May. 12, 2008
A beautiful challenge
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Hi there faithful friends, I just read this article and found it to be so encouraging to see a family choose life. Especially a family that is "out there" in the world. Well, read and enjoy! Love, Maggie P.S. This article was found on www.AlbertMohler.com Welcome to the World, Trig Paxson Van PalinPosted: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 1:49 am ET
Governor Palin has already made a mark on the political scene. A high school basketball star and beauty queen, she was elected Alaska's governor in 2006. She is often mentioned as a potential running mate for Sen. John McCain. The Palins' other children include Track, their oldest son, who now serves in the U.S. Army. They also have three daughters, Bristol, Willow, and Piper. Trig made news long before he was born, as Alaska's citizens learned that their governor was pregnant. Then, for the Palins, the story got more complicated. This past December, Sarah Palin was told that her baby was likely to have Down syndrome -- just one extra chromosome. As the Associated Press reports: The doctor's announcement in December, when Palin was four months pregnant, presented her with a possible life- and career-changing development. "I've never had problems with my other pregnancies, so I was shocked," said Palin. "It took a while to open up the book that the doctor gave me about children with Down syndrome, and a while to log on to the Web site and start reading facts about the situation." When he was told, Todd Palin quickly said, "We shouldn't be asking, 'Why us?' We should be saying, 'Well, why not us?'" The Palins never considered aborting the baby. That means that Trig Palin is now is a very rare group of very special children, because it is now believed that the vast majority of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome before birth are being aborted. Modern diagnostic tests are driving a "search and destroy mission" to eliminate babies judged to be inferior, disabled, or deformed. Some experts now believe that up to 90 percent of all pregnancies diagnosed as having a likelihood of Down syndrome end in abortion. Back in 2005, ethicist George Neumayr commented: "Each year in America fewer and fewer disabled infants are born. The reason is eugenic abortion. Doctors and their patients use prenatal technology to screen unborn children for disabilities, then they use that information to abort a high percentage of them. Without much scrutiny or debate, a eugenics designed to weed out the disabled has become commonplace." The Palins would not even consider aborting their baby. "We've both been very vocal about being pro-life," Governor Palin said. "We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential." She loves her baby boy and is proud of him. "I'm looking at him right now, and I see perfection," Palin told the Associated Press. "Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?" Some ethicists now go so far as to argue for a "duty" to abort a baby with a Down diagnosis. This is an assault upon the dignity of every human being. The fact that so few Down syndrome babies now make it to birth is a sign that America is making its own pact with the Culture of Death.
He will face some unique challenges, but he has a loving family who will face those with him. They will learn together the wonder and beauty of a Down syndrome child and will learn to see the glory of God in his trusting face. Mothers Day 2008 is certain to be a special day in the Alaska Governor's Mansion. What an unspeakable tragedy that so many other homes will have aborted that joy. Welcome to the world, Trig Paxson Van Palin. Your very existence defies the Culture of Death and gives us all hope. |
A little boy with an extra chromosome was born on April 18. His name is Trig Paxson Van Palin and his new home is the Alaska Governor's Mansion in Juneau. His mom is 
Trig Paxson Van Palin has an extra chromosome, two proud and loving parents, four very happy siblings, and he will bring his own joy to untold numbers of lives.May. 4, 2008
Cindy Update #7
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Hi gang, Here are the latest updates on Cindy. I haven't heard anything in the past day or so, but no news is good news. The following updates were sent to me from a friend of the family and nanny. Thank you for continuing to pray. Cindy is continuing to improve everyday. She makes more and more noises as time goes on. She is also showing several signs of stage 4. The morning that she was suppose to move into the rehab center, they called and said they would no longer admit here. No reason given. Needless to say, even if they decide to change their minds, they will not be sending her to that center, due to unprofesionalism =( So obviously, that was not God's will for her to go there! Therefore, she is still at Walter Reed, they are now just doing a couple more things to move along her recovery, so that she can improve enough to get into another type of rehab center (where she would not require as much care.) They removed her traech. tube. She sometimes still has difficulty