A day of memories!!

I know I am a huge blog slacker and to all my "loyal" fans, hehehe, I promise I will catch up. But today is a special day and thus needs to be blogged about.
12 years ago, man that makes me sound old, I entered the MTC as a very scared 21 year old. I was what some would call very worldly and very spoiled. How was I going to spend 18 months of my life away from all of that? That was a huge leap of faith and one that I will never regret taking.
Fast forward to this same day 4 years later. I am a mom for the first time and am facing one of my biggest fears the evil, wicked, vile, horrible (ok I digress) C word, Cancer. Not in me but my 3 week old son. He was diagnosed at 9 days weighing in at under 6 lbs. February 4th was his biopsy. This would determine what stage, how severe and if it has spread. I didn't find it a coincidence that I was dealing with all of this on the same day as the beginning of my mission. This too would be an experience that would forever change my life and define who I truly am. I had the opportunity to choose to either get very mad and very bitter at my Father in Heaven or to turn to Him and put it in His hands. As we drove to the hospital those same fears were in me and I knew that I had at one time on this day conquered my fears by trusting in the Lord. I knew I had to do that once again.
My son is a miracle!! He will always be a witness to me of what faith is and that miracles do happen. I am thankful to my Father in Heaven for giving me some tough stuff because He knew what was best for me. The experiences I had on my mission gave me the strength to get through what I deem HELL day 2002. I am a better person because of the things that I have been asked to do. He honestly knows what is best for us. We just have to be willing to think the same way He does.

Sister Neumann in Hillsboro, Oregon

Alex at 1 month