A Great Thanksgiving!

We had a really great Thanksgiving this year...made special for a few reasons:

1.  House renovations were completed and mom and I got moved in and ready THE DAY all our company arrived!  Phew!!  Check out mom's beautiful new kitchen!

2.  Jorge got back from Colombia in time to spend the holidays with me!!  It was so good to have him back after 2+ months apart!  

3.  After many, many years of being far away from family on Thanksgiving, it was so nice to be TOGETHER for this one!

4.  Good eatin'!

5.  Kurt, Lucha and Sam visiting from Colorado! (My brother and SIL)

6.  Our friend, Nini, visiting from CHILE!!  We first met Nini when she came to Bocachica with a team from her church and then we met up with her again on our 2012 trip to Chile.  Now Nini is studying in a Master's program at Duke University, just a few miles up the highway!

7.  Our newlywed friends, Mariceli and Rob, visiting from Charlotte.  Mariceli recently moved to the USA from Colombia and she and Rob JUST got married a few days before Thanksgiving!  We first met Rob many years ago when he led outreach teams to Bocachica from the YWAM-Denver base.

8.  Having an international gathering right in our own living room!  Over the weekend we had five countries represented:  USA, Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Brazil!

and...

9.  Being with my Mama!!

More from Jorge in Bucaramanga

 

Jorge and some of his friends enjoying their day off, exploring the quaint town of Giron.

My handsome hubby.

We have an inside joke about this popular soft-drink in Colombia called Pony Malta ... probably about 17 years ago, soon after we first moved to Cartagena, one day I was doing grocery shopping at the outdoor market in Cartagena and I wasn't feeling very well.  While I was in the meat department I almost passed out and several of the butchers came to my rescue, bringing me a chair and fanning me.  I was kind of out of it hunched over on the chair but I could hear them fussing about what to bring me...a coke, a sprite...something!  And then one of the butchers said to another, "No, bring her a Pony Malta!!!"  Well, I hate Pony Malta so I found enough strength to sit up straight, open my eyes wide, and plead with them... "Noooo!!!  Pony Malta, NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!"  And then the butchers all turned and looked at me and scoffed at me, now convinved that I couldn't be too bad off after all!  I guess you had to be there...but it was funny!  So now, anytime someone offers me a Pony Malta, the first thing that comes to my mind, and sometimes out of my mouth is, "No!!! Pony Malta NOOOOOO!!!!"  

Do ya'll think that someone might be missing his wife about now??? 

Yeah, Jorge is washing his laundry by hand...all by himself!  

Poor thing!

So, how do you FEEL?

Quite a few people have asked me this question.  I understand why.  It is a pretty big deal to be told you have breast cancer and then have a double mastectomy.  There are probably a lot of us who have thought some time or another that that would be a tough thing to have to face.  

Well, honestly, I am feeling strong, encouraged and positive.  And I have three big reasons why! 

1.  The first reason is that God has given me strength and courage and self-control.  And the result of that is PEACE!  I may not have control over my circumstances but I do have control over my thoughts and emotions.  Because my trust is in Him, I don't have to be overly concerned and worried about my life.  No matter what happens, I know that ultimately I'm going to be OK as long as He is with me.  And I know that He is!  Even if I have to suffer, I know that He will help me through it!  Even if I have to face death, I know that He will be with me every step of the way.  I must add that right now, thankfully, I am not suffering.  And I am not facing death.  I can only imagine how hard THAT would be!  But if I were, I know that His grace would see me through!  

If any of my friends are reading this that doesn’t necessarily believe in the power of Jesus, I understand that this sounds like a bunch of over-spiritual nonsense to you.  But just take my word for it, it's a supernatural, yet very practical thing, and you only experience it when you open your heart and mind to Him! 

In God's Word we are taught to take our thoughts captive and guard our hearts and our minds. I have learned that what the devil wants is to keep us trapped by our emotions and negative thoughts and keep us weak, fearful, feeling sorry for ourselves, and full of worry!  But I know that I don't have to live that way!  So I make the effort and the choice not to wallow in all the what-if's; not to dwell on all the things that can go wrong; and not to feel sorry for myself.  I choose to constantly remind myself and be thankful that I already have what is most important.  And once you truly realize what you have in Him, your future is secure and the fear of the unknown doesn't have the same hold on you as it once did.

