Oops!

Well, time definitely got away from me again! It's a busy time of year, but there should be no excuse here. I'm sorry for not having updated for so long. The last time I posted, the surgery for my eyes was next on the list. I am so thankful to say that the results were as good as I had hoped, and my vision is back to normal! NO MORE DOUBLE VISION!! PTL!! It is SUCH a relief to be able to see clearly and only one of everything! The surgery went very well, and the results were immediate. But the effects of having another surgery have set my physical strength back some. Perhaps its just the final accumulation of all that has happened this year - multiple trips to Vancouver for tests/appointments, our trip to Germany in June, the first (unsuccessful) attempt at the tummy surgery in July, Jason and Dani's wedding in August, tummy surgery in September, Christopher and Corinne's wedding in October, eye surgery in November, and now Christmas! Hmm, perhaps a bit much while still recovering in general?! So I'm feeling a little bit more lethargic than usual, and seem to be needing more sleep. I suppose I can give myself a bit of a break now!

Christmas was a wonderful time with our newly expanded family! We truly feel blessed with the additions of Dani and Corinne! It has added so much to the dynamics of our family, and we look forward to seeing where God will lead these two new families in the New Year. Aaron is really enjoying his job and had completed his first course to achieve his A+ certification! We officially have our own personal computer technician in the house! Ben is taking off this coming week, and plans on getting some work done at home and at our rental unit, which unfortunately is in desperate need of a complete overhaul. But that's another story for another day!

The new year holds yet unknown adventures for us, but we are going to start off with a time of rest and relaxation in the form of a trip to Costa Rica with my sister and her husband! We actually booked this trip before either of the boys were engaged or married! So it's been long anticipated, and comes at a very good time! We don't know what else lies ahead for next year, but we do know that whatever comes, it's in the hands of Someone who has all things planned. So in that knowledge we will rest well!

We pray always with thanksgiving for all of you who are part of our lives, and know that we are where we are because of how God has used each and every one of you. May you know the rich blessings from our Lord and Saviour who came over 2000 years ago to give life, peace, joy, purpose and hope for anyone who chooses to believe! May these blessings give you much anticipation for what is in store for you in 2011.

New Site!

Hey, a big round of applause for Sarah Kesler, the founder and keeper of this blog site! I love the new look! And hope that you all enjoy the new picture of our family, taken just this past Sunday in the FREEZING cold!! You'd never know but it was about -27 with the wind chill factor! At least it was sunny!

I'm heading down to Vancouver (Abbotsford) tomorrow with Christopher and Corinne, and will be having some tests early next week. The surgery is on as scheduled, Dec. 3rd. I'm really looking forward to next week! And I'll update this as soon as I can regarding the results of the surgery.

Another bit of exciting news - Aaron got a job! And it is a job that he can remain seated when he needs to be!! He is a computer tech for a local company called CMO. He started this week Monday, and so far loves it! So PTL for that!!

More soon!

The Next Date:

FINALLY! I have a date for my eye surgery! Dec. 3rd I will be going back to VGH one more time, hopefully for the last time, to have the surgery that we trust will repair my double vision. I have never been so happy to have a surgery date!! All is confirmed with all parties involved, so there should be no delays or set backs. That being said, I know that God has all things under control, and if there is anything that needs to be rearranged, I know He'll make it happen in His time! But I believe that this will work, and there will be no delays, and there will be restored vision! My Lord has worked so many miracles already, and this will be one more that will happen through the capable hands of the doctors!

Here at the home front everyone is settling down into the daily schedules again, and the honeymooners are home and settling into married life. What a joy to have them over for dinners or whatever, and to see their love for each other growing! And to have 'my girls' around is wonderful! They were worth waiting for!!

Aaron continues in his studies for computer tech, Ben has done his official training for his position on the special investigations team, and I am back to the gym and other therapy. The biggest help for me recently has been the introduction to the Prince George Brain Injured Group (PG BIG). I have learned SO MUCH from these weekly meetings, and has given me insight as to why I do what I do (or don't do!). Next week there will be a conference held in Vancouver for the Pacific Coast Brain Injury groups, and it will be transmitted via satellite to Prince George. I'm very excited to be able to take part in this conference, and look forward to learning more about brain injury and the coping skills we will all need to learn to develop.

I have to apologize for not writing that often any more, but I want to see this through till the 2 year anniversary. So thank you to those of you who are still following this and praying for us. I'll say it (at least!) one more time - we couldn't have made it without your support, love, and prayers! Hang in there, and I'll try to post at least once a month! It's on my "to do" list....now if I could only find it.....

Wedding #2 - also beautiful!!

Our Thanksgiving weekend was somewhat different this year, but what a way to give thanks! Christopher and Corinne's wedding was a beautiful testimony of God's faithfulness and grace, and it gave honour and glory to their Saviour! What a joy to witness their vows and share this precious moment with them.

