Joanne Heim

Welcome Family Talk (Toben)

I work for Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk ministry. It is an amazing place to work. The staff is great and I genuinely enjoy the team. And you might too! That is why my blog and five others are going to start to be features on the Family Talk website. So you will get the perspectives of five other bloggers, plus me, on different areas of marriage and parenting. You can check out the Family Talk website here. Hope you enjoy these different voices!

Toben

Raising Girls Part 2 (Toben)

On one of my last posts I talked a lot about Audrey. Well now it's Emma's turn. What can I say about Emma? First and foremost I would talk about her resiliency. Emma is the one who found Joanne on the basement floor after Joanne had her stroke. I can't imagine what she went through in seeing that and experiencing all the fear and chaos that comes from having fireman, paramedics and policemen in your house, all while your dad isn't home! Luckily Gran was with them very shortly after Emma found Joanne, But I still freak out a little thinking about what she must have done through in that compressed time.

And Emma was the last of the family to see Joanne after she went into the hospital. She spent a lot of time in the waiting room and her on-going response was, "I will wait to see mom when she is better." Well unfortunately Joanne was in for a long haul before she resembled anything like "better." But we gave her her time until Joanne was conscious enough to actually ask for Emma. At that point the rules changed and I had to let Emma know that like it or not, she needed to see her mom. 

I will never forget that first visit. Emma tried to be brave but was obviously freaked out. She only spent a few minutes with Joanne before she needed to get out of there. It was a very emotional experience for her as you can imagine.

But then something changed: Emma warmed up to her mom, she became very affectionate and really began to serve her. I'm not sure how to describe it other than to think that Emma knew that her mom needed her and that she was going to step into that role.

Now Emma is with her mom a good portion of every day. She continues to serve her. If Joanne needs a drink, Emma is the one who gets it for her. Emma cooks Joanne's breakfast almost every morning. If she needs chap-stick (to which Joanne is addicted) Emma will track some down for her. Mostly Emma just wants to be present with Joanne. THey sit and read together in bed every night. My heart almosts bursts!

Example: when Joanne had her achilles surgery she and I slept in the downstairs living room since Joanne couldn't negotiate the stairs. We slept there for two months...and so did Emma. She slept in the over-sized chair that sits in the corner of the living room. And after Joanne was able to go upstairs she still spent the night on the floor of our room because she felt safest there. Even now, Emma is likely to fall asleep on our floor before eventually finding her way to her own room to sleep.

Emma and Joanne are very close. They get each other. It is a symbiotic relationship: they bothneed each other.

I have always said that Emma has a "happy heart." Yes, sometimes she is a little terror and she has a temper and can only be pushed so far before she snaps back, but for the most part she is a happy kid. I worry a lot about Emma because she doesn't seem to have gone through a greif phase with Joanne's stroke. She has more or less taken it in stride and made the best of it. I wish I could say that for the rest of us! At 11 years old I am expecting that in the future she will have some issues to work through around the stroke, but for now she is my happy heart.

Prayer request:

Please pray that Emma's relationship with Joanne would remain strong and that when it is time for Emma to wrestle with what has happened that she will still draw near rather than isolate her self.

Toben

A Refresher Course (Toben)

As I was blogging earlier today I realized that a lof of people coming to the blog these days probably have no idea how a 42 year old, slightly overweight, shaved-headed, father-of-two came to blog on The Simple Wife. So here is a refresher...

Joanne (the real Simple Wife) had a stroke on January 11, 2011. In the days that followed our phones, emails accounts, FB accounts, text messages, etc. absolutely exploded as people tried to find out what happened and how Joanne was. I was trying to manage Joanne's accounts and phone as well as my own. So sitting in her ICU room one night I hacked her blog, The Simple Wife, so that I could tell as many people as wanted to know what was going on--I needed to channel all the information to one place. And that's how I came to blog on the The Simple Wife.

Sometimes Joanne still does a blog or two if she is up to it--she'll either write it out by hand or just talk it out and I'll write it down for her. I love it when she posts and so do most of you! It's funny to see how the blog readers go through the roof when Joanne puts a blog up. You'll contine to hear from her from time to time.

