Is there anyone who would like to earn some extra money coming in the AM to hang out with my Grandma? 

Any day of the week, AM hours flexable. 

Let me know if you are interested and want more information / details.

A Few Good Days

Two 1/2 Weeks after surgery.

Every day I see more improvement in regards to the progress of healing.  I am able to blow gently.  I can touch my nose, make facial expressions and smile without it hurting.   I am sleeping better at night.
5 days ago was the first good day I've had since surgery.  I felt motivated and had fun running errands with Jeremy (Josh and Angela were with Andrew).  Even though I could still feel the headaches they were more in the background and didn't consume my day.  I didn't even need a nap!

New Years Eve we spent at a friend's house.  It was a great evening of fun, games, catching up on each others lives and...eating.  That whole day I didn't feel well at all, but by evening I was doing better. 
We didn't end up getting into bed until 1:30am!

Can you believe with that late night:

Jan 1st was a good day!

It was awesome having another day when I wasn't exhausted and hurting (maybe I need to stay up late and hang out with friends every night?!).  We had a relaxing day watching football with another couple and their kids.

On New Years I grew up with the Tradition that my Mom would give each family member a book as a gift.  It was always fun receiving something new to start the new year on.

We decided that since we're trying to draw the focus of Christmas less on gifts and more on Christ (although we still do gifts, but keep them few and cost effective) that it would be fun to start the New Year opening a gift.

This year's THEME was:

"Growing in the Talents God has Given You" 

Andrew has been into trying different recipes,

so I gave him a bunch of items to help him learn to make sushi.  :)

Jeremy loves to play games that have a purpose,

so we gave him a puzzle to strengthen his logic skills.

Angela is really into art,

so we gave her a daily calendar of Watercolor tips and outlines to paint.

Joshua has a talent of playing the piano by ear,

so we gave him a blank video tape to record his music on.  We hope that it will encourage him to practice so he can perform, review, improve, entertain, and share his music.

This past year has been a tough one on me physically, emotionally and spiritually,

so Andrew gave me the gift of a bedroom makeover so that I will have a place to go that will encourage: rest, refreshment and feeling renewed. 

I cried when he gave it to me because that's all I want right now.
I know I can go anywhere and find the peace and presence of God because He is already there...it doesn't have to be a special place.  But at the same time we need those places we can retreat to so that we can spend quiet, relational time with God, allowing Him to speak to us through His Word.  Those are the times that we find true healing, rest, peace, hope, joy.

Check out the pictures on the right.  

We snapped a few before surgery. 

Rudolph was kind enough to oblige to our crazy schemes.
_______________________________

Give me some thoughts of what you all are doing over Christmas Break

We're home!...yet longing for my REAL home.

WE ARE HOME!

We want to thank each one you who has prayed for us, called, wrote an encouraging word, and communicated your care and concern.

After seeing the doctor on Thursday I felt good enough to travel home!  

What a surprise of joy the kids had.  They had no idea, we just showed up.  

Andrew was able to go to Joshua's school Christmas program (when we last talked, and thought that we wouldn't be home in time to see his program, he played it off as not a big deal, he is very understanding like that, but when plans changed and we were there he was overcome with joy!).

Every day I have felt progress in the healing.  Nights have been the most difficult.  But each night gets a little easier.

It is so good to be home.

We missed our kids SO MUCH!

Life can be so difficult.  

Every time I experience pain of some kind my compassion grows bigger and bigger for others who are, or will, go through similar pain.  

I have known many people over the years whose lives have revolved around doctors, surgeries, hospitals, medicine, complications, and all the effects that those things have caused.  One gal's life in particular has always encouraged me.  From the moment her life began she was in and out of the hospital.  In fact she was there at least once a month for surgeries, infections, more surgeries, and everything else she needed to survive.  She has amazed the doctors who didn't think she would be able to function as well as she does, nor live as long as she has (she is around my own age).  She was always kind and loving.  She usually was smiling and positive.  And throughout it all she was in pain.  Constantly dealing with pain.  

 This world will always be full of pain.  

Physical, spiritual, emotional.  

Pain.

Oh how sweet heaven will be!  Can you imagine?  

