There has been so much stuff going on here at the Inman home for the past couple of months, that I have had a hard time trying to really sit down and be able to share what we are doing here. I am thankful for a bit of a slowdown after a very busy spring. Seems like it was a sprint once spring break was over! I cannot tell you how many sunsets I watch from my deck, on a walk or from the pool. God is so Good to bring such beauty to remind us – no matter what we’ve gone through during the day, HE is WITH us and HE is in CONTROL!
Because there have been so many things that have happened, I am going to focus today on what has happened in my family the past little bit. Hard to believe how much these kids change and grow up! It’s hard to believe I’ve had a cancer diagnosis for a year. It’s amazing to have seen God do so much in and through all of this in the past year. For that I am thankful.
Many of you are wondering what is going on with my family and how the kids are and what they have going on. So let me catch you up a bit! Been on a roller coaster for a while!
Nathan has had a great year. Goodness he loved his teacher this year and all they were working on in school. Mrs. Catlett was a jewell and had previously taught the other three. He loved all he was learning and said he spent a lot of his time talking to teachers about thins, ha!
During his after school time he was busy with his own little things. He’s never had a desire for soccer or other “team” type sports. He played baseball some and actually catches and throws pretty well in the backyard still. But, he loves tennis. He and Scott will go and hit balls together and he has enjoyed the lessons we’ve gotten him and how much he has enjoyed his time out there. I am no help in tennis! So, I get to be a complete parent with it. What I’ve noticed about tennis, everyone loves that he is left handed on the court. I am really proud of him for doing something the older three didn’t.
He also started piano after Christmas. He has always enjoyed music – singing mostly. But, playing the piano has been a huge gift for him. He likes to sit and practice himself and will add his own twist to the songs after he’s learned the melody. I was fortunate to play piano through college and so I help him out as he asks. But, I can tell the Lord has given him an ear like David and he will be given the opportunity to use music to bless others and glorify the Lord. His first piano recital he got to play Chim-Chimney-Chim-Chim-Cheroo – don’t know exact title from Mary Poppins. He was given the opportunity to dress up too. This summer he’s working on learning the National Anthem for his summer program he’s doing. Love that he loves music so much. He is still talking about the Easter presentation we did at church and how much he enjoyed the music and the message.
He was blessed with a couple times I was able to come to his school with the seniors (Garrett) and when we got to come for soccer. He really enjoyed Vacation Bible School and got to wear his hair crazy and enjoy while the girls volunteered.
Abbey and Ashton and Nathan share in one love – the dog, Samson. Pretty proud of that guy. He loves being around us and is pretty good to listen. He chases Nathan around and the girls like to get him to do new little things all the time.
Abbey and Ashton have had a very busy May! If they’ve had a busy May, I have too. With the end of the school year going on there were the things that we have done before going on. It’s hard to get your projects, tests and AP exams done when you are in the middle of your busy time for your team. The girls worked hard with their team and had the opportunity to play again on Razorback Field. It wasn’t quite as crazy as last year, but it’s still a challenge. Their team worked hard and won the State Title. I’ll write more on all of this later…
Besides soccer, the girls turned 16! We were blessed to find one night on our calendar where we could have a party and surprise the girls. Their friends were great – getting people there and letting them know about it. The girls were genuinely surprised and didn’t think they were going to have a party. Well, with lots of help – mom wasn’t going to let that happen. So with lots of help we did the party. The girls were excited and I could tell they were blessed by the friends and both sets of grandparents that got to be there. We did it up at our neighborhood pool so the girls were able to swim a bit and play volleyball with everyone. So glad we got that in 1 week after State Championship! The girls got their license and after literally being my driver for a whole year – they were on their own!
Since school has been out, the girls continue to keep up with working out and are starting to get more serious about colleges. They’ve struggled with all of it because there are so many soccer camps, so many schools and it’s hard to know which direction to go. I am thankful that they are starting to figure out what they are looking for in a school and are focused on finding those things where they end up going. It’s hard to believe that it’s getting to be time for us to think about all of that!
With trying to figure out where they may want to play soccer, they are having to look at which camps they can go to when they are so busy with camps at church. The first camp they went to this year was Collide. Garrett went with them and it’s a camp that allows the students to compete with their classmates, worship together and study God’s word together. They always love it. This year it was very sweet for them, because they always pray over the seniors. This year Garrett was one of the seniors and they went up to pray over him, they said, and they were fine until they got there and then they started to cry. They love him and it was hard for them to think about him leaving after summer. They said he hugged them and said, “I love you.” Ok, make my heart melt and love just poor out! I’m very thankful they all get a long so well and can talk to each other about everything in LIFE.
Scott and the girls went up to St. Louis for a couple Cardinal games. They love to join him when he makes the trip – which hasn’t been very often lately. But, they had a good time together.