breathing, but for the most part is doing well. The big obstacle now is getting her to cough and swallow effectively. She is doing both now, but needs to be doing them better in order to send her to the other type of rehab centers. This is because these types of centers do not have respitory specialist like the one that she was going to go to. Grandma Choo Choo and David went and looked at 2 possible rehab centers last week. There is no date set to leave Walter Reed yet. Nore have they decided which one they will send her to, and then they still have to accept/admit her. They have also begun to do more physical therapy with her arms and legs. This is important to keep them active until she can get into full time therapy at one of the rehab centers. David does a final walk through on the house on the 29th and he will sign and we will move in on the 1st. He will also finish the paper work for the girls' school tommorrow (the 29th.) So....big week, moving and starting school! Please pray....it seems as if everyone is getting tired. But really everything is going about as well as it can be =) Hey I know I just sent one out yesterday, but I have some good uplifting news, so I figured I should share: Cindy has had a great day: she has been breathing all day without oxygen and is still at 96% which is great. She sneezed this morning. They removed her tube that feeds her food periodically all throughout the day. They still feed her through her stomach, but only at certain times, to prepare for eating normally again. She has moved her left foot a lot today, which normally does not move as much as the right. Another lady from Bolling came to visit her today. She brought some beautiful flowers. She also got to hear Maria talk to her on the phone. If anyone wants to talk to her, let me know, and I will try to set up a time. Cindy has cried several times in the last couple of days and shows faces of confusion, anger, and sadness...we hope this is stage four. The very next day I received this: Everyone has had a really good day. David went for the final walk through on the house and everything went well. The Realtor is a Christian, and said that she has told so many people at her church about the Garrett's and their situation. She said that if he wanted her to, she would get a group of 20-25 people together to come help clean up the house. Maggie Duke's brother, Frank, and sister-in-law, Whitney, have also offered to help in anyway they can. They only live a couple of minutes from the new house. I had dinner with them last week. It was fun! David also went to the girls' school today. He found out that everyone says that Isabella's teacher is the funnest in the whole school. She also has a variety of 5 or 6 languages to pick from, Japanese being one of them. Allie's teacher is very sweet and has already told the class that she is coming and they are all very excited, especially the girls in her class. The girls have to get physicals on Monday and then they start Tuesday morning. Although Allie is scared, she is excited about the fact that the school has a pond with a real live turtle named "speedy." Allie spent the night here last night with her dad. She helped him and the nurses do a lot things. The nurses were impressed with her caring ways. They wanted to wake her up this morning to see if she wanted to help them give her mommy a bath! We call her nurse Garrett now! Love to you all, Maggie |
Apr. 17, 2008
Cindy update #6
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Hi there, I had a quiet moment this evening and wanted to let you all know the latest on Cindy and her family. She is no longer classified in a coma and is at stage 3 on the Ranchos de los Amigos scale of brain trauma recovery. You can google that title and find lots more information. Basically, she's starting to wake up and can follow basic commands very well. (Simple things like blinking and moving feet or hands- not huge actions or terribly revealing, but significant.) We're still not sure of her cognitive abilities, but she seems to recognize her family and is registering different emotions. The doctors down-sized the tube in her trachea which has allowed her to start making some noises. (She is breathing on her own through the trache tube.) She will be heading to a rehabilitation center in Northern Va. before too long. Also, David was able to buy a house just around the corner from where I grew up. Small world, heh? The girls will be starting school next week at the local Elementary school just a few minutes from their new home. Please pray for godly peers and Christian teachers. I know David is grateful for the house and with a fully finished basement apartment, it seems a perfect match for them since they might need some additional help for a while. So, all in all, we continue to be so thankful to the Lord for His kindness to us all and healing touch in Cindy's life. There is still a very steep path to climb and no guarantees about the future except that He is totally in control and His ways are excellent. Honestly, what more do we really need to know? Much love to you and yours, Maggie |
Apr. 14, 2008
What does she do over there??
