Farewell July - You Will Be Missed!

I can't believe that we are already through July.
Over halfway through 2012.
Over halfway through the summer.

It seems like you just blink and the days are gone.

July was good for us.
July was good for me.

July marked the first month I have had any energy at all since my diagnosis 18 months ago.
July marked our Independence Day as a nation.
But Independence Day also marked 6 months of remission for me.

July marked my 33rd birthday.
A birthday I feel so blessed to have been here for.
The day after my birthday also marked my one year anniversary since my last chemo treatment. 

July also meant family trips to the lake and carload nights at the drive-in.
Good times on a budget - my favorite.

July meant rain, which our state so desperately needed.
And watching my boys play in it without a care in the world.

July meant service and sacrifice as my hubby and oldest set out on a mission trip.

Sadly, July also meant tragedy in the state I call home.
First with the wildfires in Colorado Springs.
Then with the Aurora shooting.
Our hearts continually go out to all those who have been affected.

July meant memories and lots of them.

I am grateful for this July and more importantly, the blessing that God provided in it for my family.
I am continually humbled by his goodness and grace in my life.

~{***}~

I hope your July was just as good as mine was. If you get a minute, drop me a note and let me know about your month.

Blessings,
Andrea

Grateful for the Little Things....{part.1}

I have always thought I was a very grateful person. But cancer gave me a whole knew meaning on the word "grateful".

I wanted to make a list of the little things I am grateful for. This obviously has to be a running list because there are just too many things to list in one post.

Nice Cashiers at Stores - nothing can change your mood faster than a cashier it seems. You get a nice one....your mood improves. You get one that is in a bad mood... your mood goes south right along with his or hers. I am so grateful for the nice cashiers of the world. I know they have a difficult job.

My Washer and Dryer - I know I have shared this with you all before but Jason and I have participated in the Laundry Love Project (you can read more about that here). This program is where you actually do the laundry for the homeless or for those who are struggling financially to the point where paying for their laundry to be done at the laundry mat is a severe financial burden. So, every time I put my clothes in my washing machine I literally thank God for it.

My Laptop and WiFi - there were so many days where I did not even have the strength to get out of bed. But because I had a laptop (and WiFi) I could still blog. This form of expression has been amazing for me. There are so many emotions that I was able to process just because of this media and I am grateful for it.

Old Photos - I have always loved photos but I have discovered a new found appreciation for them. I forgot so much of this past year because of the chemo but I can go back through the photos we took and it helps me remember all of the good times too....not just the icky stuff.

Sweaters - There is just something about a nice sweater on a cold winter day. :-)

Naps - I never used to take naps. I always had too much to do. Well, now my body forces me to shut down for a certain amount of time during the day to "recharge". Now it has become one of my favorite times because I lay down when my baby girl lays down. She snuggles up to me and it has become this wonderful time for us. Something I know I will cherish forever.

There is nothing like thinking of these things on a day when you are feeling down or gloomy. As I start filling my life with all that I have to be thankful for it just makes me smile.

May your life be filled with blessings and moments that you too can be grateful for.

~Andrea

Happy Birthday Jason!!!

Today is Jason's birthday. We are so grateful to be able to call this man {husband} and {daddy}. :-)

There are no words to describe the {heart} that this man has. If you know him, you just can't help but to want to know him better. If you don't know him, you don't know what you are missing out on.

For those of you who don't know {our} story.... Jason and I actually went to the same daycare together. I was 7 and he was 8. I remember him doing things like bouncing his little brother off of the trampoline and giving him a bloody nose. But I also remember him doing things like taking the food that his brother didn't like so his little brother wouldn't get in trouble for not eating it. (Hey, that is sweet when your 8 years old.)

I remember him in middle school and junior high - he was SOOO much taller than the other boys - how could you miss him! People ask if we dated in high school. The answer... Jason would have had to talk to me in order for us to date. You see, Jason was one of the shyest people I have ever met. He definitely didn't talk to girls and since I was a girl - he didn't talk to me. Although, there is a lovely story about him having to run a lap on the baseball field because of me. :-) (Jason - you should have been paying attention to your coach instead of the track girls running behind the backstop. :-) You all can ask him about that the next time you see him. LOL!

