Cooper pictures

We had Studio D out to take pictures of Cooper when he was 1 month old. Jessica and her mom do incredible work. It was so hard to pick a few to share because they were all so good. You can see more of their work at http://imagesbystudiod.com/

Roller Babies

http://www.youtube.com/user/EvianBabies

Here is the link that I talked about this morning. Cooper would fit right in with these babies.

Chapman Family in China

Steven Curtis Chapman and family are in China for the opening of Maria's Big House of Hope. SCC family has done so much to promote adoption. This new house of hope will give so many little ones in China a safe place to stay. Follow the Chapmans journey in China at: http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/marybeth/

Growing up!!

Cooper is growing SO quickly. Everyone has told us it goes by way to fast, but now I understand. We took him to the Doctor yesterday and he is 18 lbs 6 ozs at 15 weeks old. He is eating very well. The Dr said to start mixing in baby food so we stopped by the store on the way home and Cooper got his first taste of Carrots. He had more on him, us, the table and the cat than he actually ate but it was fun seeing him try to eat for the first time.

Cooper laughing

Cooper is growing up! He found his voice last week and has not quit talking since. We will wake up at 3am to him just cooing away in his crib. Now he has learned how to laugh. There is nothing sweeter than a baby laughing. Here is a little clip from Monday night when I was getting him ready for a bath and he got tickled.

American Idol worshiping God!!

http://blog.givmusic.com/

This is the link to the video of Kris Allen performing "God of this city." This is the true Kris, not being told what to sing by American Idol. Lets pray that Kris is able to use the American Idol platform to bring us more music like this that brings Glory to GOD!!! Way to go Kris!

Dove Awards

Its time for the Dove Awards! Below you will find a few of the categories and the nominees. Post a comment with your pick in each category. The person who picks the most correct will win a CD brick with many of the artist up for awards. Be sure to post your name and email so I can get in touch with you when you win!

SONG OF THE YEAR:
“Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” Chris Tomlin
“Cinderella” Steven Curtis Chapman
“Empty Me” Chris Sligh
“Give Me Your Eyes” Brandon Heath
“I Will Not Be Moved” Natalie Grant
“I’m Letting Go” Francesca Battistelli
“Mighty to Save” Laura Story
“Never Going Back to OK” The Afters
“Reason Enough”
“You Reign” Mercy Me

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR:
Steven Curtis Chapman
Natalie Grant
Brandon Heath
Jason Ingram
Tony Wood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
Jeremy Camp
Jon Foreman
Ernie Haase
Brandon Heath
David Phelps
Marvin Sapp
Chris Tomlin

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR:
Francesca Battistelli
Karen Peck Gooch
Natalie Grant
Brooke Fraser Ligertwood
Mandisa
Sandi Patty
Laura Story

GROUP OF THE YEAR:
Casting Crowns
David Crowder*Band
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Mary Mary
MercyMe
Skillet
Third Day

ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Casting Crowns
Steven Curtis Chapman
Fireflight
Marvin Sapp
Third Day
tobyMac
Chris Tomlin

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR:
Addison Road
Francesca Battistelli
Fee
Jonathan Nelson
Remedy Drive
Chris Sligh
Tenth Avenue North

POP/CONTEMPORARY RECORDED SONG:
“Cinderella” Steven Curtis Chapman
“Give Me Your Eyes” Brandon Heath
“I Will Not Be Moved” Natalie Grant
“I’m Letting Go” Francesca Battistelli
“This Is Home” Switchfoot

The United Tour was an amazing night. When I was diagnosed with cancer and unsure of what the timeline ahead would be, my goal was to be healthy enough to be at the concert and bring Cooper on stage. I was able to do both on Saturday night. The reception that was given when I brought him out is a moment that I will never forget.

Cooper getting ready for his stage debut!

Cooper gets a standing ovation!

