Help.
I'm Lost.
Can you help me find my way?
I'm searching for this person.
But,
I have discovered something.
She's gone.
And I am
Lost
while looking for
Her.
-Julie Agee
Have you ever gone through something so much bigger than yourself that you aren't sure what it is you are doing?
Well--that's exactly where I am. I am wondering, searching, crying out. I'm completely lost. Lost to the person who was, and certainly lost to the woman who will one day emerge from this battle. (I'm kind of anxious to meet that woman--I think she will be a powerful force.)
I'm in the difficult part of the battle. One step forward, two back.
There are moments in the "middle" of this battle that I'm over-whelmed, moments of pure joy, moments of contentment, moments of chaos, moments of discerning, moments of weakness, and moments of unbelief. It's just where I am.
It's not necessarily a horrible place to be--ask any butterfly if they ever skipped the chrysalis stage before becoming the new creature.
But it's in the middle of the battle when the warrior gets weary. The enemy is roaming around looking for your weak spots. Looking for places to gain a stronghold. And you are hanging on. Sometimes even going through the motions. (One day this week--it was a few minutes by minutes.)
Even in all my lostness--Jesus has been right beside me. He has not let me drown in my sorrows, nor has let me stay searching incessantly. (The new me is still in development--not ready to emerge from the battle. Let me clarify--if God were to instantaneously heal me and allow me to step into my new role--I would, but I have the feeling I'm on the path of the butterfly--I'm struggling in the chrysalis for the moment.)
Let me tell you how Jesus has shown himself to be right here with me.
1) The scripture: God constantly puts His word in front of me. Sometimes it comes from my quiet time with Him, sometimes it comes in a card, text, or message from you guys, sometimes it comes from songs, and sometimes it comes through a prayer being prayed. However he chooses, he makes sure I keep His word in front of me.
2) His encouragers: All of you out there. I can't tell you how uplifting the calls, visits, e-mails, texts, and cards/packages in the mail all encourage me to keep fighting another day. I love yall so much!
3) Your Prayers: Daily I get a message from different people telling me that this group is praying, or their family is praying, or their church is praying. All of these prayers going before the throne, that will make a girl's heart just shine.
4) People: Do you know how many "strangers" have stopped me in grocery stores, craft stores, Mayo Hospital, etc. I have been prayed over in the aisle of Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and in a Hospital room in Mayo. Different people who crossed my path and were obedient to stop and pray right there in that exact moment. Bless obedient servants of the Lord who are His messengers of hope and faith.
Without these gifts from God, this lost woman wouldn't know how to keep in the battle, but He keeps sending you to me. Oh how that just ministers to me. Because there are times in my "chrysalis" when I begin to feel sorry for myself, or I take my eyes off of God and I focus on the problem staring me in my face.
My recent surgery has been such a struggle. Waking up to hear all that was done to my body was shocking. I was prepared for most of the changes, but removing my spleen was a total shock, and so was all of the blood that has had to be given. Also, I am now having to learn to live with other changes that I was hoping to avoid. My body is a testimony to God's Power. I HAD A HUGE, VERY BIG, SURGERY. God is healing me and I am on the mend. I've had some set backs (UTI, and major sickness due to a medicine), but I'm believing I am continuing to heal.
Right now I'm ok with being Lost and yet still looking.
It let's me know that I'm still in the fight and it gives me hope that God is still working in all of the details to bring about this new woman. Can we ever go through these events and stay they same? Of course not! I will never be the Julie before cancer again. All I can do is pray that I am open to the changes that God is up to in me though this experience. A couple of years ago I studied the book of James with some other women. Some of my favorite verses are from James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
You see I've lost myself, and I'm on the journey to find this woman who God is creating. And you are on this journey also--thank you for holding firm with me on the bumpy roads!
Julie
------------
The above was written by Julie a little over a week ago. She has gone through even more battles since then, but her message is still spot-on so I decided to go ahead and publish it on her behalf.
Showing posts with label Julie's Blogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Julie's Blogs. Show all posts
Friday, October 20, 2017
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Future plans and Surgery Date: Update 8/29/17
We met with our gynecology surgeon today. He walked into our room, introduced himself, and said, "Thank you for the work you do for our Lord in Honduras. I'm sorry we are having to meet for these reasons." What a great first impression he made with us.
He then started asking a LOT of questions, and then after an exam he started giving us the details of the surgery. So I'm going to try to explain what was explained to me:
My surgery is scheduled for Monday, September 25th. I will remain in the hospital anywhere from 2 to 6 days depending on what all they have to do once they get inside.
He did tell me that it was his job to remove all of the cancer. He said he would be very thorough and the surgery would be anywhere between 2 - 6 hours or longer if needed. He will be doing a complete hysterectomy, removal of some lymphnodes, removal of all the tumors, he would then check my entire small intestines for tumors, my colon for tumors, and anywhere the tumors were close to would be checked for tumors and possible removal of any areas affeced. I will have an incision from my pelvis to my abdomen. So we are looking at a pretty big surgery. But--praise the Lord these doctors are skilled in these areas. He said he would have whatever doctor that might be necessary to assist available to be ready to assist if necessary. He kept reinforcing that total removal is the goal.
I feel good about the surgery, and I'm looking forward to the cancer being gone from my body. But I know this will be a big recovery. As I said this morning--this is no surprise to God! He knew all of this was coming.
After the surgery, the plan is to give my body 2 weeks to recover and then have 9 more treatments of chemo. After that we will see what happens.
One of my favorite Bible verses was the Verse of the Day today. In Deuteronomy 31:8 it says, "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."
How you can pray specifically:
1) I have 2 more chemo treatments before surgery. This week and September 8th. Please pray for my body to have the numbers to be able to have chemo because then the surgery will have to be delayed.
2) Please pray for my body to be ready for surgery. I will have 2 weeks of no chemo after the 8th to prepare for surgery. My numbers will have to be strong for that also. Pray that my body will fight.
3) Pray for the doctor(s) to be able to find and remove all the cancer from my body. We are believing in a cure!
He then started asking a LOT of questions, and then after an exam he started giving us the details of the surgery. So I'm going to try to explain what was explained to me:
My surgery is scheduled for Monday, September 25th. I will remain in the hospital anywhere from 2 to 6 days depending on what all they have to do once they get inside.
He did tell me that it was his job to remove all of the cancer. He said he would be very thorough and the surgery would be anywhere between 2 - 6 hours or longer if needed. He will be doing a complete hysterectomy, removal of some lymphnodes, removal of all the tumors, he would then check my entire small intestines for tumors, my colon for tumors, and anywhere the tumors were close to would be checked for tumors and possible removal of any areas affeced. I will have an incision from my pelvis to my abdomen. So we are looking at a pretty big surgery. But--praise the Lord these doctors are skilled in these areas. He said he would have whatever doctor that might be necessary to assist available to be ready to assist if necessary. He kept reinforcing that total removal is the goal.
I feel good about the surgery, and I'm looking forward to the cancer being gone from my body. But I know this will be a big recovery. As I said this morning--this is no surprise to God! He knew all of this was coming.
After the surgery, the plan is to give my body 2 weeks to recover and then have 9 more treatments of chemo. After that we will see what happens.
One of my favorite Bible verses was the Verse of the Day today. In Deuteronomy 31:8 it says, "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."
How you can pray specifically:
1) I have 2 more chemo treatments before surgery. This week and September 8th. Please pray for my body to have the numbers to be able to have chemo because then the surgery will have to be delayed.
2) Please pray for my body to be ready for surgery. I will have 2 weeks of no chemo after the 8th to prepare for surgery. My numbers will have to be strong for that also. Pray that my body will fight.
