The Wright Family

This session is very, VERY special and will always have a place in my heart. Kristina and her family are such an inspiration in every way- Brace yourself, this will be a looooooong post- so sit back, grab a drink and a snuggly blanket and get comfortable :)



Kristina is one of those walking miracles that I count myself so lucky to have touched my life. She is one more example of God’s hand in working for His glory. I can remember it like it was yesterday, A simple phone call to my sister-in-law led to such an unexpected blessing! When Shay shared Kristina’s story with me, we were both crying with one another. Shay wanted to book a session for them as a surprise, I told her I would be thrilled but insisted it must be a gift, no payment was necessary.  I believe in my heart that God blessed me with a passion and talent for photography and I will always pay that forward in using my gifts to bless others.

I was totally blown away with Kristina’s story and so in awe of how God chose to work. When I was little and first learning about Jesus and God, I was so enthralled with the miracles that Jesus preformed. Growing up I always wondered why I could not see a blind man healed, the deathly sick reformed with just a touch of His robe- I was honestly a little jealous of the disciples for getting all that first hand experience. But, then Jesus carried us through this past year with everything that happened with Adam, his surgery and his ongoing recovery. Adam is my own miracle and now so soon after to hear of such another great work that God has done with Kristina, I was just over the moon!!!

So, at this point you may be thinking- well, what in the world was going on….details PLEASE!!! In short, it was another fabulous miracle that only our God can coordinate and I truly am so thankful to have shared just a small part of Kristina’s amazing summer when I had the honor of photographing their family on our visit to Arkansas. But, of course there’s much more to the story…

In late 2010, Kristina was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of primary vaginal cancer, called Vaginal Adenocarcinoma. After over 15 gynecology oncologists reviewed her case initial treatment plans were begun January of 2011. Thus began the long list of surgeries, chemotherapy, external beam radiation and internal radiation. All of which are grueling and exhausting for any person, but Kristina is also a wife and mother so I can only imagine how the family as a whole was mentally and physically exhausted. Yet, through it all she remained faithful and positive.

Check ups continued every 3 months and to her and her doctor’s delight for the remainder of 2011, Kristina was deemed cancer free! However, in February of 2012 the test results showed abnormal glandular cells once again. After meeting with the tumor board the doctors believed Kristina's only cure to be a Total Pelvic Exoneration. A procedure so seldom required, even a huge institution such as MD Anderson only performed 12 of these radical surgeries per year. As most of us would do, Kristina sought second opinions and dove into the research for any hope of other alternatives, finally though she had to chose to move forward with the radical and deformative surgery on June 5, 2012.

Ten hours from home, an estimated 2 weeks in ICU recovery and a month stay in Houston well in her future. Kristina started her day of surgery with 8 IVs, a tube in her neck for a blood transfusion, an epidural and full anesthetic. She was was completely prepped for surgery and had the best surgical team at MD Anderson had to offer at her side. All would have been a normal day in surgery for these doctors, but through her mother's unwavering encouragement, Kristina had one last special request. She asked for one last biopsy before the entire procedure was completely put into motion.

The doctor's deemed this very unnecessary, but ultimately agreed. Kristina knew that there were tons of people and family members fasting and praying for her, She knew that if God chose to, He could heal her. Her faith and peace of mind through this entire endeavor is so inspiring and a humbling reminder that we rest completely in His loving hands.

Amazingly, the small biopsy of the sample came back negative for cancer. When the pathologist couldn't find traces of cancer, the surgeon took a larger biopsy. Still, no cancer. The surgeon then did a full upper vaginectomy removing a larger amount of tissue and glands knowing there had been cancer there on prior biopsies. AND Still no invasive cancer!!!

After working relentlessly for 5 hours, calling in the head of pathology to assist, the rest of the surgery was completely aborted!!! Kristina received her miracle from God and got to spend an unexpected summer at home with her husband and children.

 They all could not have been more excited and thankful in every way imaginable. Billy and the kids reminded me so much of the strength of our family that not to long ago rallied around Adam for his surgery. WOW, what a BLESSING this family was to ours- God is so, so, SO good and I am so thankful for each and every little and BIG miracle that He shares with me daily!