We hosted the rehearsal dinner on Friday, a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings! It was a challenge, but thanks to all the help from my family and friends, it was a wonderful evening. Then Saturday was, of course, the wedding day. Sunday we shared with family and friends again, but this time with Chinese food and a good movie to laugh at! And today has just been a lovely day of relaxing! The kids made it safely to their honeymoon destination, my family has gone home, so it's quiet in the house, but that's okay. There's lots to be done, but it will have to wait! Now and then I still need to watch how far I push things, and today was a good day to just take it easy!

Tomorrow I am going back to Vancouver to GF Strong for a follow up appointment with the doctor and physiotherapist. I'm looking forward to their evaluation of where I am at now, and where we go from here. It feels like this is almost the start of a new year, a new phase of settling in. The weddings are over, and now we all need to learn to live in our new normal again. I know I need to start developing a better routine, and get back to working on my endurance and stamina. I'd also like to get back to my music history course, so much is to be done.

Onward and upward!

Wedding Countdown...#2!

I can't even begin to explain how wonderful the past few months have been! And now we have the joy of seeing Christopher and Corinne join their lives together as man and wife this coming Saturday! We have been helping out in Christopher's house to get it ready for Corinne to move into. He has totally redone all the kitchen cabinets, the floor, one bedroom and built a bed! It's been wonderful to see the two of them working together on this project in such harmony. We also had the privilege of celebrating Chris' birthday with his future in-laws and their whole family. They are a generous, loving bunch!! I'm so thankful for all the blessings that we are experiencing - forgive me if I sound like a broken record, but I just feel so overwhelmed by all the goodness around us at this time!

One interesting side note: today I visited the office of the Prince George Brain Injured Group (PG BIG) and will be attending sessions there to learn coping mechanisms for the problems that I am now encountering. As wonderful as it is to have most of my physical abilities back, enough to do the basic things I need at least, there are times that both Ben and I have noticed that I don't always process things correctly. I often find myself not managing my time well, or my perception of how much time/effort I need to do something is unrealistic. There are a few other things that we have noticed as well, and that is why I am seeking help for that. What I found out in my initial interview was very enlightening! There are many other things which I thought were unrelated, or 'had written off' as a result of the nerve damage or bad habits developing, that are actually caused by the brain injury!  So that was good! I am looking forward to learning much more!

This week is going to be wonderful, I know, and I'm looking forward to sharing it with family and friends. I'm not sure what I'll do when this is all over, but I'm sure I'll think of something! Oh, I almost forgot...I recently spoke to the office of the doctor who will be doing my eye surgery, and they hope to have a date for the surgery before Christmas! That is such an answer to prayer!!

So keep checking back - I'll post more pictures as soon as I can! Hope your week is as wonderful as mine will be!!

Surgery is done!

PTL everything went very well! I am done with the abdominal surgery (aka tummy tuck!) for the repair of the scar on my stomach from the accident last year. I am SO incredibly thankful for how well it all went and that I had no nausea coming out of the surgery! There is some discomfort (read: it hurts something awful to cough!) but for the most part, I feel really good! So for the next couple of weeks, I'll be trying to hold things down to a dull roar before we have another wedding! It's coming up so fast! Christopher and Corinne will be married October 9th, and we can hardly wait for wedding number 2 this year! Jason and Dani are settling down to happily married life, and C & C will soon be there! Aaron is working hard at his studies in computer technician training, and Ben is currently in Ottawa for a training course for his new position. Change seems to be the constant denominator for us this year! But it's all so good, and we just have to be thankful that we are here to experience these changes!

I am staying with my sister for these weeks of recuperation, and I'd just like to say another MAJOR Thank You to my whole family, immediate and extended, for their love, care, and support for all of us, but especially me. There is no way that we could be where we are without you!

I wish I had some major spiritual wisdom to share with you but right now my heart is just thankful! So please join me in being incredibly thankful for all the joys we are allowed to experience every day, even when they hurt! God is good...all the time!

It was beautiful!

What an amazing day! The weather was good, the haze from the forest fires wasn't too bad, and everyone looked fantastic! But most importantly, it was a day that was all it should have been - two people who love the Lord committing themselves to each other forever! What a blessing!! God has brought us through so much, and we are so thankful for that. We look forward to where He will lead us next!

Now to get through the surgery...! Then another wedding...!! So much to look forward to!!!

Excitement is building!...

As the days get closer (only 5 sleeps left!) to the big day, there is more and more excitement around here! Today was also Dani's birthday, and we celebrated with her family and ours together. We are so looking forward to many more such occasions!

Updates on the surgery - it is rescheduled for Sept. 15th, and I will be going down to Vancouver with Ben on the 12th. He will be continuing on to Ottawa to take a course, and I will stay with my mom and sister until he returns on the 26th. My mom is having a couple's shower for Christopher and Corinne on the 25th, so we'll be able to be there for that as well. Looking forward to having that done with!! (the surgery, that is!)

I want to be poetic or philosophical in this post in some way, but really, all I can be is me. I'm ridiculously excited about the upcoming weddings, and about my daughters-to-be! I'm so thankful that I am still here to be a part of this! And I'm so thankful for the myriad of blessings that we are a part of! My only prayer is that my strength will hold up. I'm noticing more and more that I really am not able to hold up under pressure like I used to be able to do! And that I don't do well in crowds of people! Hmm. That poses some issues for celebrations like this! I know that I'll get through it all, just may need a "time out" here and there!