3) Pray for the doctor(s) to be able to find and remove all the cancer from my body. We are believing in a cure!
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Living Life to the Fullest--8/22/17 Update
Yesterday was full of fun pictures posted by friends and family all focused on the eclipse--and we tried to see it also, but our south Georgia weather just did not cooperate. Our family watched it on TV.
But yesterday also marked the day that my sweet sister-in-law Lisa went to live with Jesus in Heaven. I've thought about her so many times over the last five years. One of my favorite things she did was to "Live Life to the Fullest" and in doing so she inspired me many times to try to do the same.
Ben and I have spoken in those quiet moments about her 45 years she was given. How we would try to live our lives that would bring the most glory to God because-- wonder if we only got 45 years to live. In fact, I'd say Lisa's years of life on this Earth had such an impact on me, that when God called us to go to Honduras--there wasn't much hesitation. Living life to the fullest is not necessarily the life you thought you might live, but it is an amazing journey.
And now--"Living life to the Fullest" with stage 4 Ovarian cancer is a new adventure. Something God reminded me of yesterday is that my joy in this journey doesn't come in the circumstances, but in Him. I am getting to see God work in this unbelievable way that if I wasn't going through this cancer journey I'd be missing all of these intricate experiences that God has set in place. People literally all over the world are praying for my healing, and giving sacrificially for our expenses. We feel the prayers, and we know God is at work to bring good in this situation. There is great joy in knowing that God cares for me that much! And there is great joy for me in knowing that God cares for you that much!
There is Joy--not in the tiredness, or the itchy rash, nor in the chemo brain fog that makes me forget. But there is joy in the fact that God is behind the scenes providing me with places to rest, medicine for the rash, and well laughter when I can't even remember a simple word.
Every day we have a choice--a choice to Live Life to the Fullest, or a choice to live life defeated.
I believe Lisa is watching from Heaven, cheering us on, and encouraging us to be adventurous. And Jesus is right there beside her saying, "Go ahead--you can do it!"
Chemo Update: My CA125 numbers dropped to 248 on last Friday. Woohoo! The chemo is working! I did develop a nasty rash that was keeping me scratching, but thankfully the doctors gave me steroids and the rash has dried up.
But yesterday also marked the day that my sweet sister-in-law Lisa went to live with Jesus in Heaven. I've thought about her so many times over the last five years. One of my favorite things she did was to "Live Life to the Fullest" and in doing so she inspired me many times to try to do the same.
Ben and I have spoken in those quiet moments about her 45 years she was given. How we would try to live our lives that would bring the most glory to God because-- wonder if we only got 45 years to live. In fact, I'd say Lisa's years of life on this Earth had such an impact on me, that when God called us to go to Honduras--there wasn't much hesitation. Living life to the fullest is not necessarily the life you thought you might live, but it is an amazing journey.
And now--"Living life to the Fullest" with stage 4 Ovarian cancer is a new adventure. Something God reminded me of yesterday is that my joy in this journey doesn't come in the circumstances, but in Him. I am getting to see God work in this unbelievable way that if I wasn't going through this cancer journey I'd be missing all of these intricate experiences that God has set in place. People literally all over the world are praying for my healing, and giving sacrificially for our expenses. We feel the prayers, and we know God is at work to bring good in this situation. There is great joy in knowing that God cares for me that much! And there is great joy for me in knowing that God cares for you that much!
There is Joy--not in the tiredness, or the itchy rash, nor in the chemo brain fog that makes me forget. But there is joy in the fact that God is behind the scenes providing me with places to rest, medicine for the rash, and well laughter when I can't even remember a simple word.
Every day we have a choice--a choice to Live Life to the Fullest, or a choice to live life defeated.
I believe Lisa is watching from Heaven, cheering us on, and encouraging us to be adventurous. And Jesus is right there beside her saying, "Go ahead--you can do it!"
Chemo Update: My CA125 numbers dropped to 248 on last Friday. Woohoo! The chemo is working! I did develop a nasty rash that was keeping me scratching, but thankfully the doctors gave me steroids and the rash has dried up.
Friday, August 11, 2017
8/11/17 Update -- PET Scan Results and Biopsy
Praising God this morning! The Pet Scan did not show the cancer in any "new" places. Only in the same areas that we have previously been told about. Stop right now and let's give a little shout out!!!
The biopsy confirmed that we definitely have ovarian type cancer.
The only changes we will be making will be the change of our team. They are switching us to an GYN Oncologist, so that we will be with a team that specializes in GYN treatment.
We will be sad because we like our team, but we realize that our treatment will need to be specific for this type of cancer.
Thanks for your continued prayer and support! God is at work!
Please pray specifically that the cancer stays contained and continues to shrink!
Oh Yes--I almost forgot. My CA125 is down to 310. It keeps falling! Another praise!
The biopsy confirmed that we definitely have ovarian type cancer.
The only changes we will be making will be the change of our team. They are switching us to an GYN Oncologist, so that we will be with a team that specializes in GYN treatment.
We will be sad because we like our team, but we realize that our treatment will need to be specific for this type of cancer.
Thanks for your continued prayer and support! God is at work!
Please pray specifically that the cancer stays contained and continues to shrink!
Oh Yes--I almost forgot. My CA125 is down to 310. It keeps falling! Another praise!
Saturday, August 5, 2017
8/4/2017 Update
Finished chemo #4 with my cousin Charlene Bonn. Dr. Kasi came in and said he talked to the pathologist last night about the biopsy. He said they are still leaning towards ovarian cancer. He also said he thought we would probably do chemo for about 6 months. (With surgery somewhere in the mix.) He also said "we are treating with a cure as the end result." Note: he did not say that this was a guarantee, but that this was his goal for treatment.)
Lastly he brought in my CA125 (Ovarian tumor marker protein) chart. My numbers dropped to 427 down by 200 from the first marker (low is good; < 36 is normal)
So we are celebrating wholeheartedly. Great news!
Lastly he brought in my CA125 (Ovarian tumor marker protein) chart. My numbers dropped to 427 down by 200 from the first marker (low is good; < 36 is normal)
So we are celebrating wholeheartedly. Great news!
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
The Un-Fairytale side of Chemo
I promised I would try to be "real" here throughout this journey, so here it goes--some truth about the side effects of chemo.
Saturday was a gift, I felt good--the tiredness had not kicked in, we went on a date . . . It was a fabulous day.
Then came Sunday morning.
I took my shower and hair started coming out.
Not clumps or bunches, but 8 strands there, and 6 strands there. It was on my pillow, in my brush, and on my clothes.
It was happening.
My hair was coming out.
I'd like to say I handled this with fierce resolve that "It's just hair--it will grow back", but I did not.
After watching church with our Faith Family via the internet, I hunkered down in the bed, turned the tv onto the Hallmark channel, and watched tv for the rest of the day. Movie after movie of "happily ever after".
My reality was laying on my pillow.
By the time it was time to go to bed, I was done. I asked my sweet man to hold me and I just cried.
Cried for our old pre-cancer days, cried for the loss of our lives in Honduras, cried for the separation of our family unit, cried because my hair was now falling out and I couldn't make it stop.
I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. It took me a while to figure out why this was bothering me so much, apart from the obvious I was going to be bald.
Somewhere around 3 a.m. I finally figured it out. I was so upset because I wouldn't be able to look "normal". People would now "know" just with a glance.
See Saturday night we went out and nobody looked at us as any differently.
But once I'm without hair, that will not be the case.
I'll be the woman with Cancer.
And--I know--I know that was true before, but now I won't be able to hide behind my normal looks and think that it's not really happening.
Around 3:30 a.m. I finally took it to Jesus.
I literally just started crying out to Him. I was telling Him that this shouldn't be this big of a deal, that I know it's just hair, and so on ...