So, now you know why Kristina and her family are so VERY special to me and what these images really represent! I can't help but smile every time I look at these images of this precious family :)


This family session was SOOOO much more than preserving the family and kids at this stage in their lives- it was a C E L E B R A T I O N of life, it's many blessings...


...the simple things like spending time together, laughing, hugging and just being ALIVE with JOY in our hearts!!!


Thank you so much Kristina for sharing your story, your courage and your sweet family, you are ALL such an amazing blessing! xoxo :)



Kristina has kept a blog of her journey and shares much more faith and detail of her diagnosis, treatment and recovery, Please visit her blog and while you are there send some kind words and prayers her way ☺ http://restingreenmeadows.blogspot.com/

Update on Riley {Praise The Lord!}

I can barely contain my relief and pure joy as I write this update- I feel like I have been holding my breathe and can finally exhale...

April called just a few minutes ago with news from the CTscan and the news is phenomenal! Riley actually has an extremely rare and abnormal gap in his neck. The section of concern that appeared on the x-ray was an elongated gap between the vertebrae that is double the size of most children Riley's age. This in turn, appears to be a positive attribute for children as active as Riley- where he has more space than most to protect himself from neck injuries.

All I can say is WOW! Thank you for your prayers and lifting Riley up. It feels so wonderful that in the face of seemingly impending surgery and a chance of not playing sports ever again to a revelation that Riley is perfectly healthy and even a bit more protected than it seemed is just another awesome example of laying it in God's hands.

In fact, the doctors said that it is extremely fortunate that the initial x-ray was done so now there will always be a permanent record if any future injury does occur. They said that this particular abnormality would have always raised flags for Riley in any x-ray because of the 2-D interpretation of the image. Thank God for modern medicine, technology and the professionals who have been called to serve in this field. And also thank God for good friends who follow their instincts, even on a simple whim!

And most of all thank ALL of YOU who were with us today through your kind words, phone calls and prayers! I feel after all we have been through that I am so proud of my complete faith to just lay it all on God and trust in His will. I am a worrier by nature and usually in no minor definition of the words "freak out" first to only then calm down and hand it to God but in this instance prayer was my only and number one answer- AMEN!

Again, Thank You, Thank You, THANK YOU!
God Bless and I hope you all have a fantastic week, xoxo!!!

More technical explanation directly from my sister:
The CT scan showed his pedicle bone in the neck is larger than normal- which makes it look like a fracture on an 
X-Ray. I was told by my favorite Dr. (Mersberger) that this is just good genes.

Prayer Warriors Needed {for Riley}

Dear Friends,

This is an open letter to you all begging for your thoughts and prayers for my sweet nephew Riley over the next few days, weeks and months to come. This morning my sister called with the news of finding a neck fracture from an x-ray. Currently we are waiting for an appointment time today for a CATscan to learn more details and a future plan of action. Unfortunately, that is all we know at the moment and somehow that is enough- already we see God's hand over Riley as the x-ray that revealed the fracture was done on a complete whim from the doctor and good friend of the family. There was absolutely no hint or suspicion, Riley simply was in for a sports physical appointment and the doctor was running an x-ray on her own son and decided to run one on Riley as well... There has been no pain, injury in his neck or anything that would have raised any even minor need for an x-ray.

As a family, the events of last year with Adam's seizure which revealed his brain tumor, his surgery and even now through his physical therapy recovery; we know that God has been with us all every step of the way- carrying us much of the time through the most agonizingly fearful moments. Moments where I personally had absolutely nothing else to lean on but my faith in His love, promises and the sacrifice that He had already made for us. It was through that faith and the dedicated prayers or friends, family and complete strangers that was and is still with us now.

