GoFundMe

Several weeks ago, a friend from VA asked us if we minded if she set up a GoFundMe account for our family. She also has two children close together in age, and her husband had saved up money so they could hire a "Mother's Helper". Since our friend was really blessed by the help she received, she wanted to provide the same kind of help for us. Chuck and I were both quite floored by this generous idea! We are really humbled that people would want to give financially to make our (mostly my) days more manageable. Last week we received access to the account, and were able to start having help come. It's already been amazing! WE ARE SO THANKFUL! 

Since all the donors have been anonymous, we are unable to thank each giver, but our hearts so deeply desire to say THANK YOU to each one. THANK YOU for giving so generously and graciously! Several weeks ago Chuck and I had no idea all the financial issues we'd run into due to both of our kid's health issues. We also had no idea we'd need to take the kids separately to so many appointments, which created a need for a sitter. Our friend had no way of knowing all of this either, but we all know who did. HE always knows. And HE always, ALWAYS provides! Thank you Jesus! And thank you friends for giving in a way that has blessed us straight to our hearts.    

Happy girl!

Getting scanned for her helmet

As for sweet little Basye. Some have been asking questions about what's been happening with her. It's a long story, but the short of it is she has Torticollis and Plagiocephaly. These conditions go hand-in-hand. With the Torticollis, the muscles on one side of her neck are shorter so she tends to only turn her head in one direction. This also means she lays on the same side of the back of her head- which has caused flattening- thus Plagiocephaly. 

She has been going to physical therapy for her neck for over a month now. Basye also see's a neurosurgeon, and has recently been referred to a Prosthetics and Orthotics specialist. We love all of our medical staff! God has given us the sweetest, most helpful and encouraging people to work with little Bae. And she is such a trooper about all of her appointments. In the picture above, she was getting her head scanned. The results were then sent to Boston Children's Hospital, which I think is pretty cool! 

The team of people that have been working with Basye have recommended we get her into a helmet which will mold the back of her head properly. She will have to wear her helmet 23 hours a day until she's at least 1 year old. She turned 4 months today, so we'll be doing the helmet thing for about 8 months. Mama ordered her the purple shiny helmet. ;) We are still waiting on insurance issues, but hopefully she'll get it within the next week and a half. 

All of these appointments have been very costly, but last week I was guided to a program through the State called Early Intervention that could help cover some of her medical expenses. We are still waiting on someone to come out and evaluate her condition. It would be a huge blessing if we got approved for EI! It would also mean a physical therapist would come out to our HOME for free every week! Would be so awesome!

All things considered, we are all doing very well, just a bit overwhelmed! Jase is doing beautifully, and we praise God for His complete healing! Praise the Name of Jesus!  

Baby Girl is 4 months old!

 

THANK YOU again to our GoFundMe friends! We just CAN NOT THANK YOU enough! We are so, so grateful for your amazing gift to us! Glory to God!!! 

Happy Mother's Day!

It's the JOY of my life to be the Mama of these two. 

(And they are also the reason I have little time to blog! ;)

So Much to Celebrate!

Still celebrating today with his left over cone!

Hi Friends! I'm sorry to wait a day to write a post. We've been having a lot of family time, and catching up with calls and texts. Also, I really try not to be on the computer when Jase is awake. (Who am I kidding? It's because he grabs it off my lap constantly, or messes with the keys. It's not because I'm Super Mom, haha!)

Anyway, we just want to say THANK YOU to those of you near and far who prayed for our baby boy. It has been a loooooong 9 days or so. Torturous, actually. No one can stand to watch their kid suffer. It was a living, breathing nightmare. I'm still processing it all. It's so overwhelming to me. In some ways Chuck and I feel a touch of PTSD, or something like it. I'm still on edge with Jase. I watch his every move like a hawk. If he feels warmer than usual, I take his temp. If he coughs, my stomach ties up in knots. If he stares at something I instantly snap him out of it. My baby. My heart. 

As I was saying THANK YOU SO MUCH for praying with us. For us. God's grace was very real and present. HE was very present. In fact, in some ways, I feel a "loss" because I know the intensity of prayers for us have died down. I could FEEL those prayers very strongly, and since Jase is doing so beautifully, there isn't such a desperate need for others to pray for him. Don't get me wrong, his Mama still desperately prays, but I know others aren't anymore. I don't say that in a way that makes me upset, but in a way that communicates how REAL your prayers were to us. They mattered. God heard.