Do you know what He whispered over me . . .
He whispered, "It's the hair I gave you."
And then the tears really came. He knows me so well, I'm His creation, he was the one who gave me my hair, who designed my body, who breathed life into me.
He cares about my hair--and it's loss.
Y'all - He loves us that much.
And then thankfully that peace that comes only from the one that comforts us came and I fell asleep.
I woke up Monday somewhat in a better mindset. I mean--I didn't turn on Hallmark and lay in the bed.
I actually got dressed and tried to do normal things. I started realizing that loosing my hair is the next step in this crazy new life of battling cancer.
And while I'm not thrilled with going bald, I've made plans to go to see Natalie today at Volume. I'm going to get a crew cut. I just can't handle the strands falling out.
It's going to be ok, I'm going to get through it because I know that Jesus is going with me.
I feel stronger today. No one ever said this road would be easy--it's not. But, I actually giggled at the thought about me making Jesus' job a little easier for Him--He won't have to number my hairs for a while. (Luke 12:7) Sorry for my warped sense of humor--but well, I told you I was keeping it REAL!
Saturday was a gift, I felt good--the tiredness had not kicked in, we went on a date . . . It was a fabulous day.
Then came Sunday morning.
I took my shower and hair started coming out.
Not clumps or bunches, but 8 strands there, and 6 strands there. It was on my pillow, in my brush, and on my clothes.
It was happening.
My hair was coming out.
I'd like to say I handled this with fierce resolve that "It's just hair--it will grow back", but I did not.
After watching church with our Faith Family via the internet, I hunkered down in the bed, turned the tv onto the Hallmark channel, and watched tv for the rest of the day. Movie after movie of "happily ever after".
My reality was laying on my pillow.
By the time it was time to go to bed, I was done. I asked my sweet man to hold me and I just cried.
Cried for our old pre-cancer days, cried for the loss of our lives in Honduras, cried for the separation of our family unit, cried because my hair was now falling out and I couldn't make it stop.
I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. It took me a while to figure out why this was bothering me so much, apart from the obvious I was going to be bald.
Somewhere around 3 a.m. I finally figured it out. I was so upset because I wouldn't be able to look "normal". People would now "know" just with a glance.
See Saturday night we went out and nobody looked at us as any differently.
But once I'm without hair, that will not be the case.
I'll be the woman with Cancer.
And--I know--I know that was true before, but now I won't be able to hide behind my normal looks and think that it's not really happening.
Around 3:30 a.m. I finally took it to Jesus.
I literally just started crying out to Him. I was telling Him that this shouldn't be this big of a deal, that I know it's just hair, and so on ...
Do you know what He whispered over me . . .
He whispered, "It's the hair I gave you."
And then the tears really came. He knows me so well, I'm His creation, he was the one who gave me my hair, who designed my body, who breathed life into me.
He cares about my hair--and it's loss.
Y'all - He loves us that much.
And then thankfully that peace that comes only from the one that comforts us came and I fell asleep.
I woke up Monday somewhat in a better mindset. I mean--I didn't turn on Hallmark and lay in the bed.
I actually got dressed and tried to do normal things. I started realizing that loosing my hair is the next step in this crazy new life of battling cancer.
And while I'm not thrilled with going bald, I've made plans to go to see Natalie today at Volume. I'm going to get a crew cut. I just can't handle the strands falling out.
It's going to be ok, I'm going to get through it because I know that Jesus is going with me.
I feel stronger today. No one ever said this road would be easy--it's not. But, I actually giggled at the thought about me making Jesus' job a little easier for Him--He won't have to number my hairs for a while. (Luke 12:7) Sorry for my warped sense of humor--but well, I told you I was keeping it REAL!
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Doctor Visit Today 7/27/2017
We had a great visit at Mayo today.
I had blood drawn today and thankfully I am in the normal ranges for all of my blood work. Which is great because it means my immunity is still high enough to fight. So day #3 of chemo tomorrow.
We are also doing the happy dance--and praising Jesus dance--cause my CA125 count went down!!!
This is the marker for ovarian cancer. It went from 628 to 582. The doctor says this is a good indication that the chemo is working. The lower this number goes, the better, until it gets in normal ranges.
Keep your prayers coming, we are praying for healing in Jesus precious, Holy name!
I had blood drawn today and thankfully I am in the normal ranges for all of my blood work. Which is great because it means my immunity is still high enough to fight. So day #3 of chemo tomorrow.
We are also doing the happy dance--and praising Jesus dance--cause my CA125 count went down!!!
This is the marker for ovarian cancer. It went from 628 to 582. The doctor says this is a good indication that the chemo is working. The lower this number goes, the better, until it gets in normal ranges.
Keep your prayers coming, we are praying for healing in Jesus precious, Holy name!
Monday, July 24, 2017
Making itThrough
I've made it through the 2nd chemo treatment with simple tiredness. What wonderful grace and mercy I am experiencing at this moment. So celebrate with me--I am taking the time any chance I get.
What we have been up to:
Over the weekend we celebrated my dad's 75th birthday. He turned 75 on July 5th, and we had a great time laughing, eating, talking, and spending time just hanging out.
Ben's parents, Ken and Margaret, drove over from Alabama and spent time with our family on Saturday and Sunday. We loved seeing them and enjoyed our time together even though it was quick.
Leighanne and Hannah are beginning home school again. We are starting a light week and then will ramp up next week full speed ahead. (Pray for Nana, Papa, and Aunt Sheryl since they will be helping the girls.)
Austin began work at Chick Fil-A last week, and Jordan had his first day on his new job after college. Zach is continuing his schooling and work at TRF.
What's coming up:
I have my 3rd chemo treatment to Friday. Please continue to pray for the chemo to be effective.
Other prayer requests:
Please pray for other families going through this cancer journey.
Pray for our ministry in Honduras--New Beginnings Honduras. Pray that God will grow our ministry in our absence. Pray for the Robinson family who are fostering J and M. Pray that God will meet their needs and bless them for standing in the gap for us.
Pray for our Partner ministry--Legacy of Hope. Pray for God to strengthen and direct their ministry.
Pray for missionaries all over the world who are doing their work in the name of Jesus.
What we have been up to:
Over the weekend we celebrated my dad's 75th birthday. He turned 75 on July 5th, and we had a great time laughing, eating, talking, and spending time just hanging out.
Ben's parents, Ken and Margaret, drove over from Alabama and spent time with our family on Saturday and Sunday. We loved seeing them and enjoyed our time together even though it was quick.
Leighanne and Hannah are beginning home school again. We are starting a light week and then will ramp up next week full speed ahead. (Pray for Nana, Papa, and Aunt Sheryl since they will be helping the girls.)
Austin began work at Chick Fil-A last week, and Jordan had his first day on his new job after college. Zach is continuing his schooling and work at TRF.
What's coming up:
I have my 3rd chemo treatment to Friday. Please continue to pray for the chemo to be effective.
Other prayer requests:
Please pray for other families going through this cancer journey.
Pray for our ministry in Honduras--New Beginnings Honduras. Pray that God will grow our ministry in our absence. Pray for the Robinson family who are fostering J and M. Pray that God will meet their needs and bless them for standing in the gap for us.
Pray for our Partner ministry--Legacy of Hope. Pray for God to strengthen and direct their ministry.
Pray for missionaries all over the world who are doing their work in the name of Jesus.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
July 12th Update--CT Scans
Today I had a CT Scan, Dr. Kasi called with the results this afternoon.
He said the scans show that there are no tumors visible in any major organs.
What a huge PRAISE!!!
He says that it appears that the cancer is focused in my pelvic area. This leads him to believe that we are dealing with ovarian cancer.
