The Truth
Posted 6 hours ago
Riley is feeling great and she seems to be recovered from surgery. She practiced tennis this weekend and reported that it no longer hurts to take a deep breath. We are so thankful for her healing. It overjoys us to watch her run and play with the other kids. We have always enjoyed spring, but this year I am extremely more grateful as spring approaches because there was a time last year when I thought we would see this spring without Riley-for that is what science and medicine told us.
Today my heart believes we will have Riley with us for many more springs. I am so thankful for how God has guided me to this belief and given us a chance for more springs. How He crafted my faith to grow to this extent amazes me. It truly required the willingness of many to follow God’s perfect plan to bring us where we are today. My knowledge of medicine has been an entrance point for the devil, but through God and with the help of others, I was encouraged to resist the science and embrace the faith. We have stepped from just “hoping” out onto the branch of “believing” with confidence in Him. We can’t find the Truth in earthly means. Not in medicine, in numbers, in security, in wealth, in possessions, in titles, in fame, or in power - It lies only in God.
The answer in God isn’t found just once. Daily efforts to focus on the truth and to avoid being led away from Him are required. We feel we see His truth more clearly now than 5 years ago, or even last year. I hope each day I can continue to see Him more clearly. I know it all depends on me, since He does not change.
We must all study, learn, and practice choosing God as our truth. This is what Lent is about for us this year - Strengthening ourselves in God and preparing ourselves to resist the temptation of sin and the devil. This is not an easy task because the devil is very cunning and tries to plant seeds of sin and doubt. We were reminded of this with the readings at mass this Sunday with the story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:7-9;3:1-7) and how Satan even tried to tempt Jesus after His forty days of fasting in the desert (Matthew 4: 1-5). During this forty days of Lent we must try to prepare ourselves as Christians so that we may resist the devil and accept God as our only Truth.
Please help pray with us for a friend(Ashley)who just underwent a stem cell transplant and now has RSV. Please pray that God will protect her from complications with this illness and bring her back to complete health. Also please pray for Meghan and her family as they struggle with advancing and progressive Wilm's disease.
Thank you for your support in helping us stand confidently in Him.
Believing in the Truth, Kirk and Kelly
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
~Penny Pinching Pixie Giveaway~
Do you like Yogurt?
If you answered yes then you need to go over to
Penny Pinching Pixie and enter her giveaway.
Check out this prize pack:
This great giveaway has been active since Friday and there are Zero comments!
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~Go show her some Love~
Friday, March 11, 2011
~Review and Giveaway coming soon... Keep your eyes open~
Baked Ziti, Fresco by Scotto.
This delicious Scotto family recipe is a rich combination of three cheeses (Ricotta, Mozzarella and Parmesan) baked with ziti pasta and a flavorful tomato sauce that is ready in 30 minutes.
Five Cheese Garlic French Bread, MicrosSteam Baby Broccoli Florets and Chocolate Ice Cream.
Thought and laugh for today~
Dear God,
My prayer for 2011 is for a fat bank account & a thin body.
Please don't mix these up like you did last year. AMEN!!!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
~In Your Element Events~
In Your Element Events is a full service event planning firm specializing in creating spectacular and affordable celebrations with a conscience. We help individuals and organizations nationwide bring their meetings, conferences, and special events to life while focusing on socially responsible, environmentally friendly, sustainable practices.
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~Check them out for all your events~
Just click on their button above to go to their website or click on
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Monday, February 28, 2011
Riley's Update
Keep Moving
Posted 2 minutes ago
Keep Moving. That is how Riley tackles the world. Better even might be "Keep Living."
She came home Friday night from the hospital. She has recovered like a champ. We left for NY Sunday and she just received her next infusion of Ella's WBC's. She will be returning to NY next week and every 1-2 weeks.
Not sure how long we can have the treatments, but we pray the FDA approves further treatments.
To explain what we hope this treatment does is like putting out pre-emergent weed killer on your lawn. We have been treating Riley so new tumors wouldn't grow but it won't theoretically kill what already had grown. She had surgery to remove the big tumors so now we expect the cells to have easier time of keeping new tumors away.
We are so thankful to God for his continued protection and awed at His plans. We look forward to spring, sunshine and spring sports. Riley has given up soccer this year, but has plans to start tennis lessons in March! She said she will be fine to play by then!
Thank God for Riley's Army beginning to move forward again. Thanks to the Board and Karen for keeping it going. We hope you will hear lots more about the good work in the months to come. Pray for Kimber as she takes on the task of helping us get back on track to help other families in need.
Praying, believing and expecting complete healing and continued growth with God as our Guide,
Kirk & Kelly
Posted 2 minutes ago
Keep Moving. That is how Riley tackles the world. Better even might be "Keep Living."
She came home Friday night from the hospital. She has recovered like a champ. We left for NY Sunday and she just received her next infusion of Ella's WBC's. She will be returning to NY next week and every 1-2 weeks.
Not sure how long we can have the treatments, but we pray the FDA approves further treatments.
To explain what we hope this treatment does is like putting out pre-emergent weed killer on your lawn. We have been treating Riley so new tumors wouldn't grow but it won't theoretically kill what already had grown. She had surgery to remove the big tumors so now we expect the cells to have easier time of keeping new tumors away.