I'll post pictures as soon as I can - keep the kids (Jason and Dani) in your prayers as they commit themselves to each other before God and family. I know they are going to have a beautiful day!!

Another change in plans...and disappointment

So we're not finished with our journey yet. This past week has been another challenge, and another chance for learning patience and self-control. I flew down to Vancouver for a scheduled surgery to repair the damage to my stomach that was caused by the accident. It was scheduled for Friday, and we spent the better part of Tuesday (my mom and I) in Vancouver in meetings with various clinics and anesthetists to make sure that everything would go according to plan. My last surgery for my eyes was canceled two days before it was supposed to happen due to oversights regarding my requirements for the stuff that I need to be given to make sure my blood clots - it's the same product that my boys give themselves for their hemophilia. All the tests and procedures that I have had done have shown me that I am essentially a mild hemophiliac, and need to be treated as such in operative situations. So this time they were taking no chances, and I have finally made the connections with the hemophilia clinic at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, also the same place where Jason and Aaron come for their yearly consults. They have a great support program for carriers, and it would have made everything over the past 18 months a whole lot easier if I had previously had a file with them. For whatever reason, it was never done. We had testing done way back when the boys were first diagnosed with hemophilia, and I was aware of my carrier status and that I required treatment whenever operated on, but it was always done at home in PG where they knew me, so I was never involved in trying to make the arrangements for factor replacement and treatment.

Now that this is all under control, one of the VERY good things that has come out of all of this is that the clinic at St Paul's is willing and able to provide treatment for me in surgical procedures done at UBC, where my ophthalmologist operates out of. My eye surgery was canceled due to the fact that there was no hematology department at the UBC hospital to provide coverage for me during surgery. So the doctor needed to get permission to operate out of VGH instead, and then wait for some other doctor to give up some OR time for him to do my surgery! Needless to say, I had no idea when that was going to happen! Now we can schedule the eye surgery to be done as planned at UBC, and the St. Paul's clinic will take care of all the arrangements for my blood work and treatment! Praise the Lord for that! I'm just waiting now to get a date for that one!

So back to my surgery which was scheduled for this past Friday. I went into the clinic (a private one, very lovely and professional!) and everything was going smoothly - other than the fact that it took forever for them to find a good vein for my intravenous! Ouch! The nurse was there from the hemophilia clinic, and supervised the administration of the blood product, sedatives were given, and I was taken into the OR. All was going very smoothly, and as I went under, I felt no fear, only excitement at having this all done with and the outcome of a flat stomach! Well, when I woke up I realized something was wrong, because I could see the clock, and it was only an hour later. The surgery was supposed to have been 3 hours, so I knew something didn't go right. That and I had no pain in my stomach. They told me right away that the surgery was aborted after 2 anesthetists tried 6 different ways to get a breathing tube down my throat. They found that because of my injuries, my windpipe has a very sharp bend to it, and they were simply not able to get the tube past it. In a hospital, they have other equipment to do it differently, but they didn't have it in the clinic. So I was sent home after a few hours with many apologies, a very sore throat, and the personal phone numbers of several specialists just in case anything went wrong!

All in all, I believe (as I have stated many times before) that everything has happened for a very good reason, and there was also a good reason for this. Had this been a crisis situation, the anesthetist told me that I would not have survived. I am now to have the information "failed intubation" inscribed into the MedicAlert that I wear. That would avert a similar crisis in the future. All that being said and done, the surgery is to be rescheduled for after Jason and Dani's wedding sometime in late August or early September, and will be done in the UBC hospital. Who knows, maybe I can get the eye surgery done at the same time?!!!

This is a lot of information, and I hope that it's not too much, but it needed explaining, so there it is. I am struggling a little to not be disappointed that I won't look as fantastic as I had hoped for the wedding, but that's a very selfish and conceited, prideful thought. So it's just as well that it didn't happen! It's good for me to put things into perspective again. It's just so hard when my vanity gets in the way!

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts and prayers, and I trust that you will continue to go with all of us on our journey, which as I said in the beginning, is obviously not over yet! In the meantime I had several opportunities to be gracious, thankful and give witness and testimony to God's grace and glory through the telling of my story to several nurses and doctors. His ways are way bigger than ours, and who knows what the outcome of that will be!

So I pray for continued faithfulness, obedience, patience, and a good dose of humility!! Have a blessed day! And thanks again for taking the time to read all this!!
Judy

And we're back again!

Whoa, that took longer than it should have, but we are back and doing very well, thanks! The trip was absolutely awesome, and I don't think that it could have been any better - only longer perhaps! It was so amazing to reconnect with old friends and people who used to be "youth" who are now older than we were when we were there!! One of the neatest things happened on Sunday morning when one of the men came up to us and said that he still had (and used!) the guitar that Ben had sold to his mother. At that time he was only 12 years old! It wasn't until his young son, who is now about 12, walked up to him that I finally recognized him! Ben was so glad to hear that his guitar was being put to good use - it was his first guitar, and hard for him to leave behind. But knowing that God has had His hand in all things and seeing where things are at now made it all worth while! We had a very special time of worshipping with the church family that still meets in the same room that we helped to renovate 25 years ago! God is at work in His family all over the world, and to worship with them was very sweet! Oh, and our German came back very quickly! It was almost like we had never left...almost!

