Happy 20th Birthday William!!!!

A very heartfelt and happy birthday, to you our son, William!

You were a surprise in our life.  A honeymoon pregnancy!

You were quiet and calm from the beginning.

One of the easiest babies we have ever had.  Everyone loved you.

Always so content and brought joy to those around you!

Even though you had many autism related issues...you were always so happy.

A wonderful brother to all the children that have ever been in our home!

Always willing and helpful.

We could not have asked for a better son.

You please me every day.

Your one of the most genuine and sweet people I know.

 You have grown into such a wonderful young man.

You have the same kind heart as your dad!  Carbon copies of each other!

Even though you don't feel well a lot of the time, you have always helped me in whatever I have asked of you.

You melt my heart when I see your tenderness with the youngest children.

I just can't believe you are 20 this year!  You planned your whole day and dinner meal yourself.  Aunt "S" made the cake you designed!  She did a wonderful job!

You liked it so well, you carefully cut each piece around Capt. Am. first!

William,

I see your heart to serve God daily in all you do.  I am so pleased and blessed to call you our son.   I say this from the bottom of my heart.  You have faithfully lived 20 years, honoring your mother and father...you are a true gift from God.

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Love, Dad, mom, Stephen, Antonio, Carolyn, Zeke, Elizabeth, Billy, Timothy, Kinsley and Baby "A"  

Catching Up - June 2016 Part 2

My last "Catching Up" post got to long, so I am going to continue it today.  :)

First, I will answer questions about Elizabeth and how she is doing.  Elizabeth's surgery was June 22nd.  Tim and Elizabeth came home late Friday night.  (The 24th)  She did very well on the long ride home from Atlanta.  She was on prescription pain meds so that helped a lot.  She is spending her time recovering on the recliner, as a bed is to uncomfortable on the incisions on her back.  The incision site for her spine rodding surgery is over a foot long, from mid back all the way up to the base of her neck.  She has needed total care and help for the first week home.  She is weak and unsteady but gaining strength daily.  This surgery has set her back in body strength.  She has low tone Cerebral Palsy and has lost strength.  She was so unsteady she needed a lot of support to walk and move.  Tim and I got her a walker and now she is feeling more confident to try to get up and walk around.  This has helped her get more independent in some tasks.  Praise God!  She has had a few very ruff nights but seems to be be past that and more comfortable every day.  She is finally eating better now too.  I am grateful for her pain meds as they helped her so much to manage the pain and to get the rest she is needing right now.  Please keep her in your prayers.  She has a four to six week recovery ahead of her.  Prayerfully she will feel better and better every day that goes by.  She is going to need therapy but really wants to start back to ballet this fall. 

I have a picture of Elizabeth the day of surgery and it was just to sad to post.  Here she is the day she came home.

We try to make a Lake Winnie trip once a year.  We take the children that can and want to go.  Usually, Tim stays home with Antonio, Zeke and the youngest children.  I then take all the rest.  This year Tim has taken so much time off from work, for all of Elizabeth's test, appointments and the surgery, he could not take another day off.  I really wanted to squeeze the trip in before Elizabeth's surgery so she could enjoy her self and go as well.  I finally found someone I trusted to come and sit with Antonio, Zeke and the baby.  Because I was taking Billy, Timothy and Kinsley this time, I knew I needed to call in some reinforcements, so we could enjoy a safe and fun day.  We invited Tim's parents, my sister in law and niece, to come along.  It was a very hot day but we had a wonderful time.  I didn't know how Timothy and Kinsley would do, they had never been before but they really enjoyed themselves and had a very good time.  All of the children behaved wonderfully and we had a very smooth and happy time.

Cousin "A", Elizabeth and William.

This park is run by Christians and has a good mix of rides for littles and bigger kids.

It was so hot but I don't think the littles noticed.  They had so much fun!

Some rides, the young children can only ride with an adult.  Aunt "A" took Billy on several rides he wanted to ride on.  Thank you Aunt "A"!

Grandma rode this water ride with the girls!  It was refreshing in that heat.

William took Kinsley on the merry-go-round and Carolyn took Timmy.

Aunt "A" took Billy!  He had to ride this one as he thought this cart was an Elephant!  Silly boy!

Our young lady cousins but also best friends!

Amazing shot caught by Aunt "A" of the girls!

After riding all the rides, the children wanted to ride on, we took a break for lunch and then went to the water park side.

Grandma catching all the littles as they came down the water slide.

Sheer joy!

The girls hit the lazy river to cool down.

We had such a wonderful day away.  God blessed us, we had good weather and just enjoyed ourselves, not thinking about the different appointments and surgery this month.

Now a Tim update for all those asking how he is doing...Tim is doing well with his kidneys by the grace of God.  We have to watch his diet very closely to limit protein, potassium and phosphates.  He started on a special vitamin for kidney patients and is feeling more energy.  God is so good.  Tim and I went to a class lead by a kidney nutritionist.  We got wonderful information and asked a lot of questions.  We found out about some more high calorie foods that are safe for kidney patients and are adding them into his diet in hopes he puts some much needed weight back on.

We are so very blessed in our life and our schedule is pretty clear till August.  I have been very busy with the gardens, helping Elizabeth and potty training Kinsley and Timmy.  Kinsley was mostly trained as she started training herself many months ago.  She is now trained.  It took just explaining it all to her and buying her some cute underwear.  She had three accidents the first day and none since.  Thank you God!  Timmy has Autism and we have been training him faithfully for two years.  With him it is not head knowledge as he is special needs.  It is habit.  So we broke down and just put him in underwear and are working diligently with him with rewards.  (Candy!  Which  my children hardly ever get.  )

We are enjoying the down time of being home more, even though we are still a bit busy with normal family life.   :)

I pray everyone is having a happy and blessed summer!

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

Blessings,

susan