PAPA

My Papa and I (1987)

My Papa was a good man, My Papa, My Papa, That says it all because he was mine.

He loved me like his own, he never saw me any different, for that I'm eternally grateful.

It's been almost 6 months since he stepped in to paradise with our Lord and Savior.

I haven't really talked about his death in great detail because it has been so hard, but I've read that writing it out helps, so here it goes....

My Papa was diagnosed with Stage II Prostate Cancer in February 2012.

He was very private about his treatment he never let on how bad he was really feeling. If you ever asked him he would say the doctors are taking care of it or I'm just tired.

Do you know while battling cancer he never stopped working? He would take his lunch break to get his hormone therapy(which is a kind of chemo) and radiation therapy. 

I could give you all the details of his treatment over the next 2 years but truthfully I don't really know them then because like I said he was very private about it all, but after his death I read up on the treatments of prostate cancer and realized just how bad the cancer was from the very beginning.

    
I do know that he was hospitalized a total of 3 times, 2 emergency room visit's (that didn't turn into hospital stays) during one of the ER visit they informed him that he has a 2 inch tumor on his L7 Rib and to see his oncologist. It was later discovered that the cancer had spreed. Radiation started again, during this time he started having lower back pain, being the hard headed man he was he thought it was his kidney's or old age back pain. 

July 7th 2014 Papa with my family and sister Taryn.

He was hospitalized July for the pain, it was then they found that the cancer has moved into his bones. During his two week stay at Willowbrook Methodist Hospital he was moved to Methodist in the  Medical Center of Houston for bleeding on the brain.

I split my time between Papa and the girls. Sometimes I would even bring my youngest with me. Days with the girls and afternoons into the wee hours of the mornings with Papa.

I was there the night he accepted Christ. I always thought the most defining moments in my life where my wedding day and birth of my girls but I would have to say that this one trumps them all. Leading Papa to Christ on July 15 ,2014 at 10pm was really the most important day in my life. He was in so much pain (the night was always the worst for him)and yelling and crying for the nurse to give him his pain meds.When in walked a Chaplin (his name was Kevin, if I ever meet this man again I will let him know what an amazing impacted he had on our family)and as I'm trying to clam Papa and tell him that the nurse is getting his pain med's Kevin take his hand and just talks with him. Papa asked " Who are you?" Kevin. "I'm the Chaplin an I just came bye to see if you needed anything" Papa " Well preacher man you sure did walk into the wrong room because I need a whole lot of help." Kevin held Papa's hand for over an hour, when he was about to leave he ask "Mr.Weeks are you a man of faith?" Papa "Well I would like to be, but I just wasn't raised in the church and once I get out of the hospital I need to get my life right and start going to a church, Camie lives on the other side of town from me so I will have to find a church close to me." Thats when I stepped in. "Papa you know that you don't have to wait to get your life right to be a man of faith? God gave us Jesus to make our life right, he gave us GRACE, it freely undeserved love, all you have to do is expect what Christ did for you and me on the cross and start living for him."  I want to do that, how do I do that Camie? Right now Papa you pray for Jesus to come into your life, to forgive you for sins and that you want and need to start living for him. Help me Camie. I lead Papa in a prayer. Dear Heavenly Father Thank you for your Son Jesus Christ and what he did for us on the Cross. I want to live for you from this point one. Thank you for Grace, for loving me and forgiving me when I don't deserve it. (Papa said Amen after every word I spoke). After we finished praying Papa took a deep breath and closed his eyes and slept the most soundly I had seen him sleep the entire time he was in the hospital. I thanked Kevin over and over again for being there and opening the window for this to happen, I even apologized for jumping through the window and taking over. I just had been waiting for so long for the to happen, something came over me that told me take the chance you have been given. I called my sister and told her the good news and we cry tears of joy together.

 Little did we know that a week later we both would cry tears of sorrow for him. Papa died with my sister Taryn and I by his side Tuesday July 22, 2014 at 11:37 am in the same bed he accepted Christ. 
I just can't seem to find the words I've been trying to finish this post for 6 months ... I miss him so much... 

Tuesday January 13, 2015 would have been his 59th Birthday I plan to spend it celebrating his life with my family at his favorite Mexican Restaurant... 

What leaks out???

Today's church service was about temptation, trails and tests.
Out of  James 1: 1-15

  1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

   The twelve tribes scattered among the nations:

   Greetings.

Trials and Temptations

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

I cant get the picture of God testing us like this: A water balloon being poked with a pin and a small stream of water running out. 

God test us to see whats inside of us and what we need to work on..

So when God test you what leaks out??  

Think about it and I'll share what leaks out of me in the next post...

My Life...

My Haven. Growing into a beautiful young lady of God. She makes my heart proud.

 That Grace. At 3 she has already learned that laughter is the way to mama's heart and getting out of trouble.

Angelica is very fun and whatever Grace does she needs to do too.

Noel is the biggest baby I've had yet... 17lbs and 6oz at 5months. She sweet and always happy.

A Family of Girls

This is US very real... Someones always trying to get away. This time its Angelica but if you ask me it was Grace's idea (look at her behind her sister smiling that smile)

Haven- 11 

Grace-3

Angelica- almost 2

Noel - almost 6months *not in this picture of course.

I have a blog???

I faintly remember making this blog.... but truthfully that was 2 kids ago. ( with each added blessing I lost a little more of my mind)

So I'm starting back up again..... 

Hopefully it will be more often then once every few year...