We are so thankful to God for his continued protection and awed at His plans. We look forward to spring, sunshine and spring sports. Riley has given up soccer this year, but has plans to start tennis lessons in March! She said she will be fine to play by then!
Thank God for Riley's Army beginning to move forward again. Thanks to the Board and Karen for keeping it going. We hope you will hear lots more about the good work in the months to come. Pray for Kimber as she takes on the task of helping us get back on track to help other families in need.
Praying, believing and expecting complete healing and continued growth with God as our Guide,
Kirk & Kelly
Friday, February 25, 2011
Free Pancakes for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Call your local IHOP to see if they are participating!
~Questions for today~
Only in America .......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
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Only in America .....do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.
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Only in America .....do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
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Only in America .....do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
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Only in America .....do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
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EVER WONDER .....
Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?
Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'?
Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word?
Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?
Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!
Wool blankets and clothes shrink when you wash them, Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
If flying is so safe,why do they call the airport the terminal?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Only in America .....do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Only in America .....do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Only in America .....do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Only in America .....do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EVER WONDER .....
Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?
Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'?
Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word?
Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?
Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!
Wool blankets and clothes shrink when you wash them, Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
If flying is so safe,why do they call the airport the terminal?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
After Riley's surgery...
Peace!
Posted 15 hours ago
What an odd sensation. Sitting here watching Riley sleep. Peaceful sleep - not because of pain medicine, but just because she is at rest. Our hearts are peaceful too. Only a peace that God’s love and mercy could give us today.
Riley got ready for surgery by staying up late so she could eat until midnight plus she figured she could sleep all day today. She finally went to bed at about 1 am and we were at the hospital at 5:30 this morning. Just before being put to sleep Riley’s eyes perked up and she said, “Mom, mom I remember - His word is healing and health to my whole body.“ That is exactly what I told her last month as she was being put to sleep with anesthesia. She remembered and it is true. Proverbs 4:22
Surgery went well and her pain is controlled. She looks even better today than she did last month! We are so very thankful.
Today we write about Riley’s cancer being gone and as Riley spoke back in August - We are showing His mighty power! I have prayed many times that His mighty power would be shown so clearly that even the nonbeliever would have no room to doubt, but I have come to know over the past few months that it is not all about God’s mighty power. We can know His power and still not believe in Him or His promises to us as believers. It is by knowing His power, along with His mercy, and desire to care for us, that we can fully come to Believe.
John 16:24 Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.
The above scripture was in our devotional today. We are so joyful and so hopeful. Joy in Him and because of Him. No other reason could explain this day. This journey.
At Peace in Him, Kirk and Kelly
Posted 15 hours ago
What an odd sensation. Sitting here watching Riley sleep. Peaceful sleep - not because of pain medicine, but just because she is at rest. Our hearts are peaceful too. Only a peace that God’s love and mercy could give us today.
Riley got ready for surgery by staying up late so she could eat until midnight plus she figured she could sleep all day today. She finally went to bed at about 1 am and we were at the hospital at 5:30 this morning. Just before being put to sleep Riley’s eyes perked up and she said, “Mom, mom I remember - His word is healing and health to my whole body.“ That is exactly what I told her last month as she was being put to sleep with anesthesia. She remembered and it is true. Proverbs 4:22
Surgery went well and her pain is controlled. She looks even better today than she did last month! We are so very thankful.
Today we write about Riley’s cancer being gone and as Riley spoke back in August - We are showing His mighty power! I have prayed many times that His mighty power would be shown so clearly that even the nonbeliever would have no room to doubt, but I have come to know over the past few months that it is not all about God’s mighty power. We can know His power and still not believe in Him or His promises to us as believers. It is by knowing His power, along with His mercy, and desire to care for us, that we can fully come to Believe.
John 16:24 Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.
The above scripture was in our devotional today. We are so joyful and so hopeful. Joy in Him and because of Him. No other reason could explain this day. This journey.
At Peace in Him, Kirk and Kelly
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
~Please keep Riley in your Prayers today~
2-22 : Be Thankful
Posted 6 hours ago
Dr Lord,
As you ask, we come to you today again in thanksgiving. We thank you for this day, for our situation, and for where we are - as it is exactly where you designed us to be. We thank you for the gift of Riley and for her willingness to serve as a vessel for you. We thank you for the medical staff who has helped to care for Riley over the past 5 years and we ask that you continue to guide their work especially today as she goes into surgery. Guide the hands, minds, and hearts of your medical team that they may care for Riley as only you can. Keep her safe and comfortable and speak your word of healing to her while she is asleep.
More importantly we remember to come to you in thanksgiving for your most precious gift of Baby Jesus. We are thankful for the promises you have granted to us through Him and through His crucifixion. We come to you today asking and knowing that you will stay true to your promises - as you always have and always will. It is through Jesus’ stripes and crucifixion that we are healed of all our sins, iniquities, and infirmities. Only say the Word and we all shall be healed.
