Joel's Journey: elijah is 20 today!!!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

elijah is 20 today!!!

Elijah is 20 today!!

4th born
3rd son
a working machine
a cowboy
sports of any kind
volunteer fireman
a construction guy
tractors, trucks, dirt bikes
a Dodge man!!
seeking Jesus!

He started his 20th birthday off with a bit of excitement....about 6 am, a fire call, a structure fire, this mom laying in bed praying but thankfully about 8 am he arrived back home and the folks had canceled the call, they were able to get the fire out without assistance! He was disappointed, he likes to live on the edge......but I was thankful! :) Happy Birthday, Elijah!! Love ya!

The glory of young men is their strength
Prov 20:29

5 comments:

j said...: Hope he has a special b-day. Hansome young man and surely gonna make a great husband!!! I love your cabinents and catching up on ya. It is so fun to follow you guys. We have 5 now and I am sure you remember those crazy days but looking to families like you is encouraging when you see the fruit of your labor and that you actually survived!!! Tell me it gets easier??? :) Hope your heart is full of joy while remembering and missing Joel. God is good.

Jessica; December 5, 2010 at 3:42 PM
j said...: Hope he has a special b-day. Hansome young man and surely gonna make a great husband!!! I love your cabinents and catching up on ya. It is so fun to follow you guys. We have 5 now and I am sure you remember those crazy days but looking to families like you is encouraging when you see the fruit of your labor and that you actually survived!!! Tell me it gets easier??? :) Hope your heart is full of joy while remembering and missing Joel. God is good.

Jessica; December 5, 2010 at 3:42 PM
Teena said...: Happy Birthday, Elijah. I love reading about your kids... your family. Thanks for letting us peek in....

agreeing with Jessica... thinking about you as you are remembering Joel. This time of year... lifting you up to the Lord.

Hugs,
Teena; December 5, 2010 at 6:16 PM
Anonymous said...: Happy Birthday Elijah!!

We were talking and said that you are the one that has most changed since we've 'known' you all. :D

Have a great Day!

Sarah; December 6, 2010 at 9:27 AM
Mountain Mama said...: Happy Birthday Elijah!
Hope you had a great day and praying for a blessed year.; December 6, 2010 at 12:51 PM

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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.