Thy Will Be Done and the wait we wait...

As I sit here, in my best friend's house, the same house I was at the week before we were diagnosed, I'm reminded of memories.....Almost 4 months ago I was kinda stressed out about having a baby and paying 2 mortgages, and she asked me to come down and spend some time with her...she said the Lord told her to invite me but she wasn't sure why....well a week later we got our diagnosis.....

And here I sit again....with a beautiful sleeping baby beside me, waiting for a call to know if we have met counts or not.....As I think back over the last 4 months and how life has changed, I can't help but be blown away by all the Lord has done....in every moment I felt alone, God has done something, shown up in some big way....and I know he will continue to do the same thing...

Sweet cuddles

Deuteronomy 10:2New Living Translation (NLT)

21 He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.

Once again, I am in the place where I don't know what is coming next....Our next phase of treatment is called INTERM MAINTENANCE .....aka..Hospital Time....because we were bumped to the High Risk category, this phase now has to be done in the hospital.  Whenever we meet counts, which we found out this afternoon, after I wrote most of this blog, that we didn't make counts... but when we do we will go into the hospital.....When we meet counts, Alayna will have a Lumbar Puncture in the morning and then start 24 hours of methotrexate.....Now methotrexate...yea, it's not a fun chemo AT ALL!!! The biggest side effect is mouth sores.....We will receive 24 hours of this drug, vwhich will basically kill every cell in her body, basically causing her to die....so after that 24 hours she will received a rescue drug for another 24 hours that restores the good cells and allows the bad cells to die.....After those fun two days, we wait.....we wait for the medicine to clear out of her system....she has to clear at 3 different levels and if you miss one of those levels, you start over....So there is a minimum of 3-4 days in the hospital....even longer if she does not clear the medicine or has any secondary infections (which we know the Lord will protect us against!).....once she clears the medicine, we are able to go home (PRAISE THE LORD!) and we start the process all over again...

We will be going through this process 4 times....Making counts, going into the hospital....clearing levels....and then going home.....4 hospital admissions... Yes, we will hopefully get a week and a couple days off during the hospital stays...but being in the hospital for 4 days in a row or more is definitely a challenge...Addyson will have to go full days at school while I am at the hospital with Alayna and Avery all day, and Ron has only about 6 hours to work, then pick up Addy and head to the hospital where we will then switch....I am sure dinner will fit in there somewhere but who knows....Honestly...we have a plan, but we won't really know exactly how it is going to work till it happens.....

I really try not to complain....but it's hard....I don't love being in the hospital at all....We go stir crazy and I hate just sitting there all day....we try to go on walks...ya know me and my Fitbit challenges...I like to do circles around the floor...I am sure the nurses think I'm insane...but it's the best I can do when I don't get to go run.....I hate not being able to run...it's like my sanity...but Alayna's health is more important than my desire to go run....

My running partners as of late

It's definitely a challenge, hospital life, and one we plan to take on with hope and encouragement.....we realize we have been blessed...there are so many people in the hospital in way worse situations than we are....in fact, one of my sweet friends son we have met in the hospital just found out her son's tumor is growing and the doctor's have almost given up on him...and my heart breaks for her....But we believe in a God of miracles and healing.....as we enter this next phase and the challenges that go with it I have to remember, once again, that we were called to this....Every person I meet, as I make my laps around the floor...every single family and patient....they need this hope we've found....They need to know it's going to be ok and that God truly can heal them....and I get to be that hope, to bring that hope to them....I may be the only encouragement they see all day....our friends Kristin & Jordan, who have also fought cancer with their daughter, tell a story about how they had a little coffee bar in their hospital room with good creamer and kcups and a Keurig, and how people knew that... and they would come to their room and they would just get to encourage them....I love that idea so if anyone wants to donate a keurig they aren't using and kcups, we will definitely take it lol!!!

