Happy Birthday!

Caleb turned 10 today! He is just the class clown around here. Making jokes all the time and making everyone laugh, that's Caleb. We didn't have a real exciting day but made a nice breakfast and all sat down together to eat it; squash pancakes, scrambled eggs and liver and onions! Ok, I thought the liver would be a great addition to the meal for one, I remember thinking liver was pretty good the few times I had it as a kid and two, the iron is so high in it, Isaac would benefit greatly. I try always to eat what I serve even if it isn't quite to my liking. Well, I just had to spit it in the sink and then I just had to wash my mouth out because it was soooooo bad. It tasted like cow barn, yard, manure. I couldn't make the kids eat it since it almost made me vomit. They did all try it. I have to give them credit for that. Jordan and I remember liver tasting chalky but not like that. I don't know what was wrong. It was even pasture fed organic beef?!?

Isaac had a good, good day. He bounced and drank and still looks good at 9:48 p.m. Praise be to God! Bekah finished her math today and other kids are nearing the end of several subjects. I am hopeful they are mostly done soon. Spring is here and it is nice to be outside more.

Have a good Friday!

A pretty good day...

It was a pretty good day today. We went to the doctor today and Isaac had another lymph treatment. They have been so good for him. When he started them is when he started gaining and absorbing nutrients. He continues to fill out in different places on his body. What a praise that is! He went to AWANA with us tonight and did his memory work and really lasted until 10 p.m. when we got home. THAT is not normal for him. Another Praise! It was store night and the kids got to spend the dollars they earned since January on all kinds of stuff. I am always trying to get them not to pay my children all the dollars due them because 5 kids times 30 some dollars equals a lot of stuff in our house! They do enjoy it and we only have one day left, Awards night next Wednesday and we will have one less place to drive each week. Another praise!

Prayer requests: Please pray that Isaac feels like bouncing on the tramp and drinking a lot tomorrow. The lymph treatments make him tired.

Continue praying for a van.

Praise that someone is interested in one of our miniature horses and might even take him home on Saturday. Pray that it would work out for this man. We are trying to make decisions to have only what we need around here, a bit out of necessity and a bit out of needing to give this horse that we have no time for a good home.

Praise for good friends and family who are always thinking and praying for us. I love hearing from people that they are praying for Isaac. It is incredibly uplifting to know. We have been loved greatly during this time. Another Praise! God is so good!

Introducing the newest members of the family...

...Jane, Lizzie, Georgiana and Gizmo. We are now goat owners. Anyone know where we named the girls from. My favorite movie ever! Wow! I just love that movie. Anyway, I deviate from my post. Gizmo is the baby buck we got that Emily is holding in the picture. The three girls are all three ready to be milked. We had hoped to get goats last summer but I was pregnant and Kevin was always working so it didn't work out. Now, goat's milk is a bit of a necessity so here we go. I'll be making Isaac some yogurt tomorrow afternoon with it and he can try it on Monday. We'll go real slow to see if he has a reaction. We won't be drinking the milk for quite awhile, just making yogurt out of it since milk isn't on the diet plan we are on. The kids are thrilled about goats and we learned a lot about them from the place we bought them so we are a bit excited too.

Even now at 11:20 p.m. Kevin is out securing the pen. We had a quick trip to Fleet Farm for tin last night and this morning Kevin was out adding to the shelter we already had and securing the gate. We went to pick them up today and to our surprise her fencing looks like ours and she had a gate and latch exactly like ours. Providence. God is always providing answers. This lady has a sustainable farming operation and we loved the place. They raise pasture fed organic beef, chickens, etc. She gave us lots of beef bones and oxtail for free so we are thankful for that. We bought some chickens since we ran out from last year. Nice to know they were raised without any junk and in an open environment. Come check out the goats anytime if you want a field trip. Call and I'll let you know when we'll be milking.

It's been awhile...

I was surprised when I saw I haven't posted in a whole week. We've been busy I guess. Isaac has been doing well. He was having some more cramping in the last two weeks but it seems to be clearing now the last day or two. The more he drinks and bounces on the trampoline the better he feels. He does not like me to make him meatballs and green beans. He always gets a stomach cramp when I serve it up. Jordan and I noticed this. I kind of head it off by telling him how much I expect him to eat of it and miraculously he'll be stomach pain free when he knows he can't get away with not eating them. He's been good other than the cramps. He is talking quite a lot more.

Thank you to whoever sent us the Wal-mart gift card. Again, God stepped down to say, "Here I am to ease your burden." It was a beautiful thought. Thank you, if you even read this blog. The burden of the finances of this illness can be overwhelming at times but God keeps showing himself to us in various ways. Thank you Lord! I know the Lord wants you to "be anxious for nothing" and "casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you". It is a test of will to really follow that and not worry. I am struggling with that right now. So, if you are thinking of our family please pray for the finances to keep treating Isaac the way we are, the food we need for him and the rest of us and for provision of a van. We need to give back the one we are borrowing and how humbling it is to not have a vehicle. Pray as a family has a 15 passenger van that needs some fixing. Pray that it works and is minimal cost to fix.

Of course, please keep praying for Isaac to absorb his nutrients and for his body to continue on the healing path. We feel we are finally seeing the light we've been waiting for in his healing. We are praising the Lord for that.

Thanks also to the Z family for the squash. I didn't put up much squash because I don't personally care for it and now that Isaac needs squash for his pancakes he loves to eat everyday I don't have it and have had to call around asking. It is hard to find in the store right now. What a blessing to get a few bags and a few squash to keep Isaac in pancakes for a few more weeks anyway. He was heartbroken last Sunday when I didn't have any for breakfast.

Big changes...

Whoa, there was no stopping Isaac today! He talked non-stop on the way home from town today. After lessons we ran to town to look for a stainless steel bread pan and muffin pan. We didn't find them. I don't want to use our old pans since they have layers of bread and muffin stuff on them and I don't know at this point how sensitive his body will be to wheat products. I want to hold off a few months before we even look at wheat stuff. He will be having breads and muffins made from almond flour soon so I want to be prepared. It looks like I'll have to order them and pay shipping charges.

He was just a ball of fire though. I was amazed whenever I heard his voice, it was so strong and clear. We ate supper together again and it was nice having him with us. Roast and veggies. He bought some legos with his brother and they have been busy putting them together, talking and laughing and having a really good time. It was encouraging. We spent so may months wondering if he would ever recover, mostly wondering when. Now we are seeing some major steps to recovery and all I can say is Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord! We are coming out of the darkness into light! Please keep petitioning the Lord on Isaac's behalf. I'd love to see him enjoy his summer running and building forts. The other day he was watching the kids run around and commented how he wished he could do that. He will again!

Sticks and stones...

Remember the old rhyme about sticks and stones can break your bones but words can never hurt me. Don't you just wish this was true? I am just stewing about something I heard about us on Wednesday night and I am not letting it go. Today, while I was wondering what to read, I grabbed a Bible and read Proverbs 17. (A long time ago a friend told me she reads the Proverbs for the date of the month since there are 31 Proverbs.) Well, it spoke to me today. "The beginning of strife is like releasing water; therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts." "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones." "He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace," You see I would like to be confrontational but the Lord knows what will become of me then. I am justified too but I know what the right thing to do is and that is to be QUIET. Lord, help me to seek you and your will for my life.

