March 2024 Olivia's Surgery

We discovered a couple of years ago that Olivia needed to have jaw surgery to make more space in her mouth. She made the decision to go ahead with the procedure, and we've been working toward this correction for many months.

The night before the surgery, Katherine, Aaron, and I came up to join Olivia in NW Arkansas, and we got Olivia to the hospital early. Thankfully, her mouth responded so well to the braces that she only needed to have the bottom jaw extended instead of both the top and bottom jaws. 

She did so well, keeping good spirits even when in pain. We shuttled her back home to recuperate as soon as they would let her leave the hospital.

She discovered that sleeping upright worked better for her pain and swelling, so the living quickly became the best place for her to heal.

We blended all sorts of nourishing things for Olivia to slurp through a straw while her mouth was banded shut for several weeks.

She was such a trooper and quickly figured out what worked best, while keeping track of her calories and protein intake.

After a few days, Connor joined us for Spring Break, and we enjoyed s'mores (Olivia, unfortunately, could not partake) and several days of spending time together before we sent the college students back to JBU to finish the semester.

Sweet Sabbath - March 2024

 "Lay your life down. Your heartbeats cannot be hoarded. Your reservoir of breaths is draining away.

You have hands, blister them while you can. You have bones, make them strain - they can carry nothing in the grave.

You have lungs, let them spill with laughter."

~N.D. Wilson, "Death by Living"

March 2024 Wedding Prep

In March, we made a weekend visit up to Northwest Arkansas to begin preparing for Olivia and Connor's wedding. Road trips usually looked like this picture...me in the driver's seat, Aaron working beside me, and Katherine doing school in the backseat.

Sarah was the maid of honor for Olivia's wedding, so she drove up from Dallas to meet us. We enjoyed cool morning walks together. Wherever Sarah is, you will find lots of smiles, even early in the morning.

Sarah practiced on Olivia's hair to find the right style for the wedding.

The most fun part of the trip was an exploratory visit to try on bridesmaid and wedding dresses to see what kind of styles and fits worked well for each member of the bridal party.

The lovely ladies Olivia chose to stand next to her will be a source of support and encouragement and advice in the years to come.

I trust that they will pray for Olivia and Connor's marriage and will keep them accountable.

After the fun morning of trying on so many different types of dresses, we enjoyed lunch at Connor's aunt and uncles. They provided delicious food for the bridal party and gave us all the opportunity to spend time getting to know each other better.

March 2024 Getaway

We try to invest in our marriage by taking weekend getaways twice a year. Usually, we plan them in conjunction with our proposal-versary in January and our anniversary in July.

In January 2024, I was finishing up radiation, so we delayed our proposal-versary trip until March when I felt a little bit better. Arkansas has so many hidden gems to discover and enjoy. We began our trek up Highway 65 with a stop at Serenity Farm Bread.

I'm so grateful that Aaron is willing to donate plasma to pay for things like weekends away. We stayed at a beautiful little cabin near Harrison, aptly named Beit Shalom, or House of Peace.

While we enjoyed the quiet and the beauty around us, we read through "Rhythm of Us" and watched accompanying videos.

Those resources gave us many conversation starters. But mostly we just got still and quiet, something we don't do often enough.

In addition, we hiked the Round Top Mountain Trail,

and tried the burgers at the historic and beautiful Ozark Cafe in Jasper.

Another afternoon we drove up to the Neighbor's Mill Bakery and listened to some of the Rhythm of Us videos while sipping coffee on the patio outside this lovely building. We also enjoyed hiking portions of the Buffalo River Trail.

On the way home, we splurged at DeVito's Restaurant. Their trout farm produced the most delicious Trout Amandine I have ever put in my mouth! And you know the desserts are going to be good when "Uncle so and so" makes the pies and the other "Uncle so and so" makes the cakes. Truly a family run operation.

As we neared home and the end of our much needed marriage retreat, we stopped at Rock-N-Java for coffee and one last view of Arkansas' beautiful topography.

March 2024 Springy Spring

When the peonies began to push up through the cold ground, I knew that Spring was on its way. Watching the seasons unfold always delights me.

Chemo treatments continued in March,

and Aaron and I voted in the primary.

Red bud trees bloomed just down the street, they always remind me of my Grandpa who gave me a redbud tree to plant when Aaron and I married.

My favorite garden buddy planted seeds with me in hopes of good things to come in the summer months.

 

Health Update March 2024

March brought a bounty of beautiful blooms, which gave me many opportunities to share.

March also brought the next round of scans and checkups to monitor my cancer and the treatments' many side effects.

The MUGA scan keeps track of my heart health and efficiency. The nurse takes some of my blood then mixes it with radioactive goop and injects it back into my port before my scan.

My health continues to navigate the cancer treatments as well as possible. One day, maybe I'll become a superhero from all of the things floating around in my body :)

On the Homefront - February 2024

While Aaron and Katherine were in the Solomon Islands, I stayed busy visiting Grandma.

and listening to books like Awestruck, which strengthened my resolve to do things like getting outside in God's creation and building community through hospitality.

My sweet friend, Gayly, came through town and was willing to meet me for a quick supper stop before she continued on the road. She is a faithful friend, indeed, even visiting us in Marulaon Village.

I diligently cared for Katherine's zoo while she was gone, and none of her animals died :)

Chemotherapy treatments continued, as I counted down towards the final one on Memorial Day weekend.

My mom and I took walks with her buddy, Roxie.

My Grandmother's little sister turned 80, and it was a joy to attend a celebration honoring her.

My cousin, Luke, had an apartment fire, so he moved into our house. I really appreciated having somebody else around while the rest of my family was overseas.

Luke is a photographer, so we took a sunrise trip up to Petit Jean State Park.

Fueled by a thermos of hot chocolate, we soaked up God's handiwork as the sun made the Arkansas River glow. Then, we hit the trails for a different kind of beauty.

Finally, on the day Aaron and Katherine were scheduled to return to Arkansas, 

I got to play my cello for a wedding at the church where I grew up.

The bonus to this wedding? Olivia was a bridesmaid, so I got to spend some time with her, too!

I hadn't worn concert black in a very long time, and it felt so good.

Thankfully, after the wedding I got this photo from the weary travelers on their way home, and by the end of the day, they were safely tucked in their own beds again.