That same faith is leading us as we embark on this new path with Riley and God's plan for him. Please lift him up in prayer today and the days to come as we learn and share more details about the situation with his mysterious neck injury. He is an extremely active young man with a love for all sports, especially football and baseball. Riley recently celebrated his 9th birthday and has a heart of gold. Just a couple weeks ago he was sharing with me how excited he was that the boys won their VBS battle with the girls over who could raise more money for the missionaries to share with people all over the world about Jesus. He and his sister Reese along with my sister and brother-in-law have instilled in our kids that dinner does not start until after we have said the prayer together holding hands- even our little KK who is 2yrs old reaches out her hands and shouts A-men when it's all finished. The kids lead the prayer and it's been instrumental in teaching them to grow their very own faith and relationship with Jesus. My sister, April was my rock and constant supporter while our family was going through everything with Adam last year and I am determined to be there for her in every way now.

Even at this hour we are waiting on the first available time for a CATscan appointment today. All we really know is that the location of the fracture in his neck is of grave concern and more information is needed to plan surgical options. As a mother of two very active and physical boys I have been thanking God over and over that this was caught now as it appears as something as simple as turning his head with the swing of a bat could result in life threatening injuries- wrestling, rough housing and doing things that all nine year old boys do withstanding- right now it's like walking on egg shells while waiting, waiting, waiting to learn more.

While we wait, we will be praying and would be eternally grateful for those of you who could also join us in praying for Riley today. Thank you so much and I will be sure to share any news we get as it comes.

xoxo- We love you Riley!




In writing this, I thought that I would also share my devotional today about staying calmly conscious in Jesus- knowing that He goes before us, preparing the way. I think the timing and reflection of these verses could not have been better. These will be repeated in my prayers throughout today :)

Psalm 23: 1-4
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.


2 Corinthians 4:16-17
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.


Here are some more pictures of Riley and his family along with our Georgia crew of cousins...

Riley's amazing family- always having a good time outdoors!

The cousins at Easter (missing Ace, Maddox, Colby & Olivia)

And... Riley just being Riley :)

Praying for Adam {By The Grace of God}

I can't believe over a week has passed since we have been at Duke. It feels like months. Time passes slowly but that also allows for some peaceful reflection amid all the chaos of life right now. It seems like each day brought it's own unique challenges as well as huge victories. Through it all we had the constant loving support of family, friends (some who were able to be here with us and others who lifted us up and prayer and stayed updated online and through texts) and the unshakable peace of God.

Every day Adam makes unbelievable progress- and that's not an overstatement for me to just feel good inside. We hear the physical therapists talking amongst themselves at how much progress he is making everyday and what a wonderful spirit he has. Adam is not only determined to work hard at physical rehabilitation but also to treat everyone as he would like to be treated- his attitude is infectious. He is quickly becoming every one's favorite patient.

As I type this update, Adam is sleeping in a chair beside me and looking at him- so peaceful and rested- a much different image than only a week ago. We have been through so much, but I would honestly not change a thing because it has brought us face to face with God and shown us first hand his limitless power and mercy. It is only by the grace of God that I made it through this last week with a peace that as the verse says below transcends all understanding. That's not to say that I did not have my moments of weakness and fear, but thankfully I was surrounded by so many reminders of God's love and presence that those moments were short.

I can not thank everyone enough- all of you who prayed for us and cheered Adam on. Our friends, neighbors, family, strangers...my sisters, brothers, parents (direct and in-laws) all rallied around us and constantly were there for us. We have lived through the promise that all things work together for God's perfect plan and will keep that promise in our hearts with each step that Adam makes through recovery and in our everyday life in general.

Love to you all and God Bless!!!

Jesus Calling

Early on into our Journey into the world of brain tumors, gliomas and neurosurgery a very dear friend sent us the devotional, Jesus Calling. Somehow, each day have been exactly what we needed to read and what's even more amazing is that it is written in a tone as if Jesus himself is speaking directly to you.

Today's Dec. 12th devotion clearly put it..."I am taking care of you". That's what I need to get through the day.

Supported by the familiar readings of Romans 8:28, Job 42:1-3, and 1 Peter 5:7 and 2 Corinthians 5:7

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Job 42:1-3

Then Job replied to the LORD:

“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we live by faith, not by sight.