I CANNOT believe it was Garrett’s senior year. I will be blogging all about his last month because there was so much! But, I am so humbled by the person the Lord has helped him become. I love that he isn’t focused on what people think or might say. He isn’t focused on being popular or having a girlfriend. He’s focused on the Lord first. How do I know without a doubt that the Lord is working in his life? Because I see the Lord in how he responds to things and how he chooses to live. I know it’s not from us, it’s from Christ.
He’s still busy working at Chik-fil-ee and HE LOVES IT! Very thankful for that. I asked him the other day if he still liked working there and he said he loved it. He always has some story to tell where he’s laughing at the end or smiling through the story. I am thankful for that. Most teens hate their jobs and I am thankful that he loves where he is. He was blessed by his business with a $2500 scholarship for college. Didn’t know this was an option or that it existed until I saw his pic on Facebook with the scholarship. Thanks Guy Parker (he owns the business) for helping Garrett learn how to work well and to give him a chance to excel using his personality to serve others!
Scott and Garrett are busy on their senior trip together. Garrett is taking all kinds of trips this summer through church, but he wanted to go north toward Old Faithful and check out the area up there. They are still up there, but I can tell he’s enjoying his time. Glad he and Scott get to spend 10 days together and hopefully as they make memories, will get opportunities to grow together. I think I’m going to need about 8 hours when they get home to get the full story and picture of everything that went on while they were gone!
So what’s going on with me? Well things are remaining steady – so that’s good. I learned a couple weeks ago that Dr. Ong, my brain oncologist is going to be leaving for Ohio to work. I was sad to know I won’t be going to see her anymore and sad to know that sometimes people aren’t appreciated for the way they choose to do things. Dr. Ong has always been a wonderful doctor and I can tell that she cares for me and her other patients. She isn’t looking to do the basics, she really desires to serve her patients well. I admire that about her. She takes my jokes and laughs with me and desires to KNOW me as a person. I am going to miss her and I pray that as she heads up there, the Lord will continue to help her see what she’s been trained to do to help others and for her to experience joy in and through Him.
I will be without an oncologist until they hire someone. There aren’t any others in the state. I am trusting the Lord to provide for what I need and for Him to use my last chemo to do what needs to be done. Please pray that we are clear on what to do.
My last treatment will be the beginning of July. I am hoping that my energy with start to resurface, all though I am prepared to be a bit more sluggish than normal as that is what “people” tell me. I also know my God who is capable and able to do what I need in order to do what He’s called me to do. I will be returning to teach/coach again this year. I am trusting the Lord to help me with my mission and direction each and every day. And for Him to really open my mind more to be able to plan better and be more focused than I was able to be last year with all of the treatment. I have been told by Dr. Ong that the part of my brain where the tumor has been, is near my short term memory. It explains a lot for me and reminds me why I lose my train of thought sometimes and why I can’t remember things like I used to. That’s helped me to know and required me to really look at my faith and answer, “Do I believe that God can do what isn’t expected to happen?” YES I do. So I lean into Him and allow Him to work and to write my story so He may be glorified.
When I saw this moth I was mesmerized and just blessed. Something so beautiful was created I was able to witness the detail of each wing and it’s antennas that looked like tiny leaves. To think that God looks at each of us and has made us with each hair on our head and each toe, nail and smile – He made us just the way He desired – beautiful.
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
- Pray that I will be able to get good sleep and energy that will help me to enjoy the time with the kids and to do what I need to do.
- Pray also for my focus and ability to study to be beneficial. I love spending time with the Lord and I’ve struggled with keeping focused with my thinking being so short. sometimes.
- I’m having other physical issues that I don’t know if it’s part of my treatment or what – but, it’s effecting me. Pray for wisdom and for God to heal me from it all!
- Pray that as summer continues to go – I’ll get to make good memories with the kids and Scott and that I’ll be able to get stuff done but not to be overwhelmed by it.
- Pray for God to continue to prepare my body for my next and did I say LAST chemo treatment next month.
Nicole- I was so glad see this post. I think for most of us, the school year is so busy and the summer allows us to stop, breath and be grateful for the previous year. Again, your blog lifts my spirits and I love hearing about the kids since I don’t always get the chance to see them or stop to see how they are doing. On a soccer field, about to officiate their game is probably not the best place. LOL!!! However, in case others are reading my reply…there are several kids that I have enjoyed watching grow up on the soccer field from several different teams. 🙂
I will be praying for you this summer and hope that you have unspeakable amounts of energy and this last chemo treatment has incredible, unexplainable (well we will know) results. I look forward to seeing you this week at the All Star game and please tell Garrett that if he needs anything at UCA to contact me! I will be there daily and can take anything to him or bring something home to you if needed. God bless you and your family.
Thank you Kim! Very blessed to be able to share time and life with so many! Glad we will still have soccer games and college coming up! Be blessed and hopefully you get some rest this summer!