Now we still are looking at cancer in the abdominal wall and the pelvic area which is still very serious.
I start chemo on Friday morning.
We will have the PET scan on Tuesday, followed by the port being put in on the 25th, and a biopsy on August 2nd.
BUT what a huge praise that the scan didn't show any tumor in my major organs.
God is at work!
Dr. Kasi was more hopeful today. His tone was more upbeat! Sure made me feel better.
Keep Praying and Praising and Believing!
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
After the 1st Appointment
We went to the doctor today. It is serious. Based on what we know, before scans, bloodwork, etc. He believes we are looking at a Stage 4 Cancer.
He said we needed to be aggressive.
Today we did blood work.
Tomorrow we go for a CT Scan in the morning.
They are hoping to get us back in to see the doctor after the CT scan results come in and then get the first round of chemo to begin on Thursday or Friday.
Next Tuesday we will have a Pet Scan, and the following week my port will be put in.
In the mean time, we will see a general surgeon to remove the J-P Drain as soon as possible.
It hit me hard today. When the oncologist said, "This is worrisome." I broke down into the ugly cry.
After I got it back together, we started talking strategy and I felt much better.
So please be patient with me as I process this with our family.
Like I told my kids today, "God numbered my days before I was even born." He knows the length of my life.
He is still very much in control, I am not.
I love you all! I am leaning on the the encouragement of family and friends. My life is in His hands!
In Him Who IS ABLE,
Julie
He said we needed to be aggressive.
Today we did blood work.
Tomorrow we go for a CT Scan in the morning.
They are hoping to get us back in to see the doctor after the CT scan results come in and then get the first round of chemo to begin on Thursday or Friday.
Next Tuesday we will have a Pet Scan, and the following week my port will be put in.
In the mean time, we will see a general surgeon to remove the J-P Drain as soon as possible.
It hit me hard today. When the oncologist said, "This is worrisome." I broke down into the ugly cry.
After I got it back together, we started talking strategy and I felt much better.
So please be patient with me as I process this with our family.
Like I told my kids today, "God numbered my days before I was even born." He knows the length of my life.
He is still very much in control, I am not.
I love you all! I am leaning on the the encouragement of family and friends. My life is in His hands!
In Him Who IS ABLE,
Julie
So today . . . 1st doctor appointment at Mayo.
I couldn't get to sleep last night. And around 3 am I was up again.
I asked Ben, "What is this--the 1st Day of School jitters?"
I am not really nervous about this appointment.
I'm ready to figure out what's going on inside my body.
I'm ready to get fighting this thing that wants to destroy my good cells.
It's hard to believe that 3 weeks have passed Before we had ever heard the word cancer with a big fat exclamation point at the end.
I can't hardly wrap my mind around the fact that one day I didn't have cancer, and the next day I did.
Of coarse I realize I did and I just didn't KNOW it.
So many people have walked this same road. They KNOW.
And I am just in the baby stages. Just starting the journey.
One I didn't choose mind you.
And then I have to breathe in deep, settle back, and meet Jesus on this walk.
He's allowing this to be apart of my life for a purpose I don't understand.
He loves me--I can feel it. I don't feel abandoned, I feel surrounded by Him.
I don't have to understand, but I do have to trust Him. I have to choose to trust Him--even though I would never choose what lies ahead.
Today I was reading about knowing Him. So today, I choose to walk this road with Jesus. If this is the path of KNOWING HIM MORE, then I'm walking in it.
Mind you, I'm praying for strength, I'm praying for joy, I'm praying for healing.
This is where I'm going to try and be real--good and bad.
Today, I honestly have peace. Not peace that says everything is going to be easy, but peace that says, I am wrapped up with the love of my daddy in Heaven. I feel like God has his hands so wrapped around me that I can feel his comfort.
For those of you that are praying-- thank you,
I can feel them. I'm sure the prayers of many are being brought to God, and He is giving me strength.
So while I never wanted to have to have a July 11th that included a 1st appointment at Mayo, I know I'm going with the arms of God wrapped around me, leading me, and guiding me. I feel safe in Him.
***My plan is to post updates here. I may choose to sometimes cross post on our New Beginnings Website, but this is going to be a personal place for me to journal what I want to share.
If you follow by email, you will get a notification of updates automatically. Your choice--no biggie to me. 😉
Sunday, June 25, 2017
What Happens When...
* This is a copy of our blog from New Beginnings Honduras this week.... I wanted to share in both places since this is both personal and ministry and there are some different followers.
On Monday evening what we thought was an emergency appendectomy turned into something so much bigger. When I woke up from my surgery. The first thing I saw was my nurse. The second thing I saw was a huge clock in the room. When I saw the time on the clock I knew something had not gone according to plans. I knew my surgery was only supposed to be a 30 -50 minute procedure, and that even with a 1 - 2 hour wake up window, that I was well past that time frame. It was no surprise when I saw my sweet husband in the room, that he turned to me with tears in his eyes and said that I had not had an appendectomy. The doctor had found a healthy appendix, but that he had taken biopsies from 3 different areas in my body one of which was a mass.
The very first words I spoke to my husband were these, "This does not change our calling to Honduras." And it will not. We have a mission to fulfill in Gracias. It is just having a slight delay.
So what happens your world gets turned upside down?
I'll tell you what I did. I cried, and spoke the truth of the moment--we are still called to Honduras. But in the stillness of the night in the dark hospital room, I did let fear creep in--I started wrestling with Satan mentally. I started going through the what ifs. Questioning things. I had to wake up my husband so we could sit there together and speak the truth about the situation.
Since then I have had so many friends and family call, email, and text with words of encouragement, daily devotions, and scriptures. What a testimony to friendship and family--so very grateful.
So here is what you need to know. After much prayer and discussion with our doctors here and other medical professionals in the states, we have decided to take a leave of absence from Honduras to get treatment in the states. Ben and myself plan to fly back this next weekend if our doctor gives us medical clearance to fly. We plan to seek medical care in Jacksonville, FL.
Let me tell you what amazing details God has worked out over the last 6 days.
1- I was supposed to fly back home for a weekend with my WooHoo girls for our annual beach trip, and now that ticket is being used to help fly me home for treatment. Some other donations are coming in for our tickets to fly home!
2- My bloodwork back in February when we were getting certified to be a foster family was normal, so the doctor thinks that we are catching it early.
3- Some of our board of directors were here in Gracias with us when this happened. They just jumped right in and ministered to our littles and continued to fix many issues for us. We now have a cistern and a dryer that works. Huge differences!
4- Our partners, Legacy of Hope, have a couple of options for our sweeties--Maria and Josue. Please pray that they will transition easily through this loss of our home.
5- We have been blessed with a place to stay at my cousin's house.
6- We have been blessed with a vehicle to use for as long as we need.
7- Another missionary family has agreed to house sit for us while we are gone and will also continue to run the bookstore here in Gracias.
8- A "GoFund Me" page is being created for us to help meet the medical expenses.
This morning as Ben and I were praying in bed before we got up, we prayed that this situation would bring Glory to the Lord! We prayed for lives to be changed in salvation, we prayed for our lives to be transformed by God, and we prayed that God will show us the "Joy" in this journey.
Here are some of our prayer needs:
1- Pray as we seek out medical care, and doctors in the states.
2- Pray for our doctor visit on Wednesday when we get our diagnosis. (Another huge praise--when Dr. Maria visited with us on Thursday, she volunteered to go with us to translate to make sure we understand the diagnosis.)
3- Pray for us as we seek a few venues to help figure out medical costs. We do not have insurance in the states.
4- Pray for Austin and Taylor as they stay with our girls and get things ready for change when we leave for the states. They are planning to bring them to the states in August.
