All of Us

And a few years ago, the Lord blessed each of our families with a child all within an 18 month period.  This is the one and only age bracket that has someone from each family:

Some Beach Fun

Boys, boys and more boys!

Hadassah, the Mermaid

Hadassah and her mermaid creators

Lucas and Shifrah

Josiah with Malachi

Shifrah and Tia

It's great to have a Grandpa who digs you a big hole
and builds a castle over it complete with roof.

Ellen's brothers swoop her off her feet.

Josiah and Grayden dug a tunnel . . .

Swimming with the Dolphins

Wave Action

Love this girlie and her crazy mop of curls!

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Nellie has no fear.  Thanks to Nadia, she doesn't have to.

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Hadassah and Tess were relaxing by the edge of the water

until a huge wave knocked Hadassah over.

Check out Jerusha laughing. The bigger the wave. The bigger the laugh.

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Boden, Lawrence and Boaz braving the waves.

Here We Are!

Vacationing in Sandbridge Beach, Virginia, with all of Paul's family.  Last night, we put the big kids in charge of the little kids and all the adults went out for dinner.  Smart, eh?

Paul and Me

Ed & Cyndi

Dave & Sheri

Steve & Yolanda

Ellen & Lawrence

Phil & Rebecca

Power Belongs To The Lord

We are utterly thrilled to let you know that Hadassah's biopsy came back with no rejection!  This means, not only that we can stay here in Virginia and enjoy our week on the beach, but that Hadassah's health has improved and is going in the right direction.  Please join us in praise to our great and compassionate God.

One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
and that you, O Lord, are loving.

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Psalm 62:11-12

For Cheer

I thought my blog could use a bit of cheering up.  All that hospital talk.  So here's some pictures I took this spring of some flowers around our home. Too bad Bleeding Hearts bloom so briefly.  Then again, maybe bleeding hearts should bloom briefly.

Hadassah is Home

As it turns out, Hadassah was allowed to go home last night after all.  I admit it took a little pushing on my behalf and I am left with a nurse's job but it is so worth it just to be home.

"Your way, O God, is holy.

What god is great, like our God?

You are the God who works wonders."

Psalm 77:13-14

High Glucose

This morning, we were told that because of Hadassah's consistent high glucose levels, they are uncomfortable discharging her without insulin.  Today, they will be teaching me how to administer this and it is unlikely that we will be able to go home today as originally planned.  The good news is that they expect the insulin to be short-term because once she is on lower dose steroids, they don't expect her glucose to be so high.  She received her last IV treatment this morning.

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Please continue to pray for her health but also pray that she will be able to go on our much-anticipated vacation next Saturday with Paul's extended family.  It is starting to look like this is in a bit of jeopardy and this will greatly disappoint her and us.

Here 'Til Friday

A brief update:  The doctors would like Hadassah to get 6 treatments of the IV steroids every 12 hours and then send her home on a lower dose oral steroid.  She has had two treatments thus far which means she will receive her last treatment about noon on Friday and then we can go home.

Hadassah seems to be feeling better already.  Her biopsy is scheduled for next Friday, the 24th.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragements.

Hadassah Admitted To Hospital

Today, Hadassah was admitted to the New York Presbyterian Hospital.  She was having some off-and-on symptoms that were causing the doctors some concern.  She had some labwork done (still pending results) and she is being treated with some steroids by IV. 

You can call her if you like at 212-342-4314.  (Tomorrow, I mean.)

Please pray that she will soon be feeling herself again and that the treatment will have its desired effect.

Mild Rejection - An Update

Yesterday, Hadassah went for an echo and a doctor visit to determine what to do about the mild rejection of her new heart.  We were happy to find out that this has caused no damage to her heart.  She is being treated medicinally (raising the dosage of one of her anti-rejection drugs) to hopefully bring her back to zero rejection.  The doctors will keep an eye on her lab work and she is to receive another biopsy (somewhat sooner than was originally planned) in about 2-3 weeks.

Please continue to pray that her body will again fully accept her new heart.

God Is Still Good

We were disappointed today to find out that Hadassah’s biopsy last Friday showed mild rejection of her new heart. We have been told (and I think I mentioned before) that over half of heart transplant recipients experience some degree of rejection during the first year. She has had 5 months of no rejection until now and we are so thankful for that. Hadassah continues to look and feel well.  God is still good and He is still in control of all of this. He is choosing the path that is best for us. And we will walk it.

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Please pray for us. They are changing some of her medications for now but the doctors need to collect more data before making a plan. We will be going to New York again within a week for some blood work, an echocardiogram and to meet with the doctors.  Please pray for wisdom for the doctors. Pray for Hadassah especially that her body will again fully accept her new heart and that this too will stir her heart toward the suffering Savior.

Good when He gives, supremely good,
Nor less when He denies.
Afflictions, from His sovereign hand,
Are blessings in disguise.

Memorial Day Parade

We all met up again this year.  So many of us.  Same time.  Same place.  Same parade.  My kids wouldn't miss it.  Here are a good majority of the kids present - though many are missing!

Hadassah and I could not resist getting her this hat.  Isn't it just so Shifrah?

Friends and cousins:

Some Cape May Birds

Here's a few birds we saw last week in Cape May.  First, a Least Sandpiper:

American Oystercatcher

This Osprey had a fish and this Gull just sat below him waiting for scraps.  He didn't get much though.

Great Egret:

And Baby Swans!  These are no ugly ducklings.

I Get To Do This!

So, Paul and I are back from Cape May and I am back to the "grind".  I am carting kids from buses to appointments to who knows where else.  I am cleaning up mud again. But, as Ann Koskamp said so appropriately, I "came home to bedroooms and bathrooms and kitchen and fridge and windows.... I was a woman who didn't live by a deathbed or in a refugee camp or a war zone or the rubble of an earthquake.... I got to be here and do this!"