For the past several years, we have gone camping with a group of friends. It began several years back, so our girls could earn a pin on camping. Now, it is a beloved tradition.

Due to our current circumstances, we did not think we could make it. The idea of gathering gear, packing, etc. seemed daunting. Our friends didn’t care, they made it possible for us to go out for the day and let our kids stay the night with their friends. It was a wonderful weekend!

We arrived in the morning and just hung out. The kids swam in the water even though it was super cold! They made memories swimming around, catching frogs and minnows, hiking, playing games, eating. We stayed way later than we had intended. It was nice to just be there with loved ones.

It was a relief to NOT have to be doing something cancer related. We did talk about cancer, but we also talked about other things, normal things, and I felt like I was just hanging with my friends. They took extra measures to have food on hand for us, made sure I did not do too much. I felt really loved and cared for. So did our kids.

After dinner we sat around the campfire and did s’mores! Chris brought out his guitar (always a highlight of our camping experience) and blessed us with some fun and some worship songs. He played one of James’ favorite tunes right now, “Knee Deep” and a song he heard recently that made him think of us, “You Never Let Go” by Passion.

He played several other fun, favorites until it started sprinkling! We left shortly after. The kids stayed and all were happy to sleep with friends in their dry tents. Well, most of them were dry! One tent had a leak! They all woke to rain, and I am pretty sure ate a very wet and soggy breakfast.

We’ve had camping trips like this, it isn’t always so fun! But they all were grinning when we drove up! Everyone agreed to a group picture before heading home. This picture captured some who are very near and dear to our hearts. There is one family missing, we may need to photo shop them in or something!

Thanks, friends for years-full of memories together!

Just days before we got your news, I had come across this question of Jesus’ that struck me and stopped me in my tracks.  He asked of someone seeking healing, “Do you believe I can do this?”

I wasn’t sure why it was so powerful in that instant, even though I quickly thought of others for whom I prayed who needed a miracle.  Then, days later, the news came of your cancer.  After my mind stopped reeling, my legs stopped trembling, and my eyes stopped pouring, I instantly thought of that verse.

“Do you believe I can do this?”

“YES!” I screamed on the inside. “YES! YES! YES!”

And as I talked with Chris & others (you can guess who), I realized we were ALL screaming, “YES! We believe!  HEAL HER!” It was as if we were huddling around you, lifting you up with our frantic cries.

And I’m quite certain if Jesus were nearby, we would be pushing through the crowd and cutting a hole in somebody’s roof to lower you down! (And, I’m sure the ropes & bed we’d use would be something cute & crafty if you had anything to do with it! Maybe with some tie dye sheets?!? And we would arrive only after we had made a spreadsheet about how to do it, laughed & cried the whole way there, and talked while we sipped iced mocha & munched on Texas Sheet cake –with whole wheat flour, of course.)

After a couple days, however, my prayerful panic transformed into a numbing peace.  Yet I could not stop thinking about your beautiful hair and praying that you wouldn’t have to lose it.

“It’s just beautiful, God.  You can’t take her hair. PLEASE don’t take her hair.”

And he reminded me that, as beautiful as you are in this temporary flesh, it is only a glimpse of the radiance he has designed in you that is eternal spirit.  You’re beautiful, Sarah.  Inside and out. Temporal and eternal.  And, in this temporary battle, the eternal will become even more beautiful. I know it. I see it. He WILL bring you through this even more beautiful than before.

This is my (Sarah’s) first official post. I am so grateful to Sonya and Don for setting this site up. I am grateful for the others who have set up the care calendar and who are providing food for my family.

I cherish the prayers, encouragement and scriptures that have been offered. So many of you have helped by passing on wisdom and physically coming to our aid. I cannot tell you how very loved and humbled we are by the outpouring of kindness shown to our family. There just are not enough words.

I thought I would take some time to bring everyone up to date. I realize that many of you do not know the story of how we discovered the breast cancer. I will start there.

I believe it was the end of February or beginning of March that I felt something in my breast. I have not been consistent with doing self breast exams, feeling something there gave me cause for concern. I called James in and had him feel it, I fully expected him to say it was nothing. When he didn’t my concern grew.

I was able to set an appointment with my gynecologist or rather her nurse practitioner for the next week. She gave me a full exam and really felt like it was a cyst. She sent me to ARA for a mammogram and ultra sound. After talking with a trusted wellness coach and doing my own research, I decided that I would not like to do the mammogram but went in for the ultrasound. I went in fully thinking it was a cyst and would soon be back to life as normal.

I was not prepared for the harassment I received for declining the mammogram. No one discussed my reasons with me  or even asked me why, they just talked at me. After the ultra sound the technician came in and told me it was definitely NOT a cyst and there was a questionable lymph node as well; they wanted to do a mammogram or a biopsy. I was floored. I did not feel confident in the mammogram and was not willing to do that. I left (a bit shakier than when I arrived) and went home to consider what the next step should be.

We decided on a thermography scan. It is an infrared scan that is used in alternate medicine and is an excellent tool for detecting irregularities and cancer years in advance of the mammogram. James came with me to this appointment, he had researched with me and we knew what we were hoping to see on this scan. To our great disappointment we saw the opposite.

At this point we just kind of felt like someone had punched us in the gut. We did not know what the next step should be. I was concerned about a biopsy and if it was cancer what the possible repercussions of poking around on it would be. My gynecologist called me. We had a heart to heart talk where I agreed to do a breast MRI and then as a follow up have a consultation with a surgeon. She was relieved, I was relieved to have direction that I felt okay with.Continue Reading

Check out their catches when we were at the beach last weekend!