Christmas 2014

Mason's tree on the left and our family tree on the right.  Notice all the ornaments from the bottom half of the tree have magically disappeared and wound up on Mason's tree.  The two trees make me smile exactly how they are, so this is how they will stay for the season!

Mase and Grandma Gillispie making cinnamon ornaments.

Moss family Christmas!

Mason can barely contain his excitement to start opening presents at the Moss family Christmas.

Poppy Claus

This kid!

Working hard on a gingerbread house.

This is our elf, Elfis.  He brought donuts on Christmas Eve morning. 

Mason is really into Lego's this year.  

Mase is super excited to open his presents.  Yes, they are all for him.

He's probably wishing I would quit taking pictures so he can rip this one open.

So excited! 

Christmas morning.  Just the three of us.  It was low-key and perfect.
Exactly what we needed after a busy few months.

Team Moss on New Year's Eve.
In the background is Mason's new fish tank.  I bought him a cheap one for Christmas.  Richard and Mase returned it for a much nicer, and much more expensive, one.  Complete with a changing LED light and aquarium safe TMNT figurines.  

Team Moss had a great Christmas!  We celebrated Christmas with both of our families, but Christmas day was spent at home with just the three of us.  Richard grilled steaks and it was all very low key, which is exactly what we needed after a busy few months.

Mason received a lot of fun gifts for Christmas, including lots of Lego sets, a kid smart watch, a tennis racket, a fish tank, basket ball, fishing games, Optimus Prime, and a real tent.

Richard treated us to wireless Beats headphones and I bought myself a nice little camera.  Apparently, we've all been very good this year :).

A Tough Season

Well, our family has stumbled upon a tough season...  But we will get through it TOGETHER!

In July, I found out she carried the BRCA gene mutation.  This mutation greatly increases the risk that one will get breast (87% chance of getting breast cancer, compared with the general population risk of 12%)  and ovarian cancer (40-60% chance of getting ovarian cancer, compared with 1-2% of the general population).

Since ovarian cancer has taken out several women on the maternal side of the family, we decided to proceed with prophylactic surgeries to reduce the risks.  Early September, I went in for a mammogram and results of that came back all clear.  Then, mid-September, I underwent a prophylactic hysterectomy.  The recovery from that surgery went very smoothly.

After my mammogram, I noticed a small lump in my left breast.  I didn't think much of it, as I had just had a clean mammogram.  After the hysterectomy, I noticed the lump got bigger, which I attributed to the hormone changes my body was going through.  Several doctors examined the lump and agreed it was likely just a 'fatty' and weren't too concerned.  Despite having the clean mammogram, we decided to push through with the prophylactic mastectomy.  Two days later, as I was home recovering, we got the call... The lump was cancer, an invasive cancer.  Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Stage 1 (but very close to being classified as stage 2), grade 3, HR-, HER2+.  Since these surgeries were done in order to avoid cancer, we were shocked!  And also felt extremely lucky that we pushed through and listed to our gut instinct.

A week after my mastectomy, I had to go back into surgery where they did an auxiliary node dissection and inserted a port for chemo treatments.  As you can see, things moved really fast that week.  Luckily, my nodes came back clean, meaning we had caught the cancer before it had time to spread.  Praise the Lord!  We had a roller coaster of emotions, ranging from joy that the surprise cancer was caught early and that it didn't have time to spread, to grief and extreme sadness.  Our world was rocked!

Next week, we meet with the oncologist to find out what the treatment plan will be.  We anticipate chemo will be part of plan, but we aren't sure how many treatments will be needed.

Cancer is a family disease.  Richard has taken excellent care of me, Mason, and our home.  He has done this joyfully and enthusiastically.  So blessed to have a man like him the head of our sweet little family!

Me at one of my many doctor appointments.

Prior to the hysterectomy.  I struggled with the hair net concept.  

Richard and I before my node dissection and port installation.  

My sister and I waiting at the hospital.  

Moss Family Vacation to St. Pete's Beach

The Moss/Snyder clan

In January, my in-laws suggested a family vacation… We hadn't been on a real vacation since having Mason, so we were definitely due.  This was going to be a trip of firsts: first Moss family of 3 vacation, Mason's first flight on a plane, Mason's first time staying in a hotel, and Mason's first trip to the beach.  Exciting!

