Skylar heads to Birmingham

About 2 weeks ago I was watching yet another Christmas movie, but this one was based on a true story about a 2 year old boy dying of cancer at Christmas time. The mother was blogging about her son's ups & downs, as well as her own emotions. The movie made me bawl my eyes out for about an hour and reminded me that Christmas blessings come in the way of family & friends, not gifts. Little did I know while watching that movie that 2 weeks later I would find myself in a somewhat similar situation. My youngest daughter, Jessie, has been "dating" Skylar for over a year now. Skylar, 17, has multiple health issues but last Thursday the stakes got higher. We received a call that Skylar was on his way to Birmingham's Children's Hospital to have multiple tests run. Doctors had found "masses" in his neck, lung walls and windpipe. So on Sunday,
Jessie and I made our way to Birmingham to show our support. Today is Monday. Skylar is impatiently waiting to be "worked in" on the surgery schedule to have a biopsy, a spinal tap and a bone marrow test done. He's scared. Doctors are pretty positive it's cancer, just trying to determine what type so a treatment plan can be established. Moods are good but emotions are high and intense. I tend to "adopt" any extra child that hangs around my kids longer than a month so I love Skylar and this is tough stuff. Being in Children's Hospital and seeing other children much younger than him battling cancer has encouraged Skylar. He says, "if they can do it, so can I." Brave front. Terrified kid. My Jessie holds everything in. She isn't open about her feelings but her actions speak volumes. She's barely slept or eaten since she got the news. I can only imagine how she feels. Skylar is her "first love" and we all remember how THAT feels. So, here we are waiting for surgery & tests. Waiting on results. Waiting and bracing to hear news that we all are dreading to hear. BUT, we all believe in a God that is bigger than this mountain and we are praying for a Christmas miracle. We'll keep you posted. As for "normal" life right now, well, what's normal the week of Christmas?? I am the owner of a small boutique/gift shop so in the retail world we are pretty busy right now. So, of course, that results in my own personal shopping not being finished. Yep, I'll still be shopping on Friday, the day before Christmas Eve. When will I find the time to wrap those gifts?? Who knows. lol. Well, at least I got my tree up and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.