One year

Thanksgiving 2007

Thanksgiving 2008

My, what a difference one year and cranial surgery can make!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Not only is today Thanksgiving, but it is also one year since Benjamin got his diagnosis. How far God has brought us all!

My hope was to write several posts about all the things I'm thankful for, but that didn't happen. So, I'm just going to list several of the things that I am thankful for.

• I'm thankful for Benjamin's health. It hasn't been an easy road, but today, he is a perfectly healthy little boy! That's more than I could say a year ago.
• I'm thankful for God's protection and provision. He protected Benjamin during surgery and recovery. He protected us during several trips to and from Austin. He provided for all our needs... physical, spiritual, monetarily.
• I'm thankful for my parents and for Curtis' Dad and his Dad's wife Melinda. Their love, prayers, encouragement have meant so very much to us.
• I'm thankful for our siblings who have been there for us as we've walked this sometimes rough road.
• I'm thankful for our dear friends the Findleys, who have joined us in the middle of all our drama, including driving to Austin to be with us after Benjamin's surgery.
• I'm thankful for all our friends who have supported us with prayers, food, babysitting, listening ears, and just loving us in every way possible.
• I'm thankful for the Word, and how the Spirit has comforted.
• I'm thankful for Kenny, Lindsey, Adam and Andrew who helped, comforted and strengthened us by their faith.
• I'm thankful for Kris, Andria and Zak, who can related to our struggles.
• I'm thankful for the great medical care that Benjamin received.
• I'm thankful our church, who cared for us like family.
• I'm thankful for the people who stopped what they were doing to hold us, hug us, and pray with us.
• I'm thankful for prayer.

God has been so good to us! We have so much to be thankful for this year. Last Thanksgiving, we still didn't have Benjamin's diagnosis. We were still in a state of worry, confusion and prayer. And now look at where we are! It hasn't always been easy, but by God's grace we've made it.

Thank you again, to all of you who have lifted us up in prayer, who have encouraged us, who have loved us so well!

Thankful for Curtis

As I reflect on the people who have been there for me and our family as we've walked down this crazy road with Benjamin, the very first person who comes to my mind is, of course, Curtis.

From the moment he became a father, Curtis has been an amazing father! What an amazing process to watch him become even better at a job he already excels at, as we add more children to our family.

In the above picture, Curtis was telling me, "I know you can't tell, but I'm smiling! A lot!" Benjamin's birth was such a joyful day for us. Despite the surprise of the pregnancy, despite the post partum depression that we dealt with while I was pregnant, it was a wonderful day! Curtis was nothing sort of incredible during my pregnancy with Benjamin.Benjamin was a beautiful baby. Curtis and I spend the afternoon he was born, before all our company arrived, just staring at our beautiful new son.

During the really trying days, when Benjamin didn't sleep, when he cried for hours, without being consoled, Curtis was my support. I could call him, totally freaking out, and at the end of my rope and he had a way of making it better, of calming me in the midst of the most chaotic moments (and there were many).

Once Benjamin received his diagnosis, and we started down the road of surgery and recovery, Curtis was there for him and for me. There were days where I was so scared, so overwhelmed, and so angry, that emotions spilled out, and Curtis took it. We fought, we cried, and at the end of the day we were so thankful for each other.

Curtis, thank you for walking down this road with me. Thank you for calming me, for pointing me back to Christ. I look back at the past year, and I really don't know how we made it. But I know that the love we share has made it possible. Thank you for loving me, and our children so much!

Can you believe it's been almost a year?!

I was just going through a few old posts, from this time last year. This was about the time we were wading through the insurance mess, trying to find out what to do, what doctor to see, and praying that Benjamin didn't have this head "thingy" (I still didn't even know how to say craniosynistosis!). I spent as much time as possible reading up on this head deformity, taking pictures of Benjamin's head to compare to the pictures on line, praying, reading scripture, and just worrying.

My how long ago that seems!

As I look back, I am flooded with many emotions. But mainly, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness. I am so thankful for the protection that God showed Benjamin! To think how he was, and to see him now is like night and day. God lavished his protection, grace, and healing on Benjamin. I am so thankful!

There are also many people to who we are forever thankful for. As I begin to prepare for the holiday season, I'm going to take time to remember just a few of the people I am so thankful for. So, stay tuned!