Mikayla's Christmas started a little early this year. We had a knock on the door from the Fed Ex delivery guy on Christmas Eve. It was a very special package. Anyone who was around Mikayla knew the ONE thing she wanted for Christmas this year.
I will let the pictures do the talking....
Mikayla got Biscuit as that first early gift. She asked and asked, who gave this to me? We don't know, it was sent to us and no name was on it. She searched the box and found the shipping label, it said "Hasbro" and she keeps saying the makers of Biscuit sent ME one? LOL I think Santa's elves were working over time this year. You know who you are and I hope you read this. Thank you for bringing the biggest smile to a little girls face! Biscuit has gone with us everywhere and even has her own bed made up in Mikayla's room. That one gift has brought so much joy to Mikayla and I will never forget watching her face light up as she opened Biscuit!
We had a good Christmas. Here are a few pictures from our day....
I know I have mentioned Coleman so many times and I am sure most of you read his carepage as well, but their Christmas did not go as planned and they were heavy in our thoughts yesterday. Please say a prayer for our precious friends. Scott, Peggy, Caden and Coleman....We love you and you were never far from our thoughts this Christmas!
I can't believe I won the contest for the cruise. I just HAVE to tell the story of how this all came about. If you can't see God's hand at work in this, I don't know what will convince you!
God has really been laying on my heart that I need to write. Write what? I don't know, I am not a writer. Many people who follow our carepage tell me I should consider writing but I thought they were crazy. But God kept laying it on my heart and I couldn't shake it. So, I decided I would start a blog. It would be a place where I could practice writing what God was laying on my heart. I set this blog up the beginning of October.
Once I started the blog for some reason it got blocked, it was flagged as a Spam blog so I was not able to do anything with my blog for a couple weeks. Finally it opened up for me to edit and post. That very same day I got a message telling me about this contest for a cruise. It said to tell them creatively why you and a friend needed a getaway cruise. I read the email and said wow that would be nice but I could never pick one friend. I closed my computer and continued to get ready for bible study that night. But as I walked away there was a huge burden placed on my heart. I thought of my friend Misty. I sat back down at the computer and quickly put some thoughts down. I sent them to my friend to see what she thought about it and the contest. She was moved to tears and then we both were filled with such joy. The possiblity of meeting, the chance to getaway from it all.
The thing is the contest was ending the next day. So, I had to figure out my blog and get it posted quickly. I stayed up late that night composing my entry. I felt like this was an assignment from God to practice my writing and I wanted it to be just right. I was very proud of my entry and thought it protrayed the friendship that we have and how God is so amazing even in the midst of a storm. I had to recruit some help to learn some of the ins and outs of blogging quickly. With their help I was able to get it posted. I was so excited. I just felt a peace.
I have tried to leave the blog alone since that entry just to make sure that my post didn't get lost in the blog. My original plan for this blog was a private place to practice writing. But I soon realized it would be a place the judges would come to look. So, I have let the blog sit. I tried not to think about the contest for the next couple weeks. The winner was to be announced November 1st.
As the date got closer, Misty and I dreamed of what it would be like to meet on a cruise. But we knew that it would all work out if that is what God wanted. We left it in His hands with hope. I began to feel that God wanted me to share the story of how He provided a friend in the midst of trial so I decided to post it on carepages. Everyone was so supportive and "just knew" we were going to win. That encouraged and excited us, but we knew they were not the judges.
I was planning to stay up until midnight on Halloween night to see if they would post the winner. But after a long day I was exhausted. It was about 10:30pm and I was chatting online with a friend. I told her I would not be able to stay up long enough to check. She told me to send her the link and she would watch for it. After I sent her the link I clicked it to make sure it worked. When I did that I noticed the page had been updated. My heart was racing and I could hardly stand to look. I opened the page and I saw my name listed as the winner. I wanted to scream but didn't want to wake the sleeping kids. I told my friend and my husband, I think we were all in shock. Then I picked up the phone and called Misty. I knew it was late but I couldn't wait to tell her! She knew when I was calling that late at night what I was calling about, but she was still surprised. We both were thanking God for His wonderful miracle. It is unbelievable! God worked out every detail.
We are so thankful for God's amazing provisions for this trip. We are looking forward to this trip and we just know that God had this all planned and so we are confident that all the details will work out.
Thank you to christianwomenonline for giving us the chance to win this cruise and then choosing my entry. We can't wait for February 4th when we head to Mobile, AL!
Christie "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
Why my friend and I need a girls Get-A-Way Vacation?
I just saw a contest that would allow me to win a Get-A-Way Vacation on a Woman’s Get-A-Way Cruise. All I have to do is tell you why I NEED it.