We also enjoyed a bit of sightseeing time, and some amazing dinners out (although the extra pounds really weren't necessary to bring back with us!). Aaron enjoyed seeing many of the things that we had once known well. If only we had had more time to enjoy it all! Ah, but the desire to return is even stronger now! The church in Traunstein needs a new place to meet in, and is planning on a building project in the next year or so. Who knows...maybe we could help out?! It is certainly a possibility! Anyone want to come help? Just a thought!

As much as I would like to report that we had fantastic responses to prayers for open hearts from those whom we had been praying for, it just wasn't the right time for confrontations. On the other hand, relationships were re-established and communication restored in places where we pray that we will be able to have an impact in the future.  We pray that God will be able to use us somehow in the future, and we want to be available and ready.

Thank you for your prayers regarding jet lag - and I'm thrilled to report that those prayers were definitely answered! We experienced very little at all! Of course, we were a bit tired, but nothing more than usual. Aaron experienced a bit more coming home, and took a few days to really feel like he was 'working' again, but then he was there much longer than we were. I had the energy to do almost everything that I had wanted to do, and (mostly!) keep up with everyone else! Praise the Lord for His strength and good rest!

Next, I am scheduled for reconstructive surgery on my stomach to repair the damage that was caused by the seat belt. Essentially, it's a tummy tuck surgery! Never thought I would ever have that! The procedure will be done in Vancouver on July 23rd. I'm not afraid of the operation, but would appreciate your prayers for a quick recovery - the wedding is only 4 weeks after that! I want to be up and ready for it, not dragging around recuperating. I'll be staying with my mom and sister for a time after, and then my mom will be bringing me back to PG and staying to help me out after - bless her!! She is so giving and helpful! There is still no word on the surgery for my eyes.

As  for the rest, everyone is doing as well as they could be. Ben is still struggling with some discomfort and is hindered in some movements due to the pain in his foot and arm. Aaron's back keeps giving him some trouble and pain, but both of them keep plugging away. Aaron is looking for work for the summer and into the fall, as he plans not to go to school this fall after all. Pray for direction and guidance for him as he readjusts to working life, and that he finds a job that he is able to do without pain or problems. Jason and Dani are only a bit less than 6 weeks away from their special day, and are very excited, to say the least! Christopher and Corinne have to wait until October, so they will have to be more patient! Christopher has been working very hard redoing my kitchen, completing most of it while we were away! What an amazing thing to go away and come back to an almost completely new kitchen!! There are still some things to finish, but oh, is it ever nice!!

Over and over again in the past month I have been reminded to be so thankful for what we have been able to accomplish and take part in! I pray that I will never take any of this for granted!

Waiting is sometimes a good thing!

As I write this, Ben and I are in the Vancouver airport awaiting our flight to Germany! We are finally going back - the first time in almost 25 years!!! It's hard to believe it, and the timing is a little crazy (we are only there a week!) but it worked out this way, and we are very excited to go back!  Aaron is finished with school in Austria, and we'll be seeing him at the airport. We are so glad that we will be able to see some of the people whom we have stayed in touch with over the years. My prayer is that the jet lag won't be too bad, and that my energy level will not be overly stressed. But still...Germany! It's going to be wonderful! Waiting for this day to come sort of parallels our wait for Christ's coming - we had no idea when we would be able to go back, but we knew that we were looking forward to it! I suppose that is about as far as it goes, but nevertheless, we have been waiting for this for so long, it hardly seems possible that it is actually here!

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for us, and that you continue to hold us up before our Father. I'll try and keep you posted as we travel - oh, the joy of laptops and wifi! Couldn't have done this 25 years ago!

Blessings...wherever you travel! Judy

Opportunities around us

I am thankful tonight for the opportunity that we had this evening to again share our story of the miracles that God has done in us and through us. We were able to share with a crowd of about 150 high school students the impact of the past year and a bit on our lives, and that in spite of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual struggles that we have had/are still having, that God is always in control. We shared with them verses that were special to us, scripture that carried us through, and gave God the glory for the way He was and still is in control. Our focus was to help them see that regardless of what they go through, that God can make good come out of it if they give their lives to Him to control. Sharing this is always a good reminder for me not to fall back into complacency or to take any of the many things that I can still do for granted! And I am grateful to be reminded!

After the evening was over, several of the kids came and thanked us for sharing. Some cried, others praised God with us, and a few said that they had been in the line of cars behind us the day of the accident, and that they had prayed for us as they finally passed the scene. They were able now to put a face and a name to the prayer request, and that was also a blessing for us to again see how many God raised up to pray!

