O K!!!!!!

Caroline said another new word....o.k.! It was wonderful! Just another little snippet of what is yet to come. Yesterday I was leaning over Caroline and I said to her, "Let's call grand-daddy, o.k.?". She replied very clearly..."o.k.". Well, of course I had a little wonder moment to myself. I said to Caroline, "Did you just say o.k.?" and then she said it again. I repeated this all over again when Shep came home so that he could hear it as well. She did it and we got to hear it together. You can't imagine what it feels like to hear with your own ears and see with your own eyes the miracle you have waited so long to see!!!
It is pure elation!! It is the sweetest sound I could ever imagine. Thank you Father for these little treasured moments of revealed healing in Caroline...we KNOW more is coming. Thank you for encouraging our faith.
You are worthy of all praise and I don't want to miss an opportunity to lavish my praise upon you. Help me to stay focused on you and not her progress. I want to truly love the HEALER so that I may greater enjoy the HEALING~~

Quick update on the family

Ava and I have battled the tummy bug this past week. That was a ton of fun..let me tell you. On top of that, we have also had several little Ava "melt-downs". Those moments when you are frantically looking around for your parenting manual. :>) She and I are so much alike. I have said it before, but she truly is my mini-me. She pushes the same buttons of mine that I remember pushing with my mother. What is it that people always say, "you pay for your raising"? Aside from the minor "melt-downs", she is a gem. She can warm you up in an instant with her sweetness.

Little Zeke is too much. He has found his little voice and his feet. His very high pitched squeals are such fun and a common sight at our house is to see him on the floor trying to put his feet into his mouth. This is such a fun age and I am trying with everything in me to savor it because it is already going by too quickly!! He loves baby food and of course anyone can look at him and tell he doesn't miss any meals. He is our delight!!

Caroline is just rockin and rollin these days. Nothing really new to tell. She has been such a laughing girl here lately. Everything and anything has gotten her tickled. If you have ever been lucky enough to see her laughing hard with her shoulders bouncing up and down then you know the pleasure it brings to anyone watching her. She hasn't really done anything new for me lately...the little stinker. Don't let that fool you. She usually doesn't want to do what I ask her to, but that doesn't mean she isn't able to.

I am amazed to watch my floundering faith. At times I feel so full of faith and nothing in the world seems out of reach. Then, it happens. You have a period of time that just seems kind of drab. Nothing new, nothing exciting, nothing to tell, and if you are not careful the faith follows the feelings on their downward spiral. This is where the test becomes real. Hasn't God done enough? Why do I always insist on more?? At this place....my feelings are my enemy. I have to say what I know. God is good! God knows what is best for me! God is in complete control! God is going to heal Caroline, even though that couldn't feel farther from the truth! God delights in me! I am the apple of His eye! My hope is in Him alone! He will never leave nor forsake me!

I (we) have got to recognize the difference b/w what feels real to us and what we KNOW!

Lord, forgive my doubtful and fretting moments. They are but hay and stubble to you. They are also sinful. Give me more faith and help me be completely satisfied by You!!

By the way, I didn't update on my man! He is awesome...as always! He is the highlight of my day-----everyday!

Hard times

I hate having to grow up. However, life doesn't give us the choice. These are hard times for our family...and I know we are not the exception. There are many out there just like us. The economical strain has had a tremendous impact on my man's business and has called for BIG changes in our lives. We are looking for extra jobs to earn money and any and every way to save money. Of course I don't like this at all...but, I am finding this odd determination that is really refreshing. I know God will bless us and provide for us...however, HE also may ask us to sacrifice and be uncomfortable too.
Yesterday Ava and I were not feeling well. We stayed home from church and battled through this bug that was viciously attacking our tummies. Anyway, it was cold in our house. This has been the case for the past few weeks because we are trying to save on the power bill. Shep teases me and tells me to throw on another jacket so layering has been popular around here. Well, because I wasn't feeling well, I was pouting about not having the heat on. I wanted to be nice and toasty without having to layer my clothes inside my house.
Shep got home from church (he had to go teach Sunday school) and immediately went outside and started chopping wood. He chopped up a good bit, brought it to the deck, came in and built an awesome fire. It was beautiful. It smelled good and reminded me of the things I loved about cold weather. In no time at all we were all in the floor huddled together right in front of that fire. God prompted my heart to look around and be grateful. Had I had my way...the heat would have been on but we would not have all been huddled together. Thank you for the hard times and sweet memories.

A word from my momma...

I called my mom early Wednesday morning to share a connection that the Lord had made for me. I always tell mom about the things that I believe God is saying to me. I had read the passage from my Bible study to her and then asked her to read what I had written in "Caroline's journey" so that she could see the connection as well. The Lord had connected what I had written in my blog about "Caroline's journey" (year 3 for those of you who are reading it from the beginning) to what I was studying in my Bible study for that day. The connection was about the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho. The Lord has used this particular passage to speak to me, guide me, and encourage me on several occasions. One of these in particular, was when Shep and I stepped out in faith to get pregnant again. (read the beginning of the story for more on this)
This time was no different. He was simply using this passage to confirm what HE is already speaking to me about "being prepared" for what I am assuming is Caroline's healing.

Now that I have given this introduction I will let my mom take over...