God please open our hearts and minds to the grace of your mercy and your willingness and desire to heal us all. Help us not to doubt you, but instead guide us in our thoughts, actions, and words so that we may speak the truth which always lies in you and never in earthly knowledge.
In your hands we place Riley today and forever, as we know that is the true safe place to be.
In your name we pray and we believe! Amen
Posted 6 hours ago
Dr Lord,
As you ask, we come to you today again in thanksgiving. We thank you for this day, for our situation, and for where we are - as it is exactly where you designed us to be. We thank you for the gift of Riley and for her willingness to serve as a vessel for you. We thank you for the medical staff who has helped to care for Riley over the past 5 years and we ask that you continue to guide their work especially today as she goes into surgery. Guide the hands, minds, and hearts of your medical team that they may care for Riley as only you can. Keep her safe and comfortable and speak your word of healing to her while she is asleep.
More importantly we remember to come to you in thanksgiving for your most precious gift of Baby Jesus. We are thankful for the promises you have granted to us through Him and through His crucifixion. We come to you today asking and knowing that you will stay true to your promises - as you always have and always will. It is through Jesus’ stripes and crucifixion that we are healed of all our sins, iniquities, and infirmities. Only say the Word and we all shall be healed.
God please open our hearts and minds to the grace of your mercy and your willingness and desire to heal us all. Help us not to doubt you, but instead guide us in our thoughts, actions, and words so that we may speak the truth which always lies in you and never in earthly knowledge.
In your hands we place Riley today and forever, as we know that is the true safe place to be.
In your name we pray and we believe! Amen
Monday, February 21, 2011
Update on Riley
Plans
Posted 1 day ago
Since our trip skiing Riley and I have returned to NY for another infusion of immunotherapy cells. The trip to NY has actually become quite routine for us. We wake up early and leave at 3 am to be to Raleigh for a 6 am flight to NY. We arrive a little after 7 am with enough time to make it to the hospital by 8:30. Riley has an IV placed and labs drawn and then by late morning she receives the infusion of cells. Next is 6 hrs of monitoring which I try to sleep through and Riley watches TV or reads. We have been blessed to be able to stay at the Ronald McDonald house with each stay-so that is were we head after monitoring to relax and sleep for the night. We awake early in the morning to head back to clinic for a quick exam and then we are off to the airport to leave again. We have tried to leave on an early flight but for 2 trips we have been delayed, delayed and rerouted, but regardless we still make it home by evening the next day. The kids do well since we are only gone from them for 1 evening. Kirk on the other hand says the routine is not so smooth for him, as he typically leaves work earlier then usual to accommodate the evening needs while we are gone and he goes to sleep with kids to make things “easier” thus falling behind on work weekly. Thankfully mercy has been shown to us and we both still have jobs.
This past week plans have been arranged to move forward with what we hope is Riley’s last surgery. On Tuesday 2-22-11 Riley will have the tumor in her left upper lung removed along with the left upper lobe of her lung. Some may wonder why we have to remove the whole lobe for what is relatively a small tumor. The reason the whole lobe needs to be removed is because the tumor sits so far into the lung which makes a wedge resection impossible. We hate to remove a whole lobe of her lung, however we feel it is what is necessary to finally get Riley to be cancer free. We pray and believe that Riley will be without cancer after surgery on Tuesday and so we are eager to proceed. After surgery we will head back to NY for another infusion of immunotherapy cells in hopes of cleaning up any small disease that may linger after surgery. The FDA has approved 4 doses of cells to be used over 5 weeks after surgery. We will discuss with our Drs in NY about continuing maintenance therapy with cells after her 4 dose cycle, however if that is to be done it will require another FDA approval.
Please continue to pray and believe with us in Riley’s healing here on earth. We continue to give thanks to God for all our blessings, for the gift of today, and for how He has brought us to where we are right now. We are exactly where He designed us to be.
Thankful and Believing, Kirk and Kelly
Posted 1 day ago
Since our trip skiing Riley and I have returned to NY for another infusion of immunotherapy cells. The trip to NY has actually become quite routine for us. We wake up early and leave at 3 am to be to Raleigh for a 6 am flight to NY. We arrive a little after 7 am with enough time to make it to the hospital by 8:30. Riley has an IV placed and labs drawn and then by late morning she receives the infusion of cells. Next is 6 hrs of monitoring which I try to sleep through and Riley watches TV or reads. We have been blessed to be able to stay at the Ronald McDonald house with each stay-so that is were we head after monitoring to relax and sleep for the night. We awake early in the morning to head back to clinic for a quick exam and then we are off to the airport to leave again. We have tried to leave on an early flight but for 2 trips we have been delayed, delayed and rerouted, but regardless we still make it home by evening the next day. The kids do well since we are only gone from them for 1 evening. Kirk on the other hand says the routine is not so smooth for him, as he typically leaves work earlier then usual to accommodate the evening needs while we are gone and he goes to sleep with kids to make things “easier” thus falling behind on work weekly. Thankfully mercy has been shown to us and we both still have jobs.
