I have just finished reading a book that has inspired and encouraged me with uplifting stories about real people! I love the way the book is broken out into different sections on different areas of life. The book is a compilation of Reader's Digest stories, with commentary and insight added by Stephen R. Covey. The book is well put together and is a great place to go to read true stories about real people.

The book is well put together and broken out into meaningful sections. These are just a few of the inspiriting topics covered.





Some of the sections (from the Table of Contents)-

Taking Charge-

• Responsibility
• Courage
• Discipline

Starting Within-

• Integrity
• Humility
• Gratitude

Creating the Dream-

• Vision
• Innovation
• Quality

This book is an excellent motivational tool. Knowing that the well respected Stephen Covey gives his commentary and insight made the book even more interesting to me. I love the fact that so many inspiring stories are together in one place for me to reference when I need to see how someone else handled trial or adversity. It is a great tool for me to use with my children, too!! I highly recommend this book. You must know that it is a compilation of Reader's Digest stories and not a new book written by Covey. He is a contributor. But,it is well done and worth having on your bookshelf!

While there is NO substitute for God's Holy word that He wrote for us, this book is a great secular tool for motivation and encouragement through the stories of perseverance in other people's lives.

I know, I know, I need to finish posting journal entries from Austin's surgery, but today, for this post, I plan on writing a book review. I just finished reading a wonderful little book titled 'The Noticer'. It was written by Andy Andrews.

It is a powerful little book all about paying attention to the little things in life and about gaining a proper, fresh perspective for any given situation you may be facing in life. This book is about a man who is a 'staple' in a small town in Gulf Shores, Alabama. He has been coming and going in and out of this town for years and years. No one knows where he lives, nor do they know when he'll leave or when he'll return. But, he always shows up at just the moment someone needs him.

He seems to have this amazing wisdom that really helps a person see their life, dilemma, problem, or grief, in a whole new light. I was intrigued by the characters in this book and by his unconventional wisdom. The author did an amazing job of giving the readers enough detail to allow us to empathize with and care about each character, and that is saying a lot. See, there are many different characters woven in and out of this little book and I grew to care about each one of them. I loved reading about them and seeing their perspective change once they spent time with this wise man. There are a few sayings that I took away with me that will not leave me. Some of them are:

• "There is absolutely no power in intention. There is no difference in the person who intends to do things differently and the one who never thinks about it in the first place. How often do we judge ourselves by our intentions while we judge others by their actions? Yes, intention without action is an insult to those who expect the best from you." (Italics mine)
  
• "Most people think it takes a long time to change. It doesn't. Change is immediate! Instantaneous! It may take a long time to decide to change... but change happens in a heartbeat!"
• "There are generations yet unborn, whose very lives will be shifted and shaped by the moves you make and the actions you take... tonight. And tomorrow. And tomorrow night. And the next day. And the next. No matter your age, physical condition, financial situation, color, gender, emotional state, or belief... everything you do, every move you make, matters to all of us-- and forever."
• "If you set your mind on loss, you are more likely to lose... But a grateful perspective brings happiness and abundance into a person's life."
  

Reading this little book helped me to NOTICE several things in my own life, and not all of them were particularly good. I found a bit of myself in more than just one of the characters in this book. I promise you that you will not regret reading this gem of a book! It blessed me tremendously and I have decided to pay better attention to the people and places around me and to gain some fresh perspective as often as I can!

Dear Family & Friends,

During the days right around Austin's surgery, we were unable to spend time on our laptops, and in a few instances, we were unable to even get internet access. So, since I couldn't update the blog regularly (in "real time"), I kept a journal of what we did each day, what we were feeling, and what we experienced each step of the way. Over the next few days, I will 'transcribe' this journal to an electronic format via blog entries. I kept this journal so that Austin can see it when he is grown and so that it will be a reminder to him of how faithful our God truly is! I also hope that it can serve as a reminder to him that he was very strong and courageous through it all. My hope & prayer also is that some of our friends and family will read these entries and find encouragement in them...

Because He Lives,

Joe & Cyndi

Today, we reluctantly left our comfortable, safe home and we headed for UAB Children's Hospital in Birmingham to get Austin ready for his shunt placement surgery tomorrow, June 10th. It was a long day that started at 6 AM, on the 9th, and concluded around 1 AM, the morning of the 10th. Though, we were busy and on the go from doctor's appointment, to anesthesia, to the lab, Austin never complained once. He was calm and peaceful and a joy to be around.

We had a 1 PM appointment at the neurosurgery clinic to see Dr. Oakes. This was our opportunity to ask more questions and to learn more about Austin's shunt placement surgery. We also completed an anesthesia consult and then went to the lab to have blood drawn.

The visit with Dr. Oakes went extremely well and helped answer a TON of questions for us. We were able to ask him more specifics about the surgery and we learned more about the placement of the shunt and he explained how it will work & exactly how they will place it in his brain. We also saw the actual shunt (a replica of the actual of course) and it amazed us that this will be placed into Austin's brain in less than 24 hours. WOW- modern technology is unreal! I found that it was a humbling experience to realize that we cannot fix this for our son. We need to trust our Heavenly Father and this talented neurosurgeon to 'fix' our son's brain. This put us in a place of complete and total humility like nothing we have ever experienced before.

We are trusting God's hand in all of this and we can see His provisions at every turn! It is unfathomable to me that He pre-destined this day and June 10th as well. He knew everything that would happen to Austin in these days and He has been there. So, knowing that our Heavenly Father, who loves Austin so much more than we do, has already seen what tomorrow holds, we know we can trust His heart, even when we can't see His hand! We would not have chosen this path for Austin, but we are earthly, imperfect parents with earthly eyes and a love for our children that wants them to endure as little pain as possible. But, our God knows the plans He has for our family and our son and we know He is faithful to see those plans to fruition, pain, joy, & all! We also know that He knows what will make us stronger and prepare us for what He has in store. So, we will go to sleep tonight, albeit for only a few short hours, trusting that He will meet us there, at that hospital, tomorrow!!

