Oh Happy Day

Waiting is a terrible feeling. Especially when you are waiting to hear everything is ok. That's what I am feeling right now. Sitting hear in the lobby waiting to hear my husband is ok. It's now a little after ten AM and we arrived at five thirty AM. With each click if the hands of the clock the knot in my stomach moves higher and higher up my throat. In this moment I can begin to see that Waiting for the unknown is a way to build our faith since as we wait we are drawn towards hoping for the best. Before my husband went away to the operating room he read this to me...Psalm 56:3.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

Good News Doctor just came out and said my husband is out of surgery!! Everything went well, my husbands cancer was beginning to infiltrate part of the muscles in his neck and they had to get cut out in addition to some lymph nodes and some of his neck. Doc said good thing we got it out right away... (sigh of relief) Thank you to everyone who prayed for my family. It is a very Happy Day. after all today is not only my daughters 18th birthday but it is the day my Husband begins healing. I pray you live Happily Ever After today. lots of love Isca

JUST KEEP SWIMMING...

Just keep swimming is the song that is playing over and over in my head. I can hear it in Dory's happy little voice "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming." This pretty much sums up the mode I am currently in. With my husbands surgery 1 day away and an endless task list of things to do it's the only way I have been able to manage. Somehow God has given me the motivation to just do so much stuff around the house. What's amazing is I'm doing more than I have ever done before and still have energy. Now you need to understand that I am in general pretty lazy. I come home from work exhausted and do nothing but cook dinner (most nights) and go to sleep. Cleaning is done by my teenagers and their standard of clean is pretty low. Hopefully, that gives you an idea of my starting point. Since my husband received the diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer, things have happened very quickly and we have barely had an opportunity to even fully grasp what is happening. Despite this, I knowing my husband very well, and I know his recovery would go so much better if the house were to a higher standard of clean then the everyday teenager standard. As you have read in my previous blogs I was able to get some help with the house from momma mia :) but maintaining it clean has been an equally difficult task. I am just grateful to have had the energy and the motivation to keep up with it all and then some. I have even been able to make some strides in the area of laundry and organization. Overall I can only give glory to God for giving me the strength I need, that I can not understand. With everything going on at work these past few days I should be dead when I get home. But instead I am full of energy and ready to serve my family like I have never done before. It makes me think of the scripture in Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint

. I feel as though God has kissed me on the cheek by allowing me to not to just stop and sink to the bottom when things get rough but to have the energy and the motivation to just keep swimming having full confidence that by the grace of God we will make it through and be better for it in the end. I pray you lived happily ever after today. Goodnight, Love Isca

T.E.A.M Together Everyone Achieves More

You know that saying "you don't know what you got till it's gone." Well, I got a little taste of that when my husband was not able to go out with us today. Unfortunately, he had to stay home and prepare for a medical procedure tomorrow. Me and the girls went to church with out him and then to my sisters house to celebrate our oldest daughters up-coming 18th Birthday. She will turn 18 this week the same day as my husbands surgery so we decided to celebrate it today to ensure that she felt special. The girls and I had lot's of fun with my mom, sister, nieces, nephew, stepdad, and brother-in-law but I still missed my husband. For all you military wives who are routinely apart from their spouses I commend your strength and sacrifice. I was away from him for 1 day and as I sat there singing happy birthday to my girl turning 18 and as we prayed for God to bless her this year I really missed having him there with us. My family felt incomplete. I have been together with my husband since I was 15 years old. This year makes 21 years together and 13 years married. Over the years we have persevered over many ups and downs all the while growing more and more as one. However, I can appreciate these little moments that we are apart because it is moments like these that remind me how special our relationship is. It reminds me even after all these years, of the importance of investing in our marriage and in strengthen our relationship. I came home to my husband who was patiently waiting for us. We just talked a while. His procedure and up-coming surgery is heavy on my heart but I feel confident that together we can weather this storm and persevere because of our love for one another and our love for God. God, my husband, and I are a team. It is only through our relationship with God that our relationship with each other has been able to grow so strong. It reminds me of the scripture in 1 Peter 1:22

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart

The love God has shown us is an example of the love we show for one another. We are a T.E.A.M because Together Everyone Achieves More. I hope you lived happily ever after today. Goodnight, Lots-of-Love Isca

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME

In the movie the The Wizard of Oz Dorothy finds herself on a journey to find the Wizard who can help her get back home. At first she is confused about how to begin but finds enlightenment and direction from the happy little song sung by all the little people of munchkin land called "Follow the yellow brick road." She is soon on her way and eventually makes it back home because after all "there is no place like home." As for me, I can feel like Dorothy sometimes in her desperation to make it back home. Working a full time job has it's many rewards and I am grateful to be employed but I often times have a deep longing to be a full time homemaker. I was so grateful for today being Saturday where I was able to really invest some time in just being home with my family. Sleeping in with my husband this am with no alarm nagging us to get up, enjoying breakfast made by the kids, and cleaning my bedroom which desperately needed some TLC. Sitting here in my bed in my nice and clean bedroom just feels so relaxing despite the exhaustion I feel from cleaning it. I do enjoy my job and really enjoy helping my husband financially support our family, but if I had the opportunity to be home full time I would leap at the chance. I know staying home is easier said than done and to all you fulltime homemakers I don't envy your roll because it is easier, but rather because it is more rewarding than exhausting your energy for someone else rather than for my very own family. Either way, this always brings me back to that scripture in Philippians 4:12- 13 where Paul says:

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Although there is no place like home I can learn contentment no matter what my situation because of Christ who gives me strength. This helps me live happily ever after and I hope you live happily ever after too. Goodnight, Isca :)

MOMMA MIA

Thinking back on my teen years I can see clearly that I really was a terrible daughter. Now my mom was not perfect, but she didn't deserve to deal with a lot of talking back, attitude, disobedience, rebellion, pride, anger, cursing, temper, laziness, selfishness, unkindness, and just plain old me being rude. It's sad but I always thought it was my mom that wasn't loving me, when in reality and according to the word it was I that was not loving her. After all in 1 Corinthians 13:4 the "love" scripture starts off with Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs If that is what Love is... Then I was not loving. I'm glad to say I am doing better as my mother's daughter. But what's even more encouraging is that with all that I put her through she never stopped loving me. Now here I am much older with 3 daughters of my own and my Mom is still sacrificing for me and showing me her Love. With everything going on with hubby we have just been so extremely busy. And if we are not busy then we are just plain old tired. With hubby's family on the way to visit us to offer him moral support during the surgery this week I have the added strain of getting my home "company ready". Well my Momma came to the rescue. I give thanks to her and to God for getting my whole house "company ready". I thank God for my mom and just because in his divine wisdom he decided today should be a staff day for teachers so that kept all the kids home today to help clean. It was so amazing to come home to a spic and span clean house. And boy what a weight was lifted off my shoulders. It makes me all the more grateful for mom's especially since tonight I can sleep happily ever after thanks to my Momma Mia. Happily ever after to you tonight. Lots-of-Love, Isca

IT'S GONNA BE A BRIGHT SUNSHINE DAY.

Hi Everyone, In general I am a "cup half full" kind of girl which helps when your cup is running a little empty. However, raising teenagers doesn't help make it fill up any faster. :) Today I lost my patience with my girls. I got on them about house work and helping out more etc. What I said definitely needed to be said, but the way I said it was not in the most gentle way. Sure I can blame my behavior on stress and as a result of hubby's Thyroid Cancer diagnosis. Or I could blame it on being so tired and overwhelmed. But the truth is that is no excuse. Good news is that the girls have not only forgiven me they have stepped it up and have helped me so much tonight with cleaning up after dinner and doing some extra house work. Reflecting on my conversation with them I'm reminded of Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. I love my girls sooo much. I know they are not perfect and they know I'm far from perfect, but I know I have to set the example of humility and gentleness in my home. Living out this scripture is a challenge for me since I tend to lean toward the harsh and impatient type of character. But thank God my kids are not only forgiving they are encouraging and help to remind me that no matter what we face there is always opportunity for it to be a bright sunshine day. I hope you lived happily ever after today. Good Night, Love Isca

More than I can handle?

Ok, so God won't give me more than I can handle right? It's just lately I've been feeling like I am pretty much at my max and then more and more stuff keeps happening. On top of getting a Thyroid Cancer result for my husband last week, we got news that he would need a total thyroidectomy by next week, my shower broke, my tire has a slow leak, my inspection is due by next week, my battery in the other car is dead, laundry is out of control, and my house needs some serious attention. So what's next... well let's add in that hubby's surgery is scheduled on our daughters 18th birthday. Yes, that's right... so instead of plans to take her to register to vote, buy a lottery ticket, and go out to dinner we will be spending our day in the hospital. I guess God thinks I can handle quite a lot. I must admit I was feeling really overwhelmed with it all and completely unprepared. I found myself scatter brained today and would forget what I was saying mid-sentence because a new thought would jump in my head. I cried today. I haven't cried since I first got the news of the cancer last week. I cried after I tried to get my 12 & 13 year old daughters guidance Counselor on the phone and couldn't. "She is on the other line would you like to leave a voicemail?" is what the lady who answered told me. I said I would hold for her. 1 min later the same question. I said I would hold again. Then she came back saying the counselor was off the phone but not available, however I could leave a message. REALLY? I said no thank you and just hung up. I sat there so annoyed all I could do was cry at my desk. It must be anxiety. Hubby has been having anxiety also and although we know the outcome will be fine since this cancer is "highly treatable' and "the best type of cancer to have" we still feel really worried and just generally bummed out. He will have no thyroid and will be on meds the rest of his life. For some people that's nothing. For hubby it's a big deal. All I can do is surrender it all to God. I keep remembering the scripture in Matthew that says but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you as well. So don't worry about tomorrow for today has enough trouble to bear. I know that if we just hold tight and be faithful someday we will live happily ever after. Good Night Love Isca

Nice to meet me ;)

Hi Everyone, My name is Isca (pronounced ēska). Welcome to my blog. I am married to an amazing husband for 12 years (although together for 20). We have three beautiful daughters together. I named this blog Happily Ever After because I know that is all anyone wants is to be happy forever after. Unfortunately, life doesn't always allow that to be the case.:( However, there is hope. We can all still live happily ever after no matter what life throws at us so long as we hold tightly to our faith, love,and hope. Through this blog I don't plan on telling you about a perfect women with a perfect life...but rather an imperfect women with an imperfect life making my happily ever after come true. I hope you enjoy this blog and may you live happily ever after too

Isca