2.  The second reason is because of the way God made me.  Because of my temperament I usually look at things from a practical perspective more than an emotional one.  Don't get me wrong, I am emotional about a lot of things, but I usually face challenges and decisions from a more practical perspective.  I can be a real crybaby sometimes too but when I am, I usually just need to have a good cry and that helps me to get over it, whatever "it" happens to be at the time.  I am usually able to process things and not let them overwhelm me.  I have noticed however, that sometimes it requires making a conscience effort to get to that point.

So, is it a bummer to have to have a mastectomy?  Yeah!  But it's not the end of the world and there are definitely worse things that could happen!  

3.  And the third big reason why I can honestly say that I am doing so well is because of my husband!  Before the surgery I tried to prepare him with the reality of what was going to happen.  I showed him worst-case scenario photos and gave detailed descriptions.  Throughout the whole thing I have seen that Jorge's biggest concern is that I am healthy and alive. He is a man like many others and I'm sure it hasn't been easy for him, but he hasn't wavered!  He has been calm, matter-of-fact, and uncomplicated.  Seeing his strength has helped me to relax about the final outcome.

Having said all that, do you remember the part about "having a good cry"?  Well, I did just that one night right before the surgery when I cried myself to sleep!  You might be surprised to hear what the most difficult part was for me, emotionally speaking.  That night as I cried, Jorge asked me if I was afraid about the surgery.  I said, "No, I'm not afraid.  I'm just sad.  All my life I dreamed of becoming a mother, giving birth and breastfeeding my baby.  Now, what little bit of hope that was left in me to someday be able to do that now dies once and for all with this surgery."  

Jorge and I have dealt with the issue of childlessness for years now and the Lord long ago brought us to a place of peace about that.  It's not something that I dwell on anymore.  I have chosen to trust that God has my best interest at heart and if He has allowed me to walk through the heartbreak of childlessness then it is for a good purpose.  I have learned to recognize, appreciate and even enjoy the positive side of childlessness.  Nevertheless, that was the hardest part for me, emotionally.  It forced me to re-live the heartbreak, disappointment and death of that dream.  I had to have a good long cry to get that one out of my system.  I imagine that it will be something that I will always have to deal with, on some level, this side of Heaven.

I still have moments here and there when that sadness hits me but they are fleeting moments that come and go pretty quickly.  It's not something I am struggling with and I don't dwell on it.  It's just part of life now.  And in all honesty, I think a lot of those moments happen due to fluctuating hormones!  Do I hear an "Amen" to that one, girlfriends?  

OK so this is a little embarrassing to share, especially with my male readers, but for the sake of transparency, I'll just pretend I'm talking to my girlfriends out there when I share this:  One other thing that I noticed in this whole process is that I had never realized or appreciated how cute and perky my boobs were until the last few weeks and months before the surgery!  Before, I had mostly noticed their defects and what I didn't like about them.  But facing a mastectomy shined a whole new light on them!  All of the sudden they were beautiful and just right!  Isn't it a shame that we are like that?  So often in life we don't appreciate something or someone until we don't have them anymore!  I was sad and disappointed that now that I finally really liked them, I would have to forfeit them.  So, take my advice, girlfriends...love and appreciate them while you have them!

I really have appreciated the fact that people have shown concern for how I am doing emotionally and not just physically.  It means a lot to have people in my life who care about me and are sensitive to the fact that what I am going through is not easy.  So thank you so much for caring and for those of you who have specifically prayed for me in this area, well, God is answering your prayer!!

Small Set-back

Well, it has been 2 months since my big surgery and I just wanted to give you an update on how it's going.  

I am doing well and feeling good and getting back to normal with my activity.  For the first month and a half or so I was limited in what I could do but little by little I have gotten pretty much back to normal.  I still have to be a little careful with pushing, pulling, lifting, and reaching but I did mow the grass this weekend so I'd say I'm doing great!  

Thankfully, I haven't had any infections or major complications.  I have had a little set-back which delays my time-line a bit.  My incisions have taken an extra long time to heal and close.  A couple of weeks ago I went to the doctor to get the incisions checked-out and they didn't like what they saw.  I was hospitalized because they were planning to operate again and take out the expanders and close up my incisions again.  But, thank the Lord, after doing some further testing, they decided that wasn't necessary and they chose to do extra wound care to try to help the healing process along instead.  

Since then I have had to use a special ointment and change my dressings twice a day.  It has taken a long time but I am finally seeing progress and can see that they are finally healing and looking better.  

I went to the doctor last week to hopefully start the expansion process but they decided that the incisions were not healed enough yet to start so I have to go in again in 2 weeks and hopefully everything will be healed up by then.  

