Update On My Sister

The update on my sister is mixed. She is still awaiting results on the tumor on her ovary-not sure if it is cancer or not. The spot in her pelvic area they believe is fluid filled but showed no radioactive activity so they are thinking it is not cancerous and can possibly be drained. On the other hand they scanned from her head down to her mid thigh area and two spots in the back of her neck (sinus cavity) in the lymph node area showed up and they showed radioactive activity so they are calling them Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. 
There only these two small spots at this time and they found nothing else in the area or in the surrounding lymph nodes. She goes to see a specialist this Wednesday in Buffalo about what they need to do for this-surgery and then treatment following that. She will know more Monday from the pelvic ultrasound about the other two spots and what they will need to do about those. 
Please keep her in your prayers. We have never had cancer in our family and this is a new road we will travel.  
This has been a very hard day for my whole family, it is breaking my mom's heart, my dad's and mine too, but there is a special connection as all you moms know between your child and you and no matter how old they get, it is never easy and if you could you would change places with them in a heart beat.
Please also pray for my mom as she is hoping to get her second mammogram here this next week to see what the difference was.  Please pray that is is nothing-I really don't know how much more she can take at this point.
Thanks
Love you all


On This Pathway-
Jill

Jackie's at the Dr. right now for her results

As I am typing right now my sister is on her way to the Dr.'s office.  They called her in am and said they wanted her to come in this afternoon to talk about the results on her PET scan yesterday.
Please just pray.  My heart is so heavy I don't know how to pray right now except for God to protect her no matter what the results are.
Thank you-

I will keep you posted.

On This Pathway-
Jill

My Sister Jackie's PET Scan-Please Pray

When we were at Disney in 2007-My sister Jackie being silly!

My sister Jackie has had so many health issues all through her life, (but as of two and a half years ago when she survived an abdominal aneurysm rupturing and not receiving surgery till 6 hours after the fact) her health issues have been worse.   She has had blood clots, swelling, problems with her intestines (that required another surgery) sugar issues, you name it, it seems like she has experienced it and the Dr.'s don't know really what to expect and what might happen since they have never had someone as young as my sister experience an aneurysm rupturing and surviving it.

The latest issue was about three months ago she went to a new Dr. that wanted to do a total work up on her to see why she was swelling so bad. During a CAT scan they found two spots in the areas she had to have surgery so they thought they were probably scar tissue but wanted her to return in 3 months (which was 3 weeks ago) to see if they still looked the same.  They did not-they have both grown a small amount.  Since my sister is pretty fragile from all that has happened to her body, they do not want to just go in and open her up to do surgery, they are not sure she would make it through it to be honest.  So she is scheduled at 3:00 pm today, 12-15-2011, for a PET scan to rule out that these spots are not cancerous.

To say I am ok with all of this would be a lie,  I know that ultimately this is all God's plan, but there is a part of me that is really struggling with this.  My sister has struggled her whole life with her health.  She has never married and just had her 45th birthday this month, she never had kids because she never got married and had to have a hysterectomy at 40, she always wanted to be married and have children. She has undergone a lot of things in her life that have cause a multitude of health issues and pain, her life has not be easy and a lot of times "joyful" by any means.  She however is one of the strongest Christians I know-she loves God with all her heart, never doubting His plan.

She is my only sibling and although we have lived apart (her in NY and me in AR and TX) for the last 17 years, I love her and would do anything I could to change what she is going through today.

Please pray for her, I am asking that it would not be cancer (I don't think she could make it through chemo and radiation) I am asking God would spare her life, that she would just be healed.  I know I serve a God that is mighty enough to do that if it is the plan He has for her life.  I also know that whatever road we have to walk with this that He is still there with us, still loves us, and still only wants what is best for my sister.  

Today has been a very emotional day for our family, we are 1800 miles away and my parents just moved here to TX for the winter and so they are not there either.  She will be doing these tests alone today-this has been very difficult on my mom as well.  Please pray for her today, no matter how old your babies get they are still your babies.

I have shed many tears this morning already, just clinging to His promises as I type this.

Thank you for praying for my beautiful sister, if you knew her, I promise you would love her too, everyone does that knows her!  She would hug your neck and tell you just how special each of you is and what a wonderful treasure you are in HIM.  

