I have been waiting to post on here about how it is to be 1 year post op. I wasn't sure how I was going to start this post because there are so many things that go through my mind and heart. Some things bring laughter and others many tears. I realized that there are so many things I never really realized a year ago that I look back on now and stand in amazement at. So so many God things that have become apparent and have changed who we are as individuals and as a family. Life looks different through the eyes of someone who has been to the depths and what someone does there can change your life. What I mean by that and what I realize is that we are very different in our approach to life and faith and life. You see in our family there is no separating the two. We don't do our thing everyday separate from God. Now we don't live perfectly in this, but we see things with a kingdom purpose. For everything under heaven happens for a purpose, and God has ordained it all.
One year ago Kasi was struggling to survive. When talking to her today she remembers going to her dark happy place away from everything else that was going on. Her body was fighting but Kasi was at peace. Ex. 14:14 Be still and I will fight for you. Of course she was at peace because everything in us wants to fix, but God says just trust me that is all I ask.
There are many emotions that go along with that feeling of letting go. I had to let go 15 years ago and it has been a process of letting go ever since. We do what we can, but I have come to know that our children all of them are only lent to us to guide in the knowledge of our Lord. Kasi has her own relationship with Him in which she gains her strength. So, as we move together through the challenges of this world we rest in the fact that God is with us in the middle of all places. He never leaves us! His Holy Spirit guides, comforts, protects, sustains, and brings forth all Truth to give all that we need. In the middle we have found to be praising God, and isn't that what God asks of us? I am pretty sure Paul talks about praising God in the middle of suffering! Not because of suffering but because that is what God is the closest to us. We have felt the hand of God we have seen His glory, and have felt His joy as he used us in the middle. Our attitudes were never of why, what or how, but of where, when, and who. We wanted to be where He wanted us to be, when He wanted us to be there, and minister to whomever He wanted us to. Once our minds and hearts acknowledged the fact that God calls us to all places in our lives we could live in the peace of God being in control and letting go. Praise be to Him!!
Our story is not over, nor is anyone of ours. We have a purpose until either Jesus comes back or we are taken to Him. Faith and life do not disconnect, but are always together as long as Jesus lives in you and is Lord of your life. Only at that moment are we free from "stuff" of this world. Maybe not physically, but the emotional binding that "stuff" tries to have on us. Rest in Him, have peace in Him, and finally Live in Him. When this happens, you too will not be silent about the GREAT things God is doing in your life.
My story continues, in two little boys in which are both being watched or tested for Autism, in a young lady who God is using soccer to take her to places in which she has and does share Jesus (so proud she lives out loud) and in Kasi, whose life will continue to be one of going to doctors appointments and check ups. I wonder, how many "new friends" will I meet in the waiting rooms. Kasi always gives me a hard time about that in a good way. If there is one place that people need to know the Love of Jesus it is in a waiting room of the major Dr.s Kasi goes to. I pray we shine His light brightly and we know that the right people will be there at the right time :-)
May God bless all of you with the ability to know Jesus and to LIVE OUT LOUD!!
I am sure there is more to come......
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Nov 3 2011
I know, what a title! Well that is because the fact that I am sitting down and typing this out on Nov. 3, 2011 is an amazing thing to me right now. Tomorrow more will come, but today marks one year since we took Kasi in to the hospital to have her surgery. Nov. 4 2010 is the date that she had the surgery that changed our lives in so many ways. Yes, she is the one who had the surgery, but at the same time God uses such events in our lives to change many many lives. These things I will write about tomorrow as I am still processing everything of this past year.
I am also in the process of re-reading what I posted last year on this date and then the dates after. It is God's story and wow did He tell it. I am humbled to be part of His big picture.
I can't wait to see what He has for tomorrow!
Blessings to you all....I will write really soon!
Jodi
PS...I am hoping to have Kasi write something as well!!
I am also in the process of re-reading what I posted last year on this date and then the dates after. It is God's story and wow did He tell it. I am humbled to be part of His big picture.
I can't wait to see what He has for tomorrow!
Blessings to you all....I will write really soon!
Jodi
PS...I am hoping to have Kasi write something as well!!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
yesterday's trip to UofM
It has been a long time since I sat down to update this. It feels like home sitting behind this keyboard with so many hours spent doing this and it is hard at times to put everything out there and knowing that our hearts and lives are being read by all. This is a good thing too, because this is not our story as many of you have heard me say now, but this is God's story. He is writing through us daily and we just have bigger pages at times than some.
