numbing...yet trusting

numb.

That is how I felt as my I listened to a voice mail on my cell phone as our plane was about to leave Atlanta headed to Johannesburg to begin our Zambia trip 3 weeks ago...

"Katie, it's confirmed...your brother Lonn has prostate cancer," records my Mom's voice.

Lonn is my oldest sibling, 38 years old and lives with his wife Jammie, children: Michael (17), Macy (8), Maden (6) and Mali (almost 2) near Lester. He began checking his own PSA score as my Dad was slowly losing his battle to prostate/bone cancer. Our Grandpa Henry Kellenberger also passed away from prostate cancer in 1985 so Lonn knew genetics are/were not in his favor. After realizing this past Feb. that his PSA had risen from last fall's score, the urologist did biopsies and 1 of the 12 margins came back cancer.

While this is medically low risk (when comparison to my Dad's original diagnosis), my brother and family are not taking chances....he has a prostectomy scheduled for this Thursday (4/4) up at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, about 3.5 hours from my hometown.

Needless to say, the amazing power of prayer is needed and appreciated at this time...for my brother, his dear wife, my still grieving mother, and the whole family in general.

Thank you in advance for your prayers...we are feeling them and trusting.

...I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you...
Genesis 26:24

Friday's Funny-hmm...

quite the outfit, eh?!

signs of spring

Ahh...I love this time of year! Flowers, Lowes, garden shops & my husband sitting on the patio in the early morning hours are some of my favorites this time of year!

Friday's Funny-helping Daddy

We went to Watershed yesterday & took a quick tour of the plant...Haven loved seeing the strawberries sliced, peeking in on the dryer of yogurt bites & then of course, eating them!

africa 2012

For the last week and a half, Arlan and I had the privilege to travel across the vast Atlantic and experience the beauty, love & faces on the African continent. We first landed in Johannesburg, South Africa, where we enjoyed an overnight hotel stay and then boarded a plane the next day for Ndola, Zambia, to hook up with a Lifesong for Orphans vision team. We got to see the Easter program, directed by Leslie Ringger & play, hug & chat with the kids. We got to see the Lifesong school, strawberry farms, attend church with a few kids, and visit some of their homes.
What an amazing staff Lifesong has in place teaching, mentoring & lifting up Christ's name 8000 miles away!

The last 2 days we then flew to Livingstone, Zambia, to enjoy the beautiful Victoria Falls (the largest falls, not highest, in the world) and experience a river & land safari in Botswana before heading back to the states again via Johannesburg.

Long flights...much exhaustion, but oh, so worth it!
Thank you G & G Miller, Auntie Vera & "Aunt" Holly & "Uncle" Kent for watching our Havers so we could experience this incredible trip!

So many pictures, so I separated my videos into 2: one with the orphanage pics & the other with the safari pictures.

Friday's Funny-new hat

Haven's dear friend, Ashley, decided a big friend of the app Angry Birds needed a hat to match...and thus she made one! Thanks for the cute hat Ashley...that still resides at your house :)

Friday's Funny-sure joy!