Transparent

Another week has gone by and this new normal is sinking in. I find it hard not to be continually in "crisis mode" as I had been for so long. Every time the phone rang I thought it would be my Mom or sister calling to talk about another thing that went wrong but for the most part everything is "normal"

Mom and I continue to juice for Rachel almost everyday and I love spending that time with Mom. It makes me feel like I am actually doing something to help Rachel. The kids normally find something to do and I hold Abby for the most part because she has been teething or just having a bad day. It's amazing what you can learn to do while holding a baby in your arms. I am sure I will have many stories to tell Izzy, Noah and Abby when they grow up about how we would go over there everyday and help Rae Rae (what Rachel's nieces  and nephews call her). We have a good system going now and the juicing gets done very quickly which helps us focus on other things now.

Rachel has many adventures that she goes on throughout the week and she has plans for the future. She is planning a family vacation with Rob and the boys to Aruba in August (JEALOUS!!!). Rachel is also talking about adding on to the house next year for a large family room and a new master bedroom and bath.

Even with all the planning, the cancer is still causing her pain. She takes pain medication a couple times a day because one of the tumors is pressing on a nerve in her lower back. But looking at Rachel you really would never know she has cancer, let alone stage 4 cancer... she looks amazing!!

Rachel is always encouraged by the letters, phone calls, texts, facebook posts and so forth! It lifts her spirits to know that everyone is praying for her. If you get a chance, just send her a message letting her know that you are praying! It has been Rachel's desire through this whole process to be transparent with everything going on so that she can be used by God to touch lives around her.

This is not just Rachel's journey alone but something that we are all taking part in, we are all affect by the cancer in Rachel. God is using this time in her life to reach out and grab each of us. To show us that life is precious and that we need to have the correct relationship with God because if we don't, we will not be able to handle this horrible time in Rachel's life the way that God wants us.

I know, how can I take away from what Rachel is going through by saying this journey involves us all...this is her journey... she should have the privacy that she "deserves"... really? Tell us, how is God using Rachel's journey in your life?? no really...TELL US!!! because it would be so meaningless for Rachel to suffer in pain like this if it was just her journey and did not concern anyone else. God is using this to touch all of us!! Don't let this opportunity pass you by! Don't waste what Rachel is going through... Let God reach in and touch your through this because He is always there and always willing to touch your life.  I know that Rachel wants this cancer to have meaning, that it is used by God to glorify God!

God loves to weave His story through our lives. Rachel's life is like a big puzzle and each puzzle piece by itself is small and almost meaningless. However, when you start putting all the pieces together, you see the big picture that God has designed. Rachel's puzzle is beautiful because she is allowing God to use her and she is continually seeking Him through this time.

Prayer requests:
Please pray for Rachel's pain in her back and this is what is causing her the most pain right now. She is also starting to retain fluid which is a concern.

Pray for Mom. Apparently she was bitten by a very poisonous spider about a week ago. mom thought it was just poison ivy but her fingers continued to swell up. Today her hand was completely swollen and she was in a lot of pain. mom went to the doctor who informed her t hat it was a spider bit and a very serious one! The dr. gave more a steroid shot and a lot of medication with the strict orders to go to the ER if the hand got any worse. As of right now Mom seems to be out of the woods but she could use prayer that it continues to go away.