asher's best friend

i don't know where to start this post.  i have tried to write it several times.  typed, deleted, tried again.  sometimes the words are hard to find.  sometimes the posts are not easy to write.  sometimes, life is just hard.  but i share this with you because it is my heart.  because a precious, amazing family needs a miracle and because i know you will pray with us.

so meet rusty.  he's asher's best friend.  they have been best friends since either of them can remember.  they are two peas in a pod.  they are rough and tumble.  they sword fight and run and jump.  they would entertain their mothers this summer jumping on the trampoline and practicing their karate moves.  they are all boy and they are all boy together.  rusty is like another son to us.  he blends into our family so easily when he's with us {so does his older sister when she is here with our mia}.  he outwardly is all boy and all tough.  but he is so sweet and so caring.  he always checks on ethan and is always the first ones to defend the girls or the mommies from the forces of evil.  you should see him with his mama ~ would melt your heart right there.

defending everyone from the forces of evil

well right before Christmas we got a surprise.  not the fun kind.  not the nice kind.  the kind that scares you.  the kind you hope to never get.  rusty had been having headaches for a little while and just not feeling right.  a little sleepy.  so his parents took him to the doctor and a scary, nightmare began to unfold.  over the next several weeks we learned that rusty had a brain tumor.  then we learned it was also along the entire length of his spine ~ on both sides.  then we learned it was definitely cancer.  then we learned the name.

it's pineoblastoma. it's incredibly rare.  and it's mean and it's nasty and it's not nice to kids ~ at all.  if you are under three they don't even treat it.  they tell you to take pictures and cuddle and enjoy every second that you have left.  if you are over eight your odds are better.  but rusty is only 4 1/2.  and the doctors were honest and they talked about all the facts and the course of treatment {there are only a very few doctors in the whole country who work with this horrible thing and all of them have seen rusty's tests and data and all of them have weighed in and work together}.  and then the doctors asked if his parents wanted the odds.  and as gently as they could they told them that asher's best friend has a 20% chance of being here next Christmas. 20%

and we talked that night.  over kleenex and wine.  and my heart broke as i watched my friend's do the same.  and i listened as they told other family.  and my already broken heart shattered even more.  i watched as dad pulled his sweatshirt hood over his head and watched video of his son and mama would get quiet and i thought the emotion would choke me to death.

and i went home in the wee hours of the morning. after hugs and prayers and plans.  and i cried.  and i got angry.  and i got still.  and i called out to my Father who loves me.  who loves rusty ~ more then any of us can even imagine or begin to.  and i placed rusty in His arms.  in the arms of Jesus and i prayed for a miracle.

and i know God heard me.  and i know He is working.  there are signs of it already.  and the support has been amazing.  the outpouring of love for this family will undo you ~ i promise.  i am overcome when i stop long enough to think about how much God is pouring out His love for this family through the community around them.  through people all over the country and even all over the world.  rusty's story is spreading and the number of people praying on his behalf is a true testimony to the LOVE God has for him.

he is strong enough to beat this!

and i share all of this to humbly ask you to join with us.  his parents are not shy about stating the facts or sharing rusty's story {and they are okay with sharing it here}.  we believe in God.  we believe in Jesus.  we believe in miracles.  and rusty needs a miracle.  he needs it now.  will you please join with us as we go after 20% like no group of people has ever gone after 20% before?  will you pray with us for rusty's miracle?  because God is good.  because is bigger then cancer.  because God loves this little boy.  and because with God, nothing is impossible.  from the bottom of my heart thank you.  thank you.  thank you.