This past week plans have been arranged to move forward with what we hope is Riley’s last surgery. On Tuesday 2-22-11 Riley will have the tumor in her left upper lung removed along with the left upper lobe of her lung. Some may wonder why we have to remove the whole lobe for what is relatively a small tumor. The reason the whole lobe needs to be removed is because the tumor sits so far into the lung which makes a wedge resection impossible. We hate to remove a whole lobe of her lung, however we feel it is what is necessary to finally get Riley to be cancer free. We pray and believe that Riley will be without cancer after surgery on Tuesday and so we are eager to proceed. After surgery we will head back to NY for another infusion of immunotherapy cells in hopes of cleaning up any small disease that may linger after surgery. The FDA has approved 4 doses of cells to be used over 5 weeks after surgery. We will discuss with our Drs in NY about continuing maintenance therapy with cells after her 4 dose cycle, however if that is to be done it will require another FDA approval.
Please continue to pray and believe with us in Riley’s healing here on earth. We continue to give thanks to God for all our blessings, for the gift of today, and for how He has brought us to where we are right now. We are exactly where He designed us to be.
Thankful and Believing, Kirk and Kelly
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
~Here is the winner ~
Congratulations!
True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 53
Result: 27
Powered by RANDOM.ORG
Who said...
February 8, 2011 1:08 PM
katychick said... 27
i follow you gfc 1
tcogbill at live dot com
Monday, February 7, 2011
CSN Giveaway
~Oh my goodness~
It is almost time for swingsets. Man am I ready!
Did you know that you can even get swingsets at CSN?
You can find anything you would want at CSN.
They have over 200 different websites, that you can shop at!
Plus if you find it cheaper somewhere else, they can match that price~
There is a "seen it for less" line right beside the price...
If you have seen it for a better price they will match it!
CSN Stores has offered to give one CJCMOMMY's Stuff reader a
$35.00 promo code. That means that you can get something you want!
If you go over $35. Just add money to it!
American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa
Google Checkout
PayPal
eBillme – Shop and pay cash with online banking
Personal Checks, Cashier's Checks, and Money Orders
They are backed by the Better Business Bureau.
Ok... On with the giveaway!
Mandatory entry:
Visit CSN Stores come back and tell me in a comment what you would buy.
Extra entries:
Remember to leave a comment for each entry.
(each entry gets a separate comment)
Follow me in Google friends…2 entries
Subscribe to my email…2 entries
Grab my button and tell me where to find it. 5 entries
Follow me on Twitter.. Leave me your Twitter ID. 2 entries
REMEMBER to leave your EMAIL address with each entry.
~I must know how to contact you if you win~
This giveaway will end February 11th at Midnight EST.
A winner will be picked using Random.org.
I will email the winner and post it on this site.
The winner will have 48 hours to respond.
If no response, I will pick another winner.
I was not compensated in any way from CSN Stores. All opinions are my own.
REJOICE!!!
Posted Feb 4, 2011 9:59pm
Join us in rejoicing. Scans today showed no new tumors and the remaining tumor in her left lung has grown just a little. Our hope now would be to proceed with surgery to remove a lobe of her left lung which contains the tumor.
Kelly had a special time in NY since they had mass at the Ronald McDonald House Thursday night. They anointed the sick, but it was also the special feast day of St. Blaise. (St. Blaise was a bishop in the 3rd century. He was a physician in Armenia. He was arrested as a Christian and while being led to jail a mother set her son who was choking to death on a fish bone at St. Blaise’s feet and the child was cured immediately. Despite this miracle, St. Blaise was put to tortured and put to death since he would not renounce his beliefs.)
St. Blaise is also special to Kelly. Kelly was born 2 ½ months premature and was released home in late January. Although recently home, Kelly’s mother wanted her to have the special blessing and was taken to church for the very first time on the feast day of St. Blaise (many years ago! Ha ha ha)
After some delays and detours getting them home, we made it safely to the hospital and the doctors waited for us so we could have the results tonight!
Riley has been back to 100% for the past couple weeks. After scans she wanted to go eat and didn’t want to wait for results. She wanted to know why they couldn’t just call. After we got the results, as the rest of us were excited and smiling, she said “Can we go eat now?” At dinner she asked Kelly why we cry with bad results and get so excited for good. Riley told Kelly she just needed to learn to control herself. Ashlyn chimed in and told Kelly she needed to stop just thinking about herself (a concept we work on with Ashlyn quite a bit as you can tell!)
We are so excited and so hopeful. I searched for something in the bible that would be able to express it well. I found Psalm 16. The whole psalm is great, but especially verses 8-11.
PSALM 16
1 Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.”
3 I say of the holy people who are in the land,
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names on my lips.
5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Thanks for praying and believing with us! We are blessed, thankful, and giving praise to God for all!
Keeping our eyes always on the Lord, Kirk and Kelly
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Anticipation
Posted 9 hours ago
Weeks have passed quickly. Since we last updated Riley has been to NY twice for an infusion and leaves again tomorrow for another. She is completely recovered from surgery and she feels absolutely wonderful which helps us remain peaceful. We are remaining hopeful, but we have found the last several weeks to be exhausting. Our brains and bodies feel like mush.
Riley will have scans Friday afternoon when she returns from NY. Please join us in praying for the miracle. Please believe with us! It feels like our journey with cancer is coming close to its end and Friday’s scans will suggest our ending. Praying and believing it will be the result we all desire.
