Blessings during my Absence

Oh, I feel like I have been gone forever from the blogging world, I have been on for a few minutes here and there to catch up reading all the blogs of my sweet friends I have come to know from here-if I don't I feel like I am missing out on great conversations with you all, but I hadn't enough time to sit and write posts about all that has been happening in our lives these last few weeks.

 So stick with me-I will try to keep this short and sweet and fill you in on all that has been happening around the Joneses household lately.

First, the update on my sister-THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!  Jackie finally had her surgery three weeks ago to remove the two tumors at the base of her neck (when they got in there they were at the base of her brain.) They removed her adenoids at the same time (she has them removed when she was 10 and they grew back.)  Before going in she was sent to the oncologist and he had given her a PET scan because he assured her it was the only thing that would tell them 100% that it was cancer.  The spots radiated and the Dr. diagnosed her with having Nasopharyngeal  Carcinoma. The plan was to operate to remove them and send the off to be biopsied and in a week and a half she would come back to find out the plan of attack after the removal- either radiation or chemo or both.  After coming out of sugery the Dr. informed her there was only ONE tumor (not two-praise God, miracle #1) but he said the one tumor did not look good and it was very close to the brain stem and he was very concerned. 

Well, she returned a week ago Monday to the Dr. and he scoped her nose and throat to see how it was healing, it is still very raw but healing.  Praise the Lord.  Are you sitting down? 
The Dr. sat her down and said he had some news he thought might make her feel a bit better-THE BIOPSY CAME BACK AND IT CAME BACK NON-CANCEROUS!!!!! PRAISE THE LORD! !  We are beyond excited-beyond grateful, humbled-God is so good-we have witnessed another miracle in my sister's life.  Thank you for your prayers.  She has to make an appointment for the two spots on her ovary and pelvis checked but they did not radiate and they believed that they are just masses.  She has to see a different Dr. for that and we are just praying that will be a simple procedure too.  :) We do not have any details on that yet.

Next, was me.  I had been dealing with knee pain for about 5 months.  I woke up one morning and could barely walk, not knowing what I did or how I did it. I let it go for a few months and then finally got into the Orthopedic Dr to have x-rays and then an MRI .  We found I had a torn meniscus and a baker's cyst.  They no longer remove the cysts becuase they tend to me caused by the tear or arthritis and it sometimes will go away on there own.  So two weeks ago they sent me in your surgery to repair the tear, The surgery went well and I have been doing Physical Therapy for two weeks now and I am excited about being able to sleep, walk, and function like normal again (well, as normal as I am-ha!)

Finally I was so blessed this week by a sweet  package that arrived at my door from my blogging friend Janette from Janette's Sage.   I met Janette two years ago now (not in real life-although we are planning a get together at some point-we are only about 3 hours from each other) from finding her blog through another blog we both follow-I had read a sweet comment she left and thought this is someone I want to get to know.  I joined her blog to follow and was delighted I did.  We started corresponding back and forth and when I decided to pull Alyssa from school to start HS with her, Janette was kind enough to send me a bunch or books to borrow and materials to keep to get her started.  Her husband was going to be in Abilene on business for a few days and he actually came by our home to drop the homeschooling supplies off.  It was such a neat experience to meet him and visit for a little bit.  Now if Janette and I can ever slow down enough to clear our schedules to meet I would be beyond thrilled.
That is how this all started-so for two years I have had a wonderful pen pal that God has truly blessed and enriched my life through her friendship even though we have never actually met.  She has prayed me through some major hurdles in our life these last two years.
If you have never read her blog, you should.  She has inpired me many times through her posts.  She is so talented and such a sweet follower of Christ.  I am blessed and often challenged  in my walk with Christ from her posts.  I know you would be too-Anyways, back to the goodies she sent me.

These yummy Valentine's Cookies that she makes.  So delicious!

Analeigh had fun playing with her cookie first. :0

This beautiful pillow for my bed.  It goes just perfectly with the pillows I have on there already.  I am a pillow girl-more the better!!  I was so exicted to get this-I will treasure it always.

Down the side of the pillow are inspirational charms-Faith-Hope-and Love.  I just love this.

I wanted to show you the sweet things she blessed me with-I was so excited.  God has blessed me in so many ways through so many of you on here.
Thank you so much Janette-you truly are one of those blessings.  Thank you for making me feel special and for adding a ray of sunshine to my day on Thursday.

I have been gone so long and so much has happened.  I have lots to blog about-hopefully things will slow down just a bit so that I can do that more this week.  The kids have off from school for President's Day and so we are home (daddy had to teach-the college didn't have off) and so we are chillin at home today-the weather is warmer and sunny (praise God we had rain-we had it for 3 days though so we were ready for sunshine) today but oh so windy-I think we will have to play games indoors because it is stirring up allergies around here.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I am so thankful for each of you and for your prayers for my sister and my family.  I pray for each of you as well.  Thank you for being a blessing in my life.

On this Pathway-

Jill