My daughter Mikayla was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in March of 2007. She was just 4 years old at the time. While the prognosis for Leukemia is good, the treatment is long. Treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is 2 ½ years for girls and 3 ½ years for boys. We have approximately 9 months left on our journey and it has been a long faith filled journey that has shown me God’s grace and mercy every day. You are never prepared to hear the words cancer, but especially in reference to your child. We have had many hard days and my daughter has a vocabulary that includes port, spinal tap, chemo, bone marrow, blood counts, IV and so much more. I have watched my daughter go through more than any child or adult should ever endure. Mikayla is doing well and will go off treatment in June 2009. We continue to pray that the cancer will stay away, that the effects of the chemo will be minimal and that she will grow to lead a wonderful life with an amazing testimony to share!
The day Mikayla was diagnosed I established a “Carepage” (http://www.carepages.com/ carepage name: MikaylaVanWey) which is a blog for keeping people informed of your medical journey. This has been a great way for me to inform family, friends and many prayer warriors about our daily struggles, victories and activities. Through Carepages I have met many friends, parents of children with cancer, just like me. There is a bond among "cancer moms” that is instant. But there is one mom that I feel God has brought into my life, and I into hers. Her name is Misty.
I “stumbled” (with God there are no accidents!) upon a Carepage (http://www.carepages.com/ carepage name: CameronWeddle) for a little boy named Cameron. He was about the same age as Mikayla and was diagnosed just three months after my daughter with the same type of cancer. Cameron’s diagnosis date is also my anniversary so this little boy stuck out in my mind. But the postings on the Carepage drew me to this woman who wrote about her son’s battle with leukemia. She was walking my trial, and she was doing it with extreme grace and faith. She opens every entry with a scripture each day, which speaks to your heart and shows you hers. I wanted to get to know this woman and so I emailed Misty and it was the beginning of a relationship that was only brought about by God’s amazing grace. Not only do Mikayla and Cameron have the same cancer, they are on steroids the same week (this is one of the most trying times of treatment as these 5 year olds deal with roid rage), they have chemo the same exact day every month and we both have 2 other children who struggle with all that having a sibling with cancer entails. It was as if God knew that we needed each other, He gave each of us a prayer partner, a sister, someone to vent with, cry to, rejoice with and just someone who “gets it” when so many don’t.
Misty often refers to a passage in Exodus and it paints a picture of what God provided for us when he made us friends. In Exodus 17 Joshua was fighting the Amalekite army as Moses had told him to do. Moses went to the top of the hill and when he would raise his hands, Joshua’s army would be winning, when Moses arms would fall then Joshua’s army would begin to lose the battle. God provided Moses with two friends. “When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up – one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady til sunset.” (Exodus 17:12) This is a picture of what Misty is to me and I pray I am to her. When we get tired and weak, God has given us each other to “hold our hands up” encourage each other and make it through to the next day. I thank God for bringing Misty into my life. She makes the daily struggles and “roid rage” much more tolerable. There is seldom a day that we are don’t talk to one another. It is such a source of strength and encouragement for both of us. Our friendship is a blessing that we can only explain as a gift from God. How else do you explain that a mom from Iowa and a mom from Texas would be brought together with an instant bond? Both enduring the same trial (leukemia), with kids on steroids the exact same week every month, with treatment days exactly the same, and a joy and peace that only God can give in the midst of storm.
Misty and I have vowed that one day we WILL meet. We aren’t sure of the time or the place. But we have cried with each other, prayed for each other and encouraged one another daily and we are determined to come together some way, somehow. Winning this contest would be another amazing way to see God’s amazing provision to us as we walk through this storm called childhood cancer. But even if we don’t win, I have faith that God will make a way for us to meet. I know He did not bring us together on accident, He has a plan.
It would be a dream come true to meet my dear friend, Misty. And to share a once in a lifetime cruise with other Christian Women would be the ultimate way to bring our friendship together. As you can imagine the journey is long and hard, and this trip would give two “cancer moms” a much needed reprieve from the daily struggles that childhood cancer can bring, it would give us a chance to reenergize our faith, meet AND be surrounded by great women of faith, what more could we dream for?
Here are a couple videos that showcase our journey's with cancer. Enjoy...
Christie "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of things not seen" Hebrews 11:1
I have had a real burden on my heart to start writing. I don't consider myself a writer, I don't know that this is something I can do but I am trying to be open to anything that God calls me to do. There are many times that God impresses something on my heart and I just want a place to write it down and share it with others. So, I decided to start a blog, this blog will be a place will I will post my biblical studies and insights. It is my prayer that this would be a place that I can practice writing to see if God really intends for me to write and if so, through these writings I would find directions in what His plan is for me.
Christie "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
