Anniversary Giveaway!

July 3rd made one year for us officially on the waitlist for Easton.  

It also means we began this whole crazy adoption process two years ago . . . it seems to have flown by and crawled by at the same time!

These milestones are just that . . . not the end, just stops on the way.  Rather than lamenting how long the journey has been, we have the chance to look back at two years in process and one year on the waitlist and give thanks.  

If you look at any of the tabs above that give details about our adoption story, one thing becomes crystal clear . . . God has been and is at work for our good and for His glory.  

We have so many reasons to give thanks.  He {the God of the Universe} has spoken to us {an incredible thing that we often take for granted} in amazing ways to guide our steps, strengthen our faith, stretch our faith, test our obedience, and reveal more of Himself to a family who doesn't deserve to know Him at all.  He has provided every penny we've needed and blessings upon blessings that have gone above and beyond our needs.  He's been so close by the Spirit, through the Word, and through the Body as we've struggled in the wait, always gently reminding of His perfect plans that cannot be thwarted.

So we give thanks to the only One worthy and we continue to wait with much anticipation for the revealing of our precious son!

But that's not all!  We've got another major milestone happening this week . . .

July 12 is our 10 year anniversary!

I can't believe it has been 10 years.  I couldn't be more grateful for the man God chose for me, undeserving as I am for such a blessing.  I loved him when we got married, but I couldn't have anticipated the depth to which our love would grow in a decade.  Maturity, times of loss, times of great joy, kids, ministry, and most importantly, growth in our intimacy with Christ has created a love between us that is far greater, deeper, solid, selfless, and joyful than I could have ever imagined.

So to celebrate these two anniversaries, I'm doing a giveaway!

The prize is something that puts the focus on the root of why we have a thriving marriage 10 years later and why we have joy in the {long} wait for Easton . . . the Word of God.

There is absolutely nothing that has strengthen my intimacy with God and therefore strengthened every other area of my life like consistent, daily, worshipful time in the Word.  God has spoken, delighting to reveal Himself to us.  The Word transforms hearts and lives.  It is living and active, absolutely relevant to what we face in this broken world each day.  Through the Word we are equipped for every good work God has prepared in advance for us to do.  In the Word we are sharpened and refined, humbled and astonished by grace, strengthened in faith and convinced of Truth.  The Gospel is clearly proclaimed and this is a Gospel we need to preach to ourselves each day.

So I am obviously really thankful for the Bible, but my depth of love and gratitude has increased over the last few months because of one thing . . . memorizing Scripture.   

Having your daily bread in the morning is so good, but memorizing the Word is like having a constant feast before you all day.  

I can't even tell you how blessed I have been since I started memorizing in April.  Knowing the Word has protected me and sustained me, but has also readied me to be willing and able to share the Truth at a moment's notice.

I wrote a few months ago about the giveaway that I won with all the materials for a Scripture memory system.  It might not be for everyone, but I have loved it! 

 

{I'll give a basic explanation, but if you want more details you can go to my friend Shauna's blog which has a video with all the details.}

You have a box with a Daily tab, Monday through Friday tabs, and a tab for each day of the month {1-30}.  You write a verse {or verses, chapter, whatever you choose} on a notecard and it first goes behind the Daily tab.  You work on it each day until you've got it.  Then you move the notecard to one of the Weekly tabs where you'll review it once a week.  Once you feel like it is down deep, you move it to one of the Monthly tabs where you will review it once a month . . . forever!

So here's how it will look each day . . .

On the morning of my anniversary {Friday the 12th}, I'll work on each notecard that is in the Daily tab.  Then I'll review each notecard behind the Friday tab.  Then finish by reviewing all the notecards behind the 12 tab.

Make sense?  It is a simple system, but has been so good for me.  I need structure and routine, but enough flexibility to make me not get overwhelmed.  I usually have one longer passage and one or two shorter ones that I'm learning daily and I don't add another daily until I move one of those to a weekly tab.  I try to push myself, but not get so piled up that I'm jumbled and frustrated!

A big thanks to my friend, Mandi Eastwood!  She read my blog in April and not only got the materials for herself, but also got an extra of everything so I could do a giveaway!

So here's how the giveaway will work . . . Just comment on the blog or on my facebook with one of your favorite verses that you've memorized.  Easy as that!  I'll keep a list of everyone who comments and use random.org to choose the winner.  

I'll announce the winner on Friday . . . what a great way to start my anniversary! :)

Praying for your Pastor

Confession:  I never prayed faithfully for my Pastor . . . until I was married to him. :)

{This is the spot where my Pastor proposed 10 years ago!}

I wasn't that I didn't appreciate my former pastors or realize to some extent that the ministry is intense.  I just didn't think about it.

But now I live with it.  And let me tell you . . . until you do, you can't fully appreciate just how intense it is and just how much intercession matters.  

So I'm just gonna throw it out there . . . an encouragement and challenge to be on your knees {faithfully and frequently} for your Pastor.