On a happier note, Isaac is looking much perkier lately and it is apparent he is absorbing his nutrients! He's eating chicken and carrot stir fry and finished most of his school. The others all went outside so we are going to be finishing his math together and doing some test prep. He has to test this year, too bad for him having to do it on the year he has had the most challenges but I am positive he'll do fine. Jordan and Emily test this year too. When it rains it pours they say. (Only say that because it costs $25 per child and I heard it went up to $35 this year.) We have a possibility of a 15 passenger van so please pray for this situation. We need to give the van we are borrowing back soon so getting a van would be almost necessary. With Isaac feeling better it would be nice for us to quit taking turns going places also. Three people always have to stay home. I'm thankful for this sun and the nice weather, the children needed to get outside. Have a wonderful week.

The results are in...

We were able to get to the doctor today on our three month anniversary of Isaac and me going to this particular doctor and we were tested again on the computer to see what has changed. Good, good things!

For Isaac: Three months ago he had about 50 areas of his body test in too low of a number or too high and that meant those areas of his body weren't working properly. Today only about 17 areas tested too high or low!! Wow! One area that was in the normal zone: absorption of nutrients!!!! I have been praying big time for that. We have seen his body taking shape again and he is filling out in different parts of his body. Some of his supplements changed and that is also another good thing, it means things are changing and change is good. We just couldn't have made it this far without the strength the Lord has given us. The parasites tested that they were gone!! We have so much to be thankful for. I am praying that these supplements give him that extra energy and bring him to another turning point in his recovery.

For me: Three months ago I tested low or high in almost all the categories. My heart especially was low. Well, I have had a complete turn around and all categories were nearly in the right range. I have a bit of tweaking to do to my endocrine system, have a little bit of a fungus and then am taking some B vitamins and a digestive aid. I am very pleased. I do wish everyone could go to this doctor. This testing is so neat! We have very satisfied with the results and also have been impressed with how accurately it can pinpoint a problem. When Kevin went to be tested about 6 weeks ago the computer showed he had mitral valve prolapse. In one hour of time it showed it. Twelve years ago Kevin spent several weeks doctoring trying to figure out why he had shortness of breath and somewhat of an anxiety attack on occasion and the testing finally showed mitral valve prolapse. It is amazing how this computer reads your body and balances the right supplementation based on what your body tells it. It has proven to be right on for many of us.

I must add that we have changed our diet considerably to help the healing process. We have cut out all food additives, breads, corn, potatoes, rice and oatmeal, processed sugar. We eat mostly fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, homemade yogurt, peanut butter, lots of salads with tuna and all kinds of good fixings, raw nuts and good fats like homemade butter, ghee, coconut oil and avocados. This was the challenging part. It wasn't required, the doctor we see encourages good choices but he's not a nutritionist. It was a personal choice after much study into what could have caused Isaac's condition. These foods do become quite satisfying once you can overcome the initial shock of not eating a piece of bread with your soup, a tortilla with your taco stuff, bread with sandwiches, muffins for breakfast, chips for a snack, cookies!!

I always feel so encouraged when we come back from the doctor. He adds a little different perspective on things. Just when I get discouraged he helps put me on a more uplifting path with his view of things. Thanks again for checking and praying. God's Blessings to you.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! I am thankful we were able to attend church today as a family. We took two vehicles and went to a friend's church. It did my heart good to have Isaac right there with us. We stayed home from family gatherings because we have weathered too many birthdays and holidays already with Isaac not being able to have 90 percent of everything and desserts are a hard thing for him to see and smell. We stayed home and I made a turkey Isaac could actually have (all store turkeys are injected with a solution with sodium phosphate, chicken or other broth (which means it probably has MSG in it) and dextrose). Dextrose (sugar) is a huge no-no for Isaac right now. I was able to buy one without that stuff. We had carrots added to it and then broccoli and hard-boiled eggs. We all got full and we didn't even have mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, a few salads, bread and a big dessert! Jordan did make a dessert with almond flour and apples but Isaac can't have it yet. We are still practicing for when he can eat more things. The ingredients were very basic and plain but it was tasty.