I have put together a video below of our day on Tuesday, including pictures of the shunt and some explanations about how it will work. I plan on updating the blog again tomorrow, and in the days ahead as well, with pictures and descriptions of each day, including the surgery day, and recovery days that we have in store.

The video is accompanied by one of Austin's favorite praise songs, "How Great Is Our God". It is so true, that we serve a Great God, so it is only fitting that this song is sung each time this video is played.

You will notice at the beginning of the video that both of our children were sleeping peacefully on the ride over earlier today. They didn't have a care in the world. They simply knew that they were with their parents, whom they trust to take care of them, and they rested peacefully along the way. They knew they were on a journey, but they trusted us and simply rested. Oh, how I need to "trust and simply rest" on this journey that I am on! How hard that is for me to do- trust and simply rest in my Father's loving hands!

I am going to sleep SOON! We need to get some rest before 'Surgery Day' starts early- at 3:45 AM. We are trusting HIM & blessing His name!

It has been since December, I think, since Austin has lost a tooth! WOW!! Those teeth are hanging on in his little head for dear life! I think 3 have been loose since that time. :) But, today, one finally met it's match. He lost his 3rd tooth today- on June 5th! And, he was SO PROUD!! After being a bit scared to pull it out, he actually pulled it out himself!! Way to GO!!

And, since we have this nifty new little gizmo called the 'Ultra Series Flip Video', I was able to capture it on video! What a day!! It was awesome to just pick up this little gadget and record away within seconds. I will have to blog about that little genius of technology over the weekend... we purchased it for the upcoming stay at the hospital and recovery time. Anyway, way to go Austin! And, in our home, that means that the Tooth Fairy is coming to town! Yep, I did it, I used the 'Santa Clause' song to sing about the Tooth Fairy! And, I sang it in my head while I typed. Well, since I have multiple jobs around here, one being that I stand in for the Tooth Fairy, I better get busy finding some cash! Enjoy the video....

Don't you just love your perfect little life and the perfect little world we all live in? Oh, and the way we all go around portraying, to some degree, that we have it all together and everything is perfect in our own perfect little wonderful worlds?

Come on, you aren't buying what I am selling? Really? OK, OK... I KNOW our lives aren't perfect and I know our world isn't perfect and I surely know that I am not perfect, but doesn't it often feel like we are all trying to go overboard to make everyone else believe that "all is perfect and easy and well" in our little corner of the world? Well, contrary to all of this perfectionism, I saw something so refreshing last Sunday that I just had to talk about it! Go with me there, in your mind's eye, while I tell you all about the "perfect" performance I witnessed...

Imagine that 7 or so people are on stage performing, leading others into worship. They are all working together in harmony to create a beautiful song, using whatever instruments are appropriate. They are following the notes written on a page, laid out before them. The notes were written on that page by a composer and when they are played, or sung, or chimed, or rung

• at just the right time...
  
• with just the right rhythm...
  
• with just the right tempo...
  
• with just the right cadence...

the sound produced is a beautiful song pleasing to the ear, sounding just perfect, flawless and wonderful!!! It is amazing to hear and beautiful and splendid and, well, if performed correctly, PERFECT! But, last week, I saw something SO much more beautiful take place before my very own eyes. Now, go back with me and let's imagine it a little differently....

These same 7 or so people are on stage performing. They are all working together in harmony to create a beautiful song, using hand bells. They are following the notes written on a page, laid out before them. The notes were written on that page by a composer and when they are rung at just the right moment, the music sounds beautiful. But, imagine that the song and the notes and the tempo are a little faster and stronger and quicker than most songs usually are. Imagine that the 'performers' (if you will) are caught up in keeping the time, remembering their notes, counting out for themselves in their heads, working so quickly to keep up and ring at just the right time... and then they get ahead of themselves (or behind) and they start to count out loud (*gasp*), they start to ring when it isn't their turn (*the shock*), they are ahead of the music and they know it, and so does everyone else.

Finally, their leader speaks, during a performance where no speaking is required! The leader says, "Oops... We messed up! It happens! Let's start over! We are sorry." In the sanctuary, you could hear a pin drop, they all take a breath, pause for a moment and then they start again. Their song starts anew and it sounds beautiful, in tune, in time, the ringing of each note at just the moment the composer intended!

Did you see what I saw? Did you witness what we so often do not see? Or did you miss it? I saw it and it made me smile. It gave me chill bumps actually and it caused me to be so proud of the leader , who happens to be one of my dearest friends! I saw someone being real and being honest and saying, in front of a room full of friends & family (sometimes the worst critics around), "Oops, we messed up! It happens! We are going to try this again! This is new to us! Okay, here we go!"

Jennifer, my dear, sweet friend, had the courage to say it. She had the courage to say, "We messed up and we need to regroup and start over." Well, start over they did and the music was beautiful, wonderful, magnificent and played perfectly! When the music was finished & the people were ready to worship, there was applause! Not half-hearted "it was just okay" applause, but real, genuine, "we loved it" applause! I was so proud of ALL them and they did a fantastic job.

But, what I was most proud of and what we see so little of these days is their honesty! They didn't try to cover up the fact that they messed up. They took their chance to lay it out there, take a breath, regroup, and start over. You see, those were the only 7 in the room even brave enough to get on that stage in the first place. So the way I see it, they were the risk takers and the bold ones in the room before even the first note was rung. The rest of us knew we would mess up and didn't even want to take that chance, so we sat comfortably in our pews watching and well, most of us can't read music anyway, myself included!!

My point is this... how refreshing is it to know that we can be honest and say, "Oops, it happens! I AM NOT perfect. I AM going to fail sometimes, but I AM going to keep trying and I AM going to get out there and give it my all!"

Am I being REAL? Are YOU being REAL? Are we getting out there and taking chances, realizing that nothing and no one is perfect! Take the chance to be REAL with people and you will see what a refreshing change that can be!! You will be amazed at the applause, admiration, & respect you receive at the end of the song you are singing called your LIFE when that life is lived with authenticity, realism, imperfection, & the ability to admit, "Oops! It happens!" Thank you Jennifer for the reminder that none of us are perfect and that is OK!

