Sunday, November 23, 2008

Prayers Answered....

Prayers are being answered...thank you to all of you who have called,emailed and facebooked us to tell us you are praying for Caleb. We have been so taken back by all of the people who have told us you were praying for him....we are truly humbled and forever grateful to each of you. God is answering prayers! Today is the first day in 12 days that Caleb has not run ANY fever...PTL! His fever was actually BELOW normal all day today... :) He is still very tired and coughing, but we saw glimpses of his normal self today and for that we are encouraged. We are keeping him home from school tomorrow to let him rest up. He complained today of his "side hurting" when he was up for a long period of time and he pointed to his right lower area where the pneumonia was. I am sure he will be sore for awhile and we really want him to rest to get his strength back. We also don't want to send him with his immune system not 100% and risk him picking something else up at school. He will try going back to school on Tuesday but no PE or recess until after Thanksgiving break. His lungs need to heal 100% before he can start doing lots of vigorous activities.
He is ready to get back to a normal routine. He is tired of being in the house for the past 2 weeks.
We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season. God has had his hand of protection over his little body and we are praising Him for that! Thanks again to all of you, our faithful prayer partners....we love you all....
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving this week and may we all remember to thank Him for His goodness in all of our lives......
Forever Grateful,
Ashley for Chris, Ally, Caleb and Anna Kate

Friday, November 21, 2008

Second Update on Caleb

Thank you for all your prayers for Caleb. When he went yesterday for the injections it went much better for him. "They didn't hurt as bad"..he said. I KNOW that is because all of you were praying for him....Today his fever hasn't gotten over 100 so that is great. He isn't sleeping at all at night because of all the coughing which has increased since it is all breaking up and he is having to cough it out. He is one exhausted little boy. He goes back today for the last 2 injections at 4pm. He has now been out of school for 6 days. He has LOTS to make up and we have been working on a little everyday but he is just so tired. I am praying he makes a huge turn around after today's shots. He just isn't his active self... :)
Thanks again for lifting him up in prayer....we will keep you posted........

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Update on Caleb

As of yesterday Caleb wasn't responding to the antibiotics that they had put him on orally for the pneumonia. Yesterday marked day 7 of high fevers up to 104. We took him in to the doctor yesterday at 4pm and they gave him two injections of Rocephin. He has to go back today for 3 injections and tomorrow for 2 more. PLEASE pray for him. He is a scared little boy. The injections are very painful and he is dreading today and tomorrow. He isn't sleeping well because of the coughing and fever. He is a very sick little boy and as a mom, my heart is breaking watching him have to struggle like this. If it could only be me instead of him.....Thank you for keeping him in your prayers.....it is SO much appreciated....

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Thank you for your prayers....

I wanted to write to say thank you to all of you who have been praying for our son Caleb. I do believe he is better and God's protection has been over him and your prayers played a big part in that. Caleb was diagnosed with pneumonia yesterday after running high fevers of 103-104.7 for 6 days. I had taken him into the doctor on Friday and they said it was viral. He started with the cough into day 3 of the fevers. I was listening to his lungs all weekend but never heard anything. He did not display the classic signs of pneumonia. The doctor saw him again on Monday, yesterday, and she didn't hear anything either, but I had asked her when I called that morning to please send him for bloodwork and a chest x-ray. They did...the chest x-ray picked up on the pneumonia. His white count was teetering on the edge of him needing to be hospitalized for treatment. We have him at home on oral antibiotics and lots of fluids and rest. He is to be out of school the rest of the week with hopes to go back on Friday. I am SO thankful that he is on the mend. He is a sick little boy, but he realizes the power of prayer and is SO appreciative of all the prayers going up on his behalf. Last night Mark Pratt came to pray with us and over him, and that spoke volumes into that little boy's life. He said to me after Mark was finished that that was "so nice" of him to do and for me to tell him thank you for him. (caleb had been asleep when Mark walked in, but woke up during the praying so he realized what was going on). Caleb said to me, "mom, am I really really sick? Am I going to die from this pneumonia?" I told him that God was protecting him and allowed us to get him the help he needed before it got too bad. It has been a life's lesson in teaching him about the power of prayer and healing in his life. God is SO good!

We SO appreciate all of you who have called and emailed us with your prayers, love and concern. We are SO very grateful for each one of you.

We are pressing on in this journey...through the many ups and downs and trials that come our way....praising the Lord in the midst of every one....For HE IS GOOD ALL the time!!!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Season of Brokenness in the making of Something Beautiful

A season of brokenness can feel like our undoing. One thing leads to another and soon, like a worn blanket, we start to unravel one thread at at time. God has reminded me during this season in Deuteronomy 7:9 that He IS merciful. He IS "the faithful God who keeps His gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands." He has been with me through trials and victories through defeats and resolutions. He has made a way for me through the difficulties. When I felt like I had to figure things out on my own, He quickly reminded me that I did not have to do that on my own. When I worried about everything, He QUICKLY reminded me not to worry and to give Him my burden. God's grace has sustained me as I have walked through this season of brokenness...this adjustment to our new life in Wilmington. A season of God breaking me and molding me into the person He desires me to be. A season of continually having to die to self and surrender to Him......I pray for peace and comfort daily as I face my brokenness and lean on Him for wisdom. Realizing that He makes ALL things beautiful and NEW in HIS TIME..... I am beginning to come out of this season and realize that God can use it to make something beautiful from it...as ugly as it was....God is SO good to me and I am truly humbled at what He is doing and will do. I believe that I had allowed satan to rob me of my JOY during this transition. God has restored my JOY and I feel like I am beginning to live with JOY again. Realizing the importance of His calling on our lives and coming back to why we are here in the first place....to reach this community for Christ. Less of me and MORE OF HIM.....

BIG God using little us.

Now 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, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20