Moms Stint Replacement & an Unexpected Hospital Stay

 This past Tuesday evening Mom and I headed to Birmingham to stay the night because we had to be at the hospital Wednesday morning at 5:30 for her 5th stint replacement.  Dad & Yana kept the kids for me so I could go with her.

In the waiting room.

Before they took her back.

 On the way up Tuesday we ate at Chipotle.....

 .... and had a GiGi's cupcake for dessert :)! It was SO good.  We got the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

 We decided it would be a nice treat to stop by GiGi's on the way home to get her co-workers a cupcake and I got the kids' teachers one as well. 

Aren't they beautiful?

 We got home Wednesday a little before 3 and before I could even get the kids, I had to get one of my tires fixed. 

 I got the kids and we weren't home long before time to go to church.  On our way home from church I called to talk to Mom & Tyler to see how she was doing.  At that moment she was hurting, but we all just thought it was her usual pain.  

Thursday morning she said she wasn't feeling well and was going to go in to work later.  Unfortunately, she has had to go in to work late before because of not feeling well, so I didn't think a whole lot about it and I kept my plan to go to Dothan to visit a friend that had a baby.  On my ride home I had tried to get up with Mom and was unsuccessful.  She finally called me and the pain in her voice was one I had heard before.  

She was crying, out of breath, I could tell she was in a lot of pain.  She was being her normal stubborn self and not wanting to go to the doctor because she thought it would get better.  It was the pain that she had felt before when she had her first bowel obstruction back in November.  The only way to tell a bowel obstruction is to do a CT scan.  

I was an emotional stressed mess because I was out of town and this was going on with her.  Thankfully I knew my Aunt Becky was off work so I called her to see if she could go get Mom and take her to the Dothan ER.  Before she could get there Mom had called me back and was throwing up.  

I LOST IT! 

I think just the reality of how bad her cancer is and all that we witness it doing to her body and me just being alone all sank in at once.  Kyle's not home, Mom is very sick, and the kids are in school.  I was back and forth on the phone with doctors, nurses, Aunt Becky, etc.  The weight just got really heavy and I could no longer control my emotions.

I am beyond thankful that our family is so very close.  Mom has amazing family and friends that all jump right in to help anyway they can.  Aunt Becky got her to Dothan and they did find that she had a Bowel Obstruction.  A bowel obstruction is unfortunately common with ovarian cancer.

After lots of medicine, she was feeling better by that night and we were able to facetime with her:

 Tyler went up after work Thursday and spent the night so Aunt Becky could come home.  He sent me this snap Friday morning:

 My Aunt Becky went back to the hospital Friday morning so that Tyler could leave and go to work.

She later sent this.....

 Friday at school was Heidi's 4th grade Pioneer Day that I had already volunteered to help at.  Heidi really wanted me to still help and Mom did as well, so I did.  I felt like an emotional ticking time bomb where at any second someone could have poked me and I would have lost it.  I managed to hold it together all day even through the numerous phone calls.  I had to step aside 4-5 time to take calls from Dr Huh (her oncology dr in Birmingham), nurses, my Aunt in Dothan, etc.  Pioneer Day went great and I am thankful I didn't miss it.

After school the kids and I headed to see Babee :).  She loves those babies and they are what really makes her want to keep pushing.

She finds a smile through her pain.  Heidi put this snap on Moms "My Story".

 The kids and I left Friday evening and my Aunt Donna stayed the night with her.  Yesterday morning Kyle's Mom got the kids and I headed back.  She kept them all day and night and I'll get them today :)!  They have been having so much fun.  

Mom had a few visitors yesterday.  One of them being my favorite little Messer boy :)....

 After lunch we chilled in her room and watched the Alabama game.

 She started feeling better as the day went on.  They started her out yesterday morning by clamping her nose tube (that connected to her stomach) and giving her liquids to see if she could tolerate it.  Thankfully she did well with her breakfast, lunch, and dinner trays.  Last night while Tyler was here visiting they took the tube out.  It had gotten a lot of yucky mess out of her stomach and she was very relieved to have it out.  {I can't imagine how having that tube put in and taken out must feel..... }.

