Pumpkin Patch

If you get simple beauty, and nought else, you get about the best thing God invents. - Robert Browning

To lead a simple life in reasonable comfort, with a minimum of possessions, ranks high among the arts of living. It leaves us the time, resources, and freedom of mind we need for the things that give life value; loving, helping, serving, and giving. - Ernath Easwaran

We finally made it out to the pumpkin patch yesterday. Mai went with her class two weeks ago on about the rainiest day possible, so this was a much nicer time. Then we headed over to my in-laws neighborhood to see a monster house and were at my in-laws' when FIL's physician called with a diagnosis of NPH (Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus). He'll see a neurosurgeon this week. Hopefully a shunt will take care of the symptoms. It's a lifetime shunt that is permanently draining fluid around the brain into the abdomen.

His Faith

Michael and my dad helping Parker down the slide during one of our Slip N Slide fun times. His other baby is Kaylie. She just turned two. Here is an excerpt from an update from Michael today. His faith fills my heart with joy and peace. He is trusting in God. He will be fine no matter what the circumstances are.

I am doing great, yesterday was the first real day of Chemo and it went well. My White blood cell count is suppose to be around 10,000 and when I came in it was 187,000 so I was easy to diagnose. During the last 5 days my white count has bounced up and down slightly but with no real progress, after starting the real Chemo last night my white count went down 50,000 and is at 137,000 so that is great news for me.

For the first time in two weeks I do not have a head ache and you know how good that feels. As for the treatment we will stay here for the first round, it is 4-6 weeks and then we will be heading to Eugene in early December if all goes as planned. I want to thank you and Maryanne for the thoughts and prayers and calls, it means a lot. I cannot tell you how much impact it has been, for me, being at peace with what God has in store. I truly can say now that we may not always understand why these things happen but we can still trust completely in His will. I think that we try and make sense of all the things that happen using our knowledge and understanding, but I think that our expectations are not always reasonable. As I have gotten older and have had more experiences I have seen that my expectations on how things should work are seldom accurate and now I find humor in that.

Good Morning to all,

Just wanted to thank all of you for the thoughts and prayers, I am doing well this morning and still am standing on God's promises and the Faith I have been given. I have yet to have a bad day, praise the Lord, he has lifted my spirits up and I thank him for his perfect will in my life. It is such a blessing to have all of you, and a blessing to know that God's will for our family is perfect even when we do not understand all that we go through. I know that God is blessing us all through this trial and all of the other trials we are facing, our faith is made true to us in these times. With out adversity our beliefs and faith are not being proven and to me this has been one of the best opportunities to see how much faith God has given me and I do not want to neglect the power of faith I have received. Please also be praying for my family and me to receive direction for our lives as I know that God has plans for us that we are not certain of. Praise the Lord oh my soul....... Also I have not had pain or sickness yet, God has been better to me than I could have ever imagined. Also all of my organs are working great with no problems, thank you all for the prayers and please don't let up. My family and I are so thankful and blessed with this wonderful family who believe in the Great I AM. Thanks and our love is with you all.

Michael

Evan From Heaven and Big Brother Nate

I haven't updated with pics of Evan from Heaven since the first few weeks. He is the sweetest baby. Soooo mellow and sweet, but he's been rolling over since week 6. He's now about 3 1/2 months old and he is a wonder. Makes eye contact with you and you are HIS! Look at that hair! It will not stay down.

Big brother Nate is just an exact replica of my brother when he was 2. I think my parents feel like they've gone back in the past - the resemblance is so eerie.

Yesterday's news on Michael is that he has AML which is the fast growing leukemia. We find out today when he'll be home (they've been living in North Carolina for a year but he wants to be home with family for this - they were moving back home soon anyways). He had been feeling kind of sickly the last couple weeks and had some bleeding of his gums but like a guy, just kind of blew it off. His wife Nicole and the kids were here in Oregon for a visit and Michael felt so horrible on Sunday he went to the ER. A bit later they say "you have leukemia, we're admitting you." Can you imagine? Hopefully he'll be on a flight home today and then he'll go through chemo starting in the next day or two and then he'll be in isolation at the hospital for several (5?) weeks and then another round of chemo. It's going to be a long haul. Please keep him in your prayers.

Perspective

If any of us could be transported to heaven for even a five-minute visit, we would never be the same after our return to earth. For the first time, we would have a true perspective on the frailty and brevity of life on earth and the absurdity of giving our hearts to things that will not last. - Ken Boa

The Present is the point at which Time touches Eternity. Of the present moment - and of it only - humans, have an experience analogous to the experience which God has of reality as a whole; in it alone, freedom and actuality are offered them. He would therefore have them continually concerned either with Eternity (which means being concerned with him) or with the Present - either meditating on their eternal union with, or separation from, himself; or else obeying the present voice of conscience, bearing the present cross, receiving the present grace, giving thanks for the present pleasure. - C. S. Lewis

Zoo

Played hookie from the normal Monday for some zoo time with the wee tykes and my parents. After all the rain and gray and hail and wind of the last week or two, today was pure loveliness. It seemed so contrary with the news today brought. My cousin whom I love with every laughing bone in my body (for he IS fun in all definition) was diagnosed yesterday with leukemia. He is 32. He has two small children. My mom was not enough - it had to invade Michael, too. This leaves me so shocked yet again. My stomach lurches.