Some days...

Some days, life is hard.

My sister showed up on my doorstep last night, 

and in a matter of seconds I felt like it was some twisted de-ja vu from, 

well 7 months ago to the day.

"Hey Rachel, has mom gotten ahold of you?"  

"No Becca, whats up?"

"Oh, well, something is wrong with dad, they are on their way to the ER..."

And almost as a repeat from that Saturday morning that rocked our worlds, I closed the door, started crying, dried my tears, got dressed and....

...I made it from my house to Mayo Hospital in about 11 minutes...

I walked in to see my mom and brother and sister, all teary eyed and crying.  All my mom could say was, "they think its another stroke, he is having a ct scan done now."

I didn't want to believe what she was saying.  No way, why dad?  Hasn't he been through enough? Why would God allow this?  If He didn't cause it, He will redeem it for some good, but WHY?  Perhaps ours isn't the place to ask why...it is hard not to wonder though.  How is it that the good get what the bad deserve and the bad seem to get what the good deserve?  No part of this seems fair. Why another set back?  He has fought so hard to regain some semblance of life, even though its far from what he wants.  How will this change things?  I hate change.  Will he be able to walk?  Will he be able to swallow?  Will he be able to communicate with us at all?  No, no, no....my mind is a dangerous place, rapid thinking is my specialty, and it can be exhausting.  My entire body was shaking from the possibilities of what could happen and how this could just totally change this new normal that we have all been working really hard to learn and to live.  But we will not ever give up on him, my parents have instilled in us the importance of being there for your family and never giving up on them.  I think I tend to extend this to those I care about as well.

When I looked back over my pictures, I have a love/hate feeling going on when I see the one I posted of my mom standing beside my dad.  I hate it because they were still working to get his seizures to stop and they were coming in every few minutes to call his name and check his eyes and check his vitals.  A nurse was in the ER room with him the entire time.  I hate that this shows a setback for my dad. BUT I love how this is such a raw example of true love. It isn't always easy and it isn't always pretty, in fact I don't know that true love is ever easy...but it remains.  It stands the test of time and circumstance and challenge and heartache...and yet it remains. This to me is a pretty strong visual representation of their reliable, constant love for one another.  He refuses to let go, she continues to hold him up, even when she barely has the strength to stand on her own. I've seen my dad support our family and now I see my mom support our family.  We wouldn't be who we are today without both of them.  I am incredibly grateful for the example they set to not give up on those you love, no matter what.  This world has changed my dad and his body and his language skills and his ability to function like he once did, but it hasn't changed his love for my mom.  This world has changed my mom, it has taken parts of my dad that she misses terribly but it has not changed her love for him.  Theres is a true example of how beauty fades and this body is temporary, but true love...nothing shakes that.

Ok, sorry about that tangent, now back to last night....

Mom got up to go back and see if dad was back from ct scan.  That left me and my brother and my sisters in the ER waiting room.  I will say one nice thing about being the oldest of four children is that when something is going on, we do have some built in support in each other.  I am grateful that when times are tough, we know how to pull together and stand strong for each other and our parents. I got a text from mom that one of us could come back...I pulled the oldest child card and went back first....

What a huge sigh of relief to find that he was having seizures again. That there was no new brain damage.

Funny how life changes us, this time last year I would have never felt relieved that he was 'just having seizures'... They started IV meds to stop the seizures, so now it was just a matter of time.  That indefinite progress of existence when you are waiting for something unpleasant to come to an end, feels like an eternity. This time the seizures presented differently than they did last time. You start going back in your mind to different instances over the past few days and wondering if, 'when that happened was he having a seizure?'  It could have been some medication issues, it could have been a fall last week, it could have been when he hit is head, it could have been the antibiotics and the infection, it could have been....and at some point you settle with the fact that you don't really know what caused it....hey maybe this time he will get more of his right side back.  Maybe it is just the brain jump starting those parts that have not been used for 7 months. 

While we wait for him to get the ok to return home, he gets to stay hooked up to the EEG for 24 hours.  He has had seizure meds pumped into him via IV since he has been in the hospital.  We have gotten to have a mini reunion with the doctors and nurses who all remember him.  This morning while hanging out with him, I heard doctors and nurses and therapists comment on how much he has improved and how he is doing an amazing job, how they remembered him and remembered our family.  We have a special connection with the 5th floor of Mayo Hospital, their responses all seem to be the same, "Hey, its so good to see you all....well not under these circumstances though."

