A post I didn’t think I would be making.

I guess life throws all kinds of curveballs around 50… but a melanoma diagnosis for my son, Kobe, was not the kind of curveball any of us were expecting.

Let me back up to a little over a week ago.

It started with a trip to the doctor’s office (because, of course, you have to go there first), which led to a referral to dermatology to check a spot on his head. Thankfully, that appointment happened the very next day.

The dermatologist took a look and initially thought it was likely a harmless, warty-type mole… but decided to biopsy a few areas just to be sure.

Just shy of a week later, we got the results.

And the results said otherwise.

Possibly stage II melanoma.

That’s the kind of news that hits in a way that’s hard to explain. A complete gut punch. The kind that makes everything else pause for a second.

Fast forward to now…

He’s already had additional spots removed, and we’ve entered what feels like a full-time schedule of appointments. We have visits lined up with a plastic surgeon, surgical oncology, and hematology oncology. There’s a PET scan, an MRI of his head, and an ultrasound of his neck (which is today).

It’s a lot.

Most of it is precautionary and standard procedure… but that doesn’t make it feel like any less.

Through all of this, Kobe has been doing really well. He’s kept his sense of humor, which somehow makes everything feel just a little bit lighter.

Because even in the middle of something heavy, there are still moments that make you laugh.

Like when he told the dermatologist, who was 39½ weeks pregnant, that delivering a human baby (instead of goats) was officially on his bucket list.

And in true Kobe fashion, he told me in his humorous way… “no Facebook pages”.
But he didn’t say anything about a blog… so follow along here for updates… and who knows what kind of stories!

Those are the moments you hold onto.

For now, we’re taking it one step at a time… praying, showing up for appointments, and moving forward with whatever comes next.

As for everything else in life…

My daughter’s farmhouse remodel continues! We’re getting closer, but it’s still keeping us busy (and probably making a few extra trips to the hardware store along the way).

Something Sourdough & The Pop Stop is in that “we’re hoping and praying, but also moving forward” stage. Plans are still in motion, even if life has added a few unexpected layers.

Apparel 212… well, if I’m being honest, it’s been heading downhill for a while. But when you have business debt that doesn’t just disappear, you keep going. You adjust, you pivot, and you do what you can to stay afloat.

Because that’s real life.

It’s not always one thing at a time. Sometimes it’s everything all at once.

And right now, we’re just doing what so many people do… handling what’s in front of us, holding onto the good moments, and figuring it out as we go.

More to come.

With coffee, prayers & taking it one step at a time ☕🙏
– Stacy