Pumpkin Returns! (Toben)

This is so cool! A friend of a friend read the blog earlier in the week and saw the prayer request for us to find/catch our cat and get her back in the house--she had been away for almost two months. So this person calls my friend Steve and offers a live trap that would be the right size for cat-catching. So Steve brings the trap.  First night we set it up we caught a raccoon. Hmmmm.

But last night the girls found pumpkin in a hole under our neighbors house--they saw her run in there from the yard. So anyhow, they put the trap right in front of the hole and then blasted the hole/cat with the hose! Pumpkin shoots out of the hole, into the trap and voila, we have pumpkin back!!! 

PRAYER ANSWERED! 

Pumpkin weighs almost nothing. And she is sort of smelly. But other then that she is OK. We kept her sequestered for a little bit for her to figure out that she could be a house cat again after being wild for  so long, but the girls were able to hold her and pet her so we figured she hadn't gone fully feral. So she now has the run of the house. It's good to have her back and Emma (her rightful owner) is THRILLED! 

I'm not sure of the name of our friend of s friend who supplied the trap but we are so thankful and grateful. I have been adding prayer requests to the end of these blogs for 7 months and to be honest, most of the time we don't get results. Now that starts a whole theological debate about prayer and how God works. I don't want to get into that in this post. I just want to say that it is very cool that a prayer request on Monday ends up being answered on Friday. Wish they all happened that way!

We are in for a relaxing weekend. Very little on the calendar. The girls started school on Wednesday so I think they are looking forward to just chilling out today as they prepare for their first full week of school starting Monday. We have church tonight. And I think we are going to do family movie afternoon tomorrow--we may watch a movie called The Sandlot that has come highly recommended. Other then that, not much happening.  Joanne loves these laid-back weekends.

Brief Joanne update: She is taking a couple of weeks off from Spalding rehab. She has been in the hospital or some sort of professional therapy for 7 months now and is ready for a little break. Unfortunately during this break she has a few doctors appointments. She had to give blood yesterday to check (again) for clotting issues. And she is going to see and ENT to see if the intubation and trach (three months worth) left her vocal cords scarred.

And she is going to see and endocrinologist to see about a nodule that they found on her thyroid when she was still at Littleton Adventist. None of us even remembered that they had found one but her primary care doc found a notation in her chart so we are having it checked out. 

I have to say that I am so pleased with Kaiser and Joanne's primary care doctor. She is obviously paying attention to Joanne and her chart and is on top of getting Joanne the care/tests that she needs. Thanks Dr. Vandeloo!

Prayer Requests:

1. Praise, praise, praise for the return of our long lost cat Pumpkin!

2. Joanne is not sleeping well and would love to string a couple of good nights of rest together.

3. Please pray that Joanne's two week break from Spalding will be restorative for her. 

4. Pray for a smooth move into the new school year for the girls. So far everything points to a great start but would love to see that continue. The girls have been through so much this last 7 months and a good school year for them this year would be huge in restoring normalcy.

Toben

Comments

[marla]

Toben...I know that you feel that God has not answered some prayer, but my pastor made me realize that sometimes Gods answer to prayer is simply "no". Loving all of you Marla

[MomPlusKid]

A friend told me a quote about God and prayer...."God is rarely early, but He is never late."

[Beth]

Having spent mere hours searching for my beloved cat and finding her in the abandoned neighborhood cat (literally) house, I can imagine the relief and joy at having Pumpkin back. Praise God indeed!

I check in here occassionally, but have not written anything ever. I'm not sure of every detail, so I will ask this question:
Do the girls' teachers know what the girls have been through these past 7 months? Do they realize the limitations of Joanne that frustrate you all (and I'm believing with you will at some point not exist)?

Even if it's the same school, don't expect the next year teacher to know all the facts.

As a teacher, it is so frustrating to me to find out about what a student is dealing with at home only after that student has acted out in my room.
I teach high school and often when it builds in a teen, it will explode suddenly and take a lot of people unawares.
IF I know some background, I can learn to recognize stress signals and cut the kid some slack on those days when the signals are really blinking.
I don't have to know all the nitty gritty, but just enough to help the kid through a bad day instead of having to punish because of unallowed behavior.
You may already know this, but I just thought I'd mention it.

[Beth]

Oh one more thing: I know and understand the quote about God never being late. I have to believe that for my own sanity. But Tobin that doesn't mean I'm not screaming inside myself sometimes saying, "God, could you PLEASE be early this time?!"

[Theresa Roach]

I am thankful that Pumpkin returned! I have a friend in Seattle whose cat is missing AND her name is Pumpkin! I pray that she could be as lucky and get her Pumpkin back!

I'm praying for Joanne to continue her path toward complete recovery! She sure has come a long way!

Blessings and prayers to you and your family! Hugs from Georgia!

[yanna westmoreland]

I remembered parts of this poem from when I was a little girl and an internet search helped me find it all.

Have Faith and Wait!

Answers to prayers
come in various ways
sometimes in minutes
sometimes in days
and some take years
to fully unfold
the harvest of love
and blessings they hold
some blossom early
some blossom late
but each one will flower
have faith and wait.

[Angela Hall]

hmmm you did clearly stat you didn't want to open a debate about prayer but people cant help themselves lol!!
great news about the cat love you all xx

[Dionna]

I'm so thrilled that Pumpkin is back. Hopefully she will regain her weight and get lots of extra luvins! :)

[Joanne]

So happy you found your cat back. One of my favorite songs is Some of God's greatest gifts in unanswered prayers.

I'll keep you all in my daily prayers and trust that God knows what is best to answer those that should be and to wait to answer others later...or that if he doesn't answer at all, to know that He has answered my prayer requests by not answering them.

[Penbleth]

Joanne, I hope you feel better for your break and that the girls settle back in to school.

[Elizabeth]

Hi Joanne and Toben,
I haven't commented before but I have followed Joanne's journey and I felt it was time for me to introduce myself. I so understand where you all at. My dh Dave got very sick 2 1/2 years ago and had major surgey. His illness is one that can't be cured and things keeps popping up in other places of his body. We walk on eggshells alot just waiting to see what happens next.We have just started to accept that this is our cross to bear. For whatever reason this is the answer to our prayer. It's not the answer we wanted however God knows the bigger picture and he has his reasons. Toben I so understand as a spouse caregiver what you go through too. I had a break down back the first of this year because I wasn;t taking care of me. All my time and energy was going to Dave. Now I understand I can't take care of him without also taking care of me. We have a couple big doctor events coming up soon that could change our lives. However we are focusing on today and what we need to do.
If you or anyone in your family need a friend I am here. Feel free to email me.
Blessing in Christ,
Elizabeth Quigley

[Rena]

think of you all daily and Hope that Joanne and You have a wonderful few weeks off from rehab and that the Girls enjoy the cat being back and that love finds a place to dwell in your souls. love from Maine and Rena

[Ruthy ;o)]

Hi Maybe you should get the Trap friend to do the sleep Prayer:o)