2012/08/31

Benjamin Follow-up

Thank you for praying for us! Unfortunately the Ultrasound Tech was unable to see Benjamin's adrenal gland on the left side. That's the one there is concern over. Benjamin's orthopedic surgeon is no longer comfortable dealing with this issue, so we are being referred to a Pediatric Surgeon. They specialize in that type of thing and will direct us in what type of further testing we should have done. That appointment is September 10th. Again, we are not worried. Please pray for us to remain at ease about all of this. We thank you so much for loving on us through your prayers.

2012/08/28

Benjamin

Please Pray for Benjamin. He has recently been diagnosed with Scoliosis. His curve is only 12 degrees, but it does give him daily pain. The reason we request prayer is because during his MRI to diagnose the curve in his spine and to check for other concerns regarding his frequent headaches the Tech noticed his adrenal gland is enlarged. He will have an ultrasound of his abdomen tomorrow morning. If there is any concern from this Tech we will then have to have further testing for the young man. Those tests would include a CT Scan which involves high doses of radiation. The side effects of the CT Scan could be more harmful then an enlarged adrenal gland.

We trust Benjamin in the hands of our God. Benjamin is fashioned masterfully by God himself. However, during these times of concern we have been granted the gift of prayer, by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit, to aid us from anxieties and all manner of fear and worry. God will do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask. His best will for our lives is what we desire. Be it pain or not.

2012/08/19

Learning to Run!

Two months ago Jake signed Colby, Me and himself up for the Marine Corps 10K. Sooo, I've had to learn to run again. There was a time that I ran and liked it very much. It was back when Benjamin was 3 months old to about the time Louisa jumped in my belly.. So if we were to count I could honestly say that I've had 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 kids since then!! Like riding a bike, running isn't. You can't just pick it back up again. Sure you can run a few yards but the discipline required to do it well and not feel like an old man is stuck to you takes a lot of practice. To make this story less agonizing I'm not going to go through the gruesome details with you, nor will I divulge my times, for they are very poor. :( But, I am up to 3 miles again and it feels sooo goooood! I'm so thankful to be at this place. I am looking forward to adding more miles to my repertoire and looking forward to the 10k with my sweet and little sweets. Yes, little sweets, not only Colby Brett with his size 11 feet, but his sister, Jackie, will be running with us. So, there you have it. I'm learning to run and my kiddos are too.
She too is running around now. This is what she does when she's all tired out. 


2012/08/09

Louisa Jean, that girl is 9!

It didn't take long for August 8 to come around again. We were delighted to wake up to a sweet Lou ready for pancakes and a big celebration. The day glided by and was sweet and dear.. kinda like Louisa herself. We went out to Chick fil A for lunch and because we were celebrating they gave us a free Sundae. 

Lou spent the day anxiously awaiting her daddy to get home from work. I'm sure the joy had something to do with it coinciding with the start of the party. While she awaited for his grand entry, Jackie and I set to work on dinner and dessert. Louisa requested lasagna for dinner and a rainbow birthday cake. It was a blast to fix some of her favorite things. 

Once Jake got home Louisa wanted to go on a special bike ride. It worked out perfectly that this was her one desire, because her big present was a new bike. You have to understand that this is Louisa's first bike of her own. She's always been blessed with the hand-me-down bikes. We are thankful for those, but there's something very special about something new and all your own :).

Jake tucked the bike under a moving blanket and set it outside the garage. Louisa came around the corner riding her old (also Jackie's old) bike. Jake offered to fill the tires because they were low and then instructed her to check out what was under the blanket. She was excited!
See what I mean?

Thanks daddy!

A perfect fit for our leggy girl.
While the lasagna baked we just had to beat the pinata. For some reason we just can't get enough of those. I really like the picture of Jake hanging the thing. You can't tell from the picture, but he used a surf leash to hang it from. Brilliance~
Sunset Pinata.

Just a few excited bystanders.

Colby, for the 3rd straight party, busted the pinata into bits. As a matter of fact we couldn't find the thing for a while. We discovered later it had been launched into a tree.
 The rainbow cake for Lou. Homemade and delicious. Just the way it should be.
Rainbow Cake

She was pleased with that too!
There was success after the 2nd blow.

Our girl.
Louisa's birth was a difficult one, but one that I am immensely thankful for. The hardest things in life often end up being the sweetest. I'll always remember her birth in a very tender way. The day after her first breath had been taken I was resting in the recovery unit of the concrete hospital on the island of Okinawa, Japan. While I embraced the newness of another life I was shaken to the core of my very soul by a loud whaling coming up the hall. It was a woman. One who was very deeply grieved. She was anguishing in a way that I had never before. Her baby had been born and had died the day before my Louisa had been born. Louisa herself had come into this life very blue, in distress, with the cord wrapped twice around her little neck. She was resuscitated and was given life. I was so thankful to have her. To watch her sleep and to hear her cry. I will never forget the sounds of that day. I will always be thankful for her life. The life God gave and could easily have taken. What a precious gift. What a dear little soul our Lou is. Thank you Lord for your mercy to me!

2012/08/03

Skin of my teeth.

Tonight I was really wrestling with the idea of homeschooling next year. We are going to homeschool, don't fret your dear souls about it. But, I was really having a time of doubting. Seeking out Jake's bank of wisdom is always the cure for such doubtful times. I was feeling anxious about the ability to homeschool. Are we really doing the right thing? Homeschooling is hard and each continuing year of it presents new challenges that never cease to amaze me. I often wonder how will I teach math well to a 2nd grader and a kindergartner and nurse a baby. When will there be time to play with a preschooler and counsel a junior high student through geometry. How will I fit a late night counsel with a needful teen and manage waking at least twice with a toddler in the middle of the night and still make the 0530 alarm for bible time?

What's awesome about the counsel my husband gave me is that I will do these things by the skin of my teeth. I asked Jake to show me where in the bible God's people made it by the skin of their teeth.. He reminded me of the widow and her son and the jar of oil that remained the same. God cared for them by giving the endless provision of oil and meeting the need of their sustenance of food. Their life stayed the same. They were poor, no man to care for them, and yet the daily allowance was all they needed. It was a long season of it. Their problems weren't solved in a day. Why should I think my woes and concerns will be addressed and resolved in a day? Am I not to cling to Christ? Of course I am. If I am to have any growth or to see any improvement in this pursuit of life it will be through the great provision of God, NOT through the great provision of Christie.

Next year, Colby needs to take Chemistry. The only co-op I know of that teaches it conflicts with online courses and demands a great deal of involvement from me. Colby doesn't want to take it online and I don't want that for him. So, what's a mom to do? Pray of course. Trust of course. Not worry.. of course! You too could pray for me.

Silas also starts school this year. So that's 6 kids in school. They are still going to be nourished far more than they would if they sat in a class with 24 peers and a faithless soul to guide them. They will be loved and disciplined by the woman who cares more for them than any other in the world. They will not be ostracized or condemned for their faith in Christ. They will be trained to think well and to view this fleeting life with a biblical world view. They will persevere and like their mother will sometimes make it by the skin of their teeth. The comfort in this is that by the skin of their teeth means clinging to Christ. We will laugh much. We will sing much. We will marvel at this place that God has called us to be. At the end of the day we will gather round our table singing songs to our Lord most high and give a toast to the one who made us. To the one who finished the great work which needed to be done. Our Christ our Savior. The one we cling to the one we are saved by.