The life of a Pastor is a constant battle ground.  His heart, his mind, his faith, his marriage, his relationship with his kids, his time engaging with his flock, his time in the Word and prayer,  his time in sermon prep {especially Saturday nights and Sunday mornings} . . . a war rages all week.

Why?  Because the faithful and bold proclamation of the Word of God has the power to transform lives.  People are born again as the Gospel is preached.  Followers of Christ are continually transformed as they grow in intimacy with Jesus.  Sin is revealed as we hold our lives up to the Word.  Grace is overwhelming as we hear of what Jesus has done on our behalf.  Lives are radically changed as we are yielded to God's purpose for His people . . . to glorify Him by making disciples of all nations.

There is great potential for transformation through the Spirit when the local Body gathers together to worship Christ and hear the Word preached.

Understandably, the enemy doesn't like this at all.  If a Pastor is faithfully feeding the sheep, the wolves will come.  I've only been the wife of a pastor for 5 years, but I can tell you that the evil one hasn't eased up on his attacks yet and I don't expect that he will.  The life of a Pastor is a constant battle ground.  If Satan can entangle him in sin and self, he will have with one swoop affected the whole flock. 

Here are just a few of the temptations Pastors can face . . . Every. Single. Week.

1. exaltation of self

{This is tough because we literally put Pastors up on a platform, give them a microphone, and put all eyes on them, but don't want them to be exalted instead of Christ.  What a weekly battle they face!  I pray for Chad this quote by Robert Murray McCheyne, "I see a man cannot be a faithful minister, until he preaches Christ for Christ's sake, until he gives up striving to attract people to himself, and seeks only to attract them to Christ."}

2. the desire to please man instead of God

 {Paul says in 2 Timothy that a time is coming "when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth."  I doubt you want your Pastor to be one of those kind of teachers, but know that there are some who want just that.  A Pastor has to fight to measure success by his faithfulness and obedience to God instead of by how pleased people are with him.}

 3. balancing his time . . . engaging with his people during the week, administrative work, sermon prep, prayer . . . discerning how to best spend each moment is a weekly battle

4. the weight of standing before the flock {and before God} with a message from God

{I saw David Platt put on facebook yesterday this quote from John Knox, "I have never once feared the devil, but I tremble every time I enter the pulpit."  Preaching is intense, y'all!}

5. the temptation to go through the motions without growing in his own personal intimacy with God, without continual transformation, without submitting his own heart to the Word he will preach 

 6. the temptation to isolate

{We can forget that the Pastor isn't the Head of the Body . . . that is Jesus' role.  The Pastor has a specific role WITHIN the Body.  As part of the Body, he needs the same things that we all do . . . sharpening, encouragement, accountability, friendship.  If people expect their Pastor to somehow not struggle with sin and are shocked when he tries to confess sin and be held accountable, then a Pastor {and his family} can easily be resigned to just walk their faith journey in isolation, which is a dangerous road where sin can end up reigning in their lives.}

7. insecurity and the fear of man 

{Chances are a Pastor is not living up to someone's expectations in pretty much every area of his ministry.  If his eyes are focused on this reality, he can be insecure in all aspects of his ministry.} 

Like I said . . . a war is raging in the life of your Pastor and the enemy is not letting up!  Let's commit to being those who intercede, who take up arms and fight right beside the men who faithfully proclaim Christ each week!

I've been memorizing Psalm 138 to pray for Grayson, but on Saturday night I felt a strong leading to pray it for Chad as he prepared his heart to preach.  I'm not saying you have to, but if you are looking for something specific to pray for your Pastor, maybe you could start with this!

I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.

Pray that your Pastor will be overwhelmed with God's grace in his own life.  Pray that from his humbled heart, full of gratitude for his salvation, praise will flow and that he will worship in Spirit and in Truth.  Pray that his mind will be focused on the character of God revealed in the Word and in Christ.  Pray that the motive of his heart and the aim of his preaching will be that the name of Christ and the Word of God be exalted.

I'll just say one more thing from personal experience . . . if when you do pray for your Pastor, tell him!  It is so encouraging for him {and his family} to be reminded that he is not alone in this battle.  Especially when God gives you something specific to pray on his behalf, let him know how you are interceding . . . it is probably an answer to prayer or exactly the temptation he is facing.  Hearing from you will strengthen his faith in knowing how God sees and provides for him in the battle!

What do you pray for your Pastor?  How do you remain faithful in interceding for him?  Pastors and Pastor's wives . . . what are other areas of the battle that can be lifted up?

Summer Fun

There is nothing like your firstborn getting ready to start kindergarten to make you acutely aware of the shortness of summer.

I know some of y'all with kids at home who are normally at school are wondering what in the world I am talking about ... summer is loooooong. :)  I'm sure I'll be changing my tune in a year, but for now I feel like the day when my baby girl heads off to school without me is hurling toward me.

