Monday, June 15, 2009
June 11th
First things first…after nine months in the hospital, our little sweet heart sister Lindsay received a whole, new, strong, healthy heart this week. She is having an unprecedented recovery and we are SO proud of her and praising God for the miracle in her life. Read her amazing story linked here and pop over to wish the princess a happy birthday. What a birthday gift she has received!
How many seven year-olds can boast that they’ve celebrated birthdays in three different countries and three different states? Tristan and Abi’s first was celebrated in London England while we were en-route to Ukraine. They have blown out birthday candles in the former Soviet Union, Atlanta and in Columbia. Fitting, wasn’t it, that their 7th would be another destination celebration? With seventeen around the dinner table, we sang happy birthday to these cow-kids in Montana. Cant believe my little buckaroos are that old!
Nothing speaks to my soul more than being surrounded by the vastness of Gods creation! The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament shows his handiwork!” You cannot help but sense the presence of the Lord and the magnitude of His love through His creation in this place! Such creativity. Such beauty. Lord, who am I that you are mindful of me? Getting a glimpse of the breadth of His love fills me with wonder.
My wonderful little sister has come with us to help me keep up with little ones while Im “cooking for cowboys”J With 2,000 acres to explore, elk, dear, cattle, a horse, a gazillion groundhogs, a BB gun and fields laced with wildflowers, they have been happy campers. Just had to share a few pics…enjoy!
Monday, June 15, 2009
June 14th
Thanks for all who have had Evie on their radar and been praying for her health on this trip. She is a terrible sleeper. Has been since day one. Pain was a contributing factor for months and then the steroids she’s on for her asthma don’t help. She fights sleep. The nightly ritual is to hold and walk her to sleep which usually doesn’t happen until 11:00. She’s an early riser and a lousy napper. Spoiled rotten, I know! Imagine my surprise when she started sleeping 12 hours through the night and napping a couple hours twice a day. When her sats dropped and she started throwing up, I got concerned and called her pediatrician who talked me through the symptoms. She concluded that Evie has altitude sickness which can present in babies, especially those with compromised respiratory systems. The lower oxygen at 5,000 feet really wears her out. So long as we keep her on oxygen at night, she does fine and I’m enjoying unbroken nights of sleep!
Any of you watch Little House on the Prairie growing up? Remember the intro when little sister Carrie follows Laura through the long grass and falls down….. Here are my little pioneer girlsJ
Thursday, June 4, 2009
So we’re off…
C took three of the kids and an overstuffed mini-van and set out for the 36 hour drive to Montana a couple days ago. Im following with the two babies by plane this weekend. (I definitely got the better end of the deal on this one, dont ya think?) C has a month long work project doing some building and renovation on a ranch that our organization will be using later this summer as a ministry and training facility. The kids and I are going to tag along and….I dont know…rope steers and brand cattle or something:-)
The kids called me from South Dakota last night to say goodnight and I asked them to recap the highlights of their day. Was thinking they would tell me about Mt. Rushmore or some historic landmark they visited. They each in turn proceeded to describe this one horse town they were staying in last night. Im picturing dirt road lined with Saloons. Tumbleweed blowing about. Something out of a Clint Eastwood film.
“And guess what happened?” Britain’s voice a mix of fear and awe.
“We saw a man get dead! These two cowboys was fighting and them have guns and one got dead!”
I was aghast! “Put your father on the phone now!”
C got on the phone laughing. What the kids had failed to communicate to me was that what they had seen was a reenactment and C was thoroughly enjoying their perception and my reaction!
We will post pictures and stories when we are able, but I think regular blogging will not be possible out there. Appreciate you keeping Evie in prayer. She’s infamous for adapting poorly to new surroundings and we would not like to add to our lengthy list of hospitals visited in various cities!
