Been Gone Too Long......

I've been trying to, meaning to come back to blogging for months now.....life always seems to be getting in the way.  My first attempt was on Samuel's birthday......January 18th!  It went something like this....

It's me.  I'm back, still weary, but so very encouraged by all of your comments on my last post!!!  I'm in tears....thank you soooo much!!!  You have no idea how much I needed to read those dear words from you amazing ladies.....absolutely no idea......thank you doesn't seem like it even touches it.......but, since they're the only words I can come up with at the moment, THANK YOU will have to do...... :-)


Tuesday was Samuel's 2nd birthday, he's currently obsessed with all things "Toy Story", namely Woody and Buzz.  So, the girls and I found little cowboy boots on clearance at WalMart of all places, and a little cowboy hat.  Cait found him some Buzz Lightyear jammies on clearance and bought them for his gift from her.  So, now, his greatest joy is running around the house in his Buzz jammies, cowboy boots and cowboy hat making vrooom!!  noises!  It's entirely too cute!!  He's such a boy, I just LOVE that!!!!  



     I saved it to my drafts until I had time to put some pictures with it, and, guess what?  I never posted it!!  As you could surmise, I was kinda overwhelmed the last time I posted.  I'm still overwhelmed, but, by the grace of God, I'm not drowning and exhausted, I have hope.  Not because of anything that's happening outwardly.   No, if I looked and dwelled on that, well, I'd be sunk by now!  No, my hope is in God.  He has never left, even though, at times, He seems far away.   He is good.  He has sent these fires to burn away the excess stuff that isn't of Him.  I'm blessed.  This winter was hard.  I'm sorry to all of you that I just completely withdrew from.  When I get so emotionally overwhelmed that I don't know what else to do, I tend to become quiet, and withdraw.  Thank you for bearing with me.....for continuing to pray for me......I can assure you, I continued to pray for you. You are definitely no less precious to me.

     Let's see....updates....my Daniel continues to slowly get worse.  In March, the vasculitis caused what could best be described as a localized "stroke" in his left eye leaving him legally blind in that eye, and that was his dominant eye.  So, he wears an eye patch all the time now, and looks rather roguish and we call him Redbeard the Pirate. The girls are all trying to parlay this new look into getting a parrot, because, every pirate needs a parrot, don't ya know?  Bonne chance, mes cheris!
     He's less steady on his feet and we need to have someone of adult size here all the time to help if need be.  Cait and Maddy have been stars in this area, always ready to help their Dad.  The younger ones are always ready with a hug or to read to him.  I miss doing things as a whole family, and I keep praying for healing.....but he is an amazing example to all of us.  My sweet Daniel doesn't whine, doesn't complain, makes statements of fact about how he's doing, and moves on.  He says this allows him to pray.  He's not distracted by other things, and he has a very rich prayer life.  He does the children's sermon from his wheelchair at church, or leads Communion.  He's amazing in his humility and his trust that God is doing something good in all this awfulness,and by his example we all believe it too.  Did I mention I love this man? :-)


I've borrowed some pictures from my dear friend Candice.....she and her wonderful family were here visiting from Michigan this month, and, even though it's never long enough, I'm so glad we got to see you guys, we miss you!!!  These are some shots she took while they were here of Sam and Clara......
(She took some awesome shots of the other kids too, but, I only have time to add these today...more later!)




Ya gotta love it when his sisters allow the 2 year old to choose his own clothes for the day........maybe separately.....but not together......lol!










Those beatific blue eyes are a gift from God......for Sam, I mean.  He bats those baby blues, and his sisters decide not to sell him to the gypsies after all when he's just colored on their favourite book........:-)






The "Are ya ready for some football" arrrrrggghhhhhhh!  look.....














Even the energizer bunny tires out eventually.....





Clara, the perfect little lady.........all dresses, and twirls.......with an incredibly clever sense of humor....just like her sisters and brother....cheeky to the core!

I'll post more soon.......Blessings.....



Only Because of Jesus,

anne