What's Coming Up and Other Info

Tomorrow, Monday Aug 1, brings a blood draw (labs) for Dempsey and a meeting with his primary oncologist for us. This meeting is where we will learn the results of last week's bone marrow biopsy AND the "plan" for the next phase of treatment.

Please pray over this meeting. Pray for PERFECT RESULTS from the biopsy. Pray that the next phase of treatment goes as "easily" as this last one... or easier! Pray against negative side effects. Pray for calm nerves. Pray for peace and courage and faith. Pray that we, as parents, are always able to be in the present and never worry.
*Two sayings come to mind regarding that last paragraph:
1. Worry is just giving the devil your imagination.
2. The past is history, the future is a mystery, today is a gift... that's why it's called the present. (I don't know who said it first... I heard it from Kung Fu Panda 1. Welcome to parenthood.)

We know that God is already there, in the future, waiting for us to show up. We know that He is walking with us now and that He was with us in the past. Help us to walk this road in faith and obedience. We want to be salt and light no matter where we are or who we are with. This is not always easy or doable.

Your prayers are invaluable. They are priceless because we could never find a price tag that fits! We believe Dempsey is doing so well (regardless of what is happening in his little body) because YOU are covering him with prayer, deep, passionate prayer.

For you that aren't prayers... your positive thoughts are an encouragement and are dually appreciated. Please keep them coming.

Also, Dempsey's 5th birthday is coming up and we are dumbfounded as what to do. They poor kid can't be in all the public places with all the people we/ he would want to be. This is heart-breaking. I am not a party planner by any stretch of the imagination, so I am having a hard time trying to figure out how to make his safe zones extra fun/ enjoyable for that day. If you have any ideas, please feel free to share them. Of course, we are on a tight budget and he doesn't need extravagance... just a little bit more flare than normal.

After months of medical billing blunders (by our insurance provider), Jake feels confident things are straightened out in this area. So, he began paying the thousands of dollars this journey has cost us (for this year... it will repeat again for the next 3 years). Jake worked long and hard on organizing and figuring out this gobbledygook that is the medical billing system. I thank God EVERY SINGLE DAY for this amazing man who is blessed with gifts I don't possess and who willingly picks up where I leave off. Marriage to this man is an absolute blessing. *swoon*
Anyway, to say this journey is "expensive" would be an understatement. However, we are able to cover this years costs because of YOUR GENEROSITY!! God bless you! God had blessed every single cent that we have been given and he has multiplied it. We feel financially safe, for the time being and we have YOU to thank for that. So,
THANK YOU!!!!!

Please, continue to share Dempsey's story with everyone. Social media is great. Church bulletins are great. Community boards are great. The more exposure Dempsey's story gets, the more support he gets, the more prayer he gets, the more awareness childhood cancer/ leukemia gets. Be bold for our son!! Please, and more importantly- thank you.

Ways you can help...

PayPal   Meal Train  Amazon GoFundMe

It's Tough

It's tough when it's bed time and the kids find ways, either consciously or subconsciously, to take a long time getting in to bed.

Tonight Dempsey had taken all of his Disney Infinity characters off their normal place and created an "army" on the floor while watching What's In The Bible?. No problem. Super cute even. He ended up having to brush his teeth a second time (because all of the sudden we have Second Dinner around here) due to drinking a pre-bed protein shake. When he came back to the living room, he started to pick up his characters of his own accord. Awesome!

Then comes the place where I fall off the rails.

He takes them one or two at a time and is now strategizing the absolute best possible placement, which requires an amount of time I find unnecessary and annoying, and then sets them just so. I tell him he needs to pick up speed. He apologizes in his sweet little Dempsey voice and kind of goes a little faster.

Of course, Sawyer comes in with something to show Dempsey which derails his putting-away process which then sends me further of the path.

I snap at Sawyer to not interrupt something Dempsey is doing... Sawyer feels bad and dejected. I emphasize to Dempsey the need for him to be even faster because, at this point, it is way passed bed time. He apologizes again but this time with tears and an attempt to explain away what he was doing. He tells me "My heart is sad because I did something wrong."

#momfail

I let out a loud sigh of frustration, pick up the last few characters, order Dempsey to sit on the couch (where he immediately picks up his blanket and gasps for air between sobs), scoop him up in my arms and sit with him on the couch.

I am mustering all my strength and humility (which isn't ever very much) and quickly analyze how badly I effed up this sweet moment. I apologize to Dempsey and get the sweetest response of "Oh, it's your fault?" I explain to him how proud I was that he started picking up his toys without being asked. How he was being so careful with them. How it was such a good thing he was doing and that I should not have rushed him. I told him how I should have helped him. I should not have yelled at him. I tried to explain that I just wanted him to do it faster because it was passed bed time... Did I really need to do that? No. Does that speak to some insecurity or failing of mine? Yes. Have I narrowed down which one? Not yet, but I plan to.

Yes, schedules are important. But lets be real, they are not the make-it-or-break parts of life. How much damage did I inflict on my boys' hearts because I wanted them to meet a deadline? I'm not sure but I know it's more than I should have. My physical pain, my emotional struggles, my psychological deficiencies are no excuse to burden the hearts of my children in this way. They didn't do anything wrong except miss the mark of my expectation for bed time. Wow. Totally not the mom I wanted to be in that moment.

Thank the Lord His grace covers my failings. I can pray that He will protect my children's hearts from my sins. I can ask him to repair the damage I inflicted and help me to own my own junk. I can ask him to help acknowledge my imperfections to my children's faces and ears so that they will know I was wrong and that it is good and right to admit when you are wrong. It's hard. It hurts. But that is where growth through grace happens and that is a beautiful reality.

This instance tonight has really opened my eyes for a time. It is my heart's request that the Holy Spirit imprint this on my mind and help me come out of this ahead with renewed appreciation for God's grace instead of behind my own walls of fear, pride, and ego.

Friends, if you messed up with someone today, I encourage you to reach out to them tomorrow and work to heal what was hurt. It will feel awkward. You will feel stupid. It's okay. THIS is the way to deeper relationships and is a Biblical principle/ spiritual discipline that we should always be working on.

Moments From Life

God, We Praise You

Thank you, Lord, for a smooth procedure day for our Dempsey boy. Everything went perfectly. We give you thanks for answering prayers (the way we wanted). We ask that you continue to shower Dempsey with health and protection against negative effects. Amen

Today || THIRD Bone Marrow Biopsy

Friends,

Please pray over Dempsey this morning as we take him to CHOC for his THIRD bone marrow biopsy.

Pray against pain.
Pray against complications.
Pray for PERFECT results.
Pray over the medical staff and surgeons.
Pray for calm nerves and peace.
Pray for a speedy recovery.
Pray as you feel led.

We love you all. We are grateful for you and thankful for your continued support as we walk with Dempsey through leukemia.

May God bless each of you.

The Kenagys

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