And now it is my turn to uphold a friend in prayer. Yesterday I received word through Facebook that a former work colleague of mine was diagnosed with leukemia that day. She is going down to Vancouver today and will be starting intense chemotherapy on Monday. Pam is a young, vibrant Christian mom with a loving husband and 3 young children. Please pray with me for all of them as they struggle with the mountainous task ahead. They know that God will carry them through, but the road ahead may be very rough. We want to uphold them and claim a miracle to happen in her body, and that the cancer will be defeated!! And that they will sense the mighty and powerful work of our Saviour in and through them.

It's good to focus on someone else, and not on myself. Life is too precious to waste on introspection!

I am very joyfully focusing on getting some bridesmaids dresses sewn in the next couple weeks, thanks to some very deeply appreciated help from my mom who has come to be my extra pair of hands! And I get the priviledge AGAIN of being able to go with Corinne and her mom to look at wedding dresses tomorrow!! What joys are mine! In this, it is so easy to be thankful! But then I remember Pam and so many others who are still struggling and know that my task is to now uphold and encourage them. Also, what a joy to be able to do so! I am reminded of the words Paul wrote, "that we may encourage others with the encouragement with which we were encouraged" (paraphrased). Thank you, Jesus, for the strength and opportunity to reach out to others! Open my eyes to even more opportunities to 'pay it forward'!

Blessings galore!

We have just returned from an evening of reminiscing and reconnecting with friends from the past - it is the 50th anniversary celebration for the church we used to attend here in Prince George. Many have moved on, and some have passed away, but so many have returned for this weekend's celebrations! What a joy to see so many familiar faces from years gone by, and to share with a few more about our story from the past year. Many knew of what we have been through, and several mentioned that they had followed our story on this very blog. Again, we are so thankful for the development of it, and that it has been a tool that so many of you used to pray for us and thereby keep us strong throughout our struggle. Once more I was challenged to put the whole story together into book form, and to be honest, I had sort of set that aside, but I think that I may again attempt to put all the memories down on "paper" before I forget the details. I was encouraged by one of these dear friends who has herself been through a "God Journey" and put it down for all to read. (Thanks, Cheryl!) There's so much to learn about how to do this, and it will be another part of the journey, but I think that with the right direction and proper guidance, I'll try again!

Our family has again had more joy to celebrate...our eldest son Christopher proposed to his girlfriend, Corinne, last Sunday! So we are going to have the pleasure of two weddings this year!! And more precious daughters-in-law I couldn't ask for! They both love the Lord with all their hearts, and fit so well with our family! What blessings!

Aaron is doing well in Austria, traveling with a group to Venice this long weekend! His back has been bothering him some, and has kept him from a few activities. For the most part he is fitting in well, and making new friends. Time is passing far too quickly for him, but we look forward to soon having him home again!

We were planning on doing some yardwork, but the weather turned on us this morning (we woke up to a light covering of snow on the lawn!), so plans have changed for now. That's okay - relaxing is also a good thing! Not so sure about the snow, though...!

All in all, more blessings than can be counted are ours to enjoy, regardless of which way we go! I pray that you will also be experiencing God's blessings! Have a great weekend!

Mother's Day

Wow, here I am again, apologizing for having been away so long! Life is just going by too quickly, I guess, which seems to prove that I am indeed doing okay! At least things are getting worked out for the surgery. I still don't know when it will be, but it will happen someday. Aaron is doing well in Austria, and today is his 20th birthday! Wish we were there to celebrate with him, but we got in the party and all before he left. I talked to him the other day (thank goodness for Skype!) and he is adapting and learning what he can and cannot do. Mostly we pray that he will absorb all he can of what he is being taught about the Bible and personal growth. Living in the middle of the Austrian alps is a perk!

Today was also Mother's Day, and I was so blessed to have my other kids here with me, even though we missed Aaron so very much. Jason and Dani made us breakfast, Ben took us out for lunch, and Christopher and Corinne made us dinner!  It was a gorgeous, sunny day, and almost perfect! If only all the good food didn't go straight to one's waist! Sigh! But, always looking for the good in everything, I am SO thankful that I can eat normal food!! And that I can be with my family for this precious day, and all the other days, too! God has been so faithful to us, and kept us together as a family, and is giving us more family to love! Each day is a new joy, even when there are struggles. It's all worth it!

I want to send out a special shout to the creator of this blogsite, Sarah Kesler. When the accident first happened, she took it upon herself to create this tool for all to check how things progressed. She also took care of our home and our dog when Christopher and Jason were traveling back and forth to Edmonton, and gave a huge amount of support. She gave without thought of recognition or recompense, and I can never thank her enough! But now she is moving on to a new chapter and a new adventure in her life. Sarah has been studying radio and television arts, with the goal of becoming involved in Christian ministry through this media. She has recently set up her website www.sarahkesler.com detailing her plans for the coming summer. Sarah has been accepted to be a working volunteer with Focus on the Family Ministries, specifically working with Adventures in Odyssey radio broadcasts! How exciting! Please take the time to check out her site and give her encouragement as well. For all of you that follow this blog, that can be your way of saying thank you to her for starting it all!! We pray God's blessing on you, Sarah, and will keep you in our thoughts this summer!