Once again, the Lord reminds me that this whole entire journey isn't about me....it's about what the Lord is doing through me, through us, through Alayna.....

I have really been enjoying the @Running with the Giants" series from our home church, Church of the Highlands...it's been so encouraging to hear about all these amazing Giants of the bible and how their stories can encourage us...and one thing Pastor Chris said in his last message has really encouraged me....patience isn't about getting to the end of this battle, it's about what God is doing and teaching you during this journey......I know and believe we will make it through this next phase...but what does God want to do in my heart, in our family, through Alayna's story in the mean time???.....if I rush to get through it all, I will miss out on what He's teaching us.....so as we enter this phase, my eyes are open wide trying to find that next person to encourage and bless.....sure....hospital life really stinks, but we will make it....He's promised nothing is too hard.....There's so many things I could worry about.....how am I going to cook dinner and keep my house put together when I am never at home???...how are we going to pay our bills when Ron isn't working a lot and neither am I??? How is Addy going to handle going to school for full days??? How am I going to get any time with Ron????

WORRY......if I let it, it would take over.....but I remember that worry causes nothing but stress and is useless

James 1:5-8 
If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

It doesn't make sense to live in fear, so we aren't.....Satan wants us to worry and be fearful...but one thing is for sure...the Lord has truly provided for us.....financially...with friends making meals....even with a few date nights....and given us so much joy in this whole process....Avery is such a sweet baby and so cuddly and sweet....Alayna keeps us laughing and smiling with just how cute she is and she has the best attitude ever...and Addyson is just so smart and her behavior is improving so much....we have dance parties when we have bad days....we get in the word...we listen to worship....we choose to keep going in all of this...we don't have answers, but the Lord continues to be faithful.....and this phase, although it is scary, is just another part of the process.......

Hillary Scott, from Lady Antebellum, has a new song from her new album she recorded with her family, called "Thy Will..." This song is amazing....and the words....wow....

“I know you’re good / But this don’t feel good right now / And I know you think / Of things I could never think about / It’s hard to count it all joy / Distracted by the noise / Just trying to make sense / Of all your promises / Sometimes I gotta stop....

 Remember that you’re God / And I am not 

Thy Will Song

I am not God.....But God is God and God is good...he's taken care of us this far and I cannot wait to see what He does next.....Thy will be done......

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Side EFFECTS! We are believing during this next phase we will have NO side effects from this crazy chemo...we will have no mouth sores, no secondary infection, and we will clear our levels and make counts with no real delays.....she has been such a trooper and we know that the Lord can keep her little body safe in all of this!!!

Psalms 107:17

Then you called out to God in your desperate condition:
he got you out in the nick of time.

He spoke the word that healed you,

    that pulled you back from the brink of death.

So thank God for his marvelous love,

    for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;

Offer thanksgiving sacrifices,

    tell the world what he’s done—sing it out!

2. OUR HOUSE!!!! There hasn't really been any real change until tonight...we got some kinda good news but not sure how it will pan out.....especially since our refrigerator and shelving from the closets were stollen....there has been a lot of negative talk about our house...why don't y'all do this?...why don't you change this?...and we just can't listen to it...when it's time for a change, God will show us....but we keep having showings and people keep looking at the house...we had 3 showings this week....but no offers yet but maybe soon...we are almost $20,000 below comps....we just have to believe that the Lord will sell this house in his timing......so please keep praying and keep sharing about our house... And that it will be the perfect family we can share this story with...that our beautiful house we designed will bless them like it blessed us....

http://www.zillow.com/homes/1351-oxford-manor-lane-birmingham-al-35242_rb/?fromHomePage=true&shouldFireSellPageImplicitClaimGA=false&fromHomePageTab=buy

