The Last 6 Weeks...

...have been quite incredible! Never thought when I left for Youth Conference that it would be 6 WEEKS before I posted again!!

Y.C. was amazing as always is what I heard from our teens. I spent my time recouping from the drive out there and resting up for the return trip! :) Also had some wonderful time with my mom. I went to the doctors a few times and had been hoping to hear "I don't want to see you for at least 6 weeks!", but what I got was, "I need you back here no later than another 4 weeks." It was a little discouraging and I didn't know how that was going to work out financially, but I truly did trust that the Lord already had it worked out -- and He did -- just not in a way I was expecting. --that's nothing new!!


A few weeks after our trip, Paul told me he would take me to Maine for an overnight to see Jennie. I have missed her GREATLY and needed some sister time. She lives about 4 hours away and we left early on Monday morning (the 3rd) and arrived around 10:30. We had called Rick to let him know we were coming, but surprised Jen. It was a lot of fun!! She in turn surprised me by watching all my kids so Paul & I could have a night out. Watching Paul & Stacey is one thing -- they are just about 1 person as they seem to breathe at the same time -- but you throw Kate in the mix and.... :D

Here's Jen with Joshua & Jack. All the kids were sitting around the table with her eating popsicles!







Katelynn around the corner while they're snacking waiting to see what she can get in to. She "cheeses up" the moment she sees a camera coming. It's hard to catch her w/ her eyes open!






The boys had a camp out in Mommy's (Aunt Jennie's) room for nap time. This is them pretending to be asleep...





...but eventually they did succumb to slumber! (Good word, huh, Jen?!?) :D









That Monday night we received a call from several people at Paul's home church that the man who had led Paul to the Lord was passing away quickly. He had been battling cancer for several years and had suddenly taken a very bad turn for the worse. This was not ONLY the man who had led him to the Lord, but was Paul's bus captain from the time he was 4. This man, Bro. Bo Eikelman, had knocked on Paul's door and invited him to church. Between that time and when Paul got saved (at age 16), he moved twice and each time Bro. Bo found him again by faithfully knocking on doors. We had the honor & privilege of having Bro. Bo and his daughter, Miss Tina, fly out here to RI a few years back. Paul was able to introduce him to our people as they had heard so much about him and also was able to take some time to honor him in church. What precious memories we have of that visit!

Instead of heading for home on Tuesday as we planned, we loaded up the kids (and our 1 change of clothes each!) and drove through the night for 20 hours until we got to my in laws. We stopped a total of 3 times for a QUICK bathroom and gas break. God was so good to us to give us the great little travelers that He did! Oh yes, we did make 1 more stop in Terre Haute ( about 45 minutes from my in laws) so Paul could get a shirt and tie for church that night. We arrived a few hours before church and Paul quickly showered and changed to get over to Bro. Bo's. He was able to have some precious time with him while the kids and I got ready for church. God again was so good to us to allow Paul that last time with Bro. Bo. Although Paul would go back to his house every day the rest of the week, that Wednesday was the last opportunity he would have to talk with him. Bro. Bo was in and out of consciousness from then until he died. Miss Tina said he had been asking for Paul all that day knowing he would be coming to see him. That was definitely a trip we'll never regret making!


This picture was taken this past May-




-and this one was taken 5 days before Bro. Bo went to be with the Lord.



The kids had a great time at Pappy and Grammy's house. Paul & Stacey collided and had good sized bumps on their heads. Amidst the tears, Paul was sure that some of Grammy's "colorful bandaids" would help heal their wounds. Uncle Kaleb was feeling their pain! :)




As I mentioned at the beginning, I didn't know how God was going to work out yet another doctor's trip, but a week early I was there (the doc. was proud of me! :D ) as he is 3 hours from my in laws. My parents only live 45 minutes from the doc.'s, so we stayed a night there in between dr.'s visits. I love EVERY minute spent with my mom and it was a little hard "running in and out" and because of the craziness of the trip we were all exhausted. I stayed awake out of pure enjoyment from being with Mom, but the rest of the crew didn't make it so well!
The kids struggled when we left my parents the next morning to go back to the dr.'s, but had a wonderful time while we were there.

Paul & Stacey asleep on my parent's couch.




I actually caught her eyes open on my Mom's couch. Of all the people that went to sleep, she's the one we couldn't get to sleep!



Back at my in laws on Saturday night, we were trying to figure out clothing for us all to wear to church the next day. Originally we had thought we were going to be home by Sunday, but with the dr.'s visits and time with Bro. Bo, we weren't going to make it. I called my incredible friend Elissa (who now lives basically next door to my in laws) . She and her husband (Bro. Bo's grandson) have 4 children around my kid's ages. She told me to come over and outfitted all of us (except my husband who bought a suit as he desprately needs one after losing over 50 lbs. ) for Sunday. She was going through her tubs of clothes for the girls and after we found outfits for them for the next day she started giving me clothes from the bins. At first I started to refuse and told her how thankful I was to be borrowing what we were and she had it in her head that the Lord wanted me to have all these clothes and there was no stopping her. If you know Elissa, then you know that I have my met my match with stubborness! (Jen, you would love how she can put me in my place -- and so sweetly too!) I cannot begin to explain what a huge blessing and answer to prayer those clothes for my girls were. We went there with 1 change of clothes and the Lord provided complete wardrobes for both my girls for the next several years. -- Beautiful dresses and coullottes. -- (Never could spell that word and it's not in my dictionary!) I'll have to take a picture of their closet soon. You should have seen us traveling home in our minivan with all those BIG black trash bags full of clothes. They were everywhere -- plus we had Kaleb coming back with us and his luggage. What fun unpacking was!! It felt like Christmas, only better as the clothes truly were an answer to prayer -- especially for Stacey as finding the right length skirts and coullottes for her lately had become very difficult.



