#236 - A Basket Full of Sunflowers

Our sweet college friend, Amanda, asked Anna to paint her a picture so she could show her art professor! Anna worked very hard on this basket of sunflowers and it turned out beautifully! (I forgot to scan it in, but Anna took a picture of it with my phone on the way to church tonight!)

Psalm 90:17
"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands."

(Prayer request: A very close friend's little boy was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes today and we'd appreciate the prayers if he comes to mind. After finding out he said, "It'll just be something to add to my testimony!" He is 8 years old and God has a big plan for his life! :)

#217 - Brian's Papaw

Brian's papaw fell on Wednesday afternoon and broke his hip. He had to have surgery this morning and everything went well. I've written about him a few times HERE.

He just celebrated his 88th birthday in July and he and Granny still raise a garden! He is a wonderful man and we love him dearly. And he calls me - "Jennifree" - I love it! If he comes to mind please remember him in your prayers. It'd be greatly appreciated!

Deuteronomy 4:29
"But from there you will seek the LORD your God,
and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Best Friends

My best friend Nina's, mother-in-law Donna, was put in the hospital Saturday evening from some complications from her chemo and they have found out since then that she's been having some mini strokes. She has battled cancer on and off for about 5 years and has fought so hard for such a long time. Her inspiration has just been amazing and she has always given God the glory in whatever her body was going through. Nina and her hubby Greg came home before Christmas last year after serving on the mission field in South Asia for two years to help take care of his mother.

While they were overseas Nina homeschooled their kids and I was so happy that when they came back she decided to continue. Nina and I have been best friends since high school. In fact, she and Greg are who set Brian and me up back in January of '94! Brian and I went on our first date with them and we have all been so close ever since. They are who kept our girls when we went to Panama on a mission trip this summer, if that is any indication on how much we love and trust them :D Greg was a pastor before they left for about five years and now he is a full time pastor in a church in our association. Nina is a wonderful pastors wife! I tell her all the time that she is a one of a kind! She has been a trusting, compassionate, caring, loving, & selfless friend for so long. We always praise God for Him putting us together!

Yesterday, before our homeschool co-op classes they dropped their kiddos - Sissy, Logan, & Eli off to stay with us for a little while so they could get to the hospital for Donna. Sissy is at our house all the time with the girls, but the boys hardly ever get to come over. I think they all had a lot of fun playing. After cooking some breakfast I walked into the living room and just about fell in the floor laughing at this sight:

They were all playing a game on their DS games, together. They weren't having to do any school before our co-op so they made the most of their free time! I love these kids almost as much as our own. Please join me in praying for Donna, their mamaw as she is still fighting this cancer.

We have peace in knowing that our God is able!!!

Prayer Request - UPDATED with a PRAISE!!!

UPDATE 4/26: Friday night my phone rang and it said, "GIGGE" and I thought it might have been Becky calling from his phone so when I answered it I heard a voice that I've been praying to hear for a long time!!! Last week they switched out his trach with a smaller one so that he could speak. His first words were, "Hey baby (what he always calls me because I'm the youngest of 5), how are you doing?" I screamed, "GIGGE!!" Then the tears started coming! It was SOOO good to hear him on the phone after not knowing whether or not he was even going to live 9 weeks before that. He said that he thanks God every day for saving his life and I was praising HIM right along with him!!! God is so good!


UPDATE 4/5: He was moved to the long term rehab hospital today!!! Praise the Lord!!!

UPDATE 3/29: Gigge has had a few rough days this week. He was greatly improving and was ready to be moved to a long term rehab facility last week, but then his right lung collapsed. They got it stable, but then right after he developed a lung infection. He had a really bad coughing spell Saturday night and his oxygen levels dropped and they even called Becky in. But since then he has been steady and has had been sedated again. Today Becky texted me and said that they were going to lift the sedation and change up some of his meds. Please continue to pray. It seems like he is making two steps forward and then one step back. But God is in control and His will is to be done. He will get the glory when Gigge is completely healed and even in these baby steps he keeps making now!


UPDATE 3/10: Garland is more awake today. He asked "what happened" last night. Becky also told him about Cori's game and he laughed and smiled-his eyes were closed. He also squeezed her hand. But, he is still not tolerating his feeding and she is going to ask the doctor today about that. They are going to transfer him to a rehab hospital at the end of this week or beginning of next. Praises and glory to God!

UPDATE 3/5: The Doctor siad that they are going to start "sedation holidays." This means that they turn the sedation off until he starts to wake then they'll put him back under and each time the will adjust/lower the amount of sedation.

UPDATE 3/4: They switched Garland to the regular vent on Thursday and it went well. His oxygen is now down to 50% oxygen being provided by the machine and is holding strong. Good progress!

Here are a couple of pics from Texas:

Kati, David, & Cori

Kati & Cori

UPDATE (2/28): Got home early this morning. Praise God for traveling grace this week! Gigge is still improving. They changed his ventilator after they put the trecheotomy in and he is continuing to improve slowly. This morning they have his oxygen level down to 70% and the x-rays yesterday showed that his lungs were clearing up.

Thank you all for your prayers this week! God is good and deserves all the glory!

UPDATE: My dad and the girls and I are now in Texas. Gigge has been taking small baby steps. His heart, kidney, and all major organs (except for his lungs) are all doing well. His lungs are still very critical, but today they have been able to lower his oxygen intake. He has ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) and his recovery will take a long time. But now that he is taking small baby steps the doctor says that it is now day by day instead of hour by hour like it was two days ago. Please continue to pray that he will fight and remain strong. Gigge is not a quitter!!!
Praise and glory to God!!!

Please pray for Gigge (Garland), my brother that lives in Texas. He is in the ICU with pneumonia and the flu. He went to the ER yesterday and they put him straight in and also put in a breathing tube. He is very serious and we all would greatly appreciate the prayers for him.

I talked to my sis-in-law, Becky, this morning and she said that he was about the same and the good news is that he wasn't any worse.