Long Overdue Post

When Dave was first diagnosed, I searched and searched for anybody and everybody that had the type cancer he had.  One thing I noticed was, it seemed once anybody and everybody got better or stopped treatment, they also stopped writing about it.  I totally understand this now. Once everything seemed good, I wanted to think about other things.  Really just didn't want to visit this subject anymore. I also felt a little guilty posting my good news when so many of the women I met through this journey were losing their husbands to this beast.  I blogged my way though Dave's cancer journey.  I did it because it helped me cope. I did it to keep our family and friends informed. I don't go back and read it often, but Dave does.He doesn't remember everything so its good for him to look back and remember what we were doing at certain times of the year.

I'm glad I wrote all those words so that I can remember.....if I want to.

Its been 4 years since his diagnosis.  He was 37. Abby was 10.  Erin was 9.  Samuel was 7.  I was unaware of what I could do If I had to...........how much I could handle.  I was stronger than I thought.  Nothing really ever seems the same after cancer. I guess we see everything through a different lens.

Dave had a scan in June.  He got great news.  No evidence of disease. 3 years of no disease. His doctor thinks we may be able to put sarcoma behind us. Did you hear that!!?!  Put it behind us. Can you ever really do that? He still wants to see him every six months for a couple more years.   Then he will move him to yearly scans.  That's pretty good news!!!

We celebrated our 16th anniversary in June.  The kids are growing up.  FAST!!  Abby just began the 9th grade.  She loves music of all kinds, reading, and playing the French Horn.  Erin is in the 8th grade.  She loves drawing, painting, and is beginning to love playing her horn.  Samuel is in the 6th grade. He loves soccer, football, and just began playing the trombone(and if you ask him, he is a master of all 3).

So.....Erin has to have surgery on Nov. 6.  

 During the summer of 2013 she developed what appeared to cyst on her back.  We went to a local surgeon and they did a punch biopsy.  We really thought it was a sebaceous cyst.  It wasn't and they biopsied the tissue that came out.  It came back as nothing so we just forgot about it.  But the tissue grew back and this time was bigger.  We took her to the dermatologist and she scheduled an appointment to remove it in the office.  So we had the cyst removed in February of this year.  They biopsied this time and it came back as cellular dermatofibroma.  This means its a tumor and there is more in her back.  It does not appear to be malignant......but it scared us to death.  There is a sarcoma called  dermatofibrosarcoma. So you see why we were a little on edge. We have been waiting since February to see a surgeon at Children's Hospital.  We saw him today and set the surgery date.  It is important to get this out

and get all of it....clear margins.  It is not cancer!!!  It is rare though(we are the rare family!!) It will grow and could be bad if we don't get it out.

So......we are gonna get it out. 

16 years!!

Its our Anniversary!!

16 years

How can it be that I have not blogged in almost a year?  I think about it all the time, I just haven't taken the time to post. 

 We had a great school year.  I completed my 9th year of homeschooling. We completed 8th, 7th, and 5th grades.  The girls are both playing French Horn in the band. Abby did several honor bands.  She loves playing her horn, being with her friends, and reading (yay)!!  Erin completed beginner band and is doing very well.  She loves art and learning different ways to braid hair.  Samuel just loves life.  His favorite thing right now is having air soft gun wars with his friends. He also loves reading about history.   We are continuing to do math all summer.  The kids love this........well, not exactly.......but at least they are not complaining about it.

Dave is doing very well.  Its almost time for his 6 month scans.  He still sees his doctor at MD Anderson when he has scans.  This August he will be NED(no evidence of disease) for 3 years. Its so hard to believe its been that long......and yet just seems like yesterday we waiting on that first appointment in 2010.  As the years pass we are a little less nervous about scans.  I think.  Yes we are.  Well....maybe a little nervous.  He has had a surgery for the last three summers.  It is nice to not be headed for any kind of surgery this summer. 

 We are praying for clear scans next week. 

Please pray with us.

Dave Health Update

Dave had clear scans in June!!  We never ever get tired of hearing that.  They also moved him to 6 month scans. That was very encouraging. 

Monday he had surgery to repair an incisional hernia.  He is quite sore today.  Hopefully this will be the last surgery. They did a reconstruction of his abdomen. The  surgery lasted five and a half hours.   He said he is much more sore this time than his other surgeries.  Today has  been a hard day for him. He has had lots of nausea. We are hoping it passes soon so he can eat something tomorrow. He has been up twice today. He walked a few laps around the nurses station. 

15 years!!!!

I was looking back at my post from a few years ago and found this. It was a memory or two from every year of our marriage. So instead if writing a new post I decided to add to this one.

Remembering 15 years


Today, June 13th, Dave and I celebrate our 15th year of marriage. I thought I would make a list of some of the high lights of the past 15 years.


