Most of us are on the mend with the flu and cold thing going around. We are grateful to the Lord for the apparent miracle of Tamiflu. James is doing very well, staying busy and with just an occasional cough.
Vern started with a head cold thing this morning and is resting today (it's a holiday for him) in the hopes that he will not need to miss anymore work.
We had big hopes for making some progress on things around here over this three-day weekend. Instead, we are contenting ourselves with babysteps--those are important too!
Hope you are remaining healthy. Thanks for checking on us!
Love, Stephanie
Monday, January 21, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
My amazing mother-in-law
I spoke to my mother-in-law on the phone last night. She sounded great!
If you don't know her, this probably would seem to be no big deal. But truly, my mother-in-law is an incredible woman.
She is one of two remaining children in a family of nine children. When she was just 17, she lost her mother and at 18 she lost her father. All her siblings pulled together to get everyone through school and most through college. She trained to become a social worker. Her heritage is Finnish and while those who didn't know her very well would say she was 'stoic', those of us who know her well would say she is unflappable.
Eight years ago in December, she had surgery to remove cancerous polyps. My father-in-law was so confident in her ability to heal, he was sure they wouldn't need too much help at home. After all, she hadn't had any trouble recovering from a c-section some 37 years earlier! He would have been right, too, except that at the very end of December, she had a minor heart attack. She went on to fully recover.
Last Fall, my mother-in-law had emergency gallbladder surgery. She was very concerned about how slowly she was recovering and that she would never feel normal again. By her 90th birthday, on Thanksgiving Day, she was beginning to feel normal, except that her knee was giving her more trouble than it had before. She thought she would have it repaired in December and the surgeon decided she needed a full knee replacement!
So on December 15th, my amazing mother-in-law underwent knee replacement surgery. During part of our time in Minnesota, Vern worked on the rehab wing of a nursing home. From his experience, he figured his mom would spend at least six weeks in rehab. This past Wednesday, January 16th, my mother-in-law came home to her apartment (she lives in a senior apartment building near Minneapolis). She was out in record time--one month and one day, including Christmas and New Year's.
She can shower on her own, she can walk without the aid of a walker, though the therapist said to feel free to take it if it made her feel more secure at first, but, that she could use the rails in the hallways if she really needed to.
She was happy to be home and actually kind of tickled that so many of the residents came to welcome her home and rejoice with her in her great progress!
WELCOME HOME, Mom! We love you!
If you don't know her, this probably would seem to be no big deal. But truly, my mother-in-law is an incredible woman.
She is one of two remaining children in a family of nine children. When she was just 17, she lost her mother and at 18 she lost her father. All her siblings pulled together to get everyone through school and most through college. She trained to become a social worker. Her heritage is Finnish and while those who didn't know her very well would say she was 'stoic', those of us who know her well would say she is unflappable.
Eight years ago in December, she had surgery to remove cancerous polyps. My father-in-law was so confident in her ability to heal, he was sure they wouldn't need too much help at home. After all, she hadn't had any trouble recovering from a c-section some 37 years earlier! He would have been right, too, except that at the very end of December, she had a minor heart attack. She went on to fully recover.
Last Fall, my mother-in-law had emergency gallbladder surgery. She was very concerned about how slowly she was recovering and that she would never feel normal again. By her 90th birthday, on Thanksgiving Day, she was beginning to feel normal, except that her knee was giving her more trouble than it had before. She thought she would have it repaired in December and the surgeon decided she needed a full knee replacement!
So on December 15th, my amazing mother-in-law underwent knee replacement surgery. During part of our time in Minnesota, Vern worked on the rehab wing of a nursing home. From his experience, he figured his mom would spend at least six weeks in rehab. This past Wednesday, January 16th, my mother-in-law came home to her apartment (she lives in a senior apartment building near Minneapolis). She was out in record time--one month and one day, including Christmas and New Year's.
She can shower on her own, she can walk without the aid of a walker, though the therapist said to feel free to take it if it made her feel more secure at first, but, that she could use the rails in the hallways if she really needed to.
She was happy to be home and actually kind of tickled that so many of the residents came to welcome her home and rejoice with her in her great progress!
