Thank you for all of the thoughtful and encouraging comments and emails. I know so many are praying for me! I started to feel slightly better yesterday and today. Hopefully I'm rounding a corner. 

I have been fed so well by my husband and the ladies of VSIBC. I think I've put on 10 lbs this week alone! They are all spoiling me!! :) 

The doctors at UF Health Shands Hospital are still on the hunt for the cause of my pain. I have more tests and labs coming up the 2nd week of August and beyond. They are determined to help me and are very attentive and thorough. I am thankful for that. But, until The Great Physician makes it known to them, I am trusting that this is what He wants for me for this time in my life.

 Thank you again, I'm so thankful for the people God has placed in my life!

"What will it be?"

 Last Friday was time for Joshua and Tabitha to reveal the gender of their baby.  We were all sooo excited!  Tabitha decorated so cutely with a "What will it bee?" theme.

 She made a board with the ultrasound pictures (so adorable!) One side said "Landon Patrick" and the other said "Liberty Anne."  We were to write our name under the gender we thought the baby will be.  Each side filled up pretty evenly!

 It was also Tabitha's birthday.  The cake was blue with pink frosting.  I think they were confusing us!

 There were lots of snacks and yummy food.  Once it became darker we were instructed to head outside.  Joshua and Tabitha had hidden blue and pink glow sticks.  To find out the gender, we had to see which color had more.

 4 very proud aunts (to-be) !

 Then, the grandfathers counted up the glow sticks.

 The suspense was killing us!

And.....

...It' a girl!!  

 We are all so excited and can't wait to meet sweet Liberty Anne Gimenez!

Time to Wait

Thank you so much, again, for the kind comments, emails, and messages saying that you are praying for me.  So blessed I am!

The bronchoscopy went well.  The Pulmonologist came in before the procedure and said that he was going to take a good look around my lungs.  He also said he was going to try to take a look at the cystic lesion behind my aorta using an ultrasound.  He also said that he truly didn't expect for it to be there anymore.  Not sure why.

I was nervous.  I answered the millions of questions, then they started me on a breathing machine with lidocaine.  It numbs my throat to reduce my gag reflex and coughing during the procedure.  It almost made me panic when halfway through I needed to swallow and didn't think I could.  That caused me to cough!  Reminding myself to calm  down and quoting verses helped.

Then, it was time to begin.  It's so strange being "consciously sedated."  I remember some things and then I don't remember some.  When I woke up, I was crying and asking for Patick.  They told me I had to wait an hour for him to be allowed to come back.

When the doctor came in to speak with us he said that he did find the cyst  (I think he was surprised) and was able to drain it.  They are sending it off to cytology to see what's going on.  If it comes back with nothing suspicious, then he just wants to keep an eye on it, and if it's still there and any larger in a year, then we'll need to remove it.

So, for now, we are waiting again.  Since there doesn't seem to be a clear direction for the pain, it's time for me to look into getting an injection at the Pain Clinic.  It's a route that I haven't wanted to take since we don't know why I'm hurting.  But, it's time. The doctors say it's time.  I need relief.

Thank you again for praying.  It's a blessing that I truly don't take for granted.

A Better Look

I received a call Friday that the Cardiac Surgeon at Shands has consulted with a Pulmonologist for me to have a bronchoscopy.  They scheduled me for tomorrow. Once again, I'm asking for prayer.

When my primary care doctor began seeing me over a year ago, she had really hoped to find a Pulmonologist that would "take a better look" around my lungs.  Even though the nodules that keep popping up and disappearing don't look threatening, my symptoms in my chest haven't subsided.  She has worked hard on my Lyme Disease and, Praise God, it is under control!  We really believe that is not the cause for the pain in my chest.  She is hoping that this better look will reveal the cause.

  When Shands called and set up my appointment, I knew it was from the Lord.  Whether this will be the avenue God uses to give me a concrete diagnosis, or whether this is just another test that we can cross off our list, I know God is in control.  I also know He hears the prayers of His people.  I humbly ask... Would you pray for me? 
~Pray for me to rest in His will.  My head knows that God's way is best, but sometimes my heart wants her own way.  My understanding is limited.  But God....He is the Great Physician!  And He is already in my tomorrow.
~Please pray for the Physicians as well.  Pray for eyes that can see clearly.  Pray for the Great Physician, our God, to be with them tomorrow.
~Pray that I will also have a boldness to give God the Glory.  God has placed me at Shands tomorrow and I don't want to miss an opportunity to share how good God is!

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding."

Thank you dear friends. 

My Girls 18th

We all had a really great time celebrating my Brenna's birthday.  Of course, it started off with presents!

I found this at the store and knew I had to get it for her. :o)  I'm forever telling my girls that they need to make a list!!

Then, we had a Settlers of Catan tournament.  We just can't seem to get enough of that game recently!