1st year-1998-1999-our first little rental house in Gordo that we worked on so hard to make a home. Bible studies with the sweet students from Gordo. Going to Grace Church in Tuscaloosa and making some lifelong friends. Oh...and we can't forget the air conditioner never working... :)

2nd year-1999-2000-we bought our first house in Oxford, both of us had new teaching jobs, WOW...what a year that was.

3rd year-2000-2001-we got a new titles.....mommy and daddy. Abigail Grace was born.

4th year-2001-2002-another baby girl....Erin Rebekah was born, and Dave began seminary at New Orleans.

5th year-2002-2003-and another baby :) Samuel David, our baby boy was born, we lived in the little apartment in Alexandria, and learned to manage 3 babies together. Dave began full time ministry at Hill Crest.

6th year-2003-2004-bought a new house in Weaver, Dave went to Germany on his first overseas mission trip.

7th year-2004-2005-busy raising babies, working....ahh the simple life.

8th year-2005-2006-started homeschooling. Abby's first year of school.

9th year2006-2007-Dave's graduation from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Erin's first year of school.

10th year-2007-2008- Began leading the college ministry at Hill Crest, went to Disney world with Ken, Ann and the boys. Samuel started school.

11th year-2008-2009-became a part of Grace Fellowship. Dave started teaching at Donoho.

12th year-2009-2010- so much happened this year, but the main thing was that we learned what the words we said on on our wedding day "in sickness and in health" really meant. We went to Hawaii with the Donoho Band and Choir, I had major surgery, Dave was diagnosed with cancer.

13th year-2010-2011-we tag teamed school in Houston, lots of family time, watching God heal Dave through his fabulous doctors.

14th year 2011-2012- Dave had surgery to remove cancerous tumor. We received news of CLEAR SCANS!!! We began learning how to live life after cancer.

15th year 2012-2013-another surgery for Dave, continuing to learn what normal is after cancer, we became the parents of a teenager.

It has been a happy 15 years of marriage Dave...I love you more and more I look forward to many, many more years!!

January came and went just like that.  It was busy for us.  The biggest thing that happened was a water leak in our kitchen.  The floor started swelling until we couldn't open the pantry door all the way.  So we had to have a major kitchen remodel.  The leak started with the dishwasher so we had to get a new dishwasher and our oven was old and broken down so we also had to get a new oven.  When we went to buy those appliances we found a great refrigerator on sale.  yay.  I have an amazing new kitchen..... Thanks to our home owners insurance.  :))  I have enjoyed cooking in the new kitchen.  My oven cooks so much better than the old one.  Here are some pictures of before and after.

These are the before pictures.

look at the wet wood

This is our new kitchen!!

new deep sink :)

Abby has been busy with school and band.  She is really doing well and learning to play the French Horn.  She has a pretty good teacher (Mr. Daddy).  She auditioned for All-State which was very good experience for her.  Poor thing was a nervous wreck by the time it was over, not to mention how nervous this mama was.  She participated in the All-County honor band today.  She was nervous, but a great time.  Again, good experience for her.  She is learning to be a responsible young lady.  

Erin is working hard in school and loves any time she gets to play with her friends.  She is taking violin lessons and is becoming quite the little violinist.  She has her first recital coming up in March.  We did some rearranging in her room this month to make it more of a "big" girl room.  We moved the doll house out :( and put a desk in for her to do her art projects on.  She loves painting and making mosaics.  She also won Best Recipe at the History Fair. 

Baklava she made to go with her Geography project on Constantinople

crafting before bed

This is my 3 getting preparing their History Fair Project Boards

One of our favorite baby's had her 1st birthday this month

Samuel has been doing well on school. He is ready to start playing soccer again. He still loves playing football with his friends and playing with Legos and well just playing!!!!!

Dave is doing so well. He is healthy and happy. His next scans are scheduled for May 2. Our hopes for no recurrence get better with every clear scan. He is enjoying teaching Abby in band. This is what he's always wanted to do.

I am doing well. I stay very busy teaching the kids. I still love home schooling. I am even doing well in 7th grade math. ;). So 2013 is off to a busy start with no sight of slowing down in the near future.

December So Far

It has been quite a busy December for us. We finished our semester of school strong. December has been filled with lots of parties, cookies goodies, Samuel's soccer tournament in Dothan, time with friends and family, shopping, quiet family nights downstairs by the fire, Advent readings every night, Abby's first band concert, and a beautiful wedding of some sweet friends. The best thing about this December has been what our family has learned through this Advent season. We have eagerly awaited the coming birth of Christ, but more than that we have looked to the second coming with excitement. We had a very sweet candlelight service at Grace Fellowship last night.Today will will spend time with family.....eating too much I'm sure.....playing games and opening gifts. Here are a few pics from the month.

Tacky Christmas Sweater Party with CO

Mamaw and Grandaddy with all the grandkids

 I will leave you with one of the best songs ever.