Laurie's Life

 After I got all of our gifts wrapped and had the girls place them under our tree, Emily said, "Oh Mom, I didn't get Sarah Kate a gift!!!!"  Sunday afternoon I took Emily to get Sarah Kate a gift.  Emily was so excited to pick a gift for her.  She could not wait for her to open it.  Today I took Sarah Kate to get Emily a gift.  SK had a hard time deciding what to get her. She finally decided and kept saying, " I hope Emily will like it."  I just thought the whole thing was really sweet!  They have some terrible fights, but they do love each other!  They were so so excited!!!!  Look how proud Sarah Kate is of the gift she gave her sister!  Telling SK about the gift.

I went on Tuesday to see the surgeon.  I got a very GOOD report!  The tumor measured almost 5 inches.  He said that it had a tentacle (finger) that went right up to my neck.  He said that he did not think he would ever come to the end of it.  I told him that I wished I could have seen it and he said I would have loved seeing it.  He said it was the "fun kind."  The best news: NO cancer cells found.  That is a great Christmas present for me!!! I finally saw all of the scar today.  It has stitches on the inside and steri-strips on the outside.  I took 3 strips off last night and two off today.  I think it looks GREAT!!!!  I don't think anyone will be able to tell, a year from now, that I had anything done.  The sugeon told me to put vitamin E oil on it everyday.  I am going to follow his instructions.  I am so thankful to the Lord Jesus that all of this has turned out well!!!! I have NEVER been so "not ready" for Christmas as I have been this year.  I have been

 My recovery period did not go as I planned since the girls did not have school, due to snow, they were at home with me last week.  When Steve left for work on Tuesday, he told the girls they were not to bother me AT ALL unless there was an emergency.  The girls entertained themselves all day.  I am not sure what all went on, but they did get my camera and took 137 pictures.  I ought to do a post on the things they captured.  VERY entertaining.  Some of the images are unrecognizable.  Emily wrote some Christmas songs down and then took pictures of them.  I LOVE her version of Noel.  Out family served at the Christmas store at our church this weekend.  SK was in the nursery, but Emily helped and she LOVED it!!!!!!  I am glad she is learning to serve at a young age.  Three sweet girls at Neely's Build- a - Bear birthday!  SK is proud of her panda!  She had a wonderful time!!!!  Emily got to help tell the story of missionary, Lottie Moon, on Sunday.  She did a fantasti

 Right around the July 4th,  I discovered a fairly small lump on my left shoulder.  I quickly went over to my right shoulder to see if I had a bump in that shoulder.  That was just instinct I guess to see if what I felt was normal compared to the other side.  I felt of it the next few days and it really worried me.  A few days later we went to Memphis to visit Steve's parents and I told Steve in front of his parents that I had found a lump in my shoulder.  Steve's dad felt of it and said that he did not think I should worry about it because it was so soft but said I should have my Dr look at it.  I blew it off.  Would think about it from time to time, but I was actually too worried to see the Dr about it.  I know that is so dumb.  I kept thinking," I will go next month."  The lump was growing and growing.  Fast forward to Oct. 31.  The Stamps came to our house and because Judy is a nurse I told her about it and asked her is she would look at it.  We went in the ba

The girls are out of school today for a snow day, although we have no snow YET!  They are happy to be home and I am happy to have them here!  The girls have been playing school for the past two hours.  They are having so much fun!  They had breakfast with the "kids" in the cafeteria.  Frisco is a student and Sarah Kate has been telling him that he is going to have to go to the office if he does not do what she says.  He is not a very good student.  I am glad for a lazy day, or two.  Hope to catch up on laundry. I hope there are not too many fights between the girls.  So far, so good!  Happy day!     

 We left last Wednesday for a Thanksgiving celebration with Steve's family.  We had a great time while we were there.  Of course I ate too much good food.  My girls LOVED being around their cousins!!!!  I don't think they gave them a break the whole time we were there.  My girls hovered over them continuously.  Steve's brother, Justin, Meg, Reid and Cissy.  We always have fun together.  Posing with Kay-K and Pop  Steve with his Granny  Cissy is a talented clothes maker.  She made the girls dresses for Christmas.  She also made this outfir that Meg is wearing.  We could not have asked for a better Thanksgiving! Grls wore their dresses to church yesterday. The Lord has been good to us!