5- Pray that God will provide opportunities for us to share about New Beginnings ministry while we are in the states.
Again, we love you all! Thank you for your prayers, words of encouragement and phone calls.
And to my family who is here with us in Honduras, I can't think you enough for stepping up and meeting the needs of our little ones. AND for helping me. I've been told my job is to heal--and they are doing everything to make that possible.
In HIM who IS ABLE,
Julie
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
And the Magic Number is . . .
$1000.00!!!
I promised you it would be better than $500.00!
So here's how this will work.
Beginning February 4th and going through midnight on February 8th you can come back to our blog and donate on the ChipIn Button with your Paypal Account, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and/or American Express.
If you would like to make out a check please send it to:
P.O. Box 3110Auburn, AL 36831-3110
I promised you it would be better than $500.00!
So here's how this will work.
Beginning February 4th and going through midnight on February 8th you can come back to our blog and donate on the ChipIn Button with your Paypal Account, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and/or American Express.
If you would like to make out a check please send it to:
Auburn Bank
Attn: The Carly Marie Parker Fund
BUT PLEASE email (julie@ageeweb.com) me with the amount so we can keep a count of the matching fund.
The first $1000.00 will be matched. That means that when $1000.00 is raised, than that amount becomes $2000.00.
So, please continue to get the word out and lets
FIGHT 4 Carly as she fights cancer!!!
Thanks to those of you who have helped get the word out, and don't forget to leave a comment or send a note to my email letting me know how you got the word out.
We will announce the winner of the "Get the Word Out" Contest on February 3rd at 12 noon. You can leave me a comment or email until 11 AM.
Love you guys,
Julie
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Austin's Entry into the Navy
On this past Thursday--My 18 year old son Austin made me so very proud and if I'm really honest -- a little anxious.
He has officially been sworn in to the delayed entry program of the Navy.
Yes--My son's going to be a sailor for the Navy.
I can remember the day he was placed in my arms--so very little and precious. Over the years I have watched him mature, and grow into a great young man. Now I get the honor and privilege of releasing him to serve our God and Country.
Here is the video of the ceremony.
Austin is standing on the left side, back row. (You might need a tissue or two--I'm just saying.)
He has officially been sworn in to the delayed entry program of the Navy.
Yes--My son's going to be a sailor for the Navy.
I can remember the day he was placed in my arms--so very little and precious. Over the years I have watched him mature, and grow into a great young man. Now I get the honor and privilege of releasing him to serve our God and Country.
Here is the video of the ceremony.
Austin is standing on the left side, back row. (You might need a tissue or two--I'm just saying.)
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Listen--It's Quiet At My House!
That's probably the first time I have said that in the week since we have returned from our trip to China. :)
AND if you look at the time this is being written--it should be--I'm wide awake at 2:25 AM!!
I've already laid in the bed for an hour hoping to go back to sleep--but nope--not happening.
SO I thought I would try to give an update of what life is like at the Agee Household now that we have been home for almost a week.
The first word I would say is FUNNY! We have laughed so much at some of our communication errors.
Our sign language has gotten quite good and we have used the translators some, but over all we are learning how to communicate for the basics. Believe it or not we are even learning some Chinese. (Very Little--but more than I knew 3 weeks ago.)
Here's a few funny translations gone wrong . . .
AMAZING will have to be my next word. I truly am Amazed--in a good way. We really are blessed by these two new treasures. They are both so unique and their personalities are really starting to come out.
Sara is starting to open up with some of her expressions and thoughts. AND I am so proud of the progress she is making on the alphabet and numbers. I have introduced 9 of the alphabet letters and 6 numbers. Sara has really begun to work hard at memorizing the letter sounds and numbers recognition.
Hannah is continuing to be our new little monkey and ham. She does so many funny things and her sweet nature is shining through. I got sick over the weekend and started running a fever on Monday. I used the translator to tell the girls that, "Mommy was sick" and they said "OK". That afternoon before I went to the doctor, I was laying on the couch and Hannah came by and tucked the quilt in close, brought me more water to drink, handed me a cough drop, and then felt my head and said, "Hot mommy-hot". We might just have a future nurse or doctor in the making. It was so sweet.
Hannah is working hard in school also--but she is having to learn that school is an important routine. So we are working on staying with mom--instead of wandering away to the toys and barbies. She is also grasping more words right now. Her vocabulary is increasing and she is eager to try to repeat the words.
ADJUSTING will have to be by next word. We are all there at different times. The boys are trying to get used to all of these girls running around the house, being more cautious of how they dress and being thoughtful of noise at a much earlier time at night. Ben and myself are having to change our get up and go to bed times, and we haven't even tried to carve out a future "date night", but I know we need to get that in soon so that we can really talk. Leighanne is having to make changes that includes lots of sharing, and for the most part she has gone above and beyond. I think we are starting to see "glimpses" that her new sisters are here and she is needing a little TLC Too! (Which is ok by my me--I need some LeiLei time also.) Sara and Hannah are by far making the most adjustments right now and that is being expressed in a variety of ways. Some easy to deal with and others a bit more difficult, BUT progress is being made.
That's all of the inside peak right now--but I did want to make 2 Big Shout Outs!
1) We have been so blessed by Bailin and Yan. They are so graciously translating for us and have a sweet heart for the girls. Yan had us over yesterday to meet the girls and gave us a special treat of "real Chinese food". The girls loved Ayi (aunt) Yan. She also went with us to the girls first eye doctor appointment. What a huge blessing she was--I don't think Hannah would have participated at all without Yan to explain what she needed to do--THANK YOU--THANK YOU so much!
2) Thanks to our church family--Victory Baptist Church who welcomed us home on Sunday with sweet gestures. A welcome note on the outside sign and a huge banner in church in both English and Chinese. Thanks for that sweet welcome--we felt the love. (Sara told Yan that she wanted to go to church on Wednesday night--YAY!)
I just looked at the clock and realized I have been at this for over an hour--so I will end this now and try to go get some sleep before 6 AM rolls around.
I promise to take some pictures over the next few days and post some of our real life moments.
Good Night--Or Good Morning--You Choose! :)
Julie
AND if you look at the time this is being written--it should be--I'm wide awake at 2:25 AM!!
I've already laid in the bed for an hour hoping to go back to sleep--but nope--not happening.
SO I thought I would try to give an update of what life is like at the Agee Household now that we have been home for almost a week.
The first word I would say is FUNNY! We have laughed so much at some of our communication errors.
Our sign language has gotten quite good and we have used the translators some, but over all we are learning how to communicate for the basics. Believe it or not we are even learning some Chinese. (Very Little--but more than I knew 3 weeks ago.)
Here's a few funny translations gone wrong . . .
- Ben tried to give what he thought the universal sign for cutting something out -- You know running your hand across your throat like a knife--after the girls stared at him for a few seconds--and then started belly laughing at their silly daddy, we decided that this must not be universal for "cut that out." Especially since Hannah and Sara kept running around the house, making the gesture, and acting like their head was falling to the floor and then really laughing.
- Using online translators--are somewhat iffy. We tried to communicate to Sara with one of the online translators, what we said was actually translated as something about "a big black lobster" (Not our real words obviously).
- Laci our dog has been given several commands in Chinese by Hannah--sometimes she acts like she is doing what Hannah says. (I actually said "Thank You" to Laci in Chinese last night and Sara heard me and when we both realized it we giggled.)
AMAZING will have to be my next word. I truly am Amazed--in a good way. We really are blessed by these two new treasures. They are both so unique and their personalities are really starting to come out.
Sara is starting to open up with some of her expressions and thoughts. AND I am so proud of the progress she is making on the alphabet and numbers. I have introduced 9 of the alphabet letters and 6 numbers. Sara has really begun to work hard at memorizing the letter sounds and numbers recognition.
