Because that’s all I seem to be able to manage these days…
- It’s been a hard month, emotionally
- Ian’s friends have been graduating
- He didn’t
- We decided, after surgery, to take a semester off of academics
- We decided late last fall to make it a whole year
- He was poised to do a 2nd year of college work through Northwestern’s PSEO program
- He used to read and read and read and read
- The brain injury left him with about a 2-minute attention span
- (after 9 months of therapy)
- and short-term memory problems
- and double-vision
- He currently has no new tumor growth, as far as the cancer goes, but things are nowhere near back-to-normal…
- Imagine college classes with a 2-minute attention span
- not a good combination
- not the best scenario for high school level work either…
- We’re having to re-evaluate
- We think we have a new plan for his senior year
- A simplified, flexible, take-things-in-bite-size-pieces plan
- The two steps forward, one step back rehab process can get discouraging
- Especially during the week after each chemo round
- The hitting him hard physically hits him hard emotionally
- My MomHeart hurts watching him go through that
It’s been a hard month, but, really, we’re all doing fine. The Lord is good, and it’s so sweet to see His handwriting all over the walls of our lives. Our asthma girls are doing okay. Our baby girl is growing too fast (she’s walking!!!). Jaron is quickly approaching thirteen. IT Guy’s contract has been extended through the end of the year. Really, we have so much to be thankful for that I get to feeling guilty on the hard days, feeling like I shouldn’t even call them hard…
We’re hanging in there.
By the grace of God, which, fortunately for us, is more than sufficient!
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9a
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh sweet friend, I know it has been so hard, I can only imagine, and that’s why I want you to know how much it meant to all of us that you came to Kayla’s grad party. When she saw you guys walk up to the house, she ran in to tell me excitedly, “THEY’RE HERE!!!” and we hugged, cried and thanked the Lord. You guys are FAMILY, and family goes through all of life’s ups and downs TOGETHER. We will cherish the time we spent together watching the eclipse together, laughing and enjoying each other and eating the tons of food we had left over!
God’s plan for you guys and Ian has changed, BUT, it’s still an awesome and good plan. He has been so faithful to us ALL and it has built US up seeing His hand all over it all! We love you all so much, heaps and heaps, tons and tons! We pray for you everyday, almost all the time.
You are LOVED, LOVED, LOVED!!
Best Friends Forever,
traci
xoxo
Oh, sweetie, I’m so glad we made it out! Everyone had such a great time and hanging out to catch that eclipse together was so much fun! (We’re such homeschoolers, hehe!)
We love you guys, too, thank you for everything, and congratulations on raising, and graduating, such a blessing of a daughter!
Bless you, Ali and bless your family especially Ian. We have 4 children and I can’t pretend to know what your daily struggles. I only know that I will continue to check your blog daily and continue to pray, pray, pray for Ian’s recovery. Keep the Faith! God Bless!
Sweet Jennifer, I know that we ALL have struggles, this life down here on earth is just so hard… but we can trust that He never leaves us nor forsakes us, and He gives us such sweet gifts in our fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ- He’s so good!
Thank you for your encouragement, and thank you for your prayers for our Ian!
Blessings!
I’m praying for all of you. I’m so sorry things are difficult right now.
Thank you, Jessica. Your prayers and encouraging comments always mean so much!
How is your little guy? He’s getting so big! They all grow up too fast, enjoy those moments!!
He is getting too big too fast! He is now a big brother – James was born February 28. I’m so thankful for these wonderful blessings from the Lord!
We pray for your beautiful family every day during our morning Bible time. The kids never let a prayer time go by without mentioning Ian, your nephew, and your family. I wish there was more that we could do.
“I wish there was more that we could do.”
Oh, sweet sister, your frequent prayers and encouraging comments bless my heart so much. Thank you, just for being there and being the Christian mommy that you are. Your children are so blessed to have you!! (I hope your Mother’s Day was fabulous!!)
I love that the Psalms give us good ground to share our struggles and praise His name in the same writings. Some days reading your posts remind me of that. Such struggle and pointing the way to amazing goodness. As always, praying for peace and healing (on many levels) in the midst of this trial.
“Psalms give us good ground to share our struggles and praise His name in the same writings” – So true, I love that about the Psalms!
Than you, so much, for your continued prayers and encouraging comments. You always make me smile
Times like these must make you so glad that you homeschool at all–What a blessing to have that flexibility! Embrace it, and don’t worry for a minute. (Like I should give yOU advice!
)
I continue to pray for all of you. And you continue to inspire/impress me!
Aloha,
Just stumbled across your blog for the first time. so BLESSED by what I’ve read here! So glad to hear that God’s grace is sufficient for all of your trials!!! May He continue to be the lifter up of your heads!