WELCOME HOME, Mom! We love you!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Education
From a reprint of a wonderful old book (1850) called _How to be a Lady: Useful Hints on the Formation of Womanly Character_ by Harvey Newcomb.
Chapter II. Nature and Objects of Education "...'Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations;' all, in fact, that is necessary to make a man or a woman--a gentleman or a lady."
Chapter II. Nature and Objects of Education "...'Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations;' all, in fact, that is necessary to make a man or a woman--a gentleman or a lady."
God said 'no'
[Update: James' nasal swab came back postive for influenza (boo). No chemo for a week or until his counts show he is ready again (yaaayh). Hannah read me his counts over the phone, and they *are* excellent--Hgb 11.3; ANC ~4,800; WBC ;Platelets ~650K. He is coming home with Tamiflu--a med that is supposed to neutralize the flu virus, shorten it's duration and lessen it's severity. Tomorrow we will take James to his pediatrician to get one more dose of antibiotic, just in case the fever was caused by something else.
Vern just called and they are finally on their way home from Atlanta. Should be here by 7p.m.]
At least in part. It looks like James is coming down with *some*thing. He's pretty puny. This morning early, he had a fever that continued up, so we called the oncologist on call. He thought James should be seen in clinic under the circumstances. The Lord was merciful as we still had plenty of time for Vern to call in and he and Hannah (who are both feeling just fine) made the run to Atlanta. I was very grateful since I am not up for that just yet.
At this point, they gave James an IV and some antibiotics. His counts look great according to Dr. Keller. I don't have the numbers. They did get blood for cultures and they will swab his nose and check for influenza. He will come home with the IV in place and, at this point, I will take him to Macon for another dose of IV antibiotics tomorrow (because of his fever).
While they were in the room at the clinic, I talked to James on the phone. It helps to have an interpreter. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: You are a brave boy and Momma is very proud of you.
James: Nya. Interpreter: He's nodding his head.
Me: Are you my brave boy?
James: Nya. Interperter: Nodding his head.
Me: You are such a brave boy. Are you my big boy?
Interpreter: He's shaking his head. I think he's feeling pretty puny.
Me: Oh, sweet boy. You are still very brave. I hope you can come home soon and we will snuggle. Would you like that?
James: Nya Interpreter: He's nodding his head.
Me: I've got lots of big hugs for you. mmmmmmmhhmmmmmmm (sounds like a big hug)
Interpreter: THAT got a smile!
We are grateful to avoid a hospital stay. Lord willing, our preference would, of course, be to stay home!
Thanks for checking up on us.
Love, Stephanie
Vern just called and they are finally on their way home from Atlanta. Should be here by 7p.m.]
At least in part. It looks like James is coming down with *some*thing. He's pretty puny. This morning early, he had a fever that continued up, so we called the oncologist on call. He thought James should be seen in clinic under the circumstances. The Lord was merciful as we still had plenty of time for Vern to call in and he and Hannah (who are both feeling just fine) made the run to Atlanta. I was very grateful since I am not up for that just yet.
At this point, they gave James an IV and some antibiotics. His counts look great according to Dr. Keller. I don't have the numbers. They did get blood for cultures and they will swab his nose and check for influenza. He will come home with the IV in place and, at this point, I will take him to Macon for another dose of IV antibiotics tomorrow (because of his fever).
While they were in the room at the clinic, I talked to James on the phone. It helps to have an interpreter. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: You are a brave boy and Momma is very proud of you.
James: Nya. Interpreter: He's nodding his head.
Me: Are you my brave boy?
James: Nya. Interperter: Nodding his head.
Me: You are such a brave boy. Are you my big boy?
Interpreter: He's shaking his head. I think he's feeling pretty puny.
Me: Oh, sweet boy. You are still very brave. I hope you can come home soon and we will snuggle. Would you like that?
James: Nya Interpreter: He's nodding his head.
Me: I've got lots of big hugs for you. mmmmmmmhhmmmmmmm (sounds like a big hug)
Interpreter: THAT got a smile!
