Joel's Journey: another birthday!!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

another birthday!!

Today is Andrew's birthday!! 16!!!! It's just getting harder to grasp I have so many "older" children!! Two 24 yo's, almost a 23yo, a 21 yo, a 20yo this fall, an 18 yo and now Andrew 16!!!! There are more "older" ones than younger ones now!! What gifts they each are, their own individual uniqueness, personalities, skills, abilities, if you think about how many people we have and all those aspects, there is alot of diversity in our family!! It's neat how we can all be so different, yet work together and Lord willing fulfill plans and be vessels for God's kingdom and lights for His glory as a family! Thats my prayer, always no matter where they go, what they do, may they always honor and glorify the Lord!! Happy Birthday Andrew!! Celebrating with a special dinner of his choice and a giant choice Snickers Cake!!

Spring is here!! Plus with the rain, everything is just popping with color!! I just stare at all the buds and blooms that announce "life!!" I am always blessed by Joel's tree in our front yard! So thankful for the reminder that Joel is alive and well and safely waiting for us!! So thankful that as long as we are on this earth, that in every season whether Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter or even in seasons of life of sorrow, pain, health, aging, sickness, or even raising children.... He is with us....at all seasons!!

"And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came to Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons." Acts 20:18

I asked Mercy what she told Anna when she was in the girls room late after her big birthday night. I guess Anna walked into the room and Mercy was talking.... she was talking to Joel and telling him all about her birthday, that she missed him and when she was telling me the story she said "and (Joel) he knows all about it, right, cause God is in heaven!!" oh, that girl!!!

Yay for Spring!!!!

2 comments:

Sarah said...: Oh, your yard and garden looks so lovely!; March 21, 2012 at 7:51 PM
Daniel and Jaynee Lockwood and Family said...: Awww...sweet Mercy, girl! I love Joel's tree! And I got to see it in real life! It's so much more special in the pictures now :)
Happy Birthday, Andrew! 16 is sooo grown up! Our oldest will be 16 in October. One of the reason's I've always loved "watching" you is that I am right behind you as far our children go. Thank you for the blessing, encouragement and faithful friend you are!!!
Even though the days are busy and I haven't been in communication much this year, know you are thought of often!!; March 21, 2012 at 7:56 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.