So this summer, we decided to be a little more intentional about making memories together.  It is awful to end up feeling like you've wasted precious time so I've been determined to make the most of these few months.  

Enter:  Summer Fun List.

 We sat around one of the days that Chad was still home {but not in a pain or medicine fog} and came up with these ideas together.  It shouldn't take you long to guess which ones Ava added to the list. {anything involving sugar!} Or be surprising that our first one checked off was to make smores . . . over the grill in the middle of blazing hot June!

I'm looking forward to getting the whole list checked off by August 21 when life gets turned upside down!

Since we're on the topic of summer fun, I thought I'd share a yummy recipe that is especially great for summer.

Hummus Veggie Wrap

whole wheat tortillas {I like the Whole Foods ones best}

hummus {I could eat Sabra Roasted Pine Nut hummus with a spoon!}

fresh lemon juice

tomato

cucumber

red onion

lettuce

{When I do something I like, I do it that way every time.  I'm weird like that.  So I'll give a step by step that is delicious and you can feel free to change it up!}

Spread hummus all over the tortilla.

Sprinkle lemon juice over the hummus.

Slice the tomato and put over half the tortilla.

Put sliced cucumber on top of tomatoes.

Sprinkle a little more lemon juice on cucumbers then add pepper on top.

Put sliced red onion on top.

Add romaine lettuce on top {not in the pic because you wouldn't see anything else!}.

Fold over and enjoy!

We love this wrap and seriously eat it for lunch at least 2 or 3 times a week.  It has no meat, but is super filling.  Chad even asks for it now!

 And just in case you needed a little more cuteness, here's a few more pics of my little loves . . .

 Ava and Grayson are actually playing together a lot more now. {translation:  Grayson will actually be still long enough to listen to what Ava wants him to do!}  They are getting creative together and it is such a joy to watch!  This is their "bunk bed" which kept them busy for 30 minutes. :)

Grayson is hilarious, especially now that he is talking and pretending.  This is him being a "mower."  The backpack is a blower and he uses the strap to pretend to blow the grass off the sidewalk.  He even makes the noise as he waves it back and forth.  And the hat is a necessity {you'll never see a landscaping guy without a hat on!}.  So cute!

Swinging and a picnic lunch at the Botanical Gardens

What are some of your favorite summer fun activities?

Adoption Update

An adoption update is long overdue.  It hasn't been that there is nothing to share, but with all that has been going on, I just haven't had the words or the energy to write until now.

I never gave our May waitlist number {88} because we got it right before the surgery and I was freaking out focused on that front.  Little did I know that I had missed my last chance to share our waitlist number. 

We received an email from AGCI a few weeks ago letting us know that they would no longer being giving families an updated waitlist number each month.  They aren't changing their process so we are still on a big list, but we just won't be getting that number anymore.  Essentially the process is so slow and complicated by lots of factors and parameters that the waitlist number can be a little misleading and lead to confusion and discouragement.  I get that.  A countdown is good, but when your number is still huge, it isn't as exciting as you'd think it would be.  And when your number is small, you could be on the edge of your seat for months, freaking out each time the phone rings . . . not great either.  {So if anyone has a great idea of what to put on my cute little chalkboard in the kitchen that previously chronicled our countdown, let me know.}

The slowdown in a nutshell is because like anything in our world, corruption can come into something beautiful and screw things up.  Thankfully AGCI is an ethical and trustworthy agency and has an amazing team in Ethiopia committed to doing things above reproach.  Because other agencies and orphanages aren't as ethical, there is a slowdown while US and ET authorities try to sort out and get rid of corruption.

AGCI also opened up a few possibilities because of the long wait . . . switching programs, concurrent adoptions, and letting your paperwork expire until you are closer to receiving a referral.  It is good they are looking at the timelines realistically and giving families a little more freedom in the meantime.

However, none of these options are something we sense God leading us to at this time.  Since we are still high on the list, we might normally be open to letting our paperwork expire, but I knew the list of families open to HIV was smaller and so I thought we should keep our paperwork updated so we'd be ready for a referral at any time.  

We don't have access to the details of families on the list, but I only knew of a couple of families in front of us open to HIV.  I decided to email our caseworker just to see if she would give me an answer as to exactly how many open to HIV were ahead of us {I was thinking 2 or 3}.  

Seven.  Not gonna lie, that email was like a punch in the gut.  {Now before you freak out at my selfishness . . . Of course I'm thrilled that so many families are open to a positive child.  I love it.  These kiddos need families and access to life-saving medication.  I'm thankful for how families just like ours are obeying God's call to be open to little ones that some in our world would disregard.}

But the difference between three and seven in the adoption world could be months and even years.  So there was some excitement, but quite a bit of discouragement too.  {And you have to cut me some slack too because I got this email right after Chad had come home from the hospital and I was exhausted and he was in all manner of pain and my kids were probably going crazy and it was all just too much.}

So what did I do?  I sadly did what many a woman before me has done when faced with a delay in her plan . . . I began to manipulate.  {Think Sarai and the whole Hagar episode.}

I found a moment alone and began to think of ways to fix it.  My train of thought went something like this . . .

We could leave AGCI and be matched with a waiting child with HIV in no time.  No . . . we would lose all the money we've already put in and we can't do that with everything that friends and family have sacrificially given.  We could do a concurrent adoption.  After all, we've already talked about adopting again one day.  Maybe another little one will come before Easton instead.  No . . . that would require another $30,000 that we don't have.  Maybe we could do foster-to-adopt since there is such a great need in our city.  No . . . AGCI won't let us do that while waiting.  Maybe I could just get pregnant again and have another little one before Easton even comes home.

And that's when God snapped me out of my craziness.  I had let my mind go so far down the track without realizing that the Holy Spirit had gotten off the train several stops back.

God whispered . . . When did the goal become just adding another child to your family?  Doesn't matter who, doesn't matter how . . . just get a kid in our family as quick as possible.  When did you trade in My perfect plan for this idea?

Ugh.  Thankfully I wasn't in that pit for long, but it was sobering to see the road that a little discouragement could send me running down.  I confessed.  I repented. 

And then I did what I predicted two years ago would need to happen at some point . . . I went back to when God spoke.  

This is an excerpt from my very first blog post announcing that we were adopting . . .

We know it will be a hard journey and we want to be able to look back and know that we heard God speak and were led by Him alone. To combat the desire in us to figure it all out and to pursue options that would be quicker, cheaper, etc., we committed to just spending time in daily prayer asking God to teach us, refine us and show us our next step.

Boy did He speak! In the last week, God has given us some clear answers.

What we know for now is that we are to adopt a son from Africa!

God spoke in incredible ways that we were to pursue adopting a little boy from Africa.  Months later God refined our call to adopt an HIV positive little one.  

This reflection gave me a fresh resolve . . .

Until we hear Him speak again, we will continue down this road for as long as it takes to see God's plan fulfilled.

{That's an easy sentence to write, but a much harder reality to walk.}

 I was strengthened and renewed by returning to our call, but it still weighed heavy on my heart as to why I was so thrown out of whack at the thought of our adoption taking even longer.

Then the other day God used my kiddos to reveal to me my heart and error in thinking.  

Ava said to Grayson, "I'm 4 and you're 2 so I win."  {She just might have a bit of her mama's competitive nature in her!} I said, "Ava, you are making a race out of something that isn't one.  Of course you are older, you were born first.  It isn't better, it's just how God planned it."

The words had barely left my mouth before I was humbling my heart.  I have looked at friends start the adoption process after us and already have their kids home and somehow have felt like they have won and I've lost.  I've turned this journey into a race so that every month waiting feels like a hurdle in my way and every victory for another family feels like defeat.

  
What a mess I've made of such a beautiful thing.  Of course our friend's have already welcomed their little one home . . . it was God's perfect plan.  Of course Easton isn't here yet and there are seven families in front of us and it could be years before we see his face . . . it is God's perfect plan.

And if I can't trust in His perfect plan, then what can I trust?  Walking in faith . . . that is what we are called to . . . even when it is hard and we can't see and it hurts.  So back on the journey {with the Holy Spirit this time!} and looking forward to more of how God will refine my heart and our family through the journey to our precious Easton!

So there you have it.  {Now you know why I haven't had the energy to write it all out!}  It is humbling to be honest on here for anyone to read, but I don't want to be anything else.  I don't have it all together.  I don't always wait well.  I worry and manipulate at times instead of trusting.

But I am seeking my Father through it all and I can still hear His voice that brings me back to quiet waters and green pastures.  His Word reminds me of His faithfulness to His promises . . . always.  The Gospel proclaims His great mercy and grace lavished on me.  Where else can I go?  I will trust in Jesus.  Praise be to His Name! 

Missionary Training

We have a missionary in our family.  

Her sending date:  mid-August.  

Her sending agency:  Us.

Her destination:  Lusher Elementary School.

Her next two months:  Training for the field.

{Ava ready to be a flower girl a month ago.  How is it possible that my girl is old enough to go to school?} 

The past year has taken us through the craziness that is applying to public schools in New Orleans.  We applied to three of the incredible public schools in the city, all of which are open enrollment to anyone in our parish.  They each have a lottery since there are way more applicants than spots.  It was time consuming and a little stressful . . . and we trusted in God's sovereignty from the beginning . . . I can't imagine the families that are desperate for their child to get a good education and are just hoping to get lucky.

We went through all the lotteries and Ava didn't get it any of the three.  And we were fine with this.  We signed her up to go to Arthur Ashe, which is 3 blocks from our house and started buying uniforms.  