Last night she decided she wanted to get out and walk a bit so we went down stairs and sat a little while.

And so far today she is doing amazing.  The doctor came by this morning and said that he thought she should be good to go home.  She needs to stay on a liquid diet for a few days, then work to a soft food diet, before eating "solid" foods.  So now we are waiting for the doctor that admitted her to come by to see her and discharge us.  

PRAISE THE LORD!

It is just really tough to see someone you love go through this day in and day out and watch the sacrifices that "cancer patients" have to make just to survive.  

Kman Sick & It's Labor Day Weekend

 Thursday night after soccer practice we went to eat Mexican and while we were there Karter put his little head in my lap and went to sleep.  I felt him and could tell he had a fever. 

I was so worried that he had strep because I knew it had been going around.  So....... he missed school on Friday and off to the doctor we went.

He hadn't ran a fever since Thursday night, but while sitting in the room waiting for the doctor it spiked back up.

 His strep test was negative.  That was a sigh of relief, but when they pricked his finger they said he had a viral infection and tonsillitis.  Unfortunately it had to run its course. Thankfully he was better by Saturday.

Sophie spent the afternoon at Papa and Nana's and had a soaking good time :-)!

Sunday after church we spent the afternoon at Moms.  I was outside with Momma and Tyler sent me this snap :-)!! Baby girl always got food on her mind and usually in her mouth.

 Yesterday we went to the lake for the day.  Despite all the boat trouble we had, we still managed to get several good rides in......

 Sophie FINALLY got on the tube for the first time.  We have been BEGGING her all summer.  Much to HER surprise she LOVEDDDDDD it!!!  

She was a pro right from the start.  No hands, standing, etc.

Now off to a new week.

Total Mom Fail Day!

So yesterday was one of those days where I felt like I had a sign around my neck that said #MomFail! 

I got picture days mixed up.  I thought they were yesterday....... but they were today.

Getting Karter to wear a "handsome" shirt is VERY hard.   I told him he had to wear a "handsome shirt" just for picture day and then he could wear a "t-shirt".  

And.......Well....... Heidi put this on mystory on snap chat.....

.... and about mid morning my aunt snapped me (which is how I found out Heidi put that picture on there) and said she thought it was "tomorrow".  So I go check the school calendar and sure enough.... it is tomorrow..... (which is now today haha).  I started panicking and immediately thinking I needed to wear a helmet and some shields for when I picked them up from school.  I knew they would be spitting nails at me as soon as they opened the door.

Sure enough! Boy was I right.  I put my phone in the dash and recorded them.  They were fussing before they even stepped foot in the truck (my car was in the shop.... ).  Unfortunately blogger says the videos are too big for me to share.

 {Oh..... but they are great videos.} 

They said people stared at them all day, wanted to know why they were dressed up, yada yada.  Heidi picked out and wore a special dress..... it was a total Nightmare to them.  I was dying laughing.  

I knew it was going to be hard to convince Karter to dress up AGAIN.  SOOOO I did what every other Mom would do..... right....... I bribed them with an icee :)!  With that offer they quickly agreed to dressing up today to take another picture.

Funny thing is she put this picture on my phone before we left for school.  Not sure why, but it went perfectly with her mood after school.

And yesterday afternoon I had a chicken that kept getting out and then Sophie broke the water hose that goes to the rabbit/chicken pen.

We decided to end our night with face masks :).... always helps our mood.

And at last.... picture day #2.... for real.

The Man that Kissed Heaven & Went to Hell

Brother Rick Coram has been leading our revival again this year.  I absolutely love to hear him preach and look forward to him each year.  I know revival is tiring because of the kids being in school and us getting out late every night, but it is only for a few days.  And I'm not really sure why anyone would want to chose to miss it..... my heart and soul needs reviving.  Leading up to it I can honestly say I was dreading the late nights and it being school nights and all 3 kids being in school, but I know that was the Devil putting the doubts in my head.  I am beyond thankful that I didn't let that stop us from getting full of the Holy Ghost.

