TRUE BLESSINGS

It is hard to believe that we are approaching two months since my last entry. How time flies.
There is much to update you on.
The house is finally coming together since we arrived home mid May...although it is still hard to keep it clean with a 3 1/2 year old running around....but we try.

Thomas is potty trained ! That is a blessing all its own. He is enjoying it....given how independent he is....he enjoys picking out which "big boy" underwear he is going to wear for the day...spiderman...Diego..dinasours..or Thomas the Train....
He can dress himself...thanks to Aunt Val and cousin Amanda who started showing him this while we were in Tucson. He picks out his own clothes and makes sure everything is coordinated down to his shoes and socks. I tell you he is three going on twelve!
He was promoted to Preschool 1 and loves being in what he calls the "big class".
He is ready to take down all the Pooh Bear decorations in his room......he wants everything now in the "Cars" theme...from the movie with Lightning McQeen. He runs around the house always saying "Speed...I am speed".....
He is counting pretty close to 20 without messing up. And, he can count in spanish to 10.
He is always singing ...from his ABC's song to This is the Day .....
He enjoys watching Veggie Tales....Scooby Doo....Backyardigans ....Dora and Diego ...and the list goes on. More than anything...he loves to pick up a book and have us read to him.....I am truly grateful for that given that Ron and I both love to read, too.

Ron is doing amazing! He is walking better than I thought he would at this time. He did not have in-home physical therapy very long. The therapist said he had done so well so quickly..there really was not much more they could do for him. I still may try some outpatient rehab but I have not looked into it yet. He still has his home health care nurse coming to check on his wound...which, by the way, is healing very nicely and has become much much smaller. She recently changed the regimen on caring for it and in just one week...what an improvement! We have a wonderful nurse in Robin...she is wonderful christian woman that the Lord brought into our home to care for Ron in such a wonderful way. We now only have to change the dressing every two days once a day...which helps alleviate my work load during the week.
And the best news of all......a true miracle and blessing from God.....Ron is no longer on dialysis!
July 2nd was his last run and he has done well without it since. His output has increased dramatically and his creatinine was near normal last week. The doctors have been so impressed with his labs.
At the beginning of July we went to Tucson for Ron's six month heart cath and biopsy. The results came back very promising. His arteries are clear and his heart function is better than what the doctors expected given everything he has been through. They have managed to keep his rejection at bay with the various treatements they are doing ...it all seems to be working well. We could not ask for anything more. The Lord continues to be there for us and continues to do amazing things in healing Ron's body....Praises to HIM!
He is doing more around the house...almost back to his old self you could say.
I remember the first morning when I was up to get ready for work and it was such a sight to walk into the kitchen and find him standing there getting the coffee pot ready to make a fresh pot. Wow...it was like old times....and since that morning....he has been making my coffee every morning.
It has been such a great feeling to come home after work and he is in the kitchen making dinner or already done making it...Thomas and I just walk in the door and sit down to a great home cooked meal ....how awesome is that!
Now...as Thomas and I get to the front door ...the first thing he says is ..."I wonder if dad is making dinner...."..and if he smells something yummy....he will say..."yep, he is".....

Life is great....there is no doubt...I have my family back.
Things get tough now and then...there are still things that Ron cannot do...but I am grateful for what I have at this moment.
I find that I am finally back into a routine ..which helps... I felt very discombobulated when I first came home...it was very hard to regroup at first....but slowly...things are coming together for me. I feel that emotionally and physically I am doing better.
Work is still a struggle....it is hard to leave my family every day...but it has to be done...it is the only way to provide for them and to keep a roof over their head. I thank God every day that he gives me the blessing of a job...when so many are losing theirs. I am thankful for the home we have...when so many others are losing theirs. We are blessed...there is no question about it and every day we must be mindful of it and know there are many without.

We must continue to pray for HIS love and tender mercy and be thankful for all HE has sacrificed for us.

I am so excited to be back at church ...Ron and I have been meeting people that kept up with our blog and stay connected to us through prayer and blog messages. It is so great to start putting names and faces together and actually being able to thank people personally for their incredible support spirituallyand emotionally. What a blessing to have a wonderful church family that really cares. I hope they continue to come up to us as they recognize us. We really enjoy meeting everyone and hope that this will lead to some very long lasting friendships.
Thoma is so happy to be back at "church school". He looks forward to it every week. He would go every day if he could.

I am so glad to finally have the time to enter a new update for everyone. I hope my next will not be two months from now. I hope to try to get on here more often.

Blessings to everyone .....to our family and friends across the miles...we miss you desperately...I hope next year we will get to make some trips out to visit everyone again...it has truly been a long year since we have seen many of you. Know that our home is always open to anyone who may want to come out to sunny AZ and visit us. We love the company. Hugs and kisses.....



And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love...No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39