We delivered breakfast to my mom this morning and Seth provided some stress relief when he asked her to build one of his Lego sets he got for his birthday.  While I strongly dislike how things are right now, I am grateful for the opportunity to show the boys a real life example of what it looks like to be there for those you love and care about, no matter what.  Our world doesn't seem to understand the importance of reaching out - a text, an email, a phone call, breakfast, a card in the mail, lunch, a Lego set, it doesn't take much to let others know you are thinking about them and care for them.  Sometimes it hurts to reach out to others because I feel their pain, but yet I can't imagine not being there for somebody because my pain gets in the way. 

  

It's weird but Mayo has provided some deep seated tranquility in my life. Familiarity. I never thought I would hear myself saying that or thinking it.  Nurses and doctors who are genuinely amazed by my dad and his progress.  The decorative glass in the ceiling. This time he was back in the same room he has been in before. To this point, they have always saved my dad. Sitting in his room today and hearing "Code Blue 4th Floor Room ---" makes you really stop and count your blessings. I think about the people who were on the fourth floor when my dad was, whose outcome was not as positive as his. I feel overcome with sadness and notice tears fall to my keyboard as I think about them and the pain of their loss. I think of how few people I see with a scar on their head like the one my dad has, because not many survive it. Some days I miss my dad.  I miss our phone calls and I miss his jokes and his stories.  I miss the sound of his voice.  I miss his confidence.  I miss the treasures he would find for each of us.  I miss who he was.  I try to look forward to who he is becoming, and can't wait to see how God continues to use my dad, I know He is not finished with him yet.

I took the following picture as my brother and sisters and I were trying to find our way back to our cars parked on the ER side of Mayo.  I haven't been able to get this picture or these thoughts out of my head since...It was almost 11 at night, it was dark, we had no clue how to get back to where we needed to be - outside of the hospital....we have learned the inside of the hospital rather well.  So I think it was my brother who said, "hey there is a sidewalk lets see where that takes us."  We all laughed at the novelty of such an idea - walk on the sidewalk?  as opposed to the middle of the road?  As we walked we saw a raccoon cross our path, and then the sidewalk ended. The magnitude of that moment was intense for me.  How many people walk through the doors of this hospital, and this is where their sidewalk ends?  This is where their earthly path stops?  No warning.  No signs. No symptoms. Here one moment, and gone the next. The hedge, the lighting, its like when the path stops, look at that heavenly glow just shinning down....showing us where it goes for those who don't walk this earth with us anymore. Oh the irony to find this sidewalk on the grounds of a hospital. This picture has spurred some other thoughts as well but I will save that for a separate blog.  In our case, it has just been a matter of stepping off the sidewalk, into some unfamiliar terrain, burning our own trail and keeping each other hydrated as we see what waits just around the next hedge....

My Mother's Quilts

My Mother's Quilt

Devotions of Love, Legacy, Family and Faith

Written By: Ramona Richards

About the Book:

A quilt is love that serves a purpose. 

The devotions in My Mother’s Quilts are inspired by family heirloom quilts, some more than 100 years old. With humor and sincerity, Ramona Richards shares her memories and lessons learned from the quilters whose legacies live on in their work. Rich, personal, sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, each reading provides a lesson and encouragement from the faithful women who crafted the quilts. Together, these devotions depict the enduring legacy of faith, family, and beloved traditions. Includes full color photographs of each of the 30 quilts!

My Thoughts:

Whenever a new book arrives at my doorstep, I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning.  I am filled with anticipation as I open the package and eagerly read the back cover.  I will admit once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down.  I enjoyed the rich color pages and beautiful pictures of the handmade quilts.  I have always been intrigued by quilts, one time I was feeling ambitious and thought I could make a patchwork quilt out of a lot of scraps of material that my great grandmother used to make me outfits when I was a little girl.  I don't think I went any further than gathering all the scraps.  A lot more goes into making quilts than I ever realized. I enjoyed reading this book and hearing about how each quilt had a special meaning.  I also like how the author linked it to something important with regards to faith or our spiritual journey. This devotional would be great for somebody who is busy.  The devotions are short and sweet and to the point, but so deep and profound. I was grateful to have the opportunity to read this book.  The neat thing about this book is that they are currently hosting a contest, and one lucky winner will have the chance to win one of the quilts that are featured in this book. Enter for your chance to win....a Friendship Quilt

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one of the products mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Forgiving My Daughter's Killer

Forgiving My Daughter's Killer

Written by: Kate Grosmaire

Book Description

                                          Forgiveness is possible even in impossible circumstances.