Hannah is continuing to be our new little monkey and ham. She does so many funny things and her sweet nature is shining through. I got sick over the weekend and started running a fever on Monday. I used the translator to tell the girls that, "Mommy was sick" and they said "OK". That afternoon before I went to the doctor, I was laying on the couch and Hannah came by and tucked the quilt in close, brought me more water to drink, handed me a cough drop, and then felt my head and said, "Hot mommy-hot". We might just have a future nurse or doctor in the making. It was so sweet.
Hannah is working hard in school also--but she is having to learn that school is an important routine. So we are working on staying with mom--instead of wandering away to the toys and barbies. She is also grasping more words right now. Her vocabulary is increasing and she is eager to try to repeat the words.
ADJUSTING will have to be by next word. We are all there at different times. The boys are trying to get used to all of these girls running around the house, being more cautious of how they dress and being thoughtful of noise at a much earlier time at night. Ben and myself are having to change our get up and go to bed times, and we haven't even tried to carve out a future "date night", but I know we need to get that in soon so that we can really talk. Leighanne is having to make changes that includes lots of sharing, and for the most part she has gone above and beyond. I think we are starting to see "glimpses" that her new sisters are here and she is needing a little TLC Too! (Which is ok by my me--I need some LeiLei time also.) Sara and Hannah are by far making the most adjustments right now and that is being expressed in a variety of ways. Some easy to deal with and others a bit more difficult, BUT progress is being made.
That's all of the inside peak right now--but I did want to make 2 Big Shout Outs!
1) We have been so blessed by Bailin and Yan. They are so graciously translating for us and have a sweet heart for the girls. Yan had us over yesterday to meet the girls and gave us a special treat of "real Chinese food". The girls loved Ayi (aunt) Yan. She also went with us to the girls first eye doctor appointment. What a huge blessing she was--I don't think Hannah would have participated at all without Yan to explain what she needed to do--THANK YOU--THANK YOU so much!
2) Thanks to our church family--Victory Baptist Church who welcomed us home on Sunday with sweet gestures. A welcome note on the outside sign and a huge banner in church in both English and Chinese. Thanks for that sweet welcome--we felt the love. (Sara told Yan that she wanted to go to church on Wednesday night--YAY!)
I just looked at the clock and realized I have been at this for over an hour--so I will end this now and try to go get some sleep before 6 AM rolls around.
I promise to take some pictures over the next few days and post some of our real life moments.
Good Night--Or Good Morning--You Choose! :)
Julie
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Austin Turned 18!
Well it has happened--we now have an official adult.
Ben and I are sure we are much too young to be the parents of an adult--But somehow we are.
I've spent a little time pulling some pictures of the past 18 years. My how my first little boy has become a young man.
Take a look . . .
Ben and I are sure we are much too young to be the parents of an adult--But somehow we are.
I've spent a little time pulling some pictures of the past 18 years. My how my first little boy has become a young man.
Take a look . . .
Tonight we took him to his choice for supper--CiCi's Pizza! Buffet of course--they ate over 60 pieces between the 5 boys. It's no surprise that we have PLENTY of cake left over.
And Finally--our newest adult--made his 1st adult decision and got a tattoo.
Yep--it's real no sharpie marker today from his sister Leighanne.
He branded himself with the Agee Family Coat of Arms.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Finally--A moment to Catch our Breath!
Okay--So I know we have been kind of leaving pretty quick messages, but we have very busy. When we haven't been transitioning, we've been at appointments.
BUT today we were able to have a pretty easy day.
We began our day at church on Shamian Island. Yes--Finally a chance to worship!!
The service we attended was half Mandarin and half English.
We sang two songs that everyone sang together. We sang Amazing Grace and I Could Sing of Your Love Forever. The most moving part to me was that it was a glimpse of Heaven--all of these different people worshiping the One True God. All of these voices blending together--simply beautiful.
The other thing that brought me to tears was that the church was completely packed. If anyone got out of their seat, someone else filled the seat. There was literally "no more room". It was certainly a priority for these people to attend. I wish you could have seen the joy on most of their faces. Happy to be at church, sitting on hard benches, and CROWDED! I'm sure God was pleased with the praises He received.
I'd like to say that we got to enjoy the preaching, but this was the girls first time in church, and it was quite eventful.
(Note to our VBC Family: Watch out--we will be doing some training over the next few months) LOL!
While we were on the island, we also gave each child a budget envelope and took them shopping. No better time to start teaching our newest girls about the value of money. We had our guide Kelly, explain that we were giving them a gift, but that they had to buy things with money out of their envelope and when it was gone it was gone. They could not ask for anymore. It actually worked out pretty good.
This afternoon was a trial, Hannah is grieving hard for her foster parents and her previous life. She had a pretty good meltdown this afternoon. She gets mad with us, because we took her from her previous life. It is such a hard place to be. She's crying and will not let us comfort her, and at the same time she is crying big tears. We have had to work hard to make it through these kind of afternoons, they drain you physically and emotionally.
SongYan on the other hand (at this moment) has been pretty easy going. Only a few times have we seen grieving. The hardest part right now with her is the language barrier. (Of course we are not naive to think the meltdowns are not coming--we know that she too will grieve more.)
Let me just take a moment to brag on Leighanne and Zach. They are really cool kids and I have loved hanging out with them for the past couple of weeks. They have kept the focus on helping the girls make adjustments, and they have been very giving of their time and love. I'm so proud of them!!
NOW let me tell you what we were able to do on last Thursday. We heard about this family who moved to China in 2005 and opened a home for truly special needs children. The other couple that we met during our week in Fuzhou had also heard of this family and also wanted to go see their home. On Thursday, we were able to go visit them.
This family had renovated a rundown Kindergarten School and turned it into a wonderful home. They have 24 full time staff that help to run this home. They currently have 43 children in residence. Oh my goodness!!! I can't tell you how wonderfully these children are being loved and cared for.
We were able to love on some of the children. I got to hold sweet little Monique who was born prematurely, but has made up for lost time in her little 4 months of life. Monique arrived at this home with 12 other children who did not have a great chance of survival. They are being cared for in an inclusive environment with other children and you could feel the love of Jesus throughout the home.
One of my favorite rooms was a room that had several blind children, and children with downs syndrome.
We got on the floor and played and loved on these little ones. Sweet little "Amy" attached herself to Zach. He held her and played music with her for a long time. The "mom" said that Zach should feel special because she doesn't readily attach to many people. We also saw Hannah in her "big sissy mode" she found a little girl that was blind in both eyes and played with her. Before we left, we found her at the table feeding this little girl her supper. (Oh so sweet to see Hannah loving on this child) Leighanne and SongYan played with some of the other children also.
I was able to play with James and Issac who are pretty much blind in both eyes. They loved to be tickled and hugged. Such precious little gifts. These children have literally been put into a life-saving environment. They are getting the stimulation, physical attention and love of Christian people. AMAZING! God is at WORK!
This home has volunteers that are coming from all over the world. Some are doing 1 year stays to help with the kids.
This home can certainly use your prayers, and gifts of love. You can look them up on the web at http://www.loavesandfishesintl.com/
Some of their immediate needs are: 3 or 4 full time staff, plastic backed baby bibs, small socks and/or children's clothes and money for needs. This family constantly has medical needs/surgeries for the kids at this home. They also need volunteers--it would be an awesome opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
This was one of our highlights of the trip!
Okay--back to today. Here are a few pictures of our day.
Have a great Sunday--Worship God with all You've Got and Go with a Grateful Heart! Be thankful for your church family! We certainly are!
