Growing Things

This weekend has been rather unremarkable for us. We can't venture far from home for now till eternity because Mr. Greenthumb is planting corn. So we do what we can to entertain ourselves.

Kenzie bakes yummilicious treats! (and if we keep eating like this we'll all be growing!)

This year's crop looks amazing, thank You, Jesus! The early plantings are already starting to tassel, which means ... bugs. So Mr. Greenthumb is extra busy planting, watering, fertilizing and now eradicating sweet corn enemy #1.
Well, this one just speaks for itself :)

And I can't even put into words how excited I am about the potty training efforts! No accidents for 2 days, no more timer, no more plastic pants! And just over a week ago the doctor told us she wouldn't have normal bladder or bowel function...

...but that's not the plan of The Great Physician!

I'm not so naive to believe she may never have problems with this, but for now we celebrate one miracle at a time.

Caterpillars

We have an awesome babysitter who loves helping the kids make things!
Yesterday the girls made caterpillars!
Everyone helped.
And they were yummy!

Thanks, Corrine, for adding fun to the day!

Parched Ground or Pool

The parched ground shall become a pool… Isaiah 35:7

This week as I read about the glory of the new kingdom, I am
also reminded of the new life God gives us here on this Earth.

My life was once a ‘parched land,’ and then I accepted the
gift purchased for me long ago with the shedding of Christ’s blood: salvation.

I’m certain He did not intend for me to enjoy the ‘pool’ only in eternity, but also as I live in this world.

Following Him can be difficult. He gives us a vision or, as I like to think of it, an invitation to join Him on a great adventure. But before the vision becomes reality, He must mold us into shape.

During the molding phase, we often lose hope of the vision. The enemy whispers lies we are inclined to believe in our weakness. We forget the Source of our strength. We may even forget the Source of the vision! We may become distracted by the temporary things. We may become busy with even ‘good’ things. We may become weary with discouragement or lack of understanding from others. Sometimes we veer from the path, thinking we can reshape the vision to our own liking. I can testify that doesn’t usually work out well.

Or perhaps, we endure the molding only to find that He
simply wanted us to say ‘Yes,’ and that is the fulfillment of the vision.

We can take heart that once God places a vision before us, He will not allow us to be satisfied with something less.

One Year Ago!

It's been one year since I held my newest babies for the first time!

If you have nothing else to do and want to re-live the journey, you can start at this post and hit "Newer Post" at the bottom of each one to get the next chronological post from China. Cuz I'm sure you have nothing else to do :)

Anyway, one year ago, immediately following Kenzie's 8th grade graduation, we headed to the airport to catch a wink before starting what would turn out to be a journey like no other. We missed flights and lost luggage...but I'm over that. The most stressful moments were when I read the news of the Joplin tornado, realizing that Clayton and the kids were traveling right through there at the same time! We finally learned that my family was fine, but I will always remember the victims of that horrible day.

I don't know what I would have done without my brave travel companions, Kenzie...

...and Sheri! They were amazing!

First I met Kennah. Hmmm, not sure.

Oh, she's that person. Mama!

And just as we were getting to know each other, our guide yelled, "Oh, another one!" Kasidi was thrilled to meet me, not so much.
I love this picture! After crying for so long, she looked at me as if she might be able to trust me.

Perfect!
And then dumplings in 105 degree temp.

I seriously can't believe it's been a year! These Treasures are amazing, and I'm so blessed to be their mama!

Slacker

Yep, that's me! I can't believe how many days pass between my posts. It makes me sad. Believe me, it's not intentional. We just seem to be super busyer lately.

We have the MRI results; we have an appointment with the neurosurgeon; we have been measured for the Crocodile walker; and there's a ton of other good stuff going on.

Not to mention that one year ago today, I met Kennah Janae and Kasidi Joy (within minutes of each other) for the very first time! I've got pictures to share and stories to tell.

So this is the preview. Stay tuned for the main attraction...

Still Waiting

We are still waiting on the results of Kasidi's MRI.
To say I've been anxious is probably an understatement. My mama's heart is concerned. I want to know if we have a dual diagnosis...or something more.
And then I look at her...
...and I am reminded of the obstacles she's overcome. And I'm reminded of just how amazing she is. And though this report contains information we need to know, it does not define her, and it does not change her.God's had her covered since the beginning of time. And He loves her even more than I do. And this was in my devo this week:

"Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is...It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God's sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to 'supply all your need'.
~Oswald Chambers~

Can I get an AMEN!

The Next Chapter!

What an amazing weekend we had in Norman, celebrating Kuyler's graduation!

The graduation of the College of Arts and Sciences was the largest ceremony on campus on Saturday! The Lloyd Noble Center was packed.
There he is on the big screen, marching in!