Sometimes things in life just don't seem fair, (and I know we are not promised that) but when I look at all Jackie has gone through and the lives she has touched because of it-I am amazed at how God can turn beauty from ashes, my sister is a walking miracle and she has told anyone she meets about God's grace in her life.  Praying that this is another stepping stone, another part in the journey that will bring God even more glory.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers-

On This Pathway~

Jill

Snowflakes inside when it is 65 outside

I woke this morning with it being very dark and rainy again.  This is our 3rd day in a row for such weather and I am not complaining because we sooooo need the rain after 4 months of summer and 100 degree temperatures that burned up all of our yard, but I can say that I miss the sunshine and would never choose to live where it rained all the time.  It makes me kind of sad, it also makes me want to bake.

So tonight after dinner I thought I would make the kids some snowflake cut out cookies.  I was going to have us all make them but Analeigh wanted to play Barbies and talked her wonderful big sister into playing with her and Brandon was not behaving well and had to go to bed at 7:30, (hopefully tomorrow with all the rest he will get he will make better choices,) and Derek was involved in a good book.

So I decided to go ahead and try this new cookie recipe I had for cut out cookies to see how they came out. I must say, it didn't make a huge amount-about 18 cookies, but the snowflake cutter I have it fairly large too.  I must also say that the dough was really good and it rolled out easily and wasn't too dry or too sticky.
I think I will use it again.  That being sad I did follow the recipe for the frosting as well and it was a basic frosting with meringue powder and I didn't love it-it isn't bad but I think I prefer the frosting I make for my butter cookies better and will make that next time instead.

All that to say, I liked the recipe and will share it just in case you are looking for a new one to try, if you do I hope that you enjoy it too!  Happy Baking~

Cream Cheese Cookies (cut outs)

1 cup butter softened
1 3oz package cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

On medium speed, beat butter and cream cheese until blended.  Add sugar, beat until fluffy.  Add egg yolks and vanilla, beat until blended.  Beat in flour 1/2 cup at a time.  Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat over to 350.  On a slightly floured surface roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness.  Using cookie cutters cut out your shapes re-rolling scraps to cut out more.  Place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheets (I used parchment paper on mine too) Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies start or until golden around the edges (just slightly) Transfer to racks to cool and then frost.

Frosting- Beat 16oz of confectioner's sugar, 3 TBS of meringue powder, and 6 TBS of warm water until frosting is glossy-add 1 tsp at a time of water if frosting is too thick.

On this Pathway-
Jill

Dear Jesus It's Your Birthday

 Our kids had their Christmas musical at church last Sunday, it was really great (says this mama of three of the kids in it ) I know what you are thinking but it was really sweet and all the kids that had speaking parts did wonderful.  My Derek had one of the main character parts and I couldn't have been prouder of him, he has come a long way from days when he played a Wise Man and threw his gift at baby Jesus feet and ran, even with Mike (my hubby) laying on his belly behind the manger so that Derek would even walk up on the stage. LOL!  I almost couldn't believe it was the same kid.
One of the best parts of the program was the Angel Choir-(the 3 year olds) and our sweet Analeigh is in that choir.  They sang a song Dear Jesus It's Your Birthday, I love that my kids enjoy being in Choir, Mission Friends, RA's and GA's and that they are learning through song and scripture to hide God's word in their hearts.  I love that we have wonderful teachers that teach them faithfully every Wednesday and Sunday about Jesus and His love for them.  Most of all I love and I am truly grateful that it isn't just something they learn there and forget-it is running through their hearts and minds and they want to sing it and quote it others places.  Analeigh was singing "Dear Jesus" the other morning while eating her breakfast.  That is why her hair is so messy and she is still in her PJ's.  I grabbed the video camera while she was singing (she forgot the ending the words are supposed to be and the gift I have is me) but it still melted my heart and I wanted to share it.
When we got to ballet that day she sang it for Ruth (the business manager that sits up front when you walk in) and a friend of mine that was dropping off her daughter, not a bit afraid-so thankful!!  God is good.
Merry Christmas-I pray that you will sing Happy Birthday to Jesus too.