Praying For Adam {Welcome to Duke}

Reflecting on the long day we had ad Duke. The simple description can be summed up easily with just a few well know words...welcomed like family! Each and every staff we encountered not only loved their job (we could see it on their face) but were all genuinely interested in Adam and how he came to be at Duke and what would be happening over the next few days.

We were even more blessed when we met Del and his wife Kate at admissions and quickly found out that Del was going to be having a similar procedure with Dr. Friedman and was scheduled right before Adam on Monday morning.

We closed the night with a late night buzz cut for Del, who was very grateful that Jeremy just happened to have his trimmer with him (alas....SWAT is always prepared for anything!)

We continue to me amazed and humbled throughout this journey and are ever so thankful for the nice surprises and blessings along the way like Del and his family- whose faith, like ours has forever been infused with even more purpose than we ever thought we were capable of our selves...but really, it's not our strength...but HIS!!!

xoxo and we appreciate all the prayers and notes of love that continually comes our way- please include Del in your thoughts as well when you think and pray for Adam tomorrow. Del's day will start at 6am with an MRI followed by surgery and Adam's will start at 7am with an MRI followed by surgery after Dr. Friedman has completed Del's surgery.

ps... the little globes all over their heads will be used kind of like a sophisticated GPS brain mapping system for the doctors while they are in surgery...very cool!

Mommy Mondays {Inspiration}

This weekend we picked up the new Mercy Me album. From our days of youth summer camp with our church we have LOVED Mercy Me!!! Adam and I both count it one of our many blessings to have had the pleasure to sing praise and worship music along with the band so long before they found wonderful success sharing their gift or worship music. Those summers are still so fresh in my mind and are certainly some of my best memories!

One of their songs stands out amongst our many, may favorites and has become somewhat of an anthem for us, below are the lyrics and a link to their website. Thank you Mercy Me for following God's plan for your lives and trusting Him... this is such a spot on reminder of our purpose and source of strength!

IN CHRIST ALONE

In Christ alone my hope is found,

He is my light, my strength my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fieriest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are still, when striving cease!

My comforter, my all in all, Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone!

Who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

Till on the cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.

For every sin on Him was laid.

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay.

Light of the world, by darkness slain.

Then bursting forth in glorious day,

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory

Sins curse has lost it’s grip on me.

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ…

No guilt in life, no fear in death,

This is the power of Christ in me.

From life’s first cry to final breathe

Jesus commands my destiny…

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

Mercy Me

Album: The Worship Sessions

Mommy Mondays {Answered Prayers}

Today we are preparing for the next steps in our journey together for Adam's treatment. We have been researching and finding out more and more (so much more than I care to know) about brain tumors. Many of you have been praying along with us for strength and guidance and we thank you! We are continually receiving both :)

After our last appointment with the local neurosurgeon we sent out several copies of Adam's scans and doctors notes to neurosurgeons at Duke, Emory and MD Anderson. Even though Emory is the closest we did not want to rule out other plans God may have for us even if it meant traveling a bit- as long as it was a Doctor of His choosing.

This week we get to meet with the surgeons at Duke (and hopefully Emory soon after). and our local neurosurgeon is having a conference call with the surgeons from MD Anderson. So, there's a lot to be thankful for!

When we began research there was not a big clear sign or direction, just a sea of links, websites, hospital and surgeon reviews that spanned the whole United States and beyond. To have a clear path to three of the top surgeons who are all within the top one percent of their specialty fields (glioma brain tumors) is a huge answer to prayer and an even bigger reminder of who is ultimately in control.

Adam has a wonderfully strong feeling and peace already towards Duke so we are very, very excited to meet with them this week. Please continue to pray for Adam and God's guidance in the many decisions that will come as well as us finding the surgeon that He has for us.

In closing I would like to share a verse that a dear friend sent us that is a wonderful reminder for us everyday to find strength and encouragement in Him! Adam and I have both been so appreciative of the numerous words of encouragement that we receive daily from those who are thinking about and praying for us. Through texts, emails, messages, calls, comments and facebook it is clear that God is using so many of you to rally around us as an ever constant reminder of His love for us...He is with us in every step of the way!

