Beautiful Life- Summer Vacation Edition

Ok so I have an AMAZING friend, fellow Cancer Mom who inspires me with (what I call) her "Beautiful Life". She's so real and positive, curious and funny. She's truly amazing.

You see in the midst of the fear, trauma, confusion, stress and overall craziness of walking through cancer with our child we still know that we are moms. They are kids. Fun is fun. Life is life, no matter what it looks like today. The fact is, we have Today and we are not guaranteed a tomorrow.

I don't know if walking through a life threatening sickness with a child amplifies this knowledge or not, but I do know that I've learned to take advantage of the time I have with my family. It could have been taken away but... it wasn't.

Today, I have another opportunity to share LIFE with my husband and kids, to experience the beauty, joy, peace and excitement of the moments. Sure, sometimes in the hospital it was extremely difficult to find the positive, it was extremely difficult to find joy. I guess in those times we just held on to each other and cried it out then started fresh again with a gratefulness that we were walking through it together.

So, now that summer vacation is here and my kids are home from school (allllll day long) and in honor of my Cancer Mom friend, I have taken up the challenge to live a "Beautiful Life - Summer Vacation Edition". I won't compete and compare my life with others, rather I'll find the beauty in my daily life experiences and help highlight those with my kids. We will do it together and be awe struck by the little miracles, thankful for the small things, and conscious of our valuable time together.

Haha, there may be days this summer where I'd rather curl up in a ball and cry for lack of entertainment ideas! However, like those long days in the hospital I'll just stop, take a few breaths and find the joy in being together. THAT alone is a reason to celebrate! Here's to Summer Vacation 2014, go experience it together!

First Time Walker

For the first time ever, I participated in the Annual Cancer Awareness Walk with The Cancer Society of Belmopan this morning.  I can't explain the emotions swirling in my head leading up to the event and even now that it's be over for 2 hours.  

I'll never be able to say "who" I walked for, although certainly Judah is at the top of my list.  How can I walk for just 1 when I've know and fought beside so many young warriors?  The tears that streamed down my face during the first 10 minutes of the walk were shed publicly.  No sunglasses to shelter behind, no tissue to gently blot them away, there was no hiding them.  Cancer is the same way, when it's there it's there.  It makes you see different, it makes you walk different and it changes you.  I am a different mom than I was 4 years ago.

Cancer hit my son and I don't believe the waves of emotions will ever be calm again, I've seen too much of cancers destruction, I've witnessed too much of the pain and I've stood beside too many who have given their all to fight back.  Warriors, survivors, moms and dads, family, friends, doctors, nurses, researchers, funders, supporters and activists... You have all fought with everything in you.  I stand in awe of your strength today, in awe of your drive to "find a cure".  

Please don't give up, PLEASE.

It may have only been 5 miles that I walked today BUT

I walked with you

I walked for you

and I walked beside you.

I will continue to do so until my final breath because I now believe that awareness CAN lead to a cure.

All my love fellow warriors, all my love...,

Sara

A New Senator - Senator Patrick Andrews!

The following is a excerpt from an article written by PlusTV about Patricks new position as Senator (announced this week)!


PUP Replaces Two Senators
Posted by PlusTV staff on March 20th, 2014

The Opposition People's United Party has chosen to replace two of its three allocated Senators after two years' service. They are Karen Bodden of Belize City and Collet Montejo of Santa Elena, Cayo. Their replacements are Belmopan standard bearer and youth worker Patrick Andrews and Belize City lawyer Anthony Sylvestre. In a short briefing at the party's headquarters of Independence Hall, the new senators spoke. Sylvestre said he will dedicate himself to fulfilling a particular Senate function – stamping out corruption.