On March 28, 2010, Kate and Andy Grosmaire received two pieces of news that would change their lives forever.

The first was their worst nightmare: “Ann has been shot.”

And the second was the dumbfounding addendum: “Conor was the one who shot her.”

Their nineteen-year-old daughter had been killed by her boyfriend, a young man who had lived with the family and had come to feel like part of it.

In a beautiful, tragic testament to the liberating power of forgiveness, Kate Grosmaire tells the story of her daughter’s murder at the hand of her boyfriend—and the stunning, deliberate forgiveness and help that Kate and her husband offered to the young man who shattered their world.

Part memoir, part spiritual testimony, Forgiving My Daughter’s Killer is the story of a family whose faith was put to the test and so found the capacity to do far more than they could have thought or imagined.

My Thoughts

What an amazing story of forgiveness and living like Jesus. Showing others a Christ like love, even when they have hurt you. Even if, and especially when, your life has been dumped upside down and your heart is aching for the loss of a child, one taken too soon by somebody you cared about.  How do you wrap your head around that?  It is hard enough when somebody we know and love dies from cancer or old age or some other ailment, but when taken by a weapon... I don't know what I would do in their situation. I would like to think these parents have set quite the example, though I hope and pray they are never footsteps I have to follow in. This book grabbed my attention from the moment I read the title. Having two children of my own, I was intrigued by the title. I remember thinking if something ever happened to one of my boys, I don't know that I could forgive the person who did it. This book held my attention, I didn't want to put it down. I smiled as I read memories they shared about their daughter, I cried as I read how they were with her when she was removed from life support, I felt angry as I thought about the boy who killed her and how could he? but I also wondered how hurt he was, long before he ever pulled the trigger. Not saying that is an excuse, but I have heard the saying before, "hurt people, hurt people." I felt bad that he reached a point in his life where he wanted to end his life. I highly recommend this book. Two quotes that really stood out to me, so much so that I wrote them down are these - "When we fail to forgive others as God commanded, we fail each other." The other one is, "Forgiveness is not a pardon. But it is a refuge: a place where broken people can come for healing, where the guilty can come for relief, where the wronged can come for hope."

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Mother & Son

Mother & Son The Respect Effect

Written by:  Emerson Eggerichs, PhD

Love is important, but it is respect that is the key to your son’s heart.

The idea of moms respecting their sons may sound alien to some, but it seems to ignite curiosity across the board. It is easy to relate to the need for all of us to feel a mother’s love, but is that the same thing as respect? Even for young boys, the effect of respect is nothing short of astounding when applied properly.

Moms yearn to learn anything that better helps them with their sons. After all, they love their boys, but many find them more difficult to parent than their girls, especially from age four and up.

What makes this all the more urgent is that moms are coaching fathers to love their daughters, but no one has said boo to moms on specific ways to show respect to their sons, at least not in a way that is applicable and fully explained. All realize that little girls need daddy’s love, but who is strongly promoting the truth that little boys (and big ones) need Mom's respect? No wonder mothers feel left in the dark on this topic.

Just as Emerson Eggerichs transformed millions of marital relationships with a biblical understanding of love and respect, he now turns these principles to one of the most important relationships of all, a mother and her son.

My thoughts:

I enjoyed reading through this book.  I have always found it interesting to hear of so many titles about fathers and daughters.  I twas refreshing to read a book about sons! I enjoyed reading the personal accounts of what a mom would say and then seeing a response.  I also enjoyed the fact that they gave us ways to encourage our sons!  Growing up with mostly sisters, sometimes I think my boys will relate or share in the same way that I saw my sisters share.  I did have one brother, he reminds me constantly that 'guys are different.' And this book also confirmed that!  This book really provided a lot of insight for me.  I will most likely keep it near the front of my book shelf so that I can refer back to it in the near future!

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one of the products mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

HIS Voice

It has been entirely too long since I blogged any update on my dad.  It isn't for lack of progress on his part.  Just a lack of discipline on my part!  The way his therapy appointments have fallen, my little sister has been taking him.  I have seen his progress, but seen it when I am hanging out with him at home. With it being 2 days shy of six months since his stroke, I just had to share with you his newest accomplishment! 

 Today I decided to play with a huge ant pile in my backyard which wasn't really too smart considering my reactions to ants, and I ended up with ants all over my hands....so I walked down to get some baking soda to make a paste and put on the ant bites....my brother and I hung out for a while and then when my dad got home he was trying to get my attention.  