We are grateful to avoid a hospital stay. Lord willing, our preference would, of course, be to stay home!
Thanks for checking up on us.
Love, Stephanie
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Hit by a Mack truck
Monday I was eating lunch with the children, minding my own business, when I realized I was REALLY tired and my back and shoulders and arms and legs were starting to ache. I said I was going to lay down to rest to see if went away. Then I started coughing. It hurt in my upper chest to cough--like a little Christmas tree light bulb burst each time I coughed. Katie has been having a cough and the general yucks for about a week and she confirmed that this, indeed, was how it started for her too. Bummer. I thought she had a bad cold, but this is looking more like an upper respiratory influenza kind of a thing.
Owen has joined me. Lucky him, he got the intestinal flu part too--or mostly. Still pretty weak and sleeping a lot today, but hoping to be back up on our feet tomorrow. James has to go to Macon for lab work to determine if he gets chemo at home tomorrow night.
So far everyone else is staying healthy. Please pray with us that we don't pass this all around and James especially doesn't get it.
Thanks for checking on us. We miss hearing from some of you. How is your new year?
Love, Stephanie
Owen has joined me. Lucky him, he got the intestinal flu part too--or mostly. Still pretty weak and sleeping a lot today, but hoping to be back up on our feet tomorrow. James has to go to Macon for lab work to determine if he gets chemo at home tomorrow night.
So far everyone else is staying healthy. Please pray with us that we don't pass this all around and James especially doesn't get it.
Thanks for checking on us. We miss hearing from some of you. How is your new year?
Love, Stephanie
Thursday, January 10, 2008
An important request
When we were getting settled in the hospital in Atlanta, we got an e-mail from friends about a friend of theirs whose little guy was diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma. We prayed for little Nathan McClean and then, I regret to say, got pretty wrapped up in all that was going on with James. We thought of him, but didn't continue to follow his story. Recently, we got another note with updates from our friend. Nathan has, since April, had quite an incredible journey, including surgery, chemo and a tandem stem cell transplant.
Because of the way our oncology floor is set up at Egleston, we've had some pretty close contact with families experiencing a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. I can say, unequivocally, that it is an INCREDIBLY intense time. Even the doctors say that it really is awful, terrible, and horrendous what they put children through to try to get them better.
The greatest risk with transplant patients (similar to, but moreso than those on chemo) is infection. Well, it appears that little Nathan has a whopper parasite infection in his blood. He also has lesions on his brain. Tonight they began the three medications they hope will conquer the parasites--there is some concern that they may be too advanced. Tomorrow morning they were planning to do surgery to biopsy the brain lesions, since they have been able to get no other clues about what they are so they can treat them.
The family is in Louisville, Kentucky. They have tremendous faith and an incredible support network. I know they would appreciate your prayers for Nathan. You can learn more by visiting their Caring Bridge Site.
Thanks for stopping by.. and for praying.
Love, Stephanie
Because of the way our oncology floor is set up at Egleston, we've had some pretty close contact with families experiencing a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. I can say, unequivocally, that it is an INCREDIBLY intense time. Even the doctors say that it really is awful, terrible, and horrendous what they put children through to try to get them better.
The greatest risk with transplant patients (similar to, but moreso than those on chemo) is infection. Well, it appears that little Nathan has a whopper parasite infection in his blood. He also has lesions on his brain. Tonight they began the three medications they hope will conquer the parasites--there is some concern that they may be too advanced. Tomorrow morning they were planning to do surgery to biopsy the brain lesions, since they have been able to get no other clues about what they are so they can treat them.
The family is in Louisville, Kentucky. They have tremendous faith and an incredible support network. I know they would appreciate your prayers for Nathan. You can learn more by visiting their Caring Bridge Site.
Thanks for stopping by.. and for praying.
Love, Stephanie
Our Children - and more
Over New Year's Day, we drove up to visit my mom and dad. We had a really enjoyable visit. Besides the good company, it actually got cold and we had snow flurries. This didn't excite anyone but me and Katie very much. I suspected I would miss winter when we left Minnesota-- I'm not asking for nine months of winter, just three to six weeks! ;*) It is just nice to be cold before I have to be so HOT all summer long.