First I want to say that the past 6 months have been a roller coaster ride. Sometimes it doesn't seem real that this has all happened in the past 6 months. I think it is because it has been a life journey for us with the last leg of it only 6 months behind us. At the same time, all of our time up at U of M doesn't seem like it really happened. Only at times :-) I have had opportunity to see all that has happened while up there and lives that have been touched, people that have been met, and prayers that were sent up on Kasi's behalf and I stand amazed over and over again. She was truly touched by the hand of God many times and I look back on some of the blog posts and the pleas that were put out there and I see God's work done. Sometimes instant and sometimes over time, but always God's hand, God's time, and God's will. God's will at times during the process I wish would have been different, but not that I look back I can see how incredible His plan was/is for us and especially in Kasi's life. I praise Him for that!
On to our trip yesterday, since I could go on and on about the "stuff" of life that I have learned and reflected on. Who knows, it could be the next blog post, or it could even be at the end of this. Depends on how my hands hold up :-)
Yesterday we had a follow up appointment with Dr. Eliason, who is one of her vascular surgeons. We went there knowing that she was having some "issues" with her belly once again and she has been getting sleepy. Now her sleepiness could be from being 15 and trying to grow and do it on less sleep than really needed. I am trying to encourage more, but she has other plans for her last hour of the night! It could be this boy interest she has right now, in fact, I know it is! It is a good thing they are good kids. (Jake you made the blog)
Kasi went in for her normal routine tests and the results were great! Her blood flow to her lower body is looking really good. We are so excited about that!! She then started to explain these belly issues with him. He said it could be a couple of things. It could be that because she had such an assault happen to her belly that she has developed scar tissue, or it could be that they have kind of created irritable bowel syndrome. These both kind of make sense for the surgery, but don't really make sense because of when she gets the pain. The pain is extreme and only in the morning. Really early morning! It wakes her up at times around 4:00am and she has a med that she takes and it seems to go away. She doesn't get any kind of pain all day long. She is tired though, and it could be just from not sleeping well, going to bed later than she should, or it could be a sign of something else. We will wait on this belly pain for a month. If it doesn't get better then she will have to see a specialist up at UofM for this. She is also taking her blood sugar 1 and 2 hours after she eats to see if that has something to do with her sleepiness. This will happen for the next 6 months.
The last thing we talked about with the doctor was the fact that he heard a significant heart murmur. She has a slight heart murmur before, but now it has increased. There could be reasons for this that make sense, but because she is Kasi we will go in this coming week and just have her listened to. Our amazing nurse talked to us on the phone on the way home and we agree that this might just be because of better blood flow making the murmur louder. We will go with that and enjoy our weekend!
Of course the last of this post has to be about more U of M moments. This time when waiting and waiting to go into her appointment we were sitting by a "older" lady, my dad wouldn't appreciate that since she had to be about his age, and we started talking. (of course this is hard for you all to believe about me) Well, it came out that she had grand kids in GR and they were from Saginaw. We also then talking about health issues and I had to add the goodness of God. We got to share a little of Kasi's story and she too is a Christian woman and all I have to say is she left in tears (of joy) for the goodness done in Kasi's life, and she said she will be praying for Kasi and her life. How good is God to put us out in the waiting room for a LONG time, and turn it into a place where we could encourage them in their situation with the goodness of Him. That is what it is all about! Plus seeing our nurses cry when we walk down the hall because they are overwhelmed seeing us, yeah those are great moments! We have genuine love for all of them up there. They are part of our family!
As for prayer needs for Kasi. We have some once again, but we know God is faithful to take care of our every need so we rest in the fact that all of you will join with us in your prayers for her again!
Pray that Kasi's belly issues go away, her blood sugar remains normal, the heart murmur is nothing but a noise, and that she can be done going to the doctors all the time. Those are the requests for Kasi. You know I have put on here prayers for others before and once again I have someone for you to pray for. Dr. Stanley is the doctor that did Kasi's surgery. The one of only 4 who has any kind of knowledge of her case and the only one in America. Well, he had surgery this past week and he is still in the hospital. We will be sending up cards, but prayers are the most important thing we can give him. He has been prayed for before since his hands are the hands you all prayed for in the OR when Kasi had her surgery, now his whole body needs to recover. He is looking to retire and it would be great it he could do that is good health. Please join us in prayer for him. It is amazing that God put us at "just the right time" to have our surgery so he was able to do it, and now to show him where strength comes from. He was the doctor that was amazed at Kasi's strength and said she was the strongest patient he has had. We love Dr. Stanley, and we will hold him up!!!
