Day Seven

On this seventh day of illness I have received some rest. It, overall, was the best day since Tuesday. I have still had fever and aches, but much milder - until about 7 PM. I am so thankful. Even though tonight is not great, the day being so much better encourages me. Maybe tomorrow will be even better! Please thank God for answering prayers. Being sick so long has given me more time to just think about spiritual things. There is much to be thankful for!

In fact, one good thing today came from an actual burst of brain power. I have been spending 1 1/2 hours every day hooked up to a milking machine. (I know that is way more than you wanted to hear, but I haven't figured out a graceful way to talk about it.) I have wished that I could do something productive during that time. I have spent much time praying, but today I had another great thought (in that little burst) I can listen to CD's with headphones. We have lots of sermons that I've never listened to, so I was very excited about the idea.

Thanks again for praying, and praise God for giving me rest on this seventh day.

(Okay, sorry about the weird look, but I tried to be clever and put the word "power" in a smaller font. But it won't make everything after "power" big again, and I'm not redoing=)

Back to Urgent Care...

John took me back to Urgent Care this morning. The doctor ordered a chest x-ray which revealed a lung infection of some sort. She said it's not pneumonia, but said that it would be unclear on an x-ray whether the infection is bacterial or fungal. Most of you know that I baulk at taking antibiotics, especially while nursing, but I am going to do that this time. I am so tired of being sick and so weak that I don't even want to think about thinking of something else. Plus, it will help determine whether fungus or bacteria is the problem.

Please pray?

I mentioned in my earlier post that I have been sick all week. Today is day five of fever and head and body aches. It is old. I feel like I am letting my family down. Providing food for Jason has been one of the hardest things to continue. I am so earnest about breastfeeding him. Please pray for me? I really want to be well. (I went to Urgent Care Tuesday and baffled the doctor.) If I am not well soon I will go back, I guess. Thank you!

Attitude

I get lots of forwards. Well, it feels like I get lots of forwards. I don't particularly like to get them. Usually I delete unread. Occasionally, I will read one, though. I opened one this morning that I was sure I'd seen before. I hadn't. I am pasting it below. It's not especially different than other things you see, but it is profound in its own way.

Attitude Is Important

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. Well,' she said, 'I think I'll braid my hair today.' So she did
and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. 'H-M-M,' she said, 'I think I'll part my hair down the middle today.' So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that
she had only one hair on her head. 'Well,' she said, 'today I'm
going to wear my hair in a pony tail.' So she did and she had a
fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that
there wasn't a single hair on her head. 'YEA!' she exclaimed,
'I don't have to fix my hair today!'

Attitude is everything. Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly.......

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
It's about learning to dance in the rain!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

---

I have had my share of pity parties over the last several months. I have. But I think one of the things I am seeing and trying to learn is what the message above says. Our circumstances don't have to determine our happiness or our mood. We don't have to use the nuisances of life as excuses to be miserable - or to make other people miserable. I suppose we can go on and be joyful and sweet all the time.

I have been sick all week, and you know that has been discouraging. It has not erased the perpetual good that God is and does, though. Maybe I will laugh more today and smile. And just maybe I will feel better too.

New Accomplishments for Jason!

Yesterday Jason accomplished two new things that really encouraged me! He was able to eat with a regular bottle! It took him longer because it was more work for him, but he did it. He hasn't yet finished eating the full amount that way, but nearly so. One time he ate all but 1 1/2 ounces of the six normally eaten.

AND he has been saying a "ny" sound! There are only two sounds that you don't use your soft palate muscle to form: the "m" and "ing" sounds. That means that he had to use his soft palate muscle to form his new sound. I know that is tiny, but I was so excited. I am also hopeful about his speech because, so far, he has been pretty vocal. He does lots of cooing. Some of the other boys weren't so free with those adorable noises.