But I digress.
My mom is very creative and she always has something crafty going on. Usually it's quilts, but not always. The children, between them, have about 18 quilts she has made just for one of them. Most of them are personalized with colors and themes. All of them are pretty, some are downright gorgeous.
In my younger days, my mom did a lot of embroidery work. In fact, she was a big designer for the now-defunct Sunset Designs. In her house, she has a computer/craft room. In her room, she has a bulletin board with ideas pinned to it for future or current project inspiration. I noticed this visit that there was a cute sketch on that board. It was a creative grouping of stick figures that remarkably resembled my children and even had their names on it! I wondered what it was for and sort of pictured in my mind, what it might look like in floss. I wanted to ask my mom, but I didn't want to spoil any surprise.
Later, she brought me a wrapped present. "Something I had just been able to finish," she said. She hoped it was okay and hope I liked it. I started to open it up--it was obviously in a frame--and as I peeled back the paper, I caught a glimpse of the corner. It looked like a living version of the drawing I had seen earlier on her inspiration board! I LOVE it and I just have to share it. If you know my children at all, this is totally them and it's a perfect addition to our new home.
So you can see how it all looks together in the frame.
But I digress.
My mom is very creative and she always has something crafty going on. Usually it's quilts, but not always. The children, between them, have about 18 quilts she has made just for one of them. Most of them are personalized with colors and themes. All of them are pretty, some are downright gorgeous.
In my younger days, my mom did a lot of embroidery work. In fact, she was a big designer for the now-defunct Sunset Designs. In her house, she has a computer/craft room. In her room, she has a bulletin board with ideas pinned to it for future or current project inspiration. I noticed this visit that there was a cute sketch on that board. It was a creative grouping of stick figures that remarkably resembled my children and even had their names on it! I wondered what it was for and sort of pictured in my mind, what it might look like in floss. I wanted to ask my mom, but I didn't want to spoil any surprise.
Later, she brought me a wrapped present. "Something I had just been able to finish," she said. She hoped it was okay and hope I liked it. I started to open it up--it was obviously in a frame--and as I peeled back the paper, I caught a glimpse of the corner. It looked like a living version of the drawing I had seen earlier on her inspiration board! I LOVE it and I just have to share it. If you know my children at all, this is totally them and it's a perfect addition to our new home.
So you can see how it all looks together in the frame.
Closer up, so you can, hopefully, see some of the details.
Thanks, Mom! I KNOW it will be a prized heirloom! I love you!!!
Love, Stephanie
Sunday, January 6, 2008
The Light Tree
Owen loves to build things. He has for a long time. When he was little, he could name every piece of construction equipment at a job site we drove by, although he had no interest in letters, numbers or colors--except for the yellow construction equipment!
Before he was ready to learn to read, his school assignment for the day was to 'build [something] for Momma'. The "something" varied from day to day and sometimes it really was something and he got to decide what to build. This went on longer than it might have for some other children, but by the time Owen was nine, he was ready to hit the phonics hard and it wasn't long before he was reading at his grade level and devouring any book at home or from the library that had anything to do with building.
Since then he has built a number of things, some small, some big, some obviously useful, some less so--but he always learned something from what he builds. This past summer, we were incredibly blessed for Owen to be able to work with the man who built our new home. He worked hard, right alongside the crew, during the two hottest weeks of our already hot southern summer. He learned a great deal and grew tremendously--in physical strength, in confidence and in real self-esteem-- the kind that comes from actually accomplishing something and pressing yourself further than you thought you could go.
Now that we are in our house, Owen has LOTS of ideas for things he would like to do and build to improve our new homestead. (We have quite a few ideas for things for him to do too :*))...
Because all work and no play makes Owen a dull boy, we try to let him have some fun, sometimes, and Vern's Christmas Break and a gift from Nona (my mom) resulted in two days of fun with a little learning and a pretty ending thrown in for good measure. Vern helped Owen with some of the calculations on the first day and a little power-sawing on the second. Owen set to work to lay out the plan and most of us came out to watch the light tree go up.
