So Blessed!

Well, Rylee did turn 9 with Style!
We love this picture of her!. She and I wore our Twinkie shirt dresses! We love to plan and have parties. She wants to thank everyone for their sweet comments...oh so fun...so so good to be built up in the Lord!

I wanted to send an update on Regan....she is more alert than she has been. She is on an antibiotic so it seems to be helping. Thanks for your prayers about here. I know that the Holy Spirit is always informing us and prompting us to pray in certain ways.

Before I posted the email about Regan last week I got three different calls or emails wondering how she was and feeling the burden to pray....Praise God that the Holy Spirit doesn't need a blog update to bring His people to pray. As I write tears come to my eyes as I reflect on how God uses His body to minister to each other in so many ways. I am so glad that He has taken us into Himself, Blessed us in Christ, and then brakes us to be given to the world as a blessing....I thank God each time of think of this truth and each time I think of you.

Our Rylee is 9!

Monday is Rylee's Birthday.

First, Rylee is a comforter. I believe with all my heart that the Lord has uniquely gifted Rylee to bring is comfort to others. She just makes you feel better. Right now Ryder can't sleep unless he sleeps in Rylee's room. He says the he just feels closer to everybody when he is in her room. She is the one who will sit with you when you get hurt on the playground. She is the one that will listen while you retell your story. Doesn't everyone need compassion? In her listening and being with she is comforting.
"He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us." 1 Cor. 1:4

Rylee is fun! We call her the FUN FUN girl! She love to laugh and play. She is like her daddy in that way. Her laugh is infectious..her humor is on spot...what a joy to have her in our life. When she reads to me in the afternoon she make the story so interesting because she is in no hurry to get done so she makes it fun to listen to. Recently when Brian was at a college retreat for ISU he was telling about how she is so girly but also loves buger and fart jokes like a junior high boy. So, when Rylee went out to the retreat the next day this college boy kept farting in front of her to get her to laugh...she didn't according to her "because I don't even know him...I try to save that for people I know. We are so glad she is the life of our party.
"Laugh with your happy friends when they are happy; share tears when they are down" Romans " Romans 12:15


Rylee is make to mother....or maybe sometimes even smother. Rylee is a lover. I have said since she was two that someday she will have a 15 passenger van full of children. We knew she needed to be big sister to get practice for all the people she would need take care of. She loves to hug and hold and carry anyone who will let her...and even sometimes when they don't. I don't really know what God is going to do with her but I know that she sees the heart of God for those who can not or will not speak for themselves. That is really what a mother does...advocate...advocate for Jesus, for their child, for what is right......
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8

Rylee is just a good friend. She always has a friend over or whats to be with someone. She has good friends because she is a good friend. At her birthday party this year she has girls coming that range in age from 7-11. That is Rylee....and her friend...not bound to age but all girls who are lovers of God....which makes Rylee love them back. Right now I can't be Rylee's friend because I have to be her mother...but I look forward to a time when she is much older when we can be friends....I look forward to her companionship in that way...I will always be her mother but someday we can add friend to that list!
"A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity" Proverbs 17:17

Regan Update

Hello everyone.....this is just a quick update and a request for prayer. I have no idea why this is underlining but maybe the computer knows this needs emphasis. I don't list prayer concerns a lot but it is heavy on my heart today to have you pray.

Regan is very tired....We miss her a lot. So would you please pray for her to have more awake time. She is more awake than she was but still too much.....

Also she is having a lot of mucus.... and coughing...I guess like allergy type issues. Would you pray for her strength and our alertness.

Thanks for all your prayer....I'll write more this weekend when I have more time. Right now she is watching Price is Right...she smiles at all the sounds. It makes me happy because my Granny used to love Price is Right.....she must have passed that gene on.



This is Lil Regan's afternoon friend...otherwise known as Ryder's nanny....This picture was taken in May. Those are the eyes we want back. Hey looks the underlining went away!

Patience

Our family has a tradition of reading a Proverb every weekday morning. We have done this since Ryder was in Kindergarten in various forms and to various levels of success. This year we all meet at the table at 7am to read it together and so Dad can pray with us before we get going our separate ways for the day. I love Proverbs for many reasons but one of them is that they are so simple because they are written for youth. He says in Proverbs 1:1-4 "The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel; for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding worlds of insight; for acquiring a discipline and a prudent life, for what is right and just and fair, for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-" So for that I think all children should have the Proverbs read to them. It was one book of the Bible written directly for them. It also gives them a place to understand Biblical worldview because the Proverbs give metaphors, riddles, and parables to teach God's truth. This teaches them to look for God's wisdom in all things. There are things that are true about the world because God says so....like lying is bad, helping the poor puts us on God's side, laziness in not godly, we are responsible for our actions, arguing is uncalled for...it just gives us practical ways to live like God wants us to. I love them because they are easily applied to our everyday life. (I secretly want to write a family devotional guide from them someday....shhhhh don't tell!)
Our Proverb for today was... Proverbs 19:11 A man's wisdom gives him patience, it is to his glory to overlook an offense. It really has spoken to me today because it reminded me we have patience when we are wise. A small child has no patience because they have no wisdom. They don't understand that they have to wait for anything because everything should happen now. Yet we see with God he is so patient. He has a long long term vision. He looks past actions to the heart of the situation. He is understand that we learn a lot along the way. He is after all the holder of wisdom and understanding. It reminds me of the Israelites and how God saved them from the hand Pharaoh. Remember all God did to free them. He called Moses, 10 plagues, splitting the Red Sea and they crossed on dry ground...then he leads them by fire and by a cloud. and yet they were rebellious and impatient. Dt 1:32-33 "In spite of all of this you did not trust in the Lord your God who went ahead of you on your journey in fire by night and in cloud by day to search out places for you to camp and show you the way you should go."
They had short term vision
All they could see is the present situation
They didn't not see the point of the current struggle they were in.
They thought they knew everything.
I can't keep from thinking....A man's wisdom gives him patience."

It also reminds me of ME! I am not always patient. I lose wisdom when I lose my patience.
I forget all HE has done.
I take the trust that belongs to him and place it on other people
I take to much stock in what I can do on my own.
I think that I know too much.....thank God he is patient with me!

I am probably more patient than I used to be but less than I should be. So I guess need to wise up and admit I too am a child and need to apply another Proverb (1:5) "let the wise listen and add to their learning." Just like it is wide for a child to listen to their father/mother because they know something more than you know. They see more than you see as a child....make me like this Lord...make me like this!

Exceptional Child

For several years now we have been asked to bring Regan as a guest speaker to the "Exceptional Child" class at LCC. This is a class for students who God is preparing and calling to be professional teachers, counselors or children's ministers (even though all these careers are ministry!) So this past week we visited theses classes to share Regan's journey as an exceptional child with them. This photo was taken of the Tuesday night class. Just looking at them makes me smile! They are all exceptional women (a couple of them are even in my Spiritual Formation Group!) God will and is doing great things through their gifts!

I don't know where this quote comes from but it is one of my favorites "Preach the gospel always...when necessary use words." For a person with a lot of words you can imagine that this is instructional for me. Regan's story is one of the greatest sermon's every preached yet she has never used words. Every time I get a chance to interpret her story for her I am reminded of all the ways God can use her story to help others, encourage others and strengthen others for their own journey. Regan journey has truly been exceptional. I looked up the word ex·cep·tion·al to see what it can mean.

1: forming an exceptional :rare exceptional number of rainy days>
2: better than average : superior <exceptional skill>
3: deviating from the norm: as a: having above or below average intelligence
4: physically disabled

Yet part of her story is the view from Ryder and Rylee's exceptional shoes. Their journey is different or exceptional (definition 1 & 4) because their sister is exceptional (definition 4). We are all trying to testify to the exceptional (definition 2) power of our mighty God in our lives!

As I ramble on about my own I know you feel the same about yours. Because the truth is what makes our stories as believers exceptional is that GOD is at work here.
HE IS EXCEPTIONAL.
We are blessed by all the ways he creates normal days, average people, normal situations, everyday lives, average towns, average marriages, normal families, ...don't we all just feel average. Yet when HE steps in HE makes the story EXCEPTIONAL! He gives us a story to tell that is far from the norm.

Some Late Night Ramblings

Okay so I can't sleep......I always remember when I can't sleep that Ps 127 says that "He grants sleep to those he loves"....so I guess I am off the list for tonight....actually that is crazy because some of the most god fearing people I know don't sleep (Kim, Shannon, Vera, Julie)....I'm not awake enough to figure out what the word sleep might mean........so instead I want to write about something that has been on my mind today...There are some sounds I really love....

• I love the sound of college kids worshiping.
• I love the sound of Rylee's laugh....it makes me want to laugh. Sh laughs at lots of things.
  
• I love the sound of the dishwasher running. I always start it at night right before I hop in bed so I think I associate it with my bed which is one of my favorite earthly possessions.
• I love the sound of the coffee maker beeping....this beep is one of many beeps in my life but one of the only ones that makes me happy. The other ones that make me grumpy are my alarm, Regan's feeding pump, her oximeter, the smoke detector.....these are beeps that mean unhappy things...but coffee being done now that is good!
• I love my friend Shannon's voice mail...it is her kids singing "This is Shannon's phone..."
• I love the sound of my mom's laugh and my dad when he answers his phone because he says "Yea.." It is so my dad...like I am there in the room..not like I've called on the phone. I like it because I wish I was right there in the room.
  
• I love Regan noises. She makes the sweetest sucking noises and her songs are the best.
  
• I love the rustling sound of people turning in their Bibles.
• I love the sound of conversation around a dinner table.
• I love the roar of kids after school.
  
• I love the sound that a great knife makes when they cuts food (thanks Gary).
• I love the sound of Brian's voice when he is falling asleep and he says "I love you baby."
• I love it when Ryder says "I love you mom."
  
• I love the scream of girlfriend or sister you haven't seen a while...that raw reaction that my favorite women have when they see someone they haven't seen in a while.
• I love the sound of someone saying, "Chantell, what do you think?"
• I love the chatter of women all gathered together in a room.
  
• I love the sound of my fingers tapping on this keyboard...knowing it communicates so many different things...the rhythm....the pauses.....
  

Meanwhile the house is silent...the family is sleeping....The dishwasher is done, Regan's oximeter went off because she needed a new tank of oxygen. I reset her tank so she is good for the night.....all is at peace....well at least he granted sleep to the ones I love.

Update on Tuesday

OH the face of this sweet baby....we had a big day yesterday. So I thought I should update everyone and this is my favorite photo of her so I had to put it in.

We saw her Nutritionist, Cybil, Regan has gained 1 lb and 3 oz in the past three weeks. That is really great...we are going to continue with the changes we have made to try to get her weight up. So that was good news. We want to continue on this track...Cybil does a great job figuring out all the details.

We also saw her pulmanologist Dr Johnson. She passed her over night test that they ran a few weeks ago that show that she does not have any significant sleep apnea. He thinks she is doing better than they expected. We will continue doing what we are doing. He is a very nice man.

We also saw Dr Karkos who is a special needs specialist. She went on and on about how much better Regan looked than the last time she saw her in April....that is good! She made several suggestions that will all be helpful for the everyday care of Regan. She is such a blessing.

This appointment took a long time but we are always glad to get a lot done at one visit.
Please continue to pray for her strength. She is awake more than she was....we have reduced her keppra to a lower dose and that seems to have helped. Her seizures are up and down but are more severe than they have been in a few minutes. This was going on before the reduction of the keppra so we don't think they are related.
School as started we are so glad...Ryder and Rylee are loving life...such a blessing. Ryder loves Junior High...it seems he like all the responsibility.
He has some new extra curricular activities that he is enjoying. This was their first day of school picture. (We have entered the don't make me smile in every picture phase.)
Rylee loves her teacher and is excited about seeing her friends. She loves Math and is considering playing Volley Ball this fall. We will keep you updated on that!
Brian is getting in the groove at work. Learning so much and reaching to be all God wants him to be. Thank you all for your prayers and support.
We feel strengthened for the journey.

Bloomin' Hope

For all of you who faithful read the blog you will remember that a rabbit ate my Black-eyed-Susan's.......still pains me to remember. I wanted to you see what started blooming there this week.
Those flowers are coming back....I thought they were a lose for this season but with time they have re-bloomed....THEY ARE RENEWED! So it has had my brain spinnin' about renewal of hope. To be renewed...."to make like new : restore to freshness, vigor, or perfection renew our strength in sleep" (this is according to Merriam Webster anyway)......oh how I long to be restored to freshness....to be made like new....it is on my mind because sometimes I need my hope renewed. I need my hope to be make like new in vigor. This some days my cynical heart gets the best of me, some days my tired flesh wins out, some days my mind just spins in unbelief. On those days days I need a renewal of hope! A few mornings ago God reminded me of Romans 15:13 "May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit."

He filled me with hope by blooming those flowers for me. He reminded me that I had given up on them but wasn't done...he had more in store to teach me with those silly little things. These verse reminds us that when we are filled with the God of HOPE then we overflow with hope.....I want to overflow with hope.....not with other things I sometimes overflow with. I know this is a matter of heart...some days I just don't let myself trust in Him...I make the decision I can handle life on my own. That I already know how life works, how people work, how I work. I sorta say inwardly ...."see that is the way it goes.." as if I know better than HE. Sometimes I just forget that hope is from God when we trust in Him.....God's action is the HOPE my action is the trust.

Regan brought me a flower home for Mother's day...it was just a little green steam sticking through dirt in a Styrofoam cup. Julie and I cried the day she brought it home because we weren't sure if Regan would be with us on Mother's Day. I put that little stick in the ground to see what it would do. Honestly I didn't think it would do much....but guess what...

It it the biggest and brightest plant in my yard.....I'd say it is overflowing with HOPE!
I pray today you will renew your trust today then I know He will fill you with renewed Hope...and I know you will overflow with Hope for all the world to see....and maybe even be surprised by!

8 Random Facts

I've been tagged by my friend Mandy to list 8 random/weird facts about myself on my blog...so here they are. (You can read Mandy's facts on her blog...I love the baby food one..that always makes me smile.)
1. I love reality TV (yes I know it is not real....)
2. I've been arrested twice.
3. I love to do laundry....I think this has to do with my childhood but doing laundry makes me feel responsible, motherly, and productive.
4.I worked in radio for almost three years while in high school. Getting paid to talk....a great job for me!
5. I was in in the "Miss Clinton" pageant when I was 18. it still cracks me up! I rocked in interview...but even then my thighs looked way to big in a swim suit!
6. I think fruit snacks smell like chap stick so sometimes I want to eat them because I ate chap stick as a child then other times they make me feel like I could throw up!
7. I love paradoxes.
8. I really love college students......really I do.....I DO!

I tag my mom, my mother in law Vera and my friend Parian....( you can just add it to to published comment since you don't have a blog....this will be fun....I wonder how long it will take?)

I am sorry for all of you who came to the blog today expecting something spiritual I hope you don't think less of me! I guess since it is all truth it is at least godly.

A Psalm from Ryder

Hi....this is Ryder. Last night I had a hard time falling asleep so I decided to write a psalm. So my mom thought you all would enjoy reading it. Here it is...

"In whom shall I put my Trust when Fear stalks me like a predator ready to strike and Anger lurks in the shadows, preparing to burst forth? In whom shall I put my Trust when Faith in things of the human world has failed and Happiness is but a memory? Whom shall call to me and rescue me from the Shadow Lands? Whom shall awaken me? The LORD."

"Whom shall cheer me when sorrow creeps in like fog and envelops me? Whom shall reassure me when uncertainty clouds my mind? The LORD."

"Whom shall pick me up when I have fallen? Who is my rock on which I stand? The LORD"

All In A Day's Work

We have always known that when God knew what Regan's journey on this planet would look like he knew Rylee and Ryder were up to the task. As they grow up we continue to have that truth confirmed. They know they love her but they don't see how amazing suited their gifting is for this particular task.

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Saturday night Ryder and Rylee were watching a movie with Regan while Brian and I hung out with some friends on the back deck. I came in every few minutes to check on Regan but Rylee knew she was to "babysit" her even though I could seem them both through the back sliding glass door. About 10:30p Rylee said "Ryder get mom and dad Regan is choking"......I was already up before she finished the sentence with Brian right behind me. As we came in the room we could see Regan's face was completely blue and she was struggling with no avail to get air into her lungs. Brian and I began suction and put her on oxygen. Within 10 minute we were giving her a breathing treatment. Ryder was helping his dad get everything all hooked up. Ruthie our friend helped by holding Regan's head back for a clear airway while I suctioned.....we all worked as a team. With God's indwelling power we saved Regan's life.

This week has been hard because she has been on round the clock breathing treatments and she is back on oxygen. When I took her in on Tuesday for her appointment according to the Diane our nurse "she sounds clear". That is amazing considering that at one point there was no air in her left lung.

If Rylee had not responded as quickly as she did we would have had a very different looking week. Each time I want to complain about being tired I am I just remember that I am so glad that Regan is here with me and that I have her here to give a breathing treatment to. This is better than the alternative. We will keep you updated as things change but she is doing better each day.

As Brian was tucking her into bed on Saturday night he was telling her how proud he was of her for really paying attention and for being a quick thinker. She said, "Ha, I saved Regan's life and even the doctors couldn't do that!" He told her that he felt bad because he and mama weren't right there with Regan. Rylee said, "Why did you and Mama need to be right there...Regan was with me...she didn't want to be with the adults she wants to be with me. We were playing footsie, nose kisses, and snuggling...I even moved Regan's chair so she could see the movie better." Rylee is right....Regan is right where she needs to be....right here with us... with a big sister named Rylee who just considers saving her sisters life no big deal because it is all in a day's work.

Our lil' Regs

Regan is here with her good friend Kate all "cuted" up for the Logan County Fair. We went on Friday morning to see the stinky animals and mostly eat some fair food for lunch. They are so cute in their shades. Regan and Brian didn't make it long because there was so much mud and poop everywhere that it was difficult to get Regan around. Oh well we tried

After the Fair Brian took Regan to get a blood draw...her first since April. We are trying to get this draw done before we go in for her doctor visit to see Diane, Regan's neurologist assistant. Diane knows Regan better than any other medical professional so it will be good to go see her.
She is going to help us figure out what our next move should be.

We also visited with Dr McKenna a few days ago. Regan had an ultrasound and we found out she has three kidney stones..up from two in January. That was very disheartening. We will go back to see him now every three months.

While visiting with Dr McKenna I took Regan to get weighed...she is down to 30 pounds...this is not good. We will go later this month to visit with the dietitian about what we need to do to get 10 lbs on her.

We are also going to see Dr Johnson our pulmanologist. They are going to do an night time oximeter study to get a more through read of her breathing. We hope this will give us explanation of why she is sleeping so much.

We have also decided to keep Regan home from school this year. She is sleeping so much that there is no point in making her go.

sooooo all in all this has been a crazy week couple of weeks for Regan. It is disheartening to go to appointments that only reveal bad things...it has been nice to be away from that for a while. But it is time to back to some doctor appointments for her. I know many of you pray for her everyday....so I wanted to give you some things to pray specifically for.

Hosea 6:1-3 1 "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."

(This is Regan watching a movie with her cousin Ashlyn at Grandma's house..oh and her Webkin too! This was taken in July 07)

My litttle man is 11.

Since Ryder is turning 11 on Tuesday I want to share 11 things that I love about my little man! This is also sorta photo summer in review for Him too!

1....His heart for those younger than him is awesome to watch. He is very popular among the 3-5 year old's at our church and he works as a helper in their classroom. Here he is with is cousin but he always great to kneel down and play.....Jesus was like that...I'm glad Ryder is too!2....He loves to be with his Dad. He is growing up..going into Junior High which is crazy but true. It is fun to watch these two develop into great pals. Ryder's always been close to me but the older he gets the more he wants to talk to Dad about it or be with Dad. I so proud of that. A boy should want to be with is Father...Jesus did...I am glad Ryder does too!

3...Ryder is a born leader. People want to be with him. Here he is leading Rylee on a horse this was on there trip to Nana and Papa's house. He is usually pretty good with being responsible with his leadership. He is always watching for the one that is on the edge and giving them a place to belong. We need more good solid Christian men who aren't afraid to lead. Jesus was always reaching out to those on the fringe..I am so glad Ryder is like that too!
4...Ryder understand that often times life is hard. He has a grown soul. I love this picture because you can see the depth of his heart in his eyes (Grandad Norman is with him in the pic). Even when he was little he was always mature. It was like he was born with an old man's soul. He gets the real point of life and and weed out trial things from important things. Jesus was always showing people that something were more important than others....I am glad Ryder is like that too!

5...Ryder is so compassionate. Here Ryder is swinging Regan at the park. He is always making sure Regs is okay....we all know this is a gift from God so nuf said on that!

6...Ryder is a reader. He loves a great story. He loves to read just about anything he can get his eyes on. Here he and Andy are reading Harry Potter while all of Andy's wedding guests are waiting inside for his arrival. I love that Jesus uses stories to teach Ryder so many things about himself.
7...He knows the value of a good friend. Our friends from Dallas, the Werch's came to visit and he was so excited to seem them. No matter how many miles and our how much time comes in between a friendship he seems to know that they are valuable. Jesus loved his friends too...I am so glad Ryder is like that.


8...He is crazy. His personality is so funny! He is always making a funny comment or striking a crazy pose. He makes me laugh. Jesus uses Ryder all the time to draw a smile. Here he is with Nana and Rylee being silly after a long day in the sun.

9.... Ryder still loves legos....I don't know but I think there might be legos in heaven...hours of creative fun!10...Ryder is a great student. Here he is with his favorite teacher from 5th grade. Ryder loves to learn...he loves history. I am glad that he loves to learn. To be a disciple of Jesus is to be a learner of Jesus. No true disciple can check their brain at the door.

11...Mostly I am just glad I get to call him son. This picture was taken this summer at a Peria Chief's game. My birthday prayer for him is that he know Jesus and be known in him.

Happy Birthday Boy! We love you so much.

"Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate." Ps 127.4-5

Immeasurably More

Over the last couple of weeks I have been thinking about eph. 3:20-21

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever Amen!"

When Brian and I were getting married we would pray this scripture a lot. I remember feeling how I felt God's "Immeasurable" power at work in our lives. Brian and I felt our love was beyond what we could have prayed and asked God for. It was so surprising.

This immeasurable that Paul is writing about in this part of the letter refers back to the first part of the letter in 1:19-21 where he writes:

"and his incomparable great power for us who believe, that power is like the working of his mighty strength, which is exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come."


The early church surly thought that the resurrection was beyond what they could have prayed for in a Messiah. That Christ could raise from the dead had to have be mind blowing. God was up to something in the heavenly and earthly realm....in all power through all time. All of this was evidenced in CHRIST. It was so surprising.

Yet this immeasurable more is not limited to the resurrection because it is through all time.....so he is currently showing his immeasurable greatness. He is letting his glory shine through the church in all generations...so that means in us too. He is still working...sometimes that is so surprising.

Sometimes I forget that God is suppose to be immeasurably more.... I am a person who likes to figure things out. How to fix the mower, how to make a blog, how to manage Regan's health, how to make Pesto myself, how to study the Bible.....I want to know! Sometimes I can trick myself into thinking I can know God. If I just read enough of the right thing for the right amount of time I will know Him. Yet he is IMMEASURABLY MORE!

I am currently looking for ways that God can show me immeasurably more of himself. I want to trust that Paul is right...HE IS ABLE. Sadly sometimes that reality surprises me!
So I'll make Paul's prayer my own.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever Amen!"

Our little Cherrio.

Regan has had spin trouble for several years. She wears a brace to try and stop it. There is really no other alternative to the brace except extreme surgery that is just not a good option for her because of all of her other health problems. So we have watched her slowly curl up so we lovingly refer to her as our little Cherrio. She recently developed a sore on her back because of her brace and so she is unable to wear it until it is better. It seems to be worse than at any other time. Could you please pray for her. It does not cause her pain but as the curve continue to get worse it can cause other health problems.

Thanks for all your support.

The Blog

This blog is sometimes a mystery to me. Recently I have been blessed with the opportunity to meet people who faithful read this blog...most of whom I have never met.

Last week we were visiting Brian's family in Kansas City. They attend a very large church (several thousand members) and after church was over a lady tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Chantell, I'm so happy to met you, I'm Patti." Tears began to roll down her checks as she told me about how she reads the blog each week and how she has been praying for our family. I tried to introduce her to Ryder but she said, "Oh, I already know all your family .I know who Ryder is an what he looks like." We chatted for a few minutes. I cried as she shared about how she has been affected by reading this blog. Patti is in the "Life" group with my Sister and Brother-in-law....and a part of God's family..so it makes her my sister in grace.

I also spoke with a lady on the phone last week that I have met a couple of times. She thanked me for the blog. She is a good friend of my mother-in-law, Vera. They both lost their best friend Barb to cancer that week. Barb has been a faithful reader of the blog and even referenced it in her blog. More than anything Barb was a prayer warrior for Regan. Though I don't know Gail or Barb extremely well I feel close to them because I know they are praying and reading. We are bonded together...we are sister's in grace.

Regan received bows in the mail a couple of months ago from a woman who reads the blog. She is the friend of a wife of a guy I grew up with. She reads and prays for us. I've never met her but she made Regan two hair bows and wrote a wonderful card to let us know how our journey is affecting her journey. We will probably never met until heaven...but I look forward to it...we too are sister's in grace.

A month ago Brian's step mom Janice has a family reunion in Indy. Brian, Ryder, Regan and I went (Rylee was at camp). It has been five years since we have seen this part of the extended family (three generations). One of the cousin's who is five and lives in CA saw Regan as we walked in and she exclaimed "I know her, that's Regan, I pray for her." We are family but we she and Regan are sister's of grace too!

Last week I was talking to a long time family friend of Brian's family her name is Sue. She just lost her husband to Parkinson's. She has with a woman I have never met...I heard her say, "So, this is the little girl I've been praying for."

Most of the time when I set down to write I think...will anyone check it...does what I have to say make sense....is everyone tired of my ramblings...but something in me (I think it is the Holy Spirit) moves me to think about something which leads me to write about something. I feel strengthened to move through difficult moments knowing that people are with us...people we don't even know and people we know very well....people from Lincoln, Texas, South Korea, Colorado, Mexico, Oklahoma, Ukraine, Kansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Egypt........
Some how knowing that God is using this for something more than just our own family gives me peace. Sometimes I wonder why Regan didn't die on that Monday...maybe it was for this to happen. For a Sister-in-law to tell a friend and in that share a miracle and watch God's grace in action. Maybe it was for a little girl in CA to learn to pray. Maybe it was for a woman dying of cancer to pray and remember someone else's need. Maybe it was for me to regain my faith in the body of Christ. So, thanks for reading, responding and most of all "bearing-up" our burden with us.

. . . o o o . . .

All this Live Earth stuff has me thinking....where is the Christian voice? Where to WE stand in all of this. I consider myself a moderate environmentalist. Since High school I have been aware of the waste I create. As a mother I feel a great responsibility to be an example and teach my children to be a great citizen of the world. The greatest way we do this is to share Jesus...but we can do more. I have always tried not to shelter them from the pain of the world. We must be aware of issues around the world, across the street and in my opinion all Christian's should be GREEN.
I wanted to share a few things I do. I have along way to go but I believe in small steps and doing what I can.

• Recycling is an easy way to start. This costs no money but helps greatly.
  
• Since putting in my cloths line 4 weeks ago I have only ran 2 loads in the dryer. This is better for my cloths and the environment. Also having us re-wear things that are not really dirty (jeans, shirts, pj's...but never underwear!) This also helps because your cloths don't wear out as fast.
  
• Buying food at farmers markets, or growing your own food cuts down on packaging, emissions from trucks hauling..plus it is better for you.
  
• I use refillable water bottles as much as I can. Especially in my kids lunch. Also trying to use reusable plastic instead of baggies for everything in their lunches is good too!
• Insurance pays for Regan to have one feeding bag each day but we have started using them for three. This just cuts down a little but it is something. (It offsets all those diapers she is creating. And I do have friends that use cloth but I not quite ready for make that leap!)
• Also trying not to use paper products. If I have a party at my house I try not to use paper products. How hard is it to just put it in the dishwasher (which is energy efficient). Plus it saves money.

If you have any tips of things that you do I would love you to post them on the blog for our 615 readers to read. I do not need this to sound wacky but would love to hear your ideas.

Open Wounds

I hate for my knees to show. I only own two pairs of shorts that I rarely ware in public. Last summer I wore one pair to Wal-mart and Ryder said, "Mom you know you have your shorts on don't you." One of the main reasons I don't like my knees to show is because I have a scar on my knee. I tripped and landed on a glass soda bottle and sliced it right open. My mom only put a butterfly band-aid on it but it probably needed stitches....(after years of therapy on this I am no longer bitter at my mom! :) So, for better or for worse I have a reminder of a childhood wound.

Ryder has a scar in his eye brow from hitting his head on a coffee table at his Uncle Paul's house. He had 12 stitches with no anesthetic. His scar is smaller but a much better story because of how brave his was. Recently that scar brought comfort to one of Ryder's friends who had to get stitches and was a little nervous about the scarring. When I see Ryder's little scar I remember how brave he was and how God was with Ryder and helped him endure without anesthetic and it brings me hope that God is with me when I have no pain relief.

Brennan my nephew has a scar that wraps around his back from a surgery he had when he was just a couple months old. The scar represents more than just a surgery but the tender care of doctors who recognized a problem. His parents have lovingly endured a very difficult journey with him. When I see Brennan's scar I am comforted because I know GOD was the protector of Brennan's life and that God is my protector too~!

Regan has many scars...all of them represent a small leg of her journey. When I see them I remember that there was a health issue that brought us to the surgery and in each of Regan's surgeries it eventually brought some relief. Each time she has been better off than before she went in because the surgery helped...the scar is worth it!

We all have wounds...as I have said many times...pain is the great equalizer. Jesus himself had scars to prove He was who He said He was...it was as if he was saying..."See these scars..remember the cross...but I am here..I conquered that...I have the scars to prove it." It seems this wound...which became a scar brought the ultimate healing.

My man Henri says this "Open wounds stink and do not heal." (Nouwen "The Wounded Healer") We all know what these open wounds look like..we have been around people who "stink" because they have left thier wounds take over their life...they are rotten. Some say "time heals" I say.."Time just makes you bitter...only Jesus heals." We all have wounds....it would be impossible to go through life without it...I think what is most important is that we not be afraid to let the wounds heal...then not be afraid to bear our scars to one another....An open wound don't help anyone much but a scar can provide courage, can be a reminder of God's care or maybe help us remember the wound was worth it.

Texas Week

This past week was so great for our family. This year we did not go to Dallas to visit our friends because Regan is not stable enough to travel that far. BUT they came to us! On Monday Rondal and Darrin Smith from Dallas came over for morning coffee/tea. Darrin's son Ethan even got to come for a little while and enjoyed playing Wii with the kids. Rondal has been the president of PBT and Brian and I are always humbled to hear stories of the adventures God has taken him on. Darrin and his wife Vicki were friends of ours from VVCC days.

Then the Werch's came in for dinner. They have came to visit us four of the five years we have lived in Lincoln. That is dedication. We love to spend time with the Werch's because we laugh a lot when we are together and Hillary and I cry together too! On Tuesday we enjoyed doing laundry together, the boys went fishing, eating Jimmy John's, playing at the park, swimming and then grilled steaks! Noah their son even lost his first tooth! Full day but great renewal for both our our families. Their daughter Riley and our Rylee are great friends and they never stopped talking the whole time they were here. We ended the night with the Werch/Mills family tradition of eating raw cookie dough for dessert!