But otherwise your stuck with me. I try to blog about Joanne, our girls, and our lives together post-stroke. And at the core of it is a knowledge that so many of you are praying for our family--I want to keep you posted so you know how to pray and then report back on how God is moving and working in our lives.

What a journey! And we are blessed that so many of you are coming along for the ride.

Toben (the 42 year old, slightly overweight, shaved-headed, father-of-two)

Stacey's Blog (Toben)

You should check out my friend Stacey's blog. She is battling cancer. And I mean battling! She is one of the bravest people I have ever known. Her story is much different than Joanne's but there are enough similarities that have really got me riveted. Keep writing Stacey!

Toben

Raising Girls (Toben)

I would like to think that I know something about girls. And I would like to think that I know a thing or two about parenting them. But I tell you what, it is one curveball after another, especially with Audrey, who turns 14 next month. Just when I feel like I can call the next pitch, something comes across the plate that I can't even begin to understand.  Like how I stayed consistent with the baseball analogy? And I can't stand baseball! So let's talk about Audrey first.

Audrey is energetic, creative, outspoken, opinionated, fun, intense...I could go on and on. She is amazing to me! And she reminds me a lot of what I was like as a kid. She has a mohawk (with pink highlights), dresses crazy, has a few piercings, rides a skateboard, and likes all kinds of crazy music. That would have been a description of me at that age (minus the pink highlights). One of the main differences between us is that I don't think I was hit as hard by the hormones and I don't think I was aware/involved in much drama. Audrey is deep into both.  

I think I mentioned this in another post, but last year I was really feeling a word from God to create safety for Audrey. With all that has happened with Joanne's stroke, it would be very easy for Audrey to feel un-safe. In fact I know that she has battled this--this feeling of un-safety. So I work incredibly hard to be safe for her. Maybe that makes me look like a less-than-strict parent, but I could care less about that. Safety first! Everything else that comes out of our relationships stems from that. I think Maslow would back me up on that one--safety is next on the list after physiological needs. 

In taking that posture, I try to help her to rebel in safe ways. Yes, I could take exception to the pink mohawk instead of taking her to Toni&Guy to get it done right. I could have said no to the last piercing instead of taking her to our piercing guy Brian to get it done right--yes, we have a piercing guy. Joanne has had to have her nose redone three times becasue the ring has to come out for every MRI and surgery. I could tell Audrey that she looks weird when she thinks she is at the height of self-expressive fashion, but I hold my tongue. 

And you know what? Audrey loves me and listens to me and she knows that beyond a shadow of a doubt that I love her and would lay down my very life for her. We go for rides together, just to run errands or something and we listen to music and talk...actually she mostly talks and I mostly listen, but I am always blessed by her talking to me at a mile-a-minute. Because at least she's talking! As long as I can keep her talking, I'm good. If she goes silent on me, I will worry. 

One example: I have told Audrey that wherever she is, if she ever needs me to come get her, I would drop what I am doing and come running. If she was at my mom and dad's house and called to say she needs to come home, I drive down and get her. If she is in Winter Park with her Aunt and Uncle and needs me, I would gladly drive the hour and a half and go get her. If she was sleeping over with a friend and at midnight decided that she needs to come home, I'm all over that. 

And the reason is simple: someday she is going to be in some situation where her very safety is at risk and I want her first and only thought to be CALL DAD! I will move Heaven and Earth to get to where she is as fast as I can possibly get there. But I have to let her know that's how I roll before that situation arises. If I blow her off and then expect that someday when she really is in trouble that she will call me, I am fooling myself. I want her to think first and foremost that I will be her safety.

Next post we'll talk about Emma!

Prayer request:

Please pray that Audrey would feel safe. And that beyond what we are able to offer her in this physical sphere, that she would derive a sense of safety from her heavenly father as well.

Toben

 

Walgreen's (Toben)

Audrey made it back from Walgreen's without being hit by a car. Thank you Jesus! She only had $10 and came back with 6 items including a Hello Kitty marshmellow pop, two War Head sour sprays (liquid candy), Flip Flop Bling (decorations for flip flops), a fabric glue Tacky Pac (for decorating clothes and shoes) and an iron on letter "A". This is a look into the mind of a 14 year old girl.

Toben

This and That (Toben)

I asked Joanne what I should blog about. She is trying to take a nap so asking her that question, at this time, probably won't get the best response. How about an, "I don't know." Fair enough. But I feel like catching you all up on the Heim's.

I was almost out the door to work today when Gran came over and told me that I-25 was closed due to an accident. I called Ryan and he told me not to worry about fighting the traffic to get down to the Springs. I am working on a very cool book project for him so getting more time to write in my favorite space was a good thing--I love sitting at the kitchen table and having at it. I find that I do most of my writing there. I cranked out about 3000 words, which for me is pretty good at a sitting. Now I will spend time buffing up the work I have done and try to give it a little polish.

I am a strong believer in the cruddy-first-draft camp: get it on the page and fix it later. It feels so good to be writing again! I am a little surprised. I have been blogging but that feels different somehow than working on a manuscript or a proposal. I think it's like jumping into a cold pool on a hot summer day. it feels bad for about 10 seconds and then it feels so good! Tackling a book project feels much the same for me. Getting those first words down is TOUGH, but after that it's a pretty good rush!

I did something that I haven't done for a LONG time. I actually started with an outline. This is like writing 101 but I actually write one down and then followed it up with chapter summaries. Crazy how the basics still apply even when you have a few books under your belt.

But enough about me. I know you come to the blog to hear about Joanne so here you go:

Joanne got a GREAT haircut this past weekend. She hadn't had it cut in months and months so we made her an appointment with Jlynn (our favorite) and she got a great looking (and easy to style) new haircut. Here is the deal--some haircuts require a thing called a "flat-iron." I call it a burned off ear lobe waiting to happen. So I pleaded with Joanne and Jlynn, "nothing that will involve me flat-ironing Joanne's hair!" Well they heard my pleas and I don't have to pick up that instrument of potential torture. Joanne looks like a million bucks and can pretty much do her hair herself with one hand. Of course Audrey and I both have opinions on how it should be done so one or the other of us is always up in Joanne's business while she is styling, but such is life.

Life has been pretty quiet since Beth Moore a couple of weeks ago. Sister Kristen was nice enough to bring dinner the other night. We have make-it-yourself pizzas. She made the dough up fresh, cooked it on the griddle then we each got to "decorate" our own pizza and pop it in the oven. Oh my gosh it was good! I think the best part was the fresh mozzerella.

Joanne is sad lately. I think she is has been hit again with the notion of all that she has lost. Not sure what has brought this on, but the loss of identity and ability to do the things she used to love is definitely in play. I can't imagine what it must be like to have lost the use of a limb! If her arm and hand still worked, she would be typing this blog, but one-handed typing is hard for her and she doesn't like it so there that goes out the window. If her arm and hand still worked she would still be crafting, cooking, and doing all sorts of other things that she enjoys. But as she says, "My left hand isn't on the team!" 

What about her leg and foot? If they still worked she would be running--something she misses more than almost anything. She would be able to get around the house easier. She could get in and out of the car, walk around the grocery store or the mall without a struggle. 

But she has lost both, and that is bugging her a lot lately. Why didn't the stroke just take one and leave the other? How nice that would be! Well, that's not how strokes work I guess. You loose the left side or the right side, but your definitely loosing a whole side! I have on-going conversations with her massive team of doctors, shooting off emails about this and that and looking for guidance and encouragement. I guess I am looking for the magic bullet--the one thing she can do that'll fix it! But none of them posses such knowledge...nor do I really expect them to have it. But I am compelled to ask and they are nice enough to respond. But the news is mostly sad.

So we fill Joanne's days in simple ways. She always looks forward to a good breakfast, which Emma always makes for her. One waffle, properly crispy, with butter and syrup topped with two eggs over medium. She has had this every days for months except on donut days which happen on either Saturday or Sunday.

If it is nice out and not too hot Joanne enjoys sitting on the deck. We ahve a little pond (which she dug a couple of years ago) and it makes a nice, relaxing sound. She spend a good amount of time each morning reading her Kindle. I am never sure what book she is into but she loves spy novels. Then there is second breakfast. Some would call it an early lunch but to Joanne it is second breakfast. Maybe a little more time reading then she is often upstairs for a rest. She especially enjoys it when her cat Joey joins her (which he has today).

And that's about it. Sometimes there are errands to run or trips to make her and there to picj up or drop off this or that. But mostly she is here, in the house. She is rarely alone though. Emma tends to stick close and I am never far away. Audrey is in "Audrey world." She is almost 14 and I suppose that is to be expected. So that's about it.

Emma is over cooking with Gran today. They are making all kinds of yummy things, some of which will make their way into our home to be gobbled up.

Audrey is off to Walgreen's. This probably doesn't sound like a big deal but she does have to cross a pretty good sized road to get there. I want to protect her and tell her "no way are you going across that road!" but the kid is almost 14. So off she goes, finding her freedom. I am OK with that. Oh my gosh, when I was 14 I had the run of the neighborhood. Joanne too. We used to go MILES from home with instructions to "be home by dinner." And I think that started when I was about 10! Audrey is 14 and if she wants to go to Walgreen's, I need to let her give it a go. I sent her out the door with instruction not to get run-over. Plus I said a little prayer to the same effect.

So, it's not thrilling but it is an update none the less. I have been deeply encouraged by a number of comments and emails that have come to Joanne's facebook account or through the blog comments. It means so much to both of us to hear from everyone and to know that people are praying. Speaking of which:

Prayer requests:

1. Please pray for Joanne's spirits as she is down lately. She needs encouragement.

2. Please pray that those of us closest to Joanne will have wisdom, compassion, encouragement, and patience. 

3. Please pray that Audrey doesn't get run over, literally or figuratively, as she finds her freedom.

Toben

 

Family Talk (Toben)

Some of you know that I work with an organization called Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk. I specifically worked with my friend Ryan (Doctor's son) doing a daily podcast called Grounded. After giving Grounded a couple of years to take off, we decided that we just weren't reaching the audience we wanted to reach. I can honestly say that being on the podcast was as much fun as I have ever had working. It is a rush to get to talk to so many smart people for an hour every day. Of course we had more than our fair share of fun with it as well. But it was time to put the show on indefinite hiatus and branch out in some other ways to get the messages and content out that we are so passionate about.

So what to do. Grounded did have an audience and they were ticked when we stopped the show. Or maybe they were just sad. But we got a lot of comments, emails and comments from people who really cared for and missed the show. That was very edifying! Of course Ryan is still on the air every day with his dad and LuAnne Crane doing the Family Talk broadcast, but that's a different animal then the hi-jinks of Grounded.

So we talked about what to do next and what we decided to do was to move more to a blog format. After all, there are many ways to get good content out to an audience. So we launched the first of our blogs with Ryan. And the response has been amazing! a LOT of people are coming to check out what Ryan has to say. He covers a ton of topics from cooking to parenting to ministry; you name it. 

And we're not stopping there. We are going to be able to post up audio and video content as well. Stay tuned for more of that! Should allow us to capture a little more of the magic we had with Grounded. Plus with video you will be able to check out my sweet mustache--Ryan says it makes me look like a cop and has taken to calling me "Officer Heim!"

So where does that leave me? Well they asked me to do a blog as well and I immediately came back with the idea to do a blog a week on the topic of the Family Talk ministry monthly focus. As you can imagine, those topics fall right in our wheelhouse (which I think is a baseball term). For example, the August theme is about moms being the heart of the home. I am DESPERATE to blog on that! Since Joanne's stroke our entire approach to parenting has had to change and Joanne's role in the family has been deeply affected. And as they say, when momma is affected, everybody is affected! So I am chomping at the bit to talk about this topic. 

Family Talk will take those blogs that they see fit the topic and will post them on their site too. This is a cool opportunity for us to tell more of our story to a new audience. And as always, there are really only two reasons that we even do the blog: the first is to get/keep people praying. The prayer requests are our favorite and most important part of the blog that we write. The second is to keep friends (a lot of new friends especially) up to date on what is going on with Joanne. It is such an incredible story that our family has been going through for the last year and a half and people want to keep up on the ins and outs of our lives.

I can't tell you how much we appreciate you! Just knowing that there are people who care makes our day. When we get in there and read the comments to the blog it is deeply encouraging. So keep those comments coming. They feed our souls!

So anyhow, that's what's going on with Family Talk. I need to throw in a quick thank you to my Family Talk "family." This group of people, these friends, have stood beside our family without hesitation since Joanne's stroke. Their unwavering support and understanding is one of the greatest blessings in our lives. I will always owe a deep, deep debt of gratitude to Doctor, to Ryan and the rest of the Family Talk team. I love and appreciate you more than words can convey!

Prayer requests:

1. Please pray for the ministry of Dr. Dobson and Family Talk. It is a little wild to work just downstairs from a man who has given his life for kingdom business and to building up marriages and the family. Pretty cool! Please continue to prop all of us up with your prayers as we keep this fire burning.

2. Praise, praise, praise God for the oppourtunity to work with this great team. I know a LOT fo people who are without jobs, are underemployed or just flat out don't like what they have to do. I am in none of those catagories and I thank God every day for that!

3. Please continue to pray for the girls. Audrey goes back to the doctor next week to check in on how her meds are working and as her closest observer, I can definitley see a change in her moodiness (as in she is less so). She is such an amazing kid and I am so grateful when that shines through her teenage angst! And Emma continues to be a sweetheart but I worry that she is under more stress than we know. She tend to keep everything inside and put a happy face on it. I want her to be able to be real, even if it means getting downright angry!

Toben

Hurtful Words (Toben)

Ryan told me this story to other day about a father that deeply wounded his son with hurtful words. It was a great reminded to me that I need to be very, very careful about what I say to Audrey and Emma. To read the whole story, click here.

Toben

Blog Software (Toben)

Which do you prefer: wordpress or typepad and why? Toben

Craving Normal (Toben)

I was sitting in my big chair this morning while everyone was still sleeping. I got thinking about January 10, 2011: the last day everything was normal. I don't think I have really stopped and counted the ways in which our new normal is different from our old normal. I am sure the list would be pages long and in the end it would just be depressing to see all that has changed. Even just in my head I can think of literally dozens of things that changed on January 11, 2011. I realized that I crave normal, in whatever form it takes. 

It struck me this morning as I was going to Kripsy Kreme to get our weekend donut splurge. I was sitting in the drive-through and I thought to myself, "This feels normal." It was something I did before the stroke. It felt good to be doing something normal. Of course that feeling doesn't last.

Joanne needs to get up which require both of us to get her dressed, get her AFO on and her shoes. And then it takes a good couple of minutes to make it down the stairs in our house. And then there are the pills that I set out; the nearly dozen pills that she has to take every morning for everything from seizure to pain to depression, etc.. So the normal act of getting donuts runs headlong in the to the new normal of extra assistance, slow movements and medications. 

On top of that I saw a women running today and something about her gait reminded me of how Joanne used to run. She often would do a five miler each day. I remember how invigorated she was when she would come home. She has nothing in her life that has replaced that activity and that feeling that she used to crave. It is hard for Joanne to see people running when we are out and about. She will often say, "I hope you appreciate it!" as we drive past. 

So today I am going to do my best (the way I do most days) to just stay in the moment and not borrow from past or concern myself with what is in our future. Either one of those rhuminations doens't lead me to a good place. I need to focus on the fact that we are still a family, that we are together and that Joanne survived a really close encounter with death but thanks to God's grace she is still here with us today. 

I hope that soemday the new normal really is just that: normal. A year and a half later it still doens't really feel that way. But until then I need the mental disicipline to take joy in the little things...like fresh from the oven Krispy Kreme donuts!

Prayer Requests:

1. Praise for the beautiful weather we are having. We have no AC so those 100 degree days last week really made the house stinking hot (alomt 90 degrees inside). But lately it has been cooler with a little rain in the afternoons. Such a blessing! Hope it lasts for a while.

2. Praise for the love that we still have in our family. Despite all the difficulties of the last 1.5 years we still love each other and maybe even more than we used to? Not sure about that but I know we are connected at a deeper level then we have ever been before.

3. Audrey is 13. Need I say more? She is struggling and has actually been to see a pediatric psychiatrist. He is trying a few things to try and even out her cataclysmic mood swings. Pray that she will find peace. She mentioned to me in the car the other day that she feels like she has grown up fast with all that has happened. I don't doubt it. Please keep her in your prayers.

Toben

Beth Moore (Toben)

I feel like I need to write more about Beth Moore as Living Proof Live was such a blessing to Joanne. So I'll start at the beginning:

Joanne asked me to go with her to Living Proof Live down in the Springs. Now I am not a Beth Moore fan, mostly because I am a guy  and Beth doesn't really appeal to most guys. But I told Joanne that of course I would take her and stay nearby in case she needed me. Our friend Holly had worked with Beth's assistant to make sure Joanne and her friends and family (5 in all) had seats on the floor of the World Arena. So after some twists and turns we ended up finding a wonderful Lifeway staffer named Robbie. She took us in tow to the elevator and down to the floor seats. Sure enough, they had 5 seats with Joanne's name on them. What a cool feeling to be so well taken care of!

So Joanne, her mom, sister and friends (Kristin, Yvette and Kathy) all took their seats as the event was about to start. So I did what any guy would do--I headed for the highest seat in the arena, I mean high, like last row. I grabbed Joanne's iPad and thought I would get on-line for awhile to kill time. But I have something to confess...I paid attention. Through the worship and through Beth's talk my attention held. Yes, I admit, I did a little texting. I did check email once or twice, but for the most part I was present. I can now say what few guys can: I attended Living Proof Live...and liked it! 

Now I acknowledge that attending, much less enjoying LPL will cost me my "man card." I accept that. I have to go through the 30 day waiting period to get it back, during which time I have to do something especially manly like steer wrestling or getting in a fist fight with Chuck Norris. But it's worth it. Here's why:

I could see Joanne from high above where I was sitting. And I observed her stand up from her wheelchair with Kristin's help.  I watched as Kristin helped her stay standing, her arm around Joanne's waist. And I saw Yvette get up and move to Joanne's other side and put her arm around Joanne as well. She was supported on both sides by two friends, so that she could fully participate in worship. 

I instantly flashed to the story of Moses and Aaron. As Moses was holding up his staff on the mountainside overlooking the Israelites, Arron helped him hold his arms up when he was too tired to do so on his own. Kristin and Yvette helped Joanne stand when she could not do it on her own. Observing that moment made the loss of my man card seem trivial at best. It was beautiful and I doubt I will soon forget it.  

After Friday night, we drove to my folks house and spent the night there. They have it well set up for Joanne and it is a very easy place for us to stay. I mean easy in that they have done what they could to make their place handicapped accessible, etc. Bonus: we got to sleep in the basement guest room and it was so nice and cool down there. When we got up early Saturday morning Joanne commented that she was, "just the perfect temerature." A nice change from our over-heated bedroom at home. So back to LP we drove and met up with the rest of our little group.

After gettign Joanne settled I still went and sat in the last row but this time for a different reason. It wasn't to escape LPL but to give Joanne and her friends and family the space they needed to really enjoy and participate in the worship and teaching together. I didn't want to get in the way of that.

So, in summary: The worship was great, Beth was great, the whole experience was great. And after it was all over Beth wanted to have a picture taken with the "Siestas" which I gather are what they call the LPL blogger community. So Joanne got to go backstage and have her picture taken with Beth. She even got a hug out of it! What a great way to finish the event--a hug from Beth, a woman who has meant so much to Joanne. 

Whew! I'm leaving out a lot but I just felt like I needed to let you all know how it all went because I know a bunch of you have also been blessed by Beth and prayed that Joanne would be able to go to, participate in and be blessed by LPL. She was...and I was too.

But I still want my man card back!

Toben

Dog Days (Toben)

Why do they call it the "dog days of summer?" If you know, please post in the comments. No doubt it is hot out but what does it have to do with dogs? Gran says it is because dogs get especially lazy in the heat...like the rest of us! 

I was down in the Springs with Ryan this morning and got to take a look at the new camera  that we are going to start using to record some vlogs and other video content. This is very exciting! Some of you may know by now that Grounded Radio, the program that I have been working with Ryan on for the last couple of years, is on indefinite hiatus. We have poured our hearts and souls into this endeavor, but it is time for us to try something new. So instead of being a daily podcast/radio broadcast, we are moving to be  a more web-based content provider. We are both really excited about it and are already having fun getting content delivered in new ways. More to come in the future but make sure you check out our latest content at Ryan's blog. 

I think I mentioned but will mention again, that Emma's tuition for next year has been covered by some very generous folks! We remain blown away by the out-pouring of support. Emma especially is quite moved that so many people cared enough about her specifically to make this happen. So again, a big THANK YOU to everyone who blessed us through your prayer and gifts.

Audrey is off at Sky's house; I think they went to the pool, which sound slike a pretty good idea on a day like today. Joanne and Emma are watching the Wonder Woman tv show from Netflix. I tried to sit int he same room with them while they watched last night but just couldn't stand it. Talk about cheesy! But they love it so there you have it!

My folks spent a couple of days with us last week while their neighborhood was evacuated. What a surreal experience. We stayed glued to the live feed on the news waiting for word of what the fire was doing and the ever growing list of evacuations. They were with us for just two nights before they were able to go home--their house was about as far from the fire as any that were evacuated. But still, it was unnerving! They are thrilled to be back at home and to have escaped the damage that so many other incurred.

My big plans for this afternoon include working on the blog (there is aways room for improvement), picking up Audrey and going grocery shopping. Talk about an exciting life! At least I will be able to wear shorts and flip flops and sit directly in front of the fan we have in the dining room (which is where I usually work).

Prayer Requests:

1. Praise, praise, praise for the prayers and support for Emma's tuition. You can't image the conversations and emails that have come in letting us know that Emma is being lifted up. It is just incredible and we are convinced, once again, that nothing beats a body of believers going before the throne!

2. Please pray for success for the new endeavors that Ryan and I are undertaking. It will be a lot of fun over the next weeks to see what we can do with a computer, a camera, a mixing board and a blog! We want to continue to bless the body and your prayers for us would be greatly appreciated.

3. Praise for family support! Through all of the challenges of the last year and a half we have had so much support from all sides of the family. We are so thankful for "our little team" that has come around us.

4. Praise for Beth Moore! Joanne and her friends, mom and sister all went to Living Proof Live last weekend and it was a great experience for Joanne. I went too and sat in the way, way, way top of the arena. Now I see what all the fuss is about and why so many women are so blessed by Beth. Bonus: Beth gave Joanne a hug after the event. What a great personal connection. It meant a lot to Joanne.

Wow! Three praises and only one request: that might be a first!

Toben

Fire Photos (Toben)

My friend Ryan just posted his photos and the story of his evacuation during the Waldo Canyon fire. Amazing!  Check it out here.

Toben

Many, Many Thanks (Toben, Joanne and Emma)

From Emma:

I would like to thank everyone who donated money to my school tuition. It really means  a lot to me that I will go in to middle school knowing all the teachers and most of the students.

From Toben and Joanne:

Emma's Tuition has been covered by your generosity! We are truly humbled and blessed by those of you who have made a gift to help us get Emma back to Denver Christian for her 6th grade year. This was so heavy on our hearts as we felt that the close-knit, Christ-centered environment at DC was really what Emma needed to thrive in her middle school years. As of today her tuition is paid for! We have been in personal contact with some of you and are blessed and almost speechless at the willingness you have had to share in this burden with us.Thank you is not enough but it's all we can say, so THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts.

Sincerely,

Emma, Joanne and Toben