Christmas Blessings

Wednesday morning, Matthew, Ruth Ann (my mother-in-law), the kids and I drove to Greenville for my colonoscopy.  Honestly, I was very nervous.  What if the doctor found cancer?  What would that mean for my family?  The Lord is good and filled the office with very sweet, friendly nurses.  The doctor himself was a great man, and he and I had actually lived in the same neighborhood when I was in middle school yet we had never met.  One of the nurses helping with my procedure had gone to the same high school as Matthew, just one grade behind him.  Things went just as I hoped.  The anesthesia was administered, I closed my eyes and opened them about 40 minutes later.  My first thoughts were to tell the nurse, whom I assumed was one of my children, that she should go downstairs and find her own breakfast.  I was sleeping GOOD!!  Matthew assured me that the doctor said everything was great, nothing found in my colon!  Funny how discussing your large intestine can bring such happiness.

The anesthesia used wears off pretty quickly so by the time I was in our car, I just felt that normal sleepiness after a good afternoon nap.  We drove to Waffle House as I was looking forward to some grits and a plain waffle... solid food!!!   These days we don't go many places without glances from strangers, hopefully smiles and not grimaces, and it proved true again as our party of three adults and five children took up two booths in WH.  The food was yummy and we drove on into downtown Greenville.  We were hunting festively decorated Christmas trees!

Upon not finding a parking spot for our Transit van near the Hyatt Regency, we continued on toward the Hampton Inn near the river.  We found trees!

And here's a photo of Rylan to insure that he was along for the trip! 

The next day was Christmas Eve.  It brought tears and joy.  The Christmas Eve service at our church is my favorite of all year.  The carols, reading of the birth of Jesus in the Bible, and concluding with everyone holding candles.  Jesus came to earth to bring light into this dark world!  My mom had driven to GA to be with her mom and sisters for Christmas.  My mother-in-law had driven to NC to spend Christmas with her other son, his family and newest granddaughter.  My heart was missing my Dad very much.  I wrote him a letter.  I will write him a letter each Christmas and around his birthday in June each year.  Writing to him helps me feel that he is still close.

After coming home for the service which was beautiful (Philip was asked to read Luke 2:1-20 and did a wonderful job!), we had our newest tradition... mystery gift swap.  The last two years, I've wrapped up new pajamas in matching paper.  This year, I had ordered "My Adventure Books", the kids' names are written into the stories of some of their favorite TV characters.  So they each picked which wrapping paper they liked best.... 

And Philip got Barbie, Rylan got Disney Princesses, Braewyn got The Lion King, and Juliet got Star Wars.  You can see that only one child was really upset!  They swapped to receive the correct books and were excited to see themselves written in as characters in each story.

Sully's first Christmas!

I don't mind finishing the sugar cookie Santa left behind.

A neighbor gave us this nice 20-pound turkey which he was given free from work.  I decided it was time, I am now 40 years old, that I cook my first turkey!  Matthew always deep-fries them at Thanksgiving, but I prepared this bird and into the oven she went.

Four hours later, and with a much yummier smelling house, we had this beautiful turkey to eat!!  It was fabulous and from the amount of leftovers, will be for a few more days.

Christmas Colonoscopy!

Of all the fun and enjoyable things to add to a person's Christmas week, I don't think a colonoscopy would make anyone's Top 10 list.  However, when you turn 40 with family history of colon cancer and have met your deductible for the year and your husband says you can schedule one within this calendar year, you make an appointment even if the only day available is December 23.  I have had two colonoscopies before (the first, 12 years ago due to bleeding after lifting something too heavy and the second, 7 years ago just to appease my worries after seeing Mom go through colon cancer surgery and recovery). Thankfully I can say both proved that I had a nice, clean, healthy colon!

For the normal heathy person, age 50 is the target time to get your first colonoscopy, but since my Mom was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer at age 50, her doctors recommended my brother and I begin the screening at age 40.  It's really not that bad a deal at all, but I will still ask that you please pray for me on Wednesday at 8:00 am.  Today is prep day... Operation: Clean Pipes!  

However I did want to enjoy a "last supper" so around 10:30 pm last night, this is what I had on my plate.  Lasagna, baked beans, Oreo ice cream and cool whip with pomegranate seeds (oops, my paperwork said no seeds, popcorn or nuts three days prior to the procedure). 

