On December 4th, Patty Miller was Susan’s driver for her “spa” treatment, most people call it radiation, but Susan has decided to be positive and look at it as relaxation time. After here treatment they did what they both love to do, walk on the beach at Del Mar. The tide was so low that they were able to walk all the way to Black’s Beach. They both assure me they kept all their clothes on. If you have ever been on a walk with Susan she ALWAYS finds heart shaped rocks, leaves, clouds you name it. They found the rock below, when they turned it over this is what was written on it. If you remember during our first visit to the radiologist on the check in paperwork one of the questions was “What is the primary objective for your visit today?” Susan's answer to Stephanie (who was filling out the forms) was, and I quote “To get rid of this Frikin tumor”, like why else would you be visiting a radiologist. Just one more example of God’s humor, letting us know “He’s got this”.

The past few days have been a struggle, you know that feeling of trying to keep your head above water. This week I find myself having to redirect my thoughts several times a day and to really rely on my faith in God. Have you had tough times when you were struggling to feel God's presence, I find myself getting lost in the fact that I'm losing my hair, I didn't want to believe that was going to happen, and my right arm doesn’t always do what I want. It seems I'm still trying too hard to keep control; I have to constantly work on this as a reoccurring theme. Oh now I feel like I'm doing a lot of boo-hoo. But I want to be real and today this is real, God has a plan for me and I do believe “He’s got this”.

Last night, Stephanie and Joey put up fun reminders for me to use my right hand. The night before last I picked up Andy’s hand instead of mine, did I say he was sleeping. Sometimes you just have to laugh.

I want to thank Cathy Roby for her post in the Guest Book “Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow." Again God is using all of us through this process to remind us he is in charge and has a plan and that physical appearance is fleeting while his love is eternal.

Welcome back Captain Diane and Kyle from Oklahoma, I hope the family visit was wonderful. Thank you to Kyle’s parent's Church prayer group for their constant support and vigil.

Sorry for the boo hoo last post. We met with Dr Chen and he informed us this set back is normal it is what they call “radiation fatigue”, I’m doing much better this week. Only 7 more chemo pills and radiation ends December 26th, Halleluiah. “Bye Bye Frikin Tumor” – the battle cry for Team Susan, God says be bold in your prayer requests.

Friday’s prayer meeting again recharged my battery. Chelsea, Prayer Lieutenant Shannon Barrow’s daughter has been another angel sent to help me through this. She is a licensed physical therapist and has been working with me the past few Saturdays out of the kindness of her heart. I have now gotten a prescription to move my therapy to the facility, here in RB, where she works to have her help me. Chelsea’s physical therapy “Sergeants” Stephanie, Hailey, Andy, Shannon, Patty and now Drew are following through with her orders to work me hard daily. I am grateful to have such loving supportive people around me, Thank You.

Stephanie and Joey celebrated their first anniversary on Sunday. And then moved in with his parents for a few days; Stephanie has a cold and does not want to give me anything. Please keep them and their marriage in your prayers. And a bug free home for me.

I look forward to my “spa treatments” on Monday more than other days because of Lily the Pug. Lily is a pet therapy dog that visits the “Spa” on Mondays; yesterday her momma Patti had her dressed in a red Christmas dress.

From Jesus Calling:

December 21

My plan for your life is unfolding before you. Sometimes the road you are traveling seems blocked, or it opens up so painfully slowly that you must hold yourself back. Then, when time is right, the way before you suddenly clears—through no effort of your own. What you have longed for and worked for I present to you freely, as pure gift. You feel awed by the ease with which I operate in the world, and you glimpse My Power and My Glory.

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
—Psalm 63:2

We live by faith, not by sight.  —2 Corinthians 5:7

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”   —John 11:40

This Sunny Saturday morning we all jumped in the Big Bed (aka Mom and Dad's bed) and read this page of Jesus Calling together. We hope it lifts you up just like it lifted us. So good to have all 5 of us back in the same house. Praise The Lord! Thank you for continued bold prayers, sweet support and lots of love. We are SO looking forward to this Christmas! There are so many reasons to celebrate. Many of those reasons involve all of you! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

I sat in on the Prayer Warriors meeting last Friday, what a blessing these women are to Susan and our family. Susan is not the only one energized by these meetings it is definitely a shared experience for all in attendance. Scarier to me than facing Susan diagnosis is having to face it without ALL the support we have. One in Three people today will face a cancer diagnosis in their life. So someone in your neighborhood is dealing with these same issues as we are and too many of them are facing it alone or with only their immediate family. How tough must that be? Please continue to pray for Susan and our family but please also add the people who do not have the support we have.

