Home at Last

For those of you who don't know already, Jonah did get to come home yesterday. Thank you for all your prayers and calls - it was such an encouragement to us this last week. The boys are doing better, but we are still in the home recovery stage now...Breathing treatments for both of them, antibiotics, and Jonah is on Prednisone. Jonah is very, hmmm - interesting, on this medicine, so pray for Adam and I as he's on this for four more days. It makes him jittery and extremely moody! Which for a 3 year old is a lot of fun (hear the sarcasm). We're slowly, but surely getting better, but now it's going to be a challenge to keep him inside for the next few days at least - he's already asking to go outside.
And when it rains, it pours. I also have an eye infection that will not go away. I'm on antibiotics, but it just doesn't want to go away. At this point I'm expecting my arm just to spontaneously fall off, and I don't even know if it would phase me much! We're just all trying to keep a thankful heart for the so many other blessings that we have...a great Christian doctor, a warm and wonderful home to come back to, wonderful friends and family who are so supportive, and most of all the peace that God gives in the middle of a storm! There are so many people who have never experienced that kind of peace, and we are so thankful to know the Saviour who offers that peace!...Okay I'm done with my mini sermon now!...
Thank you again to everyone, and please keep us on your prayer list - that we can all get completely healthy and stay that way at least for a while!
*Special thanks to Tootsie for rushing to our help on Monday even though your health is not much better than ours right now, to Mama Gina and Papa John for staying with us and being so supportive, to Mary for being there when we needed your help! We love all of you!

Almost Home

Well, I'll share all the details at a later date, but I just wanted to quickly tell you about our last week. Jonah and Caleb both went in the hospital on Monday of this week with Pneumonia. Caleb got to go home Tuesday evening and Jonah is still there. I stayed at the hospital last night with Jonah and Adam is staying tonight. Please pray that he will be well enough to come home tomorrow. His oxygen level has to get to at least 95 before he can come home. He's getting so tired of being in the hospital and it's especially hard, because he has to stay in one place hooked to oxygen. For those of you who know Jonah...that's a very hard thing for him! Thank you so much for your prayers, and I'll try and keep you updated as time allows.

Please say a little prayer for us!

Well, I'm having a hard time writing this blog, because I guess I feel a little selfish asking for prayer but we need it! I know in my heart that it's not selfish, but I guess I just have a hard time ever asking for help from anyone - I guess it's just the independent (and stubborn) part of me creeping through! Jonah and Caleb have been sick...again...and we're going to the doctor tomorrow. From the looks of it, I really think Jonah may have the flu. He's been really sick since last Friday, and we just can't seem to shake the fever. Caleb is doing better, but he still has a little fever too. We have been back and forth to doctors for one thing or another for the past 4 months, and Jonah has had an especially hard time. The nurses know me personally at the doctor's office - that's really sad! I know there are a lot of prayer warriors out there, and we would so appreciate any prayers lifted up for our family's health especially into the coming year!

I just had to put this picture of little Jonah, I think he was almost 2 here. It just makes me smile!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Wish we could be with everyone this Christmas, but some of you will have to settle for some pictures!

This is Caleb all dressed up for church on Sunday! Doesn't he look like a little Barber Shop Quartet guy?

Jonah and Caleb checking out ornaments on the tree!

It's not just a saying...they really do like the packaging more

This was our Christmas Eve reenactment! You can't see it, but Curious George is actually playing the part of Baby Jesus, not exactly theologically correct but he served his purpose! The green light is supposed to look angelic, but I think it turned out a little alien-like. Oh-well we all had fun re-enacting the Christmas story. By the way, that's Tootsie in the back playing the big angel, and Caleb playing the disgruntled angel!

Little "Linus"

Here's a cute picture of Caleb dragging around his favorite blankie! This is a new thing - he likes to pull it out of his bed and drag it all over the house. Last night he wouldn't go to sleep until I put that blanket in the bed with him. It's really cute to me now, but I'm sure at some point it will become not so cute! And yes, he does still have a pacifier! He steals that out of his bed too, because he's only supposed to have it at night. Oh well - I'll get rid of it soon! By the way, yes that is a giant mountain of laundry in the background - we call it Mt. Veclothesius! It might as well have a name, because it seems to always be there!

Weekend with Friends

We had such a fun weekend with our friends Dan and Kelli and their sweet little munchkins! Dan and Kelli have such a peaceful home and they are such wonderful parents, they make parenting look so easy (yet I know that's because they've worked very hard at it)! It's rare to find friends where you can totally be yourself and know you'll still be loved, and we are so blessed to have found that in them. Here's a rundown of our great weekend:

Friday night they had parents night out at their church, so we dropped kids off and headed to Olive Garden. We had a wonderful meal with ADULT conversation, and no food thrown on the floor! It's amazing what you are thankful for once you have kids!

With six kids in the house, you'd think there'd be more chaos,

but they all have so much fun playing together!

Who's afraid of the Big Bad Adam! What sweet kiddos! (Jonah, Elise & Olivia)

Dan and Adam took the kids (minus Caleb & Judson who were sleeping ) to the park. A big cold front had come through, so on the way back, all the kids hopped in this little trailer together to keep warm! I think that's FaithLynn's little face smushed against the side!

After a cold adventure, it was time for a warm treat! Yumm hot chocolate!

This is proud momma and 4 month old Judson. Isn't he such a sweetheart?

Time to make dinner?

I walked in the living room, and this is what I found...

I guess it's time to make dinner!