3. WORK!!!! So thankful to the sweet friends who have helped us out by having a jewelry party or Facebook party for us....it feels so awesome to get back doing what I love...blessing women with free stuff, sharing our story, and telling others about all the Lord has done....so thanks to all that have stepped up to our challenge....we are believing for even more bookings as well.....But prayers that Ron would have consistent work and we would keep being able to pay our bills....this week has been slower all the way around, and the Lord knew we need a slower week...but praying that work continues to come in and that the problems we are having with our insurance will be resolved....and that we can make bad days better with sweet friends in the middle of it all....like we did this week 

Sweet Time with the Smith Family

besties

Corie Bell and Avery Grace

Selfie Traditions and Sweet friends

We also enjoyed a quick trip to Jacksonville this week to help some of our sweet friends with their floors and spend time with them!!! Prayers for continued happy days in the middle of our storm

4. INSURANCE....I have been battling the insurance company for over a month now...they randomly charge us an additional amount this month that is almost half the cost of our normal bill....plus the medical bills are rolling in...I don't know what to pay and what not to pay....I've spend numerous hours on the phone with the insurance company and market place...I am just over it.....please pray these details get worked out and that stress would be gone....

Hebrews 6:19

9 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us.

5. COUNTS!!! We didn't make counts today and we aren't sure when we will. Most people I have talked to have been delayed at least 2-3 weeks....which means you don't get into maintenance till even longer. We are also trying to plan things for the summer and trips with work, etc...which is almost impossible. We go back next wed and since today our ANC was only 28 (I know right?) and we need to get to 750, we may not make it even this week....but prayers the Lord would make it happen in His timing and we could enjoy life in the process. With an ANC of 28, we are on strict fever watch and have to avoid any chance of sickness from anyone or anything (glad we went to Disney before we couldn't for sure! Our doctors are ok with being outdoors and we clean our hands constantly when we are there, but we avoid the rides and mostly just see characters and walk around, and since Animal Kingdom is basically all outdoors, that has become our favorite park!!) 

Disney with our sweet Birmingham friends 

Real Men Baby Wear

Animal Kingdom Fun

Thanks so much for the continued prayers......keep them coming........we love you all and are believing for amazing things in the next two months.......

New Baby, New Boo Boo's, and a new way of living....

Well it's definitely been a few weeks since we last updated....I would love to say I haven't had a lot going on...ya know, new baby, parents in town, Laney Bug in the hospital for 10 days......no excuse right?  Life with 3 is definitely interesting!  

Two Monday's ago we welcomed sweet Avery Grace into our little family....The whole experience was definitely an interesting one.  I was supposed to go into the hospital at 6AM but they ended up making me wait till after 10:00AM to actually come...I know that is only 4 hours, but when you are massively pregnant, and you have waited 9+ months to have a baby, you get a little upset when they say you can't have your baby at this moment...After a few tears turned into happiness when they called and said I could come, we headed into the hospital

Love this man right here

Delivery was.....well, it was interesting....when they finally got ready to break my water and start pitocin it was around 11AM....by 1:00PM my contractions had seriously progressed and I was ready for that wonderful needle from heaven....However, the hospital had different plans....at 2:45 I finally saw a CRNA...that should have been my sign....an hour later, with 6-7 needle pokes in my back and too many numbing shots (Which hurt almost just as bad as the needle in the back) to count, I had an epidural....Once I finally had it, I went from 7 to pushing in a matter of about 20 minutes....we are talking crazy fast! I pushed 3 times and then Ron was ready to catch her....It was so cool that once again, Ron literally pulled her out and cut the cord...It was incredible and also very special to have my mom in the room this time!  They immediately took about 8 ounces of fluid out of her belly because she literally spent no time in the birth canal!  She also immediately went potty (#1 and #2!) as soon as they put her under the light....The girls of course, fell in love with her, and we were excited to be a family of 5......It was also nice to be in the hospital for a happy reason, and not because Alayna was sick....We had lots of visitors and really just enjoyed time together, just Ron and I....something we are definitely lacking, ever since diagnosis

First Night!