I hope you all have an amazing day today! It looks like the weather is going to be amazing and we are very excited to say we are going to a concert tonight as guests of Bowen's dad. It will be a ton of fun!
God is amazing! He is still at work, in and through us! Looking forward to seeing what He is about to do!
Jodi
First I want to say that the past 6 months have been a roller coaster ride. Sometimes it doesn't seem real that this has all happened in the past 6 months. I think it is because it has been a life journey for us with the last leg of it only 6 months behind us. At the same time, all of our time up at U of M doesn't seem like it really happened. Only at times :-) I have had opportunity to see all that has happened while up there and lives that have been touched, people that have been met, and prayers that were sent up on Kasi's behalf and I stand amazed over and over again. She was truly touched by the hand of God many times and I look back on some of the blog posts and the pleas that were put out there and I see God's work done. Sometimes instant and sometimes over time, but always God's hand, God's time, and God's will. God's will at times during the process I wish would have been different, but not that I look back I can see how incredible His plan was/is for us and especially in Kasi's life. I praise Him for that!
On to our trip yesterday, since I could go on and on about the "stuff" of life that I have learned and reflected on. Who knows, it could be the next blog post, or it could even be at the end of this. Depends on how my hands hold up :-)
Yesterday we had a follow up appointment with Dr. Eliason, who is one of her vascular surgeons. We went there knowing that she was having some "issues" with her belly once again and she has been getting sleepy. Now her sleepiness could be from being 15 and trying to grow and do it on less sleep than really needed. I am trying to encourage more, but she has other plans for her last hour of the night! It could be this boy interest she has right now, in fact, I know it is! It is a good thing they are good kids. (Jake you made the blog)
Kasi went in for her normal routine tests and the results were great! Her blood flow to her lower body is looking really good. We are so excited about that!! She then started to explain these belly issues with him. He said it could be a couple of things. It could be that because she had such an assault happen to her belly that she has developed scar tissue, or it could be that they have kind of created irritable bowel syndrome. These both kind of make sense for the surgery, but don't really make sense because of when she gets the pain. The pain is extreme and only in the morning. Really early morning! It wakes her up at times around 4:00am and she has a med that she takes and it seems to go away. She doesn't get any kind of pain all day long. She is tired though, and it could be just from not sleeping well, going to bed later than she should, or it could be a sign of something else. We will wait on this belly pain for a month. If it doesn't get better then she will have to see a specialist up at UofM for this. She is also taking her blood sugar 1 and 2 hours after she eats to see if that has something to do with her sleepiness. This will happen for the next 6 months.
The last thing we talked about with the doctor was the fact that he heard a significant heart murmur. She has a slight heart murmur before, but now it has increased. There could be reasons for this that make sense, but because she is Kasi we will go in this coming week and just have her listened to. Our amazing nurse talked to us on the phone on the way home and we agree that this might just be because of better blood flow making the murmur louder. We will go with that and enjoy our weekend!
Of course the last of this post has to be about more U of M moments. This time when waiting and waiting to go into her appointment we were sitting by a "older" lady, my dad wouldn't appreciate that since she had to be about his age, and we started talking. (of course this is hard for you all to believe about me) Well, it came out that she had grand kids in GR and they were from Saginaw. We also then talking about health issues and I had to add the goodness of God. We got to share a little of Kasi's story and she too is a Christian woman and all I have to say is she left in tears (of joy) for the goodness done in Kasi's life, and she said she will be praying for Kasi and her life. How good is God to put us out in the waiting room for a LONG time, and turn it into a place where we could encourage them in their situation with the goodness of Him. That is what it is all about! Plus seeing our nurses cry when we walk down the hall because they are overwhelmed seeing us, yeah those are great moments! We have genuine love for all of them up there. They are part of our family!
As for prayer needs for Kasi. We have some once again, but we know God is faithful to take care of our every need so we rest in the fact that all of you will join with us in your prayers for her again!
Pray that Kasi's belly issues go away, her blood sugar remains normal, the heart murmur is nothing but a noise, and that she can be done going to the doctors all the time. Those are the requests for Kasi. You know I have put on here prayers for others before and once again I have someone for you to pray for. Dr. Stanley is the doctor that did Kasi's surgery. The one of only 4 who has any kind of knowledge of her case and the only one in America. Well, he had surgery this past week and he is still in the hospital. We will be sending up cards, but prayers are the most important thing we can give him. He has been prayed for before since his hands are the hands you all prayed for in the OR when Kasi had her surgery, now his whole body needs to recover. He is looking to retire and it would be great it he could do that is good health. Please join us in prayer for him. It is amazing that God put us at "just the right time" to have our surgery so he was able to do it, and now to show him where strength comes from. He was the doctor that was amazed at Kasi's strength and said she was the strongest patient he has had. We love Dr. Stanley, and we will hold him up!!!
I hope you all have an amazing day today! It looks like the weather is going to be amazing and we are very excited to say we are going to a concert tonight as guests of Bowen's dad. It will be a ton of fun!
God is amazing! He is still at work, in and through us! Looking forward to seeing what He is about to do!
Jodi
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Thoughts
It amazes me how thoughts over time grow and how we can see God's hand in things. I look back at our time at U of M as such a blessing with new friends and new people to pray for and encourage. I think that until you have been down a road it is really hard to walk next to someone on the same road you once traveled. At the same time when visiting people it is a reality of what really goes on everyday in hospitals all over the world. The difference between some is the severity of the patients. U of M has much sicker kids in it than DeVos so the atmosphere is a little bit different. It also makes faith issues more real because people are not just relying on Dr.s but are trying to figure out if this God that we talk about is real and would care and love them enough. I pray that through all we go through as a family weather with Kasi, Aubree on a soccer field, Ben with all of his "stuff", and Nathan with his special needs, we honor God. I pray that others may see our joy in the middle of "life" because of Christ, not because of stuff of this world. We can try and cling to what we have in our homes and families, but all of this will one day be gone, and I am left with my Father, and that is enough.
So, today as I call U of M about Kasi and as I call Dr. Lirio waiting on results from an EEG and praying against seizures, and even as we wait for Ben's appointment at Pine Rest, I rest in the fact that God loves them more and nothing can ever take that from any one of them. It seems rare to have 3 kiddos that are special because of health issues, but really I have four special kids. All of them made unique and need different things from me as a mom. Aubree may not need physical things from me, but she is extremely blessed with her ability to play soccer. She also is a gift to me and my heart. Her wit and her love for God amazes me and she is an encouragement to our whole family. God has gifted each one over here and for that I praise him.
Here is our family update. Kasi has to have blood drawn today to check some of her levels. I would go into why, but it is too much to type :-) She also will be going to take a trip on Friday to U of M to see Dr. Eliason. I am not alarmed at all, I have to say that. She is looking really good and is feeling fine. She is just getting tired when she eats and her feet fall asleep on the bus or when sitting in a lazy-boy. This could be just normal Kasi, but they want to make sure. Seriously, I thought they would just write her a note to take a day off of school each week for a bit, or even for 1/2 day off through out the week, but that is not the case.
Now Nathan, there is really no news yet on him. We are waiting to hear back about his EEG. He did do great when having it done although he did not sleep. He was calm, which is amazing! I will let you know more when I know more. We are praying that it is "nothing". After all I know all about the heart, aorta, pancreas, and kidneys, we shouldn't need to throw in the brain. I would really have to consider going to school for my nursing degree!
That is all from the DeRoo home! We praise God for you faithfulness in prayer for our family. We are still going down our road of maintaining and we are so grateful that we are together as a family. There are so many out there that have lost a loved one. This goes back to my beginning. I don't take even the little things lightly. We celebrate all of life little and big things giving God all the Glory and praise. He is an amazing Father!
Pressing on....
So, today as I call U of M about Kasi and as I call Dr. Lirio waiting on results from an EEG and praying against seizures, and even as we wait for Ben's appointment at Pine Rest, I rest in the fact that God loves them more and nothing can ever take that from any one of them. It seems rare to have 3 kiddos that are special because of health issues, but really I have four special kids. All of them made unique and need different things from me as a mom. Aubree may not need physical things from me, but she is extremely blessed with her ability to play soccer. She also is a gift to me and my heart. Her wit and her love for God amazes me and she is an encouragement to our whole family. God has gifted each one over here and for that I praise him.
