Updates On My White Boy and My White Girl

In case you were wondering...

Tim:  Tim's surgery went well.  They removed the stimulator from his back and spine with only one complication.   One that the doctor said he had never encountered before.  Leave it to my husband to be the rare case in all things. Seems that the surgery they did last year to implant the stimulator required them to drill a hole in one of his vertebrae that was about the size of the tip of your pinky.  They needed to do so, so they can wire the paddle through it.  Don't ask me what that means exactly; I was still stuck on the bone drilling part.  I had no idea that they had drilled part of his bone last year.  Well, surgery took a bit longer than expected because Tim's bone had grown back completely.  The hole was filled in all the way.  His neurosurgeon had never seen that happen before and he talked about it several times.  You could tell he was amazed by it.  He said they had to delay going on for a bit, while someone went and got the bone drill.  So, Tim was a bit more sore in that area, but he is such a trooper and NEVER complains.  NEVER.  He is such a godly example to me.  He was making me laugh in the recovery room and we loved having that time alone to talk and enjoy some quiet time.  He went back to work, officially, today.  He had been working from home last week, but today he went into the office and he seems to be doing really well.

As far as what to do next...well, we continue to lean on the Lord and His will over Tim's life.  We believe in miracles, but we also believe in God's sovereignty over each of our lives.  We trust that He knows best for us and that His timing is perfect.  Tim looks forward to being in Heaven...no more pain, tears, or broken body.  Oh, Jesus, COME!

As for our Princess...

Isabella Grace:  She has really learned to get around and do most things with only one arm, since she broke her collarbone the last week of December.  She wears a sling that keeps her arm from moving 24 hours a day.  But, somehow, our little Houdini has figured out how to take it off, which is amazing, since it is quite a contraption of knots, twists, and turns just to put it on.  However, when she has it on, she still manages to go down the slide, climb up on the sofa, and push her baby stroller.  It's amazing what we can do when we have the drive to do it.  I have learned a lot from my little girl through this.  And, she also never complains, and doesn't ask to have it taken off.  She goes in for her check up/followup xray in a week.  Although, they said she may need to wear her sling for 8 weeks, we are hoping that the xray next week will show she is all healed up and she can resume her normal activities.

We have taken quite a bit of time off for a trip to see family, illness, broken bones, surgery, and recovery, but we are going to get back into the swing of things this week.  We so enjoyed the time off and having Daddy around.  The boys hated seeing him go back.  But, we are so thankful for Daddy's job and his firm.  They have blessed us beyond belief and we praise God that He brought this firm into our lives.  We do not take for granted that Tim has a job and that the bills are being paid for.  Praise God.

Beeswax and Jesus

So, here's the deal. Can I be frank?

I am not pregnant.

 At least not at the moment.

That's not a bad thing. It's a good thing. Why? Because, we believe that God's timing is perfect, so when he sees fit to bless our family with another arrow, then glory to Him! Or, if he chooses to keep us at a half dozen here on earth, we'd accept that, too.

We are trusting in Him to decide what our family size should be.

I have always enjoyed sharing about our faith and how we came to this point in life... trusting God with my womb.  I have loved being able to share, especially with those that might not know Jesus, or are just growing in the knowledge of Him, how we are seeking His will over how many children He would have our family have.  But, lately, I have found that some people have the nerve to ask if i'm pregnant yet.  Really? 

Here's how I feel about this. 
If I wanted you to know if I was pregnant, I would have told you.  So, don't ask me, "Are you pregnant?", and put me in the position of having to figure a way out of answering.  I mean, for curiosity sake, I'm telling you that I am not pregnant now, but what if I were?  What if it was something that we weren't ready to share yet and wanted to keep close to our hearts?  Please, don't put me in the position of having to weave my way out of answering. So, I guess I am going to have to come up with a polite, but straight forward way to answer these questions...

Unnamed person:  Still not pregnant?  How about this month?  How about now?

Hmm... I am going to ponder this one a little bit.  Have any ideas or suggestions?  I just want to have a nice way to say, "Jesus loves you and please, mind your own beeswax."

Happy HOPE-FULL New Year!

I think it will be my motto this year.  Being HOPE filled.  It seemed to have hit me hard around Thanksgiving.  Hope.  What it means.  What it produces... that is why Romans 5 is one of my favorite chapters:

 ¹ Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. ~Romans 5

As December came, I was excited about Christmas, and all the fun things in store, but as child after child got sick, and then sick again, it was quite a trial.  Then, Tim's doctor schedules Tim's surgery to remove his spinal cord stimulator for the first week of January, and all I can think, is please, Lord, have everyone be well by then.  Then, it happens...our little Isabella is the first to break a bone in our family.  I have been a mother for almost 18 years, and no broken bones, until now.  And, not just any bone or any child...but the collar bone on our littlest princess.  I dealt with so much heartache and wishing I could take her place.  But, she has actually been such a brave little girl!  Hardly ever cries or complains of pain.  We have yet to see the orthopedic doctor that will tell us how to help her heal up, but we are looking forward to getting some help in that area, because our homemade bandana sling is not cutting it.  We have to keep putting her arm back in and reminding her to not move it.  Not an easy task for an active 18 month old girl.  She is going to have some fun stories about her very young life, isn't she?  Cyst on the brain, born in an ambulance, almost didn't make it after birth due to lack of oxygen, and now this.  I know that I will be able to look back and smile one day, but for now, I am praying that as Proverbs 31:25 says, I can cloth myself with strength and dignity and laugh at the days to come!

So, 2011...you don't scare me!  I am HOPE filled!  I have all I need!  Jesus inhabits my heart and His Grace is sufficient! 

Happy New Year to all of you!
XOXO,
Veronica