Update on Joey

It's been a crazy week. Wait, a week?! It feels like it's been months since this whole thing with Joey started. A quick rundown on what has transpired...

He is still at Primary Children's in SLC. He is not even allowed to get up from bed because they do not want him to exert himself whatsoever. Imagine a teenage boy having to lay in bed for 7 days...poor guy! His dad made it from North Dakota and has been with (M) and Joey since about Wednesday. They've done more imaging, EKGs, and other tests to try and narrow down the exact problem and solution. There have been a few bumps in the road, but he has an excellent team working on him.

At this point, he is in 1A (top of the top) priority for a heart transplant. Heart transplant. I am in denial that all of this is even happening! I can't imagine hearing those words about my child. Or having to watch as they poke and prod to try and discover how to keep him alive until his 16th birthday...not to mention High School graduation, marriage, children, career, etc. Once they release him, he will have to live no more than 2 hours from the hospital. We are all wondering how that is going to pan out in their lives.

We get many questions daily about how he is doing and how (M) is holding up...in a small community (4,000, give or take), everyone knows everyone (just about) and is into everyone's business. In this case, that's okay:) The Credit Union is a good place for people to spill their guts, or pry for info. Generally, I do not talk about people with members, but when everyone's so concerned about and praying for Joey, it's easy to find common ground and share our concerns. I'm sure we will plan a community fundraiser event sometime this summer to help with some expenses. (M) has expressed multiple times how much she feels blessed by their circle of friends during this hard time.

On Sunday, I'm going with Conrad and my dad to SLC for some motorcycle races that will happen on Monday. We are going to visit them and I'm so excited to see them. I am praying that a pastor from down there will go and talk with them, and that it will open up doors even wider for me to share my faith. We are most likely going to bring Joey's sister down with us. She'll be done with school for the year, and she's been getting homesick:( She will keep us entertained on the ride down...she has quite the cute personality!

Thank you for your prayers for Joey and his family. There is an obvious reason that his issue was found out before it was fatal. God has a purpose for his life. Now I'm praying that he will open his heart to God and pursue whatever path He has for him. Please let me know if you have any ideas for care package items for a teen boy!! Also, I'm thinking about giving them a copy of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. It's so encouraging and not super "religious"...just truth that we all need to discover. Please pray that I would have insight as to how to approach the faith aspect.

Prayers for Joey

On Tuesday I went to work ready for a normal week (finally). Nope. Apparently one co-worker (M) had taken her son and daughter to the doctor in Poky (1/2 hr. away) Monday night for some "minor" complaints--his being a stomach ache and her's an earache. The night ended with Joey being admitted to ICU due to possible heart problems. This is all I found out on Tuesday morning, and we got a few updates throughout the day: They're doing an EKG; he has an enlarged heart and possible clot; and finally, that we was being transported to Primary Children's Hospital (in a big city about 4 hours from our little town). (M) wanted to fly with him, so another co-worker (A) and I headed to Poky to get her keys/car and bring them well-wishes. Joey was in good spirits as the flight crew was getting his wires and IV's situated on the gurney for the flight.

This 15-year-old kid is such a fun, good kid. Conrad and I have "hired" him to help us haul wood or with yardwork, and he's always a talkative, funny guy. It's still hard for me to comprehend that something big is wrong with him:(

As of today, they have diagnosed him with dilated cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart), and have ruled out that it's an infection that caused it (we were hoping for this, as medication would've probably corrected the problem). This means that there is an abnormality in his heart...probably has been since birth. This is the kind of thing that those athletes drop dead on the court or the field from...seemingly so healthy, but something in their heart just isn't right. It seems that Joey's decision to take a break this year from wrestling and football was a good decision, huh? They put a catheter into his heart (up through the groin area...yikes!) and were able to get a better picture of what's going on. They are putting Joey on a transplant list and the team will meet tonight with the family to discuss a game plan. We are hoping that it won't come to a transplant, and if it does, that it would happen quickly and easily.

Would you please, please, please pray for Joey and (M), and his dad and sister?? My boss talked to (M) today and said she sounds exhausted...I can't imagine the emotions she's had (including the one's associated with her D&C last Wednesday). I know they believe in God, but they haven't accepted Christ as their Savior. I am praying that through this hard time, God would reveal Himself to them...through peace, comfort, medical staff, other patients/families, and physically in Joey's body. My God is so good!

This is the Mother I Have...and Would Love to Be

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." — Washington Irving

Mother's Day Blues

What a mixed bag of mixed emotions I have as Mother's Day nears. It almost feels sacrilegious to say, but it is not my holiday of choice.

YES!! I love my mom, and my grandmas, and my aunts, and my friends' moms, and my friends who are moms. Motherhood is something to be deeply cherished and highly esteemed.

However, this day stirs up so many deep emotions that I can barely stand it. This will be the fourth Mother's Day that I have:
a)hoped to tell my mom and MIL in a fun Mother's Day way that they will soon be grandmas, but there's nothing to say;
b)dreaded church and work because everyone's saying "Happy Mother's Day!", and it doesn't apply to me; and
c)hoped and prayed that maybe next year, I will be a mother.