But, what I was most proud of was the fact that they admitted they messed up, they regrouped, and they went on with their performance, playing every last note! That is pure, real, genuine, & refreshing! How often do we mess up and hope no one notices because (*gasp*) they might find out we are NOT perfect! They might find out we don't know all the notes or we missed our cue to come in. Well, you know what, neither are the people out there you are trying to be "perfect" for! They mess up, too, every day and you just don't know it!! Don't be afraid to be real and live authentic lives!!

"Don't blink! Just like that, you're 6 years old and you take a nap, and you wake up and you're 25 and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife... 100 years goes faster than you think! So, Don't Blink...."

Those are not my words. They are a songwriter's words, but those words have found a place in my heart over the past year. Those words pretty much summarize how FAST the past 8 years of our lives have gone by... in a blink, in a moment, & much, much too fast!! And we don't see it slowing down any time soon!!

It seems that May 22, 2001 was just YESTERDAY and we were holding our daughter for the first time in our arms. Then, less than 12 months later, 50 weeks to be exact, to the day, we were incredibly blessed to be holding our son, on May 8, 2002. AMAZING!!

Then, we blinked and Austin is 7 years old today!! It seems that the older he & his sister get, the FASTER the years go by. I have really started to think about what we are doing with our days with them and with the precious, fleeting moments that we have together....

Are we teaching them...

• To love God with their whole hearts?
• To love others freely and purely?
• To laugh and play and to not take life too seriously?
• To appreciate each moment, each day, each memory?
• Are we showing them how you can love one another in a marriage completely, faults and all?
• Are we teaching them not to blink, so you don't miss a moment with the ones you love?

Austin, I pray that Daddy & I are teaching you & your sister the important things-- things that last, things that are eternal, and things that really, really matter- like family, friends, investing in others, & loving with your whole heart! We pray that you grow to be a strong man of God & a person who lives life to the fullest!!! We pray that we are teaching you to love freely, forgive fully, and follow after God with your whole heart!!

I am re-posting a video I put together for his 6th birthday last year. I am posting this because it is one of Austin's favorites and he loves this song. So, some of you have seen it before and for that, I apologize, but it gives a great glimpse into who Austin is. I hope you enjoy watching this short video, because I know we enjoyed living these moments with him. Remember, when it comes to your family, don't blink, because if you do, you will miss something and every moment with your loved ones is a precious gift!

Austin, we hope you have a blessed, HEALTHY year ahead of you son! We love you so very much! And, we are SO PROUD of the faith & courage you have shown over the past few months! Happy 7th birthday little man!!

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

How do you get from point A to point B? Sometimes the answer to that simple question is NOT so simple. Sometimes, you just don't know how you are going to get there, but eventually, with God's grace, you do. And then other times, you don't have the words to tell someone you care about, who is hurting, how they are going to get from point A to point B. That can be a loaded question. It was a loaded question for me the other evening while I was tucking my son into bed....

We were wrapping up our nightly routine... talking together, putting his favorite classical music on to play (Yo-Yo Ma), praying, and saying good night. This is when Austin asked me, 'Mommy, they ARE going to go through my mouth to put that shunt in my brain right?' I was stunned. I hesitated for a moment and then I realized that I need to give him an honest answer. So, I replied, 'No, son, that is not how they will put the shunt in your brain.'

He just stared at me and then he asked the loaded question, 'Then, mommy, how will they get it in THERE? How will they get the shunt in my brain?' My heart broke for him. He has been FINE with this surgery for the past week or so, but that was when he thought they were going through his mouth to get there. But, that was before.... BEFORE he realized they will have to make incisions in his brain to get there & BEFORE he realized that it might be more painful than he originally thought. (Have you ever been okay with a plan or something you were going through until you realized it had become more painful that you thought it would? I know I have!)

So, after I gathered my composure, and I finally found words, this is how our conversation went:

Me: 'Son, they will make 2 cuts in your brain so that they can put the shunt where it needs to go.' (His eyes almost popped out of his head!)
Austin: 'Really, mommy? They will cut me 2 times in my head?'

Me: 'Yes, Austin. They will. They are great doctors and this is how they put a shunt in someone's brain.'
Austin: (Sitting & thinking with his finger on his chin, looking somewhat puzzled... can you picture it?) Then, 'Mommy, this IS the part where I will be asleep, right?'

Me: 'Most definitely son, you WILL be asleep for this part. This is the surgery part.'
Austin: 'Mommy, where will you and Daddy be when they make those cuts? Will you be in the room with me and the doctor?'

Me: 'No, Austin. The doctors will have you in the operating room by that time. They don't let mommy's & daddy's go into the operating room. We will be with you until they wheel you back there and we will be there when you wake up. I promise you we will be there.' (My "mother's heart" was breaking for him at this point.)
Austin: 'Hmmmm.... I wish you and daddy could be back there with me in the... what was that called... the operating room?' (He sat and thought for a moment or two and then he spoke words that melted my heart!)

Austin: 'But, that's OK mommy, I know I will be alright. God will be with me in that room and I bet He will have angels in there too, to watch over me and to protect me.'

I didn't have words....

All I know is that it took the words of my 6 year old son to remind me that when we don't know how we are going to get there from here, ask God and He will not only accompany us on our journey, but He will be there waiting for us on the other side!! And, if we are truly blessed, He will place angels in our paths to watch over us on our way! I was reminded that many of you are angels in our family's path helping us get through this time!! Thank you for being there for us! We love you dearly!

I included a picture of Anna Grace & Austin with the World Of Coke Bear from our weekend outing 2 weeks ago! :0)

Yesterday, on April 21st, we visited the office of Dr. Jerry Oakes, a pediatric neurosurgeon, for the first time. Before we left that doctor's office, we learned that we will be visiting him at least once a year for the rest of Austin's life...

Dr. Jerry Oakes was honest, kind, and straightforward, but he had to deliver the news that Austin does, indeed, have hydrocephalus. Simply translated, 'hydro' means water and 'cephalus' means brain. He has 'water on the brain' that is not draining away from his head as it should. We found out that our bodies make 1 quart of cerebrospinal fluid per day. Our brains (mine & yours) drain the fluid off, but Austin's does not. Dr. Oakes asked several questions to alarm us. Among those questions, he asked:

• Is he developmentally delayed in school?
• What did your previous neurologist say?
• Are you sure you didn't see symptoms before February 4th of this year?
• Does hydrocephalus run in your family?
• Are you his biological parents? (This one was the kicker!!)