A friend’s sign says it best. “Dear Lord, I can’t, You can, Please do. Thank You”
Rejoice today for the good news to come,
Kirk & Kelly
Weeks have passed quickly. Since we last updated Riley has been to NY twice for an infusion and leaves again tomorrow for another. She is completely recovered from surgery and she feels absolutely wonderful which helps us remain peaceful. We are remaining hopeful, but we have found the last several weeks to be exhausting. Our brains and bodies feel like mush.
Riley will have scans Friday afternoon when she returns from NY. Please join us in praying for the miracle. Please believe with us! It feels like our journey with cancer is coming close to its end and Friday’s scans will suggest our ending. Praying and believing it will be the result we all desire.
A friend’s sign says it best. “Dear Lord, I can’t, You can, Please do. Thank You”
Rejoice today for the good news to come,
Kirk & Kelly
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
~Riley~
Home!
Posted 1 day ago
Riley is feeling well. She was discharged today and has been resting well. Her pain has been minimal and almost gone since yesterday.
Tomorrow we will leave for New York for her next infusion this week.
We are thankful for His protection. Hopeful for His plan and healing.
Resting today and moving on tomorrow,
Kirk & Kelly
P.S. Thank you for all the ideas and offers to help about a skiing trip. We will be looking over things and try to get in touch with everyone who has called/emailed.
Posted 1 day ago
Riley is feeling well. She was discharged today and has been resting well. Her pain has been minimal and almost gone since yesterday.
Tomorrow we will leave for New York for her next infusion this week.
We are thankful for His protection. Hopeful for His plan and healing.
Resting today and moving on tomorrow,
Kirk & Kelly
P.S. Thank you for all the ideas and offers to help about a skiing trip. We will be looking over things and try to get in touch with everyone who has called/emailed.
Friday, January 14, 2011
~The Fabulous Finds~
The Fabulous Finds is giving away ( 1) $1,000 gift Basket worth of Product to a lucky follower...
~Check it out~
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Resting in His Hands Update on Riley
Posted 58 minutes ago
Riley is resting well after surgery. Surgery went well. The tumors were removed and there was no sign of it spreading to her chest wall.
She is now in the ICU until her chest tube can be removed. Hopefully just a few days until she can be released and we will go to NY. She is in room 203 and might be up for visitors tomorrow. Please call before you come and make sure you have been feeling well.
Rejoice in His plans and grace. His healing.
Kirk & Kelly
Riley is resting well after surgery. Surgery went well. The tumors were removed and there was no sign of it spreading to her chest wall.
She is now in the ICU until her chest tube can be removed. Hopefully just a few days until she can be released and we will go to NY. She is in room 203 and might be up for visitors tomorrow. Please call before you come and make sure you have been feeling well.
Rejoice in His plans and grace. His healing.
Kirk & Kelly
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Newest update...
Staying in the Boat
Posted 11 hours ago
We just finished talking with surgery again tonight. Surgery is planned for Thursday, Jan 13th.
Friday’s scans disappointedly showed that Riley’s tumors have grown quickly and significantly, but no new spots have appeared, which is encouraging considering Riley‘s past history of aggressive and spreading disease without treatment. So without new disease we are hopeful the experimental therapy has helped.
We have had difficult discussions with our doctors, those in NY, each other, and Riley.
Medically we are walking down unknown territory. Unproven and unpredictable. Honestly, if we were giving medical advice to our patients, we may not be able to see the potential for benefit. But we don’t see any other option and we don’t see Riley has anything to lose. Plus we have stepped into the boat of immunotherapy and we don’t feel like we can jump out of the boat just because it is not looking exactly as we had hoped. We are praying land is just beyond the horizon. Of course, with surgery we have risk for complications, but every time Riley had chemo in the past she had risk, transplant was very risky, and if we do nothing it will be only a matter of time before she has the ultimate complication from her disease.
How did we get here? A friend forwarded a devotional to us this week which helped. It described a line of faith and the difficulty of stepping over the line to reach your goal. Only faith has carried us this far, so we keep stepping and we keep believing in Him and in His healing power and healing Will.
Our current prayer needs are for strength and wisdom, peace and healing. We pray the FDA will approve more treatments (we should hear their answer by Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning - if further treatments are not approved, surgery would provide no long term benefit). Our prayers for surgery include the safe removal of the tumors in the right lung without evidence of spread of tumor to the chest wall, avoidance of infection, control of pain, and quick recovery. Speedy recovery so we can travel to NY for another infusion of immunotherapy cells. No new spots to develop and for the spot on the left side to grow slowly, stay stable or shrink until it can be removed in a month after her recovery from this surgery.
We love the support we have been given. Faithful believers who support us as we step “over the faith line.” We hear of the miracles granted to those in the Bible, but we don’t know how Abraham felt while waiting for His promises to be shown. At an old age without children, he must have thought himself a little crazy. He must have wondered how his descendents would be more numerous then the stars in the sky. So too, do we believe and yet we can only wonder how it will come to pass.
