Thursday , April 9,2009

I do not have a lot of time to write. I am finishing up getting the house cleaned and then I have a few errands to run, but do have a pryer request. Most of you that read this are already praying for Grandpa Riggs but I those of you who do not know I would ask that you continue to pray for our family. Grandpa has been on oxygen for a while now because his lungs are so weak. Yesterday he found out that he is too weak for the physical therapy that he was going to need so he has requested that he be taken off the oxygen. He has lived an amazing and full life and he is just ready to be home with the Savior. Nobody is sure how long he can live without being on the oxygen. It could be a few weeks or a few days. Uncle Steve (missionary to France) is flying back to the States in a day or so and the family is making all the necessary arrangements. We all understand his longing for Home, but we still love him and are going to miss him. So as you think about us over the next few days please say an extra prayer for the entire Riggs family. 

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Well I was not going to post today because our day has been pretty boring, but Sam and Emma got new pair of sunglasses and they wanted their picture taken. We all got up about 8 this morning. I cleaned a little and my friend and I got our walk in this morning. It is pretty nice here today. The wind is a little chilly but it is still nice. After lunch and nap the kids and I made a quick trip to Dollar General for a few things. We were in the check out line and Sam was being super sweet to the cashier but she COMPLETELY ignored him. He kept say "hi" and she did not even acknowledge him. It was so rude. We got back a few minutes ago. I am about to give the girls their bath and then we are meeting our friends Frank and Jennifer for supper. There is a new diner that opened up in Pleasant View so we are going to go there before church. 

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

It is still kinda cold today so we are staying inside. I am getting the house cleaned and I actually have all the clothes washed and almost put away. The girls slept in again today so we all slept until 8:30. Sam was up several times in the night. He was doing pretty good at sleeping in the bed with Emma but he does not want to sleep in there anymore. The kids have been playing with Sam's car most of the day. Once a week I let him bring all his cars in the living room but he has to let the girls play with them too. It is supposed to warm up a little this afternoon so I think my friend and I are going to walk and her daughters are going to stay with my kids. Our church has started a golf league that starts tonight so Jeremy will be home late. We are getting excited about my mom coming on Thursday. Sam keeps asking how many sleeps until Grandma comes and how many sleeps until he gets Easter eggs. I scheduled an appointment to get the kids pictures taken on Friday and wouldn't you know it Chloe gets a big scratch across her cheek. I am hoping it is better by Friday. I have been putting cream on it hoping it will heal. Well Sam and Emma just shut Chloe out of the room and so now she is screaming so I better go. 

Can you say Harry Caray?

Sam and Sarah at Ronald McDonald House

Monday, April 6, 2009

We had a good rest of the weekend. Jeremy and I took Sam and Emma to see the Monsters VS. Aliens movie. We left Chloe with one of our friends. The movie was so cute and Sam loved it. Emma did good but she ended up not really watching it. The movie was in 3D so I think the glasses were a little awkward for her. Sam had a big smile on his face the entire movie and he kept reaching out his hand trying to touch the 3D images. When we got back in the van Sam said, "Mom that was AWESOME!" I love making my children happy. Yesterday was good but busy day. After church we grabbed lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant and then came home and the kids went down for a nap. A friend picked me up for the bridal shower and we stayed about an hour. She brought me back home I did a quick change and then we took the girls to a friend house and went to Ronald McDonald House with the teens. We got home about 8:30 last night and the girls went right to bed. The girls and I actually slept in a little. The girls did not get up until 8:45. I heard Chloe one time but she went back to sleep. Sam has been up for a while so I have been awake since about 7:30. It is cold and rainy today so we are staying inside. They are actually calling for some snow this evening. That is just crazy. Well I am going to try and get my laundry done so I better go. 

Emma and the 3D glasses

Saturday April 4, 2009

Thursday afternoon turned out to be pretty exciting, but not in a good way. There were some bad storms that came through middle Tennessee and my kids and myself are pretty terrified of storms. Jeremy was still at school so that made it worse. The storms moved out pretty quickly and thankfully no tornadoes in our area. Nashville was under a tornado warning so Jeremy had to stay at school until the warning was over. He did not get home until almost 6 o'clock. Friday the kids and I went to our friends house and Sam and I got a haircut. I got my hair cut short again. Sam looks so handsome. After our haircuts we came back home and the girls took a three hour nap. Last night there was a missions service and a lock-in that was hosted by our church. I made an attempt to take the kids to the service but we did not last very long. My kids are at the worst age for sitting through services or anything else that requires them to sit still and be quiet. We came home and I actually got to bed at 9:30 so that was nice. Jeremy got home about at 7:30 this morning so he is sleeping and will probably be sleeping most of the day. The kids and I got out this morning and went to Target. I am going to a bridal shower tomorrow and I needed to get a gift. I was getting the girls shoes on but I could not find Emma's other shoe so I just put a pair of Chloe's shoes on her. She felt the need to tell everyone we saw at Target that she had Chloe's shoes on. Of course they had no idea what she was talking about. Well the girls are taking a nap and I am going to walk here in about an hour so I better get some things done around the house. Have a good weekend!

Thursday April 2, 2009

" I will walk by faith even when I cannot see. Because this broken road prepares your will for me." I heard this Jeremy Camp song first thing this morning and I thought it was very appropriate for what today represents in my life. Six years ago today I woke up filled with hope and excitement. I had been having some health issues so the week before I had a little out patient procedure done that was supposed to take care of the problems I was having. I woke up and went to work and looked forward to my doctor's visit that afternoon. I thought my issues were resolved and we could begin the journey of building our family. I met Jeremy at the doctor's office and I remember sitting in the waiting room thinking how exciting it will be when we are in this office expecting a baby. My excitement and joy quickly faded when the nurse came out and called my name. I saw on her face an expression that was almost trying to warn and prepare me for the news that the doctor was about to give me. I do not think anything could of prepared me for the news he had to give. The doctor came in the room and he had a sad and confused look on his face and he said the words that nobody wants to hear, "I am so sorry but you have cancer". It was a cancer that is almost unheard of for a 25 year old healthy woman. He was shocked and could could not believe that it came back to be cancer. The initial diagnosis was that it was cancer and that the cells had changed so many times that it was very likely that the cancer had spread to other parts of my body. He then referred my to an oncologist in Columbia, SC. Thankfully two days later when I met with the oncologist they confirmed that it was cancer but that they did not believe it had spread to other parts of my body. So that started the worst year of my life and you know the rest of the story. I cannot pretend that April 2, 2003 did not happen. It forever altered who I am, but today as I look back I am so thankful for God's healing and for His faithfulness. I am so thankful that His plans are always better than our own plans. Six years ago I never thought I would be saying this, but I am thankful for my cancer. Cancer brought me my amazing children and cancer taught me many valuable lessons in life that I would not of learned on my own. 

Wednesday April 1, 2009