Here is our family update. Kasi has to have blood drawn today to check some of her levels. I would go into why, but it is too much to type :-) She also will be going to take a trip on Friday to U of M to see Dr. Eliason. I am not alarmed at all, I have to say that. She is looking really good and is feeling fine. She is just getting tired when she eats and her feet fall asleep on the bus or when sitting in a lazy-boy. This could be just normal Kasi, but they want to make sure. Seriously, I thought they would just write her a note to take a day off of school each week for a bit, or even for 1/2 day off through out the week, but that is not the case.
Now Nathan, there is really no news yet on him. We are waiting to hear back about his EEG. He did do great when having it done although he did not sleep. He was calm, which is amazing! I will let you know more when I know more. We are praying that it is "nothing". After all I know all about the heart, aorta, pancreas, and kidneys, we shouldn't need to throw in the brain. I would really have to consider going to school for my nursing degree!
That is all from the DeRoo home! We praise God for you faithfulness in prayer for our family. We are still going down our road of maintaining and we are so grateful that we are together as a family. There are so many out there that have lost a loved one. This goes back to my beginning. I don't take even the little things lightly. We celebrate all of life little and big things giving God all the Glory and praise. He is an amazing Father!
Pressing on....
Saturday, February 5, 2011
God's plan...
It is simply awesome to sit here at home after my first speaking engagement and here the encouragement that people have felt through God's story through us. It is also an amazing thing to here how others feel like they too can tell their stories of Faith and God's work in there lives. I am truly blessed to be called by Him to do His work.
A little update on the family.
Kasi is doing amazing!! She has been through school for a full week plus part of this one. She stills get tired, but over all is loving life.
Aubree is playing soccer and trying to get her mind back into the swing of soccer. I know that she has had a really hard time with all the stuff we have been through as a family and she has processed it all very well. God is doing things in her heart too through all of this. She knows that her soccer is a gift from Him and she is starting to focus on playing for him all the time. She too gets distracted by life and how it all fits together, but I can't say I blame her....she is 12. I have to remind myself how old both girls are because they are both mature beyond their years. Not only in life, but spiritual maturity. I am so blessed to see God at work in there life and see how they respond to His call to them.
The boys are doing really well! They both have had their eyes checked now and believe it or not it is NOT because of drugs in their system when they were born. It is heredity! Yep a genetic thing that they will monitor and help in anyway they can. Sometimes they can have a patch and sometimes surgery or glasses. Ben did get put in glasses this week which he loves. It helps him see and focus. He is so proud to be like his dad with his glasses too. All he wanted was for his dad to like them. So very good to see too. Nathan will be watched for a while with Ben. I pray that this is something that they learn to cope with and it doesn't cause any learning problems. We also pray for their brother who is with their birth mom. The chances of him having this is great and hopefully he too will go to a specialist to determine if he does and gets the proper care. We pray for him regularly, daily, actually several times a day. God is good and holds him and grows him too! We pray that he will grow up knowing our Savior and know about his brothers who love him very much.
I am filled with joy over the fact that now only is God using this journey He has us on, but He is growing all of us up in Him. I am so blessed!
Praise be to God the author and perfecter of our faith!
Jodi
A little update on the family.
Kasi is doing amazing!! She has been through school for a full week plus part of this one. She stills get tired, but over all is loving life.
Aubree is playing soccer and trying to get her mind back into the swing of soccer. I know that she has had a really hard time with all the stuff we have been through as a family and she has processed it all very well. God is doing things in her heart too through all of this. She knows that her soccer is a gift from Him and she is starting to focus on playing for him all the time. She too gets distracted by life and how it all fits together, but I can't say I blame her....she is 12. I have to remind myself how old both girls are because they are both mature beyond their years. Not only in life, but spiritual maturity. I am so blessed to see God at work in there life and see how they respond to His call to them.
The boys are doing really well! They both have had their eyes checked now and believe it or not it is NOT because of drugs in their system when they were born. It is heredity! Yep a genetic thing that they will monitor and help in anyway they can. Sometimes they can have a patch and sometimes surgery or glasses. Ben did get put in glasses this week which he loves. It helps him see and focus. He is so proud to be like his dad with his glasses too. All he wanted was for his dad to like them. So very good to see too. Nathan will be watched for a while with Ben. I pray that this is something that they learn to cope with and it doesn't cause any learning problems. We also pray for their brother who is with their birth mom. The chances of him having this is great and hopefully he too will go to a specialist to determine if he does and gets the proper care. We pray for him regularly, daily, actually several times a day. God is good and holds him and grows him too! We pray that he will grow up knowing our Savior and know about his brothers who love him very much.