Thankfully, I'm in the nursery at church tomorrow. Some may think yikes! nursery on Mother's Day? But I like the fact that I can get some baby-lovin' in and avoid the crowds that are in the Mother's Day trance:) j/k:) For the 7+ million people in the U.S. that are struggling with infertility...God help us through tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day...and every day of our journey.

Would You Please Pray?

It was a somber afternoon at the credit union today. To make a long story short, my pregnant co-worker found out today that she is carrying a baby, but the baby has no heartbeat. The doctor is going to give her until next Wednesday to naturally miscarry, or he will do a D&C. My heart just broke when she was telling us, and I couldn't help but to cry with her. My heart is sad right now:( Please pray for her--for her physical body, and for her emotions. She isn't a believer, but did say, "Maybe God knew something I didn't." Hopefully I can be a light into her life during this hard time.

I don't mean to turn this around to me, but just one quick thing: when she told us, I thought that could so easily of been me and could feel the fear and emotion rising up inside of me. I will need to "pray without ceasing" so that I will not take this upon myself and my future pregnancy.

Once again, I'm so glad for relationships. Life would be so lonely and lack-luster without others to share it with--the good and the bad. I pray I can be as good of a support to others as they have all been to me.

Babies Everywhere!

Today the second of two friends in five days welcomed a baby boy into their family. Welcome to the world, Alex and Kai!! They are just as precious as can be (from what I can tell from one facebook photo each--come on, more please!), and it makes me realize how bad I want one. To be honest, there have been pregnancy announcements/births that have made me very upset (i.e. local 12-year-old girl pregnant by her 15-year-old [ex-]boyfriend; someone with an unwanted pregancy; you get the idea). However, when my friends who are in a godly, committed relationship have given their announcements of pregnancies and births, all I can think is What a miracle and I can't wait to kiss the baby's face off!

There are times when I try to talk myself out of wanting kids...try to convince myself that I'm complete. But when I return to the most honest, deepest longings of my heart, I know that I am not complete. We are not complete. God has a family in store, and there is a reason why the longings and dreams are there. There is a reason why He's having us wait for the blessing, most likely to build character, build our relationship with Him and with each other, and ultimately, to be able to testify of His faithfulness to fulfill His promises. God, help me to be a quicker learner, and to be open to what you want to teach me through all of this. Here are a few verses about God's faithfulness:

Numbers 23:19
"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

Psalm 89:2, 8
"I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself... O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you."

Psalm 9:10
"Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you."

Isaiah 25:1
"O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago."

Hebrews 10:23
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

Oregon, Part II

And here we have the rest of the novel about my recent vaca:)

Saturday morning we all slept in a bit and then went right to the beach. There were no head shots that morning:) After we were officially frozen (the cold sand on the bare feet made for numb feet, and the wind was a little bit biting), we headed back to the cottage to get ready for the day. We ate leftovers for lunch, and then headed North toward Newport. Once again, we had a beautiful, sunny day!! We went to the Yaquina Lighthouse and toured and took pictures. We went to an Antique Mall which mostly provided lots of laughs and some free gummy teeth (made for some funny pics later). Jeannie did find a CUTE hat and some gloves there, and Fawn found a beautiful piece of fabric (tablecloth?).

We went further into Newport and finally found our way downtown. We walked around for maybe an hour...browsing in the art galleries, stocking up on salt water taffy, and trying to avoid the smell of the fresh shrimp they were loading into a truck. When we walked down one pier, we saw a couple sea lions swimming around...so cute! On the way back "home" to Waldport, we stopped at an art gallery boasting blown glass decor. It was amazing! Fawn got a beautiful ornament to hang from the ceiling (to add to her current collection), and we watched a bit while a couple took a lesson to make their own blown glass ball. Maybe next time I'm in Oregon, I will take a lesson...looked fun.

Our little cottage was so relaxing, and we spent the late afternoon napping/reading/enjoying the peacefulness. We ate a delicous meal Jeannie prepared, thoroughly enjoying our last meal overlooking the ocean. She made us chicken stuffed with arugula and pepperjack cheese, succotash (didn't know this was a real thing...), and yummy black beans. I could get used to these gourmet meals!! After dinner, we took one last walk on the beach. I was determined to find some pretty seashells and maybe a whole sand dollar, however our beach didn't have much to offer in that department. Once again, we walked until we were numb with coldness. We finished the night with talking, laughing, and attempting to play a card game. Oh yeah, and the gummy teeth made an appearance!

I ended my last night on the coast writing an entry in the Hi-Tide guestbook, trying to concisely document the celebration four friends had shared over a long weekend on the Oregon Coast. Our first night in the house, Jeannie read us all the entries from the many guests the house had hosted. So fun to see where people have traveled from and to read their similar feelings of peace and refreshment.

Sunday was a long day on the road--16 hours! Luckily, we were in good company, and we never had any car problems the whole trip (thank you, God!).

Fawn, Jean, and Britt...thank you for your friendship and for an awesome time on the coast. I will always remember our "10 year celebration" fondly...and probably with a chuckle:)

Calmness in Our Lives

I received this as an e-mail forward and thought it was funny:)

"I am passing this on to you because it definitely works, and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished."

So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, and a box of chocolates, and a half bottle of scotch.

You have no idea how freaking good I feel right now."

hahaha. I will post more about my trip later!