A screenshot of the too expensive hospital pictures ha

Already a Daddy's girl

Such a sweet face

Love our Angel

She's Here

Miss Liz

Sweet Besties

WE love Mrs. Kelli

Time with the Romm's!

Mommy of 3 GIRLS!!!!

the traditions dress (I wore it home from the hospital and now all my girls have too!

Ready to Go Home

First Selfie!

Our Sweet Girl

We made it home and started quickly adjusting to life with 3....Thank the Lord for my Mama and Jerry...seriously....they stepped in to help with the older girls so I could focus on adjusting to life with Avery and by Friday we were ready for our clinic day!  Friday Clinic was interesting with a newborn, but I have learned to love nursing under a cover (HAHAHAHA! and no, I am not very comfy not using a cover yet!) On Friday, we also needed blood YEA! so that was fun times.....but our LP went well and we survived....and were able to come home to yummy food...Action set up a meal train for our first 2 weeks home and it has been SUCH a blessing for sure!

Clinic Cuddles

Over the weekend we got to spend time together as a family and on Sunday we even got to go swimming and attend Action as a family!!! On Sunday we noticed the spot on Alayna's leg where her bandaid had been after her chemo shot, didn't look great....she has had bandaid reactions before and has broken out a little bit, but we didn't think much about it because it's just common for her....she has eccezma and had impetigo 3 times right before we were diagnosed, so we just decided to keep an eye on it....

Enjoying our new Usborn books!!!

DADDY love

Pardon the scary face but look, even Avery thinks I'm funny

Loving this sweet girl

Swim Time...and the start of our Boo Boo

Baby Wearing at Action!

By Monday morning, Laney Bug's innocent Boo Boo was not so innocent anymore...She was limping on her leg and wouldn't even bend over to pick up her paci....which we all know is a big deal!  We also knew her counts had dropped because she was incredibly fussy...so back to the clinic it was! I can pretty much drive there with my eyes closed now a days, but hey, it's all part of it! We saw our awesome doctor, Dr. Sutphin and he gave us a dose of IV antibiotics and started us on an oral one too! Our platelets had dropped significantly as well, but the blood bank didn't have any platelets! People have asked us if they could donate platelets, but it's kind of hard to answer that question....It takes at least 72 hours to get them ready and then they are only good four about 4 days, so it's hard to plan when to have people donate, but with Alayna having 0- neg blood, it definitely throws a challenge into the mix....

By Tuesday, we were able to go BACK to clinic for platelets.....Buggy was also loosing hair left and right, but I was trying to hang out one more day because on Wednesday we were supposed to have newborn pictures, and I had adorable matching outfits for the girls to wear! (I am such a girl mom!) Well on Tuesday we waited a long time for platelets and we also got another dose of IV antibiotics because our Boo Boo wasn't any better....They deaccesesd Alayna's port and we were about ready to leave, when all of a sudden I noticed she felt really warm.....NOOO!!!!!! I thought to myself, there's no way she can have a fever....but sure enough, she sure did!!!! Which meant not only would they have to reaccess her port, but they also would be admitting us!!!! It was about at this point when I lost it....Alayna's hair was ALL over the place...we were supposed to have pictures...post pregnancy hormones were flying free, and now we were getting admitted, while I had a one week old with me......the tears came, but with those tears came the support of about 5 nurses and 1 incredible childlife specialist....The clinic nurses have truly become like family and let me vent and cry and even cried with me....One of our favorite nurses, Kat, and I decided it was time to get rid of the hair...so instead of getting newborn pictures, we would instead be shaving our sweet little girls head.....and the reality sank in.....

Psalms 91:14

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.

    I will protect those who trust in my name.

15 

When they call on me, I will answer;

    I will be with them in trouble.

    I will rescue and honor them.

16 

I will reward them with a long life

    and give them my salvation.”

