Celebrating 100 Days!!!


Today is day +100! A day to celebrate, a day of much excitement, a day much anticipated! Today I took Anna to her last appointment at SCCA until next spring for her one year check. We were given our final packet of information and I scheduled her first appointment with Dr. Irwin in Tacoma. We said our goodbyes and were off.


We had anticipated a great family celebration today, however, that was not to be. Sadly, Craig, Michael, and Lydia have all come down with nasty coughs. Zeke and Selah both have stuffy noses. Thankfully, we had "Aunt April" and "Uncle John" on call for a germ free place for Anna in the case that our house was not fully ready this week for Anna to safely return to. I made the call and then brought Anna over to their home to be cared for while Daddy and siblings work on getting better. It would be awful if Anna got sick now.......after being "released" from the care of SCCA!!!


The work must go on however so the sick and all will get up in the morning and get busy with packing, loading, and heading over to the Bremerton house to at least get a couple of rooms set back up. There will be one more coat to put on the floors upstairs and then we will be able to set up those rooms in a few days.


We are almost there! The minutes are ticking and there is still much work to be done. It should go pretty fast, though. Once everything is moved out of the Seattle house, we will scrub this place until it shines! It almost feels like yesterday that we were being handed the keys to move in and now we will be handing them back. Ever grateful for the blessing of being able to rent this place for so short a time. We know we have much to be thankful for.....our daughter has made it through with flying colors! Though while bringing her over to the peninsula my heart felt the same tug of fear that was there when we brought her home from the hospital......the feeling of being "on our own", will we take the best care of her? Will we be protective enough to get her through the next year without her getting sick? What if we miss something? I know we are not to fear for perfect love casteth out fear, but I am a human and I am a mom. I do know that she is entirely in God's hands, this has been proven time and again!



We are thankful for all of the care Anna has received. We are thankful for all of the prayers that have gone up and are still going up on our behalf. We are both thankful and extremely blessed to have gone through this incredible journey! Would I have ever asked for such a trial? NO WAY!!! But I can see that it has been for our good and for His glory!! We give Him all the praise and honor for every aspect of this path that He has guided through.....He is still guiding us.


We have crossed paths with many amazing people, both believers and non-believers and we hope we have been a light and testimony to all. We have met many going through the same journey and have felt the joys and heartbreaks those families have experienced and are still experiencing. We have had our eyes opened to the sufferings of others in a way we never would have understood before. I am thankful that I can now feel what they feel so that I may minister unto them in a way no others can. I can pray for them like no other could. This has been a gift to me personally. I need to love and care for my brothers and sisters and I feel that, through the last several years, I had started to lose that. God has used this time in my life to heal wounds in my heart. He has shown me grace and mercy and my eyes have beheld that grace and mercy like no other time in my life. The bitterness of this cup has brought me to taste of the true sweetness of the love of my Savior once again.


I can't say how I would have responded had this story ended differently. I see others whose story hasn't gone as they would have wanted and they seem to be strong in the Lord. Sure they are shaken, they have their moments of sorrow and weakness, but they still stand and give God the praise. Would I be like that? I can not answer that. You just don't know until you are there. I would like to think that I would be like Job when he said, "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." But I just don't know.


That day when we were given the "bad news" that two bags of cells may have not been effective due to human error, I felt a peace wash over me. When the doctors left, I turned to Craig and Anna and said, "God has a great and mighty plan in this." And He truly had! Anna's been a bit of an anomaly in all of this! God has shown how mighty He is! Everything from her numbers coming in so quickly, to those numbers being at such good levels that she NEVER needed a red cell transfusion! When so many patients are released from the hospital to daily appointments at SCCA due to being transfusion dependent, Anna was released to a two days a week care. Very quickly it turned to one day a week with the doctors and two days for labs. Anna's GVHD was just the right amount to allow her new cells to fight the remaining cancer but not to the point to make her really sick.


Anna's spirit through it all has been one of positive Christ honoring glory! She truly has shown the light of Christ to all she has come in contact with.....even when she felt miserable! Her focus was on pleasing the Lord no matter what. God has used her in ways we may never know.



This season has almost come to an end, however we know that this journey is far from being over! This path will not end yet, and we will continue on it with the light of God's Word lighting the way for us. May we never forget the lessons learned and may we continue to grow in grace through it all.


While I am sad to be apart for her day 100 celebration, I am thankful she is alive and well... in a safe place, being cared for by loved ones.


Here's to 100 days, Anna!!!!!! And to many many more!!!!!!!!!!! I love you with all of my heart! The meaning of your name(s) truly represents who you are:

Anna: Full of Grace
Renee: Born Again
Ruth: Faithful Friend


Continue to lean on Christ no matter what! Continue to love others and share the love of Christ with them! Thank you for being such an amazing testimony to me!!!! I have learned much by watching you, my precious daughter!





19 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for the post! Your family has been such an example to me, that when I get frustrated at different things in my life, I will think of your family, and how you have steadfastly trusted God; it makes me so ashamed of myself when I don't trust God in the little things, when you have trusted Him with your whole heart with your daughter's life!. Through your suffering, God has not only blessed you, but me, and I'm sure many others. Thank you so much. I love you guys!

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  2. God is so good! Thank you for this post, and sharing your heart!

    The Lord has taught me so much through this. You have had more of an impact on my life than you'll ever know, Anna! You have been a beautiful channel of God's grace, faithfulness, and might. You must of had such an impact on the lives of those you met in the hospital. If I were in that place as a patient or a parent, I can't think anything more of a blessing or encouragement than to have the Houstons there walking along side. Thank you for your testimony of faith and thanksgiving!

    I will pray for Anna's continued recovery, and protection from this sickness. And also for strength for you all in this busy week!

    Much love to all!
    Sarah S.

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  3. Love it! Still praying for your family. Wish we got to cross paths but, we will again someday I'm sure! Love you!!- Jamie and the rest of Team Fuller

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  4. THANK YOU, LORD! I'm so happy for you to be all back together--well, almost. :) Will continue praying for Anna and all of you.
    Love, Susan B.

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  5. What a testimony. Thank you for sharing and may God continue to bless your family.

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  6. Praise the LORD! I am so glad to be able to read this wonderful news and testimony! Thank you for sharing again! We will praise the Lord with you all!

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  7. God is so good...all the time...and we are rejoicing with you! May God be magnified and exalted!

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  8. God HAS used your whole family mightily!!! He has shown Himself to us over and over again. He has used you to remind me to look for His working in the daily things of life... not only during the "big" trials. Thank you for sharing what He has done and is doing in your lives.... and encouraging us to notice that the same God Who is showing Himself strong in your lives, wants to do the same for us... we just have to trust Him. We love you all and thank God daily for your friendship, testimony, and for what He has done in your lives. Praying daily for Anna's continued protection for her health and healing. Praying for quick healing for Pastor, Michael, Lydia, Zeke, and Selah.... and that no one else would get sick... so you all can be together soon. Love and Hugs, Grace

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  9. YAY!!!!!! We are so excited that you have made it to day 100!! Your story has been an amazing testimony to many people here. We will be praying that the rest of your family gets better soon so that you can all be together.

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  10. happy day +100! anna! praying for the family to be well soon, and i am so glad anna has a place to stay that is cozy! April is such a great woman! :) <3 ray-ray

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  11. We are so thankful and rejoice with you all as each milestone is reached! Lots of love :)

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  12. Praise the Lord!!! Anna, you've been an AMAZING testimony to me! Whenever I get weary and sad, I think about you and you're family...and how you're such an awesome example!! :) Its great to hear this good news!! :)

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  13. When this journey began I felt this urgency that I needed to be actively doing something to help our Pastor and his family. I soon realized that there was tremendous joy in being able to pray for our sweet Anna and to experience the wonderful feeling that comes with the continuous miracles God gave. Prayer is really a privilege.

    We will uplift you in prayer as God is putting Anna back into your loving care. He is the one equipping you for the next step. God is and will continue to use this journey to show Himself to all both here and abroad.

    The courage the Lord gave to Anna gave me the courage to ask for healing in my own body. He is our perfect physician.

    I love you and thank the Lord for being our refuge and strength.

    Love,
    Sheri

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  14. Praying always for your continued recovery. Happy Day 100 Anna!

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  15. We are so happy for you and all God has done through your testimony. I am always amazed and encouraged by you and the way you handle this as a mom. I have 6 daughters and hopefully I have learned from you how to tackle hard times by leaning in my Savior. I hope we get to meet you someday soon. We are still praying for you.

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  16. Sunshine Girl...Oh happy day! 100 days! What a journey you have had. You and your family have been such a blessing to me, especially in this time of trials.God had lessons for me to learn as I watched all of you lean on Him. I am truly thankful. I was excited to see you and your Sonshine smile last Sunday, What a blessing John and April and their "safe house". Love all of you. Aunt Bee

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  17. Praise the Lord! It has been such a blessing watching you on your journey to recovery. I thank God for your wonderful testimony of his grace and peace in your life! Love you <3

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  18. Praise the Lord! For a wonderful testimony of his grace and peace in your life Praying for your continued recovery. Happy Day 100 Anna!
    Love you and i love your family
    ~Brady~

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