A Birthday celebration.

Tomorrow at 11 I am hosting a luncheon for my mothers 60th birthday. It will be my sister, our daughters a few close friends who live here in KC and some of moms sisters. I have been planning for a few weeks and I am really excited to spend some time celebrating mom tomorrow. This past year has been such a roller coaster for our family. Celebrating the wedding of our oldest son Ryne & our new precious daughter Anna. To very soon after that finding out our mother would begin her final journey with her breast cancer surgery etc.

Mom was born 60 years ago on Christmas day to Emmett & Nina Kring two of the greatest prayer warriors to walk this earth. Grandma Nina was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease while in her late forties and was in a wheelchair before I even graduated High school. No matter the illness that crippled her she and my grandfather still awoke every morning around 4am to pray for the people in their Church. The Church Shawnee is the Church we attended for some 20 years also. In my Grandmothers bible are the names of thousands of you and your family members throughout the church of the nazarene some she didn't even know that needed prayer.

Recently Jeff and our family returned to Shawnee so that I was able to sing with a dear friend of ours. While waiting to go on stage the second service I wandered back stage to the Prayer closet. This room was made after my grandmothers passing for the pastors and the church to pray in. It was dark and looked a little like maybe it was not being used much. This made me somewhat sad but it also reminded me of something I also have mentioned in my recent Christmas letter. The power we have with our prayers to our King. We are such a blessed people. We have the power to call upon the King in our times of need. And, yet we often forgot to even fall to our knees until it's almost to late.

I am so proud of the heritage I have from my Grandparents in their call to pray. I am so proud of my heritage of compassion that have inherited from my mom Carole. I have told people before that she has a direct phone line to God. I cannot tell you how many times she has been sitting in a room or driving in a car and the Lord has told her to write a check, take money, take groceries, or christmas gifts to someone right then. I have seen her touch thousands of lives with her gifts, I have felt humbled and challenged by the gifts of my mother and grandmother. How or what can I even begin to do to carry on their love and gifts. It's a bit overwhelming to be the daughter and granddaughter of these incredible women.

Tomorrow not only will I celebrate the life of my mother but the life my grandmother gave to her. I am excited to be with my mom and to thank her for my life and for all she has given to me.

Living in Gratitude today.

-Mama Huff

Sun, Sand and Surf

Well it's been a few weeks since I last sat down and wrote anything about mom. It has been a good few weeks. She has now had at least two injections of saline into her expanders and has done well both times. She has a few muscle spazisms but for the most par their hasn't been any pain. The biggest issue I have noticed is just her getting tired if we are out for very long or do too much. (Shopping of course).

Before they took off to their "winter home" we had a chance to go shopping at our FAVORITE store. Anthropology.....we had a great time and I was able to help her pick out numerous new tops for her very petite figure. Her self confidence has really done well in her healing process. I think (for those of you who are large busted you will understand more)...that after so many years of carrying around something that is larger and maybe not shaped the exact way you wish that their is a huge relief when it's gone. Don't get me wrong mourning a loss is different for many but for mom her loss has just not been as difficult as one may have thought. It has been more of a peaceful renewal of trusting God and letting Him be in control of her situation as she had to trust everyone around her to tell her what and when to do the surgery. That is a real test of trust in your faith walk.

Her and her and my stepfather love their winter place in Naples. She has some great friends their she shops and eats lunch with. They take walks on the beach twice a day and just rest. I am really happy they were able to go their as it's such a perfect place to recuperate and reconnect.

I am so thankful for all of you that take the time to read this blog. It means so much to know that people care for you or pray for you. I know many times I am awakened thinking about a certain boy on the MNU team or about one of my kids or even my sister and her family. You never know when God is using you to step in for the Holy Spirit. So knowing their is probably someone at sometime who has thought of us , mom , or Al for this we are all grateful.

I am learning still everyday in my time on earth what it means to care for my family even as they grow and begin their own journeys. One thing I know is that no matter where or when we can all be connected through prayer and this is what I plan to do as God continues to lead me to pray for you or my own family.

Blessings to you all!

Mama Huff