What are the 7 wonders of this present world?

Well, what is your answer to this question? What are the 7 wonders of this present world? Here is my answer:

To see
To hear
To touch
To feel (emotions)
To laugh
To love

and THE GREATEST OF ALL, IS THAT JESUS GAVE HIM LIFE FOR US!

I watched our son lay in a hospital bed when he had lost his ability to see, eat, talk, walk, use the bathroom, and was as helpless as a baby. Now to hear him talk, laugh, watch him eat and be able to see again, those are the great wonders of our present world! It scared me so bad the first day I realized he couldn't see. I thought the infection had caused him to go blind. He couldn't tell us what pain he was suffering, because he couldn't talk. To see him do these things all again is greater than any wonder of the world that you might could visit.

To hear our daughter laugh and feel her arms around us, is a wonder; because all of the things Preston could never do in life; she can do, and it has been a blessing to watch her excel. To watch her be part child and part teenager is quite a wonder! She is 13 and that is a hard age. The acne, the way of women that has already started for her, her like for boys (oh no, what are we in for??) these prove she is a normal young lady. So we have the joys of a special needs child and the joys of a very intelligent child. Both are precious in the eyes of the Lord and in our eyes as well.

So if you can't remember the 7 wonders, look around you; you will quickly find 7 and more wonders of the world.

Yes, we all have problems, but we all have wonders too; many more than 7.

Sunday p.m.

Well, I am ready for bed, but wanted to do a quick update.
We all made it to church tonight. No one has been going on Sun. a.m. because right now with the way I am feeling, I cannot do 2 services in one day, and I cannot stay here alone with Preston to get him up for bathroom etc. Jr. takes this over for me on Sat. and Sunday to give my body a rest. During the week, Missie helps me do it. I am scared to do it alone, because the last time I tried he and I both almost fell, and if he falls on the floor and I am here alone, I cannot get him up. So for the present, we are just getting to church on Sunday p.m. But we are glad for that. I was in so much pain during the service as I had carried a small pocket book and my meds. were in my big pocket book at home. At the end of the service, I was able to get 3 tylenol from Susan and it eased the pain some for me. We were able to go to the fellowship hall, and eat and visit some.

I am concerned about Missie's attending the youth challenge, because Jr. has to work and I am not sure I can handle Preston alone Thurs. and Fri. while Missie is gone. But I don't want to deprive her of going; but I feel kind of scared thinking of not having her here to help me. She said she will stay home to help me with Preston. That is so sweet of her. I will have the aide 3 hrs. on Thurs. and Fri., but he will have to get up for the bathroom before she comes I am sure. We will see what works out.

Preston goes Fri. to have his g-tube removed and I hope that goes well.

I am off to bed.

Ready for bed

Yes, I am at the age that I am ready for bed by 9 p.m. So sad!
I feel good usually when I wake up in a.m. but by afternoon my chest starts hurting and I have shortness of breath. It is not my heart, because before Preston's last illness I went to a cardiologist and he couldn't find anything wrong with my heart. It is fatigue and nerves, I know. I guess I am destined to be tired the rest of my life!

Preston had a pretty good day today. His walking is NOT improving at all, which makes it harder on us, because we have to get him up and down to use the bathroom, and sit in his chair etc. Junior doesn't have a problem with doing it; but I do, and Missie has gotten so she won't let me do it alone. Today we only had to get him up once since the aide was here this a.m. and then Jr. was here this evening.

Missie went to Laura's today and made a pillow. She was so excited, as that is the first thing she has ever sewn on the sewing machine! I appreciate Judy with her very busy schedule too, taking time to have Missie over to be with Laura a couple of hrs. and work on home ec. together. It means a lot to us!

Haven't heard a word from Columbia yet on the status of Hannah's papers. Oh me, the government is so slow except when you owe them money, ha, and I am so glad we don't owe them any!!!

