June 16, 2016

Wow, what a night! You know, I’ve started looking forward to writing these posts. At first I started because we needed prayers so badly. We were desperate for prayer warriors to join us begging God for mercy for our baby girl. But now, I like sharing with all of you. Yes, we still need prayers. We still need a miracle. Nothing medically has changed – but I have, we have. God continues to grant Tim and I incredible peace. When the bible says “peace beyond our understanding” (Phil 4:7) it isn’t lying. I wish I could explain it better but I’m pretty sure it’s just one of those “you’d have to be there” kind of things.

Now I write these posts sharing the good and the bad knowing that each of you that take time to read it are helping carry our load. “Share one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2) – some of you ask how we are able to do this, to have hope, to be positive, to still trust God. Partly it’s our faith, but part of it is all of you. All of you wonderful people, so many we’ve never even met and yet here you are, sharing our burden. You send us encouraging notes, you pray for us, you guard us on a spiritual level, you support us financially. You are our army – God’s army – whom shall we fear?

Tonight our softball family came out in full force and I don’t just mean Hartselle. Every team I saw tonight was wearing purple. From the little 6u teams to the big girls, they had a “Purple Out” for Kayleigh. When we walked in that ballpark my baby kept saying “look at the purple, just look at all the purple – they are wearing it for me”… I so wish you could have seen her face. Yes baby girl, they are wearing purple for you.

In Kayleigh’s world, just getting to go to the game and be in the dug out with all the girls absolutely makes her day. But tonight the League had a surprise for her. Before the game every team gathered on the field for an announcement and award presentation. North Alabama USSSA awarded Kayleigh an MVP plaque and those precious girls cheered for her like crazy. Truly, that was awesome. But more awesome was our friend Carlos that led Kayleigh to the middle of the field and watching the entire ballpark bow their heads and pray over Kayleigh. Asking God for a miracle. Dry eyes were hard to find after that.

If I stopped this story right here it would still be one of the best nights ever but in the words of any great infomercial – but wait! There’s more!! Kayleigh played! Coach Jojo put her in to bat, Coach Allen pitched, and Kayleigh swung – a LOT. That blue made some of the worst calls you’ve ever seen. I’m pretty sure Allen pitched 15 times and her bat didn’t touch the ball once but that blue just kept on calling foul balls. David, we will be eternally grateful for those bad calls. And to the precious Russellville team that did not disputed those calls and purposefully made some of the worst fielding throws you’ve ever seen to keep the ball in play and Kayleigh running around the bases, we thank you as well.

Now, what I want you to all know about Kayleigh tonight… She didn’t feel good. The steroids just aren’t quite balanced yet and her little body is still struggling. Radiation makes her a little tired but she will fall asleep standing up before she will admit it. She had a headache come on about 15 minutes before we pulled into the ballpark that was making her right eye droop almost to closed. But softball, her team, her coaches, they give her purpose. They drive her. Tonight softball was the best medicine. It may not cure cancer but I can promise it made her feel better than anything else could.

We are now on our way back to Memphis. Kayleigh has treatment in the morning at 10:00 and then we will head right back this way again to go home. Many folks probably think we are crazy for driving 5 hours round trip for a little league game but I can tell you it was worth every. single. mile.

Philippians 4:7
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 6:2
Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation–so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?

Prayers for tonight:
1.) Complete healing this side of heaven.
2) For us to get the steroids balanced so she is feeling better and then to be able to wean her down slowly to get off them completely.
3.) For direction on phase 2.

We love you all very much.
Until tomorrow,
‘Carrow 💜

With the Hartselle 6u team