Hoops Weekend

For some bizarre reason, blogger is not letting me upload pictures tonight.:(  Oh well, I will try again another day.  This weekend has been full of basketball.  Kyle played in an AAU tournament and David had his first Upward basketball game this weekend.  He looked so cute in his uniform, new Jordans, and his Lebron wanna-be headband.  He looked cool for sure:)

 It is so full circle that he is participating in Upward this year, because last year he went to his first practice and then came home complaining of his belly and life has not been the same since.  To see him out there playing with a full head of hair is hard to believe.  He looks awesome-tall and amazingly healthy.  He is such an amazingly strong and courageous guy.  I am so proud to be his Mommy. 

This morning we had to miss church due to the tournament for Kyle, so Kyle and I listened to a sermon from Oak Hills Church.  We listened to this sermon by Randy Frazee http://vimeo.com/50372194 and we both were glued.  Amazingly Randy Frazee has a son named David with a disability.  It was such a sweet time of "church" this morning with my eleven year old riding down the interstate.  We chatted about the sermon after it was over and Kyle is really getting to the age where matters of faith make sense to him.  He is at such a great age right now. 

I throughly enjoy the sermon podcasts from Oak Hills Church.  My dear friend Sarah introduced me to them and I have spread the word to many others about them.  I walk to them at the gym, listen to them traveling, and today I used the sermon to listen to the word of God on the way to the tournament.  Maybe next time I should listen to two sermons so I will not yell so much at incompetent refs:)  If you need a little recharging during the week I encourage you to go to www.oakhillschurch.com, click on media and check out all the sermons that are archived.  Mike and I both really enjoyed the series You'll Get Through This based on the life of Joseph. 

Better get the kiddos in bed.  Have a great week!

2012 Highlights

Around New Years I always try to do a highlight post from the previous year.  This year I have really struggled with it because frankly I have cried, prayed, traveled and been away from home way too much.  On the surface I really did not think that 2012 needed a highlight post.  Then on second thought this year has been very difficult, but it has also been the year that I have seen first hand the "amazingness" of our God.  I guess my cushy, comfy life did not allow me the opportunity to lean on our God until my baby was in agony on the 7th floor of UVA hospital. 

So here are the highlights of 2012. 

I will sing of the Lord's great love forever, with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. 

Psalm 89:1

Through UVA we met some amazing families battling their own nightmares, and here is David with Haley.  We were next door neighbors for two weeks after David's surgery and they are such a special family to us.  We vented together, cried together, and watched our babies enjoy playing together.  We were even rowdy enough one time that we needed a security guard to intervene!  (Haley is still at home waiting on a heart:)

We were blessed with amazing prayer warriors and friends.  Ashley, Matt, and Jason were constant friends and visitors to us while at UVA. 

We were so thankful that the only snow of 2012 we were home and David was able to bundle up and enjoy it for a few minutes:)

David got a very special visit from the Eagle, Challenger!!

We were blessed in 2012 with wonderful support from David's school and here is Mrs. Hubble and Rocky Duke, David's Monkey in his chair. 

While we were home we enjoyed watching our Kyle pitch for regular season and All Stars. 

David not only played a tball game or two but he was asked to throw out the first pitch of the Little League Season.  It was a special moment because not only was he in uniform that day but Kyle got to catch the pitch. 

We were so blessed with Camp Pendleton while we were in Charlottesville.  Not only did we make lots of memories in that cozy condo, but we also enjoyed the playground down the street. 

We were away so much last summer, but in between treatments, we were allowed to come home for 2 1/2 days over David's birthday and the fourth of July.  Riding on that boat with the sunshine on our face felt like pure heaven!!

There was one day in the month of June after David's port removal that he was in bad shape. His stats on his monitor were crazy and he would not speak or respond to us.  Mike and I were heartbroken because we were afraid that he had lost his fight and spunk.  We called my parents and my Mom brought down Kyle and Hope to try to cheer him up.  Within several hours of their arrival he was interacting with them and responding to them.  Mike and I were so relieved and happy after several dark and exhausting days of watching his monitor. 

David's 8th birthday was an emotional day for us all.  We had to head back to UVA that afternoon but we had lunch with some of David's favorite people and went to the movies to see Brave before heading to Charlottesville. 

One of the highlights was a visit from our friends at SMyth County Ambulance who came to visit and who brought David a huge surprise!!!

Over Labor Day Mike took Kyle and Hope to Shreveport to spend time with his Dad.  Here is Opa and all of his grandkids except David.  We had no idea that only 6 weeks after this picture was taken that Opa would be going to heaven. This picture is precious to us now. 