Carrying on...Judy

A change in plans...

Friday morning Aaron and I flew down to Vancouver and I went to the pre-admission clinic at VGH for an appointment. While there, the anesthesiologist asked about my status as carrier of hemophilia, which led to some phone calls. The outcome is that my surgery on Monday is canceled. Instead I will be having an appointment with a hemotologist, getting looked over for what needs to be done prior to having surgery to treat my condition. So no surgery...for now. I'm disappointed, but for whatever reason this is the way that it is, and I will look for the plans the Lord has through this. At any rate, I will enjoy a good weekend with my family!

Friday evening we went back to the airport and dropped Aaron off - he is on his way to Schladming, Austria for 9 weeks at the Capernwray School. There he will be studying the Bible and taking discipleship classes. It will be a time of learning and growing, and we pray that he will do well with his health. We covet your prayers on his behalf for this.

I have to think of the verse that says that His ways are not our ways, and accept that. Why things happen the way they do is beyond me, but through the frustration I know God can make good result from it. So we carry on!

Another anniversary

So today marks one year since I was flown down from Prince George to Vancouver to begin my rehab program at GF Strong. It was a good flight, even though I was on a stretcher. Today I flew to Vancouver (another appointment!) and did it all on my own! What a difference a year can make! I stopped in at GFS to say hi to a few people, and was again forcefully reminded of the miracle that God allowed to happen in my life and body. Medically speaking I know there is no explanation for the fact that I walked out of there last June. My heart was so full of gratefulness and thanksgiving! I don't deserve this ability any more than any of the other people who will never walk again due to lesser injuries. So why have I been so blessed? I truly don't know the answer to that. But I intend to spend the rest of my days making sure that I tell as many people as I can that God is still in the business of miracles! Especially ones within the heart. Of all the healing that has taken place in my life this past year, I KNOW that this are needed the most work. And I know that I am still a work in progress. Lord, thank you so much for each and every day that you gift me here, so that perhaps one more person might understand exactly who you are and what you want to do in their life!

I am enjoying today and tomorrow here in Vancouver with my sister, and plan to spend the day with her tomorrow celebrating her birthday. I did have another purpose for coming down - I had another appointment with the eye doctors today in preparation for my surgery on the 26th. Everything looks good (pardon the pun!) and will go ahead as scheduled. PTL!!!

Sunday's comin'!

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, the day we celebrate the greatest victory ever won on this earth, and beyond! It's a day to celebrate what Christ has done in the lives of those who acknowledge him as their Lord and Saviour. It's a day to realize that without his amazing sacrifice, which is far greater than we can ever comprehend, we would be dead ourselves, without hope and without a future! Praise God for the incredible gift, and for the hope that we now can have because of his great love!

It's also been an year since the first time I was able to go to church after the accident. I was wheeled into church last Easter, and this year I'm walking in!! What a glorious day!! I am still so thankful for being allowed to walk, talk, take care of myself and eat (oh, yes, eat!!) and I pray that I will never lose that perspective.

I pray that for each of us, our minds will find that which draws us closer to Jesus, and be thankful for it. Whatever it is that makes you thankful, remember it is a gift from God. And for that which makes you frustrated or angry, remember that it could be worse! You might have a life without hope at all if it wasn't for Christ!

Have a blessed Easter Sunday!

PS - I'm going to try to attach a link to a video clip which gives me cause to think each time I see it. I trust it will encourage and motivate you as well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naajYZSbWdw - that's the link just in case the upload doesn't work!

Forgot the picture again!

Here's a picture of our new puppy, as well as one of Jason and Dani (which was taken last fall). I don't have any pictures of the new glasses yet...soon! Enjoy!

All things new for spring!

Each season has its own specialness, but spring is definitely a highlight for me after the dreary months of January and February. And this year spring came earlier than usual, which is always a bonus! The sunshine and the rain are washing away the last bits of snow, and it's finally time to get things started again!

And what a start this spring has had for our family! In the past 5 days, we obtained a new dog (her name is Sadie, and she is a 10 month old Shih Tzu cross that we adopted from our local shelter), I got a new pair of glasses, and my son Jason proposed to his girlfriend Danielle (we call her Dani) and will be married this summer!!! So I will have a daughter-in-law!! We are so happy for them, and they are, too, obviously! I'll try to get some pictures of them in the next post.

So we are all in planning mode, and not thinking about the minor difficulties of everyday life. Sadie is good for me - I have to get out at least once a day to walk her! My goal is to be more disciplined and scheduled, and that is one of the reasons that we decided to go ahead with the adoption. I just didn't expect to get such a small dog! But she's a sweetheart, and has worked her way into our hearts quite quickly.

God has given us so much to be thankful and grateful for. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about how much I have to be thankful for. Sometimes I need to remind myself to do so, but I do! Sometimes the things to be thankful for are very clear, sometimes not so much. I am finding that the more inward focused that I am, the less thankful I tend to be. So it is good for me to now have so much to focus on outside of myself! We pray that as we prepare for the wedding that all will be done to give God glory, especially the day of the wedding. Not everyone in Dani's family know Jesus personally, and we pray that they will see God's love through the two of them as well as through our family.

