I don't really have a journal, persay...so I am going to try to be better about recording some of the things I need to remember, promptings, etc. So this may be a little crazy...
This week has been a pretty emotional week for my family. My mother was diagnosed with cancer on Monday and it has somewhat been a whirlwind kind of week since.
I am so grateful for friends who are willing to help me and my mother through this process through sharing their experiences and words of kindness and wisdom with us. When I found out about my mother Monday night, my instincts immediately told me to get her and my co-worker (who I consider a dear friend) talking. My co-worker has had several bouts of cancer and has learned valuable lessons through each trial. After I shared some of my thoughts with my mother I immediately called my friend who in turn immediately called my mother, having maybe only had minimal contact with her throughout our years working together. Because of this call however, my mother decided to take her advice and go contrary to her family doctor's suggestion to wait an additional week to see the oncologist prior to speaking to a surgeon. That same night she called a family friend at home who is a surgeon in this field, hoping that maybe because of the personal connection that she would not just become another person on the waiting list and that she may be able to get in sooner. I am so grateful that she did because today, 3 days later, she is in surgery. The surgeon also said it was best to see him first and that the oncologist would not have been able to do anything prior to surgery. Although we don't know the outcome of the surgery yet and she won't meet with her oncologist until Wednesday I am more optomistic everyday. So today I am fasting and praying that the cancer is isolated and will be able to be removed easily and that it has not spread to lymph nodes or anything else that would cause trouble.
I am grateful for my sister and her unwavering faith and dedication to the gospel. She immediatly phoned her family members and close friends Monday and setup a special day to fast and pray for my mother. Her testimony and her strong belief in the power of this was encouraging and I also invited other extended family members and friends to join with us today and I know many have.
In addition to these small blessings, it is sometimes hard to see what following promptings will bring and what the result will be. Back in August Chris and I decided we wanted to go on another cruise, we made all the arrangements, paid for it, everything....but by October we both just felt like maybe we shouldn't go. We felt that it wasn't good for us to "dump" our kids on our parents and that something just seemed off, so we cancelled it, losing some money by doing so. We have wished several times we were still going, but now we see why it was best to stay home. It would have been terrible for my parents to have my children at this time and for us to go off playing, it would not have been any fun and we would have been worried and stressing the entire time. The cruise leaves next week.
This same week another co-worker of mine was diagnosed with a brain tumor and they will be operating on her Monday. It has been said that when it rains, it pours! So I humbly ask all my friends and family to keep these two people in your prayers. We are doing fine and are grateful for all the blessing that we have, we know and have faith that things will work out the way they are intended. Love to all!
A valentine backrub. Thanks daddy! 
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