Thankful Thursday

Do you see it?  Yep, that's a medical syringe that has found it's way into the play kitchen.  Thankful that they're slowly associating tube feedings with real food.

Playtime with friends who care deeply for one another and want to be close no matter how uncomfortable it is

Requested snack time- last week they asked for chips and goldfish; I gladly delivered

Blowing-we've been practicing for weeks on blowing (mostly for his oral motor development) and this boy finally made his flute whistle.

Holding hands:)

Journeying On,

Pinteresting

Yes, it's true....I do like a good browse through Pinterest every now and then.  Here's a recent attempt that at least added some color to my drop cloth. The end product found its way to a baby shower.

A little hard to see on this awesome sheet I stole from my mom ages ago:)

Journeying On,

Thankful Thursday

Yes, I realize its Friday.
However, I've had trouble keeping track of days this week, so in all honesty I thought yesterday was Wednesday for most of the day.  According to my clock, it's Thursday:)  Hoping my brain gets back on track with the rest of the world this weekend.

Oh the endless possibilities:)  I love playing with this stuff.

A new study; with old and new friends

Imaginations that make a table and blanket into a cave/tunnel/fort/tent

The immense privileged to hold tight to hope in Jesus Christ

Songs that speak great truth!

Journeying On,

Mended Heart

Addison had her heart surgery early Tuesday morning and it went great!

She enjoyed some pre-surgery silly's....

They inserted a coil in the hole that looks something like this....

And a little bit later she was back to normal....

A little too much back to herself actually.  Right before her surgery we were told that following the surgery she would need to keep her right leg completely straight and very still for six hours following surgery....seriously?!  Keep a two year old, in a new place, completely still and her leg totally straight for six hours?  We did our best, which wasn't that great.  Thankfully everything went smoothly and we were home by 10:30 the next morning.

Thank you so much for your prayers!  And praise to the Lord for hearing and answering them!

Journeying On,

Thankful Thursday

Beautiful Sun-breaking through rain clouds 

and allowing outside play in the middle of winter.

Sweet gift from a friend- blooms and conversation:)

Cheesy smiles-his cuteness helps me be a little better with the 

big boy haircut that I'm not so sure about

Instruments of art-especially if they are washable:)

Journeying On,

Matters of the Heart

I wouldn't say we are in the terrible two's; we have some battles, but they aren't terrible.  What is terribly heart breaking is watching my kids sit and weigh the consequences of disobedience and obedience then choose disobedience.  Yesterday both of my kids were sitting at their little table coloring; I was secretly watching from around the corner.  I watched my sweet, innocent full of sin nature, little girl look at the crayon in her hand, then at the wall.  She walked to the wall, pointed to it and told herself "no,no".  She turned to go back to the table, but she couldn't resist the temptation.  The wall met its match and lost (thankful for washable crayons).  Discipline followed and then I thought....

It's not a matter of knowing; of head knowledge.  Its a heart issue.  My kids know what is right and wrong (most of the time), but sometimes their hearts still choose the wrong.  But let me not be quick to judge.  My mind knows, even my heart knows.  But I hate that I still choose the wrong.  I know God desires me to be full of patience, compassion and grace, but my heart doesn't always respond this way.  Learning much from the little people in my house this week.

Addison doesn't just have a spiritual issue of the heart, she a physical issue of the heart.  It's been there since birth.  We've always known about it.  Although sometimes I must admit I have forgotten about it because there are no outward symptoms.  But there is still a heart issue there, and its time for it to be addressed.  So next week Addison with have a heart cath procedure to close the small hole (PDA).  She's schedule for first thing Tuesday morning and will spend the night to monitored and receive IV antibiotics.  The recovery is quick; able to return to normal activities the next day.  Even though its a textbook procedure that is done all the time, we would greatly appreciate your prayers.  We don't want to take God's protective, healing hand for granted in the lives of our children; and we desire even more over the next week.

Journeying On,

Thankful Thursday

 Tickle Fights

Ability to Laugh at Myself- dinner wasn't cooking fast enough so I threw the crock pot insert in the oven...too bad I didn't realize it had a plastic lid :) The next night I turned on the wrong eye of the stove and caught the bag containing dinner on fire.  Thankful our house is still in one piece with my cooking skills this week:)

Tender Heart-longing for his daddy to be home to play...I have much to learn from his longing heart that talks about his daddy every hour of the day.

Blood Work-NORMAL!!

Direct Words- a passage written to parents with young kids; to endure through "hard work, sleepless nights"

A week full of thanks; for the little and big!

Journeying On,

Divine Intervention

Today was blood work day for our little man.  I've come to expect no changes; normal blood counts for the past few months. I fully believe that God is giving us a season of health and rest, but I know it can last a few more weeks or years.  However, I would be lying if I said I had no concern taking him into his appointment today.

One possible explanation we had been given in the fall was that a viral infection triggered the rapid decline he experienced in the summer.  That a virus lowered his white count and then his healthy bone marrow cells just couldn't keep up and were overrun with Monosomy 7 cells.  A little over a week ago Ethan was really sick with a virus, which is what led to my concern as we walked into the office today.

The results: every number is perfectly normal!

As I talked with our doctor I asked him if he had any new thoughts or insights into Ethan's health (we haven't seen him since Ethan's last biopsy).  He explained that it was not due to the immune suppressant therapy he received in July, because that is all completely out of his body now.  And it seems now that a virus lowering his white blood count doesn't seem to trigger a relapse.  Then he continued by saying, "I'm not sure I'm allowed to say this as a medical professional, but right now I'm going with Divine intervention."

I told him absolutely he was allowed, and should say it.  I thanked him for acknowledging it; for sharing it with me.  He does not believe in Jesus, but he is seeing Jesus at work.

Last week I was begging for our family to be healthy and social again.  This week I am rejoicing that God used a couple of sick weeks to remove all doubt and any excuse that would be in the way of Him getting the glory for the mighty work he has done.

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord, glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
-Psalm 29:1-2

Journeying On,

Thankful Thursday

Tender Pictures- this a drawing of baby Jesus, 

drawn by Addison and shown off with great pride

Unexpected gifts- Dinner from sweet friends

Health Insurance- although it sometimes frustrates and consumes hours of my life sorting out, we are incredibly blessed to have such good health insurance

Passionate Hearts- been reading this book 

and thanking God for His faithful servants

 Healing- You probably don't recognize this little guy, 

but I posted about him a couple months ago

This is Brody, and the Lord has done some mighty works in his short life so far.  He is growing, breathing better and looking just stinkin adorable:)

Thankful for his progress; praying it continues

Journeying On,

Thankful Thursday

Yes, I know its Saturday...but better late than never right?:)

One of my hopes for 2012 is to find the little and big things in life and be thankful for them.  I have been attempting to document God's blessings to our family by writing them on cards and putting them in our faith box. However, I've found that I'm really only stopping to thank the Lord for the 'big' things, and I am slowly learning that the 'little' things deserve just as much thanks and recognition.  So, in 2012 I'll be spending each Thursday being thankful on my blog.  My hope is to document God's little and big blessings through pictures, but we'll see how well the picture part works.

This week, I am very thankful for...

Medicine-our family (except Jared) has spent the week rather sick with 

cold, fevers, pneumonia and ear infections

PBS-no words really needed; if you're a mom-you get it:)

Blankets and Pacifiers- to offer some comfort to sick babies

Snuggles-spent most of the holding this sweet girl

Fixed Car- Jared's car got very sick just before Christmas and has been in the shop until we picked it up this week.  It was a pricey repair, but a necessary one.  When we picked it up we found that someone had already paid for a significant amount of the repair.  Very humbled, very thankful!!

Looking forward to spending 2012 being thankful!

Journeying On,