We just can not praise Jesus enough for healing our son. There were some pretty dark hours of not knowing what was happening with Jase, but God knew all along. He knew, and He cared. Though we won't ever know exactly what happened, it is believed that Jase had a virus (mostly likely roseola). I personally believe that it might have been something much worse, but God HEALED him of that. I can't wait to get to Heaven and find out. There is no doubt in my mind that God miraculously healed our child.  

I asked Jesus VERY specific things, and He answered VERY specifically. For instance, I've already shared this, but I asked God to BREAK Jase's fever, and that Jase would break out into a rash. He did. I asked Jesus to RAISE those white blood cells. HE did. I asked Jesus to give me an explanation as to what virus Jase might have. HE did. In fact, our very close friends text to let us know their daughter had the roseola virus the exact same time as Jase was sick, and our kids had been around each other! God is such an intimate, and personal God. And you know what? I never prayed, "If it be your will, God." or "If something bad does happen to Jase...." Heck NO. I begged God on behalf of Jase to HEAL, believing He could. I couldn't bare the alternative. I know God didn't have to heal, but He did. Praise you Jesus. Praise you. So humbled. 

We take Jase for his FINAL blood test on Friday. His doctor said, "It's nothing to give a second thought about, but we want to be safest." (And if you're wondering, yes I still have to pray against fear for this final blood test. It's such a thorn in my side. But hey! It keeps me clinging to Jesus!)

We are humbled by God. We are grateful. We are in awe. We are blessed. We give ALL the praise, ALL the honor, and ALL the glory to the one true God. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We praise you, Jesus. We praise you. And oh how we love you, Father. Thank you for sacrificing your own son. I could never. BUT YOU DID for me- for us. Thank you God. Thank you. 

If you don't know Jesus personally, please invite him into your life! Life is not life without Him! 

Celebrating his healing with his first "own" ice cream cone!

Loving it!

Even Basye is smiling! (Don't be fooled by Jase's face, haha! He was quite happy!)

"Mama, quit taking pictures of me." Jovie is in on the celebration, too! 

JESUS

The Name of Jesus alone IS POWER! We are THANKING God HE ALONE healed Jase. THANK YOU Jesus. Praise Him. I got the news from Jase's doctor, and couldn't help but fall on my face in sobs, and thanks to God. To Him alone be all glory. Thank you Jesus. Thank you. We're going out for ice cream tonight!

In the Midst

On the outside, the day looks so completely normal. It feels anything but. I've got to be honest and say that the waiting is pretty torturous. It's exhausting because I'm trying to keep myself mentally focused on what is true, and not allow my mind to run ahead to awful extremes. When that happens, and believe me, it does, I have some disciplines I've been practicing to keep my mind PURE. I know someone else out there must be struggling with something in life, or maybe some day someone out there will struggle. I thought I would share what it can look like right in the thick of a really hard time of waiting.

This morning I was reading in my Jesus Calling devotional. One sentence jumped off the page at me, "...whisper My Name. This tiny act of trust brings Me to the forefront of your consciousness, where I belong." Many times today when panic has flooded my mind, I've simply been saying the Name of Jesus out loud! When I've been in public, I've whispered His Name. "Jesus!" His Name alone is SO powerful. SO powerful.

I've also been listening to Scriptures through the YouVersion app. Guys, I am loving it. It's so awesome to hear God's Word out loud while I'm folding laundry, doing dishes, changing diaps or whatever task I'm busy with. I LOVE reading about the amazing Holy Spirit's power in the book of Acts.

The church we attended in Virginia- Reston Bible Church- recently had their women's retreat. Jaye Weigold, a fabulous woman I know from the church, was their speaker. I've been listening to her messages, and have been incredibly encouraged! If you're interested, you can listen here:
https://www.restonbible.org/resources/teaching/women/item/1357-2015-womens-retreat-session-1-we-all-have-a-story

Lastly, Chuck and I have been surrounding ourselves with prayer. We pray separately, we pray as a whole family together, our Pastor came over and (tried to) lay hands on Jase and pray ;), and I also had a group call through Google Hangouts with my college girl friends to pray for us. Prayer is amazing. The Body of Christ is amazing. THANK YOU FOR PRAYING FOR US!

Well, my sweet, amazing Aunt ordered us dinner from our FAV place- Central Pizza- so that's all for now! But what a special gift of love from her, and from Jesus.

God is so GOOD in the midst of waiting...

Jehovah-Rophi

We did not get the news we wanted to hear today. Jase is at a high risk of getting very sick if he gets an infection right now. More blood work on Monday. We are begging Jehovah Rophi- God who Heals- to heal our son. Wouldn't it be amazing to shock the doctors with PERFECT blood tests on Monday because our God HEALS?! Please please pray. All glory to Him.