The picture is not of the regular bottle, but I am including it because we all get a kick out of his new desire to "help" with his feedings. I really don't ever want him to hold the bottle for himself because feeding times are natural bonding/cuddling times, but it is fun that he likes to hang on to it too.

James and Joshua

James and Joshua have continued playing ping pong since we moved. In fact, they have played a lot. They haven't been able to be outside a lot because of the heat. (It's been the hottest summer on record!) When they do go out there's not a lot to do because the yard is so tiny. As a result many hours have been passed at the ping pong table.

Recently, we read an article in the Surprise newspaper about the city opening a new racket complex, featuring tennis courts designed to attract professional play, racket ball courts and a clubhouse where there are several ping pong tables. The facility opened September 8. As it turns out, the ping pong area is free, and there is a ladder of competitive players. James and Joshua put themselves on the list of players. In order to be included officially they had/have to call someone already on the ladder and challenge them to a match of the best four out of seven games. James played his first match Thursday night. He challenged the #1 man and got beat. However, he only lost by two or three points a game. After the match James, Joshua and John played with the number one and two guys some. In doubles play James and Joshua actually did quite well. Joshua has yet to connect with the person he challenged. He has been a bit disappointed by that. If he doesn't hear from the guy, he will just challenge someone else.

Open letter to Haelley

Well, little Haelley, I told you in my letter that Joseph had been bested more than once by Mr. Lizard. Today Mr. Lizard met his match! Your grandpa got him! He was trying to catch him as he scurried along. Soon Mr. Lizard took a turn up the concrete wall, thinking he was escaping his stressful ordeal, but alas! Grandpa (who has always been fast himself) thrust an ice cream tub against the wall and over Mr. Lizard. He is now on display in the living room for a time.

I think his tail is very interesting! It is at least twice as long as his body and tapers fabulously from nearly as wide as his body at the beginning to almost thread-like at the end. You can look at the picture and see what I mean.

Soon we will have to let him go so he doesn't die in the living room, but it has been fun to know that for a time that Mr. Lizard has been outwitted.

Kisses to you and much love!

Heeeeeere's Jared...

I thought of waffle block town with the yellow road. Mom and I took a picture of it.

The Fear of Acquisition

Now you might not think that this little bitty thing could strike fear into your heart, but when as a mom you've been through eight or nine wrecks anything with a motor will do just that. But Jacob is proud of his new thing. (I will NOT call it a toy. Never. No way!) I guess he does look pretty good sitting on it. He says it feels even better riding it. I'm sure it does, but this mother walked into the house with tears in her eyes after witnessing a jaunt down the street. The next purchase, John assures me, is a helmet. Now that is worth smiling about!

A Quillo for Jason

Grandma Dineen always makes a quillo for the kids. Jason's arrived today!

The church at Glendale

We got to spend the afternoon and part of the evening with a couple from the church with which we've decided to work. Lamar and Betty. They have been a favorite sight from the very beginning. In fact, I may have told some of you about the very first time I met them. I was in Arizona without the children to look for housing. When John and I walked out to the truck after Wednesday evening services Lamar firmly (seriously even) asked John with a strong hint of suggestion if he were going to open my door for me. He went on to say (with a wonderful twinkle in his clear blue eyes) that he's been opening Betty's door for her for 60 years and is going to continue until he learns to like her. This was followed by his contagious and wonderful wheezy laugh. I have never heard a single thing come out of his mouth, serious or funny, spiritual or secular that didn't have sincere wisdom attached to it. Betty, too, is ready to laugh. She hugs me often and inquires with a steady look about how I'm doing.
While they were at our house today there were many short conversations that have made me pensive - as well as those we had after we were no longer with them. They have lived in this area more than 50 years. They have worked with the group at Glendale for nine years, beginning their tenure after a troubling and difficult situation with another group in the metro area. (We have heard from respected people things about that group that concern us as well.) Lamar and Betty's observations about the Glendale group are similar to ours. The eldership is lacking in leadership, involvement and biblical qualifications. We talked to the elders about some of these things a while back. Most of them didn't seem to understand what we were getting at. At least in two cases, it is believed that their role is mostly (if not solely) to make sure that false teaching does not occur. One example that we have been concerned about is the practice after each lesson. When an invitation is given to respond for some spiritual need the preacher (whether he has just taught or not) stands waiting to help anyone who might respond. The elders do not. In fact, one night one of the elders extended that invitation and sat down afterwards, leaving the preacher to stand in wait for would be responders.
We have been talking about and brainstorming how we might best be helpful to this group. If you have ideas let us know. We are going to begin having a Bible study at our house, probably in January. There are definitely nuggets of opportunity. There is a young widower who is struggling with some complicated things, but he is so eager to study. He far exceeds many of us in zeal and humble desire to purely serve God. We have figured out that though the group is mostly comprised of elderly, there are young people lurking about. Very few of them are interested in spiritual things. In fact, we have not even met all of them yet because they simply aren't ever there. We feel like we can be helpful with them too, but are having difficulty coming up with ways to accomplish anything with them during this particular life season. If you have ideas about how we might engage them, please share.
Well, I keep nodding off, so I should get myself to bed.