Mr. Anthony Sylvestre- Senator of the PUP

"The senate is that word of the legislature which has an important and functional to flush out these sickening cases of corruption and mismanagement and to bring to the bring top te attention of the Belizean people the extent of these cases. All will agree, we cannot wait until the government is changed, and change they will change before we find out the extent of the wrongdoings. The Senate, pursuant to 61 A2 (d) of the constitution, has, as one of its constitutional remits, the power conduct inquiries, investigations on any matters of public interest or importance, including inquiries into mismanagements or corruptions by persons of the central government or public statutory bodies. I look forward to work side bu side with my colleagues, Senator Lisa Shoman and Senator Patrick Andrews as well as the senators representing the churches, Chamber of Commerce and the Trade Unions towards this end".

We also heard from the Belmopan Standard bearer for the PUP, Patrick Andrews.

Mr. Patrick Andrews- Newly Appointed Senator of the PUP

"It is a privilege for me, party leader, to serve in this capacity and to the leader of the senate, Lisa Shoman and new colleague, Anthony. We look forward to continue our way for charting our way forward for our country. Our country is continuously plagued with injustice and corruption as what my colleague just mentioned. In times such as these, it is a cause for an individual to rise up and to fight for the freedom and liberation of our country. We do not take this appointment lightly. We realize that it is a great responsibility that the party leader has put on our shoulders to continue fighting for reform of our system in this country that has not produced the results of justice and equality for all. So, to my family and friends and to the senators that have served in the past, we hope to continue this mandate of freedom and liberation for the people of Belize"....

Welcome to our Village

Mr Patrick Andrews was invited to speak at an endorsement ceremony earlier this week in one of the neighboring Villages. Upon arrival, before the ceremony began he was presented with this enormous bouquet of flowers. They said "Mr Andrews it is an honor and a privilege to have you in our village, we welcome you." Isn't that just amazing? What a blessing it is to lay down your life for others and "Serve the People."

Interval Training with Liz

Ok, so Liz (our incredibly fit friend) from down south offered an "Interval Training" class this morning at YWAM Belmopan's Destiny House. It was a fundraiser toward scholarships for next weeks Legacy Youth Conference so I HAD to participate! ;)

Holy SMOKES... Liz is a MACHINE! She kicked out butt and challenged us to go harder. I loved this woman up until the point I saw stars and had tunnel vision! Hahaha!

My friend Patti and I took this picture after the WARM UP! It makes me giggle each time I look at it!

Thank you Liz for pushing me, thank you Patti for being beside me during my first real "Near Death Experience".

<3

Daniel Fasting

So, Jason and I felt we needed to consecrate ourselves for the season ahead - prepare ourselves for whatever God will bring. We have been doing a modified "Daniel Fast" (only fruits and vegetables) for about 2 weeks now and have another week or so to go. I must admit, I am enjoying it! Jason mentioned the other day that he would like to continue after the allotted time ends, with a few minor changes.

So over the next few weeks I will post some pictures of my "creations". Maybe some recipes, maybe not! ;) I figured our blog is a better place to share all my food pictures. Some people get annoyed with endless food photos on Facebook, so if I post them on our blog they don't have to see them if they don't want!

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Even after the Daniel Fast is over!

SA

En Croix Ballet Class re-opens

Hello everybody!  

We are pleased to announce that YWAM Belmopan's En Croix School of Dance will be starting 2 ballet classes in September. 

EN CROIX SCHOOL OF DANCE registration was held on Monday, August 26th, 2013.  It was great to see a few familiar faces and meet new ones ready to jump back in to dancing.

We are offering 2 ballet classes on Mondays.  (Our daughter, Keilah will be an assistant teacher in these classes!  She is very eager to help out and learn a ton as she does so.)

Classes will be 4:15-5:00pm for ages 4-8 and then 5:15-6:15pm for ages 9-12.  

Please keep Patti, Bethany and Keilah in your prayers and they reach out to these young ladies in the performing arts ministry.  May God be glorified in all that we say and do.

If you would like to keep up with what is going on at the studio, feel free to "like" the facebook page!