3-0

We had a wonderful trip family get-away to Portland where we experienced three things foregin to us in Texas this time of year: snow covered mountains, low humidity, and pleasant temperatures. Jessa's dad and stepmom were wonderful hosts and made us feel like family (which is good because we are). Katelyn's favorite thing was a horseback ride, Jadyn's favorite thing was bike riding (she rode on an "alley cat" bike extension that attached to mine), and Bryn's favorite was eating ice cream.
I turned thirty last Friday which is pretty exciting-- I have a whole another decade of things to experience. One of those things was starting soccer Tuesday-- from which my legs are still sore from.
Jess started a brand new medicine on Monday-- one that has just been approved for her type of cancer. This one fights the blood vessels that the cancer cells have created to feed themselves. Pray strong for her as Jess is a strong fighter who needs you to fight alongside her.

The girls together.

All smiles in AZ! 

Happy Slurpee Day!

It's hard to have a bad day when you can enjoy a 7.11 oz free Slurpee from 7-11 all day long on today 7-11! Jess just spent the last 5 days with her aunts, mom, and grandmother in Scottsdale, Arizona. What an awesome time it is when treatment means facials and spas and not radiation and chemo. The trip I think was really good for Jess. UT-Southwest has goofed a little bit lately: they gave her a wrong scan (she didn't need a bone density scan) and gave her two weeks of radiation on her spine instead of two days on her rib. She also has two unwelcome tumors: one a little bit further up on her spine and one on her left rib. Dr. Haley was not very happy about the goof-ups she has always been adamant that Jess get the best treatment available. Jessica's medicines are going to be switched around a bit: there is a new medicine that has passed the clinical stages and it about to be released in the next few weeks.

We leave tonight for Portland, Oregon for ten days to see family. We are really looking forward to rest and renewal: both Jess and I have been exhausted. I appreciate so much your prayers: there has been a renewed movement of people praying for us the last two weeks. The really cool thing is that it hasn't been orchestrated by us, but rather God has been impressing on several people that now is the time to pray. Nothing is impossible with God, so ask BIG.

All done!

I received a certificate as I left the radiation office yesterday. It was for completing my radiation therapy treatments!!

I already feel better. I do not know if it is psychological or not, but my stomach feels better too. Jake asked me if it felt good to be done. I said it did, but I do have to make the trek to Dallas two more times next week. One for a muga test on my heart to make sure it is back to post-chemo/radiation condition. And one to meet with Dr. Hayley to hopefully go over all the tests I have been having and follow up with her on my continued treatment. Then, I cannot possibly go to any more appointments as I will be out of town until late July!! Yea :) I will love the break, and the kids are so excited.

During my last week of radiation, my mom would come get the kids and take them for dinner. It was a big help so I could rest after treatment. The girls, however, think it now happens every night. Last night Jake made dinner and Bryn said, "I want to go with grandma. I'll wait."

A cousin of a friend has been on my heart lately, her name is Jennifer. Her cancer is pretty serious; please pray for her, her doctor's and her family.