Health Update

I heard back from the doctor today and they finally got all my blood-work results in! The good news is that everything looked okay - my white blood cell count was a little high, but nothing that indicated something more serious. The Epstein-Barr lab was positive and the levels were abnormally high (this is the virus that causes mono). So, they are trying to get me in quickly to see a specialist who should be able to do some further testing and pinpoint why I keep getting this!

On the other front, I am meeting with my back doctor next week to discuss and schedule the first steroid injection into my sacroiliac joint. I will continue seeing the physical therapist weekly to work on addressing the bulging disc and, hopefully, these shots will help with the problems I've been experiencing with my hip. I also got my "wedge" and have been faithfully wearing it in my shoe to help my short leg stay in balance with the longer one and keep my hips level when I walk. It is definitely a process, but I am optimistic that we will find a resolution! :)

Fifth Time's NOT The Charm

In addition to everything I mentioned in my previous post, I have been feeling overwhelmingly tired this week. I assumed it was just an adjustment to the "back-to-school" activities...but when I started to develop other symptoms, I decided I needed to go see the doctor. So, Nolan and I went this morning and they took some blood and sent it off to the lab.

I got a call a few minutes ago from the doctor and she said I had tested positive for Mono. I almost dropped the phone - this will be my 5th time!! Because of my frequency with the disease, she asked me to come back in first thing Monday morning for some more testing...and she will also be referring me to an Auto-Immune Specialist for follow up. On Monday, they will be checking my white and red blood cell counts. She informed me that the white count being off and the positive diagnosis of mono could be an indicator for some form of lymphoma or leukemia (not exactly what I wanted to hear).

So, we are asking for your prayers once again - that the Lord will give me the strength I need to keep up with my kids and care for them while battling this illness AND that He will give wisdom to the doctors as we continue to search for answers! I am now even more looking forward to that new body God has promised us - because I need it!!!

A Lesson From Paul

I have been seeing a physical therapist since we came back from Oregon - to address the bulging disc in my back. Through the process of doing different exercises and having him evaluate me, we have discovered that it wasn't just my bulging L5 S1 disc that was causing me pain. Yesterday, after a series of tests, he determined that I also have an abnormality in my left sacroiliac joint AND my left leg is almost an inch shorter than my right leg. I now have to wear a "wedge" in my left shoe to help even myself out. He also said that I need to limit the length of time that I wear heels for...which, for those of you who know me, is like the worst news EVER!! He gave me new exercises to do based on this recent discovery and is recommending we start doing steroid injections into my hip.

I left his office yesterday feeling so defeated and discouraged. I got into my car and completely fell apart! So, I spent the whole day in prayer and tears, asking God "why?". And I felt alot like Paul, when he asks God to remove the "thorn in his flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) and God says no...but that His strength would be made perfect in Paul's weakness. After my little pity party, I was able to put things into perspective and realize there are people dealing with so much worse than this. And that no matter what this means for me going forward, God is going to give me exactly what I need to deal with it. I have to keep reminding myself that God made this body and that none of this is a surprise to Him. So, I will choose to praise Him no matter what my physical circumstances...and I'm so thankful that I have a "new body" to look forward to in heaven!!! :)

Back to School

Well, today was Lauren's first day of 1st grade! She was very excited to head back to school, although Nolan was very upset. After she got out of the car, he was crying, "Me, me, me!" He wanted to go with her. :( Then, all the way home he was saying, "More Lauren!" It was cute and sad at the same time. He will miss having her around, but I'm excited for the one-on-one time he and I will have together...it's my last year with him at home before he starts preschool! (sniff, sniff)

We had a special prayer time with Lauren last night and presented her with her verse for the year, which was Matthew 5:14 & 16: "You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. In the same way, let your light shine for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." We know that God must really want her at GCA for another year, because our house still hasn't sold! She has a much smaller class this year (only 9 kids), which will mean more individual attention from the teacher, which is great!! We continue to praise the Lord for providing us with the means for her to attend a christian school. :)

Here are the pictures I took of her before getting in the car this morning:

When Lightning Strikes

Learning to trust God with our finances has been an ongoing lesson for the Smith family. Has anyone else ever felt this way? Just when we feel like we are getting ahead, a million things happen all at once! Lately we feel as if we are cursed…every day brings another unexpected expense. It is getting to the point where it is laughable – let me share with you the drama…these are the things we have had to shell out $$ for just in the last couple months:

· MRI to confirm diagnosis of a bulging disc in my L5 S1

· Physical therapy for my bulging disc

· Chest x-ray for Lauren to check for pneumonia (it was negative; turned out to be pertussis)

· 4 new tires for Ryan’s car, due to all the driving he does back and forth to work

· Repair for Ryan’s car due to hitting a coyote while driving to work in the early am

· Transmission flush and repair for my car

· New downstairs A/C unit due to a power surge when our house was struck by lightning (yes, you read that right)

As we watch our savings get completely depleted and our credit card debt increase, we have to remember that God has blessed us with so much…and we have seen much harder times than these. In situations like this, even though we want to ask “God, why??”, we know He has a plan. He is teaching us to rely more heavily on Him (like we should be doing anyway) and to praise Him when we have a little and when we have a lot. So, even though everything around us seems to be falling apart, we will continue to put our trust in the One who has never let us down, has always provided exactly what we need and continues to be faithful through all of life’s storms.

Operation Beautiful

I just read about this in a magazine and LOVED the idea of it! I started with a simple post-it note on Lauren's dresser mirror in her room, but you could do it anywhere!! :)


















The story behind it:

Caitlin Boyle, founder of Operation Beautiful, decided to put a post-it note up in a public bathroom for anyone to see who came across it. It simply read: "You are beautiful". She took a picture of the note and posted it on her blog - over the next year, hundreds of women followed suit and sent in pictures of their own random acts of encouragement; most of them put in public places...on telephone poles, on the scale at the local gym, on the copy machine at the office, on dressing room mirrors, etc.

Let's encourage other women - sisters, daughters, mothers, aunts, cousins, complete strangers...and even ourselves with this positive thinking! You may just make someone's day!! To learn more, visit http://www.operationbeautiful.com/.

Home Sweet Home

Well, we made it back safely from Oregon after an amazing 5 weeks of vacation! I was nervous about flying by myself with the two kids (I was outnumbered!), but the Lord blessed me beyond words! The kids were complete angels!! I had total strangers telling me how amazed they were at my kids' behavior. And I couldn't have been prouder - we colored, read books, had snacks and watched 1 movie on the first 4-hour flight. Then we had a 2-hour layover in Atlanta, where we ate lunch and "got our sillies out". Once we got on the 2nd plane, we were all tired (we had to wake up at 3am to leave Portland), so we snuggled up together and slept the whole way home to Charlotte!

We were all so excited to see Ryan and he was anxious to have us home (the house is pretty quiet when you're there all alone!). It took about 3 days to adjust back to East Coast time, but we are on track now. The kids have enjoyed rediscovering all their toys and it has been nice to sleep next to my husband again (minus the snoring, of course). :)

Now we're focusing on getting school supplies and ordering uniforms to get Lauren ready for 1st grade. I can't believe I have a first grader...when did that happen?!? We took her to get her hair cut yesterday and she decided she wanted to chop it. So, they cut around 4 inches off - much easier to handle in this heat (it was over 100 today!) and quicker to style before school each morning!! Here's a pic of her new 'do: