2 weeks!!!

Benjamin and I just arrived home from our latest trip to Austin. And we have BIG news!

The orthotist said that at our next appointment, which is in two weeks, Benjamin will probably be out of his helmet! Yay! Of course there is never any guarantee that we'll actually be done in two weeks, but just knowing that we are so close to the end is very exciting!

I am still a little concerned over the hole in the top of his head. Though it is much smaller than it was, it is still obviously there, and still a concern for the mommy of a busy, walking everywhere, one year old with two older siblings who like to wrestle with their baby brother. There is a possibility that if the neuro surgeon thinks it necessary, Ben would go into another helmet. This helmet is a soft helmet, made of rubber. When I saw it, I thought of the old, leather football helmets. So, we'll see what happens with that. Part of me wants it, just to be on the safe side. The other part of me is ready to be done with any form of head stuff.

We are so thankful to see the end! God has been very loving, gracious and faithful to us over the past several months. Last night at our community group, I was thinking over the "hardship" that we have been through, and how God has used it to make me stronger, and to exemplify his power and goodness. Our group was talking about God's power to remove our struggles, our weaknesses and our "thorns of the flesh". So often we don't pray expecting our great God to deliver. Yet we are told it Eph. 3:

"20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

I prayed that God would spare Benjamin from this deformity. I prayed knowing that He was powerful enough to deliver Benjamin from the road that he's been on, but also trusting that even if he didn't, all things would work for our good. When Benjamin still had to undergo surgery and all these months in the helmet, I didn't doubt God's strength. But what I am now seeing is that God has brought all of us through this to grow us, to make us more dependent on Him, to draw Curtis and I closer together, to remind us of his grace. At the beginning, I thought the mighty thing God could do would be to heal Benjamin of his deformity. I now see that God did immeasurable more than I asked or imagined with the work He has done in me and my family! To Him be the glory forever and ever!