Thank goodness for the big screen, we saw him receive his diploma. (it's really just a cover; the diploma is given later)

And back at the house we celebrated with his roomies, college friends and dear friends who drove a long way to see him graduate!

I don't know what the Lord has in store for the next chapter of Kuyler's life, but I know it will be awesome!

Somethin's Gotta Give!

Disclaimer ~ this is not a post about super-accomplishments. If you feel like you're always behind and your days look like this:

...maybe it's a post for you. I've had to step back and take a look at my life. There are changes ahead. We ask the Lord daily to show us His plans. Even though our plans may seem good, if they are not in line with His, they will surely fail.

Trust me when I say, there is no cape......and even if there were, it would be crumpled in a corner somewhere, with the rest of the laundry.Yep, the only hero here might be my calendar. The calendar that is overcrowded, penciled-in, crossed-out...and crowded some more.

Don't get me wrong, I love my life! I am in awe of the plans God has for my family. I am astounded by His renewed mercies. And when He impressed upon my heart to return to school, I jumped in with both feet. And I have loved it! I've not been discouraged that most of my former 81 college hours for court reporting do not transfer for a social work degree. I've not been discouraged that I have to navigate two universities, completing my general ed while concurrently studying in my major.

And then came summer school. I didn't realize how badly I need a break. I really thought that 12 on-line hours and 3 live hours would not interfere with my life. I logged in for classes Monday, and I can't even describe the feeling.

True, this is a really busy time of year with the end of school, banquets every night, summer camps coming up, VBS...oh, and then there's our corn harvest which takes 6 to 8 solid weeks. And I feel overwhelmed by things like this:

Dirty dishes are really not a big deal in the scheme of things. But my family is! My kids miss me, they need me...and more than that, I need them! My amazingly humble and supportive husband needs me by his side. And I need to be beside him.

And I had such an 'aha' moment when I looked at my course schedule. I realized that even though we might get through the summer, we would be 'less than.' We would be weary and beaten down. We would be cranky and distant. And though I might be able to claim success in getting some hours behind me, I would fail miserably in the most important journey of my life - being the follower, wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend the Lord has called me to be.

My oldest son (who was sitting beside me listening to bedtime stories just yesterday, by the way!) is graduating from college! I will have 3 teenagers in high school this year, and in 4 years they will all have graduated. Can you say perspective?

So after the Lord let me waller around in my own mess for a while, hubby and I had a talk about our family plans. We were both relieved when we decided something had to give, and for now it's the 12 summer hours. I'm still taking a 3 credit hour social work class next week (it's a 16 week course packed into 4 days), but then I'm done for the summer!

We will spend the summer praying for direction. I really want my social work degree...because I want to be a social worker. Social workers are 'helpers.' I love to help! The question is, do I need to be paid to 'help'? Maybe so, maybe no. That's what we're praying about. Because the reality is that while I'm trying to race through school I'm missing out on many of the things I love to 'help' with!

I've missed ministry blogging deadlines; I've forgotten to email packing lists to friends preparing to travel; I've missed opportunities to help families fund raise; I've missed encouraging; I've missed blogging. And when it comes to my family, I've missed a lot. That is not what Jesus intended when He gave me abundant life.

We've still got a busy summer, but it doesn't include school (after next Thursday). And by the time August rolls around, we will know whether I'm supposed to keep the 20 hours I'm enrolled in, scale it down, or ...

Who knows, maybe Jesus will come before then!

I know this ~ Christ made me alive, and I just need to remember what I'm living for!

The Sparrow Fund

The Sparrow Fund ~ Check it out!

This Week!

Our eldest Treasure graduates college!


It's true what they say. You know, that thing they say about how fast they grow up? Yeah, it's true.

Saturdays are for...

...time with my girls.

One Semester Down!

I can't believe my first semester is finished! There were days I wanted to quit and days I thought I needed to quit. And the thought of two more years of school is daunting, but right now I'm going to celebrate finishing this semester with straight A's!

I have 5 days till early session summer school starts. I'm taking 15 hours this summer, then 20 next fall...but I am racing for the prize. Thank you for so many words of encouragement!!!

MRI ~ check!

Yesterday was MRI day for Kasidi Joy! We were a little nervous about her being sedated for 2 to 3 hours.

And a call from the doctor one hour into the procedure didn't help that. He told us there was an equipment failure which basically meant she had started to wake up and move, causing them to rescan certain segments, and they were having to administer the steady dose of meds manually. He would soon determine whether it was safe to continue the scan (due to the length of time it would take) or they would stop it altogether.

We decided to pray that the machine would be supernaturally fixed and they could safely complete the scan so she wouldn't have to go through it again.

Less than two hours later we got the call that the scan was completed and she was in recovery! We told the doctor we started praying as soon as he called, and he said, "They must've worked because our machine didn't."

