every captive thought

Another beautiful day!  We had a yummy breakfast with Mom and Dad at our favorite breakfast place.  What a great way to start the day.  We ran a few errands after that.  When we got home, Brad and James planted some little succulents for me.  I love them. Later James helped Brad clean his bike. We had a SUPER hard loaf of french bread so after dinner we gathered up a bunch of bread...including the cement-like french bread...and went to the park to feed the ducks. Brad had been showing James how to tear up the pieces small enough so the ducks could eat it.  I turned to give some to Jude for him to throw out.  I turned around just in time to see James hurling that rock-hard half loaf of french bread into the water like a football.  It sounded like a chunk of lead hitting the lake and the poor ducks scattered.  They didn't even try to peck at it.  Good thing too...it would have broken their beaks.  The concept of tearing the bread into small pieces didn't make sense to James ap

We have LOVED these nice warm days.  We have spent most days outside soaking it up.  Unfortunately, we had to take James to see Dr. Honey on Tuesday and he has strep.  Jude came with us so she could check up on his Bell's Palsy to see if the steroids are helping.  And they are!  It's a good thing because they have sure made him a crankypants. But in between resting and doses of medicine, we still found time to play outside. James took this picture of Jude and I while we were talking to our neighbor. He actually took several pictures...but mostly of people shoes and my double chin. Do you remember James' herb garden that we planted?  And we were so excited when I didn't kill it and it actually managed to sprout ?  Well, we've made it a full month...and that includes the poor little greenhouse being dropped twice with all of it's contents being spilled out and quickly re-potted before James saw the disaster. The time finally came for James and Brad to tran

Today was a great day...now known around our house as "Jude Day". We celebrated how far Jude has come in the last year.  He got his favorite breakfast of donut holes and favorite dinner of pizza.  He also got this from James. We spent a lot of this beautiful day playing outside.  There were so many times today that I would look at my watch and think back to what we were doing 1 year ago...12:00 sonogram, 1:00 Dr. Ross tells us it's cancer, 2:00 CT, 3:00 Dr. Honey's office to discuss plan, 4:00 admitted to hospital, 8:00 signing papers about death, chemo, organ donation, etc, 10:00 looking at CT with oncologist...up all night praying and crying curled up with Brad on a tiny cot.  It was absolutely the worst day of our lives.  But today we praised the Lord for how well Jude is doing, for the things we've learned along the way, for the friends we've made because of this, for drawing us closer as a family, for sharpening our focus on the kind of parents we want

It’s been one year today. One year since we heard those life-changing words, “Your son has cancer”. One year that our gracious Lord has lovingly and patiently walked us step-by-step through the drudgery of learning to live a life different from what we had imagined. One that includes having a son with cancer. One that includes countless doctor’s appointments, specialist, oncologists, sickness, fear, worry, anxiety, tears, joy, relief. A new life that has opened our eyes to how precious life is…how precious every small milestone is, not to be taken for granted. One that makes old worries and concerns seem insignificant and distant. The first-time Mommy concerns I had with James don’t even cross my mind with Jude because he has taught me how precious life is…how precious my children’s lives are. I want to live fully in every moment of their childhood and lives. I don’t want to miss a moment. Jude Quinn, You are a miracle and a blessing.  You stare cancer in the face and laugh

I took Jude to see Dr. Honey today for his 18 month well-check.  Ironically, it is exactly one year to the day of his 6 month well-check when Dr. Honey found his tumor...in the Candy Land room...I will never forget.  We didn't know it was a tumor at the time...at least I didn't.  All we knew was that we would be taking him to the hospital the next day for a sonogram to see what was going on.  That was a long, sleepless, worry-filled night.  The worst was yet to come.  And deep down, Brad and I both knew it. But today was his 18 month well-check.  A full year later.  A year ago I didn't know if Jude would be alive.  Today Dr. Honey and I sat across from each other with Jude between us and we were both a little teary.  What a year.  He is doing so well and I am so grateful to the Lord.  He is in the 10th percentile for his weight and 75th for height.  Dr. Honey still hasn't heard from the oncologists in Dallas so we haven't been able to clear up the protocol issue

This was one of those nights where I couldn't sleep.  Whenever that happens I always think it is because I need to be in prayer about something.  I don't know if that is true or not, but couldn't hurt, right?  I've prayed, read that bible, prayed some more, brewed a pot of coffee so now I'm committed to being awake.  A few days ago my friend Steph included me on a fun little blog game.  So here it is... Here are the rules: 1.  Post these rules 2.  Post a photo of you and 11 things about your life 3.  Answer the questions set for you in the original post 4.  Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them 5.  Go to their blog and tell them you've tagged them    11 things about my life: 1. I love the Lord 2. I love my family 3. I am more boring than I thought because I am having trouble coming up with 11 things 4. I am a total homebody and sort of antisocial 5. I love to cook 6. I am the least athletic person I know and I am married to the m

When we checked into our hotel in Dallas last Tuesday I couldn't help but notice that we were right next to a massive construction site.  (Hence the free upgrade to a room with a balcony).  I was a little concerned but they stopped working before bedtime so I didn't think it was too big of a deal.  But we didn't have the same luck the next night.  They worked through the night with floodlights and jackhammers!  I am not kidding.  I finally got up at 2:00 am and looked out the window to make sure what I was hearing was really happening and it wasn't just a bad dream.  Sure enough...I have the worst hotel luck in the world.  Jude and I did not get much sleep at all and were both super cranky pants in the morning. But we went to our happy place (La Mad) and had a good breakfast to get ready for our appointment with the oncologists.  After getting his labs done Jude perked right up as we waited for the docs. He even tried to play on their computer. After a long talk

I'm glad today is done and Judie Bug is sound asleep and resting well.  Because I am early everywhere I go, Jude and I made it to the hospital in record time...an hour early.  I just wasn't sure about the traffic after yesterday.  But it is a good thing we were early because the first appointment of the day didn't show up and we got their spot!  In the waiting room   Lately I have noticed a little eye and facial drooping on Jude.  I called the hospital yesterday and left a message for the oncologist to see if she might want to add some scans to the list today since Jude would already be sedated.  Thankfully, she got the message in time and was able to get the extra scans added for his head and neck.  That more than doubled our time at the hospital today.  We were there from 7-1:30.  However, I am so grateful they were able to accommodate us and add on the extra scans.  I am the only one who was grateful though. They put the parents in the recovery rooms all down this