Life These Days

Hannah:

My 2016 looks nothing like I thought it would. A few short weeks ago, I was traveling the world, teaching 3rd grade in Morocco, and didn’t have any plans of changing anything for at least two years. Life was good, I was doin’ my thing, and was learning and growing at an unimaginable rate.

A few short weeks ago, however, on an ordinary day, my entire reality shifted. Looking back, I remember nearly every ordinary detail. I woke up to my sister crawling in bed with me. Mom came in with a list of things she wanted us to accomplish while she and dad went to the doctor. We argued over where to go for brunch and did our hair together in front of the long mirror. We jammed to music in the car, went shopping, and had dinner. We came home and put on sweats and wrapped presents and invited some friends over. Mom and dad came in, and we turned the music up and sang obnoxiously loud. As crazy as it sounds, it was a normal day.

But this time, mom and dad didn’t laugh at us, or make fun of us, or tell us to shut it off. We glanced at each other and sat down. My other sister walked in and joined us. Dad filled a glass of water in a brown mug, and mom sat down at the table, wearing MY sweater and her black skinny jeans. I remember this exact moment, wanting so badly to turn the music back on and rewind the day and press pause. She looked at dad, and then back at us, and said, “Today they found two tumors on your father. One on the liver and one on the pancreas. We are going to see an oncologist next week. ”

Last week, after several days of waiting, they concluded that dad has an advanced  stage of pancreatic cancer. Our lives are drastically different than planned, and it weighs heavy on our hearts just about every second of every day. It’s absolutely awful, there’s no other way to put it. However, it’s not all bad. I have witnessed silver linings, and have watched people who love my dad come alongside our family. I’ve learned about him, his love for Jesus, and his sense of humor. I have seen his desire to provide and care for his family (shoutout for that rent check, dad!), and live out his promises to my mom. I’ve also had the privilege of watching my mom evolve into a total badas*. (Sorry not sorry). Seriously, she does it all, and she’s a total babe. If you see that lady around, give her a little extra love. She’s absolutely glowing with love for my dad, for the Lord, and tenderly loving the rest of us, too. She is such a woman of grace (almost all the time). But she can use all the love she can get.

 

Sarah:

The beginning of this year marks a journey that I would have imagined I would find myself on. I began my college career in the fall and have at last completed my first semester. It was all I could have imagined it to be and more. I played the sport I love and my team was successful, I was making friends, I was living on my own and learning how to do this thing they call adulthood.

I came home the last weekend of the semester to celebrate Christmas with my grandpa. I love coming home. I woke up Friday morning and went to lay with my sister, Hannah, in her bed when my mom came in the room to join us. She said she was going to take my dad to some appointments and asked us if we could be in charge of finishing up some shopping for her and take our younger sister, Hope, with us. This was not an unusual occurrence and we thought nothing of it, we went along with our shopping and other activities with no hinderance.

We finished shopping and headed home to begin wrapping our presents. I invited some friends over to hang out with and enjoy the beginning of break. Mom and dad arrived shortly after we did and told me to try and cancel my plans if it was possible. I knew then there was something going on that I didn’t want to know about.

Hannah, Hope and I, stopped our fidgeting and focused on what my mom was about to say. Little did we know that the words she would say are likely going to change our lives forever. It went something like this, “They found two tumors on your father. One on the liver and one on the pancreas. We are going to go see an oncologist next week.”

From that moment on our lives have been somewhat turned upside down. Naturally, filled with fear and anxiety. Each day we are learning more and more to cast our cares on the Lord and know that He is in control of all situations, as hard as that is for us to understand sometimes.

As you have already read above, we have found out that things are not exactly as great as we hoped they would be. Hopefully in the next couple of days he will travel to Texas to see another doctor while I hold the fort down with Jake and Hope. Your continuous prayers are greatly appreciated during this time.

This time of year makes me a little nostalgic. Dad and I spent lots of hours traveling together for volleyball tournaments and practices for the past four winters. During the times we were on the road I got to know my dad more than just as my dad but as a person and I wouldn’t trade that time for the world.

At the end of the day, if nothing else, I think this time has proved how much  he is loved by so many.