Closure

(Prayer Cards found at the hospital, clicking on the image will enlarge it)

"Your presence is all the comfort and courage I need."

My parents were here last week for a visit and boy was it good to see them! This was the first time my dad has been back to Florida since his brain surgery. Back in July 2009, when we moved to Florida my parents helped us as we made the journey and shortly after arriving here my dad was rushed by ambulance to the Florida Hospital Celebration and was later transferred to the Orlando campus to be treated for a complex brain aneurysm (3 of them actually). He recovered remarkably well and quickly from major brain surgery - the incision went from ear to ear over his head. My brother and his wife drove down here to bring him and my mom home after just about a month in the hospital. After sending them back to Michigan, I struggled quietly with questions about my dad's health and regret for not being with him more (even though I saw him every day he was here).
So while they were here we made a trip to the place where he stayed for such an important time in all of our lives. The Florida Hospital Orlando, where we all (extended family included) grew in our faith and trust in Jehovah-rophe! Our God heals! It was emotional for all of us. The trip gave me that piece of the puzzle that had been missing for the past year - closure. There I was walking shoulder to shoulder with my daddy and he wasn't weak, wounded, or bandaged up. He is strong, powerful, wise, and healed. I'll never forget the hours spent there: praying, crying, laughing, playing Uno, reading the Bible, and just holding hands. Those memories now are sweet with the bitter removed since going back with him.
During that time it was providential that I was already reading through a book by Elizabeth Elliot titled "The Lord is My Shepherd" taken from Psalm 23. In the hospital they have a hallway (close to the surgical waiting room) of a shepherd and his sheep picturing the compassionate care the shepherd gives. It's such a beautiful place. I learned so much about trust and faith during that season and I'll forever be grateful for that time.

I love you, Dad.

And the sun still shines...

Most of you know that we've had an unusually sick year so far. I can't even begin to list everything that we've had to overcome, and sometimes that can really erode my spirit. This past month I've been preparing to clean out our rental house, get rid of unnecessary items, and just plain organize our life and I've had no lack of motivation.
Then I got the stomach flu along with Joe and then Graham and finally Rob too. It was so devastating. I just loathe how weak I feel with that particular sickness.
There is still so much to do and right when I thought I was going to be a wash for motivation because of recovering from sickness - I saw the light. Literally, I opened the blinds today, looked outside, and praised the Lord for the SUN! It truly is a physical source of energy! Thank you God, You are so good!

Still in boots

On her way to the pool, in boots... I'm loving it!

New Boots and Nebulizers

Yesterday we were at the mall with Nate, Joy, & William and found these cool boots on sale at a favorite store of mine (and they were cheaper than Target!) so I bought a pair for Joe...

...she hasn't stopped wearing them...

While walking her pal Louie...

While playing in the house...

And even first thing this morning while still in PJs!

Now for the nebulizer... I went to the allergist today! Hurray! They did the "blow out the candles" test on me, and I failed. So they hooked me up to a nebulizer - oh sweet loving! It was amazing how well I could breathe afterward! And then they had me do the breath test again to and I did much better (I went from 53% to 92% - I don't know exactly what that means, I just know I can think now without it hurting!)

Basically I told the doctor we just moved to this area and they smiled and nodded, as if to say, "We're so sorry, but that's normal down here."

3 prescriptions, 2 samples, and a inquiry for a nebulizer later and I'm hopeful that I won't be so light headed, breathless, and ill anymore!

Graham playing with Dad and Joe

I love how he communicates with us now! He asked Rob to play this game by doing his pointer finger and saying "baba" - so fun!

Proud to be from MI

Today I felt like showing a little MI pride while doing our errands. And it just so happened that I was stopped by a Target employee... actually she listened in on my correction of JoeAnna ("you need to listen to mommy because I want to protect you and keep you safe, if you choose to obey and listen to my voice - you will be able to choose a treat in the check-out line, if you choose to disobey and you do not listen to my voice - you will forfeit your reward and you will not get a treat in the check-out line"). She followed us a ways and then asked if we were really from MI and where; she was from MI too! She encouraged me as a mom saying it was so nice to hear a mom talking to her child that way - that we reminded her of MI just by our example.

Way to go Michiganders! We miss you!

Graham being silly...

Okay so I started to put lotion on Graham today, and he looked so surprised by it - which is when I realized that the poor child barely ever gets lotion on his skin. JoeAnna got "lotioned up" every day! Poor Graham, at least I think maybe he doesn't mind.

Also, I wanted to post this picture for 2 reasons. #1 Can someone tell me, is the faux hawk "so ten minutes ago" or can he still pull it off? And #2, yes he wears clothes everyday! I know the last 3-4 posts have shown him in only a diaper! Ahh!!