He Restores My Soul!

"The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want,

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside still waters,

He restores my soul!"

Psalm 23:1-3

Tomorrow I am off for a no internet, nobody but me two day retreat! I am excited and expectant. I know God will go with me and hold me and tell me stuff I need to hear.

And I will rest. Ahhh. Nothing like the rest from God.

I apologize that the ole' blog has not been up every Tuesday and Thursday. I've just been bushed. And empty. So time to refill. Hit the restart button.

John is doing wonderfully and may go back full time sometime next week.

Ain't God amazing?

If you read this, please pray that I will rest in God's arms and hear Him clearly during my vaca/retreat!

Stepping Off the Roller Coaster

The ride has stopped. Queeziness. Dizziness. Excitement that it's over.

My husband John's brain was officially, medically declared just fine.

YAY!

Six weeks ago, I got a call. John had been in a motorcycle accident resulting in a tramautic brain injury. In the past six weeks, he's suffered through a subdural hematoma, a subarachnoid hemorrhage and several punctate contusions to his brain. He developed pulmonary emboli (blood clot) in his lungs and a hematoma and huge owwie (medical term) to his left calf.

It only took 6 weeks. God healed. GOD HEALED!

Now I'm a little unsure just how to get my bearings again. It's time to nurture myself and process the pain. I guess. That's what people close to me have said. So here goes. What do I do? Spa? Shopping Spree? Sleep?

I think the answer is to wait. Just wait on the Lord. He has proven Himself, ONCE AGAIN, to be the Rock of my life. The constant. John could've died or changed into someone I'd never met. It would have been devestating and I don't know how I would've reacted. But I do know that God is my constant. Not John. God was with me when I was 8 and looked up in the West Texas sky and asked if He was really there. God was with me when I held my mother's hand as she died. God will be with me when I breathe my last. He is my Constant. He is my Rock.

So now as I exit the roller coaster I wait in a "I'm not exactly sure what to do now" state. I will be fine. And grateful. And joyous. And I will look around to see if anyone I know is on a roller coaster.

Then I'll cheer and pray for them.

A Ten Year Old Angel

Noah turned 10 this week. The enormity of depth and rich blessings I possess ONLY because I am his mom amazes me when I think about it. So in honor of Noah:

Top Ten Reasons I adore my son:

10) He has the most contagious laugh - it's my favorite sound in the world.

9) The way he is all boy, including a horrible aversion to using tissue when his shirt is available.

8) Watching Scooby my Puggle and Noah play is to watch two souls entertwined in silliness.

7) The way he looks at his dad as if John was the king of the world. To Noah right now, he is.

6) His brain - he is able to do Math that I absolutely have no idea how to solve.

5) The way he sees God - The Creator, the Savior, the One in charge. 'nuff said.

4) Noah's tears come when he is deeply moved. So when I spy them, I know the moment is precious.

3) He loves to be teased and tickled. So I oblige! :0)

2) God has used this little boy to teach me God's love for me. Over and over.

And the number one reason why I adore my son:

1) He is my GIFT from God to be cherished and honored all the days of my life.

Some Random Simple Hopes

I hope.

I hope in God.

I hope in God's love and mercy and guidance.

I hope.

I hope that my son grows up to be a man who loves Jesus and loves his family.

I hope that he finds his dream job and has a reason to laugh every day.

I hope.

I hope that my husband will be fully healed, fully recover from his brain injury.

I hope that he will walk out the door to work one day with a "I can't wait to go back smile."

I hope.

I hope that someday I will have a book published.

I hope that book does somebody, somewhere, some good.

I hope.

I hope that people who haven't tried living for, around and in Jesus' love will give Him a whirl...and have a ball spinning.

I hope.

I hope that Scooby lives to be old. And I hope he learns to poop outside every time he feels sick.

I hope that this season of "Lost" gives me more than one "AHA" moment and less than twenty "WHAT?" moments.

I hope that I can conquer my selfishness before it conquers me.

I hope that Ted Haggard goes slowly. Time is the best test of any change.

I hope that I get to New York City someday and I hope that I learn to ballroom dance and I hope that I helped someone this past week besides my family.

I hope that my blog points people to Jesus and His joy and not just my rambling.

I hope that the Dallas Cowboys make it all the way next year.

I hope.

You Gotta Laugh!

Back in the Saddle Again! We went to Walmart and John rode an "old man scooter" (his words) and drove it as fast as that puppy could go. I wasn't amused, but he laughed!

Laughter is vital during this time of recovery from his motorcycle accident.

I am SO blessed to be married to my best friend. Before we were married, many people told me that I could make anyone laugh. And though they were right, I did not have someone in my life who made me laugh consistently. Then I met John. No one makes me laugh like my husband. That is a gift from God in the good times of our lives. And it is a life-giving force in a time as this.

Here are the TOP TEN things (there are many more) that have made us laugh the last couple of weeks:

10) My brother Phil told John "Go to your window, open it and shout "I'm sore as #*#% and I'm not taking it anymore!" I didn't even giggle at this, but John howled.

9) After his blood thinning level was way too high and so we had to be careful that he didn't cut himself or bruise: John: "Can I have some more water?" Me: "John, can you get it yourself?" John: "But I'm a bleeder."

8) Michal Smith came to hospital with hubby and 2 kids. They crowded around John's bed and she said, "I've been reading Robbie's updates, and I read where you aren't always sure of who people are when they visit," and then she passed out nametags for her family.

7) Right before John took his first shower by himself, I heard him yell from the bathroom, "I'm naked and I dance!" (This is a line from a play we saw a few years ago.)

6) Me: "John, Tuesday night at my writing group, we have a speaker who is going to talk about writing through adversity. I want to go." John: "So now I'm adversity?"

5)2 sets of guys - Aaron and Tony and then Mark and Phil visited my husband and almost injured him through making him laugh. I wasn't there for Mark and Phil, but chose to leave during Aaron and Tony's visit. It got a little racy making my husband laugh through pain even more.

4) I tell John about Noah's birthday party. He says,"So, I am in the hospital for 26 days and Noah's birthday party is planned for DURING the Super Bowl...coincidence? I think not."

3) Our niece Grace emails, "Uncle John I hope you got home in one piece, minus a few memories."

2) Me: "Noah, I have to give Daddy a shot now." Noah: "Am I going to hear a lot of screaming?"

1) Me: "I'm so SHNAPPY because YOU are so SHNAPPY!!!"
Pause.
John: (sheepishly) "But I have a brain injury."

You Gotta Laugh!

He is home!

This morning John was ready to go home!



But he had to go through a procedure to take out blood clot filter and then several discussions about after hospital care, including outpatient therapy and daily blood draws.

Finally, after 26 days of hospital, John went home! Here he is outside of our condo, getting out of the car.



Reunion with Noah who was ecstatic to have Dad home!



Reunion with Scooby who actually howled when he saw John.



I learned how to give John shots of a medicine for blood thinning, if his numbers aren't quite up to par. I also learned how to dress the wound on his calf. It used to be as big as a grapefruit, but now it is like a large naval orange. It is hard to see the size of it in this picture, but come over and give him $5 and he will show you!



Wound Care!



Nurse Ratchet!



He starts outpatient therapy on Monday at Skyridge and blood draws tomorrow. It has been a long road, but we are persevering with the help of a loving God and good friends! Thank you Jesus that my man is home and doing well.

John is coming home TODAY!

ALLELUIA!

John is coming home from the hospital TODAY!!! Yay! Go God!

I will post later today, complete with pictures!!!

Come back in a while!

Even Scooby can't wait. "WHEN WILL I SEE HIM?"