April 15, 2007

• The action packer is full and locked, the suitcase is bulging like a baked-potato, last minute laundry is in the dryer and the packing is almost done. Pille will be leaving this afternoon.

  It's hard to believe she's been here over two months already. She's become like a member of our family ... life will seem so different when she is gone.

  The last couple of months have been focused on all of Pille's doctor's appointments, tests ... oh, and more appointments. That's been the priority ... trying to find out what is causing her to feel so bad. Even so, amidst all the necessary stuff, we've managed to stuff a lot of special times in as well.

  While in Alabama ...

  we introduced Pille to fried catfish and hushpuppies

  we enjoyed the fellowship of the people we had met at Camp Balchyoka, Estonia last year

  we relished in a few warm days and the beginning of spring, talked about life's important things for hours on end and spent many mornings just gazing at the beauty of God's red birds as they came to snatch a few seeds from the feeder outside the kitchen window ... we walked through Historic Florence and ate ice cream at the famous Palace Drugstore / Fountain

   

   

  we visited the home of Helen Keller (and saw the famous 'water pump' where Helen made her first breakthrough in sign language)

  

  we tried our hands at landing a space shuttle at the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center ... Pille learned how to sleep standing up

   

  Since returning from Alabama ...

  we've spent a special time of tears and laughter with Dustin's friends/commanders from the Army

  

  we've shared in Ethan's birthday celebration ... where he blew out his pretend candles because Grammy forgot to buy some

  

  we've celebrated with Jared as he graduated from Adventures in Missions ... what a proud moment for his parents. AND got to put our arms around a special friend, Lacy Ann, who we haven't seen in over 10 years

  

  we've stepped where dinosaurs tromped many years ago ... at Dinosaur Valley in Glenrose, Texas

  

  we've welcomed a new 'southern gal' into our home ~ Annabelle ~ a 6-week-old purebred Basset Hound .. the puppy of Brandi's dreams

  

  we've cleaned out flower beds (well, almost) and planted flowers ... we call it 'yard therapy'

  

  we've worked and worked for weeks and weeks on our Leadership Training for Christ (LTC) projects and participated on Easter weekend with over 1600 kids. What an amazing sight to see so many young people using their talents for God's glory. It was so cool to have our Estonia entries right there side by side with all the others.

  Kayli brought home 6 Gold medals, 1 Silver medal and 1 Bronze medal.

  Sorry, Estonia girls, can't tell you what you brought home ... that will have to wait until Pille arrives with all the awards ... and the results ~ smile. But, just so you know, in my book ... you all get a gold!!

  

  

  Kayli got a GOLD for this photograph

  

   a true 'cowgirl' has been created in Pille. She's been decked out in cowboy boots, a cowboy hat and has even got to go horseback riding. Best of all, she has been taught by the truest of Texans how to say 'Howdy Ya'll'

  

  we've celebrated Jared's 21st birthday .. hard to believe my baby boy is 21!

  

  been amazed by a spring TEXAS snow ... the first in recorded history for this time of year

  

  and ....

  laid in a field of Texas Bluebonnets ... evidence once again that God is a creator of beautiful and frivolous things!

     

  Pille leaves us with good news and bad news. The good news is ... the condition that she's been fighting for over 10 years, is NOT her heart ... we rejoice greatly for that. Her diagnosis is 'pulmonary hypertension'. In short, she isn't getting enough oxygen to her lungs. Unfortunately, the cause is undetermined. She will go home with some medication to help her with her fatigue and continue to look for further answers as to the cause of her condition.

  God has been so amazingly faithful through all of Pille's searching and seeking since she arrived in the States. He has repeatedly provided resources to cover all the incredible needs of her care ... doctors, contributions, kind words, circles of prayer. God continues to show her his amazing provision and to encourage those of us who are standing by watching.

  In addition, I've been reminded once again how precious and valuable the smallest gifts of life can be. It doesn't take long when you walk beside someone who is experiencing with the excitement of a child, so many things, for the first time ... new foods, new places, new people ... and carrying her little camera every where she goes to record every thing she sees and to photograph every plate of food she eats, so she doesn't forget.

  Lots of memories ... for her ... and for us. We will miss her!

   

  • 2:10 am
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