The vacation was GREAT!  Even greater than the beach, was that we were surrounded by family!  At any given moment, there were lots of cousins for Mason to play with.  He was in Heaven having so many kids around.  In fact, when we got home, he kept asking if he could play with his "brother's and sister's".  That stung a bit since it's looking like Mason will be an only child.  Richard spent a lot of time with his brothers, Josh and Brad, which was awesome, because Josh and his family live in Boston.  I also got to spend a lot of time chatting with Olivia and Gala, my sister-in-laws.  They are such amazing mom's and such strong women.  Add in my amazing mother-in-law, Val, and I was surrounded by awesome women all week!

Mase loved the air plane ride!  

And he really enjoyed the beach… Until he got sand in his eye and a mouth full of salt water.  But, he got over that quickly and loved building sand castles with his cousins and jumping waves with Dad.

Sea World!  Mase loved it, but this is the face I get now when I try to take a family picture.
He loved the orcas and the sharks.  

I love this picture!  Mason with just a few of his cousins in the pool.  

Pina coladas on the beach.  Yes, please!

The sunsets were amazing!  

Richard, Josh and Brad.
These guys are QUALITY!  

We were even able to sneak away a few nights for a walk on the beach. 

Team Moss!  My favorite picture from the trip.  Look at that huge smile on Mason's face!  Goodness, I am blessed!

My father-in-law, Jimmy, took this picture and I love it!  Reminds me that if God can create  this then he can handle any curve balls that come our way.  Let go, Let God.

Mason loved being right next door to his cousins, Fisher and Jack.

Moss Road Trip!

I'm a control freak planner.  I plan pretty much everything.  But, sometimes the best memories come out of having no plans at all!  On Sunday morning, we randomly decided we were going to take a Moss family road trip and decided to head to the St. Louis Zoo.  Richard nor I had ever been there, but we just decided to go for it!  After a great 3 hour car ride (Mason napped for an hour and a half and Richard and I had a great conversation, the other half, Mason was just giddy about the zoo and kept asking if we were there yet), we arrived at the zoo.  Mase could barely contain himself with all the excitement!  

The zoo was great!  Richard and Mase loved the herpatorium (snake exhibits) complete with a HUGE anaconda.  My favorite exhibits were the apes.  Our favorite part of the day was watching Mason's face when he came upon animal families.  Listening to his sweet little voice point out the "daddy elephant, mommy elephant and baby elephant" was awesome.  He did the same thing at every exhibit.

I love the way Mason sees the world and identifies families in it.  Even at the age of 3 he knows that family is what's important.  As we were leaving the zoo, Mason got to pick out a small stuffed animal (he picked a penguin, even though the penguin house was under construction and we didn't get to see them) and he has not put it down since.  He keeps saying he's the penguin's daddy and takes great care of that little stuffed penguin, making sure to tuck it in, share his food, and give it lots of hugs.  He loves that penguin and I love that he gets to experience just an inkling of the love Richard and I have for him, through that stuffed penguin.  

We finished with a quick dinner at PF Chang's and headed home.  We all three went to bed last night giddy about the great impromptu family day we had as a family.  Can't wait for the next spur of the moment Moss family road trip!  It isn't about the destination, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY.  

It's a WHOPPER

Mason caught his first fish today!  As you can see, Daddy was really proud.  The fish put up quite a fight, but with some determination, Mason was able to reel him in ;).

Mason (3.5 yrs) caught his first fish!
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

Fun with Friends

We have been so blessed to meet some AMAZING friends here at the Lake.  We're talking cream-of-the-crop, top-notch people!  Some of our best friends are the Stavros family (Alex, Maria, Lia and Mateo) and the Summers family (Chris, Mindy and Eden).  It's rare that you find people who feel like family right off the bat…  

Off for a boat ride on a beautiful day!

Mason loved the lake!  Richard loved the beer and I loved the relaxing time in the sun.  

Lia Stavros and Mason
These kids are best buds!  And, aren't they simply ADORABLE?! 

Winter 2013-2014

First snow day of the season.  Lots of food and snuggling happening here!

Sledding with Dad

Moss family fun!  

Snow Day (Again)!!

Brr!  It's been a cold winter so far, and it's just getting started.  Luckily today it warned up enough so that we could go outside and play in the snow.

SNOW DAY

This morning we awoke to about 8 inches of snow and a bitterly cold wind.  We all three spent all day in our 'comfies' eating, playing in the basement, watching deer in the snowy back yard, making snow ice cream, snuggling while watching movies, and baking brownies.  This mama's heart is happy!