2 Corinthians1:3-4 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Thank you all and hope you have a GREAT week :)

xoxo

Praying For Adam {The Next Steps}

Today we had our consultation with the Neurosurgeon and though we did not receive a complete comprehensive plan to proceed we certainly are learning more than we ever imagined (or ever cared to know) about the glioma family of brain tumors.

I thought that everyone would like to hear a little bit from Adam himself on this so, here it is straight from the source :)

As you all know Sunday Sept 25th I had a seizure. Proper procedure for a first time seizure is to run tests (MRI and CTscan)...both which revealed a low-grade mass on the right side of my brain which is called a glioma tumor. I had a follow up appt today and below is what we discussed.

I spoke with the neurologist today and right off the bat he referred me to Duke University Medical Center or MD Anderson (Houston, TX) as they have the top rated Glioma Tumor specialist.
(and Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.)

A little background on the type of tumor I have…

These types of tumors originate from glial cells in the brain (which begin to grow abnormally). We looked at the scans and although it is low-grade it looks pretty big in size (in my opinion) 6.3 cm. There were two shades in the scans which makes doing a successful biopsy to get a read difficult. Since these originate from glial cells sometimes even when a biopsy is taken it may not get the right tissue which could be difficult to reveal cancer vs. non cancer. However, cancerous vs. non-cancer didn’t seem to be his main concern (which I take as a good sign) as glioma tumors are not necessarily defined in that category from the beginning. But that’s not to say it isn’t cancerous, so I still want to do a biopsy once I consult with the other specialist and get their take on the treatment plans.

Couple things, it has been there for a while (he stated years, although he cannot pinpoint exactly how long…his guess 2-4?). The fact that it is low-grade is positive and it doesn’t seem to be intensifying, being on the right side is good as well. However I will eventually be faced with two options in his opinion depending on how aggressive both the doctors and I want to be.

Option 1. Surgery to remove...Surgery has several risks (1) remove the tumor, but there’s a possibility due to the size and the fact it originates from a glial cell there is a chance that after surgery it won’t all be removed (2) it could possibility come back over time (3) It could possibly affect my speech, motor skills and movement on the left side of my body which in turn affect my overall quality of life. (4) Its completely removed.

Option 2. Leave and monitor over time. The fact that I feel normal and haven’t experienced any effects other than the recent seizure is a good sign since I’ve been living with it for some time now. Question is how long before it intensifies and could turn to high-grade which has far worse implications.

We asked what is the timing of this type of tumor until it could possibly intensify…he mentioned on average 7 years. This doesn’t mean I only live for 7 years it means the time frame the glioma intensifies. The questions lies with where am I in this time frame from it going from low-grade to possibly high grade which has much more serious effects? This is hard to answer as we don’t exactly know how long it’s been there.

If I have surgery and the risk far our weigh the rewards then I could be faced with a decreased quality of life that could affect work and my everyday life and family. Whereas if we monitor over time there is a chance I could go who knows how long with the normal quality of life I am currently living. I asked him straight up what would he do in my situation and he responded, “At this age, I am the sole provider for my family, the risks of surgery and my ability to provide for them is important…I would take monitor approach”. I understand where he is coming from, as no matter what is happening to me, my family is more important and what I can do for them in the meantime. I could go another 10 years w/o complications or minor complications. Making sure my wife and kids are being taken care of is extremely important however my own health is as well. But as I mentioned surgery can have implications…then on the other hand surgery could solve the issue. It would be nice to know what I’m looking at in terms of which fork in the road I take…If I go one direction will it inevitably lead me to the same direction as the other choice?

But those are some things that will be answered with my next opinions and recommendations with the other doctors, so for know the next steps are sending my scans to MD Anderson, Duke University Medical Center & Emory University Hospital. They highly recommended Duke. So once I hear back from them I’ll get a better idea on what I’m looking at as far as treatment and where I should go. The best treatment I can receive in the meantime is your prayers and positive thoughts, because it’s out of my hands as well as the doctors. One way or the other the greatest doctor known to man will make sure I receive the proper treatment and that’s the Lord Almighty!

