Life Outside of Landscaping

Just a quick update on our non-working-out-in-the-yard lives...

Us: Friday marked 6 years since our first date at Depalma's in Tuscaloosa. Wow!! Doesn't seem like that long at all. But, then again, it's been almost 2 years since Travis graduated and we moved to Madison. That's pretty crazy too!

House: We've now lived in our house for a year officially. I think we moved in on April 9th, 2011. A lot has changed around here in the last year. New paint colors, pictures on the walls, blinds up on the windows, etc. We're blessed to be living here...we love it!

Cats: Gabby and Felix are as lazy as ever. Right now, they are sleeping in separate chairs at the kitchen table next to me. I wish I could sleep as much as they do! 

It's a hard life!

Running: The half marathon is just over 2 weeks away. I guess if we're not ready by this point, we'll never be. Yesterday, I felt the best I've felt while running in a long time. Travis, on the other hand, has been having a lot of pain in his right hip lately. He went to the chiropractor yesterday and is going back this afternoon, so maybe that will help. We're supposed to run 14 miles on Saturday, so we'll see how that goes! My foot still hurts a little bit when I'm running, but not all the time and not as bad as it did. I just have to make it through the 28th, and then I'm not running for a while after that! :)

Birthdays: This weekend, we're celebrating Emily's and Tyler's birthdays. I'm looking forward to Alisha, Tyler, and Emily all being here at the same time. Pretty soon, Alisha and Tyler will be up here for good! Can't wait for that! :)

 Taxes: We are major slackers this year. We still aren't done with our taxes! Talk about waiting until the last minute. We've literally been outside every weekend for the past several weeks and haven't had time to get them done. That's on the to-do list for tonight! 

Mom: I haven't updated about Mom lately. She's still feeling pretty good after finishing up radiation treatments last month. She had appointments with two of her doctors on Tuesday, and they both said she looked great. She's going to be starting an oral medication soon that she'll have to take for 5 years. Her hair is slowly growing back. I haven't seen it in person yet, but she's going headcover-less now apparently! Yay Mom!

David Hartsell: He preaches at Northwood, where we went to church when we were in college. He recently had surgery to remove a brain tumor and hasn't been doing very well since then. Here is the latest update that I've seen on Facebook (from Tuesday night):

"Good evening. Thank you for your continued prayers on David's and on our family's behalf. I hope you will excuse the fact that this is the second update sent today. This is simply the best method for us to disperse information and answer the many questions we have received.

After hooking David up to the EEG this morning, the doctors believe there is some increase in brain activity from last week. It is unclear at this time what that means as far as his chance at recovery. He is still not awake, and the best doctors in the country in this field continue to be perplexed as to what is going on and what will happen in the days ahead. The plan in to redo the EEG on Friday morning to see if there are further improvements. The steps following that are unclear at this time. Also, David has had a fever for the past couple of days, and a lumbar puncture was performed this afternoon to rule out meningitis. It seems that the doctors do not believe meningitis to be a likely finding, but they must rule it out before proceeding. The results from that, I assume, will be available tomorrow.

While the doctors on this case are perplexed, there is one thing that we know: God has the power to heal David if He chooses to do so. That is what we are praying for, and request that you do as well. Thank you again for your love and, most of all, your prayers."

Please pray for his full recovery! And, pray for his family during this difficult time. Mr. Hartsell is a very special person and has been a great influence on Travis and me just in the few years we've known him. Please pray that he can continue to preach and touch other's lives in the future just like he's already done.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.