Once the center pole and the spikes were in place, it was time to string the lights. Daddy steps in to help again.
The final strand is in place. When Owen plugged it in, all the lights lit and then some of the fuses blew. After replacing a number and blowing yet more fuses, Owen brainstormed with us about how to make it work... and trying to figure out why it wasn't working. We came up with a plan, which he tested, and it worked!
At first, this didn't seem like such a great time for this project. But I'm glad I kept my mouth shut (I don't always). Owen's enthusiasm at receiving the lights motivated him to pursue the project, to see if he could make it work. He was diligent in his work and now we have all the pieces in places to have a lovely Light Tree in our yard next Christmas!
Before he was ready to learn to read, his school assignment for the day was to 'build [something] for Momma'. The "something" varied from day to day and sometimes it really was something and he got to decide what to build. This went on longer than it might have for some other children, but by the time Owen was nine, he was ready to hit the phonics hard and it wasn't long before he was reading at his grade level and devouring any book at home or from the library that had anything to do with building.
Since then he has built a number of things, some small, some big, some obviously useful, some less so--but he always learned something from what he builds. This past summer, we were incredibly blessed for Owen to be able to work with the man who built our new home. He worked hard, right alongside the crew, during the two hottest weeks of our already hot southern summer. He learned a great deal and grew tremendously--in physical strength, in confidence and in real self-esteem-- the kind that comes from actually accomplishing something and pressing yourself further than you thought you could go.
Now that we are in our house, Owen has LOTS of ideas for things he would like to do and build to improve our new homestead. (We have quite a few ideas for things for him to do too :*))...
Because all work and no play makes Owen a dull boy, we try to let him have some fun, sometimes, and Vern's Christmas Break and a gift from Nona (my mom) resulted in two days of fun with a little learning and a pretty ending thrown in for good measure. Vern helped Owen with some of the calculations on the first day and a little power-sawing on the second. Owen set to work to lay out the plan and most of us came out to watch the light tree go up.
Owen figured out how to make the star for the top work...and look like a star!
Becca assisted Owen in getting the tree pole in the ground. The sandy soil here made it easy digging, but also required them to 'dig deeper' to get a stable base.
Once the center pole and the spikes were in place, it was time to string the lights. Daddy steps in to help again.
James fulfills his responsibility as supervisor and cheerleader.
The final strand is in place. When Owen plugged it in, all the lights lit and then some of the fuses blew. After replacing a number and blowing yet more fuses, Owen brainstormed with us about how to make it work... and trying to figure out why it wasn't working. We came up with a plan, which he tested, and it worked!
At first, this didn't seem like such a great time for this project. But I'm glad I kept my mouth shut (I don't always). Owen's enthusiasm at receiving the lights motivated him to pursue the project, to see if he could make it work. He was diligent in his work and now we have all the pieces in places to have a lovely Light Tree in our yard next Christmas!
Love, Stephanie
Friday, January 4, 2008
Great report from the docs and good news from home
We made it to James January 3rd clinic visit without too much excitement. There were no fevers and no emergency rooms visits, PTL! We did use pain meds to keep him comfortable and we had to keep him home from church once due to a bleeding mucous fistula, but for the most part, he has been a normal little boy in his interest in things around him and his activity level (that means he is getting in to everything we don't keep him out of!) Since his counts are so good, we get more chemo starting last night at 9:15 and ending today at 3:15p.m.
Here are a few pictures from around home:
Carrie and James looking out the window as we began our smattering of Christmas decorations.
Some friends in the community passed along a little pony. James will sit on it if it is in a box, but he gets really nervous about falling off when the pony is out in the open.
Katie is really good about taking time to read to the little three, which they love. A current favorite is "The Great Quillow".
Hannah likes to fix Carrie's hair (which has since been trimmed, but is still pretty long). James likes to watch.
Reported seen on a bumper sticker:
"My kid has more chromosomes than your kid" :*)
Please pray for James as his chemo continues for quite a while into the future. Sometimes the side effects or missing nutrients can cause a good bit of discomfort. We have been jealously guarding our family time with Vern on vacation from school. We've enjoyed Christmas and time together and are getting a good bit done in settling into the house. That will be ongoing for a while, too, but we are so glad to be taking baby steps forwards.
