STORMS

Storms seem to come in waves..... At least that's how my life, our life, has been since August 27th. That is the day that will forever be etched in my mind as "the" day we discovered that something was not quite right with my precious hubby. On August 28th, CT scan results were relayed to us. A very large mass was inside his left kidney, renal cell carcinoma, kidney cancer. The big C that naively I thought would never touch us. No family history, no symptoms, no abnormal blood work, perfect physical in May, nothing that would have indicated there was this vicious disease brewing in his body.

We have seen many of God's miracles already....a very "in tune" GI doctor that felt the enlargement during one of those routine palpitating on your tummy type exams and who had received "cancer" news himself about his toddler-he understood where we sat that day. An appointment at MD Anderson was scheduled on the following day all because Jim "just so happened" to miss a meeting with a customer on August 28th who "just so happened to be" the vice chairman on the board of directors at MD Anderson. We were in for the appt on Sept. 3rd, less than a week after diagnosis, with one of the top surgeons/urologist that specializes in large tumors of the kidney. While there we asked when would surgery be (understand I thought you have a mass this big...it's coming out tomorrow! This is my man! So I packed bags prepared to check into the hospital. NAIVE!). Usually it takes 2-3 weeks to get on his schedule but "he just so happened" to have a cancellation for that Friday morning! So this whirlwind got crazier....radical nephrectomy of the left kidney, 26 lymph nodes removed and many other areas biopsied, probed, pushed and shoved (oh, and the gall bladder came out which is what sent us to the GI dr. initially). Four days after that, Jim was doing "better than the doctor ever dreamed he would be" but it made him uneasy to send him home just 4 days post surgery. We came home on Wed., 5 days post surgery and 48 hours before the hurricane.

IKE entered our world on the 12th of Sept. Our home and family were spared but not our electricity. One week we played 'survivor' with no water (we have a well), no flushable toilets (we have a septic system), and no lights. Our kids located a generator and window a/c on Thursday before this storm making life bearable. Poor hubby, couldn't help do anything before or after the storm and it wore on him emotionally.

God's power has been evident. The staples are out, biopsies and lymph nodes were clear but the mass, a little larger than a grapefruit, was indeed clear cell kidney cancer, which appeared to be confined to within the inner wall of the kidney! Now, a grey cloud looms over our heads as we await Oct. 10th for rescans, to check out 3 very, very, small lesions in the lungs that looked suspicious. If there is no change or increase in numbers of lesions we just continue to rescan and observe. If there is a change, we begin drug therapy. Please pray....we covet your prayers so much. God's hand has been in this since the beginning and we know He will walk the journey with us whatever that entails. I long for many more days alongside my spouse that I entered into covenant with 34 years ago and selfishly I beg God daily for that!

The songs and scriptures that come to our mind during these days...and it's only been a month, are those we learned as little children...back to the basics. "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves ME! Yes, Jesus LOVES me! Yes, JESUS loves me, for the Bible tells me so!" No matter what, no matter where, no matter the name of the storm.

I HATE SNAKES

ALL snakes are bad!!!!!!! I hate them all, even if God did create them. They belong outdoors away from people and pets. They should definitely NOT be in your house. Imagine my surprise when I returned home from Wal-Mart to walk into my bedroom and discover a 2 foot long, ok just about 14 inches, snake on the floor near my bed of all places!!! Adrenaline gushed into overdrive and my one mission in life became "Kill the snake!" While screaming bloody murder, I chopped that baby into smithereens (is that a word?). Now my older daughter was on the phone, on speaker, listening to my screams and not having much empathy for me at all. I really thought her Dad had taught her that it is not polite to laugh at other people's misfortunes. I'm pretty sure she was laughing at me and not the snake's misfortune. Did I mention how much I hate snakes? I was a very brave girl klling that snake all by myself, don't you think? No lingering around being seduced by this serpent for me! Now the next mission for hubby is to find how in the world a snake got into our house!!!???? (oh, and pick up and dispose of the dead snake and then I will clean up the blood and guts.) I wonder where I will sleep tonight? After the kill, I checked and it was a non-poisonous snake but I don't care because there really is no snake that is good unless dead...in my opinion! Now that the heart palpitations have stopped I think I will go check and make sure that that ginormous snake is still dead!

Out of the mouths of Babes

Deuteronomy 11:19
Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.


This past weekend we had the privilege of keeping our son's children...(precious angels, I might add!) Memories poured in all weekend while they were here.....sleeping "3 deep" with my grandparents and them never once complaining; watching Justin play all over again through his children; the mistakes I made while parenting; the thousands (probably millions) of back scratches given through the years; my kids favorite songs being sung in the car; taking a 4 year old to Big Church for the first time; getting 2 preschoolers dressed and to church on time; balancing chores and play time with them; silly uninhibited laughter; the sudden urges of a 4 year old to need to potty when no bathroom is near; taking the time to stop and look at the world while explaining God's hand in it all; big bear hugs and multiple I love yous; picky eaters; wonderful imaginative stories; hours spent with Pops playing legos; baby laughter and snuggle time; putting tiny bows in baby fine hair; searching for a quiet 16 month old; washing laundry in Dreft; trying to wipe a face that is a moving target; and the list could go on and on.

