Joel's Journey: January 2014

Friday, January 31, 2014

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Anna has begun her African journey. She is in Georgia until Saturday for training and Saturday she will get on the plane and fly for 18+hours to her destination....africia!!! I miss her soooo much already!! Her sing-song life will be missed greatly!!! She has said she is having an awesome time and is soooo excited!! Please keep her in your prayers and that especially she would remember to take her malaria pills every Wednesday!!! Ohhhh, I don't want her to forget to do that!!!!!

Monday, January 20, 2014

Zoo

It was gorgeous. It was free. It was perfect. What? A day at the Zoo!!!!

Africa bound!

We had a little going to Africa party for Anna!!!!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

NEW YORK CITY

Friday, January 3, 2014

a Maryland snow

Such a beautiful snow here!!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

my family!

Love being here with my kids and Kristine's family!!

Joel's Story

Joel, our 11th of 13 and a twin of Josiah, at age 3 was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, on December 6th, 2006. Joel had three perfect years of health and he and Josiah celebrated their 3rd birthday Sept. 13th, 2006. The first of Oct. Joel started having unexplained fevers for a few days and would return to active play. After the fourth round of fevers we took him to our family Dr. which they said his iron was low, so we treated that for a few weeks and took him back only to have his hemo. showing lower than before. We were referred to a hematologists and saw him a few weeks with blood checks twice a week. At a visit on Dec. 4th we showed the Dr. the bumps, (which were tumors but we did not know at the time) on Joel's head and he was very concerned and we were told we needed to admit him immediately and start extensive tests the following day. Joel went through rigorous testing and then the dreaded results were given. Joel was at a stage IV the most extensive stage, but we were hopeful that the Lord would use the means of Chemotherapy treatments to restore Joel's body. Joel endured 8 1/2 days in the hospital, came home for Christmas, and returned for his second round of chemo Jan. 3, 2007. Joel had a seizure that night after midnight and went into a coma due to a tumor bleeding in his head area and causing his brain to swell. After tests the following days, the Dr. declared Joel "brain dead" and took us to court to force us to take Joel off life support, as we did not agree with the medical field's definition of death. Our family sought to stand with the scripture, "life is in the blood,"and until Joel's heart quit beating naturally, he was living. We were making arrangements to bring him home and on January 23, 2007 his little heart stopped beating and he went to be with the Lord Jesus in heaven. Our lives are changed forever. God is faithful in the midst of this trial and we look with great hope to be with him someday.