Update on My Dad

Thank you to those of you who prayed for my dad today.

He came through the surgery very well, and was in his room the last time I talked to my mom.
They did not have to remove a vertebrae as expected, but the damage was quite extensive.
The surgeon commented to my mom, "He must be quite stoic."
That's my dad!

My sister and I were talking and I told her, "They haven't seen anything yet!"
This man will knock their socks off. He has never been overnight in a hospital his entire life, and at nearly 65, he is one of the most healthy people I know! Not to mention, he is determined and strong and has an incredibly positive outlook on life. Basically He trusts the Lord fully, and lives his life accordingly.

This is a guy who will do every exercise and form of rehabilitation that is required of him, plus some, and will do it all without complaint. I promise you he will have the nursing staff shaking their heads! He completely expects that he will be the exception to the rule as far as what is typical of recovery from this type of surgery. And I can promise you, he will be!

Anyway, please keep praying for dad this week as he recovers. They expect him to go home Friday or Saturday, and tomorrow they get him up and walking and begin his rehab.

Dad's in Surgery Today

Please remember my dad. He is having back surgery today.

Almost 16 and in Love

It was love at first sight! And a year later they are still in love!




This is one of their favorite "dates."

Please Give

If you haven't gotten around to giving to this family's adoption, please give now.
They are down to the wire and continue to have expenses accumulating.
Also keep them in prayer as they are still away from home and really want to get back to their family!

Pray protection around their hearts and minds.

If you live here in Kansas City and want to give, please contact me directly to get details on the best way to help.

James 1:27

Trip Re-Cap: Part 2

Elia riding Cousin Silas' tricycle.

Taylor with our good friend Dan. I've known Dan since he was a baby- and spent many hours babysitting him! He's an incredible young man, and a dear friend of our family. He and his wife Jamie live in Lewisburg, PA. Dan is a works at the state prison and is an incredible musician.
We miss him a lot!

This is my friend Sarah. She is a kindred spirit. We have walked our journey's with the Lord together for close to 10 years I think. She and her husband Ralph live in our home town. She is a terrific mom, a fantastic grandma, a worshiper and an intercessor with a heart for Israel.

This is a special prayer time over Elia at her Pennsylvania birthday celebration. She is surround here by my parents and some of our dearest, life long friends. I love that this photo captured Rob and Cindy Fitzgerald and Mike and Mindy Yoder, they have been pillars in my life since my childhood.

This is my incredibly handsome baby brother, Joseph with Elia Jane. Joe is married to an the incredibly beautiful Megan, and they are the parents of Silas. They are doing a fantastic job as first time parents- you'd think they'd been doing it for years! My brother works as a lineman for the electric company, a profession he shares with our grandfather Joseph Clark Mickey.

The "oooh" expression on Elia's face has to do with the next photo!

Adoption Update

$3500 of the $5000 that was needed has come in. God is so good. They are still short about $1500 and are still accumulating travel/lodging expenses while they are out of state, so really their need is greater than the $1500 needed for remaining adoption paperwork to be processed.

If you've been praying, keep praying. If you've considered giving but just haven't had a chance to do so yet, NOW is the time to give, CLICK HERE and you can donate through their paypal account! Let's help them get this little guy HOME! And I can promise you NO AMOUNT is too small- God is faithful!

Trip Re-Cap: Part 1

First day of our journey. Nick and Elia were seat buddies. Tay and Isabelle had the back seat. Thank goodness the ipod had a headphone splitter!



Here's Elia's new "I'm stunned and amazed" expression that follows everything she finds exciting. This is her most frequent expression, and I'm slightly worried her face will just freeze in this position, she does it so much!

We arrived in Indianapolis to spend the night with John's parents on our way. They greeted us with a birthday party for Elia. (Party #2) Don't you love the cupcake tower?


Forget the tower, Nana, just give me the cupcake!


Is that sugar shock?


All in all a great first day on the road! We are very glad to be safely home though!

Blogging from the Road

...just because I can. Free WiFi from who-knows-where!
We're in Terra Haute, IN fueling up at $3.22 a gallon, not the highest we've paid for gas this week.
Starbucks across the street is calling my name.

My Dad

This is my dad with Elia. If you would join me in praying for him, I would be so grateful. My dad is schedule to have a laminectomy next Monday, the 31st. He will have bone fusing and rods put into his lower back. This is a really heavy duty surgery and he will have a long recovering and rehabilitation. Please pray first and foremost for a creative miracle to take place this week in his back. I believe in healing!

I will keep you updated as the day of surgery draws closer. Would please help cover my dad in prayer this week.

My dad is an incredible man with a heart full of love and faithfulness to the Lord. Pray that he experiences the nearness and comfort of the Lord this week in a tangible way. Pray for healing to his body and encouragement to his heart and mind.

Thank you.

Adoption Update

Thank you to those of you who prayed and/or gave to help with this adoption. I spoke with them today and overnight the Lord provided $3500 of the $5000 needed to complete the remaining paperwork so that they can bring Jamison home! God is so faithful. I have not doubt that even as I am posting this update, He is supplying the remainder that is needed.

Please be sure to read their blog updates to see what a miracle has taken place for this little boy. God has rescued him and put him with an incredible family.

Aunt Lois Update

I got an update from my mom on Aunt Lois while we were in PA.
Aunt Lois just returned from another series of testing in Little Rock. The incredible news is that she remains in remission from her battle with multiple myloma (a form of cancer affecting the bones).
Aunt Lois boldly asked the doctor how much time she might have left. From what I understand many patients battling this form of cancer only live a year or so after diagnosis. Aunt Lois was diagnosed almost a year ago. His response to her was, "You have many, many years left."