Please pray for Isaac. He is discouraged a little. Pray for his diarrhea to clear (I know I keep asking that)(it is not the sick kind of diarrhea that you may think of when someone says diarrhea)(it is actually watery stools) but it is a bummer anyway. Pray for the cramping to go away (it came back but only 2-3 times a day and it doesn't last long). Pray for continued healing and continued weight gain. I just want so much for there to be obvious progress every week. I am impatient but learning to be patient. Thanks for praying for him and checking in on him. It means a lot to me and is encouraging. We sure need friends and family during this trying time.

Continued relief...

Isaac continues to be cramp free and pain free. Praise the Lord! He is eating well but not so varied. I try to change it as much as I can with the foods he is eating. He cannot go on in the introduction diet we are doing until his diarrhea clears up. Soon we will have goat's milk and will add yogurt for him. He didn't feel good when I gave him cow's milk yogurt so I don't dare try that again. He didn't have any trouble when he had goat's milk yogurt back in December. Pray as we get the fencing ready, food, and shelter to receive these goats. Oh, I don't think I said, but we are actually getting our own goats because driving to a milk source around here is too time-consuming. It will be "easier" to have them right here. If having goats is "easy" :) It will be another adventure.

The baby...

I looked and looked to update a picture of the lovely Lena but this is the best I could find. She started drinking water out of a cup. She is still completely a mama's girl. If I walk in the room that's it, I have to take her. She is completely wrapped around my finger, wait, no that's the other way around :) I cannot deny her. I have started (I laugh here because I've started several times) to let her cry in the night. It works once or twice and I give in because all I want to do is SLEEP! If I go feed her for 5 minutes I can be back to sleep in 10. If I let her cry it will be 45 minutes or more until she stops crying and then I'm am all the way awake! All the same, as much as I bemoan not sleeping because of a nursing baby I am not liking how quickly she is growing up. She is over 7 months old and the time is coming when she'll be more independent and I'm not ready. God certainly knew what he was doing in creating a baby to be so perfect. Thank you dear Lord for giving us another blessing to hold and love and cherish. Lena is the number one used word in our house right now.

Finally...

Finally is the word that could sum up a few things lately.
Finally, our computer is back.
Finally, Kevin is back to work. He was off all last week because of flooding.
Finally, the oldest girls will have a room of there own. Since Kevin was off he was able to finish their room. No more sleeping in the boys room starting tomorrow.

Finally, Isaac is showing some real improvement. He gained 6 pounds in two weeks time!!!! We are so very happy. Kevin wanted to call everyone he knew to tell them of this awesome news. It means so many things. The parasites are probably gone. His villi is standing up and taking in nutrients from his foods. Oh, we have been waiting for this time with great anticipation! Isaac is so encouraged too. He's finally happy with the foods he's eating. Some things he doesn't yet like but he's incredibly strong and takes them like a "man" or not. Some men don't take illness very well :) He is bouncing on the mini-trampoline we got several times a day and it took away the chest pain (the pain was really his lymph system draining). He is getting weekly lymph treatments and his improvement coincides with having them done. I believe a combination of diet, supplements, lymph treatments, God's hand, and the love of his family :) brought this about, and prayers from all those prayer warriors out there.

Please keep him in your prayers. Pray for continued success in weight gain, the foods he eats to agree with him and for healing of his body. He does still have a long way to go. We may be over the worst of it though and that is worth so much to us.

I hate this to get too long but the things we sent away to be tested because we thought they were parasites because he passed a whole lot of them in a short amount of time, well, they were banana seeds. Not banana, but banana seeds. His body wasn't processing the banana he was eating obviously and they were sitting there and making him sick. When they finally came out it was all at once and there were too many at once for us to believe they were really banana, besides we smashed his banana. I don't know enough about this yet but now that I have my computer back I'm going to be checking on a few things. Could banana that sits in your stomach start to ferment and actually sprout. The doctor we are seeing doesn't think so but why were there 50 or more per bowel movement. Why did they become a hard seed like thing? A new mystery in all of this.