That Sunday (the 9th) was Stacey's 4th birthday. She had a great time celebrating it with family and Grammy got her a special cake and decorations.










She loves her HANDSOME daddy!!



Not a great picture, but that's me and my girl. She definitely wasn't adopted! :)



Eating homemade ice cream that Pappy let her help make-









We arrived back home in the middle of the night -- Wednesday morning. While I was unpacking (much later that day!) it became quiet and that is never a good sign when the kids are up! Kate was asleep as she had become sick on the way home, so I knew it couldn't be too bad. I walked into our hall bathroom and found this..

(BTW, that's one of her new outfits!)






I'm not sure if it was bath time for the animals or what. :)




After a few days all 3 became sick with what Katie brought home with us, so I have spent the last several days home with my children. The older 2 have bounced back well, but Kate is trying
to hang onto her "bug." I'm praying she'll be well enough by Sunday. I miss "my" ladies!!!!


These were taken during one of the few times she hasn't felt miserable the last few days--










I'm almost done. 6 weeks is a lot to catch up on!

This past Tuesday was our 9th anniversary!! My husband had literally been planning for months to take me away for a few days, but between our unexpected trip to Indiana and the fact that Paul finally caught the kid's virus late Sunday night, we stayed in. We truly had a wonderful day together. I don't have pics of us on our special day as he was too sick to do much posing, but I did manage to grab a few pics of what we did to make our day great. We moved Katie into Stacey's room!!! For the first time in over 5 1/2 years we are kidless in our room!!! :D No more being quiet and keeping the lights low when we go in at night. It's wonderful. As a matter of fact, I'm in our room now typing this on the laptop because I can't sleep and the typing can't disturb a baby! How fun. We don't know what the Lord has in store for our future with more children, but at the moment, we are enjoying some just us time.


Katie was thrilled to be in "Sasie's" room. Stacey has been sleeping on Paul's floor the last several months as she had not adjusted to sleeping in her own room yet. This first night Paul asked to sleep in the girl's room to "help" them adjust. Isn't he just too thoughtful?!? -- or something! :)


Kate cheesing again...getting ready to go to sleep.




Paul tucking her in and praying with all 3.




"Goodnight, Mommy! We won't talk AT ALL!!!!" :)




A few random pics from this week --

Paul hauling Stacey off to who knows where!









As I'm cleaning things out, Katie keeps trying to keep what I'm giving away!

"See Mommy -- I still fit!!"








Little Paul walked into my bathroom yesterday and saw my husband shaving. He quickly grabbed his razor that he keeps in the drawer with his dad's and started shaving too. As I took his picture, I realized he would need to be doing that much sooner than I am ready for. Already how quickly time is flying with my children. Each day I am trying to savor them and memories.




Last, but not least, a picture of them with Uncle Kaleb. Kaleb is only here for a few weeks as he is getting ready to finish his LAST semester in college, and we are all enjoying our time with him -- especially the kids! If he is in the house, usually 1 or all 3 are hanging off him in some way!



The Lord has truly blessed us bountifully these last 6 weeks. I don't plan on going this long in between posts again -- if nothing else but as a way for me to see written out just a little of what the Lord has done in my life and in the ones I love.

As far as lupus goes -- there are good days and bad days. Definitely we (Paul keeps a very close eye on me) are seeing progress. When the pain gets extremely bad, I am able to come out of it quicker, instead of straight agony for days. I can move much better on my "good" days. Please continue to pray as I have a ways to go yet. The doctor has said right from the start that it was going to take 12 -18 months to see where I am going to be with this and it looks like he is going to be right. Again. What an incredible journey the Lord has allowed me to be on. The blessings through it all are overwhelming.

I meant to mention earlier how God worked it out financially to get me back to the dr.'s this past month. I'll tell you real quick! :) When we heard Bro. Bo was passing away, we knew we needed to get to him. We literally left on faith and when we got home there was a letter waiting from Pastor & Mrs. Bish in CT. Enclosed was a love offering check from their church with enough to cover not only the cost of the trip, but my medical supplies for this month!! Paul had recently met up with them at a preaching conference in CT a few months back and he told me at that time he'd met few people with such compassion. What a blessing!!


Thank you to all you who do pray -- it literally is what keeps me and my husband going. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement whether here on my blog, in emails, or cards. I save them all and re read them as needed. :)

Thanks for taking the time to read & pray,

Sarah