It's been so long and so much has been going on that I am not even sure where to begin. Highlights?? Well, that sounds just a bit too positive, so maybe a few bullet points to get us out of the muck and onto the blessings of the past 19 days!!
*numerous trips to the
hosptial and doctors
appts. for Kelly to receive IV treatments
for pain
*the remodel of the kitchen - if you have
"been there" then you know what I am
talking about!! Will this ever end!?!
*finding out in a routine eye exam for contacts, that the medicine that caused all of the crazy
problems with my liver has also caused some major eye problems. the first of two laser surgeries is scheduled for next week
*a close, young friend who is like an adopted son has just found out that he has
Hodgekins Lymphoma. Treatments started last week. Please pray for Jared.
*Our friends in Africa (David's interpreter) lost their home in the flooding. Please pray for Andrew, Judith, Little Peggy and Little David.
*fast food or take out for 11 weeks - did you ever really think that you would get tired of NOT cooking!?!?!
*an overload of dysfunction that was brought into our home, and we finally had to come to the realization that there was absolutely nothing that David or I could do to change the situation. This was a huge source of frustration for both of us, as we truly believed that God put this in front of us, so that we could help. Our only way of helping now is to pray for those involved.
*my friend, at Putting the Pieces Back Together blog, is sitting with her Dad as he waits for God to take him home...the timing a surprise - the ending is difficult...please pray for Kerry, her Mom, siblings and grandchildren...being left behind is sometimes so hard...
Enough!! Now another post on the true blessings of the past 19 days!! God has brought us through the muck and there is Christmas on the other side!!
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps… means a little bit more.” The Grinch from How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
So this will be the last quiet Christmas for our family for a long, long time. And the prospect of that is so very exciting. Next year at this time, our new baby Collin will be 11 months old, and on the move. The lights and magic of Christmas will be seen through his eyes and smile. And that magic will just be magnified as the years go by. This time next year we will be celebrating the safe return of Robert. He should be getting back from Iraq around the first part of November. Yes, that means that Kaiti will have this baby alone from about 6 weeks until Robert gets home in November. God is in control, and He has a plan to provide, protect and comfort them all through this. On this last quiet Christmas, we were blessed to have my Mom with us. We were able to stop by and pick her up as we traveled to be with Kaiti and Robert. She spent all of 
Christmas Eve knitting a beautiful pair of white baby booties - did you know that people still do that?? They were truly beautiful, and such a special gift!! Perhaps the most wonderful gift of all this Christmas is health. My mom aka Magnolia was healthy enough to travel with us,keep up with everything that was going - even helping with the Christmas Day Puzzle. My daughter, Kaiti, is having a very, very healthy and uncomplicated pregnancy. Our prayers are for Kaiti's health and safety, and for Collin's health and safety as they get close to the date of his arrival. And guess what!?!?! Kelly has been pain-free since Dec. 14th!! That in itself is a miacle of Chistmas of 2007. We have all so enjoyed having our old Kelly with us for the past 3 weeks. Thank you God for the gifts of health!! 