Then, two weeks ago, we got a call from Lusher.  Because of Ava's good score on their assessment test, she had been #2 on their waitlist.  Even so, we didn't expect her to get in because people don't typically give up a spot at such a great school.  We were shocked to hear them offer Ava a spot.  We took a few days to pray about it {the weight of this decision was more overwhelming than I expected}.  

We are confident after much prayer and wise counsel that God has opened this door for Ava to learn at Lusher and for our family to intentionally make disciples in the Lusher community.

We have talked with Ava about the fact that she will be a "missionary" at Lusher.  Don't worry . . . we're not heaping pressure on her.  But we do want her to understand that God calls us, even her, to be intentionally making disciples as we go about life, in all areas of life.  We want her to get a great education, but that is not our greatest goal for her life.  We want her to see {and we've got to show her} that her place at Lusher is for a purpose far greater than just her education.  Our family will now have the opportunity to encounter other families, students, and teachers who may not have heard the good news that Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

As you know, missionaries don't just get thrown on the mission field.  They go to training first.  Intensive training.  Our great friends JB and Liz have been at training the last few months before heading to Africa.  Ava has been faithful to pray for them as they prepare {she always prays for their language learning, which they haven't even started yet!}.  

This morning the Lord opened my eyes to the fact that we are her sending agency, but don't yet have an intentional training plan for Ava to prepare her for going to school.  

{The catalyst was a nightmare last night about Ava's first day of school.  I'm still having the "can't get my locker open" nightmares and I've been out of school for 14 years!  Now evidently I get to have them for my daughter too!}

So I spent time this morning praying and thinking about how to best use the next two months to prepare Ava for school.  Now here me . . . it isn't like we have never talked to Ava about Jesus or don't read the Bible with her.  We do.  But it is a whole other thing to think specifically about what Truth I want to make sure is hidden in her heart and mind as she steps foot in a whole new culture.

Our plan for now is to focus each week on one of the "I AM" statements of Jesus recorded in John.  {If anyone has any craft ideas or illustrations for any of these, feel free to pass it on!}  

Ava has also been very interested in my Scripture Memory System and has asked for one for herself.  It might be a little much for her, but since she's asking, we're going to give it a try. {She is a firstborn who loves structure and routine so it just might be perfect!}

That's a start, but I'm writing this because I know I'm not alone.  I know there are families who have already walked or are walking this road and have priceless wisdom to share.  And I know I'm not the only mama who would be grateful for practical ideas and insight for intentionally discipling our kids to be a light for Christ at school!  

So this is where you, my friends, come in!  I would love some wisdom, advice, and sharpening to be shared here!

What are some of the verses that have been most beneficial for your children to have memorized to deal with what they encounter at school?

What teachings from the Word have you focused on that have been practical and encouraging for your children?

What things have you intentionally done to prepare your little one's heart for engaging with children and teachers who don't know Christ?

As school begins, what do you do to keep the big picture in mind of making disciples . . . for your child and for your family?

What are the best ways that you have connected with teachers and parents that have opened doors to share the Gospel?

 Please share!  Life is so much better in community {even online community!} where we can spur one another on in our faith!

Three Week Recap

I'm gonna start off by apologizing . . . I blogged about this huge thing happening in our life, asked for prayer, and then haven't written an update in three weeks.  My bad.

In my defense, there has been a lot going on {understatement of the year} and I have updated facebook quite often, but I realize now that not everyone who follows the blog and has been praying for us are my friends on facebook.  I'm sincerely sorry for the silence!

Day of Surgery

It is hard to even write this because May 8th seems like it was months ago and honestly that whole day is like a blur to me.  A very amazing blur, though!

Chad had to be at the hospital for 5:30 am and had the chance to pray with his mom for a minute before checking in, which I think put both of them a little more at ease.  Even at such an ungodly hour, we already had friends starting what would quickly become our takeover of the surgery waiting area.  Chad's surgeon asked me the day before if I would have any support during the surgery {bahahaha}.  I assured him that I would probably have a village worth of family and friends by my side.  I was right.  :)

From 5:30am until 10 pm when Mrs. Tina was finally done, we had somewhere between 40 and 50 people come by to truly be the Body for our family.  I don't have words for the impact this made, not only for our family, but on others in the waiting room and on our coordinator and surgeons.  {Mrs. Tina's surgeon came out at 10 pm to speak with Mr. Boone and was shocked to still see at least 20 people waiting with him . . . he said we definitely win the award for the most support!}

And that is just the people who were able to physically come to the hospital.  There were literally hundreds of people who were calling, texting, and sending facebook messages that they were interceding on our behalf.  Again, I can't explain how crucial this was for us to make it through an incredibly long and emotional day.

At one point during the day, Lisa and I {best decision EVER to have my bff there to care specifically for me . . . she rocked it} started playing a game to bring a little distraction.  I mentioned that I felt guilty that I wasn't praying each moment, but I just couldn't go there emotionally.  I felt like I was one small step away from completely losing it and focusing my mind on what was really happening in the OR would certainly push me over the edge.

