My wonderful hubby...

My husband did something very unprecedented. He planned a surprise party for my birthday on Saturday. I turned 40. He called all my friends to see if it would work, bought food that we could all eat (since we are on the GAPS diet) and brought it to different places to have them cut up and prepare, had the girls clean the house as clean as they could, took the day off and had everyone meet him down the road. He took me by complete surprise. Emily says, "Mom, you've got to come see this." I tell her, "Just describe it to me." I was nursing Lena. I was visiting with a friend Naomi whom I thought was here because her husband was helping Kevin put struts on his van. Emily insists I have to see it myself. I walk to the door and there are all kinds of people driving in the drive and walking up the walk! I was a bit blown away. I didn't even care that I was wearing my old clothes as I was working in the garden. It was so much fun having everyone over to our house and to visit and watch all the kids play was grand. I was very blessed! I really needed that right now. It's been a long and kind of lonely winter. Friends have been great at calling and emailing during our struggles but when your life centers around a sick child, regular life kind of stands still. I go to doctor appointments and grocery stores. We haven't had a van to fit us all so I stay home from church, etc. It was great to take the day off and relax and enjoy. Thank you to all who came and called and loved. I love you all and thank you for caring so much about us even when I don't call you or email you, you are there calling me and checking in. God is truly good to us! I do praise Him continually for the struggles and for the joys.

New Van...

We did finally find a van. It is not as exciting as the first one but the kids are thrilled. We can now travel together as a family! We have been taking turns going to church. Three people always have to stay home. It's nice and white, and bright! Caleb and I agree that it's kind of ugly. Last night, I imagined driving it and had a flashback of the accident and thought that I couldn't drive it with the kids in it but I'm sure that will pass when we start using it. Pray for me to find peace with it. Kev is happy to have something of our own and not to be borrowing anymore. I can see that as a huge plus. I will look on the brighter side of things and get used to my bright, white light. If only I could be as bright for Jesus as this van will be when we drive up somewhere. Maybe that's the point of us having something so bright. Lord, give me boldness.

Old Van

Here is the old van. Most of you know that January 13th a deer hit and annihilated our mini-van. Just a few days later on the 17th we rolled our 15-Passenger on the interstate. Praise the Lord not one of the 6 children in the van or me sustained any injuries. Why did this happen? I can guess and imagine and try to figure it out but it happened and we have had to live and deal with it. I can guess my impatience was the reason for the roll-over although I was driving safely at the time my mind was screaming "we're late, we're late!" I can think that God was refining us even more, asking us to turn to Him and trust Him. I can think Satan was testing us, trying to get us to turn from the Lord and all His goodness. All I know is that we had to rely on the Lord and turn to Him for strength because we couldn't change what had happened. As much as I would like to go back and have this van because I really, really liked it. I like the color and the striping, the comfort of the seats, the clean interior. I can only go forward.

No time...

I have no time for anything but living the life God has given me so therefore I haven't posted in awhile. I am working on keeping up with the other blog as I want to remember each step of our journey but still don't find time each day to write what's what.

Update on Isaac: He continues to amaze me. He has so much energy, talks so clearly, thinks so clearly and walked over 1/2 mile today. He just decided to go for a walk and ended up past our 1/2 mile long driveway. He's very tired now and should sleep very well. His body is really filling out. It's taking awhile for his arms to show it but his legs and stomach have really taken on more mass. He very nearly has no cramping each day. He's been walking around most days with his new WWII helmet on that he bought last week at Fleet Farm. He's proud of it. He wants to get started doing a chore list around here so I gave him his room to dust and vacuum for a start. Life is getting back to somewhat normal for him and I am so happy about it. I still get impatient with the various nuances of his recovery and could scream with the unfairness of it. Why should I be free from troubles and trials? I have learned that trials give you patience and patience gives you endurance (and a bit of anxiety). I'm working on that though, trying to keep every thought captive. When I feel myself thinking too much the wrong way I sing a hymn or Sunday School song or try to capture a verse that will bring me out of it until I can find joy again. It can take me a long, long time to capture the joy but it will eventually come. Lots of times in the form of my baby girl or my hubby calling to check up on my day.

New blog

I have started chronicling our journey with a new way of eating. It is called the GAPS Diet and I started a new blog to share the day to day of the changes we are making in the foods we eat. I want to try to keep track of it myself and share with anyone else who has an interest in these things. We started the intro diet for the whole family 4 days ago and it has been a bit of a challenge eating soups everyday but we are seeing some changes already and are very encouraged. I haven't included every detail of the diet or the changes but some will come and for the sake of space I'll leave most out. So, if you wish to check it out go to www.landofgoshen10.blogspot.com . My girls have both started blogging too and they are both so sweet and I love them so much. You'll see why at www.inthevalleywithmysavior.blogspot.com and www.christismyvictory.blogspot.com. It will give you some different angles on the diet thing too.

Isaac continues to show improvement each week. Please pray for him to absorb more nutrients and gain more weight. I would like to see 10 pounds more on him and I would dance in the rain! (It's raining now). He went for a walk in the trees today and I gave him some chores (folding laundry) today. We have paid him a bit of money as bribes to get him to take some of his supplements and to get him to eat foods he doesn't like and he spent it all on a lego castle. Then he recently bought an army helmet and knife and now is not happy he doesn't have much money left. He is regretting buying the expensive castle. Buyers remorse Kevin calls it. Do we know about buyers remorse! Right now when money is so short around here I look around my house and have buyers remorse everyday. Why do we buy the things that we do sometimes? Anyway, Isaac wants a way to earn some money so I guess I'll find him chores he can do and he can earn some of it the way we all have to. I quit paying him to get well. I figured he should want it himself now. It was a way to get him out of the dark days though. At 11 years old getting a dollar a day is a cheering thought! He is a dear boy. I was praying by his bedside tonight and I was crying a bit for some reason and he puts him arm on mine and says "Mom, you're work isn't for nothing. I was able to walk thru the trees today and...." On he went telling me how his cramping can't even be called cramping anymore because he barely notices it and I was blessed I tell you. He doesn't care for soups either because he had to have them so much but he has endured the last 4 days like a trooper so I was telling God how proud I was of him when Isaac tells me how it helped him to go back to soups for a few days. He does seem different these last days. Please pray for continued healing of his body. Thank you!!! God Bless You all.

Sick...

Last night I got real sick. I couldn't even stand up without feeling like throwing up. Then 2 other kids started throwing up and by morning 2 more. Yuck! I felt pretty good this morning and did mow, rake leaves, clean up the yard, helped Kevin with expanding the goat pen, etc. Never-ending work around here. I love being outside even though I am still frozen. I am completely looking forward to seeing the gardens growing, not the planting of it but the actual growing. There is just something about walking about all that new growth everyday that is good for my soul. Right now raspberry plants are sprouting their new growth, asparagus is sticking up soon to be eaten, rhubarb is ready to be made into jam and about 1/2 of my strawberry plants made it over the winter and with gophers so we should have some strawberries this year.

Just wanted to show a cute pic of Lena. She loves the animals around here and squeals in delight watching them move around.