The doctor explained to me two possible factors in the delay of the healing process.  First, since I had radiation years ago, it compromises the quality of the skin and it's ability to heal.  But the greater factor is that when they do the mastectomy and take out all of the breast tissue, the blood supply is very low in the skin and muscles that are left behind and without good blood supply, the healing takes a lot longer.  

All of this delays my plans to get back to Colombia before the end of the year.  Now it looks like it will be January or February before I can get back, that is if I have no more set-backs or complications.  All in all, I am doing very well and feeling good!  I have almost no pain. Discomfort, yes, but most of the time it is not painful.

I am so thankful to God for His provision and the medical care I have been able to receive!  It is a HUGE blessing!!!  I am also thankful for so many people who have reached out to help and encourage me through this!!  I have been so blessed and uplifted by people who have brought meals, sent flowers, cards, and gifts, and just encouraged me with love and sweet words!! 

Weekend in the Mountains

The only thing more perfect than spending a long October weekend in the North Carolina Mountains is spending it with life-long dear friends!

Mom's birthday on the Great Smoky Mountains Railway!  Celebrating the big 7-0!

Mom and Carole, her BFF from way back!

Picnic lunch along the Nantahala River.

Perfect Fall weather!

Visiting my BFF and her family in TN! 

April and I go back all the way to Kindergarten.

Seeing another of my childhood buddies who now lives in Asheville

Ginger just opened her new business, Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn in Asheville so we went to check it out!  Super yum!!

School of Leadership Development

Since October 12, Jorge has been in Bucaramanga, Colombia attending a six-week YWAM School of Leadership Development.  So far he is having a great time, being encouraged, spiritually refreshed and learning new things.  Some of the topics covered in this school are:  team leadership, giftings of a leader, self-leadership, dealing with conflict, vision, and integrity.  We are keeping in touch via Facebook and Skype almost every day and I can see that he has been very blessed by this opportunity!  Here are a few photos of his time so far:

Students and leaders.

View of Bucaramanga from the base.

Jorge with his school mentor, Gary McKinney who is a part of YWAM's international leadership.  Gary and his wife, Deanna, have ministered in Spain for the last 40 years and are now the base directors of YWAM Madrid.

Jorge giving a presentation to the class.

Class in session.

School leaders.

Jorge in his dorm room which he is sharing with 3 other guys.

I don't have any photos of Erika (our mission operations director in Bocachica), but she is also in Bucaramanga doing the school with Jorge.

I am missing my Jorgito and really looking forward to when he comes home!  I am, however, very grateful that he has had this opportunity.  Originally we were planning to do the school together but since I had these health issues I wasn't able to go.  We hoped to meet each other back in Cartagena in December but I have had some set-backs in the healing process (I'll tell you more about that later) which has delayed the process.  So now, our plan is that when Jorge is finished with the school he will come back to spend the holidays with me here in NC.

BFF's are the Best!

Today, Mom and I got to have lunch with Christa and Barbara, my sweet BFF from high school and her mom.  What a treat to get to visit and catch up with old friends who love and support you unconditionally!  

Breast Reconstruction 101

I have been on a learning curve regarding breast cancer and breast reconstruction.  I still don't know much about it all, but I do know a lot more now than I did a few months ago!  

I've learned that there are several options on how to go about breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.   There are pros and cons to each option that you have to research and take into consideration while making the decision.  The three main options are no breast reconstruction, tissue transfer, and breast implants.  Here is a break-down on each option and my thoughts and experiences with each one so far: 

1.  No breast reconstruction...just heal from the mastectomy and you are good to go!  The main cons of this option are aesthetics, being able to fit into your clothes properly, and feeling "normal" again.  There is a part of me that can really appreciate this option.  I'm all for feeling comfortable and care-free.  Still though, I never really considered this option for myself.  I think that at this age and stage of my life I will feel more settled if I can get back to as close to normal as possible.  I know that if I HAD to take this option, I could do it!  One of the important lessons I have learned over the years is that God gives you the grace to do what you need to do in life!  So, I know that if I had to, God would give me that grace!  As a matter of fact, He already has!  Until the reconstruction is completed you are left in that in-between stage which is basically the same condition as not having had breast reconstruction.  I've been living like this for 2 months so far and I am fine with it.  I do have to think twice about the clothes I put on but overall, it's really not that bad!  Nevertheless, I am thankful that I don't have to stay this way!
  