Riley is feeling good. She says “okay” to surgery now and again in a month if needed. She won’t admit any concern and doesn’t act as if she has any. She is at peace, so we also will rest, trusting in His plan.
Staying in the boat trusting He will keep us safe and believing land is just beyond the horizon,
Kirk & Kelly
P.S. We don’t usually ask for such help, but Riley wants to go snow skiing for her first time. We would love to have the chance and think we could “squeeze” it in in about 3 weeks. If anyone has any advice for a good place to go with 4 kids that have never skied (or a place to stay available the week of Feb 6th) please contact us.
Posted 11 hours ago
We just finished talking with surgery again tonight. Surgery is planned for Thursday, Jan 13th.
Friday’s scans disappointedly showed that Riley’s tumors have grown quickly and significantly, but no new spots have appeared, which is encouraging considering Riley‘s past history of aggressive and spreading disease without treatment. So without new disease we are hopeful the experimental therapy has helped.
We have had difficult discussions with our doctors, those in NY, each other, and Riley.
Medically we are walking down unknown territory. Unproven and unpredictable. Honestly, if we were giving medical advice to our patients, we may not be able to see the potential for benefit. But we don’t see any other option and we don’t see Riley has anything to lose. Plus we have stepped into the boat of immunotherapy and we don’t feel like we can jump out of the boat just because it is not looking exactly as we had hoped. We are praying land is just beyond the horizon. Of course, with surgery we have risk for complications, but every time Riley had chemo in the past she had risk, transplant was very risky, and if we do nothing it will be only a matter of time before she has the ultimate complication from her disease.
How did we get here? A friend forwarded a devotional to us this week which helped. It described a line of faith and the difficulty of stepping over the line to reach your goal. Only faith has carried us this far, so we keep stepping and we keep believing in Him and in His healing power and healing Will.
Our current prayer needs are for strength and wisdom, peace and healing. We pray the FDA will approve more treatments (we should hear their answer by Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning - if further treatments are not approved, surgery would provide no long term benefit). Our prayers for surgery include the safe removal of the tumors in the right lung without evidence of spread of tumor to the chest wall, avoidance of infection, control of pain, and quick recovery. Speedy recovery so we can travel to NY for another infusion of immunotherapy cells. No new spots to develop and for the spot on the left side to grow slowly, stay stable or shrink until it can be removed in a month after her recovery from this surgery.
We love the support we have been given. Faithful believers who support us as we step “over the faith line.” We hear of the miracles granted to those in the Bible, but we don’t know how Abraham felt while waiting for His promises to be shown. At an old age without children, he must have thought himself a little crazy. He must have wondered how his descendents would be more numerous then the stars in the sky. So too, do we believe and yet we can only wonder how it will come to pass.
Riley is feeling good. She says “okay” to surgery now and again in a month if needed. She won’t admit any concern and doesn’t act as if she has any. She is at peace, so we also will rest, trusting in His plan.
Staying in the boat trusting He will keep us safe and believing land is just beyond the horizon,
Kirk & Kelly
P.S. We don’t usually ask for such help, but Riley wants to go snow skiing for her first time. We would love to have the chance and think we could “squeeze” it in in about 3 weeks. If anyone has any advice for a good place to go with 4 kids that have never skied (or a place to stay available the week of Feb 6th) please contact us.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Please pray for Riley
Be Still and Believe
Posted 6 hours ago
Exodus 14:13-14 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
We have spent the last 3 weeks trying to stay calm and be still as we wait and believe in the healing power and promise of Our Lord which was gifted to us through the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross.
Time has passed so quickly since we last updated. We apologize for not posting earlier, but we have been enjoying the Christmas season and after days of reflecting and praying about our next step we have just finally secured a plan which feels right for us and guided by God.
Thanks to “Andy‘s Special Friends”, We were blessed to be able to visit Myrtle Beach the weekend after Riley’s scans. Andy’s Special Friends is an organization that hosts families of kids with cancer to a weekend of shows and fun. Special attention was given to the kids and after the shows we were even able to meet the cast. Leaving Myrtle Beach we traveled to NY for Riley’s 4th immunotherapy treatment. While we were up in New York we spent a couple of days enjoying the city. The city was busy and full of energy and Ella said it best as we walked 5th Ave., “Now this is a lot of people.” We went on a carriage ride in Central Park, enjoyed the Rockettes and skated at Rockefeller center. We came home and Riley‘s chicks hatched on Christmas Eve. We now have 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 10 chicks. Of course next she wants a goat! Christmas was blessed and cold with snow followed by a New Year’s Day that was warm enough to swim. We thank God for all the great times with family and friends and for all the memories made. You can see pictures of the above at the following link: (copy and paste the address in your browser if needed).
