Its been... a couple of years!

I keep saying I am going to become a blogger. Again. It is kind of hard when the "o" key on the keyboard of this slow computer doesn't work half of the time (I can thank AJ for that one I think...)

But I will try. It has been a trying summer. It is like God is really trying to strengthen me up. Lets see what has gone on...

1. My wonderful Minter family dog, Kramer, who we have had since I was 11, had to be put to sleep due to health issues. Ouch.

2. I became pregnant. I had my first ultrasound due to a minor complication and they wanted to give me one just to make me feel better. I'm glad that they did. They found an enlarged yolksac. And a heartbeat. And a baby that was 2 weeks under developed. At 8 weeks pregnant all of this is a huge deal, and the yolksac that was enlarged usually means that the baby has something chromosmally wrong with it and will miscarry. But there was a heartbeat! Sadly, a week later we had another ultrasound and there was no heartbeat. I had a D & C procedure done the day after Drew and mine's 4th anniversary. Needless to say, in spite of us not feeling much like celebrating, Drew got me a beautiful bright arrangement of flowers that were delivered on our anniversary. A bright spot in my rainy day. Double ouch.

3. A week after that I had a mental breakdown. Those close to me knows what happened. I am now on medication that has helped and am seeing a great therapist who is really helping me with some underlying issues I need worked on. This all goes along with the Double ouch with an ounce of crazy thrown in.

4. This is the big one. We found out about a week and a half ago that my daddy has esophageal cancer. It is stage 2/ early stage 3. They say that they are very confident about dad being able to beat this, and yesterday my dad started his first round of chemo. I have to put my faith in God like I never have before. Put my faith in these doctors I have never met. I don't like seeing my dad in pain, it hurts my heart. But I am putting my faith in God that this will all work out, and that my dad will pull through this. Those who know me knows how hard it is. I like feeling like I have control of situations, and with this situation I have no control whats so ever, except for praying and telling Dad how much I love and support him throughout all of this. Since putting my faith in God and giving all of this up to Him some pretty great stuff has been happening- great in spite of cancer. Dad has to have less chemo than originally thought. He only has one tumor and one lymph node that needs to be removed. He has not gotten sick yet from the chemo. He loves his doctors and has felt really encouraged. His blood work is great. He has a great outlook on things which I totally admire him for. I pray that this fight will continue to be such a positive one, and that dad's testimony throughout all of this will be encouraging to somebody who needs encouragement in a scary time.

God can speak to you in some pretty obvious ways. At least thats what I have found- I think God knows I need more than subtile hints about things as important as this. When we found out the diagnosis of dad's cancer, the following Sunday I was scheduled to spend the day on stage at Kid Kraze at WEC. So glad I did because the whole lesson really spoke to me. It was about persevering through tough times which I really really really need to do. And there was a Captain Anxiety in the video the kids watched. As a person who struggles with anxiety, listening to that video made me laugh and realize how silly and insignificant my anxiety can seem at times. And a couple of days later I was thinking about everything that was going on and getting a little bummed out about it, and a verse pops on the TV (the kids were watching some veggie tales episode they saw on Netflix I had never seen before) about persevering as well. OK God, I can take a hint- I need to keep pushing through everything that is hard with a good attitude and wise choices. And I need to be encouraging to those who need it, especially my family!

I am now reading Psalms 91 by Peggy Joyce Ruth, thanks to my wonderful friend Lindsey Brooks. It is really great and encouraging, reminding me of all of God's promises of protection. So I close my blogging for the night and my wanting to curse my "o" key on this darn keyboard, with a quote from the verses Psalms 91: 9-13,

"9 If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent."