It has been exactly a month since my last post...WHAT is my problem?! There has been plenty to write about. But time....not sure where it goes! We had an amazing summer and the first day of school went off without a hitch. Bryce is in second grade and just a few weeks away from turning EIGHT. Gross. It just cannot be true. Brody started his last year of PPCD and his last year of FBC Preschool. He turns FIVE TOMORROW. Barf. Someone stop the clock! (ooey gooey brody post coming soon!) Braxton started preschool at FBC and thank JESUS he does not have a birthday anytime soon. I need him to be three for as LONG as possible.
Justin's recovery has been going well. Two hip replacements this summer, check! He has pushed himself a little hard the past few days and so he is catching up on some much needed rest now. Two hip replacements in two months would slow some people down...but not this guy!
Justin is WALKING.
WALKING.
Some would even say he is strutting.
Ok...I said that.
God is incredible and full of so many surprises. There have been so many things at the top of our prayer lists including keeping infection away and for there to be no rejection issues and for him to not have a flare up...that we flat out forgot to pray about him WALKING. God had that little treat tucked away as a huge gift that we are just in AWE of. God is bigger than our wildest dreams. His expectations are so much greater than our own.
Justin is now about 6 weeks post op and while he is dealing with some extra pain and inflammation (due to doing a little much maybe? shhhh i didnt say that...), he is really doing great. It sometimes seems that at the end of every giant mountain we conquer there is another mountain just as big waiting on the other side. There is discouragement around every corner. Putting on a brave face is irrelevant at this point. God doesn't give a hoot about our brave face. He cares about our heart. You can't mask your heart. You can try...but you can't do it. Try it. Double dog dare ya.
There is just not one chance that this trek would be possible without the hope, patience and perseverance that God provides. Unfortunately, Justin's body is not absorbing nutrients properly and this could be a factor of many different things. Right now he is severaly anemic, which is dangerous for his (already messed up) liver. He will have to do iron infusion for awhile, in addition to the IVIG. More infusions, more needles, more time at the oncologists office. As we spent most of the summer focused on his hips...we have a lot to catch up on regarding the rest of his health. We have follow ups with ALL the doctors...ones we (he) has put off for a long time. Justin stopped going to these specialists a long time ago because he (we) were tired of them finding something wrong with him at every visit. Another diagnosis, another prescription, another side effect. Yawn.
Pray for clarity and perseverance.
God has greater plans for this family than doctors appointments. He has equipped us for something SO much bigger. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Not just some things. I can do all things. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing. God has given our family a story...but He has given us so much more than that. I love watching His plan unfold...each day a surprise. Each day more understanding of how vast His kingdom is. Each day a reminder of how present He is. I need Him MORE.
Now don't you dare miss out on these fun pics!
