Weary Weekend

Many people have asked me about the picture at the top of the blog. It is actually from October 2007- (they are 3 1/2 and 1 1/2). It was our Christmas picture 2 years ago.

Here's an update we took today after church (now 5 and almost 3).........
(Carter is doing his duck impression)
The perfect weather this weekend is a much appreciated gift from God. Carter was excited to spend Saturday morning out with Daddy. Here he is taking a spin around the yard with his clubs in the bag. He told us it's his golf cart.
Then they headed out for a soccer game. He's been eagerly waiting the rain to stop so he could get back on the field. It was a tight game, 1-1 and the kids played hard. Thank you so much to Richard N. for taking care of our yard today so Daddy could spend some much needed time with Carter instead. We are so appreciative! Julia was watching out the window while eating her lunch. She said, "Look, the nice man is fixing my yard so I can go out and play again :)" It looks great!


While the boys were gone Mommy and Julia played some games, watched Little Einsteins, and painted our toes pink for spring.....
Then it was time to nap. She's been doing a lot of sleeping since we got home. She is still carrying around the basket Carter gave her with her pacifiers and surgical tape. It's so cute the way she holds it when she sleeps....
We decided to take her to our class' Easter Egg Hunt this afternoon. She has really been missing her friends and won't be back in her Sunday School class for several months. We decided something outside was a great option. Carter was excited to have playmates, too. When we got there she didn't want to get out of the car. She seems to be having a difficult adjustment to being around people again. After a few minutes I carried her out and she seemed happy to watch everyone. She did get down when it was time to find eggs. She was very tickled with the whole idea and loved filling her basket.The wind was blowing just enough to keep the pinwheels spinning....
The big kid's hunt- watch out eggs, here they come.....Lily and Carter...
She spent most of her afternoon happily being pushed in the swing. It was great for all of us to see our friends and get out of the house. Though by the time we left she was falling apart. This has been a struggle for us. We limit it to one activity a day and she does fine for a while, then crumbles. The doctors asked us to keep her life as normal as possible when she is feeling well, but that is still a balance we are trying to find.

We are enjoying the time in the evenings with just her, after Carter is in bed. We play games, take long baths, and watch TV. She has a ringlet curl on her forehead right now that I just love. Usually these are on the back of her neck, but this one sprung up just last week....
We were blessed to attend church this morning. It felt so good to be back. Corporate worship is such an integral part of the Christian faith and something that sustains us at all times. It is something we never take for granted . It is a privilege to be a part of a church family. People are always surprised to see us during difficult times. We took Carter when he was 30 hours old and went with Julia just days after her last hospitalization. It was never a question. We want to praise Him for His goodness and worship with our family. When I think of missionaries in other countries and even friends in this country without home churches, I feel so privileged to have a church home where we can grow, serve, learn, worship, and fellowship- what an amazing gift!
There is power in praising God through music and worship and we were looking forward to being there. Julia will have to stay with us for several months. She did really well today. Both Billy and I were really touched by one of the songs by Twila Paris.......
Fill my heart
Fill this house
Fill this day, O Lord
I was weak
And I need Your grace
You are the only Light
You are the Way of Life
Fill my heart
Fill this house
Fill this day, O Lord
Fill my heart
Fill this house
Fill this day, O Lord
I am Yours
I will give You praise
You are the only Truth
And I will follow You
Fill my heart
Fill this house
Fill this day, O Lord
Fill my spirit with Your spirit
Until I cannot contain it
Fill my heart that cannot be explained
Fill another earthen vessel until grace is overflowing
And this barren earth is covered by Your rain
Fill my heart
Fill this house
Fill this day, O Lord
Speak Your Word
And I will obey
So open eyes can see
All You are in me
Fill my heart
Fill this house
Fill this day, O Lord
The more I live I know
I need You more than ever so
Please come and fill this open room
Inside of me
The more You give I see
Your heart is springing up in me
This love is here it overflows
And so it goes
This song is our prayer for our household. We are feeling empty these days- not out of sadness or anger or frustration- just in need of God's fullness. We both sleep a solid 9 hours at night, but both feel like we could sleep for a week. We know our bodies have been in adrenaline mode for the past week and we can't stay that way. Part of me feels like God is giving us a break because the overwhelming waves of emotion have subsided. We do cry now, but not as often. It is almost a numb feeling, like we've been frozen for a moment. I feel like we have to gather our strength for the next leg of our journey.

We are finding joy in the little moments. Here's one from this afternoon. We took the kids for a picnic after service. Of the hour we were there at least 40 minutes of it was filled with crying- from both the kids- but we just push through it to the next bright spot. Here's Carter and Julia picking flowers. They found a patch of wild purple flowers in the lush grass and were fascinated...
Please pray for continued improvement in Carter and Billy's health. Pray that Carter feels he can talk to us with his concerns. Praise for Julia's surgical healing- her incision looks great and her movement is steadily improving. Praise that sleep comes so easily for her even through all of this. Please pray for the COGs pending decision regarding her chemo treatment. We know the two drugs she will be getting, but are really praying to not have to add the third. We want to do what is best to avoid recurrence and future rounds, but we pray that that would mean just two drugs. Praise for the body of Christ that has embraced us, encouraged us, cared for us, provided for us, loved on us, and prayed for us!! We are truly blessed.