Baby Pictures

I know its been a while since the last update. Between a new baby and Sharathon there has been very little time for blogging. Cooper and Brit are both doing great. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful little bundle of joy. Cooper is a very content baby (unless he is hungry). The cat is still not sure what to think about him. I just sit and stare at his little face and thank God for this blessing that He has given us. Cooper went back to the Dr. last Wednesday and is up to 8lb 11oz. He is obviously eating very well. The emails and phone calls have been pouring in for pictures so here are a few.








Coming home from the Hospital














Hanging out with Daddy!







By far my favorite picture so far. We found out on day 2 that Cooper loves to hold my hands. When I look at this, it reminds me of our Father reaching down and letting His children hold on to Him. I know over the last two months I have had an extra tight grip on my Daddy's hands.

Update

Cooper is doing great. The fever is gone and the blood sugar is normal. He is a very calm and relaxed baby. Brittany is very sore but up and moving after a very tough day. We were able to get a couple hours of sleep last night and are going to spend the day falling in love with Cooper. What a precious miracle from God.

Introducing Cooper Landon

After being up for almost 24 hrs we are the proud parents of the most precious baby that you have ever seen! It has been a mentally and physically exhausting day. I will give you more details tomorrow but for now here’s a little info and pictures. Brit’s water broke at 1:15 this morning. Cooper was born at 7:20 pm tonight. He weighed 8lb 3oz and is 21.75 inches long. He is in special care right now because of a fever and low blood sugar. Please pray for his health and for Brits recovery after a long and challenging day. I will let you know more tomorrow.

Ready to get moving!

Hello Friends! I have a big case of cabin fever and I am REALLY missing that ride to work and school with you. I continue to get a little stronger everyday but still have a few hurdles to clear. The blood clot is getting better but the blood thinners have created other complications. The Dr wants to do a few scans on Friday afternoon to see what’s going on in my abdomen. Brittany goes for her weekly check tomorrow. The baby is due one week from today! I am so thankful that I have had this time to heal and get some strength back before the delivery. When I look at the entire story so far I see God answering every prayer. From the surgery date being moved up to the lymph nodes being clear, God has really had His hand on me through this time. I am so thankful that you have been so involved and concerned for my family. Please pray that I can continue to gain strength and clear these final hurdles that I am facing. Please continue to keep Brittany and Cooper in your prayers. Right now I am still on track to join you Monday morning. It’s going to be a very special morning for me so I hope you can be a part of the show.

Home...again!

Hello Friends! This is my first post in over a week. I know Brit did a great job keeping you up to date on the surgery/recovery. We were able to come home from Vandy on Tuesday. We had a minor setback with a blood clot that put me back in the hospital on Thursday. I got back home yesterday and continue to recover here at home. I am still very sore and have no appetite. I am able to move but its still at a snails pace.

As you know the surgery was a HUGE success. I know God has had His hand on me throughout this whole illness. When the Dr told us Tuesday that that pathology of the lymph nodes were clear to be honest I was not surprised. We have felt, and Heaven has heard the thousands of prayers on our behalf and I know that God answered those prayers. Chris Tomlin nailed it “How Great is our God!”

Brit went to her Dr yesterday afternoon and the dilation has begun. This means Cooper could come anytime but certainly will be here very soon. In my current condition it would be hard to be there right now so continue to pray that I will heal quickly and Cooper can hang out for at least another week. I can’t wait to welcome that little guy into the world and get a picture of him on here for you to see. Please begin to pray for comfort for Brittany in these final days of pregnancy. Also pray for an easy delivery (she deserves that after all she has done to help me over the last month) and for health for Cooper.

I will be out again next week but you may hear me pop in for a minute just to say hi. My goal right now is to be back with you on February 23, but that depends on the Dr’s and Cooper’s schedule. I miss being with you each morning. Happy Valentines Day!

Back in the Hospital

Hey… it’s Brittany again with an update. We had a minor setback today. Jason has a blood clot in his arm from the IV and is back in the hospital where they are treating it. On a good note… as for the recovery from the surgery, he is doing better. He is gaining strength and a little bit of normalcy returns every day. Now we just have to get rid of this blood clot! Please keep us in your prayers. I know he is tired of the hospital. I will keep you updated…

We are Home!!