Oh Yes--Just remembered. Please pray for the reading of the girl's TB test results. We go for those tomorrow. THANKS!
BUT today we were able to have a pretty easy day.
We began our day at church on Shamian Island. Yes--Finally a chance to worship!!
The service we attended was half Mandarin and half English.
We sang two songs that everyone sang together. We sang Amazing Grace and I Could Sing of Your Love Forever. The most moving part to me was that it was a glimpse of Heaven--all of these different people worshiping the One True God. All of these voices blending together--simply beautiful.
The other thing that brought me to tears was that the church was completely packed. If anyone got out of their seat, someone else filled the seat. There was literally "no more room". It was certainly a priority for these people to attend. I wish you could have seen the joy on most of their faces. Happy to be at church, sitting on hard benches, and CROWDED! I'm sure God was pleased with the praises He received.
I'd like to say that we got to enjoy the preaching, but this was the girls first time in church, and it was quite eventful.
(Note to our VBC Family: Watch out--we will be doing some training over the next few months) LOL!
While we were on the island, we also gave each child a budget envelope and took them shopping. No better time to start teaching our newest girls about the value of money. We had our guide Kelly, explain that we were giving them a gift, but that they had to buy things with money out of their envelope and when it was gone it was gone. They could not ask for anymore. It actually worked out pretty good.
This afternoon was a trial, Hannah is grieving hard for her foster parents and her previous life. She had a pretty good meltdown this afternoon. She gets mad with us, because we took her from her previous life. It is such a hard place to be. She's crying and will not let us comfort her, and at the same time she is crying big tears. We have had to work hard to make it through these kind of afternoons, they drain you physically and emotionally.
SongYan on the other hand (at this moment) has been pretty easy going. Only a few times have we seen grieving. The hardest part right now with her is the language barrier. (Of course we are not naive to think the meltdowns are not coming--we know that she too will grieve more.)
Let me just take a moment to brag on Leighanne and Zach. They are really cool kids and I have loved hanging out with them for the past couple of weeks. They have kept the focus on helping the girls make adjustments, and they have been very giving of their time and love. I'm so proud of them!!
NOW let me tell you what we were able to do on last Thursday. We heard about this family who moved to China in 2005 and opened a home for truly special needs children. The other couple that we met during our week in Fuzhou had also heard of this family and also wanted to go see their home. On Thursday, we were able to go visit them.
This family had renovated a rundown Kindergarten School and turned it into a wonderful home. They have 24 full time staff that help to run this home. They currently have 43 children in residence. Oh my goodness!!! I can't tell you how wonderfully these children are being loved and cared for.
We were able to love on some of the children. I got to hold sweet little Monique who was born prematurely, but has made up for lost time in her little 4 months of life. Monique arrived at this home with 12 other children who did not have a great chance of survival. They are being cared for in an inclusive environment with other children and you could feel the love of Jesus throughout the home.
One of my favorite rooms was a room that had several blind children, and children with downs syndrome.
We got on the floor and played and loved on these little ones. Sweet little "Amy" attached herself to Zach. He held her and played music with her for a long time. The "mom" said that Zach should feel special because she doesn't readily attach to many people. We also saw Hannah in her "big sissy mode" she found a little girl that was blind in both eyes and played with her. Before we left, we found her at the table feeding this little girl her supper. (Oh so sweet to see Hannah loving on this child) Leighanne and SongYan played with some of the other children also.
I was able to play with James and Issac who are pretty much blind in both eyes. They loved to be tickled and hugged. Such precious little gifts. These children have literally been put into a life-saving environment. They are getting the stimulation, physical attention and love of Christian people. AMAZING! God is at WORK!
This home has volunteers that are coming from all over the world. Some are doing 1 year stays to help with the kids.
This home can certainly use your prayers, and gifts of love. You can look them up on the web at http://www.loavesandfishesintl.com/
Some of their immediate needs are: 3 or 4 full time staff, plastic backed baby bibs, small socks and/or children's clothes and money for needs. This family constantly has medical needs/surgeries for the kids at this home. They also need volunteers--it would be an awesome opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
This was one of our highlights of the trip!
Okay--back to today. Here are a few pictures of our day.
 |
| Christ Church on Shamian Church |
 |
| Some kids just joined right in the play |
Have a great Sunday--Worship God with all You've Got and Go with a Grateful Heart! Be thankful for your church family! We certainly are!
Oh Yes--Just remembered. Please pray for the reading of the girl's TB test results. We go for those tomorrow. THANKS!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Rushing out the door!
Ok--a quick post to let you know we arrived in Guangzhou. Our flight was delayed and we are wiped out. Functioning on little sleep.
Everyone is a little grumpy. Yuck!
We are about to walk out the door for the medical appointment--if you are up--please pray for mercy on shots for Songyan.
Pray for us to have lots of grace today.
Hugs,
Julie
Everyone is a little grumpy. Yuck!
We are about to walk out the door for the medical appointment--if you are up--please pray for mercy on shots for Songyan.
Pray for us to have lots of grace today.
Hugs,
Julie
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Day 13: Life is Not a Fairytale
You know when you were a little child and every story ends in happily ever after?
Well that is not reality. Reality is what happens AFTER the happy event.
I don't want to come off upset, or unhappy--I'm NOT any of those things.
I am new mom who is living in this new reality that has a lot of happy, some frustration, and some aggravation.
That is reality.
Adopting older children is not for the faint of heart. We certainly did not believe this would be easy--we KNOW better.
Life is about what we expected. Ups and downs. Give and take. Picking and choosing.
Imagine this: You are at Disney World on Day 13 and you can't communicate effectively with 2 out of the 6 people on your trip. You are getting tired of all the rides, and if you have to eat anymore fast food you think you will die. Can you imagine that? That's kind of where I am.
We ARE in a fantasy world right now. We are in 5 star hotels and I'm sure our new children think that their parents are going to continue this fun and adventure for the rest of their life.
SO while the adventure has been fun, I'm ready for a dose of real living. In our middle class neighborhood, with all my kiddos under the same roof, home cooked meals and my very own pillow in my bed.
Okay--that was my REAL MOMENT.
Now I will tell all the things I am grateful for:
1--I am grateful for my husband--he has been such a rock these past two weeks. He helps keep me grounded.
2--I am grateful for adjoining rooms this week, so much better this week with everyone together.
3--I am grateful to all of the folks helping with our big guys at home--thank you SO MUCH!
4--I am grateful for sleep. Believe it or not I am getting more sleep on this trip than I ever do at our home in the U.S.
5-- I am grateful for drinkable water. Believe it or not that is the one thing I always miss on a trip out of the country.
6--I am grateful for computer service and skype. We got to talk to our guys this morning.
7--I am grateful for a washing machine and dryer. We have been handwashing our clothes and drying them in our room everyday. (I've decided I would be grateful for a turn of the century wringer if I had to do this all of the time.) LOL!
8--I am grateful for our guide who is working hard on getting a paperwork mistake fixed. She's doing a great job.
9--I am grateful for adoptive families who are making forever homes for children all over the world.
10--Most of all, I am grateful to God for making this adoption possible and who gives us the strength to keep going when we get tired.
P.S. from Ben
11 -- I am thankful for a wonderful Godly wife who puts the cares and concerns of others before herself.
12 -- I am grateful for tonight's bedtime routine -- it was a slight struggle but I think the most peaceful we have had in over a week.
13 -- I am thankful for a wonderful couple we have met that are adopting from Fuzhou too. We have so many things in common even though they are from a state in the U.S. about as far away from us as they can be (Washington State).
14 -- I am thankful to have had SongYan with me and Zach yesterday when we took a Taxi to KFC for am American Grease run -- we wouldn't have gotten a Taxi back without her. Our friends that we met here ended up having to walk home from KFC after they couldn't get a Taxi back the same evening.
