Josey came into this world on a lightning bolt. Born amid a huge lightning storm following the 4th of July fireworks, this little guy has carried that energy with him throughout his life. Christmas 2 years ago, at the age of 13, Josey was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma cancer on his spine. He underwent 14 rounds of intense chemo and had a major back surgery that removed a part of his spine and fused most of it. Cancer did slow him down but did not stop him. During this past year, he has been riding his bike, taking up skateboarding and is back to being a normal teenage boy who likes to push the boundaries to have a good time. Sadly, almost exactly 2 years from his original diagnosis, This Christmas, Josey has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Cancer has returned to his right lung and lymph nodes in his lungs. Because the cancer has metastasized and is in his lung and lymph nodes, the doctors have declared this terminal with very little they can do. We are staying hopeful and have faith that he can beat the odds and live longer than they are expecting. Josey asked his doctors some hard questions and got some heavy answers. He does not want to go back to being in a hospital bed sick on chemo. His wish is to live life to the fullest while still feeling good. As his parents, we are completely heartbroken and devastated beyond words. Josey has faced this news with a brave heart and is determined to have some fun.

We are letting our son take the lead and are adopting the motto of "What Would Josey Do", WWJD! He wants to travel and visit cool places, take pictures of the glorious sunrise and sunsets. We have never taken a big trip together, but we are now! Time is precious, and we are not wasting any more of it. We are departing on a southwestern US adventure on Jan 31st, yes, 2 weeks from this post! Crazy, I know, especially because we don't have the money to do this, but we have faith. We will be traveling for 2 weeks in an RV, visiting lots of natural wonders, deserts, mountains, sacred sites, and cool cities, including Tuscon, Sedona, and LA. Weather permitting, we plan to see the Grand Canyon., which none of us have ever seen. This trip will just be for us parents and Josey. We hope to plan another trip soon that can include our other 3 girls. This is a very BIG deal for us; we've never embarked on such an extensive adventure. I know that this time together will be full of laughter, tears, lunacy, mischief, and most of all, memories that cannot be taken away from us. 


We do not know what tomorrow will bring or how much time we have before he starts to feel sick.   As we continue on our journey, we want everyone to know how much we appreciate all of your support. The love, prayers, hugs, and encouraging words have been the most amazing gift given to us. There have been days where we have felt completely defeated and lost, and a simple message from a friend has pulled us back up. Thank you for that, sincerely. We are humbled to share our story and journey with you all. We will be setting up a go fund me link to help us raise money for our upcoming trip for those of you all who have offered to help in that way. Thank you again, and please keep praying and sending goodwill and good wishes our way!