This is truly a miracle and we are rejoicing. I thank those of you who have been faithful to pray for my aunt.

Pray for Provision

Please pray for my friends THEIR BLOG IS HERE who are in the process of adopting this precious little boy. They have an immediate need for about $5000 to complete the adoption and bring this little boy HOME! There is a paypal button on their blog if you are able to help in out financially!

Elia and her Cousins

Elia holding Heather and Alex's son, John Baeden

Elia and Silas watching the doggies play outside.

My Family

Pull Over NOW

It didn't matter that it was an hour before dinner time, when we saw the sign we pulled over.
It was a happy moment for all!

Quick Update from the Road

It's been a good but busy week. We have one more ministry time tomorrow morning at the kids school and we head back to KC on Friday morning.
I'll see about posting a better update and some photos tomorrow!

We are in the midst of torrential rain right now. But by the looks of it, much of the country is getting rained on too!

We're Off

Or at least that's the goal. It's 9:30PM and I'm still not packed. I'm running out of brain cells, so I'm going to pick it up around 6AM and we'll hopefully hit the road by 8AM.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I sort of glaze over and quit functioning around 9PM. It's sad I know, but that's the way it goes.

Hopefully we'll keep you posted a bit while on vacation. And usually John's best posts are written while on road trips. Who knows what will catch his eye!

Nick's Blog

Nick started a blog for extra credit in his photography class. But I'll let him explain!
CHECK IT OUT.

Some Black and Whites That I Just Love!

Thank you Shelley!

Our Birthday Girl

Here they are folks!


It was a happy day for this mommy and daddy!

Studying that HUGE cake intently.

Sweet, sweet Birthday Girl.

She was so sweet and grateful for all her presents.
This one a fuzzy puppy from our friends Tracy and Shelley.
All these photos are compliments of Shelley!

A purple purse and a pink puppy from best friend Zoe.

Little Miss Chef

She was truly delighted by the whole celebration!
This face says it all.

Are You Smart?

Moments ago after asking a series of questions about how you know when to feed a baby, and receiving several answers from me about her MANY questions, Isabelle said the following:

"Don't you think nosy people are smarter?" short pause... "I mean cause they ask so many questions, they get to know a lot of stuff. It's a good thing I'm nosy."

I did the typical mom, "Hmmm, maybe."

She says, "No wonder your so smart, Mom."

(my question: Is that a compliment?)

Time for an Update!

1. Just finished up the Passion for Jesus conference this weekend. We hosted about seventy-five 6-12 year olds at the children's tracks in the Children's Equipping Center. I am always blown away that God chooses to send these children here and gives us the opportunity to pour into their lives for three days. I taught Saturday morning on The Passion of the Father Over Us. I taught from John 3:16, Psalm 139: 15,16 and Ephesians 1:4-6 to explain to the children that the Father's Love for us and the Passion of Jesus over us is what has allowed us to be called His sons and daughters through the spirit of adoption. I love it when I share the story of Elia's adoption as I teach this lesson and the I can see the light in their eyes as they really begin to understand what the Father has done for them!

2. We're traveling on Friday to Pennsylvania! Yeah!!! We'll stop in Indy overnight and celebrate Elia's birthday with John's parents, his grandmother, his sister, and cousin Baeden. Then we'll travel on to PA where we'll speak at our home church, visit with family and friends, celebrate Elia's birthday one more time, and speak at a chapel service at the kids former Christian school.
We love car trips with the family!

That's about all for now. It's been a long weekend, and we're all trying to rest up this evening.

Elia's Story

Anyone interested in ready about Elia's birth and stay in the NICU can track back on our blog to my March 2007 posts! Believe it or not our chunky darling girl was a preemie (4 weeks early).

Happy Birthday Elia Jane!

We celebrated Elia's birthday last night with some of our wonderful family and friends. She was delighted by the whole celebration! Photos to come (hint, hint... my sweet photographer friend).


March 7, 2007 We laid our eyes on this little beauty and fell instantly in love.


What a gift we were given! She has changed our lives and has filled our home with joy unspeakable.

When setback came and our little dear had to spend 10 days in intensive care, our love only grew stronger.


We love you Elia Jane!

My sweet girl, you have filled your Momma's heart with so much love and joy. Your life has been to me a pure reflection of the Love that Jesus has for each of us. He has rescued us all and brought us into His family. He adopted us and calls us His sons and daughters.

And oh how He loves you! He has rescued you and called you His own, He has placed His seal upon your life, and His hand rests upon you. You are forever His. I long for the day when the reality of what He has done for you sinks into your little heart and you call Him yours.

Happy Birthday Little One. You are LOVED!

LiLi Faces!

This was Elia on Monday morning at breakfast. She decided to make faces for the camera!
(FYI: Elia's first birthday is this Friday! Get ready to celebrate with us!)

One More Photo

Nick was bugged that I didn't post this one. He says it's his best photo from Saturday.
So here you go.

The Weekend Was Glorious!

The weather here in KC this past weekend was incredible. We won't dwell on the fact that today it is freezing and feels like winter again. We spent Saturday afternoon at the KC Art Museum and the Plaza (where we got coffee and visited the mac store).

It was great to be outside and feel the warm sun! Nick was in heaven with camera in hand!
Here's a few shots he took: