A new normal

I'll just pick up from last time and update y'all on my dad.  Prayers were definitely answered!  The surgery went smoothly and ALL the cancer was removed, which was such a relief to hear.  The doctors actually found that all of the samples they took were non-cancerous, which means that all of the cancer was contained in the tumor they removed back at the biopsy.  This is better news than we expected!  The downside was that they removed more of his voice box than we originally expected.  Right now he can only whisper, but the doctors said that with speech therapy and time to heal, his voice will get stronger. It won't be like it was before...quieter, raspier...but it will be his new "normal."  Hearing his voice at all is good enough for me.  This means I can still hear him call me "angel baby" when I talk to him on the phone, or hear him pray for our family when we're together.  It's a great new kind of normal.

David and I are settling into our own new kind of normal.  He is finished with all of his pharmacy licensing exams (WOOHOO!!) and starting full time at work, while my nights are filled with hours of reading as grad school is getting into the full swing of things.  Our normal seems to change year to year, even month to month.  This time six months ago I was the one working and David was in school.  Either way, it's always been good and i'm thankful for where we are in life.  

It's easy to complain about day to day things (like reading 1000 pages of journal articles for class every day).  Instead my focus should be on all that we've been blessed with.  We are blessed with great families.  Blessed by being here in Augusta and the new friends we've met.  Blessed by old friends.  Blessed by our church.  Blessed by David's great job.  Blessed with a great school.  Blessed with provisions.  Blessed even by the rain.

Every day is a new mercy.

Finding peace

Life is very crazy right now, some of good, some of it not.  My mind is a mess.  My heart feels heavy.

I recently found out that my Dad's cancer has come back.  I started this blog about a  year and a half ago when he was diagnosed the first time.   It never even crossed my mind that it would come back, and that i'd be writing about "round two."

The details:  his cancer is laryngeal, which means it's on his voice box.  Since the radiation therapy didn't work the first time, they are going to operate.  His surgery is scheduled for next wednesday, Augusta 17th. The doctors will go in there and keep removing layers of his voice box until they think they've gotten it all.

I've realized through these past couple of years of hardship that I tend to praise God for being faithful when things turn out well, and when people are healed.  There's nothing wrong with that, but I also need to remember that God is still faithful even when people aren't healed.  God is still faithful even when things turn out differently then we had hoped.  God is still faithful even when we're begging and crying out to Him to "fix" things.  God's plan is perfect and merciful even if we can't understand how.

For encouragement lately i've been reading Psalm 18.  The whole chapter is good, but this is my favorite part:

Psalm 18:30-32:  This God - his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.  For who is God, but the Lord?  And who is a rock, except our God?  the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.  

Sometimes I get to the point where it seems like too much to handle, and I question Him.  And then I'm reminded (usually by my husband) that God is there to help carry my burdens.  He's the only one big enough to give me the strength I need.  He's the good and purposeful part of this whole situation.

I share this personal story because 1) I covet your prayers for me, my dad, and my family.  There's nothing more encouraging.  And 2) the more I share this story, hopefully more people will be able to see God's glory.

Pray for the skill and wisdom of the doctors as they operate.
Pray that the doctors won't have to remove all of his voice box, and that my dad will still be able to talk.
Pray for healing for my dad, that this will be the victorious end of his battle with cancer.
Pray against satan's attacks that cause us to doubt.
Pray that the Lord overwhelms my family with His peace.

Enchiladas Verdes

Being outside of Texas now, when I crave good Mexican food I have to make it myself.  I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago and we all ate embarrassing quantities of it.  So. Delicious.  Enchiladas verdes are both our favorite kind of enchiladas.  I've personally never been a big fan of the kind smothered in that red ranchero sauce. 

Filling ingredients:
1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1/2 of shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon of cumin
salt and pepper

Remaining ingredients:
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
corn tortillas
bottle of salsa verde

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
To prepare enchilada filling, combine and mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl. 
Spread 1/2 cup salsa verde in bottom of a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Put a good spoonful or two of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up.  Arrange enchiladas seam sides down in dish.  Spread remaining sour cream and salsa verde evenly over enchiladas.
Cover and bake for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Top with more cilantro if you have any, because you can never get enough cilantro.  Enjoy with good chips and a cold beverage. 

Also, my good friend has been informing me that i never posted a recipe for the paella i made back in FEBRUARY.  Wow, bad blogger.  Here you go, Alyssa :)
This is the recipe base i used.  The great thing about paella is that you can play around with what you want in it.  I omitted the chicken and peas, and just used shrimp, chorizo, and mussels. 

Happy cooking!

Loves like a hurricane

(How He Loves - David Crowder Band)

And He is jealous for me, 

Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree

Bending beneath the wind of His weight and mercy

When all of the sudden I am unaware 

Of these afflictions eclipsed by glory 

And I realize just how beautiful You are

And how great Your affections are for me

And oh, how He loves us, oh

Oh, how He loves, how He loves us all

We are His portion and He is our prize

Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes

If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking

And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss

And my heart turns violently inside of my chest

I don't have time to maintain these regrets

When I think about the way

Yeah, He loves us, oh, how He loves us

Oh, how He loves us, oh how He loves

If you haven't heard this song, go download it on itunes now.  With music it's even more powerful.

This song isn't new, but when we sang it in church last week it really jumped out at me.  I've been meditating on the lyrics since then and I am overwhelmed by God's love to the point I can't comprehend it all.

I want to be that tree, bending in whatever direction He takes me.

Going home

Home is a tricky word when you've grown up between several states.  I never know how to answer that question when people ask me where i'm from.  The way I try to think about it is that I get to have "homes" and people I love all over the country.  One of my homes is North Carolina.  It's where my parents (and most of my other relatives) live.  I have spent a lot of July 4ths, birthdays, and Thanksgivings there.  It's where I have all memories of my Grandma and our farm house by the river.  And to top it off, it looks like this.

Last weekend we had the Welborn family reunion, and we got just about everyone there.

Our part of the clan.

 

We also had a memorial service celebrating the life of my beautiful Aunt Christa. 

 

The rest of the weekend was filled with food (SO much food!), relaxing, golf (for David and the guys), and just catching up with each other.  I always love this home.