thanks·giv·ing ˌTHaNGksˈɡiviNG/ noun 1. the expression of gratitude, especially to GOD. A year ago today, Natalia Sofia had her cancer surgically removed by an amazingly skilled surgeon. With the Lord's guidance, he was able to not only remove her cancer, but reconstruct a bone and salvage her leg. As she went into surgery, we did not know exactly what to expect when he opened her up, all we knew is that the tumor had shrunk with the chemotherapy.....after a long wait, we walked into recovery, and we were shocked to find her in a spica cast holding her tiny body still. As a parent, when you hear the word cancer regarding your child, your entire world falls apart into a million pieces...BUT GOD puts all those pieces together and creates something even BETTER than before the cancer! That's the GOD we serve! As we move into our family's CELEBRATION/THANKSGIVING week....we can't help but remember our last thanksgiving.....spent in our hospital room at All Children's Hospital. Thank goodness for family and friends for taking such good care of us....making sure we had our homemade dinner! Soooo much to be thankful for! Thankful for JESUS' LOVE, GRACE AND MERCY towards us...for RESTORATION, RESURRECTION, HEALING AND RENEWAL. CANT HELP BUT WANT TO SHOUT IT OUT FROM THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN TOPS....LOOK AT WHAT THE LORD JESUS HAS DONE! We still have our baby girl...HERE....with us smiling, laughing heartily, soft, warm and FULL of life! The GOD that is out of the box, the God that raises dead things and makes them come to LIFE! YES! JESUS! He is worthy to be praised, and HE is the one I serve! It is JESUS, the one and only true LIVING GOD, who deserves ALL the praise....ALL our praise! We are grateful for ALL our BLESSINGS.....counting them ONE by ONE, LITTLE BITTY ONES, DAILY....THE BLESSINGS OF LIFE! OUR HEARTS ARE FILLED WITH JOY AND GRATITUDE. Thankful for our family, friends, our lineup of doctors, our amazing surgeon, for our pastor/church, our daily bread...the list goes on and on! Thankful for our trials....for they produce PERSEVERANCE Romans 5:3-5 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. James 1:3 ...because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 5:11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. James 1:12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Natalia hit another milestone yesterday....she was able to finally ride a bike! Even if it's only with training wheels, we are ecstatic as we watch her be a kid again! Priceless, Overwhelming JOY! She has not ridden a bicycle since before her illness, and it's loooong overdue!! It is truly a JOY to watch her ask the physical therapist, as she is doing something else and spots this "stray" bike! Her persistence payed off, before we knew it, she took off.........and was out of the office, and into the hallway! There was NO stopping her!! Her face totally lit up! Thank you, JESUS, for the little things! Small steps that help you reach milestones......forever grateful....grateful for a faithful GOD, who NEVER leaves you nor forsakes you, grateful for his strength and peace! Grateful for the little things! The little things....the details....are the THINGS of most importance....NOT the things that this world focuses on! Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord himself goes BEFORE you and WILL BE with you; he will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Her urologist called this week to report that Natalia does NOT have an infection! Praise JESUS!! JEHOVAH RAPPHA!

Natalia's scans ALL came back NORMAL! Praise JESUS!! Cardiology switched her Pentam to Bactrim(antibiotic) to see if her nausea/vomiting/metal taste goes away. As long as they keep a close eye on her heart, she's ok to get back on it. Praying this works! Please continue to pray for Natalia...her last urine culture came back positive, so we will be going to the specialist first thing in the morning. She's been battling this infection since August. Praying for wisdom for the physicians involved, for peace and healing, in Jesus MIGHTY name. We believe in the power of your MIGHT, Lord Jesus, and your WORD doesn't come back void....it does what you send it to do. Isaiah 55:10-11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my WORD that goes out from my mouth: It will NOT return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Restore Natalia's body....By HIS stripes, Natalia is HEALED...in JESUS holy name! Acts 3:16 By FAITH in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely HEALED him, as you can all see. Psalm 107:20 He sent out his word and HEALED them; he rescued them from the grave... Jeremiah 30:17 But I will restore you to health and HEAL your wounds, declares the Lord...

Pentamidine (By breathing) Pentamidine can cause allergic and TOXIC side effects.....Pentamidine is used to treat Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), a very serious kind of pneumonia. This kind of pneumonia occurs commonly in patients whose immune system is not working normally, such as CANCER patients, transplant patients, and patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). In addition, your doctor may prescribe pentamidine for some other medical problems caused by protozoa. This medicine may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor. Pentamidine may cause some SERIOUS side effects. BEFORE you begin treatment with pentamidine, you and your doctor should talk about the good this medicine will do as well as the risks of using it. Pentamidine is to be administered only by or under the immediate supervision of your doctor. Pediatric Although pentamidine has NOT been widely used in children, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults. Possible SIDE EFFECTS Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects: Coughing, wheezing, or trouble breathing Skin rash, itching, or hives Sharp chest pain Change in taste or a METALLIC taste in your mouth******** NAUSEA, appetite loss*********** Sore throat or hoarseness Dizziness...etc, etc On Monday, she also received her monthly inhaled antibiotic, Pentamidine. It keeps her from getting bacterial infections in her lungs. She has had spontaneous nausea/vomiting/metallic taste in her mouth, etc for the past 6 months and we couldn't really pinpoint the cause all this time. This week after her treatment, she has been getting sick at school daily.......come to find out, it's been the Pentam all along:( Psalm 91:11-16 For he will command his angels concerning NATALIA to guard HER in all HER ways. On their hands they will bear Natalia up, lest Natalia strike her foot against a stone. Natalia will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent natalia will trample underfoot. “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver her; I will protect her, because she knows my name. When she calls to me, I will answer her; I will be with her in trouble; I will rescue her and honor her. With long life I will satisfy her and show her my salvation.”

