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The Thinking Well
Dec. 2, 2008
To stay or to go?
I saw this quote today and it made me smile.
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy - they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust
Lately, we've been thinking about a potential move. It was almost 2 years ago that we moved here to this house. We knew it had some issues and we knew that these issues would not be fixed, but we felt and still do, that this house was hand picked for us by God.
I am never very sure how to figure out God's will for me. Usually, I make a decision and hope for the best. Then the feedback tells me if I was right or wrong. Then I usually have to live with the consequences until it is feasable to make changes. This house could be one of those situations.
Really, we are blessed to be here. We have great neighbors. We have a nice situation, except for the winterizing and updating that need to be done. We've enjoyed being close to the Monon Trail. We've enjoyed the library more than words can say. The kids love it here. We have just enough.
So....we are supposed to go see a house this week. Friends of ours are moving out of state and I have always liked their house. They would feel better about moving, knowing a trusted friend is caring for their beloved home. We are all praying about it. It would be closer to church and work. It is a little larger and in much better shape than this house. It is also on the Monon Trail, just a about 5 miles south of where we are now. It actually borders the trail. It is also closer to my parents. And it would be the same price as here because this is a more expensive area, which sometimes depresses me. Living here among the advantaged, prices of everything are more expensive. I drive to another town to buy groceries cheaper.
So...if it is His will for us, then let it be so. I am content to stay or go. Pray for us all to have wisdom in this situation. I appreciate all prayers so much. Thank you.
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Dec. 2, 2008
things i did
Posted By Brooksie
hey guys,wanted to tell you a funny story my mom my sisters and my grandma were visiting my great grandma and when we were leaving my mom was helping my mom buckle my sister and my grandma thought my mom was in her seat so she started backing out with my mom hanging there,hahaha. we also went and saw BOLT,that was a good movie, i really want to see madagascar 2.well please look at my pictures,i have realy cool ones. well will post soon.
Brooksie
p.s.please give me your webkinz kind,names,b-days,likes, freind,and other stuff i want to compare yours with myn.see ya. |
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Dec. 2, 2008
Webkinz and such
Posted By Brooksie
Hey everyone!sorry i didn't post for thanksgiving,i was busy at grandparents,today is my penguin eddie's b-day.WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.also today i get .......... PRINCE CASPIAN THE MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!YAAAAAAAA. that is good news,but i have bad news too,last night my dolls alex,and josefina were competing against nellie(lovepuppys doll) and ruthie(mims doll).ruthie went first then alex,then nellie,then JO. as jo was doing her last spin,.....her arm, fell off! i coudn't believe it. but she is okz now. cause my dad took her head off (to get to where the arm was) and then he put her head back on (more securely.)so now all she has to do is,my dad is going to jo-anns to get the kind of stuff she had in her arm(before it broke i think it was a rope kind of thing,where there were two objects i can't describe the objects,the rope was inbetween it and when i swung it it was spinned up too much so it broke.)and my dad will put her arm back on,so i am glad, well comment me and tell me your webkinz,and their likes,b-day,freind,and other.so i can compare yours to mine.
p.s.also comment mims cause she is feeling down cause her polar bear caleb is lost,he may be at our house,or my grandparents(their house is really big.so leave her comments too. |
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Dec. 1, 2008
So far, so good
So far, Noah hasn't gotten sick. Hannah, Matthew, Timothy, David, and Sarah did get sick, but they are finally feeling better. They all got sick within 48 hours of when Mary Faith and I got sick, so by tomorrow morning I'm thinking we should be in the clear if no one else gets sick in the night. Looks like Sarah will be having a great birthday tomorrow!!
William has a cast iron constitution and never gets sick, but Jeff and Noah staying healthy can only be the result of divine intervention. Noah gets everything, and Jeff did so much cleaning up after sick little ones that he was thoroughly exposed. (Yes, you read that right. Mr. Amazing Husband was worried that I might get reinfected and get sick again, so he insisted that I stay in bed with Mary Faith all Saturday night while he got up with sick children over and over and over. Every time he got up I prayed that God would protect him and bless him for his faithful servant's heart.)
Now Mr. Amazing Husband wants to get in bed and watch Wallee (is that how you spell it??) so I need to go. :-) He rented it for the children to watch once they were at that stage where they were feeling somewhat better but were too tired and weak to do much. They laughed all of the way through it and said it was great, so I promised Jeff to watch it with him.
Blessings,
Kate |
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Nov. 30, 2008
Sunday Comics
Posted By Lou's Crew
Chinese, Anyone????