I am filled with joy over the fact that now only is God using this journey He has us on, but He is growing all of us up in Him. I am so blessed!
Praise be to God the author and perfecter of our faith!
Jodi
Sunday, January 23, 2011
New Day!
Tomorrow will be Kasi's first day back to school, full time with normal classes. It is very exciting for all of us, believe me!! Not only does she need this, but all of us need her to go back too. We all love her dearly, but she is all of 14, and I know most of you can understand that. Plus, Kasi and I are so much alike that we might fight a little. We maintain a GREAT relationship, unlike a lot of teenagers and parents, which makes the bickering even harder. Her overall health is great too. We are amazed at the progress she has made and at the same time, we are not surprised because that is just what God does for her.
We are also starting to process everything that has happened over the last couple of months. It is crazy, but truly it seems to be a blur at times. Emotionally I don't think I really processed a lot of it, that is until last night.
We watched a movie called, "Letters to God" and I am sure a lot of you have seen this movie. I must say, that thoughts and feelings in that movie were overly real. Kasi our strong one who never cries in movies, was weeping and I was too. She felt all of the things that the actor was writing about in his letters and although he dies, Kasi is still with us. We are so blessed to be able to share more years with her and I celebrate that everyday. Not just with her but all of the kids God has in trusted to me.
My heart began a "remembering" time last night, which I think is good, of remembering and feeling all of the "stuff" of being up at U of M for that many days. It is more than just a thought process it is a cleansing for me. Kasi too felt a little overwhelmed with emotion, but feeling everything she faced too was a great thing for us. We now look to the future of God incredible story that is to be told through us. It is humbling to know God is choosing me/us in this way. We will be obedient in all we do and our road and story doesn't begin or end with Kasi. It keeps going and going with each new day.
We currently are facing testing for both boys for autism or even ways to better help them grow and learn. They will both be seeing an eye specialist on Tuesday for a most-likely genetic eye condition. Plus, they will be able to tell us if there is some neurological going on for further help. Nathan has started school at Ottawa Area Center in their infant program and he is doing awesome with that. Ben, is learning really well at school and his teacher is such a blessing!! I am not sure what the road is that we will be going on with these boys, but we know that God is with us all along the way. Our story, really God's story through us will continue. I will keep sharing because I feel like these posts, well they are our letter's to God.
All of your prayers for our family are felt and appreciated. God is doing amazing things in our lives, each one of us and that is a blessing. Hearing Ben pray brings me to tears. His heart and compassion for others is overwhelming too. God is doing great things in his heart and that is something I continue to pray for.
God is sooo faithful, good, and incredible! May His name be praised today and always!
Now, for me.....on to speaking. Seriously???
We are also starting to process everything that has happened over the last couple of months. It is crazy, but truly it seems to be a blur at times. Emotionally I don't think I really processed a lot of it, that is until last night.
We watched a movie called, "Letters to God" and I am sure a lot of you have seen this movie. I must say, that thoughts and feelings in that movie were overly real. Kasi our strong one who never cries in movies, was weeping and I was too. She felt all of the things that the actor was writing about in his letters and although he dies, Kasi is still with us. We are so blessed to be able to share more years with her and I celebrate that everyday. Not just with her but all of the kids God has in trusted to me.
My heart began a "remembering" time last night, which I think is good, of remembering and feeling all of the "stuff" of being up at U of M for that many days. It is more than just a thought process it is a cleansing for me. Kasi too felt a little overwhelmed with emotion, but feeling everything she faced too was a great thing for us. We now look to the future of God incredible story that is to be told through us. It is humbling to know God is choosing me/us in this way. We will be obedient in all we do and our road and story doesn't begin or end with Kasi. It keeps going and going with each new day.
We currently are facing testing for both boys for autism or even ways to better help them grow and learn. They will both be seeing an eye specialist on Tuesday for a most-likely genetic eye condition. Plus, they will be able to tell us if there is some neurological going on for further help. Nathan has started school at Ottawa Area Center in their infant program and he is doing awesome with that. Ben, is learning really well at school and his teacher is such a blessing!! I am not sure what the road is that we will be going on with these boys, but we know that God is with us all along the way. Our story, really God's story through us will continue. I will keep sharing because I feel like these posts, well they are our letter's to God.
All of your prayers for our family are felt and appreciated. God is doing amazing things in our lives, each one of us and that is a blessing. Hearing Ben pray brings me to tears. His heart and compassion for others is overwhelming too. God is doing great things in his heart and that is something I continue to pray for.