I’ll continue to keep everyone posted. As I said I feel normal and fine, which I know to some of you isn’t really normal :P

We would really like to thank everyone for all their prayers and encouragement, you have no idea how much it means to us and how much of a difference it has already made in our lives. God Bless you all and please keep praying for Adam!

xoxo

Mommy Mondays {Walk By Faith}

I have been over and over in my head about writing this (...or not) and finally decided that it needs to be shared. Many of you may already know, many more are praying and hopefully many more will join us in praying. I apologize in advance for the extremely long post...

Any one who knows me knows one thing- I am an eternal optimist. But recently my perfect little world was shattered, blown to bits, more like a huge atomic bomb went off (and I was left walking through the smokey mess)...but at least I was walking!

Two Sundays ago I woke up to my husband, Adam, having (what I consider) a violent seizure and called 911. I was a mess. On one hand I had the 911 operator on speaker phone and frantically dialed my sister's cell phone in the other. I honestly do not know how much sense I was making- it was a blur and I described everything in broken fragments between sobbing as best I could- stroke was the only thing that came to my mind and all it's devastating results. Only by the grace of God was I able to calmly communicate with the kids that Daddy would be alright and to go in the playroom (and thank God they did without any question or hesitation).

Though I tried my best to catch Adam's attention or to calm him down, I was helpless until the seizure ended and he just rolled over and went into a deep sleep. I met the EMT at the door and took them upstairs. Thank goodness he woke up, though clearly confused it was the first time since the seizure he had clearly had control of his body. Then a new fear consumed me when they asked him how old he was... "I don't know" - followed by another wrong answer as to what day was it..."Tuesday?" he said. I could almost hear the angels singing though when the third question came- What year is it... I held my breath until he answered and then breathed the biggest sigh of relief when I heard it, "2011".

I had to wait for my sister (April) to arrive to take care of the kids so Adam went on with the ambulance. Later, I would find out that he did not remember a thing about Sunday morning except for waking up in the ambulance. I rode to the hospital with my brother in law (Ronald) and by the time we reached the ER we (non-doctors) had already diagnosed him with dehydration- phew, what a relief! This was an easy assumption because the entire night before Adam and the boys were all up pretty much every hour on the hour throwing up. We go through this virus at least once a year so it was pretty much just going through the motions until it ran it's course...but seizures had never been part of it's course.

It took everything I had not to suffocate Adam from one big endless hug when we walked into his room to see him smiling in a hospital gown. Slowly, I began thinking "thank goodness the worst is over" as they hooked him up to his second bag of IV fluids. A few minutes passed and they came to roll him back for a routine CTscan for seizure patients. Ronald and I talked more about the dehydration and how nice that was all it was. He explained more to me about seizures (from growing up with his Dad who had epilepsy).

It didn't seem like too much time passed before they were wheeling him back in. Ronald had stepped out to call my sister and get a plan together because she had decided that no matter what she was not going to let me stay up there by myself. We laughed at how Ronald was pumping himself up to go look after a brood of 5 kids (theirs + ours). About that time the ER doctor came back and updated us on everything that had been going on but had more information that pretty much not only caught us all off guard, left us completely speechless. It only took the few words of "we found what appears to be a mass on your brain" to send my fears spiraling again but I some how managed (in the very loose definition of the words) to maintain some composure. The next step would be an MRI on the recommendation of the neurosurgeon that had already looked over Adam's CTscan remotely. I was impressed with the speed and flow of information and how quickly the staff reacted and cared for Adam.

April arrived and Ronald headed home with all the kids by the time the nurses came to take Adam back for the MRI. As she wrote down phone numbers and names to call I just had to take a walk in the hallway and found a momentary escape around the corner in a small bathroom. Only for a moment I allowed myself to let go and cry, cry louder and then cry more. Knowing that more tears would come I did the best I could to wash up and prayed with all my heart. I walked back in the room to give Adam a hug and a kiss.

