We drove this portion over Thanksgiving weekend and had a yummy meal together at Claim Jumper. I know what you are thinking, "You didn't get to be with family??!" but we had a great weekend and we were with each other, so we WERE with family! We are blessed to see our family fairly often throughout the year and later this month, we will get to go to TX and KY! :)
random comment: the Comcast commercials with the turtles make me laugh. :)
Message from the Ings:
NATHAN HAD BLOOD WORK DONE AT HIS PEDIATRICIAN'S OFFICE THIS MORNING...AND HIS COUNTS ARE STILL STABLE! YAY! NO TRANSFUSIONS NEEDED, AND HOPEFULLY NO GREATER RISK FOR INFECTIONS (SINCE HIS WHITE COUNT IS HOLDING ITS OWN)! NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE'RE HAPPY :-) AND THANKFUL TO GOD FOR ANOTHER DAY OF BLESSINGS.
Ha! I knew someone would jump on that! Its true he doesn't have a natural penchant towards sarcasm. And I think its great you spent Thanksgiving just the two of you! That's very special!
He is so cute! Last year, Landon was Big Al for Halloween and I have to admit that it was really cute. It was by far, my favorite of his past 3 costumes.
Actually, there are some pics on here. If you go back to my posts from last October you will see them. I just started pleo in July of 07 so, it's probably easiest to go to the very beginning and then skip to October. Does that make sense?
I have a friend (I have only met her once but we email often, especially about spiritual matters). She has had a very hard life. I just received a note from her online. She seems suicidal. I tried to contact her, but she does not want to talk, so I sent her a message encouraging her to live for God. Please pray for her. **update: she did respond later, but only a very short response, including that her "plan" probably won't work. Maybe she is just starved for attention. I hope that is all it is, and I hope she gets the attention she needs. As my brother pointed out, let's not take for granted those of us who have wonderful families and friends to support us. There are many people who do not have the support system we have.
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Please continue to keep Nathan and Kim in your prayers.
Kim--goes to the doctor this week to have blood work done and to make preparations for her next round of chemo.
Nathan--I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT NATHAN WAS ABLE TO FINISH HIS FIVE DAY DOSE OF TEMADOR (THE NEWER CHEMO)! WE MIXED THE MEDICINE WITH 3 OZ. OF THE 'OLD FAITHFUL' SUNNY D, DIVIDED IT AMONG THREE 7 OZ. BOTTLES OF SUNNY D (TO DILUTE THE NASTY TASTE), WHICH HE DRANK OVER THE COURSE OF EACH DAY. HE NEEDED 1 ZOFRAN EACH DAY FOR SOME NAUSEA, BUT THANKFULLY HE DIDN'T GET SICK. THIS MEDICINE WILL MOST LIKELY CAUSE A DROP IN BLOOD COUNTS (TAKES ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THE MEDICINE IS TAKEN), SO PLEASE PRAY THAT NATHAN'S WHITE BLOOD COUNT DOESN'T GET TOO LOW. THANKFULLY, IF ANY OF HIS COUNTS DO DROP TOO MUCH, WE LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE HE CAN EASILY GET TRANSFUSIONS AND GREAT MEDICAL CARE.
I WANT TO SAY 'THANK YOU' TO GOD FOR BLESSING ME AND PAUL WITH ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE AS MAN & WIFE. WE CELEBRATED OUR 15TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY YESTERDAY! I KNOW, YOU'RE SAYING 'THEY DON'T LOOK OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN MARRIED 15 YEARS', BUT IT'S TRUE! :-) WE'VE COME A LONG WAY FROM 2 CAREFREE YOUNG'UNS JUST LEARNING HOW TO LOVE. I KNOW NEITHER OF US EVER IMAGINED WE'D ONE DAY HAVE A CHILD WITH A LIFE THREATENING ILLNESS. AS HARD AS IT IS SOMETIMES, IT'S SUCH A BLESSING TO HAVE EACH OTHER. I CAN'T IMAGINE FACING THIS WITHOUT MY OTHER HALF!
WE HAD AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE ON TUESDAY. THE 'LAMBERT & LINDSEY SHOW' ON 102.3FM IS HAVING THEIR REQUEST-A-THON FOR THE MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION THIS WEEKEND. ALONG WITH SOME OTHER AREA FAMILIES, WE WERE ASKED TO DO AN INTERVIEW ABOUT NATHAN'S STORY AND HIS 'WISH' EXPERIENCE. THE PERSONAL STORIES WILL BE AIRED SOMETIME BETWEEN 6AM FRIDAY MORNING AND 6PM SATURDAY. THE GOAL IS TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION, TO HELP THEM GRANT WISHES FOR OTHER SERIOUSLY ILL CHILDREN. WE WERE HONORED TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP THIS WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION. YOU CAN SEE NATHAN AND SOME OF THE OTHER KIDS AT www.themaxfm.com. THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT FOURTH STREET LIVE.
FOR OUR OUT OF TOWN FRIENDS: IT IS 39 DEGREES HERE IN KY! HAWAII RELATIVES, ' PLEASE SEND SOME WARMTH!' WE ARE BLESSED WITH SOME LOVELY SUNSHINE, AND THE CRISP TEMPS. HELP TO GET IN THE HOLIDAY MOOD.