Today, while relaxing after Sunday dinner, Laura Faith began to draw on the mini magna-doodle. She asked Bill to draw a horse. After a brief inspection, she took the pen and commenced to add to his artwork. Bill looked at her drawing and told her that horses don’t have beards. Being the ever brilliant 5-year-old, she quickly responded, “Oh, that’s not his beard. That’s his low mane”. |
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Nov. 29, 2008
Please pray for us all
Thanksgiving night Mary Faith woke up throwing up and continued to do so all night. I got sick a few hours after she did, but managed to fight it off for a few hours. (I even went out for the early AM Christmas sales with my mom, hoping that I wasn't really getting sick, but I had to come home before long as I couldn't fight it off any more.) This was some of the worst stomach flu I've ever had, and I am just now feeling like being out and about - but NOT eating more than a nibble here and there. Mary still obviously feels icky and is having loose stools every few hours.
I figured that Mary Faith and I both caught this at the hospital, and since we stayed away from everyone else, I hoped that we had contained the bug . . . but poor sweet David just started throwing up.
PLEASE pray that this bug will somehow stop with David. Obviously it would be terrible if Noah got it, and he would probably end up in the hospital. On a more personal note, Tuesday is Sarah's 6th birthday and we don't want anyone sick on her big day! We had planned to have all of the family over today for a turkey dinner and to decorate our tree, but we didn't even get a tree because Mary Faith and I were so sick. We decided to do it all on Sarah's birthday instead - make it a big day - get the tree, decorate it with family, have dinner with everyone, do cake and presents, etc.
These children missed so much last December with Noah being in the hospital most of the month. Sarah spent her birthday in the hospital and I really, really wanted to make this birthday extra-special for her. I know that it can be special in ways other than how I had planned, but boy oh boy - I don't want anyone sick that day!!
It can be hard to surrender plans like that to the Lord and leave them in His hands - - but I know that there is no better place to put my hopes and dreams, knowing that He can redeem the things that seem wrong, broken, or sad to us. It doesn't stop me from asking for prayer for healing and protection, but it gives me confidence to trust in whatever outcome we see!
Blessings,
Kate |
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Nov. 28, 2008
Let Freedom Reign.....
Posted By Lou's Crew
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As homeschoolers we have the opportunity to learn at any given moment. We don’t have to stick to a “program” or “what the book says”. At this time we’re studying the American Revolution. We’ve taken quite a bit of time on this time period, as I want the children to know that this wonderful country that they live in wasn’t just “handed” to them. It was bought with a price. Untold numbers have lost their lives, shed their blood, so that we can be free.
We recently had the honor of hearing a 93 year old Holocaust survivor tell her incredible story. God delivered her from the hands of the Nazis on eight separate occasions. She has also written a book detailing her escapes from her tormentors. It gave me chills to read it. In response to that particular time period, we looked up concentration camps, gassing houses, torture chambers, etc. that Hitler employed in his attempt to rid the world of God’s chosen people. I shutter as I think of those innocent people being tortured for simply being Jewish. Millions and millions being led to gas chambers. Others standing in the snow with every bone in their bodies protruding from their starved skeletons. The horrors that we can not possibly imagine. Then…
Allied troops. Forces across the oceans that see a need for deliverance. A wicked duress oppressing the masses. More violence. Massive bloodshed again in the form of war tragedies. Sons dying for the cause of freedom until this wicked dictator and his followers are destroyed.
Flashback…2000 years. God in Heaven sees the creation He made. The Trinity look down on a people oppressed, tortured, without hope. A wicked duress oppressing the masses. Millions upon millions led astray to horrors that are unimaginable. Then…
Jesus steps on the scene. War ensues with more violence and bloodshed. The Son tortured, maimed beyond recognition, dying for the cause of freedom until this wicked dictator and his followers are destroyed.
Just as the Allied Forces looked upon Hitler and the Nazi Regime, Christ saw a world helpless against the forces of sin and Satan. He stepped forward to shed His blood so that His creation, the mankind created in His image, could be delivered from an eternity in hell and torment. Free to live in His Heaven where sickness, pain, disappointment, heartaches, tears, death, all things contrary are unknown and peace reigns forevermore.
With the uncertainties accompanying the recent election, we can rest assured that Jesus our Redeemer sits confidently on the Throne. He has bought us, we are His, and our redemption draweth nigh. He will come across the ocean of skies in the not so distant future to call us to our eternal rest where the threat of persecution will be no more. What a glorious future we have in store!