2. Tissue transfer.  This option was actually my first choice.  What they do is take your own tissue from another part of your body and they use it to form new breasts.  It's kind of like a skin graft but it is the fat and skin tissues that they use.  This requires microsurgery where they reconnect the blood vessels and have to keep the tissue alive in order for it to graft in. The thing is that you have to have enough excess fat somewhere on your body to be able to borrow from.  Usually they use the fat tissue from the belly, back or butt.  In my case, I really don't have any excess fat in any of those areas.  Oh, don't get me wrong, I have excess fat!  It's just not in the right place they need it to be in to be able to use it.  In rare cases they can use the thigh tissue and my doctor was willing to try.  Oh, I thought this was going to be the silver lining around this big dark cloud!  I thought to myself, "Do I dare hope that they can get rid of these saddle bags of mine and actually put them to good use?"  How many times have I jokingly said that I wished my saddlebags could be transferred north?! Honestly, I think I was more excited about NOT having saddle bags than I was about having nice boobs!!  

The pros to this option are of course that you are using your own tissue and not foreign objects to reconstruct the breasts, the result is softer and more natural, and there is not much risk of having complications down the road.  However the cons are that the chances of having complications early on are much higher and the recuperation process is much longer.  If the blood supply isn't successfully reestablished then the tissue will die and you will be back to square one. So it's tricky!  

I read all kinds of testimonies on-line from women who have used these different options.  The problem is that you will always find some people who had great experiences and others who had horrible experiences...so how do you know what to do?  Well, I was feeling a bit torn about it because I had been in contact with one lady who had such a horrible experience with it and so totally regretted having chosen this option, that it did sober me up a bit from my "no-more-saddle-bags high".  However, I still felt like I wanted to go forward with it.  

So what do you do when you aren't sure what to do and it's a pretty major decision?  Well, what I do is I ask God to intervene!!  AND HE DID!!  I constantly asked the Lord to open and close the doors according to what would be in my best interest.  If I could successfully have the tissue transfer, that would be my first choice.  But, if that was going to wind up being a nightmare like it had been for that other woman, then "PLEASE intervene and close that door or in some way please, God, show me that I should not go through with it."  Nevertheless, I had a green light from my doctor to go forward with the plan and I felt peace about going forward with it.  

Then one day, out of the blue, I received a phone call from my plastic surgeon telling me that, after careful consideration and conferring with other plastic surgeons, she decided that the tissue transfer was NOT in my best interest and that the risk of having life-altering side-effects was too high to warrant the surgery.  Her main concern was that she would have to take out some of the thigh muscle which could then affect the use of my legs in the future.  So GOD CLOSED THE DOOR!!  And I just thanked Him for so GRACIOUSLY INTERVENING on my behalf!!  Ever since the day I got that phone call, I never looked back.

3.  Expanders & Implants.  Most people are familiar with the notion of implants, although when most people think of breast implants they think of women who have had their breasts enlarged with implants.  It is NOT the same thing!  When you have your breasts enlarged you still have all of your natural tissue; they just push it out and up with the implants.  But in the case of a mastectomy they actually take out all of your breast tissue and you are only left with skin and muscle.  If they just stick in an implant, there is nothing to hold it in place.  It would just slide all around underneath the skin.  Not pretty!!  So, what they have to do is open up the pectoral muscles and insert what they call an expander, which is kind of like an empty implant.  Once you heal, they start the expansion process which entails going to the doctor on a regular basis (usually weekly or bi-weekly) and they inject small amounts of saline solution into the expanders each time.  So, little by little, over time, the expanders are getting bigger and stretching the muscle and the skin and forming a pocket inside the muscle.  Once everything is stretched out enough, they take out the expander and put the new implant into the little pocket that was formed and voila, there you have your new boobies!  Well, something like that!

Since the tissue transfer wasn't an option for me anymore, this became the Plan B.  On August 28th I had the double mastectomy and the expanders inserted and now I am just waiting to heal so that I can begin the expansion process.  The cons of the implant option are the possibility of complications down the road.  The implants can leak, they can shift and you can also have something called capsular contractures.  This is the main reason why the tissue transfer was my first option.

If anyone reading this wants to learn more about this whole process I would recommend watching this series of videos on YouTube by a woman who video-blogged her whole 4 year ordeal with breast reconstruction.

Jorge's Job at Elon University

Jorge was very blessed to find a temporary full-time job in the Grounds-keeping department at Elon University while we were home for our sabbatical.  He worked there for 4 months over the spring and summer and really enjoyed the low-stress job, being outside in nature, and the camaraderie with his co-workers.  Elon is very well-known for having a beautiful campus and grounds and Jorge was proud to be able to be a part of the team that helped make that a reality.