Monday was our oncology/scan day. We were at St. Joseph's bright and early (7:30 am) for an MRI of her leg. Things are a bit different without the port, she now has to get stuck in her arm with a needle whenever blood draw or a contrasted exam is needed. She got upset at the thought of the needle in her arm, but she quickly gained the courage to go through with it and told the sweet MRI tech "I'm ready". As I sat in the room with her, ear plugs in my ear......through the loud sounds of the machine, I hear a faint sound...as I listen closely I hear Natalia belting out to the song by Hillsong United "Oceans" on the Joy FM. She was listening to the radio on her headphones and was singing...LOUDLY! After the scan, I asked her about the singing and she said that she started feeling scared in the tunnel, and the song went on the radio at the perfect time..........isn't that something?!?! Even in the trivial moments of life......God's perfect timing is available daily.......reassuring us that JESUS is with us as we walk through life! At her darkest moments, in her distress, she looks to JESUS....and he has NEVER let her down! The day ended with BOTH arms poked...with JESUS by her side through it all!

There is none like JESUS! The surgeon said that it's only been three months since her last dose of chemotherapy, therefore we must give it some time! We have JESUS on our side....with HIM, ALL things are POSSIBLE! Victory is ours! Praise JESUS

The moment we have been waiting for.......... CONGRATULATIONS, NATALIA SOFIA!!! You have been cleared for FULL WEIGHT-BEARING STATUS by your favorite surgeon!! :) The bottom of her femur bone has grown and fused with her native bone. AMAZING! The top of her femur hasn't done much...it just needs more TIME! He gave her permission to move her status to weight bearing and with the help of physical therapy........IN THE NAME OF JESUS, she WILL BE WALKING ON HER OWN VERY SOON! Psalm 95:1-7 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice, Psalm 118:27-29 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 100:1-5 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Dealing with the aftermath after a long, arduous battle with cancer, has not been easy. It's like going back to your puzzle and trying to fit a puzzle piece back into it, when it has completely changed its shape. There are so many unknowns and so many different factors and aspects of life that have been changed.......things are definitely not the same. WE are not the same. The adrenaline has worn off and we are running on empty........void. Natalia started school as she was growing in her new hair...(yay!!)...only to be made fun of the way she "looks like a boy" and she is using an "old people" walker. Heartbreaking. Since the beginning of school, she has had 2 bouts of cellulitis from mosquito bites and 2 tract infections, which resulted in 4 treatments of antibiotics. Her pediatrician stated that her system needs to get stronger to fight off these pesky infections and scolded that I needed to do so by keeping her at home.......even if she misses a lot of school. BOTTOM LINE: her health is MORE important. Due to the intense (chemo & radiation) therapy that she received while undergoing treatment for Ewing's sarcoma, we were advised that there could be TEMPORARY &/or PERMANENT side effects. Some children start showing signs 2-3 yrs out, while some show signs right away....Natalia began showing signs right away. While she is an ABOVE average student, she has had issues at school in SOME areas.....of course, common core curriculum doesn't help...:( The biggest sign was a week ago.....when she was doing something we have done as a family for at least the past 3 years, and she was disoriented, confused and lost her recollection. TOTAL memory loss. Thank goodness for amazing GODLY friends, who stood there and witnessed the entire episode, and then helped me maintain my composure while praying thru the episode. What a difficult moment to witness....the reality is that my baby is not herself. The reality of the events stated above does NOT take away from the fact that there IS A SOVEREIGN ALMIGHTY GOD, JESUS CHRIST. It is HE who sits on the throne, and sees EVERYTHING. HE who created our eyes sees ALL.....Psalm 94:9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good. It is JESUS who is in control of Natalia's life...NOT the doctors, NOT us. It is HE who will decide her outcome, no one else.....therefore, we MUST focus our eyes on JESUS. JESUS will renew our strength to keep on keeping on! JESUS will GIVE US THE VICTORY over these hurdles for HE is our HOPE, our DELIVERER, our STRENGTH, our PEACE, our REFUGE in times of distress.... Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.... Last week, she received her heart check up and EVERYTHING looked great! Praise JESUS! We are still waiting on a urine culture to recheck her kidneys. This week, she sees our favorite surgeon (Dr. Cheong) to check her leg (praying it has grown and fused), and she will see a neurologist for the cognitive and memory loss issues. Thanks in advance for your prayers!! Isaiah 40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives POWER to the weak, And to those who have no might He INCREASES strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on The Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and NOT be weary, They shall walk and NOT faint. This promise is ours for the taking....TRUTH.