Cancer diagnosis and life

It has been awhile almost two years.  Much has happened to bring me back to blogging.  My daughter graduated high school.  My son will be a senior this fall.  The latest my husband was diagnosed with rectal cancer on June 24, 2016. That was a wow moment.  He is still young.  My life took a whirl spin in one week.  Biopsy, oncologist visits, surgeon visit, discussing chemo and radiation therapies.  My heart dropped out somewhere and I went into adrenaline mode.  It is what I do when crosses are before us.  I never have time to think until after.  So my warrior is going through so much right now.  My children are adjusting.  We all are adjusting.  Crosses and life, we are survive through faith.  God is here helping us through this.  I feel him every moment lately.  He is here carrying us through this.


Blessings,
Noelle

Thank you Liz

    Life is short.  Don't take for granted those that you love. As Catholics, we accept death as part of our faith.  We all have a journey that God has put us on.  At the end of that journey, we will be reunited with him in His Kingdom.  

     My teenage children had an amazing youth group leader, and I had an amazing friend.  She was so amazing because, she treated them as if they were her own children; she loved them as they were. She accepted all kids regardless if they have special needs.  Having a special needs child that was so important to me.  She brought the best out in all those who were in youth group, and those who knew her. We will miss her. Regardless of what youth group my children end up at in the near future, or with another youth group leader, we were better for loving her. She made us better people for being part of her life.  It is better to loved and lost than not to have loved at all.  God Bless you, Liz.

Happy Birthday to my 17 year old daughter!

Happy Birthday to my daughter, who is 17 today.  It seems like yesterday, we brought you home from the hospital.  I have been blessed to have you as my daughter.  The great joys we had, the summers we lived at the beach or in the pool, the vacations we went on, especially Disney.  I know Disney was your favorite.  The most wonderful thing has been watching you grow up and grow up more deeply in your faith with God. I am so proud of the person you have become.  I am so proud to be your mom.  I can look back and see what an awesome childhood you had and the times we just giggled about silly stuff.  The next two years of high school will speed by.  Before you know it you will be on your own journey through life.  Just know no matter what I will be your biggest fan, because you are an amazing person, who I have been so blessed to know. God gave me such a privilege  allowing me to be your mom.  Te amo meja.

Autism doesn't define you, your character does.

     All of you, if you have been reading my blog, know I have a son who has autism.  I have always told him Autism does not define him, your character does. I felt like all the therapies, all the work he has done, had come full circle tonight.  He stood up in front of his troop, something he has never did before, and explained to his troop about a Catholic Retreat for Boy Scouts he is going on, that our pastor runs.  I was so proud of how well he handled himself.  One person can make a difference in lives of others if they are constantly encouraging him. He has had several mentors in his troop through the years.  He also has an awesome Scoutmaster. I remember Temple Grandin saying in an interview, that  Boy Scouts is awesome for boys on the spectrum.  I wouldn't have believed it, unless I saw it with my own eyes, and tonight I did. My heart is so joyful for him in this accomplishment.

Praising Him,
Noelle

My Life Scout

I realized years ago the best thing, we did for my son was put him in Boy Scouts.  My son has autism and I never realized what a lifeline his troop is for him.  The past year he has grown up a lot.  At his graduation party, all these scouts were here.  I was watching my son come full circle.  All the therapies in the world couldn't do what this wonderful, amazing organization has done for my son. He has become a responsible young man.  I imagine homeschooling and therapy had something to do with it also.  Those many years ago as the doctors told me what he couldn't do.  I would have never thought I would be standing in this spot, watching this amazing young man talk about his Eagle Scout Project. In a world that was not welcoming for him, scouts welcomed him with open arms. He has had amazing, understanding leaders. I remember it like yesterday the doctor saying all he couldn't do and turning to the doctor saying so what can he do according to you?  That was the last time I saw them. For all those special needs parents, never believe what they tell you.  God has bigger plans for your children.  My son has overcome all those mountains they said he never would.  He has amazing mentors in scouts who encouraged him. I am his biggest fan and supporter and proud to call him my son.  Te amo, Luke.

Praising Him Joyfully,
Noelle

Blessings

Wow what journey the last couple of months have been.  As I read, "Start Here", by Alex and Brett Harris to my two teens, I never imagined it would affect me.  As they write in this book, making the hard choices produces immense blessings.  They talk to teens about make the ordinary extraordinary for God's glory.  Who would have thought that would have been my journey lately? I feel truly blessed for many things: my family, homeschooling, the amazing job I have, and God's push for me to write again.  God has shown me how to leap and not look back, and with His grace, I will land on soft ground.  Today was one of the most grace-filled days, I have had in quite awhile. I made an unpopular choice, but it was one God needed me to make to fully trust in faith. We are always learning lessons each day from our amazing creator.  He amazes me each day. 