The BEST was getting the phone call the next day and hearing the sweet words, "I miss you Granna and I remembered the song you sang to me! Want me to sing it to you?" And THEN, out flowed the words of "God is so Good" in perfect pitch....the simple song which contains such a big, big TRUTH!

You just never know what those little ones are picking up on and how that TRUTH will carry them one day. This is the song that carried me so many times through my Dad's stroke and 3 1/2 years of being in a nursing home, paralyzed. GOD IS SO GOOD....regardless! So teach them to your children, and to your grandchildren. I love making memories! We all make them every day...what kind are you making? What are your children and grandchildren observing in your life, hearing from your lips that is becoming TRUTH to them? Yes out of the mouths of babes!

My First Born

Has 30 years really gone by so quickly? You were the "first" of many in our lives and in our family.
~The first to teach us the REAL meaning of family!
~Our first son...our only son.
~The first to name Mi'-Mi'
~The first grandchild sooooo much like your Granddaddy Thomas
~The first to teach us how to love and let go...allowing you to learn often times the hard way
~The first one parented and to teach us about parenting...that had it's downsides for you, I'm sure.
~The first to defend your sisters
~The first to carry on the Patterson name
~The first to make us proud Grandparents
~The first to make me laugh and cry as a parent
~The first to present us the "creative ways" to wrap presents
~The first drummer in the family
~The first to pee in my face!
~The first to question my beliefs and make them your own
~The first child to become our little brother in Christ
~The first one to be part me and part Dad...what a wonder and a miracle
~The first tenderhearted child of the family...not even wanting to leave the Christmas tree "all by its 'lone" at bedtime
~The first tiny one who stole my heart and still holds it, forever more.

I love you so much and am so proud of you! Always remember Whose you are and no matter what...Jesus loves you most of all!

My Girls

Well....we shopped till we dropped...quite literally! All of us took advil at the end of the day for some type of pain! What a GREAT time we had, minus cell phones even! Everyone spent their allotted money; some even grabbing gum and mints at the last possible minute trying to spend every nickel given! :) Calories didn't count all weekend either! So, if you notice a few extra pounds on us the next few weeks... it's really just a figment of YOUR imagination! Many memories were made and excellent wardrobe choices added. I love you Jaime, Kristen,and Emmalie!! Thanks for taking the time to spend your weekend with me. (Hubbies, thanks for letting them! You were all great sports about it all!)


Tomorrow is the big day...Daddies will be left alone with young children while my 3 daughters and I head out for a girl's weekend together. Normally we do round-top together but this past year was crazy so I decided that we would just do a local get away together. I am excited b/c being around them makes me feel young plus it makes me still feel like "mom" to these adult girls. Hopefully it will be fun for them as well. I'm sure the 2 mommies will just enjoy uninterrupted adult conversation; not too sure how the newly-wed feels about leaving her hubby on one of the few free weekends that they have at home together! Can't wait and hopefully someone remembers to bring a camera!

It's all a Racket

Is it just me? I think cable companies, phone companies, internet providers are all, as my grandmother would say, in cahoots together. Being the dutiful, frugal wife that I am, I have been looking for ways to save a few dollars every month on those bills that provide conveniences we love. Ok, for one I'm turning in one DVR box to save us $12.95/month. For pete's sake, there's only 2 of us now! Can't I record all the shows we can possiblywatch or need to watch on just one of those things??!!?? Then, I began calling about different internet providers...oh the things they promise! That is until you start asking questions and you really begin to compare apples to apples. I've talked to people that I am positive were not in the USA b/c we couldn't even communicate, to people that couldn't even figure out how to transfer my call to someone who could answer my questions! Did these people graduate high school? Anyways, to make a long story short, I think I am going to change my phone number from a metro number to a local number and "bundle" it (woo hoo) with internet service for a savings to my family of 2 of about $40/month! Now that's worth the frustrations I experienced this am. I hate to give up my coveted phone number that I've had for the last 25 years; the one I taught my kids little jingles when they were little to memorize it. I guess I will be making up new jingles to help this mind remember the new number once I get it. But heaven's to betsy....couldn't they just make a number that follows you wherever you go like a cell number. Maybe my sweet son-in-law could develop that computer program!

Another Grandbaby.......

I'm getting another grand-baby via Emmalie and Steven. Ok, ok, not the human kind but the canine type. Emm and Stevo are right now, this moment, on their way home from Oklahoma with their brand new boxer puppy, Abraham Lincoln (aka Abe, Abraham or Mr. President). He is 8 weeks old and has been planned for and named for over a year now. I must admit from the pics I've seen, he is a cutie! I'm sure this "baby of mine", Emmalie, will probably convince me to let him come inside my house. Oh the power of love and persuasion. But seriously, couldn't they find a puppy in Houston? Who knew you had to go all the way to Oklahoma for these things?!? The memories they have made.

I just met Abraham and I am in love with him....adorable does not begin to describe him. If I didn't have 2 labs, I'd get a boxer for sure!