Today's menu included the above items plus a few extras.  Breakfast was Cranberry Sprite.  Lunch was Ginger Ale to drink, beef bouillon as the main course, and peach jello for dessert.  Dinner came the best part... Gatorade spiked with Miralax and an appetizer of Dulcolax pills.  It really brought the Christmas spirit alive for me!  Honestly, the prep would not be so bad if I had not had to feed five children meals and snacks all day.  I would have paid big money to eat a graham cracker with strawberry icing today, but alas, I iced them and passed them on to one of the "starving" children in my house.

The paperwork from this gastroenterology office specified for a "split prep" procedure.  That just means I drank 4 glasses of my spiked Gatorade, one every 30 minutes starting at 6:00 pm.  And in 10 minutes (at 11:00 pm), I begin my first of 4 more glasses, one every 30 minutes, to finish off all 64 oz. of that massive bottle.  Not sure why the separation in drinking sessions because for my other two colonoscopies, I was told to drink 8 oz. of prepared mixture every 30 minutes until it was all gone.  I suppose they've become sympathetic to patients who said they didn't enjoy drinking a whole bottle of Gatorade in 4 hours!

The process is really not that bad, although every 5 years is probably often enough for my liking.  One day of being uncomfortable and a few hours of laying your pride to the side (but you really don't even know what has gone on as the sedation is great!) are definitely worth having the peace of mind that you are good and healthy.  I pray the worse case scenario is that the doctor finds some polyps which are removed at the same time.  The really, really worse case scenario would be finding cancer.  If that were to be the outcome, I pray to have the strength to praise God in the good times and the bad.  The road to recovery my Mom traveled was horrible, but time passes quicker than we realize and I'm so thankful to still have her here 10 years later!!  To be alive and watch my children grow is 100% worth starving myself and using the bathroom a lot in one day.  I'll let you know what happens tomorrow sometime soon.  Cheers!

Merry Christmas, Grandpa!

Many of you know that my Mom has grieved so deeply over the last six months because in one disasterous week, she said goodbye to her husband, my Dad, and her dad, my Grandpa.  I was devastated to lose my Dad.  It was sudden (just a normal day at work), horrific (a two-week experience of visiting the ICU daily), and heartbreaking (knowing my children would never again play with their Papa).  Losing my Grandpa was a very different experience as he had been suffering from multiple health issues for several years.  We also had not been to visit in over a year.  I told my Grandma when Sully was born that we hoped to visit in the fall.  Little did I know then that the visit would not include seeing Grandpa.

I loved my Grandpa and have such fantastic memories of him from my childhood and adulthood. Visiting him and playing in the back yard; taking my children to visit and watching them play in the backyard.  Listening to him tell them jokes or riddles and remembering when he told my brother and I the same sort of jokes.  I haven't grieved for my Grandpa as my heart was troubled with knowing how to support my Mom.  At other times, I let the grief over losing my own Dad come to the surface of my heart instead of keeping it pushed down in the places where it feels safe and untouchable.

However, now with this being the week of Christmas, I do want to think about my Grandpa and let the grief come as he deserves that.  These pictures will bring him back to me for a few minutes.

Grandpa and Grandma meeting Philip, their first great-grandchild.

Grandpa was a proud Marine who fought in the Korean War.

Grandpa, we'll come see you again one day!

Grandpa meeting Braewyn.

Grandpa is the father of 5 girls.  He loves baby girls.

I'm so thankful my babies received so much love during our visit.

Back to visit again and this time with Juliet too!  And this time Grandpa was bearded!

Finally, Grandpa met Rylan when he was a few months old.  

I'll need to print this photo for Rylan to keep when he is older.  

My mom was very blessed to have such a loving, godly father.  I was very blessed to have a fun-loving, caring grandfather.  My children are very blessed to have a great-grandfather who left them a legacy of loving God, loving his family and loving his country!  I am sad that Grandpa didn't get to meet Sully.  I hope they will meet one day.  My Grandpa is now in Heaven as he knew Jesus as his Lord and Savior.  I pray that Sully will make the decision to trust Jesus for himself and then will be able to meet Grandpa.  

Grandpa, I love you and look forward to seeing you again.  I know you will have the best Christmas ever. We miss you, but I'm happy for you now to see the face of God, spend time again with your mother and father, and to be visiting with your son-in-law, my Dad!  See you soon!

