We had a wonderful time over the break. We were able to spend 7 days at my (Becca’s) parents’ house. All of my siblings did indeed make it for Christmas. Most of the family participated in an escape room in Bowling Green, KY—actually we competed as two teams against each other back to back in the same escape room to see who could escape and do it in the shortest amount of time. Both teams escaped but my team escaped faster! I love the escape room concept. There is a tiny bit of anxiety going into it even though you’re not really stuck and such a thrill when you win! Ben and I both love that kind of puzzling/solving clues. We enjoyed seeing the dear people at Grace Baptist Church where I grew up. Such a blessing to give them all hugs and say thank you. Christmas morning was fun; the youngest is Ethan and he’s almost five, so opening gifts went a bit quicker. We've decided the last few times to let all the kids open gifts then eat breakfast before returning to gift opening for the adults. We are the kind of family who starts from youngest to oldest and everyone has a turn to open gifts. It’s fun to see what everyone gets. Ethan got many toys and games and has since enjoyed opening each one and playing with them now that we’re back home. Joyanna is harder to buy for but we created an Amazon wish list for family so she received some of her wish list and some cute clothes! One of the neatest things (which we tried for the first time today) was a mount for her iPad with a goose-neck so I can position it wherever she needs to be able to see it. It worked beautifully!
My younger sister made a thoughtful purchase for each family—a bus ornament for our Christmas trees to remember Philip by. She gave these to each of us on Christmas Eve. They are beautiful and a perfect way to remember our sweet boy each year. I thought Christmas would be a hard day but it turns out it wasn’t difficult. Many that I have talked to say that most of the time, the grief and sorrow hits at the most random times. I’m starting to see that. It’s also true that Philip hasn’t been directly involved in actual Christmas day traditions for several years now because of the regression. So, there again is grace that God allowed us to grieve those things along the way and they haven’t hit us all this year.
We were able to see our good friends, Sam and Willie Simmons, the day after Christmas with my whole family. We did some shooting--shooting guns, and shooting the breeze! It was good to see them and enjoy some yummy food together. The next afternoon, when the guys went to play some basketball, the ladies did a little shopping--thanks to Granny (who doesn’t like shopping) who willingly watched the kiddos for us. We returned home to OKC on Friday. It is good to be home.
New Year’s Eve was a relaxed day. We went to bed a bit before midnight but since I knew the neighborhood would come alive with fireworks at midnight and it would wake me up anyway, I decided to stay awake. One or two minutes after midnight, in the midst of the firework revelry, a large pop sounded and our power went out. We may never know but I think someone’s fireworks went a bit in the wrong direction and took out a transformer. Ben gave it a bit of time to see if they would get it right back on, but after a while, decided to fire up the generator. We wanted to get the refrigerator running and Joyanna’s feeding pump only runs on battery for a while (which is why we have the generator). They got the power back on in the middle of the night. Exciting beginning to 2019! I told Ben, “I hope this doesn’t set a precedent for this year.”
On Tuesday, we were able to spend a few hours with Ben’s brother and sister and their families here in town. It was a good time with the cousins playing well together and the adults enjoying some fun games.
Joyanna has still been dealing with some congestion off and on but not actually sick. She seems to be riding through the winter pretty well, though we’re only halfway through. When we had her last cast cut off, the therapist decided to try at least one more week with a cast after the holidays. This time she wants Joy to wear a knee immobilizer for part of the day to see if that will give her calf muscle a little more room to stretch. Next Monday, she’ll get the blue cast on. She has done well in her braces through the break thought she doesn’t like to sleep with them on (I don’t know that I would either). She’s wears them all day almost every day--they would like her to be in them at least 12 hours a day. I could definitely tell a difference in her flexibility when she came home with out the cast and I have still been able to get a good angle when I am bending her foot each day. We’d like to keep that flexibility as long as we can.
She slept a little bit more overall during the break (I always did that in my school breaks too), so today she is asleep for her infusion. We skipped the 26th infusion since we were in Kentucky and pushed all of 2019’s infusions to the next week. She didn’t show any bad signs while skipping an infusion. Praise the Lord!
Last night, as I put her to bed, I gave her a kiss and said, I love you. She smiled and tried to vocalize her own I love you-- "Aaah!" So, I countered with, “No, I love you!” in a teasing tone. She once again replied, each time with a smile. We went back and forth and about the fourth time, she managed the clearest, “I love you” I have heard from her in a long time. It was sweet to hear! Little blessings!
We heard great messages on Sunday, one from our pastor and one from a missionary to Japan. Both were about denying self and living for Christ. I don’t know about you but as welcome as the break is, it doesn’t end up being the time when I deny myself. I’m feeling the spiritual and physical lethargy of giving in way too many times-sleeping, eating, gaming, watching. Honestly, I’m glad for the routine to return that will help me to get back on track with helpful decisions. I was challenged on Sunday to remember that the Lord needs disciples that are “all in.” That is only achieved when we live a selfless life. I’m praying for grace (desire and ability) to get back where I need to be.
Praying for a blessed and profitable 2019 for all!
Will this be the year of His return? Even so, Come, Lord Jesus!
I Just Want to Please The Lord
There are trophies to be won
Success is there to claim
And some would give their very soul
To reach earth's highest plain
But to count it gain would be my loss
If I lay down commitment's cross
So I lift my eyes to things above
And serve Him with a heart of Love
I just want to please the Lord
Be in His will in every way
To be lost in His presence,
Found in His likeness
Hear him say, “Well done”
Some day
My plans had all been made,
Sin’s die already cast
The world was at my fingertips
I had arrived, at last
But the cry could not be pacified
From a heart about to break inside
Then Jesus showed Himself to me
And said just look what you could be
Cause I just want to please the Lord
Be in his will in every way
To be lost in his presence,
Found in his likeness
Hear him say. “Well done”
Some day
So I will bring my offering
And lay it at His feet
All I was, all I am, all I ever want to be
I just want to please the Lord
Be in his will in every way
To be lost in his presence,
Found in his likeness
Hear Him say, “Well done”
Some day
To be lost in His presence
Found in His likeness
Hear Him say, “Well done,
Welcome home, my faithful son”
I want to hear him say, “Well done”
Some day
Some day