Birthdays, Puppies and...Unexpected Trials

More updates....

On March 1st, I celebrated my 40th birthday. HOLY COW! I am OOOOOOLD!!! It's funny we all say these things every time another year passes but one day I will look back at this time and remember myself as being so young. Well, that's what I tell myself anyway. :)

My good friends Danny and Nikki threw me an "over the hill" birthday party full of black balloons, depressing old age jokes and a black birthday cake...but then I kicked their butts in ping pong!!! Boo-ya! This girl is not as old as you think! Seriously, I have the best friends. It was a really fun party and incredibly thoughtful of them....and Weston. (He helped a little bit.)

In the middle of March we added a new member to our family. His name is Luke. He's a chocolate lab and he's such a cutie pie!!! I've forgotten how much fun a new puppy can be and he's been the perfect antidote for sadness in our home, not only for us but for Marley as well since Coda passed away. 

My niece Sadie who just ADORES HIM!

Maya and Sadie

My beautiful Emily!

About the middle of February, we found out that Weston's dad was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. It was devastating news to say the least. In the 15 years I've been with Weston, I don't think his dad has ever been sick. He's always active, determined to prove to his boys that "their ol' DAD" still had IT! He played golf regularly and basketball every opportunity he had but this was just not something any of us saw coming. While he lived life to the fullest on the outside, this disease was secretly ravaging his body on the inside. That was the hardest part for Weston's dad to accept. He just had no idea anything was wrong and it completely blindsided him.

He was told that with chemo treatments, he could expect to live at least 6 months. I remember thinking...ONLY SIX MONTHS left with this man that I've grown to love more than I could have imagined....my children's grandfather that they practically worshiped with abundant affection. It's wasn't enough time!!! It all seemed so surreal. It was unimaginably heartbreaking but immediately the entire Morris clan pulled together to love and support both of Weston's parents through this difficult time.

With tax season in full swing, one of Weston's cousins took over the tax accounting business his father ran in addition to running his own tax business. You can imagine how insane that must have been for them but they never complained and never took a dime for themselves. They are incredible people and our family will be forever grateful.

All the siblings that still live here pulled together their talents and resources and in record time remodeled his bedroom and bathroom from top to bottom knowing how wonderful it would feel to have a space that felt new and clean and beautiful while in treatment.Weston even refinished some of their 50 year old bedroom furniture breathing a much needed new life into these old relics.

He did such a great job!

I'll never forget the night after we had just finished painting and installing the crown molding when Weston's dad pulled us aside to thank us for all our hard work. He was already so weak and struggled just to hold himself up. He stood shaking and crying and barely whispered a promise to us that the Lord would bless us for all our love and service. He promised our children would be blessed too. Our emotions were so strong. I've never seen Weston's dad cry before but the moment that crushed me into a puddle of tears was when he embraced Weston and wept in his arms telling him how much he loved him. I watched both their bodies shake with wracking sobs that seemed to last forever. That was the last time Weston would ever hear those words from his father. He passed away 2 weeks later on April 1st at the age of 68.

...and just before we lost the greatest father and grandfather we would ever know...

I lost another baby.