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=107154859701076247508&target=ALBUM&id=5558859659731922225&authkey=Gv1sRgCMn-vvzvwY6DdQ&feat=email
Despite all the enjoyable commotion, our latest news with scans still remained a prominent thought. The doctor in NY who initiated the immunotherapy suggested the possibility that the spots have gotten bigger and denser again on CT because the WBC’s have invaded the area to attack the cancer. We hope and pray this is truly the case. If this is true then we would expect the tumors to gradually reduce in size as the cancer is destroyed by the WBCs. The FDA required a 3 week break before we could continue with more infusions. So we met with the surgeon in NY while there before Christmas and Riley told us it was ok to have surgery as long as it didn’t interrupt Christmas or Ashlyn’s birthday. With those guidelines we planned surgery in NY for 1/6, but as time approached we developed some concerns about traveling for surgery and so we changed our mind and over the past 3 days we have arranged surgery here at home instead. This we hope will be much better on Riley and the family. We are at peace with our decision and we feel it is best for us all. So plans are now made to have surgery to remove the spots on the right lung next Thursday 1/13/2011 if they haven’t improved or resolved on CT which is scheduled for Friday 1/7/2011. If the spots remain then pathology would help us know if the treatment is changing her cancer and if the cells are attacking the tissue. With scans tomorrow we pray and believe in God’s healing plan and we hope that all spots are getting smaller or are gone so we can avoid surgery. Please pray and believe with us. We know the believing part can be tough, but we ask you to take a risk and jump out with us on this limb of trust knowing that God’s desire is for Riley’s full healing. Then thank God for the healing He has already preformed on Riley and on all of us.
How with all the medical facts staring us in the face do we keep seeing something different? How do 2 physicians keep hoping for what we do not see? It hasn’t been easy. We look to Him and we continue to see peace on Riley’s face.
During Advent, the Gloria (a song of praise at the start of mass) is omitted. On Christmas Eve, since Christ had come, we were once again able to sing the Gloria. I cried as Riley sang the Gloria with the same excitement she always does. It really illustrated the period of absence during Advent as we waited for Christ’s coming and then praise that filled the air when He arrived on Christmas as we were able to sing the Gloria once again. We celebrated His greatest gift to us - Jesus who was only born to save us. We celebrated and are thankful for His presence. For He was, He is, and He forever shall be the same Jehovah Rapha or Lord who heals you.
After Christmas, I found Riley’s Santa letter jotted in a notebook. She has given me permission to let you read it.
“Dear Santa Claus,
Please tell your elfs and your wife to pray for me. All I want for Christmas is to be healed foever. Oh and I want my family and friends to not to have cancer too. So please ask God to help you with this gift. If you are not able to get this gift, just get me an x-box 360.”
Riley says so much in her letter yet simply asks for prayers for her cure. She knows only God can heal her and even tells Santa to ask God. Since Santa did bring the X-box, we were worried she would feel this meant her true request wasn’t answered. She said she wasn’t worried and she knew that healing could only come from God. So we pray and we wait.
Yet again, we pray and hope that surgery doesn’t have to be done. We hope His healing is evident to her doctors. We have been reading more on His healing power. I have always seen passages about healing and always felt that although Jesus healed, the message was about spiritual healing. However, through reading the book “Christ the Healer”, we have seen so much more. God never changes and He never lies. If He healed in the bible, He still heals today. Riley knows this and we believe with her. We ask you to take this leap with us, believe His power is already working in her and we will be blessed to see it some day.
Some passages that we are currently focusing on are below. We still have so much to learn but His message of healing is throughout the bible.
After the Israelites cried out in the desert as Pharaoh chased them, Exodus 14:13-14 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Once they had crossed the Red Sea, the Israelites cried out again. Exodus 15:25-26 There the LORD issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. He said, “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”
After Jesus was resurrected and just before he ascended into heaven, Mark 16:15-18 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
And in James 5:13-16 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Pastor Gaskins is the preacher who anointed Riley last month. He has kept in contact since and has called us a couple of times. I think he said it best “Riley believes what the rest of us say we believe.” We see Riley live the passages above. She waits for God to do her battle, she doesn’t rush Him. She knows He is her healer. She knows because Jesus was born and although without blame or illness, he died for us to bring us back in communion with God. To be forgiven and to be healed.
I pray her healing will be manifested so she can continue to preach the gospel in the way she lives. In 4 and ½ years, Riley has never been the fighter - just the one who lives.
So we prepare and we wait. We wait to see his Mighty power. We believe it is to come, but don’t know yet when. Join us in this belief and sing praise for what He has already done.
Holding still, holding strong, and believing,
Kirk & Kelly
Posted 6 hours ago
Exodus 14:13-14 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
We have spent the last 3 weeks trying to stay calm and be still as we wait and believe in the healing power and promise of Our Lord which was gifted to us through the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross.
Time has passed so quickly since we last updated. We apologize for not posting earlier, but we have been enjoying the Christmas season and after days of reflecting and praying about our next step we have just finally secured a plan which feels right for us and guided by God.
Thanks to “Andy‘s Special Friends”, We were blessed to be able to visit Myrtle Beach the weekend after Riley’s scans. Andy’s Special Friends is an organization that hosts families of kids with cancer to a weekend of shows and fun. Special attention was given to the kids and after the shows we were even able to meet the cast. Leaving Myrtle Beach we traveled to NY for Riley’s 4th immunotherapy treatment. While we were up in New York we spent a couple of days enjoying the city. The city was busy and full of energy and Ella said it best as we walked 5th Ave., “Now this is a lot of people.” We went on a carriage ride in Central Park, enjoyed the Rockettes and skated at Rockefeller center. We came home and Riley‘s chicks hatched on Christmas Eve. We now have 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 10 chicks. Of course next she wants a goat! Christmas was blessed and cold with snow followed by a New Year’s Day that was warm enough to swim. We thank God for all the great times with family and friends and for all the memories made. You can see pictures of the above at the following link: (copy and paste the address in your browser if needed).
