Testimonsy

 

Soon after we came home from Oakland I was asked to give testimony at church about the experience and how God sustained us through the valley we walked through. This is what it was shown at church after some of the editing. I thought some of you might like to see it.

Beach Magic

If you know us at all, you KNOW we LOVE the beach. It is part of the fiber of who our family is. Also, you probably know about out "other" family... our Project Surf Camp family, which is also part of the fiber of who we are.

 

 

With Nathaniel's recent health struggles and surgery I was very worried that we wouldn't get to experience the magic of Project Surf Camp this summer, and my heart was breaking over that. I think Nathaniel's was too, as it was ALL he talked about while in Rehab. You can't possible imagine the excitement and relief I felt when Dr. Sun told us he was released to surf. I actually did cry tears of relief and joy. Our family was able to join PSC for the opening day of surf camps season this year, yet I have been remiss in blogging it because the emotions were just too raw. I am going to take a stab at it today, and hope the tears stay where they belong!

 

To us, Project Surf Camp is:

 

 

Family that welcomes us home with open arms and love in their hearts.

 

 

Accessibility to one of God's greatest gifts for ALL!

 

 

A chance for siblings so differently abled to do something magical together.

 

 

It's a time for personal victories.

 

 

And a time to share the blessings with treasured friends.

 

 

To me personally, this day was

 

 

About contagious JOY! From a boy who had MAJOR, life altering spinal surgery just 38 days before this!

 

It was about personal victories and finding out that no matter how changed his body is, he can still fight back and be victorious!

 

It was about our family finding normal again.

 

And it was about PRAISING the Lord for His GREATNESS!

 

On this special day at Project Surf Camp, I hung up my hat as Board of Directors member, I didn't even take many pictures (and if you know me then you KNOW that is a miracle),

 

 I just BASKED in His glory.

 

I let Him wash all around me as I prayed and worshiped Him for His GREATNESS.

 

I wept tears unending.

 

And I TOTALLY enjoyed the precious gift of my children SURFING TOGETHER!

 

If you wonder why we say that Project Surf Camp CHANGES LIVES, this is just one small story of the HUGE greatness this camp does.

 

If you want to experience TRUE magic, and God's blessing, let me know, I would LOVE to take you down to the beach with us, get you hooked up to volunteer.... I GUARANTEE you will walk away a changed person.

 

I am excited to say, we are heading down to the beach today... and I can't tell you how much my heart needs a little magic today!

 

I also want to mention a quick THANK YOU to Breann Hollon of Breann Hollon Photography for the AMAZING images of this special day that she captured. My dear, sweet friend volunteers her time and talent to come out and take fabulous pictures that she provides to PSC families free of cost. What a sweetheart! But she also does great work here locally too, so if you need so fabulous photographs, make sure you look her up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



My Cup Runneth Over

I am sorry it has been so many days since I updated. We have been basking in the GLORY of all God is doing, and running like crazy to try and keep up with life! Let's Go back to Tuesday and see what has been happening.

 

 

Tuesday morning, after getting his kicking new shoes, Nat rocked his last couple of therapy sessions. While he was working away, I was packing away. We sure managed to get a LOT of stuff over the 6 weeks we were at the hospital! But I got it all packed up, checked out of the family house again, and got the car packed.

 

The Rehab unit is mostly kids that are there for long periods of time. Believe it or not our 6 weeks was actually pretty short. They deal mostly with traumatic brain injuries, but also other neurological things (like Nat!) too. One of the cool things that the Rehab team does is throw a party for the kids when they get to go home. These kids work SO HARD with these therapists day after day and they all bond so tightly, to just leave with nothing would be so hard on all of them. So all the kids from the unit gather around the nurses station, as many of the nurses and therapists as possible come over, and they sing and have treats and give the kiddo leaving a gift. It is really cool. Quick, easy and yet provides such great closure!

 

After Nat's party there were a few papers to sign, discharge directions to go over and balloons to collect... and then we were OFF! 

 

One of my now so smart moves became apparent next, as the car told me just how NOT happy it was about not moving for 6 weeks. My battery was dead, sigh. It turns out all of those security escorts back and forth to the family house came in handy for more than just keeping me safe in the mean streets of Oakland! When the security team found out my battery was dead they came right over and jumped it for me. Such kind guys! So, after a little delay, this boy and I were ready to hit the road! That picture is both of us sitting in the front seat of the car, ready to get going!

 

I was totally exhausted leaving Oakland. The emotion and stress of the last 6 weeks had really caught up with me, along with the NEED to see home, to hold my daughter, for my family to sleep all under the same roof and for me to sleep in my own bed! I was sort of concerned about the drive home, it was a long 250 miles we faced, but I just laid it on the Lord and started driving. The first hour or so was heavy traffic and not so familiar roads, but then it was like the load was lifted. The drive was actually so very easy and almost like someone else was doing it. As we got closer to home and back in our familiar turf I started to get anxious again. That happens to me, I just want to BE HOME, even though I know we have about an hour left. Right then is when a dear friend called me and chatted with me (yes, via my hands free set!) all the way till I pulled into my driveway. He kept me laughing and giggling and made those last miles fly by.

 

Then there was this BEAUTIFUL sight. I can't tell you how thrilled my heart was to see out house to pull up to our front door and to walk into MY sanctuary! There REALLY is no place like home!

 

And then my cup really did run over. Audrey and Damen had made a sweet welcome home sign for us, my friends and church had filled our fridge with groceries (and OUR kind of food too!), a dear sweet friend had put diner in the crock pot so we came home to a fresh cooked meal and a house smelling divine, and there were even fresh flowers on my dining room table. I am truly so blessed by the people that God puts in my life.