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I know this must be a burning question in all your minds! Cyber-silence and blog-inactivity seem to mark my life lately. All of you know that after Samuel was born in November, we continued to entertain, on more than off, through mid-December. Our hospitality efforts culminated in a farewell party for our dear nanny of two years, JoAnna. Many tears were shed as she departed from our family on December 13th, but we know that the Lord has wonderful plans for her and we simply can't be selfish and have to share her with her family back in Oregon;) We miss her greatly, but talk often and enjoy watching her put to work and ministry the skills she picked up living with us. Is great to see how the Lord perfectly equipped her to come to us two years ago and now to go home and care for her family as she shifts into the next season of her life. The week after Jo left, Darren also traveled for a week to Italy. I must say that was a challenge. It had only been a scant three weeks since Sammy's arrival via C-section, and I was easily exhausted and rather sore. Thank goodness for Christmas break!!! Good books, simple dinners (prepared by my oldest children) and lots of time spent horizontal helped the recovery greatly. January began yet another season in our lives. Not only was I the sole teacher in our little school, but Darren began working on a task given by the President to the Sec. of State to monitor the Roadmap to Peace. We chuckle that this is certainly a dubious honor! It's fun to be part of history (whether it succeeds or not, aside). I do have to admit that any busyness I thought we had before is NOTHING compared to the fast pace of life now. If Darren gets home for dinner by 9pm, we're thrilled-11pm is more the norm. Whenever the general is in town (the one who works directly for Condi) Darren has to stay in J-lem for the duration of his visit. Occasionally, I plan to slip up and spend the night in the hotel with my sweety. Although he's very busy, we're usually able to catch a late dinner. We've been able to pull this off once so far, with hopes of future getaways. January also brought a wonderful visit with Grace's best friend from the States, Katy(aliveagain13). We were able to surprise Grace and they had a WONDERFUL time together for the four weeks Katie had with us. We're so grateful to Kate's parents for the trust they put in us to send their precious girl all this way!!! (You can "meet" her delightful family by hopping over to "My dear friend Sheila" 's link on the sidebar.) We have lots of pictures to prove the fun we had and one day I'll fix a slide show to prove it;) The pictures are uploaded to Shutterfly, just awaiting my attention! The day before Katy left, February 13th, Cindy was in the car accident. (This was one day after Darren's grandfather died, so Darren was on a very brief trip home for the funeral.) Once again, life turned on a dime and the next three and a half weeks were spent caring for this dear family and overseeing meals, schooling, etc... Of course, I was not alone in these efforts and am grateful for all the help and for the opportunity to serve and love Cindy in this way. The day Cindy's family left for the States, my mom and sister-in-law arrived for a 10 day visit. We had a great time touring this fantastic country. The Garrett's nanny and now close friend, Renee, blessed us all by hanging with my little peeps during all my jaunts around the country side so we were able to see much of Israel in a short time. Thanks to dear Short (another homeschoolblogger buddy) for her amazing tour of Jaffa! Oh, and in the middle of all the touring (literally) we stopped for a day to throw a nice- sized party here at the house with 40 of our dearest friends, to celebrate young Samuel's baptism. A pastor from the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland did the honors and it was great time. Somehow, all the details fell into place and there was more than enough food! Once again, dear Miss Short blessed us-this time with an amazing Topsy-turvy cake. And once again, a slide show will one day grant you, my dear patient readers, an insider's view. After Mom and Whitney left, we began school again in earnest. This was the first time since Jo left that I could really focus fully on the task of educating my precious children. Not that we hadn't been doing school all along, but records were behind and my older ones needed my checks and balances on a more regular basis. So here we are! We did have a run of strep throat among the boys in my family (Sam excluded), but all the antibiotics have been finished and everyone is recovered. The last bit of news is that Caleb was in a bike accident yesterday evening and broke his two front teeth in jagged halves. Aside from a sore little body, he's doing well today. An emergency visit to the pediatric dentist revealed only 2nd degree breaks (not to the root, thank goodness). Today, we'll be heading to the doctor for a check up, just to make sure he avoided a concussion. Oh, and sweet Dogberry will be taking a trip today to the vet to become a doggie eunic. He's blissfully unaware although I feel slightly guilty...like I'm leading a lamb to slaughter:) Oh well, I just hope he doesn't bark an octive higher on my account!! He does have a little medical issue that makes him at higher risk for cancer unless he's fixed, so this is for the best. Anyway, consider yourselves caught up! I think I've hit all the highlights and am working towards posting pictures here shortly, but now you all know why I've been rather quiet as a mouse over here. I'll write a separate post to update you on Cindy, but do keep praying for the Lord's healing hand. We're greatly thankful to Him for her recovery thus far, but the path ahead is long and steep and only He knows where it will lead. Thanks for putting up with my rambling writing style this morning. Please know that I appreciate and love each of you! Thankful to Him for all of you, Maggie |
Mar. 25, 2008
More good news!