Here's to new Beginnings!!!

Since my last post ALOT has changed..

We are Homeschooling Haven... ( she now in 6th grade and been home schooling since the middle of 4th grade)

Angelica was born 6/14/2012

We moved to Laporte, TX August 2012

Jonathan took a job that keep him home with us in 2013 :)

We welcome Noel Joe 12/5/2013

Jonathan went back to working for NASCORP that takes him back out of town :( but so far in 2014 he has been close to home and coming home at night or on the weekends.

Long time No Post

It's been 7 months since my last post...  A lot has been going on with Our Great Adventure.

Lets see since the last post we found out we are having our 3rd daughter (Due June 21st 2012)

We have decide that after this little girl I will be a full time stay at home mom : ) I'm really looking forward to it.

We have also decide that the girls and I will go out on the road with Jonathan while he's working, (which means homeschooling Haven)

So that being said that will lead me into my next post.. Colorado Springs, Co Adventure 2....

Abilene, TX (Adventure One)

We started our 1st Adventure on Saturday Oct 1st, 2011 with the plan of leaving the house at noon and not really leaving until 4pm.. I finally understood how much goes in to Jonathan trying to leave for a job, I not sure how he does it it over and over again, your tired before you even get out on the road.


Well we had to make 4 pit stops on the way
1st for Food
2nd for a Bathroom break (at the GROSSES place EVER, but when Haven has to go she had to go)
3rd for Gas 
4th for Food again and to give Grace a break from the car seat...

DAY 1- We didn't do much of anything because I didn't have a car and Jonathan had to work most of the morning. So the girls and I watched the Texans game and once Jonathan got back when to eat BarBQ  at Famous Dave's..  Kids Eat for $2.22 on Sunday so it was a great deal for us. (except Haven eat to much and go sick that night)

DAY 2- We had to move hotels because the 1st one was kind of yuck and the girls and I are delicate flowers (as Jonathan likes to call us) So before we could check into to the next hotel, the girls and I went exploring..
We made our way to the Abilene visitor center and they had the COOLEST exhibit on Frontier Texas and the Old West. http://www.frontiertexas.com  Grace slept the whole time so Haven and I really got to enjoy this time and we both learned a lot.. One of Haven's favorite and Grosses Things she learned about the old west  the Community Toothbrush.  (This was Haven's Home School History Lesson)

.
DAY 3-  ZOO DAY and Science Lesson.. Haven picked two animals to learn about and write a paper about.. It was a beautiful day for the zoo and being that it was Abilene the girls and I where the only ones there. : )  After the Zoo we went to the park near by and had a nice talk about how amazing God is to make all the amazing creations we saw in the zoo. Once we got back to the room Haven and I worked on spelling and reading. 

DAY 4-  We planned on going to the Grace Museum and seeing all the ART Abilene had to offer but instead we went out to the line and had pizza with Jonathan. It was so GREAT to be able to see him at work : ) The girls LOVED IT!!


Grace even got to try on her Daddy's Pack for work. 

After leaving Jonathan to keep working the girls and I found the Russell Stovers Outlet Candy Store and got Mr. Owen Sir some sugar free candy..

HAVEN LOVED THIS PART OF THE TRIP!!!  She couldn't stop saying I'm like a kid in a candy store, IT's Funny because it true MOM!!! (LOL) I just love that little girl. 




DAY 5- We started this day with school and breakfast, we worked on Math and MORE MATH!! Haven just loved it. HA- : ) We final had both had enough math to last us forever so we headed out to Buffalo Gap TX to the History Village.  After only getting lost twice once we got close we finally arrived and where a little disappointed because Haven and I thought it was going to be a Cowboy town and it was more like a late 1900's Town. 
It was still a lot of fun except for the face that I couldn't use the stroller and had to lug Grace bug around for 2 hours (that little baby gets HEAVY after a while).. 

Haven loved the court House and She was the Judge and Grace was the Jury and they found me GUILTY (I'm still not sure what I did)

After a rest back at the room we headed to the Grace Museum (which is an Art Museum in the old Grace Hotel)

Haven fell in LOVE this painting because it looked so really and reminded her of Lion King.
(she had now decide she wants to be an artiest when she grows up or many even sooner she said)


They had a Children's part on the 2nd floor that both of the girls enjoyed. 

That night the girls sleep great after all the playing and running around we did. : )




Day 6-  We planned on heading back home Friday just the girls and I because I really wanted to make it to see a movie with my sister in law Lisa on Saturday, but I just couldn't make myself pack.. So the girls and I hung around and had lunch at Dairy Queen and hit up the 12th Armored Division Museum..


http://www.12tharmoredmuseum.com/

While at  the museum Jonathan texted me that he would get to come up with us... : )
That evening Jonathan had to work later then normal so the girls and I hung around the room waiting for him and once he got back to the room Grace was on the floor playing and she looked up at him and crawled toward him (ok his boots) for the VERY 1st TIME!!!
It was so amazing that we where able to all be together and see this.




I know I talked a lot about what the girls and I did during the day but I have to say the best part of all of this was the evening when Jonathan got back to the room and the girls faces and his light up when he walked in the door.


After spending this time together as a family in Abilene, Jonathan and I both feel that God has   showed us a glimmer of what his plans is for us and its so much better then ANYTHING we could have planned ourselves.




So it looks like this is the start to an Adventure that I get to take with 3 amazing people that I love So Much.. 


GOD IS GOOD!!!