THANKS FOR READING THE LONG UPDATE. THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME WELL, KNOW THAT I AM BLESSED WITH THE GIFT OF GAB! :-)
LOVE AND PRAYERS,
MISSY
I remember listening to the Make a Wish program on 102.3 when I lived in Louisville. All the stories are so touching; I will miss hearing them this year.
Here is a summary of a good lesson I heard recently.
“…ONE ANOTHER…”
Romans 12:5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
1. Love one another
Romans 13:10: Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1 Peter 1:22: Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
2. Receive/accept one another
Eph. 2 the whole chapter, but I will just print one verse: 19-So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.
3. Pray for one another
James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
How often do we have to do this? Think about loving one another...if we love one another, we will not ask how often we ‘have’ to do this. We will want to do it often.
4. Care for one another
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
To bear each other’s burdens, we must know each other and talk to each other, so that we will notice each other’s burdens.
5. Serve one another
Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
6. Forbear/Lovingly bear with one another
Ephesians 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
7. Forgive one another
Colossians 3:13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
8. Edify one another
Romans 14:19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding
9. Exhort one another (admonish, encourage, lift up)
Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
10. Admonish one another (warn, instruct)
1 Thessalonians 5:14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
11. Greet one another
1 Corinthians 16:20 All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
We must abide by God’s word in ALL of these matters.
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.
I know there was not a lot of application, but I’ll leave that to you for your homework :)
Jessica's Cross Country is over she made it to State with Middle school and to Regionals with the High School Team she did awesome, she was so close to making it to State for Varsity but she didn't and actually she was a little relieved too. We are going to my friends for Thanksgiving (have been going there for about 26 years now) it wouldn't be the same any other way. We all bring almost the same thing year after year. I ususally bring a dessert that is a favorite and cheese logs. It's my favorite get together.
Hey Ok so my mom and I host our ladies Christmas gift exchange every year its so much fun and a ton of ladies from like our age to their 60's and we do a big gift exchange...this year its on Dec. 11th its a Thursday night so I dont know if you have to work or not but I want you to come! you can spend the night afterwards at my house too...so put it on your calendar if you can make it!
You all really did have a Charlie Brown tree last year. Will you have yours up before Peyton gets there? Your Grandma said she is really excited about coming.
Hope you guys had a Happy Thanksgiving. That show my sister is doing is this weekend on Saturday. Danielle said she is going to have a busy week getting her Hair and Makeup done for the show. I think she is excited about it.
COULD ANYONE USE SOME GOOD NEWS? WE GOT A MUCH BETTER REPORT FROM THE DR. TODAY THAN WE HAD EXPECTED! NATHAN HAS NO NEW TUMORS, I REPEAT 'NO NEW TUMORS'!!!! HE STILL HAS 6 ON HIS BRAIN AND 1 ON HIS SPINE. THE 1 ON THE SPINE IS STABLE. FIVE OF THE 6 ON HIS BRAIN ARE STABLE (about the size of a pencil eraser). ONE HAS GOTTEN SLIGHTLY LARGER, BUT IS ONLY A LITTLE LESS THAN 2 CENTIMETERS. THIS IS THE ONE THAT IS PUSHING ON THE ARTERY, BUT WE DON'T KNOW YET IF THEY WILL NEED TO DO THE ANGIOGRAM. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THE LIQUID CHEMO, AND REALLY TRY HARD TO GET HIM TO TAKE THE CAPSULES (TEMADOR). DR. A WANTS TO TRY THIS MED, BECAUSE IT IS NEWER AND HAS HAD GOOD SUCCESS AGAINST OTHER BRAIN TUMORS. SO PLEASE PRAY WE CAN FIND A WAY TO GET NATHAN TO TAKE IT!
NATHAN WILL HAVE ANOTHER MRI ON DEC. 8TH, SPECIFICALLY TO CHECK THE LARGER TUMOR. HE WILL HAVE A CT SCAN THE SAME DAY AT DR. SILLYMAN'S OFFICE. IF THE LARGER TUMOR IS CONTINUING TO GROW, THEY CAN GIVE RADIATION THAT IS PINPOINTED TO THAT EXACT AREA. IT WOULD ONLY BE 1 - 4 TREATMENTS, BUT AS I SAID IT'S ONLY IF THE LARGER TUMOR GROWS MORE.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH THESE RESULTS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS - THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE LORD CAN'T DO! PLEASE SAY PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING FOR HIS WONDERFUL CARE OF NATHAN AND OUR FAMILY.
LOVE AND PRAYERS,
MISSY
Go to her page for some interesting thoughts on (not how birth control is wrong) but on how birth control has affected our attitude toward others. There are some statements I disagree with, but there are others that I think are good to think about.
