Thursday, April 28, 2011

It's Been A Long Time




I'm sitting here at the VA medical center for what should be Cliff's last doctor's appointment. This whole roller-coaster ride began almost 2 months ago, right down the hall when we came to the emergency room for the shooting pain down his leg.


The MRI showed he had not one but THREE bulging discs. He could potentially have had them for years and didn't know it until the one hit the nerve endings. He recieved the lumbar epidural on Tuesday and today he's back to his old self....probably a bit better than his old self because he has no back pain. His visit to the dr. today will hopefully clear him to go back to work on Monday.


It's been 2 months full of up and down emotions. Obviously without him working the past two months, our income has definately been affected and to be honest, that has been the most discouraging part of this whole thing. God has brought us through to this point. We still have a couple weeks to get through and I'd been lying if I said I wasn't concerned. But we'll make it. We always do.


I am struck with the realization, however, that for many people, especially those battling chronic or terminal illnesses, this is a way of life. I have had the luxury of knowing that this is only temporary. That alone brings peace of mind. I have such a respect for those people and the people who care for them. I have some dear friends who are battling cancer. For them its not been a matter of a couple months but a couple of YEARS. They have no guarantees and no end in sight. Just when they think things are turning around, they seem to develop another set-back. My heart and my prayers go out to them. And I realize, in spite of my problems, just how very, very blessed I am.



Friday, April 15, 2011

FUN PROM PICS

I wasn't "permitted" to take pictures of my boy the night of prom. I wasn't invited to "tag" along to pick up the girl and take pictures. It's ok, Jacob, I really do understand. However, I did manage to snag these off of Facebook. She's not a girlfriend (just in case you're interested) just a really, really good friend and ironically the granddaughter of my neighbor.


Thursday, April 14, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY



23 years ago this morning, I was in a hospital delivery room, having a c-sectiont o deliver my second child. I'll never forget her dad yelling, "It's a girl!!" We named her Amy Elizabeth for no other reason than we loved the name...now I can't imagine her being anything else than an Amy.


Amy was so cute & petite with dark hair & a little turned up nose. And she was such a good baby. And she's pretty much the same today....good natured, easy going, happy, content, and a little bit of a mess....and I wouldn't have her any other way!



She's a good girl and an incredibly hard worker. She's a gifted singer and I am blessed to hear her sing almost every Sunday.

I know her adult life hasn't quite turned out as she thought it would when she graduated high school a couple years ago. But God has been so good to her and she's rolled with the punches. She's so HAPPY!!!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMY GIRL. YOUR MOM LOVES YOU MORE THAN WORDS COULD EVER EXPRESS!!


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

When You're Smiling.......

When you're smiling,

When you're smiling,

The whole world smiles with you!!


Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Emily's Artwork





Track Meet


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Updates



  • Cliff is still on medical leave. Monday marked one month that he's been out of work. He's been walking with a cane for most of this month. Last week he FINALLY began his daily physical therapy treatments and we felt like we were finally on the right road to his recovery. He was scheduled for an MRI on Friday and either an epidural or pain relief injections tomorrow. Unfortunately they could not do the MRI. He's a big guy and the fit in the machine was a little too tight. We now have to go to Topeka for the MRI and they don't have any openings until April 19 which pushes every back a couple weeks. We were both a bit discouraged over the weekend to say the least. However, yesterday was the first time he actually felt a bit of relief from the pain after his physical therapy which tells everyone involved we are on the right track. So, it looks like it's going to be at least another month and I'm trying very, very hard to be positive and find the positive in all of this. I know there's a reason but right now its a bit hard to see the forrest for the trees!


  • Yesterday we went on Jacob's fourth college visit. It's such an overwhelming process for an 18 year-old. He's still not sure where to go or what to do. I know God will give him some direction in the coming weeks.


  • Joshua has decided to take a much needed break from school after graduation before he enters graduate school. He's hoping to do some sort of missions work.


  • Amy is doing well at her job. She had moved up the ranks in seniority and with that comes certain perks like great hours. This shift in hours will allow her to take a part-time summer job that she was offerred out of the blue from a boss she worked for a year ago. Hopefully she'll be able to save enough to get herself a new car.


  • Emily is working hard to finish her freshman year with straight-A's. She's ready for summer vacation.


  • I'm trying to hold everything together and I have to be honest....I'm T.I.R.E.D but I'm tired an a way sleep doesn't help. If you think of it, please pray for Cliff and for us. We are available to whatever God has for us. No one said this life would be easy....it isn't and God also said He wouldn't give us more than we could bear although I told Cliff this morning that I might be near the boundary line.