Update

The past 3 weeks have been EXTREMELY busy. I last posted on July 17th. The day after that post (on July 18th) life got crazy. My mom got a chest xray. Leah read the film after my dad called and asked her to look at it. Well, Leah called me and said my mom needed a CT scan. So in record time, after way too many phone calls, and pulling all the strings we could as doctors in the UAMS system, Leah and I, got mom a CT scan that Friday afternoon. Well, the scan should a LARGE mass. It looked like a tumor coming from the space between her lungs and chest wall. I was scared, we all were scared. The blob (the name mom gave the tumor) was biopsied the following Tuesday. Initial pathology report looked like a benign tumor (aka not cancer). Again in record time, mom underwent major surgery 2 weeks after the tumor was found. On Aug. 1st I sat in a waiting room full of family and friends. The blob was easily removed. The final path was also benign. As scary as it was to have mom sick, it was an experience that again brought healing to my relationship with my family.

If you did not already know, I had a rough (at best) relationship with my family the first 4 years after I "came out." I have experienced tremendous healing of this precious relationship since just before Ross was born. To be exact, 5 weeks before Ross was born. My mother took great care of me when I was on bed rest. She was even a little upset with Leah that we waited until 8AM the morning I first was hospitalized. Did she think after 4 years of barely talking we would wake her up at 4AM. I think not.

Anyway,  Leah and I played a major role in this whole ordeal. Leah (poor thing) read the chest xray and the ct scan. We knew the doctors doing the biopsy. We helped pick out the surgeon. We both got to answer lots of questions and be there as daughters and doctors. Leah in her Leah fashion was extremely calm and positive. It was a gift to have this chance to see my parents respect, trust, and want /need Leah around.

Well, if you think that was busy... The day after my mom's surgery we headed to the beach. My mom would not let us stay in Little Rock. See, this was a family vacation planned a year plus ago. My dad is one of 5 boys and for the past 10 plus years several of the families have gone to the beach together. The France Family beach trip was planned and mom wanted us to go. So, I went with Leah, Ross, 3 sisters, 2 brothers, 2 nephews, 3 nieces,  a sister in law, 2 aunts, 2 uncles, and 7 cousins to the beach. We had 4 condos, 6 umbrellas, and 12 beach chairs. It was a blast. However, I NOW need a vacation. The condo I stayed in housed the 3 Braswells, my older sister and her 4 kids, my sister in law and her 8 month old, and our family helper (she came to help since mom couldn't come). 6 kids in one condo is not a relaxing vacation. I am not complaining! I loved being around everyone. I am just stating the obvious.

Ross adored the beach and water. He calls the ocean a pool and wakes up every morning asking "where dunter (aka Hunter my 9 year old nephew). 

We got home last night and I am thankful for the peace and quite. I will post pictures soon.