4/11/07 9:45 p.m.

Josh had 3 hours of PT today!  PT is his favorite so he had no complaints. He did have some complaints about the activities expected of him. Because he is done ordering his power-assisted manual chair (it looks like a manual chair) he is now on to ordering his power chair. The power chair he test drove today was huge and bulky. He said it made him feel more handicapped than he does otherwise. One thing to be thankful for is the fact that he is not going to be needing a full-powered wheelchair all the time. Lots of people with Josh's level of injury never get out of a power chair. This is a huge blessing! So anyway, he did have some complaints about having to test drive some power chairs. Kristy knows he does not like this, but he needs to.  We are hoping to get the chair ordered before we leave MFB so that we do not need to take away therapy time once we start outpatient therapy.

Today was an easier day for Josh. He was excited to have he technology rehabilitation session today where a report will now be written as to what Josh will be needing to make the computer accessible to him. It's amazing how fast prayer works when we were worried yesterday that this was not done. It also helps that we talked to the therapists that work with Josh all the time and really stressed our concerns (sometimes I get a little overbearing and may need to back off a little).  It is encouraging to know that the next step is now accomplished and we are one step closer to getting Josh back to being the techno nerd he really is! :-)

A lot of things are falling into place. Every time I talk to my mom she is telling me something else that is taken care of, someone who is doing something specifically to help us, or buying something we need for the new house. It makes me appreciate people so much. Before this happened to our family, I had a tendency to doubt other people's goodness or just the basic goodness of humans as a whole. I am awed at how amazing people have been to us. Thank you to each and every one of you who have been a blessing to us by praying, praying, praying, helping in every way, and assisting us financially in this situation. This is no place I would ever wish to be nor wish on anyone else, but you do get a new perspective. I am thankful for that.

Prayer Requests:

-TOTAL HEALING

-Details and help for the big move on Saturday!

-Josh's triceps and fingers

4/10/07 11:00 p.m.

Today was one of those not so fun days. Josh was down emotionally most of the day and it makes for a very challenging day. He started out at the YMCA- maybe it's the YMCA that makes him sad. He had a rough day last Tuesday too... hmmmm...  He and Kristy and a few other people came up with some ideas to make Josh working out there easier. They have some ideas for splints for his hands and one for his elbows to assist in holding his hands and arms correctly so he could work out himself. Hopefully something comes of it.

As the date of discharge looms ever near, we are thinking of many things that need to be done before we leave. One major thing for Josh is to get some assistance with the computer so that he is able to peruse the internet, write e-mails, type a message for church or just about anything on the computer. Before the accident, Josh was always on the computer and now that he will be home so much more, he will need stuff to keep him busy. He is very concerned about going stir-crazy and having nothing to occupy his time. We are working hard and fast to try and get this solved before he goes home next Friday. We know the adaptive equipment he needs, we just need to have it approved by the right people and then ordered. I'm sure this usually takes longer than 10 days so pray that the process is speedy.  Josh is a big reader and right now he is not really able to turn pages without tons of effort so any sort of reading also needs to be done on the internet. Just an afterthought...

We met a man who is interested in helping Josh get ready 6 mornings a week. He seemed very nice, like he and Josh would get along well. He also talked about being reliable which is something we need right now. We both felt like it would be a good fit. We are going to pray about it and hopefully it would work out. We know he is interested so it now lies with us. Please pray that we make a good decision for both Josh and our family.

An old friend from the first church Josh pastored at came by tonight. You could tell it really lifted Josh's spirits. He didn't want to overstay his welcome and Josh kept encouraging him to stay longer! :-) It was nice for him to have someone like this to talk to, especially on a night like tonight when he was tired and discouraged. He talked about how the God he is experiencing right now is a sovereign God. The God he experienced in Miami was almost a palpable God. He is no less God but right now it's not as easy for him. He feels like now that the situation is not so desperate, he has a different perception. Please be praying that this God is just as real to him as Miami. He is need of comfort right now as he is getting very anxious for all the changes coming. We know God is able.

We are gearing up for the big day on Saturday. We are getting excited to have a place that Josh can come home to. We pray that it becomes "home" very quickly and that all the transitions go smoothly.

Prayer Requests:

-TOTAL HEALING

-Calmness of spirit as we move to a new home and having daddy home with us again

-Josh's fingers and tricpes!

4/9/07 9:30 p.m.

Josh had a good day today. When I arrived at MFB he was in great spirits and making me giggle all the time. We spent an hour getting his power-assist wheelchair ordered and found out that it will be covered almost fully by Michigan Rehabilitation Services. This is the program that helps people eventually get back to work (I guess they figure it's cheaper to buy them stuff to get back to work than have them live off social security for the rest of their lives!). He is very excited to be getting his own chair made specifically for him that fits his body well. We will order his power chair next, although he is pretty clueless about what he wants in this type of chair. He knows he needs it, but doesn't like it all the same.

He also is getting more and more proficient at feeding himself. He is using a band that wraps around his hand and uses the muscles in his shoulders and biceps to lift up the utensil. With no triceps, some of these movements are difficult. One good thing to note, while Josh was doing the electrical stimulation today on his tricep, we got the best response so far. Kristy finds this very encouraging and we continue to pray that God will restore this muscle in Josh's arms.

We got ownership of the rental today which is a huge blessing! Someone came forward and offered to pay the rent and utilities for 6 months!!! God is so good to us! We now are looking for someone to rent our place from us for the time being. Please pray that God sends the right people along.  We are getting lots of odds and ends done such as changing phone, cable, internet, making appointments for things to be delivered- that sort of thing. It makes this move seem all the more real. The kids are excited and seem to have little concern over the move. I have no doubt it is because of all the prayers for our children being sent up!!! Being at the house does make Josh's injury seem more real and long-term. We know that God's power is not changed by us renting a place and we are thankful for that. It does make the emotional aspect of this all more difficult. The realization that this could be forever is very difficult. It takes your breath away and puts a pressure on your chest where you feel like you can't breathe. Those are the times that I just try to sit and think about the power of God and his will for our lives. No matter what the outcome of this whole thing, God is still in control!

Baby Ephram continues to give me grief. I so wish that I could keep up with all that is going on and not be stopped by the endless Braxton Hicks contractions. They are driving me batty! It stops me from being able to help with Josh and being as active with our kids as I normally am. This is very normal for pregnancy, I know, but I'm only 30 weeks!!! I have a ways to go yet and don't want to be so out of commission. Please pray that I have patience and the grace to be able to handle this small frustration in the grand scheme of things.

All in all, today was very encouraging. I was so supported by a great friend this morning which started my day in a much better way than yesterday. It's nice to have an easier day like today after a tough day. God continues to supply all our needs, many even that I am unaware of.

Prayer Requests:

-TOTAL HEALING

-Josh's triceps!!!

-Smooth transitions of moving to a new house and Josh coming home! Yaaaay!!!! 

4/8/07 10:50 p.m.

Happy Easter! What an exciting day we had today! Before I talk about today, let me back up to yesterday.

The day started with lots of packing and the perfect number of hands for the job. We were not sure if no one would show up or too many show up, and it turned out great. Not too many that we got in each other's way, enough to get the job done in a little under 5 hours total. Thank you to all who came and helped! I stayed home in the morning to "help" although everyone kept telling me to sit down and take it easy- I'm pregnant, not sick! I went up to see Josh around one o'clock and watched him lift weights for PT. He was done for the day at 1:30 so he had a short day.

We got ready and went to hang out with some friends- Brad and Sarah. It was a nice afternoon of coloring Easter eggs with our kids and their two kids and eating some pizza. Pretty relaxed and the kids were all very good. It was nice to just hang out as families and have a sense of normalcy. By the end of the evening, I was exhausted and Josh was still rarin' to go, but the pregnant wife's desires won and we headed back to MFB.

We arrived back and I had every intention of updating the blog (here are my excuses coming...) but when we arrived back to the room my computer had gone missing. Now, I was convinced I had left it in the room and was afraid it was stolen. If you've ever spent time up at MFB you know it is not a hospital where people are roaming the halls, looking for things to steal. Come to find out, I had a case of forgetfulness and had left my laptop, cell phone and both kids car seats at Brad and Sarah's. Seems like my mind is not working so well these days.

Today, Josh had his first chance to sleep in since arriving at MFB. There was no therapy today so he did not get up until about 10:00 and loved it. We got ready and headed over to my parents for our family time together. Josh's parents spent the night at my parents house with the kids so everyone was there, along with Jay and Holly and all their kids. We at a huge meal, had an Easter Egg Hunt and had some time to just be together. It was nice. I was a little down and had a small meltdown, but all went well otherwise. It's nice that even after everyone that has happened and our life that has seen major change, I still have my husband who can hold me when I cry. :-) Too bad I had to do it at the dessert table with everyone watching...

Josh loved watching the kids play and had a chance to watch a bit of the Masters Golf Tournament. We then headed back to MFB to get ready for our service with Greenhouse tonight.

After a long process of getting Josh into the church, we finally got to participate in our home church's service! It was so nice to be together with this group of people who mean so much to us and have been such a support system to us over the past almost 3 months. Josh talked for about 10ish minutes and got to share from his heart what God has been teaching us. For Josh to get in front of our church and talk was great. When the accident happened such a few short months ago, I would never have imagined him back up in front of church this quickly. God has been so amazing through this whole ordeal and I was so proud of him as he sat and shared from his heart. Even after over 11 years together, he still amazes me with his love for God and willingness to trust fully in him. Even during this ordeal, he has remained the spiritual head of our house.  I am so thankful to still have my husband, maybe not in the same way physically, but completely the same if not more so spiritually, emotionally and mentally. These are the things that will carry us through the times ahead that are beyond difficult and challenging.

We are getting ready for another big change as Josh is coming home to stay in 12 short days. We know it will be a huge adjustment. Please be praying for this time of transition and adjustment. Pray that Josh is able to handle all the emotional and physical changes without becoming depressed as we know is very common. Right now, we are sheltered at MFB and will soon be facing "real life" outside of the hospital bubble. Please pray that our new home feels like home quickly and that Josh does not miss our current home too much. He loves this house, the neighborhood, all the people coming and going, and the memories of Ava that this house holds. He has not really had a chance to say goodbye to it. He knows the boxes are packed and when he comes "home" it will be to a new house. We pray the transition goes smoothly.

Happy Easter once again, knowing that Christ's resurrection is why we have hope...

Prayer Requests:

-TOTAL HEALING!!!

-Smooth transitions as we get ready to leave MFB

-Stability for our kids as we move them to a new house and neighborhood and a daddy that is home again!