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Hi there, I just wanted to let you know that I heard a few minutes ago of a few more praises on behalf of the Garrett family. First of all, the doctors are very pleased with the healing of her bones. As a matter of fact, her ribs have healed so well (remember that 22 out of 24 were broken) that she is now breathing on her own, without the respirator doing the work. I'm not sure if the trach tube has been removed or just capped, but either way, this is a significant praise. There is still such a huge mountain to climb, but we take each little step as a gift from the Lord. His and yours, Maggie |
Mar. 25, 2008
Happenings in the Duke household - and another Cindy update
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Dear Blog buddies, I'm so sorry that I haven't written in a month or so. Life has been making my head spin what with care for the Garrett family and then a wonderful visit from my mom and sister beginning the day the Garretts left. Now we have a house full of sickies (well, at least a few of us have sniffles but it sure feels like a full house!). One of these days I'll post an entry about mom's trip, but for today, here's the latest update on Cindy and her family. Thank you for continuing to pray for these dear friends! Maggie P.S. Hop over to my dear husband's blog to see pictures of Sam's baptism. In case the link doesn't work (which has been a problem the last couple of times I've tried), Darren's blog address is :www.a1000tongues.com * * * * * * 16 Mar 08 "Sorry I haven’t written in a few weeks. We are now in Washington, DC. Cindy is in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Her immediate problems still have to do with the basic healing of a badly broken body. She is still on the ventilator as her ribs continue to heal. She has had multiple small surgeries since the late February update from Israel. A chest tube was reinserted to clear the fluid which continues to accumulate around her right lung. The y will go in with a scope and vacuum out a large accumulation of a soft clot tomorrow. She has also developed two blood clots in her arms (one superficial and one deep). She is on blood thinners and these are being monitored. The surgery on her neck has been postponed a month to allow the neck to heal on its own. That will be at the 8 to 9 week point since the accident. Hopefully, the surgery will be much less drastic and invasive than if performed after that first week in Israel. A coma is described on a scale from 1 to 15. 15 is normal and a 1 is with no responses to any stimulation. Cindy started out as a 3 and has progressed to a 9. She can open and close her eyes slowly, sometimes on demand. I really can’t tell if she hears or understands, though there are times when I know she does. She normally has a good day where she can blink an acknowledgement which is then followed by two days where she doesn’t respond and just seems tired. Her heart rate increases at the sound of voices. I don’t know if she can see…the nerve that actually sends the picture to the brain is different from the nerves that control sight (pupil dilation, focusing the lens, eye movement). She has little control over her eye movements, but her blinking has become symmetrical and she opens her eyes when familiar voices are heard. She now responds to pain and the doctors have her on a morphine drip. She has a feeding tube that goes directly into her stomach from outside her abdomen. She no longer has any tubes or hoses in her mouth or nose, and I know she is much more comfortable. She has a line in her arm which allows administration of drugs without damaging the vein. The occupational therapists and physical therapists work her over twice a day to keep her limber. Her cervical collar allows her to be rotated and turned every two hours. I am amazed at the care and attention to detail shown by everyone (the Israeli medical staff, the med evac team from Germany, and now the multitude of teams that treat Cindy here at Walter Reed). Let me assure everyone that any bad press you may have heard about Walter Reed has been nothing but sensationalism from some journalist, at least from what I’ve seen here. I thank the Lord every day for the professionalism, genuine caring attitude and high spirits exhibited by the men and women of Walter Reed. These guys are the best at what they do and I am so thankful that we are here. I will write more later. It has only been a month, and Cindy is making improvements each week. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Thank you for all your help and prayers. Please feel free to call me at **********. I am looking for a good school district and advice on where to buy/rent in the DC/Virginia area. May God bless each of you, David" |
Feb. 24, 2008
A Prayer Update
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Dear Ones, Here is an update on my friend Mama G. I just quoted part of an update that Daddy G. sent out the other day. Please keep praying! Warmly, Maggie "C. Update 22 Feb 08 Dear Family and Friends, Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement. Please forgive the bluntness of my comments... it's easier for me to think like a doctor than a husband right now. C. is holding her own physically... her blood pressure, pulse and oxygenation are good. She will be on a ventilator until her broken ribs heal (22 broken). On the second day, she could respond with movements to commands that included both hands and feet. There are no fine motor skills, yet. After her second surgery, she had used about ninety units of blood total. She has since slipped into a coma and does not respond to commands, but does respond to pain. Her internal