In wisdom, Lisa reminded me that I didn't need to feel guilty . . . prayers were constantly being lifted up.  The Body was stepping up to do what I couldn't in that moment.  I don't know if I've ever been more grateful for God's design of His Church and the fact that we are truly unified to each other by the Spirit.  

So for those who interceded on the day of the surgery and in the days since . . . thank you!

They expected the surgeries to take 5-6 hours, but both ended up being more like 9-10 hours.  This made a long day even longer and caused a little more anxiety as we waited.  Thankfully our coordinator, Jeanne, came out every few hours to give us an update.  At the end of the day, the surgery went perfectly!  Chad and his mom were both transferred to ICU.  Then the real journey began. :)

Mrs. Tina's Recovery

Chad's mom was so sick going into surgery, maybe sicker than we all realized, which has had a drastic impact on the timing of her recovery.  Honestly, we've realized that some of our expectations on what her recovery would look like were not realistic and have caused some disappointment and concern.

Before the surgery, the doctors told us that when a recipient wakes up, up to 90% of their previous symptoms might be gone and they would feel better than they had in years.  This was the picture we had in mind.  

In reality, this is very true internally.  Mrs. Tina's new liver is functioning perfectly and all her liver numbers {except bilirubin} look great.  Her bone marrow is producing blood again.  Her swelling is far less than before.  There has been a drastic change and many previous symptoms are gone.

What we weren't prepared for was that it would take three days for her to wake up from the anesthesia.  We weren't prepared for her to experience so much confusion once she finally woke up and even still three weeks in to her recovery.  These things are evidently normal because of the fact that she was in liver failure, which had already begun to effect her brain.  The doctors haven't been overly concerned and assured us from the beginning that these issues would go away in time.  The problem was that we didn't really expect them in the first place so they hit pretty hard.

Mrs. Tina spent 5 days in the ICU before she was able to be transferred to the TSU {transplant step-down unit} and actually moved into Chad's room right after he was discharged.  Her liver numbers continued to be good, but her bilirubin {the level that makes you jaundice} was still high and actually began to increase.
  

The doctors ordered a scope and found that some of the bile ducts in the liver were blocked, which was causing the bilirubin to remain high.  They put stints in the blocked ducts and expected her numbers to drop immediately.  This didn't happen and the doctors were honestly puzzled.  Mrs. Tina's bilirubin was at 18 {1 is normal} and the doctors planned to do another scope last Thursday to check for more blockage.  We called out for prayer because we desperately didn't want her to have to go through another scope.  She would have to be sedated again, which would mean another few days of her just trying to really wake up instead of being able to move forward in her recovery.
  

We prayed and God answered!  Mrs. Tina's bilirubin began to drop so the scope was postponed.  It has continued to drop and is now, just a week later, at 6.4!

She has been more alert and able to start focusing on standing and walking, which is no small task when you've been so sick and weak.  The other main focus in her recovery right now is eating.  Mrs. Tina wasn't able to eat as she struggled to really wake up, so they have used a feeding tube the last two weeks to get her the nutrition her body needs to recover.  Now we are really encouraging her to start eating . . . and offering to bring her anything she's craving!

Walking and eating are the two main milestones she needs to reach before she can be discharged from the TSU and moved into an apartment near Ochsner.  She'll remain there for a couple of weeks so she can be close to Ochsner in order to get frequent lab work and doctor visits.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed, called, texted, and visited to support Mrs. Tina in her recovery.  Also thank you for continuing to encourage Mr. Boone and Mrs. Tina's parents as they care for her.  It is overwhelming and exhausting to be strong and care for your wife and daughter and they have truly been carried by your prayers!

Chad's Recovery

Not. What. We. Expected.

Seriously, we were way off.  We expected abdominal pain.  We expected fatigue.  

Our expectations were more like "forced down time" and less like the "Man Down!" that we've experienced. :)

The hardest parts of Chad's recovery have been the peripheral issues that we weren't really prepared for . . .

The fact that the morphine Chad was given in the 48 hours after surgery made him itch until he was literally going crazy {and me with him}.  The second night, I had to scratch him to sleep.  All. Night. Long.  We were only two days in and I was sure I was about to have an emotional breakdown because I physically couldn't stand by his bed and scratch his back for another minute.  

The unbearable shoulder pain that evidently comes from them having to pull on his ribs and move things around during surgery.

The constipation.  I'm not going to go into detail, but if you've talked to Chad you've no doubt heard about this battle . . . during surgery he evidently lost the filter between his brain and his mouth and has been oversharing . . . my apologies!  All I'll say is that I've never prayed for poop so much in my life.  And after a week of intense pain, I've never rejoiced over poop like I did then!

The nerve pain in Chad's arm that sent us to the ER in the middle of the night because we thought he had a blood clot or was having a heart attack.  Nope, just the fact that his arms were in one position during the 9 hour surgery and his nerves were damaged.  Might have been nice to know!  This pain took days to go away and made it hard for Chad to even think, much less sleep.

