Update

Pat is feeling really good and his eating is going well right now. We went to church this morning and had a relaxing afternoon. Relaxing for him is watching football! Go Cowboys! I think he is planning on working full days starting this week. Life is feeling normal again. We are off to our Life Group this evening.

Tomorrow Pat and I celebrate 24 years of marriage. Check my blog tomorrow for some pictures of long ago.

Please keep us in your prayers regarding further treatment.

Hugs!

My Day With Becky

Me and Becky

Becky, Brenda and Me

Friday was so much fun and such a gift to me. As I told Pat, I really needed this day. I left at 9:00 am and got home at midnight. Becky is an author, writer, motivational speaker and Life Coach. She has written numerous best-selling inspirational and motivating books and speaks to men, women and students on a variety of topics including prayer, leadership, balanced living, mentoring and parenting. The first book that I bought of Becky's in 1995 was entitled "Let Prayer Change Your Life". This book was one of four that I brought from Crossings for $1.00. That $1.00 changed my life as she taught me how to pray and journal. I have now been praying and journaling for 13 years. How did I meet her? Last year in February she was to speak at our church and I shared with a pastor friend of mine about what Becky and her books meant to me and he had the idea that I might be able to pick her up from the airport. I picked her up on a Saturday night and escorted her through the weekend until Monday. We became fast friends. When I picked her up that Saturday night I was so nervous about where she might want to eat. She chose IHOP! I was surprised and relieved. I had mentioned that my friend, Keith, was in the hospital and that the end was very near for him. Keith had esophageal cancer. She asked if I wanted to go and pray with him. We drove to the hospital, prayed in the chapel, and went upstairs to meet Keith and his wife, Jeanie. That was an emotional and moving experience for me and I was pretty much on a high for the weekend. It was so surreal for me to meet my mentor and experience God working all around me. After Becky left she and I stayed in touch. She came back to the Metroplex about four months later where Jeanie and I met her for the taping of "Life Today". After the taping guess where we went to dinner? IHOP! She is a health nut and loves their whole grain pancakes and I do too now! Back to this weekend. Becky spoke at two events on Friday and I just hung out with her and her assistant, Brenda. Brenda is a professor of Speech and Communication at Idaho State. We became fast friends. At the end of the evening as we were through with the event and we were driving to eat (IHOP again), she prayed the whole five miles for Pat and for me. I love how she encourages me and challenges me to be bolder and courageous in my walk with the Lord and to pray more. When we part, I always feel encouraged and refreshed. Wow! Becky, what an amazing day and I was so excited to spend it with you and Brenda! Love ya both!

Hugs!

Hugs!

Happy Thursday

Hi All!  What beautiful weather today.  I love the change of the seasons.  Every morning, including last week and this week, I have been walking Cash after I get back from taking G to school.  He has already caught on and just goes nuts when he sees me put on my tennis shoes.  Many of you that have met Cash knows that he can open the door from the outside when he is ready to come in.  Well......he can now close the door after he comes into the house.   I am not kidding you (just in case you are impressed)!  I really don't want to be one of those people who loves their dog and tells everyone about it.  I am going to try to video tape it and then post it so that you can all see.  Don't hold your breath waiting though.  

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Pat is still working half days and says that he feels good today.  He is trying to eat his six small meals per day.  We were at the hospital Tuesday to visit our good friends, Grant and Ashley Hall as Grant was having surgery.  He will be in the hospital about ten days also.  My heart went out to them as we have been there...done that. I just remember what a long week that was and I didn't have two small children to worry about like they do. Please keep Grant and his family in your prayers.  Grant use to mow our lawn as a teenager and as a teenager he had a very successful landscaping business.  I admired Grant so much that I always said that I  hope my boys grow up to be like him.   I wanted to mention that while we were in the waiting room we ran into Dr. Lin, Pat's surgeon.  He looked at us kind of funny You know that look of someone being familiar, but out of place.  He told Pat that he looked good.  We will see him next Thursday for a follow up visit. 