I'm working on a year in review post. HOpefully it will be up before Easter!
Love, Stephanie
Here are a few pictures from around home:
Carrie and James looking out the window as we began our smattering of Christmas decorations.
Some friends in the community passed along a little pony. James will sit on it if it is in a box, but he gets really nervous about falling off when the pony is out in the open.
Katie is really good about taking time to read to the little three, which they love. A current favorite is "The Great Quillow".
Hannah likes to fix Carrie's hair (which has since been trimmed, but is still pretty long). James likes to watch.Reported seen on a bumper sticker:
"My kid has more chromosomes than your kid" :*)
Please pray for James as his chemo continues for quite a while into the future. Sometimes the side effects or missing nutrients can cause a good bit of discomfort. We have been jealously guarding our family time with Vern on vacation from school. We've enjoyed Christmas and time together and are getting a good bit done in settling into the house. That will be ongoing for a while, too, but we are so glad to be taking baby steps forwards.
I'm working on a year in review post. HOpefully it will be up before Easter!
Love, Stephanie
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Battle at the OK potty
That's what Vern called it last night when I had to 'do some battle' with James. He has started taking a great interest in playing in the potty water and last night he was arming up with toilet paper. I suspect he was gearing up to fill the potty and get plenty wet when Carrie called out for help. I told him to 'hand it over' and Daddy narrated from there. Honestly, I had to turn around a few times, so James couldn't see me giggle or see my eyes sparkle. I was glad to skip the messy part, hopefully we're breaking him of his habit.
Today we went to Macon for lab work. I was driving when the nurse called with the results, so the only number I'm sure I remember is his hemoglobin which was 10.8. Not great for a normal, healthy little person, but wonderful for one on chemo. So his reward is more chemo at home tonight. Except for two runs to Atlanta and one to Macon, we have been home since November 20th. That's a whole month!!! Lord willing, we won't have to return to Atlanta until January 3rd for a clinic visit and lab work.
I still find myself walking around in a fog on occasion. Katie is my right arm when it comes to running the house and Hannah is my right arm in taking care of James. I really don't know how I'd do it without them both. I feel pretty divided between settling in to our new house (which still love), 'doing' Christmas, accomplishing normal daily activities (like school and laundry) and managing James care which really is an art.
Below is James in one of his favorite modes of transportation--the bear crawl.
Thanks for stopping by. Love, Stephanie
Sunday, December 16, 2007
This weekend's excitement
Yesterday it rained. It was wonderful. I felt like Sarah, Plain and Tall when it rained in Maine after there had been such a terrible drought on their farm. I thought about the romance of stepping off the porch and turning slowly in the rain, drinking it in. However, it was quite a heavy rain and the temperature was around 60 degrees and it wasn't long before the reality of being soaking wet in the relative cold and wind took over my thoughts and I just admired the glorious falling water through from the dry porch.
It wasn't long before the power went out. This, of course, made me very grateful for the thought of being cold and wet and how it deterred me from doing something I would have regretted. Gratefully, we chose a gas cooktop and lunch preparationg was unhindered. Our work on closet shelving was cut short and then we were a little concerned about water. We still don't have back up water here for drinking, washing or flushing potties.
It was about three hours before power was restored (a dead tree had fallen on a line) and that was just the same time we were able to power up a neighbor's generator to see about getting the water running into the tub--just in case.
Later in the evening, there was a flurry of activity as someone discovered water dripping from a light fixture in our big common closet, between the bedrooms. Vern and Owen crawled out into the attic space to discover water running in around a plumbing vent. They employed a clever version of the normal leaky roof stop gap and checked it often until the downpour subsided.
This morning we learned, from neighbors who have a rain gauge, that we had four inches of rain over yesterday and last night. Praise the Lord. Today was crisp and clear. Not cold by Minnesota standards, certainly, but a welcome relief from the summer heat that came our way earlier this week.
