Just rolling along...

It has been a pretty normal week... HOORAY!! I am feeling like I am perhaps coming down with a cold, (drainage, tickle in my throat and the dreaded constant nose dripping. And by that I really mean - dripping. I bend forward and it just drips out... attractive... and sanitary) but I'm trying to ignore it and hope that it will feel unloved and go away. Parker has had a MUCH better week (he is dressed as an Indian for his school Thanksgiving program... the picture isn't very good because Dryden fell over me trying to give him a high five as he went down the aisle...), thank you all for your prayers for him! I am also (after 5 cycles, I'm nothing if not observant!) noticing that his worst weeks seem to coincide with chemotherapy (shocker...). Poor little guy... I am his world and his world is kind of tipped on its side right now. I pray that he will only retain the good - reliance on the Lord, joy in the face of suffering and compassion for those that are hurting - from this rough period. But... he went to school every day with a smile on his face and even - finally - consented to wearing the Indian get-up ("I do not want to be "hopping rabbit" the silly guy!"). Dryden got an AWESOME report card (including a 100% in math... so, the personality is me, but the brain is his father's...) and a 5/5 on his last AR reading test! We are encouraged with his progress and are feeling that most of his issues are related to rushing through things without taking the time to read everything. Ok, college is back on the table. HA HA! I'm just kidding, but my neurotic tendencies are a little bit exacerbated by my current circumstances (mainly because I'm too young, too healthy and don't have any risk factors and yet... here I am. All statistical abnormalities are fair game now.).

I'm sitting here today - alone because Darin is off work and took Parker & Neely to skating meeting up with his mom, brother & brother's girlfriend - listening to my girl Brooke Annibale (a local girl who has an amazing bluesy sound) and this is the line from her song "Cry Out" that is grabbing me...

"I cry out and lift up my voice, I seek You as I once did seek the world. Save me from the empty of evil so I may walk in the path of goodness."

I could concentrate all day on "I seek You as I once did seek the world"... wow. Do I really do that?? It certainly takes practice and supernatural assistance! I think that it ties in really well with a devotional that Janelle sent...

"We gladly give all our yesterdays to the Lord, turning over to him our past sins. We trust him for forgiveness of all our past failures, doubts and fears. So, why don’t we do the same with our tomorrows? The truth is, most of us cling tightly to our future, wanting the right to hold on to our dreams. We make our plans independent of God, and then later ask him to bless and fulfill those hopes and desires."

I'm over the right to my own dreams and I don't have a future to cling to (who wants to go down with a sinking ship??)... so now I cling to the Lord and hopefully... I seek Him like I once did seek the world and it's emptiness.

Well... I'm going to break the exile for a few hours this afternoon and head out to show Jordan & Kirstin the "town" before we come home for Audrey's guacamole (thanks to a SECOND thrush medicine I am finally tasting a bit better now) and some meatball sandwiches (makes you want to come back to Pittsburgh, doesn't it Grantie??). I promise to take some food pics for you Auntie Jan. We have more hockey tomorrow morning with Dryden (I'm sure that this is a just a glimpse of what we have in store for ourselves... especially since every time we are at the rink Neely says, "I want to skate!"), maybe a Primantis sandwich and some basement hockey (Parker is determined to smoke Unlce Jord with his vicious slap shot...). Should be a fun weekend!