Blessings,
Noelle

Back to school and looking back on the past year

It is funny how I look over the moments this summer with the kids, and realized the things I will change in our future summers.  But we had an awesome summer. They have grown to be wonderful people, whom I am so proud of. This fall there are so many changes in store for us.  I am writing again; I have two High School students, whom we are homeschooling; I will be expanding my business(I hope).  Finally, I am taking a leap to make my own transcript and leaving the traditional educational loop of satellite school.  Being a special ed teacher, I felt I needed things I really didn't. Sometimes we see the world in a tinted colored glass, half-empty, instead we should see it half-full, as my dear husband always reminds me. I am truly thankful God put him in my life all those years ago. Tomorrow we are back to full days.  I look forward to homeschooling, and days of my pumpkin spice coffee from Starbucks, and Boy Scout meetings with awesome friends. I thank God for this year of learning about Grace and getting closer to him and my town. I pray not to see another storm like that ever again, but at least I know how to do an evacuation kit. Most of all, I feel so grateful for our new church and the wonderful people we have met.  And for an awesome pastor who makes me laugh, despite how much we are going through. Have a great school year, everyone!

Praising Him,
Noelle

The Invisible Woman

Book Review: Courageous Love for Teens by Stacy Mitch with Emily Stimpson

Book Review: Courageous Love for Teens by Stacy Mitch with Emily Stimpson

This is a great bible study for any teen girl.  Each lesson has a theme and they are interwoven into the lesson. In the lesson the authors use bible readings, reflections, and a memory verse to help make it relevant in today's world. They use saint's lives and everyday experiences to help them see what the world sees and what God sees. It teaches how to be a Holy young woman and live in today's world. They use practical experiences and show how  to apply them in real life.  My daughter and I did this together.  We had wonderful, insightful discussions through this bible study.   I highly recommend for teenage girls and their moms.  

You can review the book here:
http://www.catholiccompany.com/courageous-love-teens-p1111857/?

Given book to Review by The Catholic Company
http://www.catholiccompany.com/

Graduation, where did the time go?

     This month has been a very emotional one.  My son graduated 8th grade. He is my youngest.  Last month he received his Confirmation.  Both huge events.  At the Graduation Mass I cried it was so beautiful.  He got an amazing blessing from our pastor the morning after. It was beautiful.  That I was tearing at. But this week I cried at a Court of Honor which I have never done. As the scoutmaster called the boys ranking up, my son went up.  I realized what an amazing young man he has become.  He has been in scouts since tiger scouts. I never questioned him going to boy scouts, but I never realized how much we needed it.  They take a young boy and through the years make wonderful young men of them. Scouts is a family not just an organization. I saw young men who I have known since they were young join the eagle ranks. Many of whom have helped my son get to his Star rank.
     I look at his picture when he was 3 and now he is 14.  Where did the time fly? We have had some amazing times. This past year has been rough.  We live in a shore community.  What Sandy did to our town I cannot describe it.  You have to live through it. But my son became my rock through it all.  I am so proud of him this year especially.  He soared like an eagle; took on challenges I wasn't sure he could do.  He did it with such ease and grace; I will never know how it happened. God has been his stronghold and ours.

Grateful for Sandy

     Yes you read that right.  I never thought I would say that ever.  I never fully appreciated this awesome town I live in until that day.  We had to evacuate and got damage.  Some is fixed and some hopefully in the near future will be fixed.  Coming home that day, I cried going through this awesome town I lived in for years.  It was like a war zone, but everyone came together.  People dropped boxes off, came and helped.  My neighbors I cannot thank enough for helping my husband screw down what was left of our roof. This town came together like I have never seen it, or maybe my eyes were just not opened.  God opened them through Sandy.  I am truly grateful for Father Bernandino helping us through that emotional/spiritual storm. He helped me see what God was showing me. I am very grateful for my family.  My rock, my husband helped me to see the glass half-full mot half-empty.  My son, my boy scout, did things he told me he learned in scouts.  Let just say, I am so grateful for scouts preparing him for a disaster such as this and smacking me into reality. My daughter, who was my venting board, she helped me go out for that Barnes and Nobles cafe break of coffee when I got too stressed. For all our family and friends who helped and prayed for us thank you for being there. For one of my friends who sent a care package of cleaners from Minnesota, and letting me vent anytime to her. I am very grateful for all three Catholic churches: Epiphany, Visitation, and Saint Dominic's who helped throughout this disaster.  
      My view on life changed with this.  I realized I was asked to make a change that  I was not certain I had the courage to make. I have always been a planner.  God certainly make me take a loop I was not prepared for. We are still not finished with this particular journey and I am not sure will it will land me. But I am truly impressed He thinks I am able to do it.