Happy Birthday Mutz! 10/23/2017

Today we get to celebrate someone's birthday that has managed to hold this family together throughout the years- especially these last 4 years- and someone who has become everyone's favorite Mutz. 

Happy Birthday Mom!

I could go on and on about Mom- her dedication, her faith, her determination- but then my post would be pages and pages long, and Mom would call me to tell me how I give her too much credit. (Y'all, I NEVER give her too much credit- if anything she doesn't get enough credit)

She's selfless, she's hard headed (usually in a good way!), she's faithful, she's kind, and she's reliable. She goes out of her way to take care of her three girls, and now three grand babies. She does all the things for her grand babies that she would never allow us girls to do growing up- like eating m&ms before dinner, or staying up late to watch tv- or getting EVERY toy out to play with and making the house look like a tornado came through- and maybe my favorite, going overboard at Christmas to make sure the little ones LOVE that time of year. 

Yes, Mutz does it all. 

She's had to learn how to do a lot of things since Dad's diagnosis- as I remember so very clearly sitting in the hospital room on this day four years ago as we waited to get discharged with Dad. Sitting there trying to figure out exactly HOW we were going to do it all. Sitting there trying to figure out exactly HOW we would ever survive it all. Sitting there and looking at one another with a common understanding that we would have to rely on one another and lean on one another for  the daily strength to just get through it all. 

And she will deny it all- but she's the reason why we got through it all, and she's the reason why we survived it all with smiles on our faces and hope in our hearts. 

While we have no idea what the next days, months, and years will hold- the one thing we do know is that we can all handle anything together. That we can walk through some of the darkest of moments because Mom has been there to show us that through it all, through the moments of your deepest despair, there can be hope, and there can be light. 

Today we wish Mutz the happiest of birthdays, as we celebrate tonight with family, food, and lots of wine. Here's to many more birthdays Mutz!

Our 4 YEAR Cancer-versary! 10/5/2017

Today marks Dad's 4 YEAR Cancerversary. Y'all FOUR YEARS! 

Statistically, only 7% of Glioblastoma patients live to four years. We are so incredibly lucky. And we are so incredibly blessed. 

And as this day comes, it's hard to not take some time to think back on these last four years- four years that have been an absolute roller coaster, with lots of lows- but also some incredible highs. 

The day of Dad's seizure, the day of his first MRI result, the day of his surgery, those moments feel like they happened just yesterday- and then I think back to the blur that was the months that followed. The daily chemotherapy & radiation treatments, the alarms set all through the night for Dad to wake up to take his steroid medication, the countless nights where I slept on the couch "just in case" something happened, and the endless talks I had with the man upstairs- I sometimes wonder how we survived it all. 

And as much as that feels like just yesterday, it's hard to imagine it was in fact FOUR years ago. It's pretty incredible the amount of quality time we've been given, time that was not expected when we heard the word "cancer", time that we've learned to appreciate more than anyone could ever imagine, time that I'm so incredibly thankful we've been given.

When I think back to our devastation after Dad's diagnosis- our hearts filled with "what if" and "why us"- it's amazing to see how God has turned something so devastating, into something so inspirational. It's amazing how something like cancer could easily make you turn your back on Him, but instead gives you the opportunity to see Him work in the darkest of moments. It gives you the opportunity to witness miracles right before your eyes. It gives you the opportunity to grow in a way you never really imagined.

My devotional today was absolutely perfect for this day:

"When things around you or in the world seem to be spinning out of control, come to Me and pour out your heart. Instead of fretting and fuming, put your energy into praying...Don't dread bad news or let it spook you. Instead, keep your heart steadfast and calm through confident trust in Me."

We've continued to put our trust in Him, to guide us through this journey where we have no clue where it may take us, but knowing that throughout this journey we can be confident that He is with us always.

And as we've grown spiritually, we've also grown as a family. A cancer diagnosis where we were just a family of seven, and now, a family of 10! Dad has witness three grand babies come into our family- each with their own little personality, each that leave us wondering how we ever enjoyed life as much without them. 

We take each day ahead as just that, ONE day at a time. Enjoying the little moments, celebrating the big moments, and learning that throughout it all one thing remains the most important- family. 

Thank you all for being on this journey with us throughout Dad's brain cancer fight. We have been blessed with countless prayers and an amazing support system of friends & family- we could not have survived these last four years without you all.

Dad's next MRI isn't until after Thanksgiving, so until then we will continue on living and loving each day with Dad. Dad's last MRI showed no signs of tumor (REMISSION!) and he is still off of all his treatments- no chemotherapy or Avastin. Thank you all again, and thanks for helping us BTHO Brain Cancer! 

Congrats to Dad- a FOUR Year Brain Cancer Survivor!