bleeding has stopped and no longer requires donor blood. The doctors are encouraged that her spinal chord is intact, but the real concern is just how much damage there is to her brain stem. Her broken pelvis, clavicle, scapula and cervical vertebrae will be operated on as healing permits starting with the neck. My mom and cousin J. just arrived and C.'s parents arrive on Sunday, late because of a bad case of the flu that rendered them unable to travel. They are feeling the added stress and I ask you to please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. The situation could worsen at any time. C. is battling a fever that I'm told is common. Her brain just needs time to settle down... the doctors tell me that three or four weeks is a common time to sleep in the average case. I have been told that this is not an average case. But then again, they told me she could not make it through the first night and she proved them wrong. I postponed the Thursday surgery after learning that it was not urgent , and that further healing and reduced swelling now could lead to more mobility later and possibly a reduced time that she's in a coma. I continue to pray for wisdom." *I have abbreviated names for security sake. |
Feb. 20, 2008
Something on the lighter side
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Hi friends, We all know how life can kind of hand us the unexpected at times? Thankfully, we all know that ultimately these unexpected events are not surprises to our sovereign God, but that doesn't mean we're not caught off guard. This past week have been a prime example! A few weeks my wonderful girlfriend, Nancy (the marathon runner of a post way back when), recommended a great site to me. It's called "Saving Dinner.com" and I can't recommend it enough. Each week, I sit down and plan out my menus and shopping list. It takes a bit of time, but I love caring for my family in this way. The great thing about this site is that they do it for you. Each week you receive a grocery list, menu and recipes in your email. I've done this now for two weeks and both my kids and hubby have LOVED everything I fix. It was so helpful late last week when I discovered that I'd have unexpected company to be able to switch to auto pilot to prepare and serve tasty and nutritious meals to everyone. Also, a dear friend offered to do my grocery shopping for me in the middle of everything. Thankfully, I could just print off my grocery list, tweak it a bit, and give it to her. So nice!! Anyway, without further delay, if you need to save a few minutes each week and/or liven up your family dinners, look here. Enjoy your families and hug them close! Maggie |
Feb. 19, 2008
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
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Hello, dear friends, It's been a couple of days since I posted anything. Trust me, no news is good news at this point. I was able to go hang out with Big Sis on Saturday for a few hours. She looks great and although she's stiff and sore, her other injuries are healing nicely. In fact, she was released yesterday (Tuesday) to recover at home. Daddy G. then took me over to see Mama G. and visit with her for a little bit. She looked better than I thought she might. She was so far from my vibrant, smiling, bubbly friend, that I somehow struggled to wrap my brain around the fact that this was my friend. Thank you for your prayers. I was able to keep my emotions in check and hopefully encourage her soul by hearing that her sweet girls are doing so well and being taken care of. I had tried to think of some of the things we'd done with Allie and funny things said and done. I also read her a Psalm and chattered away for about 20 minutes. Maybe it wasn't even that long or maybe it was longer. When you are carrying on a monologue, it's hard to tell. Here's the good news-shes' still having responsive periods where she follows simple commands. She's not opening up her eyes and looking around at anyone, but she can move her limbs and shows some cognitive abilities. She seems to be slipping into a deeper sleep state, but this is a tender mercy considering her injuries. That, and the fact that she does have a broken neck in a couple of places. That she isn't paralized is amazing! I think the doctors are going to do surgery on Thursday to fuse her neck in place to prevent her from further damage. I'm not sure what they will have to do with her fractured skull, but only one thing can be dealt with at a time. Another very encouraging thing is that she grimaced yesterday when one of the doctors or nurses were doing something that was uncomfortable. Up to this point, her face hasn't registered any emotion. Daddy G.'s mom arrives today and Mama G's parents arrive tomorrow. This should be a great diversion for the kids. I know it's been horrible for all the parents to have to wait a whole week to travel. How awful to have one of your children so seriously hurt and not be able to get to them. Anyway, do continue to pray. It is absolutely amazing to see how far she has come under the circumstances. I've never heard of any one being this injured and surviving. I can't even keep accurate track of all the broken bones! The first responders did an amazing job of keeping her alive. Pray today especially for her family, her daughters, and the surgery tomorrow. I think that Big Sis may be especially struggling. Naturally. Please pray for great wisdom for all of us and especially their nanny as she has to step into more of an authority figure under such difficult circumstances. On our home front, we're all fine. Just tired-physically and emotionally. Well, at least mommy is:) My sweety should be home late tonight. Although I'm sure his office work will be unusually hectic after being away from the office for a week, it will be so nice to at least have him next to me in bed at night! The kids have been keeping up with school but I'm woefully behind in record keeping and literature discussions. Warmly and thankful for your commitment to pray, Maggie |