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=107154859701076247508&target=ALBUM&id=5558859659731922225&authkey=Gv1sRgCMn-vvzvwY6DdQ&feat=email
Despite all the enjoyable commotion, our latest news with scans still remained a prominent thought. The doctor in NY who initiated the immunotherapy suggested the possibility that the spots have gotten bigger and denser again on CT because the WBC’s have invaded the area to attack the cancer. We hope and pray this is truly the case. If this is true then we would expect the tumors to gradually reduce in size as the cancer is destroyed by the WBCs. The FDA required a 3 week break before we could continue with more infusions. So we met with the surgeon in NY while there before Christmas and Riley told us it was ok to have surgery as long as it didn’t interrupt Christmas or Ashlyn’s birthday. With those guidelines we planned surgery in NY for 1/6, but as time approached we developed some concerns about traveling for surgery and so we changed our mind and over the past 3 days we have arranged surgery here at home instead. This we hope will be much better on Riley and the family. We are at peace with our decision and we feel it is best for us all. So plans are now made to have surgery to remove the spots on the right lung next Thursday 1/13/2011 if they haven’t improved or resolved on CT which is scheduled for Friday 1/7/2011. If the spots remain then pathology would help us know if the treatment is changing her cancer and if the cells are attacking the tissue. With scans tomorrow we pray and believe in God’s healing plan and we hope that all spots are getting smaller or are gone so we can avoid surgery. Please pray and believe with us. We know the believing part can be tough, but we ask you to take a risk and jump out with us on this limb of trust knowing that God’s desire is for Riley’s full healing. Then thank God for the healing He has already preformed on Riley and on all of us.
How with all the medical facts staring us in the face do we keep seeing something different? How do 2 physicians keep hoping for what we do not see? It hasn’t been easy. We look to Him and we continue to see peace on Riley’s face.
During Advent, the Gloria (a song of praise at the start of mass) is omitted. On Christmas Eve, since Christ had come, we were once again able to sing the Gloria. I cried as Riley sang the Gloria with the same excitement she always does. It really illustrated the period of absence during Advent as we waited for Christ’s coming and then praise that filled the air when He arrived on Christmas as we were able to sing the Gloria once again. We celebrated His greatest gift to us - Jesus who was only born to save us. We celebrated and are thankful for His presence. For He was, He is, and He forever shall be the same Jehovah Rapha or Lord who heals you.
After Christmas, I found Riley’s Santa letter jotted in a notebook. She has given me permission to let you read it.
“Dear Santa Claus,
Please tell your elfs and your wife to pray for me. All I want for Christmas is to be healed foever. Oh and I want my family and friends to not to have cancer too. So please ask God to help you with this gift. If you are not able to get this gift, just get me an x-box 360.”
Riley says so much in her letter yet simply asks for prayers for her cure. She knows only God can heal her and even tells Santa to ask God. Since Santa did bring the X-box, we were worried she would feel this meant her true request wasn’t answered. She said she wasn’t worried and she knew that healing could only come from God. So we pray and we wait.
Yet again, we pray and hope that surgery doesn’t have to be done. We hope His healing is evident to her doctors. We have been reading more on His healing power. I have always seen passages about healing and always felt that although Jesus healed, the message was about spiritual healing. However, through reading the book “Christ the Healer”, we have seen so much more. God never changes and He never lies. If He healed in the bible, He still heals today. Riley knows this and we believe with her. We ask you to take this leap with us, believe His power is already working in her and we will be blessed to see it some day.
Some passages that we are currently focusing on are below. We still have so much to learn but His message of healing is throughout the bible.
After the Israelites cried out in the desert as Pharaoh chased them, Exodus 14:13-14 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Once they had crossed the Red Sea, the Israelites cried out again. Exodus 15:25-26 There the LORD issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. He said, “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”
After Jesus was resurrected and just before he ascended into heaven, Mark 16:15-18 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
And in James 5:13-16 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Pastor Gaskins is the preacher who anointed Riley last month. He has kept in contact since and has called us a couple of times. I think he said it best “Riley believes what the rest of us say we believe.” We see Riley live the passages above. She waits for God to do her battle, she doesn’t rush Him. She knows He is her healer. She knows because Jesus was born and although without blame or illness, he died for us to bring us back in communion with God. To be forgiven and to be healed.
I pray her healing will be manifested so she can continue to preach the gospel in the way she lives. In 4 and ½ years, Riley has never been the fighter - just the one who lives.
So we prepare and we wait. We wait to see his Mighty power. We believe it is to come, but don’t know yet when. Join us in this belief and sing praise for what He has already done.
Holding still, holding strong, and believing,
Kirk & Kelly
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