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While I was at the hospital today visiting Ashley and Grant, they were telling me about a man from our church that had the same surgery (esophagectomy) on Tuesday that Pat had.  His daughter, Sherri was talking to Ashley today and said that she would like to meet me so that I could share with her about our experience and what they can expect.  I walked over to the same ICU where Pat was and introduced myself to Sherri and I met her dad.  How do I describe that moment?  I felt honored to meet her and I feel like this is exactly what God orchestrated for the two of us. Please pray for Sherri and her father.  

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I am so excited about tomorrow as I am going to spend the day with Becky Tirabassi.  She is speaking at Southlake tomorrow for a luncheon and a conference tomorrow night.  She has asked me to work her book table.  If you would like to know more about this author, speaker, and amazing woman, visit her website at www.changeyourlifedaily.com.  I want to share with you in the next day or two how I came to meet her and how her book changed my life 12 years ago.   

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Have a blessed night!

Hugs!

Happy Birthday Daddy-O

He truly is as sweet as he looks. Arby Ray McNatt is his name, but he has always been called Buster or Papa Buster by his grandkids. He has five grandchildren biologically, but he actually claims 16 and one great-grand child. He is also older than he looks and it is hard to believe that he is 77 years old today! Dad is one of the sweetest and most loving person I know. He has always helped out in his church and community as well as helped with family and friends. He is devoted, loyal and loves the Lord. He was born in Aubrey Texas in 1931 and he lacks about 3 hours having a degree from North Texas. (Math was his problem too, so that is where Elizabeth and I inherited our inability to do Math.) That is okay, he makes up for it elsewhere. Dad knows how much I love him, but I wanted to tell you how great of a man he is and how thankful I am that God chose him to be my father. I am a daddy's girl and couldn't imagine my life without him. I love you, Daddy-O!

Labor Day R & R

The Wild Hog Trap

Pat went to work a few hours last Thursday and Friday. His weight is now down to 217 which is a total weight loss of 29 lbs. He really looks good! The highlight of his weekend was Friday at 3:00 when Dr. Lin's nurse called to tell us that she finally caught up with Dr. Lin and he said the tube could be removed if Pat was eating good and his weight was stable. Pat was sleeping when she called, so when he woke up, I said "Okay, take that tube out"! He was elated and asked me if I could do it. I said "nope". So, he did. He clipped the stitch and started pulling and kept pulling. That tube was about 12 inches long. Pat felt so free that he was practically dancing a jig! Pat and I headed to the ranch Friday evening after we dropped G and Mr. P off at Chili's before they headed to the football game. We dropped the dogs off at the house in Hico and headed to town to share a cheeseburger in town. The burger tasted good to him, but he didn't feel too good before bed. Sharing food sure is helping my serving size, but I had to eat all of the onion rings! Saturday morning he started out mowing, but I stole the mower from him claiming that I needed some sun. I mowed and weed-eated until about 4:00. The above picture shows Pat putting corn in the trap so that we can catch those wild hogs, but no luck yet. Pat still did not feel very good most of Saturday. Saturday evening our friends, Brian and Lecia came over and treated Pat and I to steaks and baked potatoes. Lecia's twin sister, Linda, and her fiance Brandon were there too! Late Saturday night about 11:00 the boys and their friends, Mr. P and Arty came with big plans to dove hunt. Sunday morning I had to sing (on the Praise Team) so we drove back to Burleson for church and then returned back to Hico. The rest of the weekend was pretty uneventful and so was the dove hunting for Bubba and Arty. They shot two and one fell in the lake! Oh well!

Pat is still battling his eating. It is emotional and psychological, and many times he just dreads eating. His appetite is gone and food is not appealing to him at all. Sometimes he feels like he has to force feed himself. If he does feel like eating, he doesn't quite know when to stop as he never feels full until it is too late. He has also struggled with depression this week and I have to say watching him go through this has been the hardest part for me during this whole journey. I just feel helpless. I know that all of this is normal, but it is a hard hurdle to overcome for all of us. Please continue to pray for his complete healing. We are so very thankful for his progress and so touched by all of the people who love and care for us.

I hope all of you had a great long weekend!

Hugs!