Pictures with Papa

At my Dad's funeral, one of the things I wanted most were pictures of him with us for those who knew him most and those who were getting to know him still (we were amazed by the group of coworkers from Amazon who came).  While our minister of music sang, these photos were displayed on a big screen behind him.

I miss you Dad so much!

See You Later, Dad!

After mentioning my blog to a friend, I clicked on it and realized there should be an update.  When my Dad had his heart attack and then stroke, I began a Caring Bridge website (www.caringbridge.org/visit/richallen) and faithfully updated there.  Last post here found me telling Dad to hang on!  We all hung on through those 2 1/2 weeks in the Neuro ICU, but on June 27, my Dad left this world to enter Heaven and meet Jesus face to face!  None of us would have chosen to say goodbye this soon but the time of visitation and then Dad's funeral were simply more than I would have imagined.  Yes it was all heartwrenching, but just to see, hear and feel how his life affected so many people was powerful!

This is a picture my Aunt Maureen took just a week before my Dad's heart attack.  Sister and brother had met in the mountains of Georgia for a weekend of walking to waterfalls and catching up after having not spent much time together through the years.  The time together was a gift to each of them, and the beautiful photos Aunt Maureen took are such a gift to all of us now.  We do not always understand God's timing (or even like it for that matter), but it is always perfect.  

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

9 

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 

As the rain and the snow

    come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

    without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

    It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

12 

You will go out in joy

    and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills

    will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field

    will clap their hands.

13 

Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,

    and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.

This will be for the Lord’s renown,

    for an everlasting sign,

    that will endure forever.”

(Isaiah 55:8-13)

Hold On, Dad!!

Last week, our church had Vacation Bible School.  Each year there is a theme statement for the night which the children follow with the motto for the week.  The themes were:

God Has the Power to Provide

God Has the Power to Comfort

God Has the Power to Heal

God Has the Power to Forgive

God Has the Power to Love Forever

The week's motto was: HOLD ON!

On Wednesday afternoon just before I was going to get in the shower to begin getting ready for VBS, my mom called saying news no one wants to hear but everyone thinks they may get one day.  My dad had fallen at work due to a heart attack and now he was in the ER.  

The last six days have been like scenes from a movie.  He did have a heart attack followed that night with a stroke.  He has been on life support in the Neuro ICU ever since.  I'm letting everyone know of all the details on a Caring Bridge journal.  Please follow us there.  I'll post here for general everyday stuff about our family, but Dad's journey to health will be on Caring Bridge.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/richallen

Dad, we want you to keep fighting and HOLD ON!!!  We know the Lord Jesus can work a miracle if He chooses to. 

My Right Hand Girl

Braewyn and I have had an up and down relationship.  However despite all that, I know she loves me and I love her so much it makes my heart hurt sometimes.  She is strong physically and sensitive emotionally.  When she puts her mind to something, Braewyn will continue to try until she makes it work.  She does a great job looking after her little sister and brothers.  Braewyn and Philip either get along wonderfully or just about try to kill each other.  I know they'd be miserable without the other. People wonder how I can manage having five kids.  Without Braewyn by my side, it would be a whole lot harder.  I thank the Lord for giving me the privilege of being this girl's mom and hopefully years from now, her friend.  Here's a little recap of her awesome birthday weekend.  Can't believe my big girl is now 8 years old!!

Day ONE, night before her birthday:  FIRST CONCERT!!  We took Braewyn, her best friend Anna, Philip and poor little Sully to a Newsboys concert (the band featured in the movie, "God's Not Dead".)  It was an awesome concert and I think Braewyn had the best time.  Her name was on the screen before the concert when Matthew tweeted something about it being her birthday.  Anything with #newsboys made it on the big screen!  Cool!  (Oh and a stop at Waffle House first.)

 Day TWO, her actual birthday: girl ran her first 5K!  I dropped her off at a field where she would be meeting her gymnastics class.  I was told they would run outside this Saturday instead of staying inside the gym since the weather would be so nice.  I wasn't told they were running unofficially with the Girls Run program of our county for a 5K.  Only once we picked her up did we find out what had taken place: Braewyn's first 5K, blast of a birthday morning, and temporary highlights in her hair!  Family birthday time later that night with a yummy cookie cake.  HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY, BRAEWYN!