The truth is, I was actually the one that had to ask Jason on our first date. (The one and only time I ever asked a boy on a date, thank goodness - and he really wasn't a boy anymore, we were in our early 20's.) What can I say - desperate times called for desperate measures. (Remember the shyness thing...I always say that if I would have waited for him to ask me out on a date then our children still would not have been born.) :-) Needless to say, things worked out. ;-)

The one thing that you have to know about J is that he has always been a good person. He has always been a gentleman. You never heard him say high school boy things (yeah, we don't even need to go there) and to all the youth group high school boys that happen to be reading this (yes, the 1) I, of course, know that you would never say anything like what I am referring to. ;-)

Anyway, J is the most amazing husband and I should know because I have thoroughly tested him. This past year he has taken amazing care of me and our children when I could not even take care of myself - let alone 4 kids! When I was going through chemo he had to be both mom and dad and thank goodness my chemo didn't last any longer because he did such an amazing job I think I was about ready to lose my job. :-)

Here are just a few things that I will continually be thankful to Jason for....

Thank you, Jason, for saying yes to that nervous phone call all those many years ago. (Heck no, I didn't ask him in person - I am WAY too chicken for that.)
Thank you, Jason, for choosing me.
Thank you, Jason, for the sacrifices you have made for us.
Thank you, Jason, for putting up with me. (That in itself is a full-time job.)
Thank you, Jason, for taking care of me in sickness and in health.
Thank you, Jason, for taking care of my children when I could not.
Thank you, Jason, for being that type of daddy that you are.
Thank you, Jason, for modeling what a Godly man is supposed to be for my boys and what a Godly husband is supposed to look like for my daughter - even though she is never going to find a man that will live up to your standards... it is still a nice "theory".
Thank you, Jason, for loving us the way you do.
Thank you, Jason, for just being you.

We are so grateful for you each and everyday. As I was looking back through the pictures, so many memories came flooding back. I have loved every minute of our life together (even though there were some moments I didn't like so much - namely chemo and radiation). I would redo every second of it all over again just so I could be with you.

South Dakota days.

Alaska days.

Ky turning {one}.

Coming back from our camping trip. Creide sporting his new hat that the sheriff's deputy gave him because he felt bad for pulling us over - falsely suspecting that we had stole our camper. (This stuff only happens to us :-)

Our special day.

{us}

Thank you for the memories. We love you dearly.

Kearyn 8: Looking Up

I just love this photo of Kearyn. To most it probably doesn't mean much - quality wise it isn't even that great for several reasons - 1. It was taken with my phone. 2. There is some funky lighting coming through the window. :-) But I love it anyway because of the memories it brings back.

This was taken on my birthday. We went to Grand Junction for the day and this was our last stop. We stopped at the park and Jason took the boys to run off some of that boy-energy (for all of you moms of boys you know what I am talking about). Kearyn needed to be fed so I stayed in the car. After she ate I started snapping some photos of her and then Jason came back to the car and snapped a few more for me.

I love this one because I know she is looking up at me - her mommy. Her little eyes so big and bright and she just looks happy.

Day 45: Dinner and a Hair Cut.....{Part 2}

So, as I shared in the "Part 1", Friday was hair cut day. My long time friend, Pam, had offered as soon as she heard I was diagnosed to cut my hair for me, and continue to cut my hair as needed, through the chemo process. I tell you what, the hour I was in her chair was just so relaxing to me. We talked about all kinds of things.

I do have a prayer request for Pam and her husband. They started the process of an international adoption over 3 years ago and they are still waiting for their baby girl to come home. Please, please, please lift this family up in prayer. I know we have to trust God's timing in all of this but I know first hand the power of prayer. I know He can bring this baby girl home to her mommy and daddy who are here waiting.

The second prayer request I have for this family is financial support. Me being me, of course I had to ask Pam if she and her husband would be willing to adopt another baby in the meantime. (Hey I have four kids ;-)  In no way was I saying to give up on their little girl - but they have had a homestudy done every year for the past 3 years, their paperwork done countless times, they are this perfectly wonderful couple just waiting to fill their home with children and I know there are children out there waiting for a mommy and daddy.....it seems like such a tragedy to me that they don't have a child yet. She told me that they would be willing to adopt another child in addition to their baby girl but they have invested everything into their first baby girl.