It’s Brittany again with a wonderful update... praise God we are home!! It has been a long and busy day, but we made it. The ride home was really hard for Jason and he is still in pain but he is home. We also got really good news from the doctor today. Jason’s lymph nodes were not cancerous so he is considered cancer free and will not even have to do chemo. They will monitor him very close for the next few years though. We are so blessed beyond words and give all thanks to our Mighty God. Again, we appreciate all your prayers and support more than you will ever know. Please continue to pray for Jason. He still has a long recovery ahead and he has a baby to get ready for that is due two weeks from Thursday. Hopefully the next update will be from Jason. I know he is ready to be back with you.

Sunday Update

It’s Brittany again with another update. Yesterday was not a very good day. Jason remained sick and in a lot of pain. It is so hard to see him in pain and I wish I could take it away from him. He did better today though. He got up and walked several times and was able to actually take a real shower, which I know he enjoyed! We are still waiting for his organs to “wake up” as the doctors put it. Please keep him in your prayers. The days are getting long and I know that he is ready to get all this behind him. He is trying so hard and I am very proud of him. I hope to update you tomorrow with more good news...

First Day After Surgery

Hi, it’s Brittany again with an update. Jason wasn’t feeling too well today. He has been nauseous and in a lot of pain, but he has been up and walking. He is working hard to get better… I know that he is determined to be in that delivery room when Cooper is born. Also, I know that he is ready to be back with you in the morning. We appreciate all the comments and encouraging words posted on the blog. It is so touching to know how many people care and are praying for all of us. Please continue to keep Jason in your prayers and that he will gain strength each day and be able to come home soon. We continue to praise God for all his blessings.

Surgery Day

Hey… this is Brittany. Just wanted to give you a quick update on Jason. He is in his room recovering but asleep right now. The surgery went well. The Doctor did not see any signs of cancer when he removed the lymph nodes and he was only in surgery for two hours, which is a tremendous blessing! It is so evident what an amazing God we have by the news we received today. We thank you again for all the prayers… they were truly felt. Please continue to pray for Jason and that he have a speedy recovery. I will keep you updated on his progress.

In Nashville

We are in the hotel in Nashville. The surgeon has moved us up one hour. The operation is now scheduled for 11am Nashville time. Brit will be updating the blog after surgery. Feel free to leave comments on the blog. She will be reading them and pass them along to me after surgery. Brittany went to her Doctor before we left and both she and Cooper look good! She has her records here just in case Cooper makes an early entrance into the world.

Many of you have continued to ask how to pray for us. Please pray that God will continue to give Brittany peace, strength and that He will protect her and the baby. Pray for Dr Cookson and staff who will be performing the surgery tomorrow. We are praying that once the lymph nodes are removed from my abdomen that they show NO signs of cancer. If that is the case then I will not have to deal with Chemo. Pray that I will recover quickly and have no complications from surgery. Lastly, pray that I can get back home soon and heal enough to be in that delivery room when Cooper is born.

Thank you so much for your support. I am REALLY going to miss being a part of your mornings. Know that I will be back in that air chair just as soon as possible. Love you guys!

Headed to Nashville!

Just a quick update about surgery. The nurse called this morning and they have bumped up the surgery date! We are going to Nashville on Wednesday when I get off the air and they are going to do surgery on Thursday. That is good news because it will give me 4 extra days to heal before Cooper arrives. We have a lot to do today and tomorrow to prepare, not to mention the emotions of knowing that its time. Please pray for Brit and I as we prepare for what is shaping up to be a BIG week.

Maternity Pictures!

We wanted to get pictures made of Brittany before we head to Vanderbilt so Jessica at Studio D in Cleveland got us in last weekend for a photo shoot. They do AMAZING work! Visit their web site http://www.imagesbystudiod.com/ and click on the blog to see a few other shots from our session. Jessica did a wonderful job capturing the true joy that Brittany and I are experiencing right now with Cooper on the way.

Baby Practice

Last night we were unpacking everything from the showers and the cat decided she wanted to help us get ready for Cooper. She jumped in the stroller and would not get out. We pushed her all over the house and she had a ball. It will be very interesting to see how she acts when we bring the baby home.

