Happy Birthday Mom~

Happy Birthday to my AMAZING & GODLY Mother!!!!! So Thankful for the BEAUTIFUL example I have in her!

Sign Up

I have added a fasting sign up link on my blog for the following:

~We are trusting God for a Miracle for my Dad.

~Continued strength for my Mother.

~Strength for the Gospel Lighthouse Church in Lompoc.

(I appreciate the church in Lompoc holding up strong during this time. I know it has got to be one of the darkest times the church has gone through. I understand not having a Pastor there for already two months is not easy. God is our strength during these times and he's brought you all this far and He will not forsake you. The church has been in our prayers and will continue to be...together we shall overcome this obstacle...only through PRAYER & FASTING!!!)

Trusting in the Lord

I have been singing this old song for the past couple of days and it has been my prayer as of late that I need to just trust His heart...God has a plan and I want to make sure I am a part of that plan. Also, thank you all for the prayers for my Dad, just knowing that there are people are praying brings comfort. Because I KNOW the power there is in prayer!

(sang by Babbie Mason)
All things work for our good
though sometimes we can't see how they could
struggles that break our hearts in two
sometimes blinds us to the truth

Our Father knows what's best for us
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim, and you just can't see Him
Remember you're never alone

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart

He sees the master plan
And He holds our future in His hands
So don't live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him

We see the present clearly
But He sees the first and the last
And like a tapestry He's weaving you and me to someday be just like Him

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart

He alone is faithful and true
He alone knows what is best for you
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand trust His heart

How Dad's Doing

Dad has been home for a week and 4 days now and has made some progress physically, he was able to take 10-12 steps last week and he went to church for the 1st time on Sunday night. Of course he did not preach or anything, but at least he was able to show up. Pastor Don Hyler from Atwater preached and I heard it was a wonderful service. My Dad started his Hormone treatments this past Friday and will continue having them for 3 months to shrink all cancer tumors then he will begin the radiation. The cancer has spread, to what extent, we are not sure. The Dr's saw a few spots in his stomach and there are spots on the lungs that they are still unsure if it is cancer or not (could be something caused by living in TX, valley fever???). Dad does NOT want a biopsy at this point and the only way the Dr's are going to be able to tell whether it is cancer or not, is to wait and see if the hormone treatments shrink it. He also had the left stint removed this past Tuesday, so now only the right kidney has a stint. Please please please continue to pray! My mother is holding up by her Faith in the Lord as are the rest of us. God IS in control, God IS able, and God wants us to Trust in Him. Faith without works IS dead, we pray, we fast and we believe. God does the rest!!! We can't stop praying...God's word tells us to pray WITHOUT ceasing~ I will update as things change, but things like cancer can sometimes be loooonnnggg and drawn out. And yes, keep our spirits in prayer, these times can be very wearying. Thank you for your prayers!!!

Going Home

Papa is heading home! He will have to go back to the Hospital next week for more stuff, however, today he is homeward bound...and happy to be!!! They haven't been home in what...nearly 6 weeks??!


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Dad's surgery

Thanking God that yesterday my Dad finally got the 10mm stone broken up. This was a long awaited surgery. They also did an exploratory on him to see what was going on and replaced the stints on his kidneys. What was supposed to be a 20 min-2 hr surgery ended up being 5 hrs. The reason is when they went in to replace the stint on the right side, the ureter was dilated so the stint got sort of swallowed up and they could not get it out, therefore he now has 2 stints on the right side and 1 on the left. The left will be taken out next week, however, due to the condition on the right side, this one will be in for a while. They found while doing the exploratory that the prostate cancer has spread outside of the prostate and is pressing on the bladder and there is a tumor pressing on the ureter which has caused the swelling or dilation. Dad will not be having surgery to remove the prostate at this point, he will be undergoing hormone treatment for three months (this is to stop the cancer or to help prevent it from spreading) and then start radiation for about 6 weeks to shrink all the tumors/cancer. We spoke with the Doctor who did the surgery yesterday and he let us know that he had confirmed this treatment with Dr Aronson who is the Chief of Urology Doctor for UCLA and the Veterans hospital. We are not sure if Dad will be sent home today and have physical therapy come to the house or if he will stay at the V.A. until he regains strength. He is able to stand for a few moments with a walker and they also had him on a stationary bike for 6 minutes a few days ago which is wonderful, however, with the Guillain Barre Syndrome that he is recovering from, they have to be careful not to over exert him or else it can have the reverse effect and actually set him back. We continue to TRUST God in everything that happens and we still covet EVERY prayer!! God has seen him and my mom through thus far and He is not through yet!!! Thank you so VERY much to all you that have shown love and support to our family.....you may never fully know what it has meant to all of us, but we Thank you! Also, Thank you to Pastor & Sis White, Sis Blatto and the Burbank church for a DELICIOUS meal that was prepared AND served yesterday. Also for the laughs.....those are needed too!!!

This was taken last night @ 8:30PM after Dads surgery, he was being a little goofy in the pic, but he didn't feel the greatest either. =)

San Francisco

We stopped by to spend a few days with Wayne & Stacey and the kids on the way back home and went to San Francisco on Saturday.

Lake Tahoe

Emerald Bay (2nd most photographed spot in the world)

So glad the kids have a late start going back to school so we could get away for a few days for a vacation. The cabin we stayed in was so quaint, built in 1936 and at the base of Mount. Heavenly. What a great time we had with the kids making memories that will last a lifetime!! Moments spent together are priceless!! Here are some pics of our "lazy days of summer." =-)

We went on a 5 mile rafting ride on the Truckee River and this is Ireland floating on her back! lol The girls and Stephen floated most of the time...Luke did SOME, but SOMEBODY had to man the boat!! lol

Skipping rocks on the Truckee River

Overlooking Emerald Bay

We rented bikes and biked on a bike trail down to the beach...it was one of my favorite things we did.


The last night we played miniture golf...we won't say WHO won!