The Scary thing that wasn't

So if you've been following along here the last time I updated Carys had just completed her MRI and we were waiting on results. We got them after a week long wait and they were sent to another doctor to be reviewed. Carys's mass is a slow flow vascular lymphatic malformation that is benign. Which basically is a mass of lymphnodes and blood vessels that has fluid in it! We waited another week to hear back from Carys's doctor on what our next steps would be. His recommendation was we should leave this alone for now no surgery no draining nothing just continue to monitor it. I had severe hesitation with this decision wondering can it become something scary if left alone and the answer is no it cannot. So we'll leave it alone for now, I'm sure someday when she's older she will want it removed, but we don't have to face what would be quite an invasive surgery while she is so young.

I immediately hit my knees when we got the news that the mass was benign and praised God, I cried for a few minutes and finally I fell asleep and slept harder than I have in months. In a way I felt like I'd put life on hold when we began this journey with Carys I refused to let myself actually plan and book a 3rd birthday party, I'm competing at Mrs. Oklahoma in March and I had all but decided that wasn't happening, it IS happening but that's another post for another day. I felt like we lived in the what if, not knowing where we would be in the next month. It was such an amazing feeling to actually plan and send out the invites for Carys's 3rd birthday party which is now one month from today. Throughout our journey of the unknown our family felt an overwhelming outpouring of love. I heard from people with messages of hope and support that I haven't talked to in years. My MOPS group surrounded me with love and prayers and I got the sweetest text messages of encouragement on the day of Carys's MRI from so many! We were so abundantly blessed in our trial that it was hard for me not to believe with the support we had we could get through anything. It's my belief that when I made that decision is when things began to turn around and I started to believe we would come out of this with good news.

After all is said and done I'm grateful to have gone through this journey. I feel like I have a new appreciation for the precious redheaded firecracker of a daughter we've been blessed with. I notice the little things more the fierce blue of her eyes when she's really serious about something, or the playful smile she gets when playing with her daddy, or the way her hair falls in her eyes when she stomps to timeout after being told for the millionth time "don't chase the cat" or the sweet sparkle of her eyes when she's so tired she can't see straight but refuses to nap. The charm of her little voice singing songs of thanksgiving and praise to God. One of her favorite songs is "Speak Life" by Toby Mac and I think she embodies that she "speaks life" into everyone she meets, it doesn't matter if she's known you all her life or you just met her you can't help but fall for her infectious giggle. She is such a blessing to me and her father.

I also have a new compassion for the parents who don't get the amazing news we got. Who get the hard news who spend months fighting a disease they have no control over. Facing first hand the possibility of being one of those parents makes me realize what warriors they must be to just keep moving everyday. Carys is having her 3rd birthday party at Build A Bear with just a few of her special friends and one of the add on options I had was to do a $10.00 donation to St. Jude for a child to get their own build a bear, before Carys's journey I doubt I would've thought twice about it, but after I jumped at the opportunity to bring happiness to a child who is suffering the hard things. My heart goes out to the courageous parents who fight that battle of wanting to do anything to make their child well fully knowing it's completely out of their control.

I hope our family can find a way to return all the blessings we've been gifted with, the love, the support, the companionship, the prayers. We are so thankful for everyone who walked this journey with us and we are so happy to report that we don't have to face those scary battles!! Praise God for He is Good.

With Love and Gladness in our Hearts!

The Adams Fam