(Nancy's story)
I went to Andrea's blog and read the "beginning" link of Caroline's story until the mention of the word "Jericho". Immediately the number 7 came to my mind. I knew that Joshua marched around the city of Jericho 7 times...once a day until the 7th day. Things began to come together in my mind regarding these last 7 years with Caroline. We have often referred to Caroline's healing as our "promised land" or our "Jericho". It occurred to me that we have been preparing and praying 7 years. We are in the 7th year of this journey with Caroline...marching around it so to speak. God commanded Joshua and the Israelites to act differently on the 7th day...they were to circle Jericho 7 times on the 7th day. I thought it was pretty interesting that God has challenged Andrea to write about these last 7 years right now. In a sense, we are doing the same thing. During this 7th year...Andrea is writing or circling all 7 years again by writing them down. Could it be that what we are living out is comparable to a modern-day Joshua and the walls of Jericho event?
As pieces came together, the connection of it all was suddenly overwhelmingly real. It wasn't a hope, a wish, a wonder, but a "yes" in my spirit. I had cried and wailed in the past 6 years many times like this from sorrow, sadness, and desperation for Caroline to be healed. The crying and wailing was the exact same this time except I was filled to overflowing with joy, amazement, and a deep sense of confirmation. I KNEW in my spirit. I was compelled to agree with the Holy Spirit's revelation that this was going to come to pass soon. The only words that I could form on my lips between tears and shouts of praise was "I know, I know"!
I no longer hope, I KNOW!!


It's back to me now...
I hope you all are encouraged by this fresh word. I have been ecstatic and overwhelmed. Since mom shared this with me, God has brought several events back to my mind where He has used people to speak the number 7 to me. Whenever these sweet people would say to me, "When I pray for Caroline I keep getting a sense of the number 7" I would get really angry. I didn't want to hear that. Our original prophecy from Melissa was that she would begin to do what others kids were doing around the age of 5 or so. I took the age of 5 and ran with it. I tried to hold God to a certain date. Could it be that He is revealing more of His plan to us...what will this year bring??

The men in my life...

Just wanted to let everyone see my good-looking boys. I think Zeke looks just a little like his daddy. Good for him! My girls are precious and I love them so much. However, I am beginning to see the sweet connections that mommas have with their boys. I am so blessed I can't even stand it!!

More words...

This morning I was loading the kids in the car. I have the same routine every morning...Ava first, Zeke second, and then I go get Caroline. As I was walking toward the van she said, "Caaa". I said, "Caroline, did you just say "car"? She began to grin so big as if she could not be more proud of herself. I thought I would try this talking thing again so tonight I was lying in the floor next to Caroline. Ava was entertaining us as usual and Zeke was happily playing in his exersaucer. I leaned over Caroline and began to say "Linda" to her, making sure that she could see how my mouth would move so she could mimic me. To my delight, she said it. It is not perfect...but because I am watching her closely I can see her mouth and hear it at the same time. Next, I thought I would tackle the word "Mama" or "mom". She immediately began to bring her lips together and make the "ma" sound. I was yelling and laughing and she could not contain her laughter as well. She seems to be so thrilled that we can understand her....it is a dream come true. Thank you Lord for your wonder-working power!!

Fun at the farm

Sunday was a great day! First, worshipping my Lord with my church family and then enjoying His creation with my hubby's family at the farm. It was smiles all day long. I can't possibly communicate what being there does for me sometimes. It reminds me of how I used to feel when I would go visit my grandparents. My maw maw and paw paw loved to be outside...so do I. I have so many memories in my childhood of cramming as many people as we could get onto my grandparents front porch just so we could sit outside and talk and watch who might happen to drive past us on the road in front of their home. This doesn't sound like much fun to most people but what I would give to have just one of those times back again. No doubt I would be piled up in my maw maw's lap even at the ripe old age of 31....hopefully not getting burned by the cigarette she would be holding in her hand. ( I know she is laughing in heaven at that remark and probably wanting to spank my rear end:>)

My sweet man loves being outside. It doesn't really matter where, although some places are higher on his list. Blakely, in a deer stand, or standing in a stream fishing suits him just fine. But this past Sunday did something for my soul that I know those places do for him. It felt so free and light...no doubt how our Lord wants us to be. Not bound up and stressed by the worries and cares of this mean world. I hope there are many more days like this past Sunday in our future. These are the days that make bookmarks for our memories.

Did she just say that??

This has been a great weekend...busy and crazy but still great! I absolutely loved halloween as a kid. Maybe because I always loved getting to be something else. It was fun and innocent, not to mention the candy that cured my sweet tooth craving. By the way, what is the deal with buckets or baskets for trick or treating? In my day, we got a pillow case and the goal was to fill it up. Anybody with me on that??
Anyway, it was fun to live through my babies and watch them. We had trunk or treat at church Friday night and it was too much fun. Seeing our friends and church family made the night. Our sweet Ms. Linda had sent the kids halloween cards...one to Zeke, one to Ava, and one to Caroline. Of course, children love mail and loved getting their cards...actually I don't think Zeke cared but his will go into an album because Ms. Linda's message was too sweet. Ava and Caroline thought it was too cool. When I read Caroline her card she just laughed and laughed. ( you would have to know her but she associates Ms. Linda and laughter...she thinks that they go together.)
When Shep got home he saw the card and asked Caroline who had sent it to her. She said "in-da". As you might imagine, Shep and I just looked at each other and stared in amazement. Did she just say what we thought she said??? So, I asked her again, "Caroline, who sent you that card?" She said, (not as well this time) "in-------dah".

Praise you Father! We are just believing that you are knitting her little mind and the injured places back together. You love delighting your children and so I want everyone to know how you delighted us. We have promised to praise You and give You all the glory for her healing. I think that also includes the little victories along the way. This was definitely a praiseworthy moment!!