Then, it was off for some shopping time with our girl!  She is so much fun to shop with.  Our tastes really are so much the same.  She found some great deals!

Then, it was off to  dinner with just the birthday girl, my sweetie and me.  She picked a chinese/seafood buffet.

This girls loves her seafood.  Especially mussels.  She definitely ate her money's worth! :o)

To end the day we had birthday pie and sang to our birthday girl.

So my baby is 18.  So fast those years went.

I am so thankful for my Brenna.  But, I am thankful for the blessings of her teenage years. When my kiddos were little people would say, "Oh just wait until they are teenagers."  And then they would always talk about how awful it was.  I'm glad that I've found that isn't true at all.  The bond has only grown stronger. We love to do the same things.  Love to be together.  And enjoy the moments God has given us.  We have always been so close, but it amazes me how much closer we grow everyday.  My family is truly my best friends!

God Bless America!

I love this time of year with all of the patriotism and Red, White and Blue!  Since the 4th of July fell on a Tuesday, we decided to have a "God Bless America Service" at VSIBC on Sunday!

We started with the pledge,

And sang many patriotic songs.  It was great!

Then, on Tuesday, we had a cookout at the church. Have I mentioned lately that I love my church family? :o)  I sure do!

 Everyone brought so much food! We had some of the men grill out hot dogs, hamburgers, and nettles sausages.  So yum!  All the ladies brought in the sides.  We have some good cooks in our church!

We had many desserts and 6 ice cream freezers going.  Homemade ice cream is the best!

I think Callie and Emma had more sprinkles than ice cream!

There were so many different things going on!  Some played horseshoes and cornhole.  Brenna and Tabitha were pretty excited to be the cornhole champions!  Lots of high-fives happening!
We also set up a a couple of tables for a puzzle competition.  We divided our ladies into 2 teams and each team was given the same puzzle to see who could finish it first.  We have some competitve ladies!  It was a lot of fun!

We also had sack races for the kids.  They loved it and loved it!



 When it was time to take a Gimenez family picture, we had a few extras jump in.  Have I mentioned how much I love everyone at VSIBC?!

We finished off the night with some amazing fireworks!  What a great way to celebrate America!!

23 Years!

My sweetie and I just celebrated 23 years of wedded bliss. :o)  We sure were just kids back then! I've heard a lot of people that have opinions about marrying young.  For us, I wouldn't have it any other way!! 

After Patrick graduated high school and went off to the Air Force, I missed him so much.  And he missed me. ;o)  We knew we wanted to be together.  My parents gave their blessing for us to marry as soon as I graduated.  It was kind of out-of-the-norm to be planning my wedding as I was being fitted for my cap and gown! 

We have grown up together, shared so many memories, and had our love grow even stronger than we thought possible.  God has been so good to us!  If I had to choose, I would most definitely marry this man all over again!  (And at the age of 18!)

We were so thankful that Pastor and Mrs. Judy Strange were able to be with us in the evening services.  It was pretty neat to have the man that officiated our wedding ceremony preached for us at VSIBC 23 years later!

Dollar Tree Pantry

 Has anyone else jumped on board the Dollar Tree craze?  My friend, Dee, mentioned her new love for Dollar Tree and how she found this cutesy youtuber that puts out videos of how to organize using items from there.  Her channel is called Do it on a Dime.  My girls and I watched a few clips, and we were hooked, too!

My first stop was my pantry.  For now, it is always visible.  One day we might buy some sort of doors.  But since it's been open for over 2 years, I like the convenience of having easy access to everything.  The draw back is the cluttered look in my kitchen!  I had fun buying some adorable baskets and buckets at Dollar Tree in a fun green color.  Then, I began organizing and grouping like things together.


Then it came time for lots of labeling.

And Voila!  Still super full and cluttered, but much easier to find things!  And who doesn't need a fun touch of green in their kitchen! :o)
Now, I think I need to paint the pantry!  I'll have to add that to my never ending list!

A boy like his Dad

Hunting season is approaching.  My boys usually start getting hunting fever at the beginning of summer.  They watch deer and turkey come into our area, and soon the talk of supplies and strategies fill our home.

My Silas is turning out just like his Dad and brother.  He's going to be a hunter, too!  Several mornings he has asked if he can go out and "hunt."  He will sit in the front yard, in his camo, and watch the squirrels.  He also brings along his Bible and has his devotions.

Patrick has always enjoyed having his devotions in the woods, too.  There's something about being in the middle of God's creation, with only the sounds of birds, wind, and animals, that just sets the perfect tone for reading God' Word!

I'm not real sure how my peaches will do during hunting season.  For now, she watches Silas from the porch.  She's trying to figure out what he's doing!  And if she wants to join  him!

We are loving our life here in the woods in North Central Florida!