Then on Wednesday at lunch we picked up Jordan Hull who was up from Dallas attending LCC's basketball camp. We ate lunch and then went swimming for the afternoon. Jordan is 17 but We have known him since he was 6. He has a special place in our family...he is our family I guess you could say. The Maupin clan (who are from Texas too!) came over for dinner and then we "Wii-laxed" for a while. (Wii-laxing is what we call playing the Wii our new video game system.) On Thursday we took Jordan to lunch a Panera which is one of our favorite places to eat in our area.

Only the Holy Spirit can renew you through friendships that are separated by miles. It is good to know people that new you when...we feel like we grew up a lot in those years at VVCC and many of the people that we knew there were gracious enough to let us do it. That is a gift...to be among people who will let you figure out your gifts, passions and callings. To let you try and fail at somethings. Not everyone will tolerate that. We love our life in Lincoln and our friends here but those years and people hold a special place in my heart.

Regan's Birthday in Review.

Birthday Party crew out on the back deck of our house....getting ready to make Regan's gift.

Regan's Birthday was great! We delivered 26 bags to St John's. They were very appreciative and we all felt honored to get to make them. All the kids had a good time playing together and making the bags. This picture was taken by my friend Becca. Regan loved swimming, too! She swam for an hour and a half and just relaxed. Ryder and Rylee enjoyed getting to be in the water with her. Brian came for a few minutes over lunch the lunch hour and snapped some photos with my friend Shannon's camera. Thanks for all your prayers she was very awake most of Thursday and Friday. I know that was God's gift to us.

We have felt strong emotion over the last few days just thinking about our sweet Regan. She slept most of Saturday and Sunday. We hate to see her so tired but we are glad she can rest as much as she needs to.

Regan received many phone calls, cards, emails and gifts from many of you. She says thank you...mostly for being faithful to the journey with us. We pray that God will rest these memories deep within our hearts and minds. Memories of your faithful friendship, Regan's strength and what hope feels like.

Reg's is Six!

This morning we began our celebration of Regan..her birthday is today...the first day of summer. We are so proud of her. So glad she is hanging in there. We have a tradition of waking the birthday boy/girl up by bringing all their gifts to their room and opening them. But this doesn't always work with Regan because if she doesn't want to wake up you can't make her (she has been known to sleep through her bath and dressing!) So early this morning Brian and I were discussing what we should do today..and she began to sing and chooo. So we decided to try. First I got in bed with Regan and snuggled with her for a while. It was great because she was giving me great eye contact. Then Rylee did the same. Finally we brought in a few of her gifts but she started to get tired so we will save the rest for later. The big kids and I are taking her swimming this morning from 11-1p during the preschool swim time. Then this afternoon we we will rest and tonight a few families are coming over to celebrate her special day with her. Instead of brining gifts we have asked them to bring toys that can go in treat bags that we will take to St John's on Friday. There are around 25 kids staying their now so we will have a lil' bag of fun for them. This is a fun way to celebrate Regan.

It seems amazing that we have made it to this day. It is really a miracle. I am amazed by what God is doing. Sunday in church we sang a song that said, "You are the Lord the Famous One the Famous One Great is Your name in all the Earth. ...The morning star is shining through and every eye is watching You." Very true..I feel these six small years have caused people to declare that God is Great..they have been used to spread His fame throughout the earth. ..they have caused people to LOOK to the Lord.

Tears seem to flow easily over the last few days....especially now. I love that little one with all of me...More than I should probably. Rylee said a couple of days ago that this birthday kinda makes her sad because it is probably the last one we will get to celebrate with her. Her card to her said, "Life is Short. Pray Hard! Regan I give you this card because your life is short. Love, Your Sister Rylee." After she read it to her she looked up and said, "Well, all our lives are short really."

One of Regan's friend's Danielle (8yrs old) told her mom that she knew that God was alive because Regan is alive. It seems that Regan is giving us a gift on her birthday....just simply being with us. No gift we could give her could match that...so we will give her what we can..our time, love and devotion instead.

Legacy

When I think of father's day I think of legacy. It was great to have my dad was just here visiting this past week. He taught me to be kind to people who are struggling. My dad is a big guy but his heart is even bigger. I love big because he taught me to. He taught me to feed people. Friday night we had nacho night. We eat nachos from my Granny's (his mother's) pie pans. I can't make great pie in those pie pans but I make a mean nacho. When I entertain and feed people I always think of him. He is always generous. He gives and does without. I aspire to be that kind of person. He loves my mom. I suppose that is the great gift he ever gave me...a great love to aspire to.

My husband is a great dad. I could go on and on about how great he is but I try to save that for phone calls with my mother in law Vera. I figure the only person about side of our family of five that I can go on and on about him and it isn't bragging. A mom always wants to hear about all the great things her son is up to. Our Father's Day was great. Brian got a work bench for the garage and a small scrapbook. We took it easy...Church, lunch, nap (while the kids and I swam), and games. Brian always reaches out to the person on the fringe. He has passed this on to our kids. They are great about making sure everyone has a place. Brian is a great listener...he has taught me to be a better one. He is also a great communicator. Not just from the stage but in life. He is always explaining things to the kids and to me...simple things and complicated things. I aspire to be like that.

