Here's hoping you have a blessed Christmas and that Jesus will be the song of your life...

Alli update week before Christmas

Wow! Christmas is so close. And I must say I have received gifts early this year. Although I may be feeling stressed and a bit overwhelmed by Christmas to-do's, intermingled with Dr. appts and bills, I was reminded last night in conversation with our oldest, that these things simply are not my problem. The Christmas to-do are panning out, just like they always do. The doctor's appts come & go, just like they always do (although at today's we sat in the waiting room for 1 solid hour before our name was ever called). And the bills, well, the bills are the result of the "earth shaking" God allowed to come into our lives. He knew before the formation of me in my mother's womb, that my own daughter would travel this difficult road. He knew the details of that heart breaking night before I ever selected a name for her. And he knew all the doctor visits that would follow, and had already aligned godly men and women, into whom He had given knowledge of His great Creation, to aid in her care taking and recovery. So the bills? Well they're His to worry about, not mine. I will trust Him to provide, just as He always has, and will trust Him to use my fishes and loaves to feed the five thousand. I have seen Him make order of the chaos. I've seen Him turn my mourning into laughter. And I will dance in the splendor of His holiness, for great things He hath done for, in, and through me.

So as I've said, I've already received great Christmas gifts this year. Today, Alli is my walking miracle who sings her Jesus songs and writes her name. Today Alli is 3 weeks, 2 days without a seizure. Today, we celebrated the birthday of the King of Kings with our little friends at school who love us and gird us in prayer. Today, I heard all four of my girls say, "I love you". Today, I received encouragement from 3 different friends. Today I received a Christmas card from someone I thought was lost forever that said "we love you guys". Today I had opportunity to encourage a friend. Today, my Savior loves, my Savior lives, my Savior is there for me. Today, I thanked God for you who have prayed for us and lifted us up during this time in our lives.
For those of you who have my #, call it and listen to my voice mail. And rejoice with me at what you hear...

Praise Report (Alli update)

This evening marks 2 weeks without a seizure! We are very encouraged and praying that there will be no more. Please continue to lift Alli up in your prayers in her recovery. We know it is by God's grace alone that she is still here and that she is recovering so beautifully.
This Christmas feels very different for me. The magnitude of what God gave for us really strikes me this year. The preciousness of the small Child who grew into Man who would ultimately give His very life for people who didn't deserve His love. Knowing that on the cross, He saw me and knew how much I'd need Him .
Sometimes I just sit and marvel and quite honestly get tickled at the things of God. How every event in our lives lead us up to this very moment, knowing we would be right here going through these very things we now endure. And I realize we should never "dream" of going back and doing things differently. God knew where we'd be each day, and He used every little thing (good and bad) that we've gone through to mold us into who we are today. And it's in our trials, tribulations, and struggles that God heats the fire, sifts us of our impurities and, if we'll just submit to Him, molds us to reflect more of His image, developing and nurturing our spirits so that we can be more fit for the tasks ahead. He will use our heartaches to reach others if we continue to Glorify His Name and allow His Spirit to flow through us and reach others. When others see us, they should see Christ shining through us, unable to be hidden by grief or despair. For if they don't see Christ, who then will they see?
Take my life, and let me be, a living prayer, my God to thee.

Prayer Needed

A gentleman in our former church fell from a ladder today and was air lifted up state. He suffered severe head trauma and has been pronounced brain dead. This is such a sweet and precious family who dedicated their lives to helping others. Please pray for his precious wife as she deals with this horrible tragedy.
How I'm still haunted of how easily this could have been us. I don't know why God spares one and takes another, but I know God is to be God, and we His children. He is an ever present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).

No news is good news (Alli update)

Alli has gone one week and 2 days without a seizure and we are very encouraged. She did, however, have a lovely fit Tue when having to leave her best friend to go home and then again this morning because her best bud is under the weather and not at school (Feel better K, we need you!). Our big Mrs. Alli said, "Yep, little Alli's back!" And we all had a good laugh.
I just wanted to let you all know how well Alli has done over the past week and thank you for continuing to pray for her. We pray that she will have no more seizures and that God will receive Glory for her healing. I also need to ask you to continue to pray for the healing that needs to take place in her skull to avoid surgery. The last testing back in early November showed the skull fractures still separated. We're praying that they will start to heal towards each other properly and that Alli will not have to undergo surgery. We'll have another CT scan sometime this month to check on her progress.
Thanks for remembering me in my embarrassing tumble. I'm feeling much better and am able to maintain myself with a bit of Tylenol.
Also please pray for some friends of mine who are going through trials. Pray for comfort, peace, and wisdom as they seek God's guidance for their lives. Pray they will feel the love of God's people around them and more importantly feel the presence of the Holy Spirit upon their lives. And pray for their protection that angels would encompass round about them.
Thank you for being faithful in your prayers. As this Christmas season is upon us, reflect on your Blessings, for they are many. Forget not the greatest Gift of all, and neglect not the gift that lie within you. Use the ability God has placed within you to be a light for Christ. And spend time with the people you love, for each day truly is a priceless gift.

