Good-Bye, Radiation!

I think I'm just a once-a-month blogger!  Anyway, we are celebrating here in Denver, as Scott finished his radiation a week ago this past Thursday!  It is so wonderful to have put these treatments behind us... and not have to look forward to any more!

Scott officially finished the major treatments, but he still continues to receive a daily injection of blood thinner medication via me.  I always feel bad when I have to give him his shot as it is quite painful for him.  I need to give it subcutaneously... which means in a fatty area... which means if you know Scott you know that there is no such thing as a fatty area on him!  Thus, it can be painful for him.  

We are looking forward to December for a number of reasons.  First, we love celebrating the Advent of our Saviour's birth!  I love giving gifts to everyone as the Magi brought gifts to Christ.  I love seeing what I can handcraft for my family... and I love seeing their faces when they open the gift... especially my sister Becky's face about 2-3 Christmases ago!  Second, this Christmas we get to celebrate our newest little one's birthday.  Aspen will turn ONE this December!  It's so hard to believe, especially with all that has transpired in our lives this past year.  Third, Scott will be done with the painful shots... and I'll be done inflicting that pain upon him!  And fourth, Scott will get his final PET scan to determine if the cancer has been removed from his body.  We are trying to live these next few months just resting in the goodness of our Lord, and waiting on his results.  We know that he can give Scott a clean scan, and believe that He has more planned for Scott and our family.  So, with all that said... I can't wait for December :).

We are trying to get life back to "normal" after all of this, although, in some ways I hope we never get back to "normal".  Scott and I were talking last night about how this has affected us, and how we need to learn, change, and move forward as different people and a different family.  My own hope and prayer is that many people would be changed by our story and that they would see that just because "bad things happen to good people" doesn't mean that God has abandoned us.  In fact, it has been just the opposite.  This life is hard, but without Jesus as our Saviour, it's impossible.  It's times like these when we see the grace and mercy of Christ in our lives.  I'm listening to the Natalie Grant song "Held" right now.  Some of it describes this very thing.  Part of the song says:

This is what it is to be loved and to know 

That the promise was when everything fell

We'd be held

And that's really what the Lord has done.  When we've felt alone, overwhelmed, frightened, angry, and more, the Lord has cradled us in his arms and given us a peace that is difficult to describe.  Not necessarily the "feeling" that everything will turn out fine, but a knowing that whatever happens, we will "be" fine, resting in Him and in His word to us.  We're not promised a life free from trials, but we are promised that the Lord will walk with us all the way.

So, we are waiting and praying right now... and we are also going to Scout meetings, doing school, going to work, attending theatre practice, and going camping!

At the end of this week we are taking a family camping trip over to Moab, Utah.  Since our summer was filled with sickness, struggle, and treatments, we decided we needed a few days together as a family to debrief.  Hopefully I will have some pictures to post when we return.  I'm excited and hoping that it will be a time of spiritual reflection and renewal for us as a family as we look ahead to what the Lord has in store for us.  

Thanks so much for continuing on this journey with us!  I will keep updating you all on what is happening with us as I'm sure you will eagerly await the results with us!  We thank the Lord for each one of you!