Absolutely no pain?!  

No frustrating moments, no lack of purpose or emptiness, no lonliness or hopelessness, no grief, no hurt, no stress and no more battling temptation.

Pure joy.

A hope like no other.

A clarity and fullness of life.  

Complete satisfaction.

Strength and peace, wholeness.

We will be with the One who lovingly created us and designed us.  

As much as we try to know and understand God we cannot fathom His entirety.  

We only can grasp glimpses.  

Can you imagine seeing Him in His completeness?! 

I am still alive.

It is 7:30pm here in Arizona.

It was a much longer day than I expected.  I went in for surgery around 11:30am but didn't wake up from anistia until 2:00pm.  The prep is what took the most time.  Surgery was about 40 minutes.  We didn't leave until 4pm because it took a while to feel okay to leave.  I was not in as much pain as I thought I'd be in.  My head was at a 6 (1=low, 10=high), my lip was swollen, the roof of my mouth had been scraped, my throat was soar, my nose only hurt slightly.

When we got back to our hotel at 5pm I scarfed down two cups of chicken noodle soup.
My mouth is continually dry which is a frustrating thing.
Blood drips out my nose every now and then.  I have a small sling that is wrapped around my head and under my nose with gauze pressed against it to catch any blood.

I just got through a little panic attack.
It was the craziest thing.  I didn't realize what it was until I was 1/2 way through it.
My heart rate sped up.  I began feeling hot.  My head thumped.  Blood was dripping out my nose making me feel claustrophobic and anxious that I was loosing too much blood. 
Andrew and I were watching a show that began to get a little bloody and I had to look away.  Then I couldn't take it at all.
Soon my panic attack escalated.  Breathing was hard because my throat hurt and my mouth was so dry.  I didn't want to cry because I didn't want my nose to clog up.  It started thumping anyway.  It's hard for me to talk with this big chunk of gauze on my upper lip.  Poor Andrew could only look at me and hold my hand. 
I tried to load up Pandora.com so I could listen to some worship music.  But it wouldn't load.  :(
I prayed for peace.  Thanking God for being with me, caring for me, providing for our needs.
Psalm 34: " They who seek the LORD will not be in want of any good thing."

So here I am, sucking on ice chips to keep my mouth wet.   Taking deep breaths and reminding myself of what is TRUE:
Phil 4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!...The Lord is near.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.... and the God of peace will be with you.

Surgery Day 12-15

Tomorrow my surgery is sometime between 10:30-11:30am.

I am feeling quite nervous about the septoplasty surgery.  It is not a difficult one.  But the details of it are very intense (at least they are to me since it is my nose).  

 
 Above is a normal, straight nasal septum.
 My septum (that middle bone going down the center of the nose) looks like the picture above, except at that point where it is most bent there is also a spur attached which touches the other side of the airway and is causing pressure and irritation. 

The doctor will cut away the skin on both sides of my septum.  Then he will remove a portion of the middle of the bone and the spur, leaving the top of the bone for support and shape of the nose.  Then he will sew the skin back together, so that there are no holes between the two airways.
He will insert a splint, maybe one for each side, to support the initial surgery and place gauze below the nose to catch any blood or fluid.
I'll let you know how it goes.
I go in at 10am and should be able to go home around 2pm.
I've heard that the first day the pain killers will probably make me out of it all day.
The first night I have to sleep sitting up.
Please pray for me when God brings me to mind.  I'm more nervous about the first couple days of recovery than I am of the actual surgery.  I've been pretty bummed out all day.
Thanks,
Jenn

Day 5

Sunday morning.

5 days since we've been here in Arizona.

2 days until my deviated nasal septum surgery.

Andrew is excersising and doing laundry downstairs in our hotel.

I took the opportunity for a much needed rest and alone time.

Maybe we are 1/2 way through our time here? 
We are hoping to be home by next Sunday. 
It will all depend on recovery and how the doctor feels I'm at after the surgery.  It's not a big surgery, it's actually quite simple.  But at the same time it takes a while to heal.  Just look up septoplasty surgery on Youtube if you want to know what they'll do (septoplasty).  Be careful though, it sure made me cringe.