big time updatin'

"The LORD directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives. 

Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the LORD holds them by the hand"

-Psalm 37:23-24

Heyooo

I figured it was time for a big dad update.  So, here it goes:

-Things in Texas didn't work out so great.  They basically said all they can do for him is give him chemo.  So, he got his first round of chemo down there then came back.

-Second round of chemo here a few weeks ago.

-Got a partially collapsed lung last Thursday.  Stayed in the hospital a couple of days to fix it then came home.

-Sunday night his whole left lung collapsed so we had to rush him to the ER.  He has been in the ICU since then.  They clamped off (or something to that affect) one of his arteries because he was coughing up so much blood.  They also found that his lower, right two lungs are not inflated.  Yesterday they used a scope to see what was blocking it.  We were hoping it was something that could be removed from his airway so that he could have the lungs fill up again.  However, they found out it is a tumor.  So, they said they can't do anything for it right now.

-As for now, they might try and get him out of the ICU sometime in the next few days.  He still has a tube in his left lung to keep it from collapsing.  They are talking about possibly doing surgery to make it so the lung will not collapse again.  

I think that about sums up these past few weeks.  It's been quite the roller coaster.  A rough, stressful week to be sure.  It's weird knowing over half the staff in the ER and the ICU.  But he's getting great care where he's at.  

If you could just continue to pray over my whole family and I, that would be so great.  It is so interesting, some of the most least likely people in my life have been the biggest blessings these days.  A few months ago I would have sworn I knew who would help me if I needed it.  But, it has been quite the opposite.  I feel so blessed by so many unexpectedly awesome people in my life.  So, thank you to those of you who have been there for us during all of this.  I really can't say thank you enough.  It means the world!

On a happier note...I went snowshoeing last weekend!  It was super great!  Go look at the pictures on my PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG!    

a vow to love

I haven't been blogging as much this year but I felt like this is worth talking about...

Last night I went to see "The Vow" in theaters with an amazing friend of mine. To get the synopsis of the movie you can watch the TRAILER!  It's a total chick flick.  Girls: you'll love it + cry.  Guys: you most likely will be checking your watch during the movie. haha but I liked it.

This blog isn't really about the movie though.  It's more about what happened after I saw the movie.  I was driving home late in my heat-less car as it was starting to snow. There was something about the movie that really hit me.  As I was trying to pin point what it was, God connected the dots for me.

The movie follows the love story of two people.  They're super cute + in love so they get married.  One night, they got hit by a car and she received a head injury that caused her to lose some of her memory. She had no idea who her husband was.  So, the rest of their story is about him trying to make her fall in love with him all over again.  There were so many times he wanted to be with her yet she continually pushed him away.  She shoves him aside and pursues her own life - the life she remembered before him.  

I was driving home and I realized the movie plot is so similar to that of our love story with God.  I mean, how many times have we had something happen in our lives where we seem to get a brain injury and forget His love?  

He becomes a stranger to us.

Instead of working things out with Him, we push Him away.  We decide to figure things out for ourselves.

It really hit me how persistently and recklessly He pursues us.  Consistently trying to make us fall in love with Him.

He LOVES us.

He loves US.

How incredible is that?

  “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
      With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself."

- God 

 (Jer. 31:3)

Have a wonderful Valentine's weekend!
I hope you all can feel loved in a deeper, more meaningful way this year.