Thankful Day Two

Today I am thankful that I have grown in God's grace and compassion to the point that I can over come my fleshly tendencies and see through my God goggles!

My flesh would hold grudges, be bitter and say "no way in HELL"



Load #1 packed and neatly stacked... alone....



With God goggles, I can rise above my feelings, and so grace and kindness as Jesus would.

Focusing on God's heart for the lost, I can be the bigger person and serve my fallen brothers and sisters...

and even on occasion my fallen ex husband...

with grace and kindness!

Even when it is BLAZING hot,

the ONLY storage unit I could find was UPSTAIRS

and the bottom of the biggest box feel out of it half way up the stairs.

Even then, I only SLIGHTLY cursed in my HEAD...

And wondered exactly how Jesus would react in THAT situation???

But without Jesus in my life I GUARANTEE I couldn't have even considered what needed done, let alone did it!

Praise the Lord, that I am growing in maturity and can deal with "situations" in a better way than I could have even 2 years ago!!

Nathaniel health update and a little quilt love...

*it is time to cross promote.... because this recent health battle of Nathaniel's is taking a TOLL on my finances!!! Plus, who doesn't LOVE beautiful quilts????*

Read to the bottom for the newest update on Nathaniel....

Winter is Coming....

Is your bed ready???

Or do you need a beautiful warm quilt to keep you warm this winter???

Today's Tuesday Treasure Sale is JUST FOR YOU!!!!

Use the coupon code 20QUILT to get t20% off of ANY quilt in the shop this week only!!!!

(I am in the mood to make a new quilt and can't until my stock sells down some...)

Now go to the QUILT section of our Etsy Shop HERE and shop away!!!

*as always, if you are interested in purchasing and are local, convo me and we can set up a delivery/pick up time and I will waive the shipping fees!*

Now for what you REALLY want to know (right?)

Mr Nathaniel.... is STILL so sick ...

Three weeks ago today, this current trial began with a routine dental procedure. (Man, we just can't do routine in his world. A routine T&A years ago caused us weeks of hell too....) Yesterday his newest levels came in. His blood looks great but his urine and nitrates are still very off. We have the newest, and LAST non IV medication to try.

So last night we started on Cipro... and are PRAYING that this is the magic we need, because I am TIRED and BUMMED and STRESSED OUT. I can't even imagine how defeated Nat is feeling! I am ready to KICK the not good crud OUT of his body and claim VICTORY! I am ready for my boy to go back to school, and I am ready to sleep through the night not worrying about my boy.

So if you are the praying type, we LOVE your prayers. I honestly think that they are the only thing keeping us going right now! And, as always, thank you for standing with us on this journey!

Thankful Day One

Today I am thankfully (and eternally grateful for) a Lord who loves me through it ALL.

On the journey of life, I know NO OTHER way I could endure what I do. The Lord is there with me every step of the way, loving me, guiding me, carrying me when needed, so that I have hope and joy through this journey, that I may reach His kingdom and have everlasting joy and glory with Him!

So often I hear people say "The Lord won't give you more than you can endure." To them I say YOU ARE SO WRONG!!! The Lord does push us, stretch us and grow us... BUT He will be RIGHT there in the trenches with you EVERY step of the way, if you open your heart and let him in!

Thank you Lord that you provide a path for ANYONE who needs you, wants you and loves you through your son Jesus Christ!

Spina Bifida Awareness: Meet Madison!

For this LAST day of October, we have the privilege of meeting Madison!

When I was a young girl, I used to fear that God would give me a special needs child.  It was always in the back of my mind that this was something that I would not handle well, and I feared that God would test me.  I have seven children, and with each pregnancy, I worried, and with each one, up through the  sixth, I was relieved to find out that everything was "typical."  When I got pregnant with Madison I had been reassured by my doctor that with each normal pregnancy, the chances of something going wrong decreased.  I really didn't worry, and when I went in for my ultrasound at 16 weeks, I was only concerned with whether this was a girl or a boy.  When the tech had me roll over to face the wall, so she could get a different view, I didn't worry.  When she took 10 times the number of pictures, and got very quiet during the exam, I pondered it, but didn't worry.  Then I went in to see the doctor, and he said that they couldn't get a good look at the spine, so I needed a level II ultrasound.  A full week of anguish, hoping for the ultrasound to be normal.  But I knew, in my heart that something was wrong. 

