Praying

This is a button that links to a website of a wonderful family. Their youngest child, Stellan should not have lived to be born according to the doctors. He was born five months ago totally healthy. Last weekend his heart went into SVT which is what it was doing in the womb. If you want to read their story and pray for Stellan that would be great.

I follow a lot of blogs but just now in following Stellan through this day to day, minute to minute struggle do I think I understand what some of you went through in following Luke's journey. I check the computer a couple times a day to see if there are changes and what to pray about. I don't know this family, but feel I do through their blog. I prayed for Stellan before he was born and was so thrilled to hear of the miracle God did in his life, that he was born and has had five healthy months. It is so exciting to see God answer prayers. Last Wednesday I just prayed and cried out to God while we were singing a beautiful song - "God is Here". I had a lot of burdens for friends that day and I laid them down that night to God. The song says "He will break the yoke and lift the heavy burdens". As we sang that song this morning I rejoiced in answered prayers. God is with us and ready to listen to us anytime we call on him. I recently heard a saying that I love; I would rather be in a storm with Jesus than anywhere else without him. God is here with us carrying us through every trial.

A fresh beginning.

This time of year brings such promise, excitement and energy as spring bursts forth. I love this time of year - it just gives me joy in the new beginnings of life in the flowering trees, the new grass beginning to turn green and the warm sunshine. I am realizing I missed much of this last year as my days were spent inside the NICU. I drove past the flowers, trees and grass with my mind intent on getting to Luke and home to Hogan and Sydney. As I took Hogan to Science Olympiad this weekend I realized that last year I dropped him off and hurried up to be with Luke. This was the time Luke was here on this earth, amidst the promise of new beginnings. It brings tears as well as joy to think he is in heaven where the excitement and energy of spring is probably always there.

Just before Luke was born, Sydney prayed to accept Jesus as her Savior and Lord. We waited for her to be baptized until last week. John Conrad baptized her and he also did Luke's funeral service. He shared with Sydney that last Sunday (March 1st) was St. David's day which is celebrated in Wales (our pastor is from there). It is celebrated with the wearing of a dafodil. We will always remember Sydney's "new birth" in Christ with the newness of spring in the dafodil.

It is easy to get caught up in the joy and sunshine until you turn on the news or talk to a friend. Then I am reminded of all the "stuff" of this world...finances, cancer, death, divorce, job-loss, storms...but in the midst of the dark things there is one rock we can cling to who can bring us a fresh new beginning no matter how dark our lives get.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 8:13

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." Psalm 28:7

"Majestic"

That is just the only word I could think of as I looked at the breathtaking views we had each day of skiing. I just love the mountains and the snow. I really hope there are mountains in heaven. Only God could create somthing so spectacular. Of course, being the anniversary of Luke's birth he was on my mind so much last week. A really neat thing happened as we were renting our skiis. They have stickers on them where they write your name so you don't lose your skiis at the resort. The skiis the guy got out for me still had a name on the sticker and it was Luke. I had to take a picture so everyone could see. It was goood to be away and to be together. I did just fine until Saturday. On the plane home there were at least three babies. One sitting right behind us who was about my favorite age - 5 months old and a bald headed baby boy in a sweet little sleeper. Then we got home and some people came to look at our house ( we listed it on Craig's list to see what would happen because we want to move but are waiting for God's guidance)and they had a darling little 5 month old boy. Then Eric and I watched an old movie that was sad and had a baby in it. I ended the night in tears because there just seemed to be babies everywhere I turned that day. It really made me want a baby so badly even though I think God is closing that door for us. I felt much better having cried and press on with life.

Happy Birthday Luke!

We were talking last night about how long it seems since this time last year... the beginning of our short time with Luke here on earth. We are out skiing in Salt Lake City and enjoying some family time together. I'll post some pictures tomorrow! We are just thanking God for his goodness and blessings here in these beautiful mountains!

Where did January go?

I can't believe January is done. We have been doing the usual running the kids to karate, basketball, guitar, piano, broadway babies and church. I am feeling a little full of emotion at this time as I think back on last year. I was trying so hard to prepare for Luke. Trying to get the house ready, his things ready, mentally preparing to have a baby after quite a few years...if I had only known I would have sat down more with him and just cherished the moments while he was still inside me. Two neat things have happened this month. One day I received a letter from Scottish-Rite hospital where Luke was. They asked me to come share Luke's story at a lunch with hospital staff to let them know how our experience had gone. I hope to be able to share how God worked in us during that time too. Also that day I received an email from a lady who had come across our blog in following up on some of Luke's charts. She read his story and emailed me to say how thankful she was and how touched she was by what she read. Her 19 year-old son died last year in June just after Luke. God is still using his story. I continue to enjoy my time with two of Luke's nurses. Their friendships will always be special to me because they knew Luke and took care of him when I couldn't.

My friend Lynne shared this verse with me this week. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."

I love that God does comfort us in our sufferings and gives us his words and our own stories of how he has worked in our lives so that we can help others in their sufferings.

Oh how they change!

When we were in Kansas City over Christmas we took the kids by Crown Center on the way home from the Plaza lights. They love to climb on these big wooden vehicles they have out by the ice rink. I was taking the pictures off my camera and went back a few years to some old climbing adventures. They have changed to much! Here are Caleb, Hogan, Sarah, Sydney and Ben - 2003 and 2008.

Laughter is the best medicine!

I have always heard that saying, but really lived it this week. We all headed to my mom's in Kansas City. Four adults, five kids, one dog and lots of chaos. We had food, movies, friends. loud music, games, food, toys, fighting, food, tv and lots of laughter. We always seem to laugh when we are together. Eric even said Rob's laugh sounded like my dad. We laughed over the kids, laughed at each other, laughed over cards and just had a lot of fun. It really lifted my spirits which hadn't been very merry. I am thankful God gave us humor and the ability to laugh. It just makes the world easier!