Gratefulness

 I love this man. I love him so much. I'm so blessed that he's my earthly father. I'm so blessed at God moving powerfully in him. I'm so blessed in God choosing to keep him here.  This is my daddy.  Five falls ago, he had radical surgery to remove the cancer in his body. We didn't know it then that the surgery would only be a temporary solution, that the cancer would come back...

However here's what life looked like five years ago...

 Grandpa and Matthew October, 2007

Mom, Kate, Dad and Kris

One of my most favorite pictures of Matthew-- his hands posed under his chin sweetly as if he was praying to God the Father above. I've often looked at this picture and thought how perfectly that little charming face is gazing up towards the sky. How innocent sweet children are. How that captures my desires to gaze up to my Father perfectly. How blessed we were (and still are!) and didn't know it....

I am blessed that my daddy was able to walk me down the aisle. October 2, 2004 ... before we knew anything was wrong... Hindsight is always 20-20, isn't it? If I could go back there... oh I'd tell that Kate to be calmer, nicer, to hug him more, to listen to him closer, to remember his stories and ask him his dreams. I'd tell that Kate to sit and soak him in every day... that Kate didn't know she'd move miles and miles away. She didn't know that the time she had with her daddy was so extremely precious.... she didn't know she was taking for granted the every day things... But I can't. I can just look back now and find the blessings... and I am blessed that my daddy walked me down the aisle on the biggest day of my life... 

and I'm blessed he danced with me.

Grandpa holding his first grandchild for the first time, 

Matthew, June 27th 2006

Grandpa holding his second grandchild for the first time, 

Mark Edward... named in honor of his late brother, Mark William, 

and named after his own middle name, Edward.

December 23, 2008

 some love and laughter 

November 2010 

 Grandpa holding his third grandchild for the first time... 

Micah, March 11th 2011

 Grandpa with his boys, March 2011

Kris and Dad, June 24th 2011, The Rehearsal

There is someone else who is also blessed that her daddy walked her down the aisle. She is my sister.  This particular aisle walking was perhaps even more special and more important than my turn 7 years prior... 7 years prior: our dad was healthy, 7 years prior: our dad was fine... For Kris, this day, was prayed over. Prayed and prayed and prayed over for months. And God is so faithful. And God is so gracious. He granted our prayers. He heard our petitions. And for the second time, my daddy was able to walk one of his daughter's down the aisle. 

My handsome Dad and lovely Mom

Dad just saw Kris for the first time, all done up and ready to go

She also got to dance with her daddy.

Other moments of Grandpa sweetness.... 

  Father's Day, 2011

  

September Trip, 2011

 Father's Day, 2012

4th of July, 2012

By God's grace and mercy and blessings we'll have many more of these precious memories. We'll have many more of these moments to look back on... to see just how far the Lord has taken us. In 2007, when the word cancer entered our lives, entered my dad's body, we didn't know what tomorrow held. We still don't of course... but looking back on yesterdays, I can be nothing but filled with gratefulness. My dad is a miracle.  And GOD is still in the miracle business. Last week my dad had tests run. This is not abnormal now. Tests, scans, blood counts... these are part of his life now.... however, the results of this test showed that TWO of the THREE tumors on his spine are GONE! GONE. Gone. Praise God. Oh may God have all the glory. 2nd Kings 20 verse 5 says "....I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you."  Jesus IS our healer! Gone! Can you even believe it?! Gone. Oh praises to God the Father! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!   Also in these results however showed growth on the remaining of the three tumors. So. We continue to pray. And I continue to cling to this verse in Jeremiah 30, verse 17 says "For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds." YES YES YES! Heal him Father! Heal up my dad! Restore him to health. Besides the larger tumor there was a small new tumor found on his hip.  Dad says this one is tiny. He's not concerned. In fact, my dad, Mr. Comical, joked even that people were praying for the other two tumors and no one was praying for this one that grew, so now we'll get on that. Ha ha. Well, now I am praying specifically. Hear that Mr. T-11 vertebrate! HEALING! In Jesus' mighty name! Healing!  So there it is... even with the new tiny tumor and the growing one... how can I not be grateful?  How can I not be full of God's evidence in my life and in my family's lives?  Look at all that we've had so far! God is blessing us. And I am grateful. 

Sorry, Pop. I bet you need a tissue now, huh?

I love you. 

Love, your butterfly.