Alli update (and me too, I guess)

Alli had a good appt with the neurologist today. No new news, just trying to offer tips to help us manage seizure activity. If the seizures increase, worsen, or are still lingering after 6 months, then we'll start on a seizure med that's also used for migranes. But at this point, we're going to try to avoid it because of the side affects that come along with the medication. We've made it one full week today without an episode (praise the Lord!)
For anyone who missed "America's stupidest moments", I fell at the ginhouse and I am so sore I don't want to move. I unknowingly stepped on a coke flat tray with sheet metal under it, and went skating across the floor and ultimately crashed between 2 saws. I think I must have hit the table saw because my head hurt terribly, and now my shoulders and neck muscles are really giving me a fit. I have a knot on my left leg and my left arm between the wrist and elbow hurts like when you've hit the volley ball wrong. The muscles are tender and hurt doing things like driving or trying to carry something. At the time, my pride was hurt worse than anything, now I just hurt (forget the pride).
Sorry this is so short but I'm going to try to lay very still now...Please keep praying for us as insult seems to add to injury around here these days.
By the way, Happy December everyone!

Update on Alli

Sorry we haven't updated in a few days, but no news has been good news. Alli made it almost one full week without a seizure, but yesterday afternoon had another episode after a very busy day at school. I was fortunate to get to converse directly with the pediatric neurologist today about Alli and her testing. No "classic" seizures were picked up, but an interesting episode of pain that turned violent followed by the classic seizure stares and sleep. At this point they're thinking that Alli's episodes may be induced by a sudden onset of pain from her head injury. The good news is, no seizure meds nor expected long term condition. The bad news is, the only treatment really is pain meds but you don't know to give until the episode starts, and by the time the meds hit her system good, the episode is over. So basically, she'll just have to suffer with them until her head heals at which point we pray they will have stopped. Because her skull fractures have shown no signs of healing yet, another CT scan will be done in Dec. There's still a chance that if they don't heal towards each other, some intervention could be required. They say she's on a "see-saw" age of wanting to do surgery or it being able to heal on it's own. The big factor is whether the fractures will heal towards each other or continue to separate.
To encourage us all though, most of the time, you see the same ole sweet Alli. Unfortunately for us though, there have been times of hitting, biting, screaming, downright defiance, and of course the episodes we've been talking about. None of this was normal behavior of Alli before and is assumed to all be stemming from head pain and "not normal" feelings and signals her body is currently giving her.
Well Happy Thanksgiving to all you, especially my Nashville'd nephew!
My daughter #2 was instrumental in starting a family tradition where we pass around the fall-adorned Thanksgiving spoon just before meal prayer and each vocalize what we're thankful for this year. Mine may be a little long this year...
I could not be more thankful than I am this particular Thanksgiving. God has been so gracious to us through this new path for us. Thank you Lord for seeing fit to spare my little one's life.
I'm especially thankful to my LE folks who have loved on me constantly. You guys are so precious and dear to us and I can't begin to express my gratitude for what you did this past weekend. You guys are awesome. I love you, and really do consider you part of my family.
To my J in Fl, we still love you, still miss you, and still pray for you often (Bug wouldn't dare let us forget!) I am so thankful for your friendship!
To my sweet friend E, you and your family are an answer to many prayers for our family. Our friendship bloomed in a time where I really needed a friend, and it was just perks that you had girls and a ministry minded husband to compliment my own herd. We are so blessed by your friendship and hope to be old folks sitting around the card table with you one day!
To my family, friends, & people who just tolerate me...I can't say thank you to God enough for the honor to be in your lives. You each have touched my heart in countless ways, many I have named here over the past month. I have prayer warriors, crying partners, laughing buddies, old faithfuls, new made friends for life and encouraging words all around me. You guys are all such a blessing to me, really.
So truly, a Blessed Thanksgiving to you all, and I pray that one day I'll be able to be a part of heaping Blessings upon you for all you have done for us during this time. God Bless, Jesus lead, and Holy Spirit whisper. I'll talk with you all again after I've reached my limit on mom's dressing and gravy!