The insomnia . . . brutal.  And if you've experienced insomnia, you know that this can be the thing that pushes you over the edge.  Chad's body needs so much rest in order for him to recover so to be so exhausted, but unable to actually sleep is just too much.  This has produced frustration and anxiety in Chad in the last week and has really taken its toll.  {But it is 10 am as I type this and Chad is still asleep . . . Praise the Lord!}

To top it all off, Chad and I both got food poisoning at lunch on Sunday.  Thank the Lord my parents were in town because they cared for us and the kids for two days while we struggled to rejoin the land of the living!  Food poisoning is awful as it is, but can you imagine throwing up three weeks after your abs have been cut in half?  Miserable.  

Then of course there is still the abdominal pain and extreme fatigue like we expected. :)

 And to wrap it all up with a nice little bow of heartbreak, we've had this conversation 200 times a day, every day . . .

Grayson:  Daddy pick me up?

Chad:  No buddy I can't.

Grayson:  Daddy's bobo hurting?

Chad:  Yep, my bobo still hurts.

                                            Grayson:  Awwwww. {Shaking his head and often with tears.}

Grayson has finally decided that sitting next to Daddy will be sufficient for awhile!  The kids have been such troopers through all of this, but it has definitely taken its toll on them.  They miss being able to wrestle with Daddy and be picked up.  They love having him home, but it almost makes it harder since he hasn't really be in a place to engage like normal with them. 

Chad is recovering well, but as you can see, the past three weeks have been so much harder than either of us anticipated.  But God has been so gracious so see us through . . . giving me the strength to care for Chad {and two kids} and giving Chad the strength to push through the hard.

I had memorized Colossians 3 the month before the surgery and now I know why!  Verses 12 - 14 were my constant prayer as I fought the flesh that threatened during exhaustion and discouragement . . .  "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."

God has been most gracious through using His Body as His hands and feet.  Our faith family has loved us well.  Meals, playdates, grass cutting, prayer, encouragement . . . we couldn't have made it without this service and love.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed and continues to intercede on our behalf and serve our family!

It is still just absolutely amazing that doing a living liver transplant is even an option.  I didn't realize this until after the surgery, but Ochsner is . . .



We believe it!  Chad and his mom have received the most amazing care through this entire process!  The surgeons, doctors, nurses, and everyone in between have been outstanding and such a great support to our whole family.

This was our request as we headed into surgery three weeks ago . . .

Please pray that as the Body of Christ loves and serves us in sacrificial, radical, and practical ways, the watching world will ask "Why?".  And when they do, pray that we will have the privilege to share with many the life changing Gospel that gives us Hope even in pain and uncertainty and is the fuel for the way the Church is loving us!

This prayer was answered!  God did provide many opportunities for us to share with people in the hospital about the God who led us to this point, the Great Physician who we trust is in ultimate control, and Jesus who gives us the strength to endure.

One of my favorite moments was coming to Chad's ICU room the morning after the surgery.  He was so out of it from the morphine!  He was trying so hard to share the Gospel with his nurse, but said that all he could get out was a slurred "God loves the world!"  I love this man!

Thankfully we've had many other chances {without the drug fog} to write notes of appreciation to  those who've taken such good care of Chad and Mrs. Tina, to bring baked goodies to the transplant team, and to proclaim God's goodness to anyone who will listen!

Again {I know I sound like a broken record} THANK YOU to everyone who has walked with us on this long journey!

Surgery, Recovery, & Prayer

I've been meaning to write more details about this journey since I wrote the first post about Chad's opportunity to donate part of his liver to his mom.  And now it's the day before the surgery and I have a to-do list 10 miles long!  

Honestly, most of it won't get done.  And surprisingly I'm okay with that {shocker to you who know how much I love scratching things off a list!}.  Instead of cleaning and organizing, Chad is currently on an adventure walk with our two cuties, we spent all morning with them playing in the pool, and their Daddy is picking them up for hugs and kisses as many times as possible. :)

But in the middle of our last "normal" day together for a while, I did want to give some more details to the hundreds of you who have been praying and encouraging us already!

Tomorrow is the big day!  I can't explain the anxiety that sits just below the surface in our hearts and minds.  We've been able so far to calm our fears with the Word and what we know is true about our God.  Please pray that this Peace will continue {especially so we can get some sleep}!

Chad's mom was already admitted to the hospital today to have certain things done in order to get her body and blood ready for surgery.  Chad has to be at Ochsner for 5:30 am tomorrow and they expect the surgery to begin around 8 am.

