2009

What a year! As I reflect back on the year all I can think is 2009 was a roller coaster ride. So many highs and so many lows. It was a year of trails and growth. So here are a few highlights (in no particular order):

• Married my best friend...:)
• Was blessed enough to go to Allaso Ranch three times this year to serve and each time God moved something in me. At the father/son retreat He revealed himself to me in a way I never imagined and oh how I wish I could stay in that moment. It was so amazing that I can't even describe it. It was a gift so unexpected and such a sweet reminder that He is here watching over us.
• God used Mia to teach me so many things but most of all to remind me we are only here for a little while, so we need to make the most of our time.
• Spent time with family and friends.
• Reconnected with some "old" friends and made some new ones.
• Bought a house on the lake and just started on the renovations.

All in all I think I am going to remember 2009 as the year the Lord revealed himself to me in a whole new way.

Spoiled?

Mia is taking spoiled to a 'hole 'nutha level (as my pastor would say). On Monday she refused to eat so Terry came over and held her food bowl for her. She is learning how to get more attention, if that's possible. She is definitely using her sickness to her advantage and we let her get away with just about anything.

White Christmas

Christmas Eve
During the Christmas Eve service at church it started to snow. We were singing songs by candle light and they showed a live feed from outside. The live feed showed the three crosses on the lake and all the pretty snow falling. When we walked out of service everybody was stopping by the windows to look at the fresh snow. It was awesome.

When we got home we let the "kids" out to play. We knew Mia would have a blast but we thought Maddox would want nothing to do with the snow. We were wrong. Mia and Maddox had a blast running in the snow.


Mia playing in the snow on Christmas Eve


"Dad, I love the snow!!"


Maddox looking good in his scarf. This was after he ran around like a mad man in the snow.

Christmas Day
A White Christmas. I can't believe we had a white Christmas in the DFW area. We spent the morning out in the snow and enjoyed watching the pups run around. I'm so glad Mia got to enjoy some more time out in the snow. She was born in Michigan so she loves this type of weather...


The backyard.


Maddox staying still long enough for me to take a picture.


The backyard again. This is the view from the deck.


Cooper loved the snow. He refused to come inside.


The back of the house and most of the backyard.


Mia waiting for me at the back gate.


Mia having a blast in the snow.

Our Christmas Card

Yes it's true

Bob and I got married on the 16th of this month. We did it locally and spent the day/night at the Gaylord. We had originally planned on eloping in Lake Tahoe in September but everything with Mia happened and those plans were cancelled. There were other dates that we had to change due to circumstances beyond our control. But none of that stuff matters now. We are enjoying "married life" and we are looking foward to the rest of our lives.

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge: "Pets Only"

So I only had several thousand pictures to chose from but this is one of my favorites of my little girl. At first it was a little hard to go through the pictures in light of the recent news but I'm glad I did. I think I have more pictures of her than some parents have of their kids.

I finally settled on this picture because the focus is on her face and it best depicts her. She loves to swim. Once she gets in the water she will only get out on her terms. Even when we had our family pictures taken she ended up in the water.

Join in the “Pets Only” fun over at I ♥ Faces this week!

Mia Update

(photo taken by Elizabeth Fowler)

This is a post I do not want to write but I know I need to.

12/6/09 - Mia was sick. She kept throwing up and not wanting to eat. Didn't know if it was from eating too much grass or the chemo or if her cancer had returned. But it was enough to worry me. By Tuesday she was fine so tried not to think about it.

12/10/09 - Mia had her ultrasound done. I didn't go, I couldn't. Bob told me the technician said everything looked good and there was a small mass on her liver but that could be from her surgery. They took a sample to be tested and they would call with the results the next morning.

12/11/09 - Bob spent most of the day trying to get the results. Mia's regular vet said the sample that they took wasn't a good one but from what they could test the cells were not cancerous. Such a relief.

Last afternoon Mia's oncologist called Bob and told him the results were not good. With the type of cancer Mia has the mass in her liver is most likely cancer and she sees no point in continuing with the chemo. She gave Mia a 1-4 month life expectancy. Not what we expected to hear.

12/13/09 - So we have spent the last couple of days trying to process all of this all over again. I feel like I did three months ago when we were first given the diagnosis. It is so hard to process because if you see her she looks and acts fine. She is still sassy and full of spunk. So, I'm extremely sad but also extremely grateful. Her original diagnosis was 19 days to two months and here we are three months later....

Little Man Cade

I can't believe how big "our" little man is getting. He is such a fun little guy and we are so grateful that his parents trust us with him (and his older siblings).


Hanging out in Bob's truck.


Playing football.


What does my hat say?


Bob flip me upside down.


No more pictures.