I can't help but think of those two precious Bartel girls that were traveling to the wedding in Vanderhoof but never made it there. And with the reminder comes the urge to pray for the family again. We will continue to uphold them as often as God brings them to mind. Pray for them with us as you are reminded.

May your spring be full of all things new, both inside and out!!
Judy

March

It is said that time passes more quickly when you are having fun...I must be having fun! I can't believe that it is March already, and well into March for that matter! There are so many things that I want to get done, such as regularly posting to this blog, but don't seem to get to do them! So this is the message for my blog today - in the past most of my prayer requests had to do with physical issues, but today I'm asking for prayer for my lack of motivation and discipline. I have recovered enough to be able to function at a semi-normal level (in the 'new normal'!), but there are still so many days that I don't have the energy or willpower to do what I would like to do. There are so many things that I'd like to do - projects that I have been keeping for 'someday' and 'when I have time'. Well, now I have time, but not the energy or drive. So that is my prayer request. Thanks!

One thing that has come about recently is that I have a date for the surgery for my eyes - April 26th. I am very excited about being able to have single vision again! I was able to book the flights today, and will be flying down with Aaron on the 23rd. He will then be continuing on to Austria for 2 months! He will be attending Tauernhof, a school run by Capernwray Ministries, in Schladming, Austria. We are all very thrilled that he is able to do this! Although I must say that I am very tempted to go with him!!

But for now, I should try to get back to sleep - this is another problem, that I don't always sleep at night. I wake up after a few hours of sleep and sometimes can't fall back to sleep again. At least it gives me time to do things like this!! I like the nighttime, though - it's so quiet and peaceful. But I know that sleep is important, too, so I'll leave this for now and try to get some more!

Thank you all for your prayers and the encouragement you continue to give by simply checking back here now and then. It is still a wonder to me that God is choosing to use this in such a mighty way!! Have a great day, and don't forget to give Him the glory for everything, regardless what it is!

I'm still here!

Well, from the initial lack of response, I just about gave up the blog! But even though there have been very few comments, either here of elsewhere, the few of you who did take time to let me know how much this site has meant to you - thank you! Your words have encouraged and challenged me to keep allowing God to do His work and continue His plan. And for the others who may have thought it but didn't say anything, thank you too! It seems as if this is something that is far greater than just our family here, which we know. It's still a wonder to me that God has chosen to use us and our experiences to be a tool for good! I am so thankful for the fact that I can know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God is definitely in control!! So with that in mind, I will continue to post, even if it's only once a month. I will try to get back here more often, but post I shall!!

We continue to progress, slowly but surely. Ben now has a fancy brace for his leg that is to help support and protect it. Not sure yet if it will help, but it certainly can't hurt - well, not much, anyway!  He continues to go to physio once a month, and is working on becoming more active on the treadmill. Aaron is enjoying being at home, and will be looking for a job until he leaves for Capernwray School in Schladming, Austria in April. His back pains him occasionally, but for the most part, he can cope with the problems as they come. I am trying to get myself to the gym but have had a bad week this past week. Just no ambition or motivation to get anything done, and I wasn't sleeping well again. But I talked to my doctor on Friday and she made some adjustments to my medications. I hope that this will keep things more steady for me.

This coming week is the local music festival, and I hope to be able to attend many of the sessions. Some of my past students are now with other teachers, and there are many others whose progress I have enjoyed watching over the years. It is always a pleasure to listen to the many talented people in this city! So even though I'm not teaching, I enjoy the chance to learn and observe.

In church this morning our pastor spoke about  having clean hands - metaphorically speaking about the need for us to be real, not just acting like Christians. It was an excellent challenge, and a good reminder to get deep and not just pretend. I have a book as well that I never finished reading entitled "Stop acting like a Christian - just BE one!". I think this is a good time to finish reading it! That's my challenge for this week. I hope you find yours!!

February...