He asked all of these questions because he was simply shocked that we hadn't seen problems and symptoms in Austin before now. He said that the brain MRI images he just reviewed do not match up to a healthy 6 year old boy with only a few symptoms over the past 3 months. He was very surprised. That alarmed us, but then we realized this: God's touch on Austin's life is the only reason we haven't seen all of the problems that the doctor was asking about!! Only a supernatural, powerful, loving, gracious God can explain Austin's 'normal' health, given the swelling in his brain!

So, we had a talk with the doctor and asked many questions and listened to all he had to say. His recommendation and the best course of action is to put a shunt in Austin's brain. The shunt will be permanent and life-long. We will need to monitor it and he will have yearly check-ups with the neurosurgeon to insure that the shunt is still doing it's job. His surgery is scheduled for June 10th in Birmingham at UAB Children's Hospital. We will go over on the 9th for pre-op, lab work, and an anethesia consult. Dr. Oakes will make 3 incisions to perform the procedure- 2 in his skull/brain and 1 in his stomach. This 3 inch shunt along with tubing that runs internally down into his stomach will drain the fluid off of his brain for him.

It was a surreal day, but we know God is in control and He has gone before us EVERY step of the way so far, and June 10th will be no different. We know our God is going before us even now to prepare us for Austin's surgery and recovery.

Again, Austin broke everything down to 2 things that mattered to him. Let me share with you our experience when telling him about his upcoming surgery...

During the day yesterday, after we found out, we were careful not to let Austin see me (mom) cry nor let him hear us call family & friends to tell them what is going on. We decided to tell him last night about the surgery, after he asked us to please tell him what is going on. Joe explained the events of the past few weeks very simply and told him that the doctor we met today will perform surgery on his brain to fix the problem. Austin's first question was: 'OK. Daddy, hold on, will I be put to sleep for this surgery so it won't hurt and I won't feel anything?' Joe, of course, told him, 'Yes, son, you will be asleep so it won't hurt.' Austin was good with that and was perfectly fine to keep listening to his daddy explain things.

Then, Joe told him, 'Son, you won't feel well when you wake up and you will have to stay in the hospital overnight or for several nights.' Austin looked shocked & a little concerned and immediately looked over at me and asked, 'Where are YOU gonna be?' To that, I answered, 'Son, I am going to be right beside you, sitting in your room or I will be in your bed with you holding you if you need me to. Daddy and I will both be there in the hospital room with you the entire time.' Once we assured him of these 2 things, he was fine. He had no more questions and he is 'good' with the fact that he is having surgery in 7 weeks. Amazing!!

I am thinking to myself, 'Where ELSE would we be son but right by your side or holding you while you hurt or helping you while you are sick or scared? We wouldn't ever let you go through this alone, son.' I was surprised he asked that question, but he did.

And, then it hit me, how many times have I asked my Heavenly Father that question just before descending into a valley in life or while I was in the middle of a difficult or gut-wrenching time? How many times have I asked my Daddy, my Abba Father, 'Hey, where are YOU gonna be while I go through this very difficult time?' or how many times have I asked, 'Where ARE you in this mess Lord?'

And how many times did my Daddy, my Abba Father speak to my heart and say, 'I am going to be right beside you supporting you! And when the journey gets very painful and very tough, I will hold you and carry you through!' Don't you know He wonders why we continue to question Him during these times? Just like I couldn't believe Austin thought his daddy & I would be anywhere else, neither is my God going to be anywhere else but walking with Joe and I and carrying us through this valley.

I asked my Heavenly Father this afternoon, 'Where are YOU gonna be, God, on June 10th?' And His response was loud and clear, 'I am going to be right there with you my child and I will carry you through if it gets too painful!'

Austin's simple faith and simple belief system allowed us to see how BIG our God is and how faithful He is when we are facing a valley. Whatever valley you are facing, I challenge you to go ahead and ask God, 'Where are YOU gonna be?' I bet I know His answer...

We awoke at 5 AM this morning, after very little sleep, to take Austin to the hospital for his MRI. The morning went very smoothly, much better than we expected, thanks in most part to many prayers going up on Austin's behalf! Thank you all SO MUCH for your prayers for Austin & our family today!! Many of you have encouraged us more than we can begin to say.

Austin did GREAT this morning during the entire process of being put to sleep, going to get the MRI, and waking up. He has not done well before waking up from anesthesia, so we were very anxious about that part. He did very well and only felt rough for about the first 25 minutes when waking up, but he was calm. By the time we had been back home for about 1/2 an hour, he was back to himself. We could sense the prayers going up on his behalf the entire time! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Also, we did receive a call from the doctor late this afternoon with the MRI results. Again, God has gone before us and prepared the way. He is faithful that way you know!! Though they DO still see the fluid build-up and pressure on his brain in 3 ventricular areas, the MRI DID NOT reveal any large mass or obstruction that could be causing the fluid build up and pressure. The doctor said that they saw nothing additional on the MRI to alarm them, other than a confirmation of what we saw last week. So, we are praising the Lord for that bit of good news!! Hallelujah!

Right now, we will wait 1 week before we see the neurosurgeon next Tuesday (04/21) at 10 AM CST in Birmingham. This is when we will find out more about our next steps and whether those steps include surgery to put in a shunt. Though we still do not have all the answers or reasons why, we are one step closer to finding out a resolution. And, our God already has ALL of the answers. We must simply trust His heart when we can't see where His hand is leading us. (Easier said than done sometimes.)

We are so grateful for amazing family and friends to lift up our son in prayer, as if he were your own! We love you so very much!! You are surely undeserved blessings in our lives! God is good all the time and all the time God is good! We will continue to wait on Him and praise Him while we wait. We indeed serve a God who can still move mountains!!

Over the course of the past 8 weeks, Austin has had episodes of throwing up and not eating and feeling rough for a day or so at a time. These 'episodes' couldn't be explained by a stomach virus or food poisoning or anything like that. We couldn't figure out what was causing them, other than a 6 year old getting sick occasionally. But, he has thrown up more in the past 8 weeks than we have seen in 3 or 4 years.

So, we took him in last week to check into it. The pediatrician recommended an eye exam first because she noticed something that alarmed her with his eyes and tracking things in his field of vision. His full eye exam last Wednesday showed that his eyes were fine. He doesn't need a prescription nor did they see any problems. So, the next step, before checking the stomach area and GI-related issues was a CT scan. That was scheduled for yesterday at T.C. Thompson's. We FULLY expected it to come back normal and then move on to the next test with a GI specialist. Well, we were shocked to get the abnormal results back. The CT indicates that there is increased pressure on 3 ventricular areas in his brain, meaning that fluid is building up and sitting on these areas causing pressure. His brain/body is not draining the fluid as it should. This is what could be causing what has been happening with him over the past 8 weeks. This has to be investigated further with an MRI and then a consult with a neurosurgeon in Birmingham, AL.

Our pediatrician scheduled an MRI for us at T.C. Thompson's. Then, they called the specialist in Birmingham to set up that appointment as well. His MRI is scheduled for next Tuesday, April 14th at 6:30 AM. It will be an 'MRI w/ anesthesia' since he is so little. They didn't have an appointment open until July, but our Dr. called and urged them to fit him in on their 'emergency cases' day, which is Tuesday of each week.

Then, they set up our first consult with the pediatric neurosurgeon in Birmingham, Dr. W. Jerry Oakes, for the following Tuesday, April 21st at 10 AM. He will review the CT scan images, the MRI images, as well as see Austin and then he will tell us what our next step is. We don't know what that step is yet. One possibility the doctor mentioned yesterday was placing a shunt in his brain to drain off the fluid. Needless to say, we were alarmed yesterday to get this news, but we have ALREADY seen God move in this situation and we see God's hand ALL over the situation in so many ways. We also found out yesterday that he has strep AND bronchitis. Poor child!!!! Bless his heart!!

Rest assured that we know God is in control and that His hand is all over this and He loves Austin much more than we do! So, while we wait, which is VERY hard for us- the waiting and not knowing is SO difficult- we will trust God's hand in all of this. As several of you have said to me in the last 24 hours, God was not surprised yesterday! He knew this was going to happen and He has made a way already. We just can't see it yet, which is the hard part for us. Austin's spirits are great!! If you ask him, he will tell you this:

'They took pictures of my brain yesterday and they need to do something to fix it and I am going to be fine! I have had surgery before and they just put you to sleep and it doesn't hurt when you wake up.'

He was singing the praise song 'Blessed Be Your Name' by Chris Tomlin yesterday when we got in the van RIGHT AFTER the doctor's appointment. That is SO GOD!! He was singing, 'You give & take away... so my heart will CHOOSE to say, Lord blessed be your name!' So, his spirits are great! To look at him, you wouldn't think there is a thing wrong with him!! Praise the Lord for that! We will be at the Easter morning service with bells on and Austin will be singing a solo with his sister. So, we will rejoice in spite of our uncertainty. We will continue to claim Psalm 91, which talks about 'abiding in the presence of God'.

Thank you for your time in reading this update and our family would covet your prayers right now for Austin's health and for our peace.

I have been 'absent' from 'bloggyville', as my dear friend, Shana, calls it, for just over a month now. I realized I have missed it. I have much to catch you up on, but today, I will start with this tribute to my husband. (I hope I still have a few friends out there who will actually read this.)

My dear husband joined the '40's club' this past Monday, February 9th. We had a wonderful party full of fantastic friends and we celebrated for sure! But, given that tomorrow is Valentine's Day and his birthday was this week, I took an idea that is running a muck on FB (this stands for FaceBook, if you have been hiding under a rock for the last year and didn't know that) and decided to adapt it to Joe, my husband of 14 1/2 years.

25 Things I love about you Joe....

1. You are my true love and my soul mate.
2. You are my best friend and you know me like no other.
   
3. You are STILL my best friend even THOUGH you know me like no other.
4. You mailed me love letters about 3x/week during my last quarter at UGA. VERY romantic! (My roommates began to HATE going to the mailbox thanks to your letters.)
   
5. You have stood by my side and held my hand through some VERY TOUGH times.
   
6. You didn't give up during those times and you are very strong!
   
7. You make me laugh so hard that my stomach hurts and tears come to my eyes.
   
8. You are a wonderful provider for our family and you work very hard in your 'day job' to provide for us.
9. You are a wonderful daddy to our children.
10. You are the one I always want to spend my free time with, unless I get to go away with my girlfriends!! ;) (Just kidding, honey!)
    
11. You and I share a love of music and we both love to sing, dance, and listen to many kinds of music.
12. You love to spend time with the 3 of us playing games, watching movies, laughing, and just being silly!
13. You love to cook and cook great meals for our family.
    
14. You treat Anna Grace (& her mommy) like a princess.
15. You are teaching Austin to respect his mommy, others, and to be a gentleman.
    
16. You take care of us when we are sick.
    
17. You pray with our children (& sing to them when I can't be there at bedtime).
    
18. You listen to me when I need someone to talk to or cry to or complain to.
19. You have a contagious laugh that you somehow passed on to our son. I love to hear my boys laugh!!
    
20. You are a good friend to our friends. You would be there for them at the drop of a hat. You have a big heart and you care a great deal about others.
21. I have a great deal of respect for you and I am so very proud of you.
22. I feel safe when you hold me and I feel that I am protected from this cruel world!
    
23. I love that I get to spend the next 40+ years with you, my best friend, the Lord willing!
    
24. ILY... IWY... INY... and I am SO glad I said YES to our first date 15 years ago last month!!
25. And, most importantly, you love the Lord and are a wonderful leader for our family.

So, there you have it- my 25 things about Joe! I am humbled and amazed at God's grace, mercy, and favor on our family. I am amazed at what we have endured and I am hopeful, prayerful, and excited about our future as a family! I love you my friend and soul mate. Don't ever forget that.