God is sooo faithful, good, and incredible! May His name be praised today and always!
Now, for me.....on to speaking. Seriously???
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
A new year...
I can't believe it is Jan. 5 already. Tomorrow will be my first day back to work and Kasi is actually going to school for 1 hour tomorrow. Nathan had his first day of school today at Ottawa Area Center, which he did pretty good I guess, but it was super hard on me. Over all we are starting to get back into the swing of things.
Over the past few weeks I have been reminded by several people that there are a lot of people that read this blog. Even more than what I realize! I have to tell you all a little something about this blog too. When I sit down to put something in here I always have something to say. I don't sit down and just write and sometimes that is why there are many days in between posts. Along with that, Kasi is home now and the day to day stuff is not very interesting.
As I sit here today trying to put all of my thoughts into a short update I seem to be at a loss for words in how to describe my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. I have reflected on the last two months and still I am working on remembering all of my feelings through the process, and at the same time I am brought back over and over to where this all began. "The Whole Story" post that I posted in October. There are so many parts even in that post that is missing to the true "whole story" that I don't even know how to begin to share. I want you to know though that I am being challenge to start to share. I really mean challenged too.
Although I like to talk, public speaking is something that I never feel adequate to do. I am not sure if it is because I never want to be that boring person that everyone falls asleep too, no, I know that can't be it! I do know though that it is because I have so much to say, and so many thoughts about our God and how incredible, awesome, and great He is that time limits might be a problem and being able to articulate what needs to be said. So, now I am relying on the Holy Spirit not only for comfort, but for guidance as well. I have in the past, but this is a new road to go down. This is also a request from all of you faithful prayer warriors to pray for me, pray for Kasi because she too knows that she has been called, she just doesn't feel ready yet or that this is her time. For me, the time has come I guess :-)
I have also heard over the past few weeks that the people that have been impacted by this blog is overwhelming. In fact I don't even know the extent of it all and I don't need to. What I do know is that this blog and stuff in it that impacts and changes lives is not because of my writing but because of God's working. He is the One who works in all things, through all things, and before all things. That is the awesomeness of our God.
I was riding home from UofM this week and we were listening to a sermon from Grant Community Church, in which I have to say that if you go to that church you are blessed, and the minister's sermon was on from Calm to Caous to Calm. The reason we were listening to this was because he used some of my blog for a sermon illustration. I have to say, first to hear him say he prays for Kasi brought tears to my eyes because he is a stranger to me, and yet a brother in Christ. God's family. He then went on and quoted some of what I had written and that was a humbling, overwhelming, personal, amazing, and truly I don't have the right words to describe what I felt. I am TOTALLY ok with it, don't get me wrong, but to hear someone read my heart, that was a very different feeling. His message that God gave him could have been my heart right out there and it was great, I actually wanted to shout "amen" a few times, but of course in the car with Kasi watching a movie, well.....I said them to myself, remember God hears my heart.
I am not sure where God will be taking this blog, Kasi or myself in the next year or more. I know that our journey in Faith is continual and we will continually be updating and growing. I also know that I will be doing a little chapel on Friday, and a women retreat in Feb. already. That is my onward journey, and Kasi's will be one of more healing and understanding of how incredible she is. She does not see how she is "different" in her thought process of things because she doesn't understand what it is like to not know God as she does. She doesn't get what it is like to having never felt God touch you or hear God or have the peace that passes all understanding. All she knows is that fear doesn't grip her. She was not fearful going into this surgery, and she was not fearful during her recovery. She was just Kasi, and she truly let God fight her fight to survive. That will be her story, when she can fully understand it herself.
Please stay in prayer for our family, we have a lot still going on. Health wise, well Ron was in the ER overnight on Christmas for chest pain. His heart is fine, but he does have Barrett's disease which he will be seeing a specialist for. Nathan for his development as he is experiencing all new things now at school, and he will be 2 next week!!! Aubree, well, just to keep her safe and playing soccer to glorify God. She loves Him with all of her heart and she does play for Him. She will be playing her normal soccer stuff this year, plus she added a super "y" team for the summer. Ben is doing great! He too is falling more and more in love with Jesus everyday. I love talking to him about Jesus and listening to him, in fact tonight he was asking about how God and Jesus can be the same and different. I love moments like that! We are all good as you can see, we are living for Jesus in our everyday and praying for a place to call "home" where we can worship our Father together with His/our family. We will be faithful to His call on times he wants us to speak and we will continue to listen to Him as to what He wants us to say. Even on this blog!