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Note from Missy:
(Saturday, Oct 8)
WE GOT A CALL FROM NATHAN'S ONCOLOGY OFFICE TODAY. THEY GAVE US SOME INFO FROM THE WRITTEN REPORT OF THE SCANS. THE TUMOR ON HIS SPINE APPEARS THE SAME. THERE ARE SOME SMALL PLACES THAT ARE GONE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME NEW LESIONS (DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YET). SEVERAL SPOTS HAVE INCREASED (DON'T KNOW BY HOW MUCH YET), BUT AT LEAST ONE HAD DECREASED. THERE IS A TUMOR ON ONE OF THE ARTERIES IN HIS BRAIN. THIS ONE HAS INCREASED, SO IT CAUSES SOME CONCERN ABOUT BLOOD FLOW IN THAT AREA. HE MAY NEED AN ANGIOGRAM TO CHECK THE AMOUNT OF BLOOD FLOW. WE HAVE AN APPT. FOR TUES. AT DR MORIARTY'S OFFICE, SO WE CAN VIEW THE SCANS AND LET THE DOCS EXPLAIN WHAT ALL OF THIS MEANS.
SO, IT WASN'T GREAT NEWS, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. ALL THE TUMORS COULD HAVE INCREASED AND A LOT MORE COULD HAVE APPEARED.
WE TOLD NATHAN HIS TUMOR ISN'T GONE, SO HE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO TAKE HIS ORAL CHEMO. HE'S FINE WITH THAT, HE JUST DIDN'T WANT ANYMORE SURGERIES.
******PLEASE NOTE THAT NATHAN DOES NOT KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL TUMORS, OR THAT NO CURE IS EXPECTED.********
WE WANT HIM TO KEEP ON LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST, AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
TONIGHT, HE IS SPENDING THE NIGHT WITH HIS FRIEND, ELIJAH. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE HAS EVER SLEPT OVER AT ANYONE'S HOUSE, BESIDES FAMILY! I HOPE HE STAYS ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT. I'M PROUD OF HIM FOR DOING THIS. HE LOVES PLAYING WITH ELIJAH, BUT HE IS VERY ATTACHED TO HOME AND FAMILY WHEN IT COMES TO BEDTIME. I'M THANKFUL HE'S GETTING ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BE A 'NORMAL KID'.
(I received another note from her that he did great at his friend's house, stayed all night, and into early evening of the next day. Please pray for them as they will find out more detailed info tomorrow at the doctor's office.)
I copied this portion from Kim's twin sister's page. It includes an update on Kim and a great reminder about counting our blessings. We can take great encouragement from Kim's family and Nathan's family who are counting their blessings and trusting in God instead of counting their problems.
Kim completed her 3rd chemo. treatment early Sunday morning & was able to return home that afternoon after being in the hospital since Monday. She will have 3 weeks off & then will be hospitalized again for her next 3 treatments. They will do 3 rounds like this & then repeat some tests to see how well the chemo. is working. Please pray for her strength & comfort & that this chemo. will do it's job effectively! I know she must be so thankful to be home. Today is she & Lance's 6th wedding anniversary.
REMINDER FOR ALL (including myself): When you think you're having a bad day, just think that there is probably someone out there having a worse day than you. Take time to pray for that someone else & thank God that you are having a better day. Instead of complaining about all of the things that are "wrong" in your life, thank God for all of the things that are right in your life! We are told to count our many blessings, NOT our troubles! I recently heard a quote during a sermon, "Lonliness is 90% self-pity." When you stop feeling sorry for yourself, then you won't feel so lonely! We are NEVER alone; God is ALWAYS there for us! Okay...I'll stop there. I hope you all enjoy a wonderful week ahead!
Lol, sorry to rain on your parade! These things keep me up at night so I post them on Pleonast to address them before it becomes too much of a problem.
I have drawn so much strength from Nathan & his family. Although our circumstances are difficult, it's great that we can rely on others even if we've never met face to face.
Thanks for sharing all this news, it's good for us to be updated so we can remember and be reminded to keep families that we do not see on a regular basis in our prayers.
I remember that you had a friend in HS that has passed away as well. I think it's so difficult for him as well because, while his friend was a religious person, he was misguided about a lot of things. He's having such a difficult time with this, some of his other friends from HS are in town as well and have been spending time with each other, so I think that is helping him cope some.
I got your email, and haven't forgotten you. I apologize for not getting back and will try to send some things this weekend. I'm working on a book that is meant to help Bible class teachers teach the Bible Story as well.
Yes, I still attend worship at Broadmoor on Sunday morning,but on Sunday night and Wed. we attend at Portland. I hope I get to see you; what's the occassion? Brenda Preuett still worships there; do you remember her? She and Linda Gull Bain knew your parents long before I did; in fact, it was probably through Linda that I met all of you.
Parents as Teachers is a program that I believe started in MO but I think is in most states. You sign your kids up through your local school district and an educator who has some sort of specialty in early childhood comes to your house several times during the school year and does educational things with your kids. They give you information with developmental milestones on it and give you ideas on how to encourage the development of those skills. They also assess them with the Denver screening. I have done it with both my kids since they were born and the older you get the less visits you get in a year. The state pays for it and I'm all about free stuff! I don't think I will homeschool in answer to your other question. For many reasons although we are considering it depending on some characteristics Luke currently has (i.e. willingness to do ANYTHING for a laugh even if its disobeying!). Sorry for the really long answer to your question! :)