Love,

Lou

• This is the first Christmas that our children were able to pick out a gift for each other. They so loved doing something special for each other. It was wonderful to watch them focus on giving instead of getting.
  
• This Christmas, we laughed a lot and we laughed together and we laughed LOUD. Austin's laugh, especially, is infectious when he really, really laughs! It was refreshing and such good medicine for our souls.
• Anna Grace was a little soldier in the DTD's annual performance of the Nutcracker. She had the most fun and did a GREAT job AND she was able to get a date night in with daddy since mommy was terribly ill with a stomach virus for her 2nd night of performing. She LOVED having a date with daddy.
  
• This Christmas is the first time my daughter realized that I not only pick out and buy hers, Austin's, and daddy's Christmas pj's, but I also pick out mommy's Christmas pj's. She was so amazed that I do all the shopping and pick out all of the presents that she offered to pay for MY Christmas pj's out of her own money and she insisted that once they were wrapped, the gift would be placed in her room. Then, she and Austin would present it to me. It REALLY, REALLY touched me to see her moved (to the point of spending her OWN money) to give back to me, her mommy.
• Anna Grace wrote Santa a note and made special gifts to give him. I will have dedicate a post to that one subject very soon. It was precious. We left the gifts and the note with the cookies and milk. And, we woke up on Christmas morning to find that he ate the cookies, drank the milk, took the gifts she left, wrote a note back to her AND left them presents under the tree. She was THRILLED that he wrote a note back to her! She was almost more excited to see his note back to her than to see her presents!! (Remember, I did say 'almost' :) )
  
• Austin and Gracie were a joy to watch on Christmas morning! We woke up to Anna Grace singing... 'Wake up! It's Christmas! Wake up! It's Christmas!' They couldn't wait to be with mommy and daddy and share this special day together. They savored each moment of that day and they were so grateful for each gift that Santa brought. Austin even commented that, 'Santa brought me extra mommy! He brought more than I even asked for. What a nice Santa. He really didn't have to do that!' This simply made my heart smile!! :)

That last memory above, can't you just picture God, our Heavenly Father, saying that to us each morning, 'Wake up! It's a new day I made for you! Wake up! It's a new day I made just for you!'? Don't you know that our God is THAT excited to see us, hear us, and commune with us each morning? He can't wait to see us get up and see what the day holds, what He has in store, and what He created for us and around us! I pray that we value that and make the most of that in the new year! He is so in love with us, His creation, the imperfect, simple, small creatures that we are! But, He is our Father and He can't wait spend each day with us! Try to remember to spend time with Him today and in the New Year ahead!! He may even bless you 'extra', more than you deserve, which is what we call in our house His AMAZING GRACE!!

I have posted some pictures below of our CHRISTmas together! I hope you and yours had a beautiful Holiday season together and I pray you experience His joy, peace, and many 'extra' blessings in the new year!!

Well, I couldn't let an entire month go by without posting.... I have had this nagging feeling that I REALLY need to post over the past week and I figured that tonight is the night... And, I have several ideas on things I want to write about, so look forward to several posts over the next few days... IF I have any readers left!! (I love all 4 of you!! :) )

We have had some exciting things happening in the Rogers home over the past month. One of those exciting things is Austin losing his first 2 teeth. He has desperately wanted to lose his first tooth for over 6 months now. His two front bottom teeth have been lose for over a month, but he wouldn't let me pull either one. (Daddy's not one for pulling teeth, so that is a 'mommy' job that I take very seriously in our home.) So, I tried one morning before school and he cried out, 'Ouch mommy! Don't do that!' (I had barely even TOUCHED him!) So, being the kind mommy that I like to think I am, I stopped 'torturing' my son and left him alone. Let me reiterate for those of you still reading... it was SO LOOSE it almost FELL out!! Almost FELL OUT, I tell ya!!

THEN, since it was a school day, he heads out the door to school with a full mouth of teeth... and he comes home that afternoon with 1 LESS TOOTH!!! (GASP!!!!!) I couldn't believe it. I asked him how his tooth came out, figuring it MUST have fallen out during lunch or something since he wouldn't dare let ANYONE PULL OUT that first tooth!!

Oh NOOOOOOOOO........ Mrs. B. pulled out his first tooth. What? Did I hear that correctly? His 1st grade teacher pulled out his first tooth? Yes, I heard it correctly! Then he tells me, and I quote, 'Mommy she KNOWS how to pull out teeth better than you do. It didn't hurt. She pulled straight up!' Are you kidding me? The tooth was practically ready to jump out of his mouth!

Well, I survived that 'stab to the heart' and tuned back into he and his sister's conversation when I heard, 'I think I will ask the tooth fairy for $10! And I think I will get it.' Boy, the child MUST have his dad's modesty and humility. :) (Just kidding Joe.) I had to laugh at that one. Well, he did only get $5 from the tooth fairy and then he lost his 2nd tooth 1 week later, and that one was pulled by none other than, the ever popular MOMMY! YES, my dignity and pride were restored! I was able successfully pull out the tooth of a 6 year old without causing irreparable damage. :0)

(I DO want to thank you Mrs. B. for taking care of things for me on the first one.) Really, Mrs. B. is an AWESOME teacher and we are so blessed to have her this year. Austin thinks she hung the moon. And, I think he believes that Mrs. W. (his Kindergarten teacher) taught her HOW to hang that moon. He loves those 2 ladies.

Anyway, he was so proud that he finally lost those 2 teeth!! I was so happy for him as well. It made my heart smile to see him proud. I have included pictures below of my son's first 2 lost teeth. Enjoy!!

And ALL the time GOD IS GOOD!!

We say that so often, that many times, when we hear someone else start to quote it, we finish it for them. We say it, but do we truly believe it? Do we truly believe that our God is good ALL the time? What about when...

• We are hurting?
  
• We see a friend hurting, or losing a job, or going through a divorce?
• We lose a friend, due to moving away, or a disagreement of some kind?
• Our spouse is under persecution at work?
• Our children are hurting or struggling and we can't 'fix' it?
  
