Thank You Kids For Your Prayers

I have so many sweet kids praying for me.  It is so unbelievably humbling to me to even think about the many, many people and kids that pray for me several times a day.  Yesterday my sister asked me if I felt the prayers offered in my behalf while I had chemo.  Through tears she told me that she sent out an email to family and friends updating them on my progress and requesting special prayers as I go through this last round of chemo.  The humbling thing is that I felt so much at peace both yesterday and today as I had chemo. I usually have a lot of discomfort and pain when I have the IP chemo that I had today, but I had absolutely no pain, just the discomfort of the 15 pounds of fluid that they put in me.  I'm not kidding about the 15 pounds either, pictures prove it...Don't forget the fluids I had yesterday and the fluids I will have tomorrow and Friday.

Before IP Chemo

After, swollen hands, feet and of course Abdomen

This is as close to pregnant as I will ever look.

On my way home I sent a text to my friend Lauren in CLT telling her I felt her prayers today.  She sent back a text that said, "It was probably baby Brody's 'Ms. Tewah feel bewetter' prayers."  So sweet!

Right after I was diagnosed with cancer my cousins were sitting around the dinner table in Phoenix, where I had just come from.  I'm told they had the missionaries over and one was blessing the food.  Of course he didn't know about me, but 8 year old Megan interrupted the end of his prayer saying, "And please bless cousin Terah that she will get better."  You have to know this darling girl, she is hilarious, and has a contagious smile.  I'm sure there was plenty of laughter at that dinner table.  Sure love this girl.  This family also had a family reunion a few weeks later and I was told that every single prayer by adult or child included me in it.  Very humbling indeed.

Megan and I in the grapefruit tree 5 days before I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer.

Several Sundays ago, my cousin Katie posted a picture on FB drawn by her 5 or 6 year old in Primary that day which said, "who are you praying for?"  He had written my name and drawn a picture of me.  Her message follows:  "West had a lesson on prayer today.  Look who he is praying for!  Thank you for your strength and letting us be a small part of this experience you are having.   Love Ya."

A few months ago when I was having a hard day with chemo my sweet niece Aidree was over.  We were in the bathroom and I am pretty sure I was crying.  She knealt down and said a sweet prayer for me, which included that my hair would grow back.  A few hours later I was in my room and mom was trying to comfort me.  Aidree went into the next room, kneeled down and said a prayer for me.  She often prays that I will get better and that my hair will grow back by Christmas.  She is 4, but has been taught about prayer.

My nephews also pray for me...they are 6 and under.  My brother's tell me about their children's prayers and when they are over I hear their sweet prayers blessing me to get well.

I have many cousins who are praying for me and their children pray for me.  I am so lucky!  What I have learned from this experience is that they all have great parents who are teaching them the importance of prayer and faith.  What great people they are, doing what they were sent here to do!

Several of my friends and family members report often that they are still praying for me all the time.  Please keep the prayers coming even though I will soon be finished with chemo, it doesn't mean I'm in the clear yet, especially with another surgery coming up.  You all who pray for me will never know the impact you have had on my life.  But as I have mingled with family and friends I've come to realize I will never realize the impact I have had on their lives as well, as they have made me a part of their every day life and gone through this trial right along side me.

How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father who listens to our prayers; but who also answers those prayers.  I have learned to have greater faith in my personal prayers and in the prayers said in my behalf over the last several months.  As I type on the shelf within eye shot is a small sign that says, "Prayer Changes Things."  I believe this quote, have felt it several times in my life and have great faith in it.  I'm so grateful for prayers, for my belief in prayer and for the many, many, many prayers said for little ole' me.

PS.  My grandpa lost his teeth today, we don't know if he hid them, he put's them in his pockets (which he has done before and we have found them) or if he threw them away.  They searched for 2 hours today and haven't found them.  So can you please say a little prayer that the teeth are found?