What a great day!

Today was indeed a long day, but one I didn't mind a bit because it was a day of good reports!  We started at the Radiation Oncologist's office at the Georgetown Cancer Center.  It was so good to see everyone again and was a sweet reunion since Amanda is doing so well!  As a side note, I learned a good lesson today about scheduling appointments - don't schedule them close together!  We didn't have as long to sit and visit with Dr. Brown as I would have liked since we had another appointment immediately after it with Dr. Harrod at Dell.  Even though it was a quick appointment, there was still enough time for him to tell us that Amanda is doing great!  His response to Amanda's most recent MRI was so encouraging, I was amazed all over again at how God has been answering prayer.  For me, Dr. Brown was the one opinion I was holding my breath in anticipation for regarding her most recent MRI.  I mean, everyone else has been ecstatic about it, but this is his area of expertise, so his opinion weighs the heaviest in my mind.  I did not walk away disappointed!  The team of doctors we have been blessed with is nothing short of a miracle in my mind because not only are they amazing, but they are right here at home. 

A walk down memory lane: (One that Amanda would NOT appreciate!)

She did this every day, five days a week, for six weeks

Amanda's radiation mask was painted by Dr. Brown himself!

The amazing team at Georgetown Cancer Center.  This was her last day of treatment back in May. The Ipad was a picture of one of the techs in England wearing her Team Watson shirt!

From there, we rushed to Dell for Amanda's weekly lab check, and those also came back great.  Everyone was a little amazed at how well she is doing.  Amanda acted like herself in the office today (talkative, a little silly and goofy and generally just in good spirits) and they just couldn't get over how different she is from just a few short weeks ago.  It was a long afternoon in the transfusion room, but praise God she had no negative reaction to the new antibiotic! Thank you for your prayers!  I will sit in there all day just for that good outcome.  Her other meds went without incident and four hours after walking in to the office, we were headed home. 

While we are riding high on all the good reports, it comes to mind, would we still be praising God if everything was the opposite?  If the reports did not come back good, and we were facing trials and complications?  Yes, we would.  I will admit, it is much easier to praise God with our good news and while our girl doing so well, but I also realize that there is still a long road ahead and we can't see the finish line to see how things turn out.  Our God is in control of all things.  All of the unknowns are okay because when you get down to the truth of the matter, I trust that God's plan is better than man's. There is a song that Tom has dubbed his theme song by MercyMe called "Bring the Rain."  While I encourage you to YouTube it and hear it in it's entirety, the following is a portion of the lyrics:

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

You know me well enough by now to know that what I have to say next is no surprise.  I will keep praying for the desires of my heart.  I'm still praying that there will be a miracle and Amanda will be completely healed of this tumor and we will have years to glorify God for answered prayer.  I think that God has something special on the other side of this journey, not only for Amanda's life, but for our entire family as well.  We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg of what He can do.  I know that our lives are forever changed because of this, and I am thankful for that.  You don't really see the richness and the magnitude of your blessings until you start living like they may not be there tomorrow.