Feb. 16, 2008
Mercy Anew Each Morning
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Dear Faithful Friends, Not much new to report. (For ease and perhaps security, I'm going to use the terms Mama G., Daddy G. Big Sis and Lil' Sis from here on out). That Mama G. has come this far is a HUGE blessing and praise. She's still stable. We haven't had any calls through the night and at this point, no news is good news. There is still the ability to communicate slightly which is amazing and I'm sure the greatest comfort to Daddy G. Lil' Sis went to the hospital yesterday for the first time to visit Big' Sis. Daddy was with them as well and again showed such wisdom from the Lord as he spent sweet time with his girls and gently prepared little hearts for an uncertain future. It's a bit like peeling an onion, layer by layer, and the Lord is equipping him perfectly. I stayed home with my little brood and took a nap! I have had trouble resting deeply this week and the Lord gifted me with not only a lovely nap, but also a great night's sleep next to my sweety! Yes, Darren came home safely around 8 pm last night from his grandfather's funeral. He was scheduled to leave right away for J-lem for work (the General he works for is in town) but after re-packing and going to the Embassy to collect all he needed for the near week away, he decided to sleep in his own bed and get up early this morning to go. What a sweet blessing. I felt like I could curl up under his protective covering and sleep with abandon all night. Samuel woke once to eat, but that's sweetness to my soul (so long as we only get up once;-) So, for this morning, please pray for the following: ~Continued healing of Mama G.'s body-head to toe ~Great wisdom from the doctors (Israel has some of the finest, so she is in great hands) ~Continued wisdom, stamina and comfort for Daddy G. ~That the "what if..." and "if only I..." questions would be thrown away where they belong. ~Continued peace, joy and well, down-right fun, for Lil' Sis ~I'm hoping to visit with Mama G. in the next couple of days (and Grace with Big Sis)- that I would bring words of comfort and encouragement that she needs to hear. I firmly believe Mama G. is more aware of what is going on around her than her body can show right now. My emotions certainly need to be capped when I visit with her and comfort lavished. ~ Travel arrangements and good health to her parents and Daddy G'.s mom as they begin to try to make their way sometime this week. Illness and other issues have made it impossible to travel immediatly. This delay must be torture... So, that's all I can think of for this morning. I can't tell you how much we all appreciate and feel your prayers. My ability to rest and feel completely refreshed this morning should alone encourage you that He is using your prayers for great blessing!! Well, I'm off to make Cinnamon Stickies for a big breakfast. We decided to have a big breakfast and family worship to shield Lil' Sis just a bit longer from the extended community. I hear rustling in the kitchen so I'd best get to it!! Love and thankfulness to you all, maggie |
Feb. 15, 2008
Like Withering Grass
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Dear Friends, We think we know what life holds from one moment to the next but we really don't, do we? Two days ago I took Grace and her best buddy from the States out for a special desert and a local restaurant, along with my youngest daughter,Sara her best buddy, Allie, along with their house guest/short term Nanny. Allie is the only other homeschooled kiddo in the Embassy and our families are very close. Her mom and I chose the same curriculum so we could back each other up and support each other. Little did we know. During the course of the meal, I received a phone call from the Embassy looking for Allie's Daddy, Dave, and I was told there had been an accident. I had just talked to Cindy who was going to bring their daughter Isobella to a doctor's appointment in a city 20 minutes away. I reassured my friend who called that we had Allie taken care of. We prayed for the situation, not knowing how serious it was, while Allie and Sara happily played nearby. None of the younger children knew that anything had happened. To make a very long story short (I have a fussy baby needing my attention), Cindy and Isobella were in a terrible accident and although Isobella has sustained rather minor injuries (slight tear to her liver and slight concussion), her mommy is dire. Head trauma and internal bleeding are the most critical although she has numerous bones that are waiting to be set and dealt with as she stablizes. At first the doctor's gave no hope. As of last night when Dave came here for dinner and to tell Allie an 8 year old's dose of reality, the doctor's were pleased, no AMAZED, to see some responsiveness. They were also able to go in for a second surgery to repair some more internal injuries. Things are still EXTREMELY critical despite this little bit of good news, but we're thankful for anything. Allie will be bunking in with us for as long as necessary. We're calling it a Dukie Marathon and she is thrilled about the prospect. I do have a great deal of help from the community here as support, but we are trying to keep her in a close circle right now since she doesn't know the full extent of injury or ramifications. Please pray for this dear family. We