random assortment but important

a little recap.

last week before heading back to va ava and i headed to tulsa, ok to spend a few days with my parents. we had a great visit. ava had not stopped talking about feeding the ducks, going fishing, and playing with katers (my parents little yorkie). since all our family is out of state these visits are always really special and oma and papa made it especially fun for ava. thankful for my family and for the memories that were made.

 first of many many fish she caught. she was not the least bit grossed out by touching them. 

 unlike her mama.

 long day of running errands and she spotted this ride at the grocery store. 

by far the best 25 cents we spent. 

most of the errands were getting fabrics for the nursery and ava's big girl room. i love this part.

getting it all ready for her arrival...countdown begun...3 months from yesterday.

 tulsa aquarium.

 

fishing with papa before her early early birthday dinner.

decided to celebrate a little early this because papa can't make it to her party in january.

 

between all of this i was given the honor to share our story of cancer and jesus and how it changed everything forever. the pastor at my parents church as been reading the blog since my parents first moved to tulsa and made it all possible for us to be there and share to a few different groups throughout the week. i was humbled to be given the chance to speak in front of other mom's like me and others who had walked a very similar road, or even a worse road, and some whose spouses lost the fight. but it united us. regardless of our specific experience we could understand each other on a level that not everyone can. i am thankful for the chance to learn from other people.

i have never really spoken in front of people about cancer (aside from small groups of my friends) and i loved it. my own parents who walked the road with us and read every blog entry had never heard me share it in my own words and that was special. i am very thankful for them. it is humbling to talk about a season of our life that could have ended to differently but instead i am healthy, alive, and pregnant. miracle, miracle, and miracle. i have a deep desire to keep sharing about how when you trust the Lord. really trust the Lord and have a vision for not wasting your life or your cancer (thanks to john piper) it really can shift your entire walk through cancer...or divorce, depression, addiction, job loss, anxiety, or whatever your road might be. 

my mom had said this before but it really stuck with me when she shared it again last week.

not exact words but roughly.

one of the hardest parts about libby being sick was that for the majority of her life i was the one that offered her wisdom and advise as i had walked many of the same roads before she had. i always seemed to have something to offer. but in cancer...it was my daughter who was teaching me what it  looked like to walk through cancer, raise a baby, and glorify the Lord.

(thanks mom. i know nothing about cancer was easy for you and dad)

speaking has given me a whole new vision to really begin sharing our story more (email me if you want details on having me speak) than just on our blog and begin writing that book i will one day complete.

 

traveling home. i could not ask for a better flier. after 11 hrs and 3 flights and 2 layovers we made it home. thankfully she slept nearly the entire way on the longest leg of the flight. 

sweet guy next to us was cool with her sleeping a little close.

first JMU football game on saturday with some good friends. ava's favorite part: the marching band.

 ava and her sweet little friend. these two love each other and it is so fun as her mom to watch her make friends. the best.

 found her silent in her room and she looked at me and said..."just reading."

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scarf orders have begun. if you would like to order one for yourself or for someone you love 

email me at libbyryderblog@gmail.com with scarf in the subject line.

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happy almost weekend. we are headed to rockbridge for high school fall weekend. realized tonight its been three year since i have been on the trip. can. not. wait. please pray for big things this weekend in my own walk with the Lord and the hundreds of students from around harrisonburg. this is always such a life giving and life changing weekend.