This is a bit of the legacy I received and a slice of the one I am creating. Happy Father's Day.

Time.....keeps on ticking..into the future.

Rylee loves to read to Regan. Regan loves Rylee. So it all works out. What a blessing summer is. I love it because I feel like we get to be a family more because there seems to be more time. This summer is a slower pace for us. Lots of setting out side, working in the yard, going for walks, riding bikes....time is a good thing when you have plenty of it. I think when you almost lose someone you appreciate the time you have with them more....you just appreciate more. We all have or moments through out the day that we spend special "time" with her. Regan has a slowing affect on time. Her pace is slow..she drags you into it with her. Sometimes you go easily then other times more kicking and screaming.

My parents are here visiting. It is always great when they are here. Rylee is happy because Papa buys her Bologna...I won't. Mom took Ryder and Rylee to see Shreck III. She also introduced them to the ADAM'S Family. My kids think it is so funny. Papa and Nana are also enjoying playing Wii. Again we have time together. We went to the pool yesterday and are cleaning out some over grown flowers on the west side of my house. It is hard work but rewarding. My legs hurt from the pulling and squatting. But it is time to get it cleaned out.

We also get time next week with some good friends from Dallas. We look forward to that time. It is always full of laughter. The "oh my I could wet my pants" kind.

"There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth: A right time for birth and another for death, A right time to plant and another to reap, A right time to kill and another to heal, A right time to destroy and another to construct, A right time to cry and another to laugh, A right time to lament and another to cheer, A right time to make love and another to abstain, A right time to embrace and another to part, A right time to search and another to count your losses, A right time to hold on and another to let go, A right time to rip out and another to mend, A right time to shut up and another to speak up, A right time to love and another to hate, A right time to wage war and another to make peace."
....I hope no matter how your spending your time you feel the favor of the almighty. .

Raccoons, books and bacon

Regan has had a great week. So Julie came and had a sleepover with Regan while the Big kids, Brian and I went camping overnight. It was great fun. We also camped with a family of raccoons. About 6 to be exact. At one point I pointed the flash light towards the forest and counted six pairs of red eyes staring at me....they are unmoved by people so you just have to get over it and get used to it.

At 9pm or so last night the four of us sat with our books in comfy chairs by a toasty campfire and each had a book in our lap. Rylee's reading Charlotte's Web, I'm Reading Harry Potter #6, Ryder the Han's Solo Trilogy, and Brian is reading Everyday Theology. Brian said, "We are Nerds!" It is true but it was good.

This morning we made breakfast burritos on the camp fire. Eggs, bacon, cheese all wrapped in a tortilla. I can't reveal all the details because Brian's mom would faint from knowing it all but it was the stuff movies are inspired from. Bacon grease on an open flame...we learned a lot and will do better next time. It tasted excellent!

Thanks for all the prayer...I would have never imagined that Regan would be so well that we could leave her for even one night. We feel like she is our little miracle girl. She was all smiles yesterday every time we told her Julie was coming to stay the night....who doesn't love a sleep over with their best friend. And as Brian said last night around our campfire, "If Julie isn't Regan's best friend then I don't know what a best friend is." Amen to that.

My folks are coming today! It will be great to have them here and for them to see Regan doing so well. The last time they were here she was in a very bad place. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Dinner Table

When I was a kid my mom and dad were consistent about making sure our family ate dinner together at the table every night. Brian and I did even when it was just the two of us. I knew it was something I wanted to carry over to my family so I figured I better start setting the standard before the little ducks arrived. Some of the best conversations of my life have happened around a table with food on it.
Thursday night we sat around the Maupin dinner table and listen to Rob's dad tell stories of when Rob was younger. These stories have been told over and over. There are rhythms to them. They have been told so many times that people who weren't even there can tell them like they were there. My extended family is the same way and I think conversations like this work best around a table. It is the great equalizer. Everyone is circled up and facing each other.
Rylee had a sleep over on Friday night with her friends from school so I took Ryder, Brian and Regan out to eat at our favorite Chinese Restaurant. It is always great to eat out because I don't have to clean up so I enjoy it more. Ryder loves to read the "Chinese Year" things on the place mat. He reads them every time like he has never read them before. It always make me laugh because they never change yet he seems surprised that mine says "I would make a great parent." Every time he looks at me and says "Soooo true!"...even better is that it thrills me every time he says "Sooooo true!" like it is the first time he said it. The little guy makes me weak!
Saturday Ryder and I made a homemade Peach Pie. Ryder loves peaches and so I knew he would enjoy it. Since he is hitting puberty I reach for anything that will bring us together and this time it was a peach pie. We ate half last night and the other half tonight. Rylee was enjoying the peach pie tonight with Cool Whip on it. She said, "Me and this peach pie are tight we are so BFF!" Too funny....but so Rylee. Rylee says her sweet tooth talks to her and tells her when it is hungry.
I think that is why I love communion so much. It feels like the most natural place for a family to meet. To eat together and remember is just what family does. At a dinner table you can retell the great story and love it like it is the first time we heard this great story of redemption that is Soooo true! To love the wine and the bread so much that we are BFF!!!!! I just wish we could actually sit together each week around a great table.

Oh, the joys of a dinner table. Regan continues to be off oxygen. Praise God for good days. Monday is the last day of school for Ryder and Rylee we are celebrating by having friends over for waffles after school because they only go for 15 minutes. Crazy! I am sure there will be great conversation around the breakfast table.