He has been working on projecting his voice and speaking louder. I was in the kitchen and when he yelled my name, it was HIS voice.  Not the stroke voice, not the stroke speech...it was my dad, it sounded just like him.  He is coming back all the way! *(I feel compelled to add this little note right here, in no way is what I just said meant in anything but love.  I love my dad and his voice, regardless of how it sounds. BUT, being human, and craving familiarity, it was pretty amazing to hear him and know his voice is still in there). I can't even express in words how happy this made my heart feel.  

Ever since the stroke I have periodically played back saved voicemail from my dad from a week before his stroke.  His phone calls and just checking on me and hearing him speak - telling jokes or stories from him growing up, opening the door and telling the boys "welcome to the jungle", I miss these things that were greatly defined by HIS voice. Don't get me wrong, I am so incredibly grateful that he is still alive.  

My mom has told us all along that he was going to come all the way back, but time passes and doubt sets in. I think about the doctor that showed my mom the ct scan of his brain and showed her, while I stood close by,  the area of his brain that was affected.  I stood there as my mom asked what we could realistically expect with regards to walking and speaking just because she needed to know, I stood there as the doctor said, 'this is bad, not much, IF he ever speaks again, it will probably only be a few words and he probably wouldn't be able to link his thoughts to his words and speak.'  Then he turned around and walked out.... 9 days later my dad sang happy birthday!  I really need to start learning to listen to my mom.....aren't moms always right?!?!

Needless to say when he called my name today, in his voice, from the other room, I started crying.  I didn't think I would ever hear him speak again, when he did -- we were thrilled, never even gave a second thought to if his voice would return to the way it was before the stroke.  We were just thrilled to be able to hear him speak.  Now hearing his voice, its like.....priceless.  I can't find the words to express how incredible this is.

 I look at my dad and the way he has struggled but also how he has overcome.  I read a book recently titled, "Hope Heals" and the author survived a brain stem stroke and there were similarities in her story and my dads.  One thing she talks about was how people would tell her she was such a miracle, but she couldn't walk, she couldn't eat, she couldn't see out of one eye, she couldn't speak clearly, she couldn't use her right arm or right hand. Yet people still told her she was a miracle, even though to her "the miracle had left her unable to live normally."  This has really given me a different perspective as I have been quick to tell my dad that he is such a miracle, but never stopped to think how that came across to him.  Yes I still tell him he is a miracle, while validating that that is not how he might feel at this particular moment in time. 

I took this video today.  Not only did he use HIS voice (which takes so much effort) but he also chose what he wanted to say!  He is still the same on the inside! I also linked the video from one of the first times he spoke when he was in the hospital and he actually sang happy birthday, just so that you can compare the two. First one is from December 1, 2015.  Second one is from today, May 19, 2016...

"Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.  For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Hope Heals

Hope Heals  

Written By: Katherine and Jay Wolf

Book Overview:

When all seems lost, where can hope be found?

Katherine and Jay married right after college and sought adventure far from home in Los Angeles, CA. As they pursued their dreams, they planted their lives in the city and in their church community. Their son, James, came along unexpectedly in the fall of 2007, and just 6 months later, everything changed in a moment for this young family.

On April 21, 2008, as James slept in the other room, Katherine collapsed, suffering a massive brain stem stroke without warning. Miraculously, Jay came home in time and called for help. Katherine was immediately rushed into micro-brain surgery, though her chance of survival was slim. As the sun rose the next morning, the surgeon proclaimed that Katherine had survived the removal of part of her brain, though her future recovery was completely uncertain. Yet in that moment, there was a spark of hope. Through 40 days on life support in the ICU and nearly 2 years in full-time brain rehab, that spark of hope was fanned into flame.

Defying every prognosis, with grit and grace, Katherine and Jay, side by side, struggled to regain a life for Katherine as she re-learned to talk and eat and walk. Returning home with a severely disabled body but a completely renewed purpose, they committed to celebrate this gift of a second chance by embracing life fully, even though that life looked very different than they could have ever imagined. In the midst of continuing hardships and struggles, both in body and mind, Katherine and Jay found what we all long to find...hope, hope that heals the most broken place, our souls.

An excruciating yet beautiful road to recovery has led the Wolf family to their new normal, in which almost every moment of life is marked with the scars of that fateful April day in 2008. Now, eight years later, Katherine and Jay are stewarding their story of suffering, restoration, and Christ-centered hope in this broken world through their ministry Hope Heals.

