Abundant Beauty. | Update on Dad. Round #2 chemo

*Photos from Spring Break 2016

Abundant Beauty.

Beauty from ashes.

As timing would have it,

I wasn't able to go to Canada

for round #2 of chemo,

which started yesterday morning.

Was bummed about that,

but Dad was in good hands

with our favorite nurse Heather

and my favorite Mum on the planet.

From the bloodwork that was drawn,

before they could start the chemo,

it seems that Round #1 of chemo

was successful.

The numbers are moving in the right direction.

Whatever that means.

If you know me at all,

you know I don't do numbers.

EVER.

So I'm just gonna leave the numbers

to the number people

and believe them when they say,

they're doing what we want them to do!

YAY!

Who knew?

I had no idea we'd get that type of news yesterday.

None of us did.

How's that for a beautiful surprise

in the middle of the cancer chair?

After yesterday's chemo,

Dad continued to feel great,

and he slept (relatively) well last night.

He woke up this morning and worked at his computer for hours.

Had the energy to run errands around town with Mum,

and out for a country drive,

and now he's sitting reading.

I just got off the phone with him,

and I heard it in his voice.

He's feeling great.

His voice isn't tired.

He's a bit peppy if you ask me.

Great energy level today.

NO SIDE EFFECTS YET.

Yes sir-ee and thank you very much.

We're super thrilled about this.

Not sure what this means other than

the fact that there are,

literally,

people praying around the globe for Dad.

And lots of them.

Who knows what's going on in Dad's body

at this point,

but I do know this.

I heard it in his voice.

Hope.

Togetherness.

You're in this with him. With us.

A sense of God's faithfulness.

He promises there's no way He'll leave us,

even in the hard.

A head - and heart - knowledge that

God IS in the business of answering prayers.

Do not even get me started on this.

God answers prayers.

I believe that with every fibre of my being.

I've just seen it over and over and over in my life.

I'd love to tell you all about it if you're ever intrigued.

God is using each of you to touch our family.

He really is.

I believe that God is the author of beauty.

And beauty can take on varied forms.

When you ask how Dad's doing,

that's Beauty.

When you drop us a private message on Facebook,

that's Beauty.

When you take your time to call,

that's Beauty.

When you pick up or drop off my son after school,
that's Beauty.

When you pray.

Oh, when you pray,

that's Beauty.

When you send a card in the mail,

that's Beauty.

When you email and respond to our

posts and status updates and emails and texts,

that's Beauty.

God has given us a beautiful gift in the middle of

yucky cancer.

YOU.

And I'm so not kidding.

You're OUR beauty.

Right from God's hand.

Whether you love God or can't stand Him

or you land somewhere in the middle of that continuum,

we see YOU

as Beauty right from God.

As a family,

we're so so thankful for YOU.

I hope you know you're stuck with us.

Forever!

So tonight,

we're celebrating

YOU.

The abundant beauty God has given.

This much I know.
God's still good.
And always will be.