The Story of my Life

My first love.

It's my Dad's birthday. Officially 2 minutes ago....he was my first love. I'm blessed beyond measure with him. I am the luckiest girl to have been raised by a man with such integrity. A man who spent hours talking to me on road trips or at the cabin about life. Warning me about men. Teaching me what to look for in people. Showing me what true character is in a person. Showing me how to love all people. Teaching me respect by treating me with respect. Never have I had a day in my life where I haven't felt my parents deep love for me, my Dads love for me. I never felt the need for boys/dates approval of me...I had my dad's already. I had high expectations in boyfriends because my Dad set a high standard in what I would look for in a man.

I don't take him for granted. Never ever. I know he's a rare gem. 

Happy 77th birthday to my sweet Dad, whom I adore. 

Most beautiful woman

Thee most beautiful woman in the world to me...inside and out.  Doesn't she look radiant?  Her strength is her beauty. Her faith shines through her heart. She's beloved and she's mine. I never tire of talking with her.  I love her smile. 

Round 5 of chemo was done today.  I'm counting down for sure. 13 to go. She's feeling good today. We are learning the art of living one day at a time.  It's not easy.  

I love my Mom so very much. Please be praying for her these next 10 days for side effects to be manageable. 

Prayers for our Moms

Today Mom is back having her chemo, cycle #2/6 round #4/18...confusing I know, but makes sense to us.  Grateful another one is crossed off the list.  Praying the changes they are making to it all will help her feel better next week.  Not so nauseous and icky.  Please keep her in your prayers.  We are headed there tomorrow, Drew, Jack, Max and I for a long weekend...Drew heads to Canada Friday with my brother and Charlie.  To say they are excited MAY be an understatement.  

Please pray for Scott's Mom too...I mentioned a couple of weeks back that she is still having terrible struggles with pain in her legs.  Scott drove out a bunch of meals to her 2 weeks ago and checked on her.  Things are getting worse, NOT better.  She is now unable to walk at all and is in a wheelchair at home, which is NOT making her happy.  Their farm house is NOT handicap accessible in any way.  So it is HARD.  She went to yet another Dr today and still has no answers.  Pray she can find a Dr who can help her, pray she would be WILLING to do that.  Sadly she is losing ANY positive thoughts she has and is losing her will to even care.  Not a good place to be at all...

Scott will head back to Ohio in another week...to spend time with her and go to a wedding of one of his college buddies sons....see this is where I notice our 13 year age difference.  HIS friends kids are out of college and getting married...my friends kids range from 1-17.  Different spots in life.  :)  

Please be praying for these special ladies in our lives...Moms are a BIG DEAL!

God looks at the heart

I have to share this with you, and write it down for myself.  Today was the day, the day I cut Mom's hair off.  I had the honor of doing the deed on the porch of the cabin.  We waited for Dad to go to lunch, he wasn't interested in being home for the beauty shop game.  She and I laughed a lot, we made the best of it.  We discovered her hair is a beautiful silver, we discovered she has a lovely shaped head...and she has a lot of cowlicks in her hair too.  I wore my hot pink hair cutting apron I bought years ago to cut the boys hair, and a sporty newspaper cape for her.  

She looks beautiful...I love the comments we have received from those who have seen her photos...

"It's all about the smile, she has a beautiful smile."

"She looks as beautiful as ever"

"Still beautiful, smile radiating"


"She looks a little bit like Mother Teresa" (whom my Mother LOVES)

"It really makes her blue eyes pop, she has beautiful eyes"

Dad came home with a big bouquet of flowers and took one look at her and determined she was as beautiful as ever as well.  

One of my favorite things...we face timed our boys tonight.  And none of them seemed phased, they didn't really care.  Which isn't a big surprise to me.  Max responded with "your hair is flat" and that was about it....no big fanfare happening at the Shisler house for sure.  

My friend Sarah reminded me of the following bible story... about God choosing David over his brothers for King.

"God looks at the heart not at outward appearances.  Your boys look at the heart. Their grandma is still the same person."

I think this makes me more proud of them than almost anything...this is the stuff that matters.  The gift in this journey of cancer are these little things.  Learning what really matters.  Good lessons and reminders for all of us.  

I will head home tomorrow from the cabin...what a blessing it has been once again to be here with Mom and Dad.  

UPDATE:  It's months later, September 13th to be exact and I wanted to be sure to add the following photos from this special day.  A hard day, but a day I don't want to forget.  It was a connection with my Mom like none other.  

Beauty Shop

As a little girl I loved to play beauty shop. I had one of those barbie heads you could put make up on.  I practiced braiding and singed more than one dolls hair by trying to blow dry it.  I prided myself in pretty bows in my own hair and homemade barrettes. But never did I imagine I would be doing what I am doing today.  Today I will be cutting off my Mom's beautiful hair.  It's falling out from chemo and she doesn't want to keep having the clumps come out.  When I look at her I don't see the hair coming out...because she has so much. But it's everywhere.  On her back. On the floor. In her comb. She wants it gone. 

So today, when my Dad leaves for lunch with a friend...we will play beauty shop. I'm praying I can hold it together.  I'm not so sure.  

Hard stuff...

These are the days...

One of my favorite songs from growing up was the song "These are the days to remember"....and boy I feel like I am living that this week.  I drove up to the cabin yesterday to check in on Mom and Dad.  This is the week that has been forecasted for Mom's hair to fall out, so I wanted to be here for that time.  Mom is feeling good this week, which is such a blessing.  It is wonderful to see her enjoying the cabin, walking down the lane, going on the boat, shopping in town...such a blessing to my heart.  I keep reminding her that we have to be taking snapshots of these great days and do our very best to remember those on the not so good days.

Tonight before dinner I took some pictures of Mom and Dad, knowing the hair will soon be gone, I wanted to capture some of her summer on the camera with hair.  Dad is sporting his new teal golf shirt that I brought as an early Father's Day gift yesterday for Dad.  

I love these photos and how they capture this evening for us....this is what 51 years of marriage looks like.   In sickness and in health....that's how marriage is...forever for always, NO MATTER WHAT!  Blessed to call these 2 my parents and so blessed to be able to have this time alone loving on them.

The thought my "soap opera" pose was a little much, I love Mom's giggle..

Happy 15th Birthday Drew!

Drew turned 15 a week ago, On June 3rd, I am just now getting around to blogging about his day.

Scott was out of town and the boys had an away baseball game so we didn't have much planned for his day.  He requested "Grandpa's Little Rolls" for breakfast, along with eggs and bacon.  Lunch we ate at home.  I did surprise him and the rest of the baseball team with Jimmy John's, drinks, chips and cookies for the bus ride from school to their game...that was a hit.  He pitched the JV game, the Varsity game got rained out so we grabbed Tommy, Drew and his best buddy Tyler and headed to dinner at Bass Pro Shop.  Back to our house after for cake with the boys, and Will came over too.  Some video games and we called it a night.

Drew, we are so proud of you, and WHO you are.  Proud of your kind heart and giving spirit.  We love how you want to serve others, and how you put others before your own needs.  We are proud of your diligence in your school work and your athletics.  We love your humble spirit.  Thanks for all that you do to help around the house...it blesses me as your Mom to have you want to help.

We hope your day was great, and filled with things that made you feel extra special.

We love you so much...

 Mid Morning Bike Riding