston for 6 weeks of radiation.  She has had nothing but a positive attitude and has only thanked God for how great she's felt. Truly such a warrior and a light.  

The road has been long and difficult, but nothing the Lord hadn't prepared us for ahead of time.  It's so neat to look back at my journal and the scriptures God wrote on my heart last year  in preparation for what he had for us this year.  I had no idea what was ahead, but I do know that he is my God, my strength and my portion forever.

Lisa and Jimmy (my in-laws) are two of the most amazing, God-fearing, joyful, loving, encouraging, contagious people you'll ever meet.  If you didn't know them personally, you'd never know what they've been through this year.  They have given Jesus all the glory (yes, GLORY!) for this trial as they know so many have gotten to hear his name and about his goodness through it all.  They have such a powerful testimony and are such an inspiration to me and everybody who has the honor of knowing them.

All that to say, we had no idea this was coming when Grayson was born.  But God did.  He was not the least bit surprised.  Actually, he willed it.  He planned it in his perfect timing for us.  Grayson has been such a light and joy during what could be a very difficult time.  He is just absolutely precious and God gave him to us at his exact perfect time "for such a time as this."  Thank you, Lord for always providing!  You are so good to us.

I initially planned to work part-time after Grayson's birth while Lisa kept Grayson.  Our plans changed a little, but it has been such a blessing in disguise.  I have absolutely LOVED every minute of being able to stay at home with our precious little angel.  I honestly can't even imagine it any other way.  I love being able to cuddle and kiss him any time I want.  I love soaking in every second of his precious little life.  It sure is passing us by fast, but I desire nothing less than to have a front row seat to his ever-changing world.