On this Pathway-
Jill

Please pray for Rex Fleming

About a year ago I came and asked that you would pray for Rex-a nine year old boy that goes to our church.  He had been having headaches and throwing up with them and the school called one day and said he was really ill.  His mom picked him up and took him to our Dr, Rob Wiley (who goes to our church) and he didn't like the way his eye looked, sent him on to Dr. Teaque, an eye Dr. that goes to our church too and he sent him on to get a CAT scan which showed what they all feared, a brain tumor.
Within a very short time they were at Cook's Children's Hospital having brain surgery to remove the tumor and then chemo and radiation. After his treatments he was declared cancer free.

About a two months ago he went for a normal scan and they saw a tiny spot that hadn't been there since all of his treatments were finished.  They waited a few weeks and had him go for another scan to see if it had grown and if it had what they would do.  Well, they went back and it had grown, so there plan of attack is surgery once again and that surgery is today, write now as I am typing this.

Please, I come to you once again asking that you would lift this family up in your prayers.  Going through this once is more than any parent wants to go through, twice seems almost unbearable.  Last year the tumor was a cancerous tumor inside a non-canerous tumor, it was the size of a golf ball.  Today's tumor is the size of a grain of rice they say-tiny but if cancerous, just as dangerous.  This tumor has attached to some blood vessels as well so it is making this surgery very dangerous.  He could have a stroke, or many complications from the surgery.
I just ask in your prayer time today that you would lift them up-Rex is scared-he has been down this road at 9 and now at 10 he knows what is in store and he is scared.  I also ask that you would pray that the tumor would not be cancerous-I know our God can do that.

Last please pray for his sweet mama and daddy, they are in our SS class, a neat couple.  He is at ACU here and his wife is our church secretary.  They have a little girl that is 5 or 6 I think and they just had a baby boy about 6 weeks ago.  A lot has happened in their lives this past year.  They just need to be surrounded in pray-to feel God's peace and presence like never before today.
Thank you all for being my prayer support group! :) I know I come here a lot to ask you for that-but I believe in the power of prayer-I have seen the miracles that happen when two or more are gathered in His name.
Thank you from not only me but I know from the Flemings-they couldn't get through this all if people weren't lifting them up in prayer.
I cherish each of  you-love you-and I am so thankful for you!

On This Pathway-
Jill

Does anyone know?

I have been praying for a women named Stacey whose blog I have followed for quite some time now.  I am a little concerned though because for months when I have gone to check to see if she has posted anything new, the last post on there was from April 20th, 2011.
I know several others followed her blog too and I wondered if anyone else may know her or has had contact with her and knows how she is doing.  If you do could you please let me know.  I miss reading her posts and have been praying for the journey she was on with her breast cancer.
Thanks!

On This Pathway-
Jill

It's beginning to look at little like Christmas

We finally got our tree up and decorated. Yeah!!

Our mantel

This is what we woke up to this am in West Texas!  My kids were disappointed that they had to have school. :)

What our poor Oak trees looked like-the leaves still on them with the ice and snow.

Icicles and leaves on our front bushes

I collect snowmen and these are some of my favorites-they just make me happy looking at them.

Some our the kids favorites.  Our wooden choir singers and manger scene (Janette-look familiar?)

This little manger scene lights  up and I just fell in love with it last year after Christmas (best part was I got it for 90% off-I think I paid $1.99!)

Our bushes tonight as the snow has started to melt and then re-freeze.

It is starting to look a little bit more like Christmas around here. :)  I think sloppy joe's and maybe even a little hot cocoa will be on our menu tonight.  