Last night I was talking to a lady from church and she told me that every service while Preston was in the hospital that she was there, that we were lifted up in prayer. That was so nice to hear from someone, even though we knew it had been that way. Knowing we are loved and prayed for makes a big difference in our lives.

I just ask your prayers for me especially that God will touch me. I need a physical and mental touch from the Lord to keep going.

Thanks for everything!

In the Presence of Jehovah

"In and out of situations, the tug of war had me.
All day long I struggled, for answers that I need.
Then I come into his presence and all my questions become clear.
And for that sacred moment, all doubts have disappeared.

In the presence of Jehovah, God almighty, King of Kings.
Troubles vanish, hearts are mended.
In the Presence of the King."

This song has been going over and over in my mind. Rachel Carlson Isbell used to sing it at our church where we pastored in Savannah, TN. I heard it recently on a tape. Anyhow, His presence does make a difference. I feel so weary even in the spiritual sense, and only God can renew me.

Well, not many parents I know count the number of times their child urinates in a 24 hr. period, but this momma does. Sunday and Monday it was only once in 24 hrs. Today it was 3 times, and I praise the Lord. Preston had a better day today. He did take a nap this afternoon, but not as long, and was up and more alert today. But he has had tremors in both legs and he and I almost went down getting him to the bathroom. Not sure why the tremors have increased and the sleepiness, unless his shunt needs adjusting or something. The problem is, the neurosurgeon doesn't seem to know much about the neurological storms which is what causes the tremors. I guess we have to have a neurologist and the one Preston had in hospital was one we had had years back, and we know him, but he cannot take him on a regular basis because he is over 18. So! If this keeps up, I will have to ask the neurosurgeon to refer us to a neurologist. I just take one day at a time. He has been so sweet and patient this week. I love him so much; my firstborn, and only son, but I hate to keep seeing him suffer day after day, and struggling to do what is so easy for the rest of us to do. But God has left him here for a purpose. We will do our best for him as long as he is here.

Missie and I went to JC Park to meet Kelly and her children to play, and when we got there, they were not there, which we thought strange. So we called and found out that Brooke got her little hand slammed in the car of their vehicle and Kelly took her to ER to make sure it wasn't broken. Well, I ran by hospital and visited with them for a little while, and Missie and I went by a thrift store. We still had our 3 hrs. away, but we missed not being with friends. We are planning this again next week, and hoping it works out.

Our aide is done working with us on Oct. 26th, and I cannot get ahold of Columbia to see if they got Hannah's paperwork. I pray it works out for Hannah to be here by the time that Mildred is done. I cannot do it all alone. Even the 9 hrs./week that Mildred comes helps me so much. She goes ahead and finishes washing and drying the clothes and folds them and puts a lot of them away. She bathes and fixes breakfast for Preston, and washes dishes, sweeps floor, etc. I will miss her. She is very sweet. When I got home today, she was reading our SS quarterly! I was glad to see that. It might be her only exposure to holiness teaching.

I am very achy today; have ached quite badly all day, not sure why, so tonight is definately an "arthrotec" night (that is expensive meds. that I only take when I absolutely need it because even with insurance it is $50/bottle. But when I have bad flair ups like this, I take it and the next a.m. I usually feel more pain free.

Wanted to update everyone. Please continue to pray for us all.

Strange day

It has been a strange day. Preston slept until almost 10:30, then I got him up and fed him breakfast, he went pee-pee and I gave him a bath, and he watched a little bit of a dvd and said he was so sleepy. He went back to sleep and it was hard to get him awake this afternoon. We finally did when Junior got home, and he sat up in his chair while I got supper. He ate some supper, but was unable to pee-pee any more today. It worries me, but he tries other times and cannot go. He drank more today, but I may have to give him some in G-tube and see if that increases his need to urinate. I was thinking we might have to call the neurosurgeon about his sleeping so much. We will see how tomorrow goes.