Back from Nashville

We are back from the meeting with our surgeon in Nashville. We met with one of the top doctors in the nation who specializes in this type of surgery. The problem is the earliest they can schedule the operation is February 10th. That is 2 weeks away from Brittany’s due date. The good news is the surgeon thinks that I will bounce back from this a little quicker than we first thought. He said because I was so thin and in relatively good shape that surgery should be a little easier and the hospital stay should only be one week. If everything goes as planned I could be moving around within a month after surgery. They do have me on a waiting list so if there is a cancellation I will be called and we will head to Nashville. I continue to pray that I can be in the delivery room for Brit. It looks like if the date remains February 10th it will be very close. We remain strong because we know who’s in control. God is carrying us through this and we rest comfortably in Him. Looking forward to joining you for the ride to work and school tomorrow morning!

Baby Showers

Just like the weather we have had lots of showers lately. It has been a huge blessing to receive so many great things for Cooper. We went to Knoxville on Saturday for a shower with Brittany’s family and friends. On Sunday our small group at church had a shower and a special time of prayer for all 3 of us. Today at work everyone here a shower for the baby. I have really enjoyed getting to celebrate this exciting time with family and friends, plus it’s been nice to get my mind off health related issues for a little bit. Our two week wait is almost over. The appointment with the doctor in Nashville is tomorrow morning. We will be able to schedule the surgery date and get a lot more info about what’s ahead. Please pray that the surgery will scheduled soon. My prayer is that this time next week I will be recovering from surgery. Brit is 5 weeks away from the due date on Thursday. Thanks again for all the prayers and support. It’s overwhelming to know how much love and support we have. I continue to recieve calls, emails, and cards every day. We will update the blog tomorrow afternoon when we know more.

Thank you!

Thank you all so much for the comment, emails, phone calls and cards. Brittany I have read everything that has been sent. It means more than words could express knowing that this many people are praying for and thinking about us. We are scheduled to go to Vanderbilt one week from tomorrow. Please continue to pray that something will open up before then. We talked to our nurse assigned to us through our insurance company last night. She is GREAT! She seems to really care about what’s going on and it looks like we are going to get a few benefits to help with the stay in Nashville. That is going to be an expensive couple of weeks so it would be really good if insurance does help with that bill. Please continue to pray for Brit and Cooper. She is 6 weeks away on Thursday! I wish I could put into words how encouraged I have been by you. Please know that I thank God every day for your support and pray that He continues to bless you!

The story so far..

If you would like to hear the audio from the show on Wednesday click here.

I hate that this blog has to start on this note, however I look forward to sharing this journey with you. As the coming weeks and months develop I also look forward to seeing Gods hand in this journey and how this blog starts off with the story of cancer before Christmas and ends cancer free with God using this season in my life to do things that only HE can do. As we begin let me remind you that I am a radio host, not an English major. My strongest point is not grammar or punctuation. However Praise the Lord for spell check or I would really be in trouble here. I am going to share my heart and not focus on writing a paper to be graded. So….lets get you up to speed.

During the day of giving back on the 18th of December I had a very sharp pain in my right side while on the air. My initial thought was that a kidney stone was starting to roll. The pain went away a few hours later and didn’t think much more about it. That weekend I still didn’t feel right and felt like I should be checked out. Brittany said that was very unusual for me to call the Doctor and willingly go get checked out. Deep down inside I just had a feeling that something was wrong. After the show on Monday morning Dec 22 I went to the Doctor. After a quick examination he told me that I needed to get to the hospital for more testing. He said after the test he wanted me back in the office to discuss things further. In my mind I knew something was very wrong. I will never forget the walk from the Doctors office across a very cold bridge to the hospital. I stopped before I got on the elevator with the song from Big Daddy Weave “Hold me Jesus, cause I’m shaking like a leaf” was in my head, and that was my prayer for the hours ahead that day. After the test at the hospital it was back to the Doctors office for results. Dr Currin came in and quickly got to the point. “Jason, we don’t have a total confirmation just yet but this dawg gone thing looks like cancer.” You could have not taken a baseball bat and hit me any harder in the stomach than that news did. My first thought was Brittany. With tears in my eyes I ask the Doctor “How do you break this news to a wife that is 8 months pregnant?” He explained to me that testicular cancer is very treatable and curable. That was comforting to hear but still didn’t answer the question how do I break this news. I met with another doctor for a second opinion and he agreed that this was cancer and we had to move forward immediately. There was no way to absorb what was happening. They wanted to do surgery that week but because of Christmas we had to put it off until the following week. I scheduled surgery for the following Tuesday and headed for home to break the news to Brittany. In my 31 years that was the hardest phone call I have ever had to make. I can’t remember exactly what I said but I told her that we have a journey ahead and we ARE going to get through it. We spent the rest of the day at home talking, praying, and beginning to read about my specific cancer.