On this Pathway-

Jill

Falling Apart

We have had a few very difficult days this week.  My sister is still waiting to here about if her insurance will cover the PET scan she needs to have to make sure if her two spots they have found on her abdomin and ovaries are not caner.  We still have not heard.  Please continue to pray about this whole situation.
Next, yesterday my mom received a letter from her Dr. (they are now down here living for the winter from NY to TX) saying that there was an irregularity in her mammogram and she needed to come in for another one.   Well, she is 1800 miles away and can't so she had to call her insurance and is waiting to hear from them about getting a second mammogram done here. Stress and worry-please pray that they will allow that to be done here and that they finding nothing.
Then for the last few weeks Mike and I have been discussing Alyssa's learning level and how difficult even HS has been for her.  We don't know what to do for her and we are at our wits end.  So there is a school here that costs $4,500 a year that specializes in learning disabilities and children that learn in different ways.  Although Alyssa has never been diagnosed with a learning disability-her IQ tests revealed (one test a little below average-one average) and her short term memory is bad-until she grasps something she bounces all over in grades on the same subject.  It makes learning difficult because even sometimes when she learns something if we go back to it later, she may have forgotten it.  We have decided to take her to Kenley to be tested there and see what they think-we will have to finish out this year HS because it is a very small school and they are full this year but we can do tutoring there this semester and see where we can go from there for the fall.  Paying for this will be a struggle since I am home with Analeigh full time too and Mike and I don't want me working with our kids at home.  So please pray about that too, that God would provide the money if we are supposed to send her there.
So we are going to take her to Kenley today to get here reading tested and see where we can go from there. She isn't learning like she should and we need help. This is such a blow to me-I wanted so badly for HS to be the answer for her and it doesn't seem to be working-we don't know how to help her and we have hit so many road blocks, I am so frustrated and have been fighting this for 5 years now. I worry about if they find something we haven't known all this time, what will her future holds-what happens when Mike and I aren't here some day-all those things floating around in my head.  I am very heavy hearted today.
Please pray for me-I feel like my world as I know it is all falling apart at the seems right now.  I feel like a failure as a mom, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend, all of the above.  I am really struggling-clinging to God for strength and answers.
Thank you again for lifting me and my family up in prayer.  I appreciate being able to ask you for your prayers.


On This Pathway-
Jill

Please pray for my sister, Jackie

When we went home to visit her after her 6 week stay in the hospital from her aneurysm

Would you please keep my sister in your prayers?  It is a really long story but she had an aneurysm rupture two years ago and she shouldn't even still be here but God spared her life and she is a walking miracle.  The problem is it cause a multitude of other health issues the newest being a spot on her stomach and ovary.  They thought they might be scare tissue but when she went this week for another scan they have grown since her scan in July.  She is supposed to find out today when they want to get her in to do further tests.
My parents just got here 3 weeks ago to live for the winter and she is not married (in a relationship that we don't care for the man) and so she is there alone now.  My mom is struggling with it (we just found out last night) and won't know anything for a few days at least, but depending on what it is and what has to happen may change their plans about staying here too. I am not sure if it is cancer that she could make it threw treatments because of her health.
I know that this is all in His hands, His ways are higher than ours and His plans are the best for our lives, my head understands this-it is my heart that struggles with this sometimes.  Ever since my sister was little she has had a multitude of things happen in her life that have been usual and difficult dealing with health.  She is a wonderful women of God and it breaks my heart that her life has always been this way.  She is my only sibling and I can't imagine my life without her.
I would just appreciate your prayers, her name is Jackie and she will turn 45 on December 1st.
Thank you-I love and appreciate you all

On This Pathway-
Jill

Our Church Thanksgiving Dinner-11-20-2011

My family with my mom and dad too-they are now living here 6 months out of the year. This will be our first Thanksgiving together in 14 years. We are thrilled.  (I am the purple coat~lol)

Last night, Sunday the 20th, we had our annual church Thanksgiving Dinner.  Since our church has out grown our sanctuary on Sunday morning(we had to go to three services,) we have to meet downtown at the Civic Center to have everyone fit, but it was so nicely decorated and everyone fit.  We had a wonderful time.  

Me and my baby girl.  Waiting for our dinner and trying to stay out of the chocolate cake in front of us.

Me and My Sweetheart!

Finally the cake!  The only way to eat it of course-one lick at a time. ha!

See?  Why use silverware you enjoy it more this way, one lick at a time. :)

Of course you may be glad your mom has wipes handy when you are finished.  (Don't worry I made her use her fork after the first few licks :)

We had such a wonderful time.  It has been such a joy to have my parents here these last few weeks.  It seems like they have always been here.  My kids are adjusting quite well to having grandparents here :) I am so thankful for so many blessings God has bestowed upon me this year and having my parents here to share our lives with is one of them.

This Thanksgiving I will be cooking like normal, but we will actually have my parents and a friend and her husband  here this year -10 of us(I know for some of you that is just your family size every day but for us it is just 6 normally, so- I am really excited.

I can't wait to see what you are thankful for too.

On this Pathway-

Jill

Giving True Thanks

I heard a pastor on the radio say today "So, life is not what you expected it to be?  Join the boat and welcome aboard.  But, guess what? You will never know what is truly is to worship God until your let go of your circumstances and are thankful no matter what they may be-never!"