The surgeries for both Chad and his mom will be about 5-6 hours, but they will overlap.  Chad's surgery will begin and once they physically see his liver, they will make the final call about whether the surgery can proceed.  {There is only a 5% chance that they will for some reason have to stop . . . please pray for no surprises.}

After Chad has been in for about 2 hours, and if they give the green light, Mrs. Tina's surgery will begin.  Our transplant coordinator, Jeanne, has told us that the transplant is like a beautiful dance.  There will be 3 surgeons with Chad in one OR and 3 surgeons with his mom in the OR next door.  She said that the movement of Chad's liver to his mom and all the steps before and after are seamless, with perfect timing, and done almost without words.  

Please be praying for these 6 men.  Pray that this "dance" will be the greatest performance of their lives!  I wrote Dr. Reichman, who is Chad's main surgeon, a note yesterday just letting him know that we are praying for him.  I know that doctors have to develop the ability to turn off everything else when they walk in the OR.  I also know that this has to be easier said than done!  I'm praying for peace in his life and family, for good health, and for good rest especially for tonight.  

I also shared with Dr. Reichman that because we are followers of Christ, we belong to a family much larger than just biological.  I assured him that hundreds of people will be praying for him and the other surgeons and nurses.  I hope this brings him great comfort . . . although it might have just freaked him out!

We would be so honored if you would intercede with us tomorrow!   Say a prayer when we come to mind or when you see a facebook update.  Maybe set an alarm on your phone as a reminder to lift our family up to the Father.  However you can join us in prayer will be such a blessing to our family!

Tomorrow will be a very long day, but really just the beginning.  

God willing, it will be the beginning of new life for Mrs. Tina!  She will most likely wake up with 90% of her symptoms gone and feeling better than she has in years!  She will be in the hospital for 5-7 days and then will have to remain in an apartment close to Ochsner for about 4 weeks.  Her recovery has a much higher risk than Chad so they like to keep transplant patients very close.  She'll have to have lab work done multiple times a week and see the doctor often as they monitor how her body is coping with the new liver.  Please pray for a smooth recovery, that her body won't reject the liver, that her medication {some of which she'll have to be on for life} will be regulated quickly, and that her spirit and faith will remain strong.  Pray also for Chad's dad {Boone} and the rest of the family as they care for Mrs. Tina during her recovery.

For Chad, however, it will be the beginning of a lot of pain.  :(  He will probably wake up feeling worse than he ever has before and will be in the hospital for 4-7 days.  The surgeon said that there is a 30% chance of complications and that if this happens, it will most likely be during the surgery or in the first week.  Please pray against any complications {infection, internal bleeding, blood clots}.  Needless to say, I feel like I'll be holding my breath for a week! 

My parents are going to be in NOLA to be with the kids so thankfully I'll be able to be with Chad the whole time he is in the hospital.  Please pray that our time together in the hospital will be well spent, even as he recovers.  We will have more time than usual to pray together for the Church {who knows what Chad will be praying when he's on drugs!} and hope to be bold in opportunities to share the Gospel with doctors, nurses, and other patients!

They say that a full recovery for Chad will take somewhere around 6 weeks.  We are hoping that he will recover faster, but he's already had to agree to take it slow and that I get the final say as to when he can get back to work!  He definitely can't pick up anything for 6 weeks, which will be so tough with the kids.  They are used to a very engaged Daddy who loves nothing more than to pick them up or wrestle on the floor.  Please pray for Ava and Grayson as they have to adjust to a new normal during Chad's recovery. 

While you're at it, please pray for me!  Because Chad is such an engaged dad, I'll definitely be feeling his restrictions with things around the house and with the kiddos.  Please pray for strength from the Spirit, patience and gentleness with the kids, compassion for Chad, and a continued daily feasting on the Word. 

We have been so humbled and thankful for how our faith family at Edgewater has poured out love and service to us already . . .

Four men are ready to preach in Chad's absence.  

The staff and others have graciously taken on everything else that needs to be done this month.

  Edgewater is continuing to pay Chad this month even though he will be out . . . what an incredible blessing for us!  

Many families have already signed up to bring us dinner this month {you know I won't turn down food!}.  

A few guys will be cutting our grass each week until Chad is able again.  

Friends have already committed to having the kids over for playdates to give me some time and avoid us all going stir crazy!  

One friend gave us a sacrificial gift to cover my food expenses while we are at the hospital.  

My best friend is spending all day with me tomorrow during the surgery just to make sure I am supported {whether that means I need to cry, pray, laugh, play games, or take a walk}.  

Our entire faith family prayed over us on Sunday and I've gotten texts every day that people are praying.  

Seriously, the list could go on and on. And this is just for us . . . Chad's parents have experienced the same love from their family at FBC Lafayette!

We. Are. Blessed.

Thank you to everyone who is a part of what I listed above.  Thank you to friends and family who are covering us in prayer.  Thank you for being a picture of what God intended as He created the Church.  

Please pray that as the Body of Christ loves and serves us in sacrificial, radical, and practical ways, the watching world will ask "Why?".  And when they do, pray that we will have the privilege to share with many the life changing Gospel that gives us Hope even in pain and uncertainty and is the fuel for the way the Church is loving us!