 

Susan and I are so blessed and overwhelmed by your donations through this website.  So much generosity from so many ~ it's humbling to say the least. 'Thank You' will never be enough to express our gratitude.  - Andy

This morning I sat in on a very moving Team Susan Prayer Warrior prayer meeting. There was a lot of mention of how many lives Susan is touching through this process and with this website; there was even talk of how God is using her as his Angel.

 

Being the practical business minded type, it reminded me of a favorite example I like to use from my college days studying business. A professor in business ethics was teaching on how businesses grow very similarly to people. When we are children we are very “dependent” on our suppliers (parents) as we get older we kind of forget what got us there and become “independent” teenagers, it is only as we become adults that we realize true independence is only gained through “interdependence”, being able to rely on others. It seems to me it is the same in our walk with God, as children we are naïve and follow our parents lead of faith, then as teenagers we have a tendency to stray (Thank you God not my children, or am I naïve) then as adults many of us start to realize only through a relationship with Christ does this day to day world make sense and releasing control to him has helped me deal with this “season” in our lives.

 

I was also thinking how as our daughters have gotten older we have gotten wiser, more importantly how good it makes us feel when they now come to us for advice. It must be similar when we go to God in prayer asking in grateful thanksgiving for his advice in these challenging times. We have been blessed with so much, just like children you are hesitant to ask for more and yet it fills Susan and I with so much pride to be able to help Stephanie and Drew. Please continue your prayers on Susan, Stephanie, Drew, Joey and my behalf.

Also please join me in thanking these women and men who are such strong believers that Susan has said she plugs into for a recharge at these meetings.

 

And thank you God for Susan who has been my Angel for over 27 years.

On Saturday my brother-in-law Mark, his girlfriend Lisa, Andy and I drove to Temecula for the afternoon. We stopped at Canterbury Gardens, I was thinking Mark and Lisa hadn't been there before and they were looking for ornaments for their tree. NO, it was all part of the bigger plan. They all tricked me, BTW not hard to do these days. We got home from Temecula, to find our home had been crashed by Captain Diane of Team Susan and her elfs, our home was decorated for Christmas. We now have the most beautiful angel ornament tree in our family room. After hearing from so many of you wanting to help, Diane had the idea to decorate our house for Christmas. It is overwhelming to me that in less than a week, over 50 of you supplied angel ornaments for the tree, and I cannot express how touched I am. When I walked in the house it completely took my breath away, it still does as I write this post. I look at the tree and I think of ALL of you. How much I love you and how grateful and blessed I am to have you in my life.   With so much love, Susan

This time of year we have a family tradition of watching “It’s a Wonderful Life”, Susan and I have taught Stephanie and Drew that you get what you give in life just like in the movie. It has touched me deeply to be experiencing this sentiment personally. Every one of you has blessed us with so much love, THANK YOU Andy

This morning I had to get up and share my thoughts with you, after an hour of laying in bed thinking about you all, I thought I could go right back to sleep and write this at a normal hour. NOT, oops, old ways die hard!! So at 4:15, I'm writing this with a renewed sense of fight. Yesterday I went back to physical therapy and occupational therapy after a week off. Clacy my PT therapist, worked with me on uneven surfaces so I can get back out on the trails with my buddy Jeff and be safe, a sense of normalcy. I'm sure you all understand how happy that makes me feel to get back on the trails. With my OT therapist Alissa, we worked on my right hand, it is coming along a little slower but I'm learning to be patient with myself.

My precious husband still thinks I should be cutting his hair, I'm the only one who has cut his hair in the last 27 year, so on Sunday I cut his hair. Another small step in this journey, considering the amount of hair he has. He doesn't want anything to change, thank you for that love, I don't either. I promise to keep working on it. He has always pushed the girls and I, he says encouraged us to be the best that we can be and I thank him for that.

I just really want to express to my family and all of you, how after half of my treatments I still have my "Bring It On" attitude to keep up the fight. Only with God and you all in my corner praying is this fight possible, Thank you for fighting with me, I feel your love ever day and I am grateful.

Thank you with OVER FLOWING LOVE, Susan