I needed to hear that-so easy to get wrapped up in me-in what is not how I had thought it should be, in what doesn't seem fair, that I am not truly joyful, worshipping, or thankful for the blessings He has given me and I have such much to truly be thankful for, so much to praise Him for daily.

May you give thanks no matter what your circumstances are today-we are called to rejoice "in the Lord always and again I say rejoice"

Let you petitions and worries be turned into prayer and praises.

So thankful for each of you that have touched my life in so many ways.

On This Pathway
Jill

Our trip to the Mary Kay Headquarters

This weekend my husband was sweet enough to allow me to go on an over night trip Friday-Saturday to Dallas to go to my first Go Give Seminar for Mary Kay.  My dear friend Kathryn has been selling MK on the side for about 7 years. Her full time profession is a nurse at a local hospital here but she was finally able to conceive their sweet Paige 3 years ago and she is wanting to be able to stay home with her more, so she has decided to try to make MK her full time job.   

I have had someone trying to get me to sell MK since I was 18 (I have always worn make-up so I think they thought I would be good at it) but it was never the right time until now.   Kathryn approached me about a month ago about wanting to grow her team and wanted to know if I would come aboard as a team member.   I prayed about it and thought why not, I love and use the products already and could get them at a discount and maybe make some extra money at the same time. I am excited about the opportunity it offers, so we will see what happens.

Paula-Me-Kathryn (who I signed up under to sell Mary Kay with) on our way to the Mary Kay Headquarters in
Dallas Texas

This weekend there was a Go Give Training Seminar in Dallas (the headquarters for MK) and since we live only about 3 1/2 hours away we went.  Kathryn had a friend who had bought a ticket before I joined and then couldn't go so I bought her ticket.  We stayed with our Director who lives in Dallas in a beautiful home.  We had such a blessed time of fellowship.  God is always so good to do that for us.  I thought after meeting Helen and staying in her home that even if my time in MK never amounts to more than getting my own make-up at a great deal, meeting Helen and being able not not only call her a friend but sister in Christ was such a blessing.  She is an amazing women of God.  I was so blessed in her home.

                                        Kathryn-Helen and Paula (all beautiful women of God)

One of the reasons I decided to sign up with MK was because their belief in God First, Family Second, Career Third and that was so evident at this seminar this weekend.  It was really an uplifting experience, I was truly blessed.

Inside the Mary Kay building-it is really beautiful.

Me-Kathryn and Paula (she actually was at Women of Joy two weeks ago when I was there which was really neat too) in front of the walls of photos of the National Sales Directors-maybe we will be there one day too. :)

Kathryn outside the MK building.

Paula-outside the MK building

Me being silly outside the MK building-I could almost touch the flag pole top-they were teasing me-always the tall one.

The outside of the front of the MK building-it was gorgeous. Paula and Kathryn

The outside of the front of the MK building-it was gorgeous. Paula and Me

A picture of the whole building from the highway-it is really pretty.

We really had a great time.  I am looking forward to learning and selling more of Mary Kay-they have a great program and great products.  So, if you are interested in anything let me know. :)

It was a great weekend, full of God's blessings, fun, fellowship and yes great food too. (sigh-I wish I didn't like that part so much. :)

On this Pathway-

Jill

In the Season of Waiting

Waiting certainly plays an enormous role in the unfolding story of God's relationship to man.  It is God's oft-repeated way of teaching us that His power is real and that He can answer our prayers without interference and manipulation from us.


But we have such trouble getting our will, our time schedules out of the way.  Much of the time we act like a child who brings a broken toy to his father to be mended.  The father gladly takes the toy and begins to work.  Then after a while, childlike impatience takes over.  Why is it taking so long?


The child stands by, getting his hands in the father's way, offering a lot of meaningless advice and some rather silly criticism.  Finally in desperation, he snatches the toy from the father's hands and walks off with it, saying rather bitterly that he hadn't really thought his father could fix it anyway.


Perhaps, it isn't even "his will" to mend toys.


On the other hand, whenever we are trustful enough to leave our "broken toy" with the Father, not only do we eventually get it back gloriously restored, but we are also handed a surprising plus.  We find ourselves what the saints and mystics affirm, that during the dark waiting period when self-effort had ceased, a spurt of astonishing spiritual growth took place in us.  Afterwards, we have qualities like more patience, more love for the Lord and those around us, more ability to hear His voice, greater willingness to obey.


