Joel's Journey: 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

an after christmas time

We are here visiting Rowdy in Maryland!! He's such a sweet little guy!!! We just can't get enough of him!!

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Christmas cookies

It's not christmas if you don't make sugar cookies!! So we did!!! Angles, snowflakes, presents, trees, and you know all the shapes that take us to that land of merry and bright!!

The problem is.....they will be gone today!! Yummy!!!!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

advent

Last year we did advent activities leading up to the day of christmas. The children loved loved it so I am doing it again this year. They love making the snow globes!!

Hope you days are merry and bright!!!

Friday, December 6, 2013

Monday, December 2, 2013

Hi....

Hi Paps and Shirely! I'm getting big! It's my first christmas!!!!

Saturday, November 30, 2013

a tree farm

Today was the day! A visit to a tree farm to find the 'perfect' tree! And we did!! A Fraser fir!!!

Friday, November 29, 2013

Thanksgiving 2013

Seems like 2012 was just here. Now thanksgiving 2013 has come and gone! Loved the coffee shop in galveston!!

Sunday, November 24, 2013

We have lived in our house for 20 years but it is 40+ years old. A lot of bumps and bruises. One thing that desperately needed changing was the windows. Many of them were broken, taped up, cardboard on them and in winter, ice was on the inside!! Soooo last week, a dream came true. New windows!! We also did a little face lift on the front porch and added some siding and I made the door a happy color!! Now it doesn't look like a black hole!!! I also love my new pots!! We ate rice and beans so I could buy them....not everyday but I made a menue so we could get them! Ha!!! Anyway...thankful for the transformation!!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Thursday!!

When I get photos like this to start my day......it's gonna be a good day!!!

Monday, November 18, 2013

rowdy

For my paps and Shirley in Arkansas!

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.