know that the Lord will do what is right, good and perfect. We also know that if He pleases, Cindy can be restored to full health. We naturally pray and hope for this outcome. We also pray for the girls, for extended family and for their witness in an unbelieving world. I also pray that I can provide a stable,comforting and joyful environment for little Allie, as she begins to deal with something so difficult. Oh, yeah, and I also ask you to pray for those familiar friends we call stamina and rest!! Cindy's life has not withered away at this point, and we are so thankful for this. This incident has caused me to once again stop and take account of all those little things in life that cause me frustration and see my days and hours for what the really are...fleeting gifts from the Lord. Gifts that are given to me to lavish on those around me for His sake. Let us all keep our eyes on this reality! Well, sisters, I must apologize in advance for grammatical and spelling erroros or any other rough edges to this post. A skirmy little lad on my lap and a sleep deprived mama account for such things:) Lovingly, Maggie Please feel free to pass the word about this family. They need as many people praying for them as possible. |
Feb. 13, 2008
Some More on Amina
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Hi gang, Here's a great website for little Amina. The children's hospital is updating a daily a blog for her each day. She and her mommy are staying with a host family -a local pastor and his wife. It's so wonderful to see how the Lord is providing for them!! Take a look here and see for yourself: Vanderbilt Children's Hospital Hope you are having a great day. I will try to post something more personal soon, but to say that seven children (Beka's best friend is here from the States) and a dear husband on the move more than home, plus a busy puppy, ailing cat and five students to teach at home are keeping me busy is a vast understatement!!! Let's just say my goal is to cheerfully stay afloat each day:) Anything more is gravy!! Love, Maggie |
Feb. 12, 2008
Praise the Lord for a smooth surgery for Amina
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Dear Friends, Here is an update I received this morning concerning little Amina. "Amina's surgery was completed at about 12:15 PM CST, and she is doing great! Her fingers and toes are "pinking up" nicely. Dr. Christian, her surgeon, said she's very pleased with how it went. We all expected a much longer surgery, so God's power and wisdom was obviously with everyone involved. Now is the time for prayers of thanksgiving and for Amenah's steady recovery. She will be in the hospital about 10 days, and then in Nashville for about another 6 weeks. God is always good!" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ On a bitter sweet note, Darren's grandfather, Arthur, went to his eternal home yesterday. God gave him 89 wonderful years on this earth and he was lucid to the very end. His body had been rapidly failing over the past year, however, so this was not a surprise. I do ask you to pray for his dear wife, Helen, of 65+ years who will wake up today without him by her side. Through the loving dedication of their children, both were/are able to stay at home. Helen is currently going through chemotherapy for Lung Cancer and naturally weakened by it's effects. Both Arthur and Helen have been examples of two souls resting in Christ and seeking to honor Him in all the seasons of life. We're so thankful for the legacy they leave with us all. Darren is trying to fly out this evening for the funeral and then turning right around to return to assist with a week-long General officer's visit. I'd covet your prayers for traveling mercies for him and the stamina required for such a crazy period of time. "No rest for the weary and the righteous don't need none", right;) Lovingly and ever thankful for your prayers, Maggie |
Feb. 11, 2008
Amina
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Dear Friends, Please keep praying for Amina. Her surgery is today, Monday the 11th. I'll let our friend who coordinated this effort in Iraq (the Marine-ohh raa) sum it up. All, Amina will have surgery tomorrow, Monday, 11 February. Please join me in praying for her and her doctors as they work. It is comforting at times like these to affirm the reality of a God who is sovereign over all things; all of my life experience adds a hearty “Amen” to this truth that Scripture so clearly proclaims. Semper Fidelis, KJ Lovingly, Maggie PS I'm off to the Galilee with Grace and her best buddy from the States. It should be a lovely day for touring:) |
Jan. 30, 2008
Operation Amina Update
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Hi all, Just a quick update on little Amina. She is safely in the US. Her travel went smoothly and both she and her mommy are being blessed by bunches of TLC. Unfortunately, Amina has developed an upper respiratory infection and is being treated for that before the surgery can be performed. Additionally, Amina's heart condition is far more serious than thought, and will require even riskier surgery and perhaps further surgery. Please continue to keep her in your prayers. We know that the Lord is in charge of all these things and we trust Him with the outcome. Pray especially that Amina's family would come to know the Ultimate Healer of Hearts. Below is the link where you can keep up to date with Amina: Operation Amina Darren didn't end up going to Jordan to assist in the border crossing. Red tape and a new job assignment at work prevented his travel. He's going to be VERY busy for the coming months. Much love to you all from very rainy Israel, Maggie |
Jan. 25, 2008
It's such an honor...
