Praise Be To God!

Since Dave's last appointment with the ENT specialist, we've been bracing ourselves for the worst. As she came into the examining room this morning, we were ready to hear those awful words. Instead, we heard, "Good news!" The results of the blood test did not reveal lymphoma! He did have slightly elevated white and red blood cell counts. But not to the degree to indicate cancer.

We still do not have an answer as to what is causing the enlargement of the lymph nodes. The next step is to see if maybe a dental issue could be causing an infection. If it's not dental in nature, then the specialist will proceed with the surgery to remove two of the lymph nodes.

I can't offer enough thanks to those who have taken the time to pray for us and send healing, loving thoughts our way. It amazes me that people who have never even met us, would support and lift us up during our time of need. Thank you!

Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

- Psalm 103:1-5

Fall Simple Pleasure No. 2 - Fall Colors

"Come, little leaves" said the wind one day,

"Come over the meadows with me, and play;

Put on your dresses of red and gold;

Summer is gone, and the days grow cold."

Soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call,

Down they came fluttering, one and all;

Over the brown fields they danced and flew,

Singing the soft little songs they knew.

- Come Little Leaves

by George Cooper

As a child, I remember waiting for the school bus with my Mom on cool, October mornings. She would sing a little rhyme about the leaves putting on their coats of red and gold. I remember her saying it was a song her grandmother would sing around this time of the year.

Recently I overheard my Mother singing the same rhyme to Ashleigh as they stood at our front door looking at the changing leaves in our yard. Now that I've found the origin of the rhyme, I'll make sure it continues to be passed along.

What We Know

Thank you to those who have lifted us up in prayer during this time of uncertainty. We know now that Dave does indeed have enlarged lymph nodes - not a salivary gland as the specialist first thought. Two of the glands will need to be removed surgically, and the other slightly enlarged glands in his jaw area will be treated with medication. While they are removing the glands, the doctor will also investigate the calcification and cyst or mold/virus which appeared on the CT scan in one of Dave's sinus cavities. We're also awaiting the results of additional blood work.

Not the news I wanted to hear. But we have a clear course of treatment to follow. So now we just do the next step and move on from there. Please keep us in your prayers!

First Sleep Over

Having fun in the bouncy!

Self Revelation

I'm reading a book by Joyce Meyer called The Secret to True Happiness. In one of the chapters, she talks about the things in our life which prevent us from resting fully in the peace of Christ. I started making mental notes to myself of the things which are keeping me from having that peace. There seems to be three major areas - rude people, things not turning out the way I expect them to and not knowing all the answers. The latter is what especially causes me to worry.

It wasn't until I was reading Jen's adoption story last week, that I realized the source of my need to have all the answers. Like Jen, I was adopted. But there's so much about my conception, my birth that I don't know. I don't even know my birth father. I've been content all my life not knowing. I don't search the Internet for lost relatives. I don't think about hiring a private detective or a reunion with siblings I didn't know I had. I don't ask questions of those who probably know. I had a father growing up, so there wasn't really anything missing.

But maybe having all those unanswered questions, is what creates in me the desire to know all the answers in the face of uncertainty. To undertake the impossible task of figuring out an entire course of events with a sense of omniscience not humanly possible. Which in turns steals my joy and keeps me from fully resting in Christ's peace. Hmmm...

Speaking of unanswered questions, keep Dave in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow. He's going in for a CT scan of a lump under his jaw. The lump is painless and he's had it for over a year. Our doctor told him it was nothing to worry about, maybe just a swollen lymph node. A few weeks ago, Dave's Mom (she's a former nurse) was visiting and he asked her to look at it. She went back and told Dave's Stepdad (a doctor) about it. She calls us back and tells Dave he needs to see a specialist ASAP. His stepdad had major concerns that it could be cancerous. Dave went in last week for a biopsy. We know now it's not a swollen lymph node but a salivary gland. The specialist is waiting until after the CT scan to review all the test results. But she did say the gland should not be that big. I'm trying not to let my mind wander into the area of the worst case scenario. It has also given me ample opportunity to give my worries over to God and affirm that even though I don't know all the answers, He does. And regardless of the answer, He'll be there no matter what.

Fall Simple Pleasures - No. 1

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter

YUM!

The fields are harvested and bare,

And Winter whistles through the square

October dresses in flame and gold

Like a woman afraid of growing old.

- Anne Mary Lawler