 Jorge loved zipping around campus in the "gator".

 Morning break with the guys.

 Jorge was very blessed when on his last day of work his department organized a farewell cook-out in his honor!  

 Leaving his job was bitter-sweet.

The grounds-keeping department has about 18 full-time employees. 

Surgery Day

 On Aug. 28th I had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am.  Here I am in the pre-op area, waiting for them to get me ready for surgery.  I thank the Lord that I felt very calm and at ease during this whole time.  Jorge and my mom were with me until they wheeled me away.

 I got changed into my surgery duds and the plastic surgeon came in and marked me up and took before photos and then I got an IV put in.

 While I was getting prepped for surgery there were LOTS of people coming and going, getting everything organized.  It all runs like a a well-oiled machine, which is comforting. The OR nurse was an angel from God.  She was from India and without knowing whether I was a Christian or not she didn't hesitate to tell me not to worry about anything because she had been praying for me since that morning and she was "claiming the blood of Jesus over the whole operating room!"  I loved that!  And I assured her that there were lots of people praying for her too!

The first 12 hours after the surgery were really hard, it was so painful that I couldn't even take a deep breath or cough or lift my hand to scratch an itch on my face.  I never would have imagined that they would send me home the next day.  In hindsight, I do wish I could have stayed one more night in the hospital but I guess it all worked out in the end.  The first night at home was hard too because of the pain but once I got my pain meds regulated it was a lot more manageable and easier to move and get comfortable.  Now I have to change the dressings everyday and drain the drainage tubes a couple of times each day.  

It looks like everything is going well and I haven't had any complications so far, thank the Lord.  I have just been taking it easy, going between the bed, the bathroom and the recliner.  My first follow-up with the plastic surgeon is on Wednesday and I will probably be able to get the drains taken out then.

I am very grateful for the prayer and support from friends and family!!  I have felt very strong and at peace in the midst of this whole ordeal and I know that is due to the Lord and His work in my heart and mind and in part due to all the prayer going up on my behalf.

Jorge's Oath Ceremony

On August 29, 2014 Jorge attended his oath ceremony to become a U.S. Citizen.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to be there because I was in the hospital but I am so grateful and blessed by sweet friends who made the day extra special for him!!  I know he never expected anyone else to go so he was surprised and blessed by the love and support shown!!  He spent the whole night before this at the hospital with me.  He slept all night in a chair and the next day went to the ceremony straight from the hospital!   Receiving his citizenship was a huge answer to prayer and will make our lives easier as we will no longer need special permits to travel outside of the country.  Now Jorge can come and go as he pleases!  And don't worry, Jorge is still passionately proud of his Mexican heritage... fortunately Mexico recognizes dual-citizenship so now he will be able to enjoy the benefits of both! 

Facing BC...and I'm not referring to Bocachica!

This particular story of God's providence and provision actually started back in November of 2013.  Jorge and I were in Mexico but I came to NC to help my mom while she was recovering from foot surgery.  While I was home I saw what looked to me like a strange lump on my throat.  I got an appointment at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill (that is where I have been treated since I was a kid).  The good thing is that the "lump" turned out to be nothing.  The "bad" thing was that I got a hospital bill as a result.  Since I don't have health insurance I went to the financial aid office to try to set up a payment plan and they had me fill in a bunch of paperwork and send in a few forms and documents.  I got everything filled out and mailed off and then I returned to Mexico in December.

A month or so later I got a call from my mom telling me some really great news; Jorge and I had both been accepted for a special coverage plan at UNC Hospital for the whole year of 2014.  Because of all the paperwork I had to fill out, both Jorge and I were now eligible to receive health care, with applicable co-payments, for the whole year!  We were shocked because this was something we didn't ask for or seek out yet we could see that God had worked on our behalf to provide health coverage for us for the whole year while we were home from Colombia on sabbatical.

In February Jorge and I came to NC with a few plans and goals...one of which was to apply for Jorge's citizenship (tomorrow is our next appointment and we should get their final answer.)  Since we now had this health coverage we were able to get Jorge to the doctor to help him with some on-going issues he had been having and it proved to be such a blessing of provision for us!

In March, I found a lump on my left side, along my rib-cage.  I thought it might just be a lipoma but wanted to get it checked out to be sure.  When I called to make the appointment, the lady on the phone said that she would also schedule me for a mammogram.  I couldn't figure out why she wanted to do that so I explained that I didn't need a mammogram because the lump was not on my breast...it was on my side.  The lady kept insisting so I finally just went along with her and thought to myself, "fine, I'll get a mammogram... whatever!"