Be Blessed everyone in this new year!! We will be on here, hopefully weekly!! God's blessings to you, and may His love surround you all.
Jodi
Over the past few weeks I have been reminded by several people that there are a lot of people that read this blog. Even more than what I realize! I have to tell you all a little something about this blog too. When I sit down to put something in here I always have something to say. I don't sit down and just write and sometimes that is why there are many days in between posts. Along with that, Kasi is home now and the day to day stuff is not very interesting.
As I sit here today trying to put all of my thoughts into a short update I seem to be at a loss for words in how to describe my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. I have reflected on the last two months and still I am working on remembering all of my feelings through the process, and at the same time I am brought back over and over to where this all began. "The Whole Story" post that I posted in October. There are so many parts even in that post that is missing to the true "whole story" that I don't even know how to begin to share. I want you to know though that I am being challenge to start to share. I really mean challenged too.
Although I like to talk, public speaking is something that I never feel adequate to do. I am not sure if it is because I never want to be that boring person that everyone falls asleep too, no, I know that can't be it! I do know though that it is because I have so much to say, and so many thoughts about our God and how incredible, awesome, and great He is that time limits might be a problem and being able to articulate what needs to be said. So, now I am relying on the Holy Spirit not only for comfort, but for guidance as well. I have in the past, but this is a new road to go down. This is also a request from all of you faithful prayer warriors to pray for me, pray for Kasi because she too knows that she has been called, she just doesn't feel ready yet or that this is her time. For me, the time has come I guess :-)
I have also heard over the past few weeks that the people that have been impacted by this blog is overwhelming. In fact I don't even know the extent of it all and I don't need to. What I do know is that this blog and stuff in it that impacts and changes lives is not because of my writing but because of God's working. He is the One who works in all things, through all things, and before all things. That is the awesomeness of our God.
I was riding home from UofM this week and we were listening to a sermon from Grant Community Church, in which I have to say that if you go to that church you are blessed, and the minister's sermon was on from Calm to Caous to Calm. The reason we were listening to this was because he used some of my blog for a sermon illustration. I have to say, first to hear him say he prays for Kasi brought tears to my eyes because he is a stranger to me, and yet a brother in Christ. God's family. He then went on and quoted some of what I had written and that was a humbling, overwhelming, personal, amazing, and truly I don't have the right words to describe what I felt. I am TOTALLY ok with it, don't get me wrong, but to hear someone read my heart, that was a very different feeling. His message that God gave him could have been my heart right out there and it was great, I actually wanted to shout "amen" a few times, but of course in the car with Kasi watching a movie, well.....I said them to myself, remember God hears my heart.
I am not sure where God will be taking this blog, Kasi or myself in the next year or more. I know that our journey in Faith is continual and we will continually be updating and growing. I also know that I will be doing a little chapel on Friday, and a women retreat in Feb. already. That is my onward journey, and Kasi's will be one of more healing and understanding of how incredible she is. She does not see how she is "different" in her thought process of things because she doesn't understand what it is like to not know God as she does. She doesn't get what it is like to having never felt God touch you or hear God or have the peace that passes all understanding. All she knows is that fear doesn't grip her. She was not fearful going into this surgery, and she was not fearful during her recovery. She was just Kasi, and she truly let God fight her fight to survive. That will be her story, when she can fully understand it herself.
Please stay in prayer for our family, we have a lot still going on. Health wise, well Ron was in the ER overnight on Christmas for chest pain. His heart is fine, but he does have Barrett's disease which he will be seeing a specialist for. Nathan for his development as he is experiencing all new things now at school, and he will be 2 next week!!! Aubree, well, just to keep her safe and playing soccer to glorify God. She loves Him with all of her heart and she does play for Him. She will be playing her normal soccer stuff this year, plus she added a super "y" team for the summer. Ben is doing great! He too is falling more and more in love with Jesus everyday. I love talking to him about Jesus and listening to him, in fact tonight he was asking about how God and Jesus can be the same and different. I love moments like that! We are all good as you can see, we are living for Jesus in our everyday and praying for a place to call "home" where we can worship our Father together with His/our family. We will be faithful to His call on times he wants us to speak and we will continue to listen to Him as to what He wants us to say. Even on this blog!
Be Blessed everyone in this new year!! We will be on here, hopefully weekly!! God's blessings to you, and may His love surround you all.
Jodi
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