This little love has thoroughly enjoyed preschool with Mommy and friends this past fall.  She loves it so much and I am thankful to spend this time with her doing something we both love before kindergarten in 18 months. 

In September we took a day trip to Dollywood which was our first getaway to somewhere besides Charlottesville for family fun.  We had a ball!

 

It was sad that Opa passed to unexpectedly, but the time in Arkansas with Mike's whole extended family was a blessing.  We enjoyed time with lots and lots of family, met their children, and enjoyed the fellowship despite the sad reason we had all gathered.  The trip also opened our eyes to some amazing work that God has done in the Robinson boys' lives and for that we are all so grateful. 

 

We eagerly  anticipate 2013 knowing  from our experiences in 2012 that there is nowhere that God will not meet you.  We have seen his grace and mercy first hand and we are entering 2013 as different people more intentional in our walk with God, relishing relationships with family and friends, and firm in the knowledge that Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 36:5.

 

 

Ringing in 2013!!

We rang in the new year last night with our third annual progressive dinner.  This is the one event that my kids get SO excited about and anticipate it for weeks.  I guess to a child it is just so out of the norm and fun to go to three different houses for appetizers, main course, and dessert.  It is a long night but it gives us plenty of time to catch up and laugh.  My belly is actually sore from laughing so hard!  It was truly a wonderful night.

I had my doubts yesterday that I could go through with the night.  We got word yesterday morning that one of our UVA friends, Alyssa, went home to be with Jesus. She was Kyle's age and Kyle remembers that they were studying last year for the same SOLs in the hospital.  She fought a courageous battle against osteosarcoma.  She is now a beautiful ballerina dancing with Jesus with both of her legs.  My heart is so heavy for Jeff and Lynn and little sister, Lexie. 

After hearing the news about Alyssa my mood darkened into a deep funk and it felt almost unfair to be ringing in the new year with laughter and friends.  Then I remembered that one of the life lessons that cancer has taught us is to seize every opportunity to make meaningful memories with loved ones.  With that new mindset I headed to the Dollar Store and bought boxes of candy to hand out as prizes with our games. 

We started the night out with appetizers at the Osborne's house.  It is hard to discipline yourself to nibble and not eat too much there.  She had some yummy finger foods!  Then we headed to our house for the main course.  I had made lasagna and chicken cordon bleu casserole with Toni's salad and bread.  We had picked up some pizzas for the kiddos and we actually sat down and ate. 

After eating.... it was game time! We usually plan some family-friendly Minute to Win it games and this year Tonya came up with some good ones!

Here is my husband with panty hose on his head. In the leg of the panty hose is a tennis ball.  The object is to swing the tennis balls to knock down the water bottles.  To watch our grown men with panty hose on their heads made us belly laugh.  We are also a very competitive group of people which adds to the laughter. 

Kyle trying to knock down those water bottles!  Have I mentioned how competitive we are??!! :)

Yesterday I went to the dollar store and bought boxes of candy for a cake walk type of game.  The kids walked in a circle and when the music stopped they stood on a number.  Whoever's number was called got to pick a prize out of the bucket. 

Tonya also did a minute to win it game where the kids had to suck up M&Ms with a straw and make a smiley face on their plate.  Cute!!

Kyle's fourth grade teacher on the left and his current teacher, Mrs. Roark on the right.

The annual group picture of the kids!  Hope would only get in the picture if sweet Kelsey would hold her:) The Jonas' are expecting their fourth, a little girl in a few weeks so amazingly next year there will be an addition to this group!

I was loading up the kids and Mike went back inside to get something, or so I thought.  Next thing I know he comes out in his old white bucks-which were his partying shoes from college.  Evidently these shoes are hot again (Jonathan spotted them on the shelves at Belk) and Mike is smug in the knowledge that he is once again a trendsetter.

The ladies of the group in Macy's room. 

I made a homemade centerpiece for the table for dinner:)  I am such a holiday dork.

The last game we played was a number guessing game.  The kids and adults had to put down their guesses and whoever got the closest won!  Renee won both of them-she is such a smart cookie!

It was a wonderful new year full of laughs and good food.  After the scary and often horrible 2012 it felt right to laugh and enjoy fellowship with some friends.  Between our cancer journey with David and Suzanne's pregnancy we have not gotten together in a while.  It felt so good to laugh and watch our kids enjoy time with their friends.  We never know what tomorrow will bring, but cancer has taught us to enjoy every moment.  May God bless you and your family in the New Year and may 2013 be a year for peace and love in your household.