Snow! (Toben)

After a few days in the 70's we have snow again today. Welcome to Spring in Colorado. I LOVE it because I got the fertilizer put down this last week so the moisture is all good. I think my lawn is going to green up nicely in the next weeks. My dad came up and helped me thatch the lawn and get the fertilizer done, so a big thanks to him. I think it's supposed ot get warm again toward the end of the week.

It's funny to look under the bench at the entrance to our house from the garage. Half the shoes that we keep there are flip-flops and the other half are warm, snow appropriate shoes. Our family is definitely ready for Spring!

We are sort of in a regular routine these days. Joanne and I have spent a lot of time together over the last couple of weeks. It has been really good for us to keep each others company. We do so well together. That is such a blessing. I can't imagine how hard all of this would be if we weren't so closely connected through this whole experience. If anything, the stroke has brought us closer together, and as I look back at my own life, I can see ways in which God was preparing me for such a time as this. It's hard to explain, but I feel like I was well prepared for something like this to happen. Of course I would have done almost anything to prevent this happening to Joanne, but if it had to happen, I feel like I was ready. That is God's grace.

Joanne and Emma made a list of everything they want to plant this Spring. It took up a whole page on Emms'a drawing pad. We'll have to pull together a number of family and friends to get everything up in sometime next month (or maybe even a little later). We love our backyard and various plants and flowers make it all the more enjoyable to hang out in. I remember last year how a number of friends selected different areas of our garden and came in a planted those areas so that when Joanne got back for Spalding, the plants were all in bloom. How nice that was! We have certainly been blessed by such good friends.

We spend this last weekend at my parents house--that's as close as we get to a little vacation! They are just 45 minutes down the road so it's a drive that Joanne can easily manage. We spent time hanging out, my dad and I took a 7 mile hike (I am still sore) and spent some time at Garden of the Gods--it is very handicap-friendly. We also got to have lunch at La Baguette which is our favorite all time lunch spot. The girls of course love to be there, partly because they love their Nana and Papa but also because they have TV, which they stay glued to unless we drag them out of the house! Joanne sat on the back deck, watching the deer pass by and soaking up the sun. She got a little bit of a sunburn, which I think she actually liked--the first burn of the year is a right of summer!

My folks are getting their kitchen remodled this month so we expect to host them in our home a few days over the next month. It'll be nice ot have them around and it'll put our infrequently used guest room to use.

I guess that's about it. We continue to take things one day at a time--that's the best we can do. Getting beyond today is too scary. We need to stay in the moment and look to God for his daily provision.

Prayer requests:

1. Praise! One of Joanne's many doctors made a change to one of her prescriptions and it is helping her sleep better at night. We are still up in the night at least once or twice, but Joanne is definitely able to catch some good sleep in between those breif awake periods. This is a huge deal and we are so thankful!

2. We are in some transition with Joanne's PT /OT. The in-home therapy that we got from Erika and Deliliah has come to an end. So we are left to do the activities that they taught us. Not a bad thing. We are appealing to Kaiser to approve Joanne to go to Spalding for continued therapy but until then we may be going to a Kaiser therapy facility. It all feels a little up in the air. Please pray for clarity and a clear path as we seek the best care and therapy for Joanne.

3. We are applying for financial aid for the girls to continue on at Denver Christian. We are going to need a lot of support to keep them at the school that has welcomed us in so graciously. As Audrey starts high school and Emma starts middle school it is a crucial time in their school lives and we would do almost anything to keep them in the DC family, but we'll need generous help from the school to make that happen. This is definitely our largest and most critical prayer request. We will keep you posted!

Toben

 

Comments

[Child of God]

Snow! Us too. Living in the mountains brings about very interesting weather. :) Enjoy!!

Continuing to pray for Joanne and your family. Hoping the funding will come in.

Blessings,
<><

[Kim Feth]

No snow here in NC, but there are plenty of prayers for you and your entire family!!!

May I make a totally selfish request of you and/or Joanne? I few years ago she posted a "recipe" for Easter cookies that you wake up on Easter morning and the "cookie" (or tomb) is empty. I'm not even sure how to search on the blog site for that recipe? Can one of you please repost it? I'm sure I'm not the only person hoping to see this recipe again.

Peace,
Kim Feth
Apex, NC

[Gwen]

@ Kim. try this link for Empty Tomb Cookies recipe:
http://thelarsonlingo.blogspot.com/2011/04/empty-tomb-easter-cookies.html
Just one of many you can find via Google.

[anna {girlwithblog}]

Thanks for the update! The weather this year has been so fickle. I'm in Minnesota, and we hardly had any snow!! It's been in the 60's or higher all month! Unheard of around here.

I'll be praying for that financial aid to come through for your girls, and for your family as a whole.

[Dawn]

Do you have a paypal account? If you would post your paypal address, I'd love to make a small donation for the girls schooling. If everyone who reads this blog sent just a little bit, it would all add up.

[Judy]

YES! Please...how can we all donate for the girls school?...I have followed your story from day one. My husband and I want to donate for DC (we have been at DC since 1995) I just said to my husband that I'd like to figure out a way to get a "matching fund" type of thing going. Hey everyone..can we all give something to help the girls stay at Denver Christian next year? It's truly an amazing school and this family does not need yet one more thing...

[Jenn]

I have not been by in a while - but that doesn't mean I don't think of y'all. I enjoyed reading the great things that are in these two recent posts. Praise the Lord.

May the Lord richly bless you in ways you never dreamed and bring healing to you Joanne and blessings for y'all's faithfulness to one another through it all.

Praise the Lord! Rejoice! He is Risen and that is our hope now and forevermore!

[Kimberly]

Just wanted to wish you and your family a very Happy Easter! Love you!

[Rena]

I am still waiting for the answers to where to send a gift for helping. your Maine Friend Rena