When we received the diagnosis "spina bifida" I was heart broken.  Our doctors were quite optimistic, which I am very thankful for.  Nobody encouraged me to terminate (although it was offered), and they gave me some booklets on the condition which were helpful and scary at the same time.  I soon found a support group at Babycenter.com and finally felt like I had arms of understanding surrounding me.  It was a grieving process realizing that the baby I had pictured was going to be challenged in ways I couldn't even know yet.  When Madison was born, we were told her defect level was L4-5 and that she had a 40% chance of walking.  I was angry at that statistic, and never shared it with anyone.  I knew that Madison would show us what she could or couldn't do.  She had a shunt placed at 6 months.  She crawled at 10 months.  Walked with a walker at 15 months.  Now walks independently with AFOs since about 27 months.  She dances, she sings, and will be running soon, I know it. 

Now, almost 3 year later, I realize what a true blessing this journey has been, and will continue to be.  Madison lights up the house with her sharp and sweet personality, and fills the house with noise, as she is by far my loudest child.  She is beloved by all her siblings, and I know they will have a level of understanding for others in this world that have challenges as well.  How can you place value on these things?  They are without price.  I thank God for Madison, and pray He continues to use her and us to bless others as we come into contact with them.  I know I have been blessed beyond measure by all the families I've met in the spina bifida community.  They are amazing people.

In Christ,
Kim
Php 4:11b   for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

http://blessedhope13.blogspot.com/

http://www.searchoutthescriptures.com/

Spina Bifida Awareness: Meet Jeremiah!

Today we share a story about a handsome little fella, named Jeremiah!! Here is what his mom, Hannah has to say about him:

  

We found out at my 20 week ultrasound that Jeremiah our son had Spina Bifida. Actually, our doctor never said Spina Bifida when he was explaining everything to us. He kept saying myelomenigocele, a term I had never heard before. As we were walking out, it was the nurse who told us the more common name. And that is when I remember first feeling scared. I knew about Spina Bifida. I knew that there is a wide range of abilities and challenges in the SB community. I didn’t know where our son would fall in the spectrum. I hate the unknown.

Jeremiah was born on April 19, 2010. I delivered by C-section, and got to see him for a few precious minutes before they took him through underground tunnels to a connecting Children’s hospital. My husband Chris went with him, and I stayed with my parents in recovery at my hospital. Jeremiah had his initial surgery to close his back just hours after he was born. About six hours after he was born, Chris rolled me in a wheelchair through the tunnels so that I could see Jeremiah. We did that every three hours for three days so that I could feed him and spend time with him. It was such a relief for me to be released from the hospital.

  

Jeremiah was born in the pike position, with his legs up by his head and his knees hyper extended. He could not lower his legs, and I was concerned that he would not be able to even sit in a wheelchair. Through a series of casts, they were able to lower his legs and bend his knees, and also help to correct some clubbing in his feet.

 Jeremiah has a shunt and has had one shunt revision. He is very healthy! He just tested out of occupational therapy, and he is progressing in physical therapy. He is now 18 months old and he has just started to take some steps. He has done more than I ever thought possible!

  

When he was first born I remember wondering if I would ever stop equating Jeremiah with Spina Bifida. What I mean is, every time I thought about Jeremiah, I remembered that he had Spina Bifida. I am happy to say that now, Spina Bifida no longer defines him, at least in my mind. He is so much more than SB! He is funny; he’s a tease; he’s a momma’s boy; he’s ornery; he’s a fighter. He loves to pray in sign language and pat the Bible. He loves being outside. He loves to throw rocks and get dirty. He’s just a kid. I can’t imagine our family without him! 

 

 

Thank you Hannah for sharing Jeremiah with us!!