• When someone we love dies and we ache to see them just once more?

Is God TRULY good during those times? I say YES, not just a tiny, little yes, but a gigantic, huge, resounding YES! Now, I wouldn't have said 'Yes!' 9 years ago, or 5 years ago, or 4 years ago when I was going through some very, very tough things in my life at each of those times. But God is so good to keep loving and guiding us even when we are so foolish and even when we are so angry at HIM for messes we created or for situations that simply hurt us. He amazes me, that God of ours,... His patience, love, grace, mercy, and sovereignty over us and for us! It is quite UNREAL! No, really it is!!

This week, He has shown me that He works ALL things together for GOOD for those who are called according to His purpose and His will. Even though we see things as hard or heart breaking or down right terrible, He is working all around us to bring those events, heart aches, moments of anger, tears, even death to GOOD for those who love HIM!! I saw that today and this week in more ways than one...

• I saw an answer to a prayer that Joe and I have been praying for almost 3 years now. He answered it TODAY right before my very eyes!
• I saw a broken friendship beginning to be reconciled and healed in a way no one would have seen coming! And, this too, happened right before my very eyes!
  
• I saw words spoken, put on a human heart by a powerful God, bring down walls that had been built so high that I wasn't sure they could come down!
  
• I saw a co-worker blessed beyond words at a ministry that I take for granted in my work place.
  
• I saw a friend's heart open up to hear the gospel and listen for the first time ever, right before my very eyes!!
  

You see, I saw Him, our BIG, HUGE GOD, that we try to put in a small, teeny, tiny box work things together for GOOD!!!! Do you hear me my sweet friends? Now, I am not saying, that over the coming years ahead, I won't falter, and I won't question, and I won't cry and ask why! I am SURE I will do all of those things. BUT, you see He showed me today, on November 14, 2008 that there is a reason we call Him....

• El Shaddai - "God all sufficient" or "God Almighty"
  
• Adonai - "Master"
• Elohim - "Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty & Strong"
• Jehovah- "I am who I am"
• Jehovah-Ropha- "The Lord who heals"
• Jehova-Jireh- "The Lord will provide"

Those are fitting, amazing names for our Almighty Heavenly Father, but the one He most likes to hear, I believe, is 'Daddy'. We are like little children in His eyes. And, today, my Daddy, your Daddy, showed me how BIG He is and how much He loves me and how He has been attending to all of these circumstances all of this time and I didn't even know it!

So, the next time you hear someone start out saying 'God is good....' finish it for them, with them, with much joy and excitement in your voice and then remember this, that's your Daddy they're talking about!!

God is good ALL THE TIME and all the time, GOD IS GOOD!!!

And the award goes to.... me and 5 of you lucky blog readers/girlfriends out there, if I still have 5 left-- blog readers that is! (I know I have 5 friends left, but I am not sure they still read my blog!) :) I know, I know, I have not posted in over 3 weeks, so there is NOTHING to read... that is CRAZY!! I think I hear the 'blog police' sirens NOW!! :) October has been crazy busy and I have been sick a couple of times too, including RIGHT NOW!!! (I digress....)

But, nonetheless, a childhood friend of mine, Trina, blessed me with this award, so I am going to answer the questions on the questionnaire and then tag 5 of my girlfriends who blog so that they can be blessed as well. The questionnaire questions are below:

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood?

Yes & No is my answer. I have a few close girlfriends that I still keep in touch with from childhood. We moved around a lot, which was hard for me. I made new friends wherever I went, which is part of the reason I don't meet a stranger today and I am not the least bit shy! But, I am reconnecting with many of my childhood friends on FaceBook. It is GREAT to see where they all ended up and to see that many of them still love the Lord! That is awesome.

But, I DO have 1 childhood girlfriend who has stayed close and who has endured all of the moves with me, as well as all of the boyfriends, squabbles, church retreats, summer camps (@ Ridgecrest, NC), high school, sappy movies, sappy songs, college, getting married, and finally becoming a mom! Her name is Karen Shaw and she is one of the most wonderful women you will ever meet! I have such AWESOME memories of growing up and MANY of them, if not almost all of them, include Karen! I can't imagine growing up without her. She is such an awesome blessing from the Lord and she was given to me at such a young age!! I didn't even know how much she would bless me over my lifetime, and she still is blessing me to this very day!! And, through FB, I am able to be blessed by several other awesome ladies who I grew up with in church, like Trina T., Tonya L., Sharon L., Cindy B., & Meg G.

2. What do you value most about your friends?

I value their uniqueness and quirkiness. I value their love for the Lord! I REALLY value their ability to make me laugh, even on the worst day. I value that I can be silly with them, laugh out loud with them, or be crazy and let loose with them! I value that I can cry in front them or say something totally absurd in front of them and they still love me and they don't pass judgement. I value that they are real and transparent with me, even when it hurts sometimes. I value that they are such beautiful women, both inside and out!! I value that they would be at my home at 3 AM if tragedy struck, no questions asked!! I value that they pray with me and for me. I value that they all bring different viewpoints and opinions into my world and they make me think. I value that they each love their family and their friends passionately! I value that our precious children are growing up together!! I value that they are my true "HIDERS"!! I value them so very much and I don't tell them often enough how truly special they are to me!!

3. Are your friends your sounding boards?

YES!! They are!! Are you kidding me??!! You can ask Shana, I usually will ask them their opinion and input on almost any topic. Yes, I take it to my Heavenly Father and I pray, but sometimes, a victory, or a big decision, or just something that happened in the middle of an ordinary day needs to be shared with them or talked through with my girlfriends! They are awesome sounding boards and many times, it takes a long time to listen to me and a lot of patience! They are awesome at doing both-- listening and having patience.

4. What is your favorite activity to share with your friends?

A girls' night out, a girls' weekend away, or a great bible study evening where we worship, get in His word, study, praise, and then pray!

Now, I am passing this on to 5 friends...

1. Jennifer J.
2. Shana F.
3. Tammy H.
4. Terri R.
5. Meleia B.

-- NOTE: There are several more ladies who I would like to tag, but I was asked to only tag 5. So, that's where I stopped. I know these girls will get you 'tagged' as well!! :)

(I will go to your blogs girls and post comments so that you will know you have been awarded!!)