My thoughts:

I don't know where to begin with my review of this book.  I was so blessed by this story.  I can honestly say that this story of hope might not have been so moving to me had I come across it a year ago.  Its funny how the trials we face and the storms we weather draw us to things and people that we might have overlooked.  My father suffered a severe ischemic stroke on November 21, 2015.  It seems the list of things we were told he would never do was longer than the list of things they were hoping he would do.  It was very discouraging. It has not been an easy road to walk but has shown all of us who have walked with him, a thing or two about life.  We have a greater appreciation for the 'little things' that people take for granted. One thing that Katherine said in this book that really gave me a different point of view was about miracles.  She talked about people saying that she was such a miracle but yet from her perspective this miracle didn't feel so great. That has given me a different perspective because I know many times we have told my dad that he is a miracle, but I never stopped to think about what that 'miracle' looked like to him.  Or the fact that it meant he was unable to live normally. There is another time in the book where she says, "I can give God the glory and it can still hurt."  I can see where that could be applied to difficult times in life, not just from healing from a stroke. At one point her husband talks about reading through the book of Job and how he saw his wifes name in that story. He talked about his new connection with this book of the bible. I love this quote that follows, "I considered the reality that sometimes suffering comes because of the decisions we make; sometimes it comes as a way for God to gauge His place in our hearts; and sometimes it comes simply as a by-product of living in a world that is in a state of falling apart. Yet no matter the origin of the suffering, God's presence remains the same. He finds us in our hurts, if we want to be found. His power to filter the worst that life has to offer, with goodness remaining, is our great hope." I feel like I could just quote this entire book and talk about how it applies to multiple different struggles we face in life.  I highly recommend this book.  If you know or love someone who has survived a stroke or if you simply need to be reminded of the power of hope, this story is truly inspiring and you won't be disappointed. 
I randomly went out on a limb and decided to fill out the contact us form on the Hope Heals ministry page, to thank her for sharing her story and tell her about my dad... and I was overwhelmed with kindness and hope from the reply that I received.  I was tickled pink to get a response from the author!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers &lt;http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 &lt;http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

ESV Family Devotional Bible

ESV Family Devotional Bible 

Overview:

The ESV Family Devotional Bible was deisgned to help families read and apply God's Word together.

This full-color edition features the complete ESV Bible text interspersed with engaging illustrations and gospel-centered devotions related to key Bible stories - guiding families through the entirety of God's Word over the course of a year. Each devotion also includes discussion questions and suggestions for additional reading, helping families develop a habit of reading the Bible together and applying its truth to all of life. 

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading through this bible and sharing some of the devotionals with my boys.  We have two boys, one is almost 9 and one is 5.  I felt like this was a perfect bible family devotional because it was perfect for both boys, they both got something out of it.  In the past we have read devotionals as a family and I have found that if they were engaging and the 9 year old was learning from it, then it was a little above the 5 year olds head.  With this bible we can read the bible, and the devotionals are perfectly placed throughout so that it keeps the attention of our 5 year old while also engaging our 9 year old.  They have asked to go through it completely as part of their bedtime routine!  I would definitely recommend this bible.

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one of the products mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

None Like Him

None Like Him

Written By: Jen Wilkin

Overview

God is self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, immutable, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, sovereign, infinite, and incomprehensible.
We're not.
And that's a good thing.
Our limitations are by design. We were never meant to be God. But at the root of every sin is our rebellious desire to possess attributes that belong to God alone.
Calling us to embrace our limits as a means of glorifying God's limitless power, Jen Wilkin invites us to celebrate the freedom that comes when we rest in letting God be God.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book.  I felt that the author did a good job of drawing us into the story and the points that she was trying to make.  I feel that she was relating to us and the thoughts that have all crossed our mind at one time or another. Some of the perspectives seemed weird at first, but I think that is what made it captivating, I wanted to keep reading to see where she took it.  I love the layout of the book and the book.  The chapters were not too long.  I enjoyed the specific verses for meditation and questions for reflection at the end of each chapter.  This would be a great book to read individually like I did and allow for some deeper thinking and reflecting and prayers, however, I think it would be great in a ladies group.  I will recommend it to my women's bible study group as summer reading.  It is nice to have a book that allows for deeper study, without being a full fledged bible study with a lot of homework.  I strongly feel that it is about quality not quantity and this book certainly proves that point well!

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this product mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."