Building

September has come and almost gone. With it came the official onset of fall. In true North Carolina fashion, that meant a wave of mid-to-upper 80s temps with oppressive humidity. We marked several other events this month, including Childhood Cancer Awareness month, the 4th anniversary of Jennings receiving his RESOLVE cells, my birthday, the anniversary of Hurricane Helene devastating Western North Carolina and the surrounding communities, and last but not least…another month with no cancer-related medical appointments.

While four years post RESOLVE trial and four and a half years post 2nd transplant seem pretty far removed at this point, we still get reminders that Jennings’s immune system is not as old as he is. The full immersion back into school usually brings a near constant cold for him, which several of us had the pleasure of passing around earlier this month. This year, it also brought what we expect was a case of hand-foot-and-mouth disease. When he came to us complaining of mouth sores (which of course hurt the worse when trying to chew dinner-type or other healthy foods) and showing us the small blisters on his hands, we were both a bit dumbstruck for a minute. Then it clicked. It sure looked like what all the other kids, and even he, came home with from preschool as little tobblers, as Char used to say. His new immune system hasn’t seen it before, so it’s basically like him getting it as a four year old.

The fact that Lauren didn’t take him in shows how far we have come mentally. Why go spend $200 to confirm a diagnosis we are very confident in that also has no treatment? It wasn’t too long ago that any little thing that seemed off about him meant we were going to see an oncologist, or at least text one, out of caution and for our own reassurance. L, however, did attempt to do her part and kept him out of school for a couple of days. 😂

Here’s a few from the rest of the month 👇

Left to right, top to bottom: We got in one last pool day on Labor Day and Smally didn’t miss an opportunity to nail the look. Next is Henry trying out his new sport. He got to play quarterback in his first game and threw a touchdown pass. He seems to really like it and selfishly, it’s much more enjoyable to watch than soccer. That’s Jennings, the baseball card enthusiast, born a few decades too late, searching up the value of a few cards. Through the move out process, he and Henry have basically taken over my old baseball card collection. Jennings found my one “really good” card, a signed and numbered Vida Blue. Apparently, it’s worth a few hundred dollars….if you can find someone that will pay. Jennings now walks around and says, “I can’t believe I have a signed Vida Blue” and “I can’t believe I have a card worth hundreds.” I love how that works. Next is Henry on a special date with Pops to eat pasghetti…his favorite. Pops loves how obsessed he is with it, and I will say it is worth the price of admission to watch him house pasta. Jennings is on the Riverdogs this fall and is loving the game more than ever. Somehow, maybe it’s being in the rental, we have found more time to throw and practice, and he is on it every chance we get. L and C have reinstated Krispy Kreme Fridays on the way to middle school every week. Next, an example of what I’m talking about. And last, that’s my birthday celebration. Lauren and the kids waited in line for the Jon G’s BBQ popup at Open Tap. It’s usually an hour+ line to get their food and I had pretty much given up on the idea, but she made it happen, and it was the highlight of an otherwise normal Wednesday.

One other notable event that September brought with it was the official start date on our house project. We got the much-anticipated permit and the dumpster last month. Then as promised, the day after Labor Day, we had a crew onsite. By the end of Day 1, they had the deck torn off and in the dumpster. And by the end of Week 1, all of the exterior demo was complete, and they were started inside. Things have been progressing nicely, and we are so thankful that we have the builder that we have. Each week we have seen progress. We’ve had to navigate the first of many (we’re sure) challenges and surprises, but his style has enabled us to feel like we are in a great spot and able to make the right decisions. Here’s a few of the progress on that front 👇

Starting at top left: Lauren and the kids happened to show up the day that footings were poured and got to leave their mark. In one of the others, Lauren wrote “Luke 6:48.” I was talking to Tom, our builder, on the phone the next morning and he was looking out the window when he saw it. “Wait, you don’t have kid named Luke, right?” He’s met all the kids and pretty good with names, so he was quite confused. Right as he finished saying it, he realized it was a scripture verse and he told me he would have to look it up. He sent Lauren the sweetest text a few days later assuring her our addition would be on a firm foundation. Next, that’s where our fireplace used to be. And the footings going in…they made sure to let me know just how deep they had to go to get under the existing foundation. 😂 The last one is the latest progress. The masonry columns that support the outer wall of the addition are going up and should be completed early this week. After that, framing will start, and it will begin to really take shape.

It’s been really encouraging to see the building back get started. The demo was necessary, but you’re watching that knowing it is all just to get to the point where building can begin. Reminded me of my work in counseling a few years back and the analogy of having to sort through and clear the rubble prior to moving forward and “rebuilding.” Seems to happen a lot faster using heavy equipment, concrete, rebar, and bricks.

Nevertheless, we continue to build. There are struggles and bumps along the way. There are surprises and moment of uncertainty. And there are times when everything seems to come together. We (try to) find rest in the finished work of Christ and keep making progress, like we said last month: just don’t quit.

Our church has going through the book of Mark and a couple weeks ago, the sermon was on my favorite Jesus story in Mark 9. It is a story of desperation and doubt, yet filled with grace and hope. A man has brought his son with an unclean spirit to Jesus’s disciples. They are unable to help. Jesus arrives on the scene, frustrated with them and with a question for the man that exposes his doubt in Jesus’s power. After Jesus corrects him, the man responds with my favorite verse from the passage, a verse that captures the tension of knowing where we want to be and where we are. The essence of not quitting.

“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” Mark 9:24

#allinforjennings