Yes, prayer 'works'!


We won't have answers regarding CP for another week or two. But no.matter.what we are trusting the Father who loves our Joy even more than we do!

Uncertainty is Awesome!

*off topic* but regarding my new blog header, I can either have a ginormous picture or one that is off center. having it off center bothers me a lot, but I can't seem to fix it in the few moments I have to try. so please accept my apologies if it bothers you as much as it does me :)

Uncertainty
It seems like a negative thing, right? But my devo today puts it in perspective. Recently I've gone back to reading Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, and wow, is it just what I need!

"...it has not yet been revealed what we shall be..." 1 John 3:2

"Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life - gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God."

I find myself questioning 'tomorrow' more than I should recently. Since adding school to my seemingly already packed schedule, many days I question whether I'm doing the right thing...and I even question the outcome. But I clearly recall how God presented this opportunity, and it's the fact that He is the source of it all that keeps me going. I don't need to keep wondering what each 'tomorrow' will bring; I need to anticipate with joyful expectation what God is going to reveal as I seek Him above all else.

I already know that my plans will fail. And I know that His plans cannot be thwarted. So as I draw nearer to Him, I can be sure He will work out His plans in me, and all for His glory! As uncertain as I may be about tomorrow, I am completely certain that God is faithful!

Those Dreaded Wonderful Words

Last Thursday we had a conversation with Kasidi's therapist that I guess I wasn't prepared for.

I promise, I'm not whining, and I'm certainly not complaining. I'm just being real...and raw.

When Kasidi took her first steps a few weeks ago, we were ecstatic! We thought she'd be up and running.

We are ignorant.

She didn't really walk much after that one day.

She loves to tease us.

She stands up like she's going to walk, and then she dives to the floor, causing all kinds of laughter.

But we were noticing some other positive things.

She was starting to raise one leg to balance herself.

She was using her upper body strength in crazy ways.

And she was slowly letting go of furniture and cabinets as she walked along them, even if only for a moment.

Then this week...she's had three days of taking several steps independently! Her poor little body even looks like that of a baby just learning to walk, with bruises and scrapes from falling. This girl amazes me! She inspires me! And she is a daily reminder that I get far better than I deserve!

But back to our conversation last week.

We saw Kasidi's therapist 3 times ~ once to get her new orthotics; once to receive her Amtryke and once for therapy.

Thursday night she told us she would soon be measuring Kasidi for a wheelchair.

A what?

She's two! She's trying to walk!

(I told you, I'm ignorant.)

She explained that for Kasidi to conserve energy it would be best for her to have a wheelchair when we are out and about. And I guess there is a toddler wheelchair with big wheels that weighs 12 pounds.

I'm sorry to say, I wasn't impressed. I was numb.

Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not embarrassed by her using a wheelchair. I just desperately want her to not need one!

And then the Lord shook me up.

Instead of resisting these words, I should embrace them. Even rejoice. After all, it's about Kasidi becoming mobile. And I praise Him for the advancements made so kiddos with spina bifida who once were treated as unworthy are now able to be fully functional, highly productive, well educated, and inspirational members of the general population!

Thank You, Lord, for these...

For this...

For this...

And for this...Next week Kasidi will have an MRI and spine x-ray. There are a few reasons her doctor wonders if she might have cerebral palsy. In fact, she has more CP symptoms than SB symptoms. He told us if it weren't for the scar on her back, he would rule out SB. The good news ~ CP is not progressive!

Ultimately, the diagnosis or diagnoses are only a mechanism to lead us in the right direction for providing her the utmost opportunities to thrive to her greatest potential.

And we serve a God who is fully capable of that...

even when I am ignorant.

And So It Begins...

...the waiting anxiously patiently for her to return home.

Would it be wrong to wish she weren't so lovely?!?

But she is lovely, inside and out.

They are pretty cute!

And so now her daddy and I wait for her to return home, safely.

Specially Made for Her!

Tonight we had the privilege of receiving Kasidi Joy's special-made Amtryke!
This girl was in her element ~ the center of attention.

She needed to take the tryke for a stroll so the very.best.therapist.in.the.world and Mommy strapped her in.

Daddy locked the front wheel...

...and she was off and running!

This is an amazing blessing for kiddos and adults who need to build lower body strength for a variety of reasons. The Ambucs build and donate 2,000 of these per year! And the only requirement is that the therapist refer the patient for the bike so it can be properly fitted. Thank you, Ambucs!!!

Oh, Boy!

No matter whether we're mowing the lawn, servicing the tractor, sorting corn, baking cookies, loving on church family, or whittling with Ty...
...my youngest son wants to be in the middle of it!

Kaeleb Jon, you are 110% boy with just as much heart!