Have a blessed day my sweet sisters in Christ who are some of the best friends a girl could ask for!!

I think I have been tagged by 3 or 4 people at this point (Terri, Kellie, Tammy F.), so I figure I better go ahead and post this before I get tagged again and then enters the possibility that I will be chased down by the 'blog police', if there is such a thing. :)

So, I'm IT for now and quite frankly, I don't know who HASN'T been tagged in my blogging family, but you can be SURE I will tag you!! :) (See the bottom of this post to see if you are one of the lucky TAGGED persons!!) The rules say that I list 5 things about these 5 things that are about me. And, then I have to "tag" 5 people. So, here it is folks....

The Five Tag

10 Years Ago I:

1. Was a newlywed of 3 1/2 years
2. Had just purchased our first home, which is still our current home! :)
3. Drove a white Ford Explorer
4. Was 19 years old, and amazingly 9 years ago, I was STILL 19 years old!! ;)
5. Didn't appreciate how much FREE time we had when it was just the 2 of us!!!

5 Things on Today's "To-Do" List:

1. Go by the grocery store
2. Spend some time in my Daniel bible study and some much needed prayer time with my Father!
3. Make brownies for Austin's class at school & bake a cake for someone's birthday at the office.
4. Prepare for a meeting I am conducting Wednesday afternoon at 2 PM.
5. Pick up Gracie & Austin from school and commence some of my jobs- see 5 jobs I've had below.

5 Snacks I Enjoy:

1. Chips & Salsa & Cheese Dip (especially from La Altena in Cleveland)
2. Homemade chocolate chip cookies
3. Plain Popcorn or Caramel pop-corn drizzled in white & milk chocolate
4. Homemade Rice Krispy treats (eaten while they are still a bit warm)
5. Chips & Dip

(I KNOW, I KNOW... none of those are good for you, but it said 'snacks I enjoy', not 'healthy snacks I have to eat'!)

5 Things I would do If I were a millionaire:

1. Pay off our house and give it to a family who needs it and then start building a new one!
2. Quit my "day" job and spend all my free time with my husband and children!
3. Pay off houses for our family & help friends financially.
4. Give generously to our church's building fund & to charities, such as March of Dimes, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, & Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research.
5. Travel, travel, travel with and without our children.

5 Places I have lived:

1. 4506 Chamblee Tucker Rd.
2. 137 Tamara Ct. (in Athens--- one of the BEST college towns EVER)
3. 129 Buckingham Dr.
4. 2705 Dug Gap Rd
5. 217 Vineyard Dr.

5 Jobs that I have had (or still have today in some cases):

1. Systems Consultant for Hewlett Packard
2. Senior Systems Analyst for Shaw Industries
3. Chief Activity Planner and Homework Coordinator @ Rogers Family, Inc.
4. Executive Laundry Specialist/Consultant @ Rogers Family, Inc.
5. "Best Mommy EVER" (a direct quote from my "employers") to 2 wonderful children & wife to 1 fabulous husband @ Rogers Family, Inc. (By far my very favorite AND most challenging job ever! I think this one counts as 2!!)

5 people I am tagging:

1. Jennifer J.
2. Erik & Angie
3. Justin
4. Trina (friend from childhood) She is SUPER sweet & has a great blog for home school moms!
5. Tamara

So, the 4 of us were having some great family time last night before bed. We were reading some books and then each talking about our day and playing our 'worst/best' game... (we talk about the worst part of our day and the best part of our day. It is OK to not have a worst part of your day.) It is great... you should try it at home one evening if you haven't ever done this!

Anyway, my son proceeds to tell me about the worst part of his day and he says he has had a bad day and it just wasn't a good day at school and he seems rather intense about it. So, I ask him a few more questions, to dig a little deeper you know, and to see what happened at school and finally we get to the root of the problem:

"Well, mom, my brain just hurts from all this thinkin' that I've been doing for almost 1 and a half years now in school!'

Did you read that?? HIS brain hurts??!! We couldn't laugh out loud just yet (didn't want to squash the child in him that still tells his mom & dad everything), but I was thinking, 'Come on! Are you kidding me!?? YOUR brain is tired??!! Think about how mom and dad feel!' So, I kept those thoughts to myself, like any good mom should, and I said simply, 'Son, you have a GREAT young brain and you are good in school. Are you telling me that your brain hurts from thinking so hard in school every day?' He says, 'Yes, mom, that about sums it up! My brain hurts from all this thinkin'!'

At this point, I did laugh, we all 4 did, as I hugged my youngest child, and told him that he needed to get used to this "thinkin'" thing, because he is good at it and he will be doing it for a VERY, VERY, VERY long time, like his dad and I have been doing! At this point, my oldest child chimed in and added, "Yeah, look at mommy. She has had to think for 29 whole years now!"

THIS is the moment when I realized I am SO proud of my babies! My son is one analytical thinker and my daughter is a GENIUS at math!! ;) Friends, haven't I TOLD you what a wonderful school my children attend!!?? They have fabulous teachers at that place!

Here's to all of this "thinkin'" all of us moms (& dads) have to do on a regular basis! And, here is my prayer...

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for filling our lives SO FULL of BLESSINGS that we get to THINK about a lot of STUFF each and every day!! But, God, can you help us out when our brains hurt from all of the thinkin' we do, especially those of us who are moms? Give us the courage we need to lean on YOU to do some THINKIN' for us when we are out of brain power, so to speak!! THANK YOU for giving us your Holy Spirit to do some of the thinkin' FOR US! Save us from ourselves when we aren't thinkin' straight!!! And finally, Lord, continue to bless the minds, hearts, and spirits of our little ones as they begin to think for themselves and learn and grow in your word! AMEN!

I pray heaping blessings on your heads today my dear friends!! And I pray you find rest from "all of this thinkin'" for your tired brains!

(I have included a few pics below of our cat, Sam. In a couple of these pictures, he looks like I feel after a lot of thinkin'!! I also included a picture of the kids with my niece and nephew- my brother's 2 children.)