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Nov. 27, 2008
Home
We got home last night but I haven't had time to update 'til now. :-) Noah still has some swelling in his left hand, but x-rays confirmed correct placement/function of his new broviac. The swelling is probably due to scar tissue reducing the blood return from his arm. (scar tissue fron previous broviacs) The fact that the swelling is slowly improving means his beautifully designed body is actually finding a way around the scarring and obstruction!
I can't write more now - Noah is sleeping in my lap and it's alnost impossible to type.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Blessings,
Kate |
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Nov. 25, 2008
Out of surgery
Noah's surgery was uneventful and uncomplicated - the very best kind! We had our absolute all-time favorite nurse anesthetist. She has an incredible sense of compassion for these little ones and she really loves Noah. She will not take him out of pre-op holding until he has had PLENTY of versed, and she won't let him leave the OR until she has ensured that he won't be in pain when he wakes up. There is always a huge difference when we get her! Unfortunately for us (but very fortunately for others), she does a lot of medical missions trips to volunteer in assorted third world countries, so sometimes we don't get her. I wasn't sure if she was in or out of the country right now and was mighty pleased to see her walk in.
For the first time ever, Noah didn't even whimper when she took him from me. He was absolutely spaced out from the versed LOL. He also woke up in recovery with a totally calm and peaceful demeanor. The nurse said that if he started to look worried, she would remind him that Mommy was on the way, and then he would totally relax. As soon as he saw me he started calling for me, then fell asleep as soon as I picked him up.
He had a long rest in his room but is up and playing now. He is on an emotional roller-coaster right now, pinging from happy to furious with no warning, but I guess that is understandable considering the day he had and the pain meds he is on.
There is one concern about the new broviac. It is to the left of center in his chest and the insertion incision is up on his left shoulder area. Since he has been up, his left hand has started swelling fairly dramatically. It is possible that the broviac is interfering with circulation to his hand or is sending some of the fluids to his hand. The surgeon took a look at it and wants us to keep a close eye on it. I really don't know what they will have to do if there is indeed a problem.
In response to the reader who asked if Noah was possibly cured and the surgery was unnecessary . . . well, I would love it if that would happen, and God is certainly capable of doing anything, but Noah's condition is caused by a genetic defect. Every cell in his body contains this defect. Seeing Noah "cured" would be akin to seeing someone with Down's Syndrome just suddenly get their chromosomes corrected and have the Down's Syndrome go away. It isn't at all possible for Noah to be cured outside of a major-league miracle. (Again, God CAN do that, but doesn't tend to work that way.) This surgery was to give Noah a new broviac (central line) so that he can get the fluids and nutrition he needs to survive. All weekend and yesterday he had nothing but IV sugar water, and the effects on Noah were profound. It gave him a trial to see if he would eat more without TPN, and it gave his liver a couple of days vacation. Noah didn't eat more - it isn't that he needs a better appetite. The problem is that our guts require massive amounts of energy to function, and Noah's disease prevents him from making enough energy. His gut does not work well enough for him to use it for nourishment. There is no test to see if Noah still needs surgery, since his condition is on a genetic/cellular level.
Yes, Noah has been feeling lots better, and the **infection** that caused the loss of the line is cured - but his underlying condition is not cured. It is progressive and is not compatible with living a long life. We are blessed to have him, we rejoice in the gift that he is, and we do all that we can to be sure that he is as healthy and comfortable as possible for as long as possible.
To me, Noah is a living, breathing, undeniable proof that we could not possibly be the result of evolution. Noah's condition - the gut problems, the cardiomyopathy, the neurological issues, the hypertension, the immune system issues, the failing bone marrow, the autonomic nervous system issues, etc. are the result of a TEENY TINY problem - in short, his electrons don't move correctly in his cells. The problem is on such an amazingly minute level. If that teeny tiny problem in his cells can wreak such unspeakable havoc in his body, HOW COULD WE HAVE HAPPENED BY CHANCE??? How could random chance and evolution get so much perfectly right when the smallest mistake in our cellular makeup would kill us? Just food for thought . . . .
I'll update again when we know more about his broviac/swelling issues, or just update tomorrow. Thank you all for your continuing prayers and amazing ministry of encouragement to us.
Blessings,
Kate |
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Nov. 25, 2008
Waiting for Thanksgiving
Posted By Mims
American Girl doll lovers,
We are getting ready to go to my grandparents for thanksgiving! Ruthie and Kirsten are waiting very impatiently to go! They like the food the best!
What's your Thanksgiving tradition?
Comment me and tell me!
Toodles
MIMS |
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