I am headed to bed. Missie and I are going to Pickens in a.m. to the park; she is looking forward to that, and meeting another homeschool family from our church so kids can play together. So I will have to get up earlier. Preston is getting so he doesn't want me to leave him; he used to be like this before he had this last illness. But I have to take Missie places to help her. I love staying home, but she has to be with people sometimes, and I want this year to be special as this is our last year to homeschool.

Until next time.

Exhausted again.

I am so exhausted. I told Gail at church tonight I feel so empty and tired. She gave me a hug and cried with me and that was comforting. She has sick grandbabies and has lost a grandbaby and that makes a difference. You never know until you walk in someone's shoes, how it really is.
Preston has been a bit cranky this week and that has been so discouraging. He has shown some anger and that is new for him since his illness. But overall he is still a much nicer personality than he was. He is also back in his own room instead of in the living room and is very happy about that. He can watch his dvds and not be surrounded by noise like he was out here.
He went to church tonight and sat up afterwards and ate when we came home. He was very tired though and glad to lay down.
He is having problems urinating again. He is only urinating about once every 24 hrs. If he cannot urinate in a.m. then he has to be cathed. I pray he will because the cathing if hard for me to do sometimes, and it makes him very sore for a while. I am trying to push fluids more so he will go more. He won't use a urinal or a bedside commode, so we have to walk him to the bathroom and back. I have to get behind him and wrap my arms around him and walk him to bathroom. He is so staggery and off balance. It is hard on my body, but changing diapers was too, and they were so hot for him and irritating.
All of Hannah's papers that she filled out got lost and they had to resend and she has filled them out again and mailed them to Columbia. It will help me if I can have more help than 9 hrs/week. I need more help; and Hannah will be here to take care of him. Please pray that it works out soon for her to come.
So you have read my downhearted post tonight, and I hope to get a good night's rest and feel much better in a.m.

Another day, another dollar spent!

Today has been a good day. Preston did not wet himself once all day. We are so proud of him. His check came in the mail today, his SSI, and we had promised him to take him to Easley to the Huddle, to eat. He loves their lemonade and likes to eat there. So Jr. came home, and we left and went to bank, then to make Preston's computer payment, and out to eat. We decided to go to Dollar Tree and he had such a good time. He was not nervous like he would have been before this illness, and we pushed him in his wheelchair, and he had so much fun picking out stuff he wanted. He got a couple of toys, and then he found some cookies, Little Debbie cakes, candy bars, drinks, etc. that he wanted. It was such a joy to see him so relaxed and happy, and enjoying himself. Then to top it off, one of his special friends from church was in there too. And he had his dog with him in his car and Preston got to see Blackie. So when Jr. was loading Preston into the car, Preston told Jr. he wanted to go to Walmart. But Jr. and I didn't want to go to Walmart, and he was fine with that. His left leg was having tremors in Dollar Tree, so I figured he was getting tired, and mommy and daddy were! Oh to be 10 years younger!!! Everything like this makes me soooo tired. If I have to go anywhere in any given day, it wears me out. Maybe I will be like this forever??? Only God knows, I guess.

I can honestly see the hand of God in Preston's illness. He is not the same boy he used to be. We think the malfunctioning shunt and that tubing embedded in his brain had been bothering him for quite some time. I questioned it for a long time; especially when we were in the hospital, and I honestly hope he is never that ill again, but I can see where things are much different. Although our lives are harder in some respects, we had had a break in other areas. It could have happened without Preston having had the shunt infection and having to learn how to do everything all over again, but God worked it this way. We may never understand all of the reasons.

Missie was so exhausted from her weekend, that she didn't get dressed all day, and she stayed home while we took Preston to town. She cannot handle missing much rest and when she is away from home she doesn't get enough rest.
She is very excited about going to the youth challenge in IN. Her friend where she spent the weekend wants to go too; so I am hoping that works out. She is a sweet girl and I guess she is really Missie's best friend. She lives in Six Mile and attends a holiness church (pentecostal) and has many of the same standards we do.

So that is the good news for today!