Alive and Well

Just a note to say:

I am here (here being my new home..Illinois).

I am alive.

I am thankful for family here.

But miss my family horribly.

My dad may be getting treatment in Reno- a non-conventional one. they are encouraged. We remain hopeful.

I am daily trying to remember that God is in control of my life and I am not!

Brandon has started his new job. He leaves early, but is home early and once he is home, he is HOME and not running off to soccer games, meetings and activites. I love that!

Brandon's parents have been beyond gracious by letting us take over their home.

I love the weather here. 70 degrees is fine with me. You'll have to check back with me in the winter on that one.

Did I mention I miss my mom and dad????

Going home in Oct...only a few weeks away!! I can't wait.

We miss our friends! and Wolf Creek. Badly!

And now I am realizing that this post is getting much longer than I intended. Opps.

And I have no pictures to post. Sorry! :)

August in Pictures...

Shower for my sister and baby boy Oaks!!! Can't wait to see what he looks like in a few weeks!!!

We all grew up together and I love them all!!

At my cousins wedding

My parents dancing the night away!

Me and my sister doing my dad's famous dance move with him...both thumbs in the air :)

me and my "little" brother

me, my sis, and our oregon cousins, megan and mallary..don't get to see them often enough!

me and my daddy!

brunch at our place before the wedding

I am not sure what we were doing, but we were laughing pretty hard!

Taeden and my parents new dog..labordoodle Bailey! He is huge and the best puppy ever!

papa and taeden hangin in the hot tub

taeden loves being thrown in the air by johhny

we are going to miss our friends mandy

and johnny soo much!!!

The Big Move...

Hasn't happened yet, but our last days in California our slipping away from us quickly. I have had a hard week this week because of everything going on. I think I have cried everyday (my poor husband!). Things with my dad did not go as we had wished in Chicago. He went out to Chicago this week to try to become a part of a clinical trial there but was not accepted. It is so hard for me (and him and my family) that it has been so hard to find something out there to try and fight this cancer! He is willing to try anything, but because his cancer is so extremely rare, there is just not much out there for him. They are pushing ahead onto the next thing (possibly in either Alabama, UCLA or up in Seattle). We know that God is in control and I think He just wants our complete trust...this is so hard, but a good lesson that we all need to learn!

I have also just been down thinking about leaving our home here in Ca and all our friends. We have had to start saying some goodbyes already...and I am not liking it:) I know how hard it is to make great friendships and I am so sad to be moving so far away from so many friends and loved ones here! You can definitely pray for me! I am trying hard to have a good attitude and I know that God has a plan for our lives in Chicago.

We leave on Tuesday.... :(

Pictures of our Family Vacay in Newport

The boys enjoyed playing together lots in Newport

Me and my baby boy

Can't really get enough of that face!

Taeden, Daddy and Mac wrestling...boys will be boys!

Attempted family shot

My parents were able to join us in Newport for two days

Taeden LOVES swimming and is actually really good at taking breaths now all on his own...with no lessons!

My grandparents live a few miles away from Newport so they were able to come spend the day with us

A new park that Taeden enjoyed exploring

Love this pic of my dad and baby mac