Hilton Head pictures and an update

As you could tell from my tone of Thankful Thursday it was a hard week. Coming back from vacation was hard with summer winding down, spending vacation without Craig, and remembering all things that when on at the beginning of August last year was REALLY hard. On August 2nd of last year Craig went in for a scan that we knew wouldn't be good. He had been off chemo since April and we had a great summer traveling different places with the girls. HHI last year was our last week of "normal" (as normal as a gets with cancer looming over your head anyway) as a family of 5. It was the end of the chemo break and after that scan we never had another scan that was good news.

There was more to the stress of the week but I haven't really decided how transparent life needs to be on this blog. But just know that your prayers for our healing are much appreciated as we continue to wade through this new life.

So Monday through Wednesday I did a lot of crying, praying, thinking and not sleeping all too well. On Thursday I was determined to pull myself out of the funk. I did a lot of praying, journaling, making my list etc. I went to SECC Encounter night and submersed myself into the Word and attending the grief group. So by Thursday I was pulling through and came to the conclusion that I wasn't giving God enough credit. I give Him ALL THE GLORY for getting us through cancer-land. We have grounded ourselves in His plan, we still had joy, peace and love even through the most rotten situation so why wasn't I letting go and letting God through this new journey? To constantly surrender is the most difficult but still brings the most peace. It took 3-4 long days to get there but I am so grateful that I walked through the fire rather than around it and I can say the past couple days have been good days. I am trusting in His plan. (Jeremiah 29:11) Wasting away with anxiety, tears, worries and no hope is not the way He wants us to live. He wants us to have Hope and Peace each day b/c God is good all the time. So I am taking a HUGE sigh of relief that He has a plan. It isn't anywhere close to what I had planned for my family but I trust Him.

So on with some more pictures from the trip....



what is the seating capacity in an Odessey?




gator in Sea Pines!



dinner at the Salty Dog

The ones who climbed the lighthouse

Scene from the top of the lighthouse

waiting for Greg Russell

On stage at Greg Russell

one of the many lunches on the screened in porch

Hannah hanging out the night of Gwen's Birthday dinner

Hannah feeding the birds Cheez-its

Hannah eating pizza (commando!)



Everyone on the trip this year

Friends that are like family!

waiting to get in the pool

Cheerleaders! (there is a picture of me doing this with them that Deitz has, I hope it never surfaces- yikes!)



Chad and Kurt getting into the fun. Don't the girls look so little?




Hannah has NO FEAR of the the water!!



the ride home. She is trying on Barbie shoes - we were running out of things to do.



Sisters at the beach



Craig, If there are blogs in heaven, we love you, we miss you, we are making due and trusting in His plan and we will see you again!!!