Nose job

Can you imagine being happy after having a "thingie" inserted in your nose? If not, you can sympathize with Jason. His nasal stent was put in place today. It is a wire attached to the oral appliance that extends an acrylic ball into his nostril. It will help to shape the nostril as we pull the septum over by taping his lip. As the septum is pulled up against the stent, the nostril should begin to look more round. Cartilage has memory so we want to train it to retain a proper shape rather the one Jason was born with. This is the last step before his November surgery, so I am excited. Jason has been fussy a bit, though. I think it's because of the stent. Hopefully, he will get used to it quickly like all the rest of it. Sometimes it's sad that he can't just be a normal baby. But he's not, so we go forward...

Progress

Today I was very aware of how much progress we've made with Jason's cleft lip - just with orthodontics. I thought I'd put these pictures together so you can see what I mean. The lower one was taken the day he was born (06/10/07). The other was taken today (09/11/07). Notice the nose. Also the cleft is narrowing a lot. It is much easier to get the lip together with the tape than it used to be. I am just very encouraged!

Nancy's turn

I got a haircut. Here's me when I got it cut.

(My little chatterbox says she can't think of anything else to say. Imagine!)

Joseph's interest: bugs!

I like bugs. They are very cool and interesting.
My grandma sent me a picture of a bug that is about four
inches long and Green. And I don’t know what it is,
so if you can find out what it is I would be happy.

Josiah's turn to write...

I miss everybody in Indiana. I hope Stacey gets better. I'm glad she got a new car.

A wonderful thing

Being a grandparent. Wow! I got to see Haelley for the first time when we visited in Indiana recently. She is every bit as sweet as this photo suggests! She is coming to visit me (with her mommy and daddy) in November.

The second step in Jason's lip repair

On August 8th, Jason began wearing an oral appliance. It fits in the top of his mouth like a denture, creating a nasal floor. This presented an enormous but short lived challenge. The appliance changed the whole dynamic of Jason's mouth and therefore his ability to eat. It actually made it easier for him to eat, but it was a drastic change. We had two or three very, very hard feedings, but once he adapted things have been much better than before the appliance. The purpose of the appliance is to prevent further widening of the cleft as well as to create part of a three pronged lip/nasal improvement. As we tape his lip over the appliance, and as it adjusted from time to time we will begin to narrow the cleft and to line everything up as much as possible before surgery. Also, a nasal stent will be added to it, providing the means by which to form his otherwise concave right nostril.

The first step in Jason's lip repair

We began several weeks ago taping Jason's cleft lip. (We like to say that we tape his mouth shut - just to keep things light, you know?!) The purpose of this is to pull the nasal septum more to center. This picture was taken of the first taping. It is very encouraging to see how much narrower the cleft is now and how much his nose is beginning to form a more normal shape.