You can really tell here, it was just time

The amazing Lauren, our child life specialist, gave us a new headband, knowing the hair was going that night! Thanks to Headbands of Hope for such a cute Headband 

Moments before the Big Shave

of course Sis had to help

First Night with no hair

Last week was definitely a hard week...My parents decided to stay because we were in the hospital and they just knew it would be too hard to leave with all that was going on, and for this, I was so incredibly thankful! Basically in the mornings my Mama has been waking up early (and she isn't a morning person!) so I don't have to, and heads to the hospital, where Ron is.  Ron leaves and goes to work and Papa takes Addyson to school while I get ready and feed the baby....then I head to the hospital and stay all day, with Avery in tow, and spend time with Alayna....then when Ron is done with work, he heads to the hospital, and we switch...Thankfully my Mama also picks Addy up from school so she can nap, and also brings her back in the afternoons so Alayna and Addyson get to see each other...Ron and I spend about 15 mins together, and then I head home so I can sleep in my own bed and also take care of Avery throughout the night, not in a hospital....Let me tell ya, it's not my ideal life right now....My Big Brother and his family came this weekend to spend extra time with Addyson and that was also another huge blessing....

Packages from Sweet Friends

Trying a bottle Of Mommy Milk...not a fan Of the bottle part lol

We got to go to Easter services, but I definitely didn't get to put my girls in their matching outfits, which was definitely hard.....But the more I thought about it. the more it just made sense.....You see, the Lord suffered and died on a cross for our sins and for our HEALING, so at the end of the day, it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, that I didn't get our perfect family Easter photo....and it's ok....this is all just a season....

At least my outfit matched ha

Psalms 74:17

You own the day, you own the night;

    you put stars and sun in place.

You laid out the four corners of earth,

    shaped the seasons of summer and winter.

It makes me think of one of my favorite Hillsong songs,

When battle’s near I will not fear

Your promises are unshaken

My faith is sure of nothing more

Than Christ alone my portion

There’ll be a season

For joy and weeping

In everything our God is faithful

His arms are open

I will come running

Now and always our God is faithful

And it's so true.....Our God is faithful...Last week we spent the entire week in the hospital, with no answers.....Honestly it was tiring....we watched her leg get worse and her pain progress....we needed answers...she couldn't even walk or straighten her leg, but finally answers have started to come....Monday we got a new set of doctors's since they change every week on Monday's...and we have finally started to see her improve....although her leg wound is not better yet, her mood and her ability to play and walk on it has greatly improved.....We still are not sure how the wound happened...and I am purposefully not posting a picture of it because it would really gross a lot of people out....but we think it was from leaving the bandaid on her leg and her low blood counts....She still refuses to put pressure on her leg but today we started seeing a physical therapist.....On Tuesday, after waiting all day on Monday for it to happen and my Mama Bear having to come out some, we got a biopsy and those results still haven't come back.....but we are trusting and believing that she will walk again, rather RUN again, with no residual effect.....even the scar that she will have will only just be part of her story of healing....

John 20

27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.”

28 Thomas said, “My Master! My God!”

29 Jesus said, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”

It's been crazy how the Lord has continued to open up door of ministry for us...Ron, well, you know how He is...he loves to talk...and he has spent so much time talking to the nurses about the Lord...and also convincing them that they need to come to Action :)  But even in surgery the Lord opened up a door for me to talk to a family with a new diagnosis.....We have also felt the love and support of so many as we are in the hospital...we have gotten fun packages and all the little things truly keep us going....Hospital life is hard....it's definitely messing with my chances to ever win another FitBit Challenge again right now....and I do go stir crazy....but then I realize that every person that walks into our room is another person that needs hope and needs to be encouraged...so that is what I try to do! We have realized that we have been faced with so many challenge, but honestly, it could be worse...our daughter is free from leukemia...and now we just have to walk these challenges of continued treatment out, and allow God to use our lives as a testimony for everyone we meet....Although the days are long, and the sleep is short (We are on team #NoSleep like my friend Tiffany calls it!) we are blessed that the Lord is constantly sustaining us and using us in ways we would have never imagined.....