Christmas was not easy, but I was determined to not let this diagnosis spoil this special celebration for me or my family. It was a long week waiting on surgery. One thing this has already done is it has really put things in perspective. I have really slowed down and don’t take things for granted. Brittany and I have spent more quality time in the last 3 weeks than we have in a long time. The day of surgery was full of emotion. I had it easy that day because I was knocked out but a waiting room full of family and friends had to sit and wait to hear from the doctors. After surgery the initial pathology report did show that it was a more aggressive form of cancer than we thought. They decided to let me go home late that evening to rest and recoup from surgery. They called the next day to schedule a CT scan because they needed to see if indeed the cancer had spread. Friday we went to Memorial for the CT and that was my first day out of the house since Tuesday. I moved in slow motion that day but the tech’s at the hospital were awesome. We had to wait until the following Wednesday to meet with the Doctor for the results of all the test. After hours of reading, we knew that we were going to be either cleared and watched, face chemotherapy or lymph node removal surgery. The news was mixed- the CT was clear which means it doesn’t appear that it’s spread to other parts of my body. The bad news is that the lymph node surgery was going to be necessary. My Doctor advised us to get to Nashville to meet with a specialist. This is a very serious surgery and we want someone that does this surgery more than a couple of times a year. The surgery is an all day surgery with a long hospital stay to recover and will take several moths to get moving again. The earliest appointment to the specialist in Nashville is January 21 which is two weeks away.

We met with Brits Doctor that afternoon for her 2 week check up. I love those visits and being able to hear Cooper’s heartbeat. That little guy is SO special already and when I hear the heartbeat that God has placed inside him it always overwhelms me with emotion. Brittany at this point is 7 weeks away from her due date. Her Doctor said if everything looks good and Cooper still wants to hang out inside Brit that he would let her go 1 week beyond her due date. That means we could have until March 5 for me to get this surgery out of the way and get on the road to recovery. I can’t imagine not being in that delivery room when he is born. I pray that Gods timing is such that I can be there for Brittany and Cooper. Going to and staying in Nashville for 2 weeks is going to be hard on Brit who will be 9 months at the time of surgery. My biggest concern is not for me, but for her. I don’t want her having to go to and from Nashville to be with me, and I sure don’t want her staying in the hospital all the time. Her stress level needs to stay low through all of this. Please pray that she will receive comfort and peace beyond measure. My family means everything to me and I can’t begin to tell you how special they are. You are a part of that family. I have been overwhelmed by the response already. I know there are literally thousands praying for us and that is more of a comfort than you will ever know. Please pray for continued healing from my surgery last week and that the surgeons in Nashville can get the next surgery scheduled quickly. As I shared on the air yesterday I know God is going to use this in ways that I can’t see right now. I have already felt a renewing of His spirit in my life and I know this will only make me focus more on who is in control of everything. God is bigger than any cancer or any problem. No matter what you may be going through today, let God have it and know that he will see you through.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I will be updating the blog as often as possible to keep you up to date. During the surgery and stay at Vandy Brit or someone at work will post updates as available. I will talk to you tomorrow morning! Love you guys!

Again, if you missed the announcement on the show yesterday click here to listen.