Honestly, I never meant for this much time to elapse since my last post. I can't believe that it has been almost 2 weeks! I've had a wonderful time in Vancouver and Victoria, doing some relaxing and attending some appointments. Here's a quick recap:
- First, the wedding on the 30th of my nephew was absolutely beautiful, even if it was raining outside. It was so good to be surrounded by family and friends that day, the one year anniversary of the accident. We ended the evening with a time of prayer with our boys who were all down for the wedding as well. What a privilege to share such a blessed time, reflecting on how different things are now compared to then. We are so aware of the many, many miracles that we have been a part of, and continue to be amazed at the honor that has been given to us to have been brought through the fire!
- Second, Aaron and I took a few days to putz around Victoria. I had forgotten how beautiful that city was! We enjoyed the warm weather, the ocean and just having fun together. We did some of the 'tourist' things, and rented a car for a day, driving around the coastal areas. It was a great break for both of us from the regular routine.
- Third, Christopher and I had some time to hang out in Vancouver as well, and I especially enjoyed attending church with him last Sunday. Being able to stay with my brother and his wife, which is where Christopher is staying while he is at BCIT, was another treat. Christopher will be finished his apprenticeship program this Friday, and I'll be traveling back to PG with him. I feel such joy in being able to spend time like that with my boys, and that they want to spend time with this old lady!! Now if I could only get to spend some time with Jason...!
- Fourth, I've been cleared for surgery on my eyes! I don't have a date yet, but the doctor determined that the surgery should be successful in restoring my eyesight back to normal!! PTL!! For now I will continue to wear a prism on my glasses, which allows me to see single vision for the most part. The surgery will probably be in April, and I can hardly wait!
- Fifth, I've been able to observe some of the Olympic hoopla going on here at the coast.Today we even got to watch the Russian pairs skaters during one of their practice sessions. What grace and control! It reminds me how much we need to work at letting Christ have control of what we do, just like the athletes are controlled by the coaches on the sidelines, who made them repeat segments of their programs over and over again. The final performance that we see on TV is like how most people observe each other - not seeing the hours of grueling preparation that result in the 3 minutes of seemingly effortless gliding and spinning, or the coach who trained them to become who they are. But our 'performance' needs to be a reflection of our 'coach' and His influence on our lives.
It's been a great time here, but I'm very much looking forward to being home again. Not having a routine leaves me more tired, but the weather here has been so fantastic that it will be hard to leave that behind! A few things to keep praying about:
- Continue to uphold the Bartel family
- Ben has been experiencing more pain in his foot and ankle. He has had it x-rayed, and is looking for some answers as to how to deal with it. We should have results sometime next week.
- Aaron will be looking for what to do for the next few months. He would like to go to Capernwray in Austria in April, and we are encouraging him to do that. It's costly, but worth the time and money for the understanding and insight to one's own faith that it gives.
- That we will continuously and joyfully be a testimony to the grace and glory of God in whatever way He sees fit. We all appreciate your interest in our lives so dearly, and thank you again for your love and prayers. Once I'm home again, and have established myself back into a routine, I hope to be able to give more of my time to things of importance, and keeping in touch with people is one of those things. I wasn't sure if I should continue this blog or not, but if you are still interested and think that it has a purpose, please let me know. If there is enough interest, then I guess that will be my answer! Until soon!!

Remembering...

It is one year ago today that we set out for Breakforth in Edmonton, and ended up arriving there in a much different way than we planned. I just want to thank every one who has followed our story and given us support in so many ways, and especially give God the glory for bringing us through! Today will be a day of celebration as we are with my family for the wedding of my nephew. But it will also be a day of remembering and reflecting. We know that our Lord is good, and that we are here for a purpose. Our purpose is obviously not completed, so we are still here. But we sorrow for the family that lost two precious girls and will miss them until they are reunited again someday in heaven. Pray with us for the Bartel family. Their loss will be especially heavy on their hearts today, I'm sure.

As we get together today to be a part of a new family being united, we are so thankful for our family, be it immediate, extended or in love! We love you all!! May God be praised for His wonderful ways, even when we don't understand them. Have a great weekend!!

A quick update...

Aaron is coming home! He has decided that the program that he was enrolled in is not for him, so he's coming back home! I'm glad, but if you could pray for him as he looks for where he should go, we would really appreciate that. In the meantime, he will probably look for a job to do while he is waiting.

As it gets closer to our one year anniversary of the accident, our thoughts again go to the family of the two young ladies who passed away. Keep this family in your prayers as well, as I am sure that they are still in great pain. I can't imagine their loss, and know that only our gracious Lord can give them any peace.

I haven't forgotten!

Yes, I know it has been almost 2 weeks since my last post, for which I apologize. I guess I just got busy living! And that's a good thing!  But I don't want to abandon this project yet - I had thought that I would at least keep it going until the end of this month - one year from the time of the accident. I realize that there will still be changes and adaptations to our lives after that, and perhaps some of you may still want to know how we are, but more on that later!

For now, the New Year has started just fine - peaceful and uneventful, just the way we need it for now. Ben & I had another opportunity to share our story with a group of international students last Friday night. It is so cool to see how God can use it regardless of place or time! It's always so encouraging, and a good reminder to look back at how far we've come!!

Other than that, things are pretty much as before - physio, speech therapy, gym and pool workouts, as well as a music history course that I'm trying to finish are what occupy my days. The idea of putting this all into a book is still in the back of my mind, and I did start a few months ago. Not sure of where that will go, either!

On a side note, we had a visitor over the holidays - the young lady who started this whole blogsite! She told us about another unique feature that she attached to the site once she saw the numbers climbing - a tracker that allows us to see where the people are that are following this. Nothing too personal, don't worry! We can only see the general locations (city, province/state, country) and how often that location is checking in. From that we found out that those of you who are reading this are from all around the world! We were stunned to see representation from almost every continent in the world that have checked this blog out at one time or another! Praise God! Now we pray that the testimony that we have shared here will continue in some way, all for His Glory!! And as long as you keep checking back, I guess I'll keep posting!!!