Philippians 4:6-7The Message (MSG)

6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

The Morning Trek every morning

#HospitalLife

cuddles

Love our Kelsey Time

PRAYER LIST:

1. Pray for complete healing of Alayna's leg, and that it would heal quickly....like I said, hospital life's hard but we know that the Lord has us here for a reason...but I am ready to go home....I am ready to figure out life as a family of 5 without spending time in the hospital...I want to just all be in the same place at the same time....I also know my parents cannot stay forever (although I wish they would!) so we would love to be discharged because her leg is healing and she is responding to treatment

Starting to feel better

2. Pray the biopsy will give us results....so far the cultures have been negative because she has been on high doses of antibiotics, so pray the biopsy will actually give us results as to what this is!!! If we know exactly what caused the wound, we can know how to treat it....Also pray that even if we don't get results, the antibiotics will start working and that will also help us get closer to discharge

3. OUR HOUSE!!!!! Y'all, we knocked down the price and we have had less showings and less movement....we are considering an appraisal just so we can know the exact amount our house is worth, and make sure it's priced well, but that is another $400 and well, we all know that is a challenge....we are also still paying two house payments and Alabama bills...I'm over it and I am just really ready for it to sell...it's priced $20,000 below comps, so I am not exactly sure what the deal is...but it's time for something to happen, something to change...so please pray the Lord guides us and leads us on what to do next to get it sold!!!!

4. Pray that Avery will adjust to this crazy life...She is doing really great, and I really can't complain...but the last few nights she has denied her fussy time of day is going to be between 11:30PM and 1:00AM and that is just wearing on this Mama

5. Pray for continued strength as a family as we live in many different places, and not in the same place :( We are ready to be all in the same place....and prayers as always, that as the medical bills are slowly starting to come in, the Lord will continue to provide like he has so far!!!!!

We love you all and are truly overwhelmed by all the support....THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!!

Also, we relaunched the T-shirt fundraiser...so make sure if you didn't get a shirt last time, that you get one now....Our sweet preschool even decided to use their BikeAThon to support us and we were blown away by that!!! Thanks so much for all the love 

Community Alliance Bike A Thon for Alayna

The Nursery Reveal and here comes the Party of 5

So the last few days has been BUSY!!!! Laney Bug went for week 2 of consolidation and did great with her LP procedure and chemo! Her White Blood Cell (WBC) count was very low, only 0.8, but didn't need any blood products thankfully. Sadly, she is on fever watch with her counts being so low. It also means if she does spike a fever, she will be automatically admitted which would not be fun since we are having a baby tomorrow!!!! Luckily we have only run low grade temps this weekend, but they have been a little higher today, so we are praying her fever stays under 100.4!!!! Please pray with us!

Waiting Room Fun

We have been working like crazy to get Avery Grace's room ready! My mom brought all the bedding and goodies with her, and arrived early Sunday morning. In case you haven't realized it, my Mom is amazingly crafty and talented, and has been working nonstop on the nursery bedding and cute outfits for the girls.  My awesome hubby is also an incredible decorator and designer and helped decorate and build everything! I really love how Avery's nursery turned out. We based her theme of Psalms 127, and how our kids are like arrows, and the Lord allows us to guide them and lead them. So with that in mind, the arrow theme was chosen  The wall art came from free printables from pintrest I printed myself, and I then got inexpensive frames for (all under $8 total for everything!) The maternity and family pics were taken by my amazing sister Amanda, and I also found a set of frames at Ross for those! Jerry built all the monogram letters as well! Her closet is full to the brim, thanks to my friends Allyn & Becca (who blessed us with some amazing clothes from her daughter and Addy and Alayna's hand me downs!) and the dresser was refinished by Ron as well, so the nursery was definitely a group effort

Psalm 127:4-5

Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift?

    the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?

Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows

    are the children of a vigorous youth.

