Sarah had a swim lesson today. She loves the water and does good. If we could just get her to learn to blow out the water, she is good at holding her breath. It's been a good experience for her. For me? Well I had to fight a panic attack sitting and watching this morning. I felt so stupid but I don't like to see the kids in water now. I was just watching her and the teacher and BOM! out of nowhere my throat squeezed up, I was afraid I was going to pass out so I made myself get up and get away for a minute. Thankfully I was able to talk myself down from it..... oh the fun (said with sarcasm!) She also had Physical Therapy and is really using her walker. We are going to start taking the walker with us when we go out so she can get used to using it in different settings. Her therapist is sure she will one day walk without a walker!
I hope you can see this video of Sarah walking...... we are going to paint the sides of the sidewalk so she can maybe see the sides. Remember just over a year ago, she couldn't even stand up, hardly hold her head up.....
Shad had an ear ache today that just wouldn't go away. Love our pediatrician, they worked us in. Shad seems to have really thick old ear wax....LOL first the circumsion and now ear wax, he may ban my blogs before long. It's been a joke in our home that Shad never ever has ear wax, never....but evidently he has had some and it just didn't' come out. The doctor assumes there is water behind the wax and that is causing the pain but Shad hasn't been in the water for over 2 weeks! We have some drops, and he says he feels better already. BTW the pediatrician said Shad's circumsion looked great.
Sam has been discharged from Physical Therapy....however he thinks he is still a student! Since he now can climb, and do various things, he has reached the limit for therapy which is a good thing. Bad thing, he really likes his therapist!
Steve went to work out with his dad tonight. He likes working out but sometimes by the end of the day, he is ready to relax rather than go to the Y. He is still working on schoolwork and will throughout the summer. He has his Russian class to finish....I told him to take Spanish! He wants to start really working out to be ready to start the Academy when he graduates next year. He is serious about wanting to work at the prison.
Jon does a lot of off road bike riding, usually 5 or 6 times a week, 12 miles a night. He rides in some of the wilderness areas around here. Being on the bike he has come across all kinds of wildlife, one night a flock of turkeys probably 20 or so, a herd of deer, all kinds of snakes, wild hogs, raccoons, bobcats.... too bad he doesn't carry a camera with him. The prison is going good, the ministry there growing, with a good part of the inmates participating in the chapel services.
So I nice little update on everyone....
Sometimes we are asked how our family is doing.....what do I say? We are living life....yet...life is "on hold" Jon goes to work, preaches at church, works out, I do my yoga and see friends and take care of the kids, cook, do laundry...the kids stay busy....but life still seems surreal to us all. We have full time nurses in the home, all kinds of equipment in the home, therapists, all kinds of people in and out. The kids all share a room so Selah can have her own room. The boys have air mattresses on the floor and all their stuff is in my husband's office. We've really clung to each other through this past year. We've learned that sometimes that is all you have.
We've been amazed by some people's generosity, not just because of financial gifts but the love and concern we have received from others. Many times it was folks we didn't' know or didn't know very well. Then we had some weird stuff happen too...all kinds of promises made of help....made when we were in NY but then when we got home, no phone calls, visits or anything..... We've just kept our eyes on God and trusted Him. We have learned a lot through this! One thing is to DO for others.....do NOT assume that someone else will do for them.... I never want to pass up a chance to do something for someone in need now that we've gone through all that we have. Secondly, I have learned NOT to promise something that I have no intention of following through on..... Through this time I've felt really let down by some folks. Not that I expected anything one way or another UNTIL people made promises.... But one thing we learned through our adoption experience was to look to GOD and God alone.... Sometimes I have to guard my heart when I compare how we have been there for others and how others have not been there for us..... BUT then I think of the unexpected ones who have been there for us... that has amazed us all!!
The most important thing you can do for someone who is going through a hard time is to simply be there, presence is important. The bible says to "weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice" Nothing means more to us than the ones who have wept with us and continue to weep with us when we need it. My friend Kandi lets me weep....in all kinds of odd places and isn't' embarrassed of me (or if she is she hides it LOL) She went with me to the doctor to try and help me when I was getting crazy results and that was an experience we will never forget! She found me a lawyer for our re adoption.... My friend Meichelle took time out from her vacation to make it to see me, it was not easy but she did it and she has loved me and prayed so much for Selah. My friend, Charlene stayed with my children up in New York so we could be with Selah.... A college friend Bryan worked everything out for us when we were in Jax....and Selah was in rehab. We hadn't seen each other in over 20 years..... A church in Williamston NY still remembers us.... A church in Jax just blessed our family by pitching in and putting us in a hotel while we were dealing with Selah there in rehab. Neither church was from our denomination...just Christians reaching out to a family going through the worst months of our lives.
God has taken care of our family in some incredible ways, and again I'm not just talking about financially. I mean emotionally more than anything! But I have learned that "faith without works is dead" There are times when someone says "I'm praying for you" that I want to roll my eyes.... Of course sometimes that is all one can do....but sometimes that is a nice little Christian COP OUT! They say it and pat themselves on the back and never give another thought to us. I don't want to be guilty of that.... Sometimes it is hard to actually take the time to DO something but the thing is, that is real Christianity. I'm NOT writing this to make anyone feel bad or feel like you have to do something for my family.....there are hundreds of situations that this can be applied to.... There is a scripture that comes to my mind.....from Proverbs 3:27... "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it." If it is not something you can do, the Bible does not obligate you to do it. But if you can do something ....then do it!
I'm limited in some ways now but I do what I can for others. One way you can do something for someone is if you live in this area and you give to the Monier's family yard sale.... You might not have the money to give to their adoption fund but you could go through your things and give to their yard sale:) You know I had to get adoption in there!!! You can also give to the Orphan Fund for them this month!!!!!
It all comes down to trusting God....that is what I've learned and am still learning.
Oh my...if I lived closer, I would have sooo much for the yard sale, having just cleaned out my mom's house to prep it for selling (a sad but good thing!). When is the sale?
ReplyDeleteshe doesn't have a date set yet, we are just gathering things for a HUGE sale for her!
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