( Catherine Marshall-Adventures in Prayer)


We had another appointment for Brandon at Cook's Children's Hospital last Wednesday, the 12th, to check on the results of the procedure he had done the end of July.  We really had a good appointment over all, she does think that there is the start of some bone growth in the area where the new cyst had come back.  Praise God!  


The down side was that his good leg is now growing faster than the bad leg (some of it due to the cysts being so near the growth plate and some due to the fact he still has the rods and screws in there) it is a fraction longer by looking at it but the Dr. sent us on to the hospital that day to have a special scan done on his wrists and legs.  It takes an more accurate measurement and can tell us just how much they are off and it can somehow tell from his wrists about how big they think he will get.  
Sitting there she explained how we can do this scan and then we will have a base line to compare it to so in a year or two we can do another and see the difference and in another two years do another and in another two years yet another and if things are getting too different we will have to look into slowing the growth in the good leg. 


I knew that this was not going to be something that we would be done with in a year or two, he would be "fixed up" and be able to be a normal little boy, but hearing her say those words, in two years and another two years, and another two years, I almost broke down in the office crying-the reality of this situation and what it meant for his childhood hit me like a ton of bricks. 


I had to hold it together and just pray in my head while she was speaking "Lord, I don't know if I can do this-please make me strong, please help me to trust you with this Lord, help me to trust your plan, your will for Brandon's life, please help me I can't do this alone."  My baby will probably never get to play any sports, may walk with a limp, with special shoes to make one leg longer than the other, may have hip replacement surgery at some point.  We really don't know at this point.  I have really struggled with this for a week now, trying to give it over, but in reality holding on to it, leaving at the throne every time I prayed only to turn around and pick it up and walk away again.  


Today during my devotional time and bible reading, I read the lesson above and it struck me, "Jill, will you trust me with this "broken toy" let me "fix" it, I created it to begin with you know, will you allow me to reveal myself to you, Brandon, the Dr.s, and every one else I have planned to touch through this?  Or will you pick it up and walk away, struggling daily, worried of what "might be" what "could happen" or what "won't be" because you are not trusting MY WILL?"


While waiting, I am going to praise God for the solution I know He has for Brandon's situation-for the growth for both of us through this, for the lives He will touch, praying that I am open and ready to be used where ever and when ever He wants me, for strength to trust His will for my sweet Brandon's life. Today, I am choosing to focus on God's love and care for us instead of the problem.


Thank you for your prayers.  I know that they held me up during our visit-Mike could not go again this time and so those visit are always harder on me because I have to take in all the information alone and process it all and remember it all to come home and tell him all that happened.  It is always an emotionally draining day for me.  I appreciate your love and prayers, they hold me together and make me ever thankful for the body of Christ.


Today I am choosing to believe that the One who turned a stick into a scepter,  a pebble into a missile and saliva and mud into a balm for the blind, is the same One that is in control of my Brandon's hip and leg and He will "fix" the "broken toy" in His time and in His way.

Love you all~Thankful for each of you!


On This Pathway


Jill

Pumpkin Patch Time

 This last weekend we went to the Disability Resource Center to their annual Pumpkin Patch.  It was a beautiful day and our daddy had to be out of town on a trip to Seattle for four days to learn more about trying to get the Art Department accredited for a BFA (right now they just have a MFA program) so we were wanting something to keep us busy while he was gone. So, we took a trip for a few hours to get some photos and pumpkins.  We will have to take a run out their this weekend too because I love the color and need pictures with our daddy in them too. :)

My four sweet blessings @ the Pumpkin Patch.

My boys chillin on the swing there.  It was a beautiful day to do that.

Waiting for the hayride.

My littlest pumpkin holding her little pumpkin.  She had a blast looking for just the right one.

The timer and tripod came in handy for group shots without daddy their to help take them!

My girls-our swing time.

Just being silly-I love this silly girl.

Derek taking pictures with my camera-he does pretty good for 9!

I do wish I new what to do with my camera though-I have a Cannon digital SLR and it seems with group shots especially if we aren't right next to each other that some people come out fuzzy- I have read the whole manual and tried different things and I can't figure it out-it didn't used to seem to do that so I don't know if I am doing something wrong or what-any suggestions?  I am hoping it is not a problem with the camera- (not cheap) and it seems ok with everything else-just group shots.  Not sure what to do-I would love any ideas you might have!