While Adam was in the MRI, April and I took a walk to the general waiting room. While she called, I texted (I just could not talk without breaking into tears again). I texted updates and could feel the prayers of everyone who was already praying for us. I remember just telling myself, we are in God's hands over and over again.

We were already in the room when they brought Adam back. The medication that they had given him to help prevent any further seizures was already settling in as his memory of earlier conversations became a little fuzzy. Though the one thing he could remember clearly was that he had a mass on his brain. Again, time passed quickly and it seemed like in no time the ER doctor was back to share the results of the MRI. He had already conferred with the neurosurgeon who again viewed the scans remotely and confirmed to us what they labeled as a low grade mass. We held on to every word- clinging to the positives "low grade", "front right of brain", "small", etc. We were informed that Adam would be admitted overnight and the neurosurgeon would be around to see us soon and discuss a little more.

That is where time slowed down. The minutes on the clock seemed not to progress much at all. In my mind, we were moving in slow motion- almost frozen in time. I was relieved that Adam found distraction by watching the Giants game on TV and checking his fantasy football team. That let me know that he was ok- frustrated a bit and yelling at the players on the TV, but to me that was peaceful.

By the time the neurosurgeon came I think we had both had all the news we could stand for the day. It seemed like I had been through every emotion humanly possible and I was exhausted. We both listened to the semi-scientific explanations. I was impressed with the doctor's patience with our questions and his calm voice. Again, I hung on to every positive word and let the others go in one ear and out the other...low grade, small, right side...followed by the information that I know God just needed us to hear- "it appears to have been there for a while and not a result of the seizure, the brain is not negatively reacting to it". In a summery he told us that we were in a very positive situation having discovered it in this manner and that there was no emergency action needed so scans and medications can be used to figure out what the next steps would be.

When we settled in Adam's new room in the tower (with a much bigger TV for watching football!) I started to google the term that the neurosurgeon had used but I could not remember it exactly so I typed what I could remember... it sounded like glaucoma (but of course I knew that was not it). So I typed in the search "brain gl"... and glioma quickly filled in the rest. I clicked one of the top links and got as far as a definition of "A glioma is a type of tumor..." then I closed the browser. I had enough for one day and was just going to let that sink in and hold onto all the positive information that we had received as long as I could.

I spent the night with Adam just so I could hear him breathing, the same as I did with all our children when they were newborns, I knew that if I just heard them breathing or wiggling around that they were ok. The next day went pretty quickly with the routine shift changes, blood drawing, medication and meal deliveries. Adam was in great spirits, felt normal and was ready to go home. We made it through the day with the stash of chocolate and snacks that Farise had brought us the day before and a nice morning Starbucks that April had brought us. I really do not know how the hours would have went without the thoughts, prayers and support of our family and friends- I am literally astounded and humbled at the amount of love they have for us. Though clearly not his favorite arrangement, that afternoon I drove us home (he can not drive for six months) and we have been adjusting to our new life ever since.

As a long story comes to a close, we are just beginning on a new journey for our family that while at first was extremely frightening we now appreciate our life and our family at an extremely different level. For that and so many other things I am thankful. When things like this happens you find yourself thinking about the worst possible scenarios- but we are glad that those fears have been replaced with hope for the future and appreciation for the present. Time spent together is so much more important now, even if it's just watching Monday night football together. The little things that may have caused an argument suddenly are not worth the time we give them to interrupt our day. Playing catch with the kids, a sweet kiss on the cheek, even washing the dishes I treasure each and every moment.

We have always been aware and acknowledged God's plan for our lives- we met in middle school, began dating in high school, married after college, started a family, started a business, moved into our first house and so much more with our fate in God's hands. So we will not take a step further without the same blind faith that we have always had. We are both extremely thankful for everything God has blessed us with and know without a shadow of a doubt He has a wonderful plan for us!

Jeremiah 29:11-12
‎"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you".

** Our first appointment with the neurosurgeon is on Thursday, we will continue to keep everyone updated and appreciate all your prayers and very kind words! Love you all :)