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to gather at the Throne and pray for one another. Here's an opportunity to do just that! Please pray for the Estes family and their precious little son, Noah. You can get to know them and join them in this journey of faith at www.homeschoolblogger.com/ourquiverfull/. (I tried to link you to it, but it didn't work.) Once you arrive at the site, there is an entry available to you to read by way of introduction to this precious family and baby Noah's condition. Hope you are having a wonderful day. Warmly, Maggie |
Jan. 14, 2008
And now for something totally silly!!
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Girls, for a glimpse into my wacky sense of humor, please click on this link and enjoy. (For those of you in the States, this commercial might be old news, but for me overseas, it was all new:) www.youtube.com/watch I think your kids will enjoy it, too. Have a joyful day! Maggie P.S. Here's one more that reminds me of what we mommies do on a daily basis. This commercial is several years old, but if you've never watched it, and even if you have, you'll notice new details everytime:) www.youtube.com/watch |
Jan. 14, 2008
Isn't it wonderful when...
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instead of fighting in a war, you get an opportunity to do something completely humanitarian instead? That's just what one friend of ours in Iraq is doing. In his work, as a US Marine stationed over there, he was introduced to a little girl in dire need of a life saving heart operation. Her name is Amina, and you can read her story here: Operation Amina Darren is planning on driving over to Jordan to assist in her travel from the Iraqi border to Amman. Please pray for traveling mercies as he drives from here to Iraq and back. It's about 1000 miles round trip and some of it is a bit like the wild west, if you know what I mean. We're very excited about helping out in any way possible. I'd also ask you to pray for this little girl, not only for the life-giving surgery she so desperately needs, but that she and her entire family, village and country would learn to worship the real Life-Giver. Love to you all, Maggie |
Jan. 8, 2008
A Long Overdue Check - In
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Hi there blog buddies! Greetings from the doctor's waiting room! A couple of my children have bad head colds this week resulting in secondary infections. Grace is the current victim with a severe middle ear infection. Poor girl!! You may be wondering how I'm writing to you from my current locale. Glad that you asked:) My Christmas and birthday gift from Darren and the children was an I-pod Touch. I must admit that when I first opened the box, I didn't have the faintest idea what I would do with such a fancy device. But now, I have to confess that I love this thing! Being able to check email, read blogs and glean from daily devotional material like that found in Elisabeth Elliot's website or the Operation World site are great blessings. Also, I have worship music and excellent sermons to listen to when I have the occasional quiet moment. What a sweet and nurturing husband I have! Other than caring for baby Samuel, who continues to bring us such great joy, life has continued on at it's usual pace. We did have a quiet week at Christmas , for which I'm so grateful. We've started back to school this week and although I am truly unable to get everything done that I'd like to achieve, things are going fairly smoothly. Once again, check out my dear husband's blog at www.a1000tongues.com for the newest pics. Much love to my few faithful blog buddies! Maggie |
Nov. 28, 2007
Welcome, Baby Samuel!!!
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Yes, dear friends, Baby Samuel was delivered safely by c-section on November 24th around 5:30 pm (Israeli time). The doctors decided that Samuel was getting too big to attempt a natural delivery and so we went ahead with the c-section. By the way, he did end up being 9 and a half pounds. A good bit over what they anticipated. Everything was great and it's wonderful to be home together as a family. I'll write more later, but for now, please jump over to Darren's site to see lots of pics of our precious little guy. You'll find them under his own little page. www.a1000tongues.com Thanks to all of you who have been praying for his safe arrival. We really appreciate it! We're both doing well and I'm recovering nicely from the surgery. Much love and thankfulness to Him for you all, Maggie |