Happy Fall-I love this time of year-our high is only supposed to be in the 70's today!!! Finally-I am so excited about that.

On this Pathway-

Jill

Please Keep the Ross Family In Your Prayers

This is the Ross family-a family that we knew from our old church.  This is Kris (mom) and her two sons Halden and Lane and her daughter Sloane on a trip to Hawaii just a couple of weeks ago.  Kris was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 years ago-she had been in remission for a little over two years when a new lump showed up in her neck.  The cancer had returned with a vengeance this time-they have been fighting it for months now with radiation and many kinds of chemo.  She became extremely ill and from all the chemo doing heart and lung damage, she was put in the ICU last week.  I learned early this morning that Kris went home to be with Jesus last night about 9pm.
My heart is very heavy and saddened this morning-not for sweet Kris, she is dancing on the streets of Heaven I think with long flowing hair and hugging her daddy that went home about 5 years ago.  I can imagine them embracing in a huge hug right now and that makes my heart smile, but I am very sad for the wonderful husband and these three precious children of theirs, left behind without their mama and wife.  The grief they are feeling and trying to deal with today and making all of the plans that will happen in the next few days for her "celebration of life"  that will take place soon.
I ask that you would uplift this precious family in prayer, not only will this week be one of the hardest times of their lives, but once everything has settled and life must go on, the every day things like games for the sports they are involved in, Sloane maturing into a young women with her mom their to help her, school events, awards, graduation, weddings, all those things that you want your mama their for, skinned knees, fever, upset bellies, hard days with friends, all those things that even as an adult, I am glad I can call my mom and talk to her about.
Heaven gained a precious soul today, our hearts are heavy because we no longer have her body here with us, but rejoicing that she is beholding the face of Jesus today and hearing "well done my good and faithful servant"  and she is no longer in pain or sick with a terrible illness called cancer.
Please pray that God will comfort this family, wrap His arms around them and hold them close, that they would live with wonderful memories of their wonderful mother.  She loved them with an unconditional love-she was an awesome mama.
Thank you for lifting them and Todd (her husband) and Martha (her mom) up this week before the throne of the One who loves us with a love we can not even fathom.  I know your prayers will sustain them during this very difficult time.

Love you all-thank you for allowing me to come to you and ask for your prayers for a family you have never even met but that God has connected us with through Him.

On this Pathway, heavy hearted but ever grateful for His love and mercy-

Jill

Pink Skies in the Morning-Sailors Take Warning

I woke up to this this morning!  It was absolutely beautiful.  It was really windy and a bit chilly for how warm it still has been in TX.

It will be interesting to see if the old saying "Pink Skies at night-a Sailor's Delight-Pink Skies in the Morning, Sailors take warning.   As I was out there taking these photos this morning the wind began to pick up and the sky began to get darker-and so we are praying for rain.  We really need it-things are so dry and the fires continue just about an hour from us.  I don't think I have ever lived anywhere that is has gotten this dry.

This sure was a nice way to wake up today- like a painting from God.

On this Pathway-

Jill

Beauty in my backyard

I love, just love butterflies and when I went out to our backyard to escape the sickness going on in our household since last Friday-(a stomach bug that is just lingering) I saw all these beautiful butterflies in our backyard.  I ran back in to get my camera so I could get a few pictures.  I love to photograph them-they have such beauty.  I think God hand paints the wings of each of these beautiful creatures!

Thankfully I think we may finally be on the mend.  I will be so glad-I feel like I need to bleach everything in the house and I am really sleepy-all I did the last few nights is run from one child to the next with a trash can so we could run to the bathroom.  Thankful that God is healing them all and that I was well enough through it all to take care of everyone, even my poor sweet hubby who caught it.

On this Pathway-
Jill

Just something that makes me laugh!

This just makes me giggle every time I drive by it-I had my camera with me when I was going passed it the other day so I pulled into the parking lot across the street and took and photo.
I wonder if they did that on purpose?! lol

PS This isn't far from my house, just a few blocks, maybe I could walk to eat my donuts and drop off the next time the clothes that then don't fit. hehe

On This Pathway-

Jill