 

Since being home, I can't explain the PURE joy of being here. From the simple things like friends who came over IMMEDIATELY to give hugs and say welcome home, to the bank tellers welcoming me home with smiles and hugs, to the big things, like my family back together as a unit and to freedom of our own home. It is all such a blessing.

 

 

Being home means so much, like sleeping in a real bed, not the window bed that was 6 inches shorter than I am! Like not hearing the IV alarm sound constantly all day and night long. Like turning the lights out at night so it is actually dark to sleep. Like not having to wear security badges 24/7. Like taking a shower with bare feet, no flip flops. Like having privacy and dignity. Like not having to sleep fully clothes at night! Interestingly it was the little things that drove me nuts there, but the big things that I am constantly blessed by here. I can NOT express how much difference the love and joy and prayers that people pour over us has made in this journey.

 

I usually have so many words, and yet this journey seems to have taken them all away from me and left me speechless. But I did write this status update the other day on Facebook with tears of joy and thanksgiving running down my face, perhaps it can express my heart:

 

"What a day of emotions and love. I can't tell you how my heart feels after brunch with Bea pampering by Heather, walking into my home church for the first time in weeks, a warm welcome from The Rock Harbor Worship Team, hugs from dear friends like Gary & Trish, and finishing the night off with Katy and my PSC family. After the journey we have been on, my heart is humbled and blessed by the love I feel today. There really is NO PLACE like home, and I am SO BLESSED by the amazing people God has put in my life. Tomorrow? You will find me on my favorite beach watching magic happen, and praising Him with tears and joy... I KNOW I won't make it through tomorrow without tears of pure thanksgiving and humility at God's GREATNESS."

 

So for all of you I have left hanging there wondering how we are doing, please let me tell you we are FABULOUS and BLESSED. We are redefining "normal" in our house since Nathaniel is a really different boy than when we left (cognitively and physically functioning different), we are learning to be a family again after so much time apart and we are welcoming God's direction into every corner of our world. And I haven't forgotten the lessons God taught me either, I am making changes, following His lead and opening my EVERY breath to Him and his leading. I have a feeling God isn't done with this journey yet.

 

We love you and will try to keep you updated in our world! As always, thanks for standing with us in prayer and love and support!

 



Keeping it REAL... Weigh In!

So, you may or may not remember that back in January I set a goal of losing 60 pounds this year by changing my eating habits, and I said that I was going to keep the blog updated with my progress. Well I have sort of not done a great job on updating the blog, but I have been working hard on my goal!

 

I have radically changed some of my eating habits this year, I am trying to exercise more (man it is difficult to find motivation to exercise!) and I am tracking my journey. The last 6 weeks were tough in the hospital, but I was sort of amazed when I got home and weighed in. So I thought this would be a good time to update, and make a new commitment to kick it up another notch!

 

When I began this journey it was mostly about the pounds to me, but I did record the inches too. Recently I have decided it is about equally important, pounds and inches. I am about 5 pounds off of my yearly goal, but I am way happy with the overall loss, especially in inches!

 

So here are today's pictures....

 

 

Yes, I finally got daring enough to put pictures up! It's time to be REAL!

 

In the last 6 weeks I am down 11 pounds, 7 inches in the waist and 2 inches off of the hips!

 

For the YEAR, I am down 25 pounds!, 9 inches off of the waist and 4 inches off of the hips!

 

Oh... and I fit in a pant size I haven't fit in since BEFORE Audrey was born! And Audrey is 10 years old... so that is great too!!!

 

It is time to kick this effort up another notch, so I have joined a 90 day challenge and will be working real hard over the next 90 days to loose more inches and weight. I am excited to see where this journey will take me, and I am praying it will take me to a healthier place!

If you are interested in a journey similar and want to help encourage each other let me know!

Peach's Neet Feet

A while ago another Spina Bifida mom was talking about these super cool shoes her little guy go from a group called Peach's Neet Feet. Mr. K had been through SO MUCH with his SB, and I thought it was really cool that some one would make him special shoes. But I didn't really think of it for Nathaniel, because at that time he was fairly stable.  When we began this current journey with his spinal surgery, I was contacted by someone associated with the group and asked if I would like to apply for shoes for Nathaniel. I thought it might give him something cool to work with on his journey back to heal so I went for it.

 

Through a series of issues the shoes seemed to be something that would never actual transpire. I really though it would be cool to give them to him around his birthday, but God had other plans. In His perfect way, they showed up late last night. So Nathaniel got them this morning, his last day here on Rehab and his GOING HOME day!

 

 

He was REALLY excited to get his special treat....

 

 

I gave him the shoes one at a time so he could really appreciate the uniqueness that is in each design.

 

And he was so EXCITED each time he turned the shoe and saw something new.

 

When I was filling the paper work out for the shoes I was REALLY concerned about the size and style because in the past the ONLY thing that fit were the Converse Easy Ons. So you can imagine my absolute delight when the shoes fit PERFECTLY over his new braces!

 

So when we applied there was a form that we filled out asking all kinds of questions about what Nathaniel likes and this is what the fabulous artist did from Nathaniel's information:

 

 

 

My little sports man... he loves sports of ALL kinds so here is a jumble of balls.

 

 

And of course... my little man LOVES to surf, so here is a fabulous collection of surf boards!

 

Nathaniel's journey is Spina Bifida, so here is his SB awareness ribbon.

 

We always rest in the Lord, and Nathaniel's favorite football team is the Baltimore Ravens, so the toes of his shoes represent that.

 

And of course... His name, in his favorite color!

 

I am amazed by these AWESOME shoes!!

  

 

And Nathaniel is already ROCKING them at his final therapy sessions today!

 

 

If you are interested in finding our more about this AMAZING organization, go check them out on Facebook:

 

Peach's Neet Feet!

 

THANK YOU!!!!!

To all who helped make this unique and special gift happen!