Thankful for a sweet Teen!

Summer has flown by so quickly. I have enjoyed the lesser schedule of the summer. Although I have worked more than usual, I still don't have the everyday to school drop off and pick up times. Michael has been such a joy to be with this summer. I was watching him in church today (as I sometimes do), thinking about how blessed we are to have him. He is so kind and sweet spirited. He casually stokes and holds Daniel's hand during service, periodically looking over to make sure he's okay, all this while his friends from school could be watching. I was, you could say, "warned" by someone about when "he becomes a teenager", he wont want anything to do with Daniel. He will be embarassed, he wont want his friends to be around, or go out in "public". I must say, that bothered me quite a bit at the time. I couldn't imagine my son being that way, but, I had never experienced a child with special needs and a teenager before either. I guess through many prayers and including Daniel in as much activities with Michael as possible he has not objected to his brother going places with us in "public". He and his friend Steele have even played Challenge league baseball with Daniel, in public, and seemed to look forward to going to help Daniel. I am truely thankful for a sweet teenager. I have heard many stories from moms that don't have such positive stories about their teens, but for now, I will enjoy mine for as long as it lasts. Thank you Lord for your grace!

Camp New Hope here we come!

We will be headed to Camp New Hope in NC in about 2 weeks. We have not been in 2 years. We are excited about going and enjoying time away together with family. The best part is no distractions from computer and telephone. Daniel loves to be outdoors when the weather is good. Our hope is that the weather will be a tad bit cooler in the high altitude of the mountains and being near the cool water of the New River. My parents will be joining us this year for the first time. They are coming the first part of the week and Jeff's the last part of the week. Can't wait to see how the dogs like being able to run free in about 165 acres of land and a river to play in. Thank you Lord for the opportunity to spend time together in such an awsome place and for the people who run Camp New Hope.

Roller Coaster Ride

Summer is here and going so quickly. We have had quite a few months. Our family has been on a roller coaster of emotions. We have had loss, miracles, and many changes in our lives. Sometimes I wonder how we get through it all. How much can one human mind take. Then I remember, we don't do this alone, God does this with us. We don't have to handle everything on our own, our Father is there with us every step of the way. If we didn't have His grace we would surely stumble. There is so much uncertainty of the happenings in our lives lately. I told someone the other day that when I get to heaven I will have many questions for our Savior. He will problably have to tell me to come back another time and let someone else have a turn. What a day that will be when we meet Him face to face. All of these sorrows will fade away and maybe then I won't need answers to all those questions. Maybe I will see it in His face and just know why some things happen. Until then, I will continue to ask Him for help, and boy do I need it.