After church and lunch, Vern and Owen set out to climb Mt. Skellyrest to repair the leaky roof. I got to provide ground support and everyone else got to watch. Katie photographically recorded the event for posterity. I'll try to put the pictures in another post--this one isn't working.
We remaining very grateful for the Lord's provision and protection in our lives.
Love, Stephanie for all
It wasn't long before the power went out. This, of course, made me very grateful for the thought of being cold and wet and how it deterred me from doing something I would have regretted. Gratefully, we chose a gas cooktop and lunch preparationg was unhindered. Our work on closet shelving was cut short and then we were a little concerned about water. We still don't have back up water here for drinking, washing or flushing potties.
It was about three hours before power was restored (a dead tree had fallen on a line) and that was just the same time we were able to power up a neighbor's generator to see about getting the water running into the tub--just in case.
Later in the evening, there was a flurry of activity as someone discovered water dripping from a light fixture in our big common closet, between the bedrooms. Vern and Owen crawled out into the attic space to discover water running in around a plumbing vent. They employed a clever version of the normal leaky roof stop gap and checked it often until the downpour subsided.
This morning we learned, from neighbors who have a rain gauge, that we had four inches of rain over yesterday and last night. Praise the Lord. Today was crisp and clear. Not cold by Minnesota standards, certainly, but a welcome relief from the summer heat that came our way earlier this week.
After church and lunch, Vern and Owen set out to climb Mt. Skellyrest to repair the leaky roof. I got to provide ground support and everyone else got to watch. Katie photographically recorded the event for posterity. I'll try to put the pictures in another post--this one isn't working.
We remaining very grateful for the Lord's provision and protection in our lives.
Love, Stephanie for all
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Alive and well
Just a quick post here to let you know that we are indeed alive and well. We've done a few more stints in the hospital since I last wrote and we moved in to our new home November 3rd. Which we could not have done without the Lord providing so many many folks to bless us--the C's--whose home we invaded for SEVEN months--thanks PJB&L (they even said they've missed us! what great friends!), Joey&co who sold us our land for a great price and through in framing our house to boot...never mind all the land clearing, tree pushing, subcontractor coordinating and coaching, David&co who got our foundation in a month ahead of schedule as a gift, John&crew who put on our roof for the cost of materials, Bruce who has tirelessly handled so many of the fine details to make things work and continues to do so even without the motivation to get his room back! WE are blessed beyond words to have so many great folks in our lives...
We did get to enjoy Thanksgiving in our new home although we had hoped to spend that week with Mom Skelly, who celebrated 90 years Thanksgiving day. We weren't able to make it due to an unplanned hospital stay, but we know God has a plan in it all and we are grateful to Him for His protective hand in our lives.
Now it is December (wherever did the year go?) and we are continuing to settle in and prepare for the holidays. We aren't missing the snow yet, but then there wasn't a lot of snow the last few winters.
The hospital changed it's rules on blog access and I can no longer post from there. I am trying to get a photo album up on Picasa, but it keeps telling me I need an internet connection to upload. Doesn't dial up count? :*)...
Wishing you a wonderfully blessed holiday season... and hoping to be able to post some in the meantime. Thanks for checking up on us...I'm working on catching up with e-mails too... it's all a slow process and I appreciate your patience!
Love, Stephanie
We did get to enjoy Thanksgiving in our new home although we had hoped to spend that week with Mom Skelly, who celebrated 90 years Thanksgiving day. We weren't able to make it due to an unplanned hospital stay, but we know God has a plan in it all and we are grateful to Him for His protective hand in our lives.
Now it is December (wherever did the year go?) and we are continuing to settle in and prepare for the holidays. We aren't missing the snow yet, but then there wasn't a lot of snow the last few winters.
The hospital changed it's rules on blog access and I can no longer post from there. I am trying to get a photo album up on Picasa, but it keeps telling me I need an internet connection to upload. Doesn't dial up count? :*)...
Wishing you a wonderfully blessed holiday season... and hoping to be able to post some in the meantime. Thanks for checking up on us...I'm working on catching up with e-mails too... it's all a slow process and I appreciate your patience!
Love, Stephanie
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