I am determined when I am well and done with my chemo to help them get the financial means they need to bring a baby home. If you are reading this and have a heart to help the orphan and the families who want to bring them home, please email me. Our church has recently started a Faith In Action ministry that is trying to do just that and we can use your help. I know we, as the Body of Christ, can do this! If you have fundraising ideas - let me know.

Anyway, when my friend, Pam and I parted ways she said that she had asked God for the words to encourage me through this time in my life - like she hadn't already done enough - but then she reminded me of something from when I was in high school that brought back a ton of memories that I had actually not thought about in years. I use to run all of the time. Well, I actually played volleyball, basketball, and ran in track. Running wasn't my favorite of these three sports - basketball was hands down - but I like to win and so that kept me going in track. Basically I loved the race but didn't like the training so much. Most of my running career I suffered from severe shin splints. They were so bad at several points that I could barely walk. But I would go down early for practice every day, stick both of my legs in and ice bucket until my legs were numb, let the trainer tape my legs up to just below my knees, and then I would complete my workout. I pretty much did that for all 4 years of my high school running career. It was extremely painful pretty much all of the time. No wonder childbirth wasn't ever that bad for me.

So, God laid it on Pam's heart to remind me of my perseverance through that time. As I thought back on what I did every day I honestly can't tell you why I did it. I just knew that was I had to do to get the job done and so I did it. Kind of like me going through chemo now. I don't know how I really get through it but I know it is my job now to do it so I can be well again and so I do it. I am just so amazed how God taught me all these lessons throughout my life to prepare me for things like battling cancer. I am grateful for the heart He has given me. I am grateful for my fighting spirit, the endurance that He blessed me with. People use to think it was crazy that I was a distance runner and now I know why He did it. So, I could run the distance now.

I am grateful for my friend Pam and for her seeking God for the "perfect" message for me. Through her faithfulness and obedience I was truly blessed - and I got a cute hair cut. :-)

Love you all and wish you a very blessed day!

~Andrea

Gressman Family Fun...

One of the things that we love to do as a family is go for walks and hikes as a family. It is great to get outside, stretch our legs and discover great treasures that the boys always seem to discover. The boys are so much fun to watch when they are doing their thing. Here are a few casual pictures Jason took on one of our walks/hikes.

This free digital collage made with Smilebox

Good times!

Memories 1 and 2.....finally here!

So, for all of you who were wondering what happened to the ten part series on my memories of Ky, I am so very sorry. Some of you may know but we were all sick and had been sick for about two weeks and with three days to go until Ky's birthday my body just kind of gave out and I needed sleep! So, I ended up going to bed extremely early for about three days straight in order to be up and around during Ky's birthday. Being that I am a night owl that is when I do most of my writing so my writing just didn't get done.

We are all doing better now. There is still an occasional cough and a sore throat here and there but we are doing far better then we were for a while there. 

On to complete the 10 part series......

For those of you who were not reading along, Ky's 5th birthday was October 30th. With 10 days to go I decided I would write about my 10 favorite memories of my sweet boy. I completed all the way through memory number 3 before my fatigue caught up with me. So, here are memories number 2 and number 1. 

Memory #2....

One of my favorite things is when the boys decide to dress themselves. It is always when their own individual personalities come out. One of the best times is when he decided to wear his mud boots to Wal-mart on a perfectly sunny day! :-) 

Love this!

My #1 memory....

Ky is all boy. Yet, he has a softer side to him as well. He absolutely loves animals and he absolutely loves babies. This really came out when we were expecting our little girl, Kearyn. He just couldn't wait for her to arrive. He was the first one of his brothers to snatch her up in the hospital and from the moment we brought her home he was constantly wanting to hold her. I remember her just being a couple of days old and he was holding her sitting next to me on my bed. He looked down at her and then up at me and said, "Mommy, I'm her tector (protector)." My heart melted. "Yes you are Ky.....yes you are."