Vacation!

WARNING: LOTS OF PICTURES :-)

SO we had the most amazing time on our vacation! We drove to Dauphin Island, AL and spent an amazing week there.  We drove to Covington, LA and spent the night.  And Praise Jesus we made it there without killing any of the kids!

Surprisingly they were really good.....I think it helped that they were all arms length from each other.  So while in Covington we went to see some gators at the Insta-gator ranch!  We watch way to much animal planet so this was a really cool experience for the whole family and a bucket list item of my own.  I know I'm wierd lol!

Then we headed on to the beach.  Kevin's Brother Josh joined us for a few days.  He drove down from Nashville and it was great to be able to spend some time with him.

Yay we're at the beach!

Of course the kids were ready to hit the water and we did.  Taylor discovered the boogie board and she was hooked....the other 2 were a little more cautious with the waves but still enjoyed it.  Jacob preferred playing in the sand so we made a sea turtle.

Then we  decided to go grab some groceries and we learned a very valuable lesson.....if you ever rent a beach house right on the beach: make sure you back directly out of the driveway....don't try to be creative lol

My husband's beach driving skills

A guy came the next morning and pulled us out......we just made the best of it and this is one of my favorite pictures from the trip.

Pure Joy!

The next morning we woke up and Satan was busy trying to ruin our vacation.....Tropical storm Debbie started to roll in and flood everything.  The real estate company advised us to evacuate and offered to refund our vacation.  I was confused.....and was determined not to leave, but once it started to flood we decided to take it to Mobile for the night.

That water should all be sand!

We still found some fun stuff to do!

USS Alabama in Mobile Bay

Watching Movies at the hotel

We drove back first thing in the morning and resumed our vacation!  A bunch of people actually left the island.  But We knew the storm would turn....."How did you know?" you ask......Faith that's how we knew.  Kevin raised his hands and prayed over that storm and sent it to Florida. :-)  And at that point we pretty much had a private beach :-)

Boogie Boarding

We spent the rest of the day n the beach and oops I for got to put sunscreen on for a few hours.  And I paid for it, but it didn't slow me down.

We were so excited that one of our favorite families from church was able to join us for half the trip.  Kayden decided she liked them better than us.  I'm pretty sure if we said it was ok she's let Meagan and Derrick adopt her :p  Although her face isn't saying so here :)

We had so much fun fishing, laying on the beach and crab hunting...see video below!

                Dolphins!!!!

I have not laughed that hard in years!  Here are a few more pictures from our trip.....let's just say it was a trip of a lifetime that we will be making again! :-)

Surgery and stuff!

So my surgery was preformed on 5/30/12.  I had to fast which sucked.....and get up early and I am not a morning person lol.

I was very hungry and very sleepy! :)

They ask me my name and dob 20 million times......I almost forgot it I repeated it so many times lol

Before surgery it took 3 nurses to get an IV in me and I thought I was going to puke!  Something about needles rolling around in my skin makes my stomach queasy.  They gave me the good stuff and I was out like a light.  In fact I really don't remember much of the hospital at all, complements of morphine.  But I know my precious husband was there with me most of the time!

 My brother was quite entertained with me!

My kids not so much lol!

They were more entertained with the TV which I don't even remember!

Doctors said surgery was a success and our main prayer was little pain and a supernatural recovery which is exactly what I've had.  I've been uncomfortable, but no major major pain and I was up and around a few days after being home.  My drains came out 7 days after surgery and I am running at almost 100% 2 and a half weeks later.  They did a lymph node biopsy while I was in surgery which came back positive for cancer.  So they decided to take 13 more lymph nodes.  10 out of those came back positive for cancer. 

This puts me at a stage 3C.  Which is a hair away from stage 4 cancer.  And for those of you who do not know there is no stage 5......stage 4 is the end of the road for most people.  My oncologist was shocked that my scans came out clean. (see my last post here)  The power of prayer is amazing.  God is so good.  Even with this hiccup in our lives, our home is filled with peace that surpasses all understanding.  People always ask me how the kids are doing.....it's kind of a funny question to me.  Nothing in my home has changed.....except everyone has to be gentle with mommy's owies.  Other than that my kids lives have not changed.  The word cancer isn't scary to them.  You know why?  Because it's not scary to mommy and daddy.  There is one thing I have learned in all that Kevin and I have been through and it's if the parents are ok, the kids are ok.  Think about that.....We are Children of God.  Is He ever not ok?  Is there ever a point where He is not in control?  Then why is it that so many times we are not ok?  Why do we question His intentions and worry like He doesn't have our backs?  He is my Abba Father.  Why would He not take care of His precious child, just like I take care of mine.

So the plan is VACATION comes next week and then Chemo starts on July 2nd.  We know that I am healed.  Chemo is just a tool in that healing.  I will do chemo once every 3 weeks for 4 and a half months.  There is nothing in the natural that will tell me that I am healed, except for time.  So I hold fast to my confession of God's healing in my body.  Isaiah 53:5 "We are healed by the punishment (propitiation) He suffered, made whole by the blow He received!"  Christ already won this battle for me at the cross.  So really I don't have to fight!  I wear a bracelet that says "fight like a girl" but really the only fight I am fighting is the good fight of faith.  And praise God I am surrounded by awesome men and women of faith!