June 2012

This is an up then down post. It's one of my longest, but it was a big month...

This was a month of weddings! I am grateful to my friend Kelly Jean for hosting me so much of the month, as I had been joking that I should have gotten an apartment for the month...and really it wouldn't have been a bad idea if she hadn't hosted me.

I went to Colorado the beginning of the month to spend time with friends, family and help with any wedding prep necessary for my friend Helenka and my cousin Megan. Helenka got married on Saturday morning and the wedding and reception were beautiful. It was such a delight to see two people so in love, and so innocent in that love and knowing that they are making vows that they mean and that they are in it for life. They will be an excellent pair, great doctors, and a true city on a hill.  I enjoyed every part of that day and my time with them. Congrats you two!

Then on Sunday, I went to church and then headed to Megan's salon (which is amazing!! All of you in Fort Collins, please look up and call Acacia Salon and make an appointment...hair, nails, massage...they are awesome at them all...Megan does massage there, and I am picky about massage...she is by far the best I have ever had and I highly recommend her)...but I digress....We had a blast getting ready for her wedding and it was beautiful and amazing. Her now husband, Jordan, is a great man and I am honored to have him in the family now and am grateful for such a man of honor to be the caretaker for my dear cousin. I couldn't have imagined a better man or a more beautiful wedding and reception for my girl.

After these weddings I returned to AZ and worked 8 of 9 days...It was full of trainings and was busy, but good...Have I mentioned that I love my job and am so grateful for my coworkers and all that I get to do?

On Monday the 18th, I received an email from the family I lived with a few years ago. I have adopted them as my own and adore each and every one of them (there are pictures of us dancing on the side). The email stated that they had just gotten an MRI on their youngest (the little one in the Cinderella dress and crown in the slideshow). The MRI had revealed a tumor on her head that goes through the skull. They family asked for prayers as she was to have a biopsy that Friday. I am thankful to God for his timing, because I was able to fly in that Friday (as already scheduled), and go straight to that biopsy. Unfortunately, God did not see fit to hear our cries for a benign tumor. Esther was diagnosed with Cancer on Friday. I went straight from the results of that to a wedding rehearsal, dinner, sleep over and then wedding. It was an emotional time, and I did all I could to put my deep sadness, questions and fears aside to enjoy another beautiful wedding. I was able to be genuinely happy for Amanda, as her and Matt were made for each other. It was a beautiful day


I flew home and caught up on housework and waited for the lab results of the biopsy to determine what kind of Cancer... Esther has stage IV Neuroblastoma, which will require chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, a bone marrow transplant and a new treatment called MIBG therapy. The decision is now to be made as to whether I stay here, or if I go back to help out. I admit that I am no longer really present here in AZ, so I am just waiting and trying to find ways to serve to help me be present and in the moment while I am here, especially as I wait (I'm horrible at waiting).

Not much else to report. I get to go to Canada next month (hopefully)...so tune in next month for pictures and another update.