Last nights message was powerful. 

Before he began he wanted us to understand that he fought God for a while about doing this sermon.  He didn't want people to think it was a doubting salvation sermon, but rather a reassuring sermon. 

The title of his message was, The Man that Kissed Heaven and Went to Hell.  He is referring to Judas.  One of the 12 disciples. 

Matthew 26:24 confirms that Judas is in Hell.  The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 
              * In other words Judas would have been better off if he had not been born because he now resides in Hell. 

~ I want to be sure my name is in The Book.  Not the Bible, but Jesus' book.  The Everlasting Book. 

Matthew 26:49 Judas went to Jesus & kissed him.  But yet he is in Hell.  He was faithful to Jesus.

IT IS POSSIBLE TO SPEND A LIFETIME IN CHURCH & AN ETERNITY IN HELL!!!!

3 Things about Judas we need to know:
(1) Judas was a committed follower.
     - A lot of people put a mask on every Sunday.  They go with the motion.
     - 2 reasons we know he was committed:
          (1) He was a part of an important association.  
                * He was 1 of the 12.
                *Matthew 26:47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve came, and with him    a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
                 * In other words you can be a deacon, preacher, choir member, trustee, etc. AND STILL MISS HEAVEN!
          (2) He had an impressive reputation.
                 * Matthew 10:4
                 * John 13:29 talks about Judas holding a bag.  By him holding the bag meant that he was treasurer.  He was trusted.
                 * Nobody thought he was lost.  If he had of gotten saved, it would have shocked the disciples.  They all thought he was saved.
                           ~ Every time a faithful church member gets saved it shocks folks.
                           ~ If Judas was in church today, he would be more committed than a lot of Christians.  He wouldn't miss church because it is late, or because he has heard Bro. Rick preach numerous times (I hear Brother Garry preach every Sunday morning, night, and Wednesday night but yet never get tired of hearing him), or because he would rather do "his wants" over hearing the word.

  (2) He was a close friend to Jesus.
     - We all have friends that hurt us, but no friend ever hurt another the way that Judas hurt Jesus.
    (1) He walked with Jesus.
               ~ He heard every sermon Jesus ever preached and still missed Heaven.
    (2) He saw the greatest miracles that ever existed.
               ~ He didn't just hear about them, he actually witnessed them and still missed Heaven.
    (3) Judas worked for Jesus.
               ~ Matthew 10:1,5,8 Jesus said 12..... not 11..... Judas was one of the 12.
               ~ A lost man can preach and people get saved.  The lost man isn't saving the people.  The Holy Spirit is speaking through the lost man and saving them.  It is possible.
              ~ We're saved by what He did on Calvary.  Not by our works. 

THERE ARE FAITHFUL PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN SAVED!!!

              ~ You know you're saved because there's a difference in Devil confusion and Holy Spirit conviction.
              ~ What a complete tragedy to be a close friend to Jesus but not spend eternity with Him. 

      (3) Judas was a complete fake.
            - Matthew 7:21-23
            - Matthew 27:1-10 
                     * He was so upset about his choices that he committed suicide (vs 5).  He hung himself.
                     *Suicide didn't send him to Hell.  Him not trusting Jesus sent him to Hell.
                     * A man that was that close to Jesus still chose to reject him and not spend eternity with him.

DON'T PLAY THE GAME.  GET REAL!!

DON'T KISS HEAVEN & GO TO HELL!!!

 Y'all!!! I wish everyone reading this could have been in the service last night.  It was indescribable how wonderful it was.  During invitation 20.... TWENTY..... people got saved.  One of them was a very dear friend to me that has taught Sunday School and has been a huge mentor to me for a long, long time.  Just shows you that it is NEVER too late.  Don't let your reputation and position in the church stop you from going to Heaven.  Sometimes you may think you are saved, but did you REALLY accept Him? Did your life change?  Can you take someone to the exact spot where your heart was changed forever?  Sometimes the motions of church get us so wrapped up that we miss Heaven.  We kiss Jesus every week, but yet still miss Heaven. 

Are you a true believer or a Judas?