Day THREE, Sunday afternoon children's choir program: Braewyn's first solo performance!  Last fall, Braewyn and three other girls performed some sign language during one of the songs of their children's choir program at church.  For this spring semester, Braewyn tried out for interpretive movement again (what they call sign language during a song).  The choir director told Braewyn that she did have a song for her, but this time she would be doing the motions alone.  I was nervous for her but she did an awesome job!  Philip was also cast in the drama part of the program as Zaccheus.  You'll see part of his scene first.  This once super shy, bashful girl glorified God before everyone in attendance.  So proud of you, Braewyn!!

Passover, Sully and Egg Hunt

Easter weekend was full of keepsake memories. Some I wish to last a lifetime, others are for the children to think back on fondly.  Easter Sunday is such a pivotal day for Christians because it is the celebration of Jesus's resurrection and makes following Him worth living for everyday.  This year we added an extra celebration to our weekend:  our own Passover meal.  The Jewish people were instructed to kill a lamb and spread its blood over their doorposts one evening while still living in Egypt as slaves (Exodus 12).  The angel of the Lord came through the land and killed the first born child in every house which did not have the blood on the doorposts.  The angel passed over the doors with blood.  God instructed the people to have a special memorial dinner every year thereafter to commemorate that event on the same day of the year.  Orthodox Jews still celebrate Passover yet our dinner helped us to understand how Jesus came and fulfilled many Old Testament prophesies such as being the Lamb of God who died to take away the sins of the world.  Not sure how much the kids will remember from our Passover dinner, but it was very special for me and I'll always have the pictures!

Adding the finishing touches to the table.

Our Seder plate.

Washing the hands by the head of the household...

seemed to be one of the most...

exciting parts of the meal!

Waiting patiently to eat as we listened to Daddy read.

Examining sprigs of parsley.

The meal "script" and preparation instructions were found in Celebrating Biblical Feasts, a book which came in our home school curriculum this year.

Our Passover was enjoyed by our parents too who joined us.  The dinner made for a fun, multi-generational experience.  

I get the Passover celebration as Jesus was crucified on Passover weekend, fulfilling the prophesy of Him being the ultimate passover lamb.  What I don't really understand is why we dye and decorate eggs and give our children baskets of candies and trinkets.  Nevertheless, we did both. (And no, I've never told my kids that the Easter Bunny is real... actually denounced that fact. And yet they said they like getting things from him.  Although Philip was bummed this year to receive the homemade playdough Surprise Eggs which he doesn't like.  Blame it on the Easter Bunny!)

As my Dad has been working many Sundays at Amazon but had Easter Sunday off, we decided to have Sully's Baby Dedication at church on this day.  As Baptists, we do not believe in infant baptism (baptism is something to do once a person has personally decided to follow Jesus), but we do have a special ceremony in which the parents promise to raise the child to know Jesus and the church promises to support the family in doing so.  Our pastor, Dr. Hank Williams, has dedicated each of our children to the Lord.  His prayer over them and us is so encouraging as well as humbling.  Such an incredible blessing and responsibility to raise a child to know and love Jesus!

Our amazing church family.

Pastor Hank reads the life verse we picked for Sully, James 1:17, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

He then explained Sully's name.  Sullivan means "eyes like a hawk" so Pastor Hank told Philip that Sully would always be watching him.  James means "follower".  Sully has two big brothers and two big sisters.  He's not lacking for someone to follow after!

The dedication is finished with Pastor Hank holding our baby and praying for the Lord's blessing over him.  Such a special moment.  I want above all else for my children to seek the Lord's direction for their lives and follow it with all their might.

 To finish the weekend, we enjoyed a yummy Easter lunch at my parents' house along with Uncle Mike, Aunt Andrea, cousins Holden and Luke, and Grandma Ruth Ann.  My kids look forward to the backyard egg hunt all year.  Seems like it comes around much more quickly than just once a year.

Long extended table to fit us all.

The littles Juliet and cousin Luke

Rylan still needs a bit of assistance so he's staying put with Mommy and Daddy.

Philip's barefoot approach.

Rylan examined his eggs closely.

Cousin Holden looks like a pro egg hunter.

Braewyn is happy to show off her stash.

Sully missed all the action but appears to be enjoying his nap.

Until next year!