Oh, how blessed are you parents,

    with your quivers full of children!

Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you;
 you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

I have also become rather addicted to my FitBit this week and took part in numerous different challenges with our friends.  It was so fun to exercise, walk, and run, and basically have something to keep my mind of everything else.  I went for a final run tonight, and I am slightly sad I will have to stop exercising after Avery Grace comes, but give me a month or so, and I will be right back at it, FitBit in tow!  We also GOT OUR DATE NIGHT TONIGHT!!! Dinner at Outback and grocery shopping thanks to my parents being in town lol! We both sat at dinner and thought, "Are we crazy? What have we gotten ourselves into??" but are ready for whatever the Lord wants to throw at us!

Last Run before Avery Comes (in the rain no less!)

Tomorrow we are scheduled to go in at 6am to start the induction process  Please pray they actually let me come in at 6:00AM. Sometimes they make people wait, so we are hoping that will not happen to us. I truly hate that I will be induced, but know with our chemo schedule, it is what is best for our family. We are so excited to meet our sweet Avery Grace & are still in shock that we will soon be a Party of 5! 

PRAYER LIST

1. Please pray for a smooth induction process, with a great fast delivery, and that I will be able to actually start on time tomorrow. Normally I go in the night before, so it makes me a little nervous, but know the Lord has it all planned already!!!! Also that Avery will just come with no problems and be healthy, and happy,  and go with the flow. 

Psalm 139

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. 

2. Pray Alayna will not spike any fevers above 100.4. We know her chemo causes low grade fevers, and she only has one more day of this kind of chemo, but we would love to not have to be admitted in two different hospitals with two different baby girls. Also that she will stay happy, and will adjust to being a big sister who just happens to have leukemia.  

3.  Pray for Addyson's little heart.  Prayers as she gains another little sister, that she will adjust, and not feel unloved at all. Prayers for Alayna to feel just as loved, and for us to learn this new zone defense, in the middle of our storm, with chemo and treatment.  We are praying and believing the Lord will give us strength, and that Avery will give us Grace. Also just that the Lord would give me strength and no problems in delivery, so I can do all I need to do with three amazing little girls.  If I went quickly, I wouldn't complain at all :)

Jeremiah 29:10-11 MSG

“This is GOD ’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”

4.  Prayers for our house continue. Our goal was to have it sold before Avery, but the Lord's plans are better. We had 4 showings this week and continue to get showings, but no offers. Most people say they wish the downstairs was larger, but we can't fix that and it worked perfect for us!!! Hoping someone will fall in love with the house we loved, and there will be an offer very soon!!!

1 Chronicles 17:10 MSG

“And now I’m telling you this: GOD himself will build you a house! When your life is complete and you’re buried with your ancestors, then I’ll raise up your child to succeed you, a child from your own body, and I’ll firmly establish his rule. He will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom’s rule forever. I’ll be a father to him, and he’ll be a son to me. 

5. Friday is day 15 of consolidation and Alayna will receive the chemo drug Pegaspargase.  We are praying for no allergic reaction. It is VERY common at this point to react to Peg, but we are praying against any kind of reaction, and that we will have a great day 15 with a newborn in tow!!!  Please pray that Alayna's counts will continue to rise, especially her WBC's....fever watch is no joke and makes this Mama a nervous wreck!

Thanks so much for those who purchased a t-shirt! We are so excited to see everyone in their shirts and hope you send us tons of pictures....Here's the nursery reveal....we hope you love it as much as we do!

Entry Way with Sign from Avery's Shower 

Guest Bed

One of my favorite sections

Bed View

love love love

Big Bed Bedding

Love the Pallet Shelf Ron Made 

Gotta Love a ruffle crib skirt

Our Prayer for Our life right now

Thanks so much and we love you!!! We can't wait for you all to meet our sweet Avery Grace and know this is just another part of our amazing journey and story


Ron and Jenny