In April I went in and it turned out that the lump indeed was just a lipoma and nothing to be concerned about.  The mammogram, however, showed a suspicious calcification.  A few days later I went in for a biopsy which showed a "pre-cancerous" calcification that the doctors wanted to take out.  So, I was scheduled for a lumpectomy.

In June I had the lumpectomy done and about a week later, went in for the results.  Now, I have already had cancer twice so when I face circumstances like this I usually try to prepare myself for bad news while of course, hoping for good news.  So, I wasn't totally taken by surprise when the doctor told me that what they initially thought was "pre-cancerous" actually turned out to be cancer.  Even now it feels surreal to say that I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Based on the lumpectomy results, they think it was non-invasive and they think they got it all.  However that is not the end of the story.

For those who don't know, I had cancer when I was 14.  Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  I had radiation treatments and chemotherapy.  I got it again when I was 21 and went through a brief regimen of chemo.  In spite of all this, for the most part, I have had pretty good health over the last 30 years since I was diagnosed.

When I was diagnosed at 14, my mom had to sign papers assuming responsibility for the future risks caused by the treatments I took.  They explained that the chemo and the radiation could cause other damage and could even cause other kinds of cancer down the road.

So, when the doctors told me about the breast cancer, they also told me that they were certain that it was caused by the radiation treatments I had received as a teenager.  "It's a classic case" he said. And even though they think they got all of the cancer out in the lumpectomy, because of my medical history, I am at a very high risk of the cancer coming back and it coming back invasive.  I'm actually at a higher risk level than if I had the breast cancer gene and I have a high risk of getting other types of cancer as well.  Because of that, the doctors recommend aggressive action:  a double mastectomy with reconstruction.  I am scheduled for this surgery on Thursday, Aug. 28th.

Believe it or not, this is the short version.  In the midst of all of this I have spent a lot of time over the last few months researching, learning, connecting with others who have walked similar paths, talking with the doctors, weighing the pros and the cons, and especially talking to God about all of this because I have had to make some big decisions!

Even though it is sobering to receive and process news like this, from the beginning I have seen God's hand in so many details...providing what I needed even when I didn't know I needed it, opening and closing doors as I sought His help in making decisions, and even arranging the logistics of my life circumstances to have me in the right place at the right time.  I have experienced His Grace first hand and literally felt Him giving me strength and courage.  I am not afraid of what lies ahead.  Don't get me wrong, I am not looking forward to it and I wouldn't mind if I woke up to find it was all just a bad dream.  But at the same time, I am not afraid because He has been so Present with me through this and I know that He will be with me and help me to face whatever comes my way!

PS:  I have seen God's hand in many ways throughout this journey so far but I just have to reiterate two that especially stand out to me... 1.  the way God provided the special hospital coverage months before we even needed it... and 2. the fact that the scheduler at the hospital kept insisting on me having a mammogram even though I tried to convince her that I didn't need one!  I mean, really, when does that happen?  Seeing God's hand intervene on my behalf like that gives me all the confidence I need to TRUST that He is with me and always will be!

He cares for us affectionately and watchfully!!

1 Peter 5:7 (Amp)
Casting the whole of your care (all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all) on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

All Hands On Deck

Earlier this month we started a major renovation project at my mom's house.  Fortunately, she is not living in the house during the reno!!  So far we have been in the demolition phase and we have peeled and pulled and chipped and knocked away many decades worth of paneling, flooring, walls, and wires! Jorge, Mom and I have been doing the demo ourselves and have also been very blessed to have the help of some special friends!!

 Our first big project...the master bedroom.

 I don't know what we would have done without this dumpster!

 This used to be the master bathroom but will soon be a walk-in closet.

Hauling out the old cast-iron tub.

Jorge and Thom under the house cutting out the old boiler/heater pipes.

 

 We may have been pushing the limits of friendship on this one. 

 They were DIR-TAY when they crawled out from under that house!!!

  

 The bathroom will be getting a total makeover.

Pulling out each staple and nail to be able to install the new sheet-rock.

Sweet Tina peeling off wallpaper.

We ladies call ourselves the Demo Dolls!

Vic really helped with some needed man-power knocking down a wall inside the laundry room.

 Kitchen Demo: CHECK!

  Dumpster is FULL and we still have plenty to haul away!

Transformations inside and out.