Entering busy phase here

We have spent the last few days actively trying to find a house to live in here in McKinney. We actually put in an offer on a house that seems to fit, only to discover that the owners have no desire to sell the house for what it is worth. So in the meantime, our #2, and #3 houses all went under contract. We are now sitting here scratching our heads trying to listen to what God has planned for us. We narrowed our scope of houses to Elizabeth Middle School (so she doesn't have to start over for the 5th time in 2 years) and to our price range and house size. It is not as easy as it sounds because we want a house that hasn't been smoked in, has a Master bedroom on ground floor, is no bigger than around 2400 square feet, and is a ranch. It is really funny because it seemed as soon as we got everything we needed in order to put in offers, houses started falling off the MLS. Mike reminds me that we need to be patient and keep praying and seeking God. Maybe he has something else in mind. I have to watch myself though. I confess that I laid my heart out before God and was respectfully honest in asking if he could at least make this simple or give me a sign, a voice something. In the end, we are in the same place that we have been for so long... counting on God to give us direction for our life and only His direction.



I think I can explain this best with a visual illustration - when Mike was diagnosed almost a year ago, it was like we were placed in this small, tight cinder block box. Barely enough room to breath. But slowly God chipped away the cinder blocks to reveal a bigger, card board box with windows. Then the windows turned into a door that we walked through (medical procedures/treatments) and now we are living in this large glass building. There is room to laugh, play, worship, breathe, but yet we are still confined. You can see outside and are just waiting for God to shatter the glass into a million pieces so we can walk outside and into whatever He has for us.



This week will be busy. It is the last week of summer and we are making all the preparations for school and our trip to Houston. Doug Howard is coming in on Tuesday and going to spend the night with us. It is God's perfect timing, because Mike is getting another Esophageal Stretch on Wednesday morning. His esophagus is so tight. He has issues sipping tea today. He goes in at 6:30 am and Elizabeth is scheduled for braces at 2:00 pm. I am praying that everything goes well with no complications so that I can be at everything. Mike has a PET Scan on Friday and a doctor's appointment on Tuesday. Again, I am praying... the PET scan has to be negative for surgery to be an option when we go to MD Anderson. I also need to track down our "medical orders" from Tricare in order to get some of the travel, mileage and hotel paid for. I have called the person in charge twice a day for 4 days now. I will try again tomorrow and then go back to our case manager and try to figure out the next step.



I don't know how I feel about MD Anderson. I am nervous at not knowing what to expect. I have heard it is a maze of hospitals and that they even have buses for people to board to get around the campus. I am nervous about Mike's weight. He seems thinner to me. We got a higher calorie thing for the feeding tube, but it hasn't made a huge difference in the 2 days that we have been using it.



This has been another posting/sounding board/therapy session for me tonight. Thanks for letting me get all this off my chest. The only thing going round in round in my head tonight is the song from church that we sang. It is the same song that we listened to everyday while we were in Sarasota that Rhonda sent us on a CD...



I'm in a fight now physical. I'm in a war, but not of this world. You are light that is beautiful and I want more. I want more that is yours. Joy unspeakable that won't go away, just enough strength to live for today. So I never have to worry what tomorrow will bring'Cause my faith is on solid rock. I am counting on God!

Prayer needs:
Mike - gain weight, negative PET Scan, Esophageal Stretch - God's protection and more Praise Jesus moments!
Deanna - patience and strength and focus on the important things
Elizabeth - great last week of summer
God's direction for housing
My mother's healing. She is out of the hospital, but no where near well

Praise:
Family pictures!! We took them tonight
Worship
Family, friends, and everyone

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone that sent cards, gift cards, and gifts for Mike's birthday. That was the most fun ever. He got over 100 cards and it was great to open them. Some where funny, some had pictures, some had Starbucks cards!... We laugh, cried, did the "do you remember when ..." thing and they were the best present ever. Everyone.