15 -- I am very thankful for God granting me a glimpse of the country and people through His eyes. There have already been some things that He has shown us on this trip that we never expected to see and know He has other things for us to see here. This is a country with wonderful people, culture, and history and millions of people that God loves so much.
16 -- I am grateful for our church (VBC) and all of the other churches and individuals that are praying for us as we continue on this journey.
In the midst of your difficulty never forget to take a moment and be thankful for the great things God has provided you and never take them lightly.
End P.S. from Ben
Here are a few pics of our day at Panda World.
Have a great Day!! What are you grateful for?
Well that is not reality. Reality is what happens AFTER the happy event.
I don't want to come off upset, or unhappy--I'm NOT any of those things.
I am new mom who is living in this new reality that has a lot of happy, some frustration, and some aggravation.
That is reality.
Adopting older children is not for the faint of heart. We certainly did not believe this would be easy--we KNOW better.
Life is about what we expected. Ups and downs. Give and take. Picking and choosing.
Imagine this: You are at Disney World on Day 13 and you can't communicate effectively with 2 out of the 6 people on your trip. You are getting tired of all the rides, and if you have to eat anymore fast food you think you will die. Can you imagine that? That's kind of where I am.
We ARE in a fantasy world right now. We are in 5 star hotels and I'm sure our new children think that their parents are going to continue this fun and adventure for the rest of their life.
SO while the adventure has been fun, I'm ready for a dose of real living. In our middle class neighborhood, with all my kiddos under the same roof, home cooked meals and my very own pillow in my bed.
Okay--that was my REAL MOMENT.
Now I will tell all the things I am grateful for:
1--I am grateful for my husband--he has been such a rock these past two weeks. He helps keep me grounded.
2--I am grateful for adjoining rooms this week, so much better this week with everyone together.
3--I am grateful to all of the folks helping with our big guys at home--thank you SO MUCH!
4--I am grateful for sleep. Believe it or not I am getting more sleep on this trip than I ever do at our home in the U.S.
5-- I am grateful for drinkable water. Believe it or not that is the one thing I always miss on a trip out of the country.
6--I am grateful for computer service and skype. We got to talk to our guys this morning.
7--I am grateful for a washing machine and dryer. We have been handwashing our clothes and drying them in our room everyday. (I've decided I would be grateful for a turn of the century wringer if I had to do this all of the time.) LOL!
8--I am grateful for our guide who is working hard on getting a paperwork mistake fixed. She's doing a great job.
9--I am grateful for adoptive families who are making forever homes for children all over the world.
10--Most of all, I am grateful to God for making this adoption possible and who gives us the strength to keep going when we get tired.
P.S. from Ben
11 -- I am thankful for a wonderful Godly wife who puts the cares and concerns of others before herself.
12 -- I am grateful for tonight's bedtime routine -- it was a slight struggle but I think the most peaceful we have had in over a week.
13 -- I am thankful for a wonderful couple we have met that are adopting from Fuzhou too. We have so many things in common even though they are from a state in the U.S. about as far away from us as they can be (Washington State).
14 -- I am thankful to have had SongYan with me and Zach yesterday when we took a Taxi to KFC for am American Grease run -- we wouldn't have gotten a Taxi back without her. Our friends that we met here ended up having to walk home from KFC after they couldn't get a Taxi back the same evening.
15 -- I am very thankful for God granting me a glimpse of the country and people through His eyes. There have already been some things that He has shown us on this trip that we never expected to see and know He has other things for us to see here. This is a country with wonderful people, culture, and history and millions of people that God loves so much.
16 -- I am grateful for our church (VBC) and all of the other churches and individuals that are praying for us as we continue on this journey.
In the midst of your difficulty never forget to take a moment and be thankful for the great things God has provided you and never take them lightly.
End P.S. from Ben
Here are a few pics of our day at Panda World.
Have a great Day!! What are you grateful for?
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Day 12: Tours in Fuzhou
Make sure you make it to the end of this blog. I'm including 3 funny stories from the past 24 hours.
But First . . .
We began the day going to the West Lake Park. Here are a few pics from this part of our tour:
Next, we went to an ancient city street that has been modernized. It was a beautiful mix of old and new. However, it made us feel like we were walking in the China section of the Epcot Center at Disney World. LOL! The girls all got traditional decorative hair sticks to hold your hair in place. Our guide Penny took the time to "fix" each girl's hair. Aren't they pretty princesses?
Finally, we took a tour of an ancient home, and then went to another tea ceremony. The girls loved this event.
That's all for the tour.
There is a small glitch in our paperwork for SongYan though. We our supposed to get details in the morning. It's supposed to be "fixed" by Thursday, but we would appreciate prayers that all will be ready and that no delays will take place. Our Consulate Appointment is scheduled for November 1st, so there is not much room for an "oops" at this point.
Now for our Funnies in the last 24 Hours.
# 3: Hannah had to go to the bathroom at the notary's office. I didn't see which door the guide pointed to, and they were not clearly marked. Hannah and I marched into one only to greet a man using the restroom. I said, "Oops! Sorry" and quickly backed out.
# 2: It's all in the translation! Our guide was talking to SongYan on the phone about a phone number. When Ben got back on the line our guide says to Ben, "She has forgotten the numbers in her memories." We got the point! :)
# 1: Supper last night. Ben's has done a great job ordering for us by looking at pictures. And last night was no exception, especially the delicacy he decided to delight us with. He thought he ordered fried chicken pieces, but instead they brought us these special squid --including tentacles still dangling to the table. We all got a good laugh. Hannah and SongYan tried it, but wouldn't eat all of it. Ben and I took a small bite, but that was enough we couldn't get anymore down. ( In defense of Ben--the picture did look like chicken, apparently the tentacles were hidden in the picture.)
Hope you have a great day!
But First . . .
We began the day going to the West Lake Park. Here are a few pics from this part of our tour:
 |
| Our hotel for the week |
Next, we went to an ancient city street that has been modernized. It was a beautiful mix of old and new. However, it made us feel like we were walking in the China section of the Epcot Center at Disney World. LOL! The girls all got traditional decorative hair sticks to hold your hair in place. Our guide Penny took the time to "fix" each girl's hair. Aren't they pretty princesses?
Finally, we took a tour of an ancient home, and then went to another tea ceremony. The girls loved this event.
That's all for the tour.
There is a small glitch in our paperwork for SongYan though. We our supposed to get details in the morning. It's supposed to be "fixed" by Thursday, but we would appreciate prayers that all will be ready and that no delays will take place. Our Consulate Appointment is scheduled for November 1st, so there is not much room for an "oops" at this point.
Now for our Funnies in the last 24 Hours.
# 3: Hannah had to go to the bathroom at the notary's office. I didn't see which door the guide pointed to, and they were not clearly marked. Hannah and I marched into one only to greet a man using the restroom. I said, "Oops! Sorry" and quickly backed out.
# 2: It's all in the translation! Our guide was talking to SongYan on the phone about a phone number. When Ben got back on the line our guide says to Ben, "She has forgotten the numbers in her memories." We got the point! :)
# 1: Supper last night. Ben's has done a great job ordering for us by looking at pictures. And last night was no exception, especially the delicacy he decided to delight us with. He thought he ordered fried chicken pieces, but instead they brought us these special squid --including tentacles still dangling to the table. We all got a good laugh. Hannah and SongYan tried it, but wouldn't eat all of it. Ben and I took a small bite, but that was enough we couldn't get anymore down. ( In defense of Ben--the picture did look like chicken, apparently the tentacles were hidden in the picture.)
Hope you have a great day!
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