Joel's Journey: March 2014

Monday, March 31, 2014

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Sunday funday.

its a gorgeous day!! 70 and sunny!! I love warmth!!! I thrive in hot!!! Haha!! Won't be long til pool time!!!!

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Daniel and Erin are traveling back to California but along the way they stopped at a church where my cousin, Chance, is the worship leader. Soooo Daniel had the opportunity to play in the Saturday eve service and two services on Sunday!!

Paps, that is Chance and Daniel playing together.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

little couple

sweet people right here!!

a birthday!

Mercys birthday is actually tomorrow the 19th but we celebrated tonight!!! She had a horse party!!! She is 8!!!!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Happy things!!

So happy for Daniel!! He has a girlfriend!! She is soooooo sweet, lovely, beautiful and such a godly young woman!!! Can't wait to see what God does!! Erin+Daniel!! She lives in California with her parents, homeschooled, and has been cheerfully waiting for God to work in this way!!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Til next time...

So wonderful having rowdy and Kristen and Caleb here!!

Monday, March 10, 2014

gone fishing

Rowdys first fishing trip!!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

playing is all I do!

Rowdy is having fun on the farm!!

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.