Getting Back to Normal

It has been four weeks since our last posting, and I apologize for not doing better with posting updates.  We have so many people praying for Christopher, and you certainly deserve to hear how he is doing.   I will try to do better. Life has been super busy the past four weeks, and I think it is amazing what you can pack into such a short period of time!  Thank you for trying to keep up with our boy.

Yesterday marked eight weeks since Christopher's surgery.  Life around our home has quickly gotten back to normal.  Normal meaning never  a dull moment.  Really.  Life with a husband who NEVER meets a stranger and four children who expereince life to the fullest = never a dull moment.  Christopher's lab results continue to be normal as well.  Praise God!  His doctor is so pleased with his progress, and we are still rejoicing that Christopher's journey has been so remarkable.  To speak with Christopher, you wouldn't realize that he had major surgery just eight weeks ago.  While his 10 day hospital stay is still fresh in his mind, he doesn't dwell on "what was".  Greg asked him yesterday if he thinks he will be ready to speak to people about his journey within the next year, and he shook his head yes.  Isn't it a blessing to have a front row seat in watching God work in your child's life? 

We found out during this morning's visit that an 11 year old child will be having a kidney transplant today and a 10 year old next week.  Due to privacy laws, Greg, Christopher, and I couldn't go and visit with the family in the waiting room, but hopefully they will let them know we are available.  We just feel that the families would be so encouraged to see Christopher and how good he looks, as well as offering other encouragement.   We have also offered to be there for families just receiving a diagnosis any day, any time. All kidney patients have different roads since there are different causes and our bodies are all different. Also, our road has been short, while a lot of children have dealt with issues all of their lives. Christopher was born with smaller kidneys, but they were able to function and were not detected until late childhood.   Many children are forced to do dialysis as babies until they are able to have a kidney transplant.  Many children and adults do experience extreme fatigue, lack of appetite, and dialysis which are all symptoms of kidney disorders.  While Christopher was spared from that particular road, we feel we can still identify.  Pray that we will be given the opportunity to minister to other families facing a similar journey. 

This week our church is holding VBS.  This is Christopher's first year attending VBS as a volunteer since he "graduated" from the children's department last year.   He is working in crafts and loves it!  He can't wait to go back each evening. He loves to work, and he loves to serve. 

Christopher at VBS. 

Talking about serving...I'm not sure if I posted that Christopher and I are going to Mullins with the Victory Sports' mission team the last week of June. Right now, we have a total of 107 team members!  I told Christopher back in January that we wouldn't be going on Victory Sports' mission trips this summer due to his surgery.  He told me quite often  that he was:-)   Well, just to appease him (and to get him to stop talking about it!), I asked the doctor three weeks ago if he could go, and she gave us the go-card.  She is now one of his favorite people. See what I know. CG always says that Christopher has more faith than any of us...he knew he was going the entire time:-)  So, we are busy, along with other team members getting ready for the trip to Mullins.  On our mission trips, we conduct a sports camp in the morning and VBS during the afternoon.  We also send teams into the communities for various outreach opportunities. We have the campers from 9am-4pm each day.  This will be Christopher's first time serving as a leader on our summer mission trips as well.  He has jumped in as one of the campers the past five years, but he is looking forward to helping with soccer during sports camp and crafts during VBS.  We know that many of the churches in the Mullins area have been praying for our family, so we are looking forward to seeing them! 

Well, CG graduated from high school on June 2.  Since he was the President of the Student Body he was able to lead his graduating class into the ceremony, as well as leading the open welcome, the decorum before diplomas were issued (aka rules for the audience), and then the closing prayer.  He was also the first to walk across the stage to receive his diploma! Our cups were over flowing.  He closed the ceremony with a beautiful prayer.  God was certainly glorified.  CG will leave for Israel on June 28 and return on August 4.  He will officially become a Carolina Gamecock when he moves onto campus August 18.

CG leading his class into the ceremony for graduation



Please pray for Miss Gracie.  She injured her knee during the last soccer game of the high school play-offs, and we found out two weeks ago that she tore her ACL.  She truly grieved when she first heard the news since that meant she would be unable to play club soccer this fall.  This would have been her last season playing club since she graduates next year.  We met with the surgeon this past week, and she will have surgery on July 2.  Rehabilitation for a torn ACL is typically six months.  Her goal is to work really hard this summer and fall so she can play her senior year for the high school.  She had planned on going to a couple of college summer camps in hopes of getting recruited, but she quickly acknowledges that God had a different plan.  Gracie is away at Palmetto Girls State this week.  She is having such a good time, and she has jumped in head first as usual.  The doctor allowed her to postpone surgery for three weeks so she could attend Girls State, Student Life Camp, and the Mullins mission trip.  She actually twisted her knee pretty badly while talking with us on the phone last night. I had to figure out how to get her help 1 1/2 hours away since she was alone in her room.  Remember that never a dull moment comment at the beginning of this post?  This is just a small glimpse of what I mean:-)

Cody will be leaving for Costa Rica July 1-8 after returning from Student Life Camp and our mission trip to Mullins.  This will be his first year venturing out on a mission trip without his siblings.  He is very excited, but he admits it will be different without CG and Gracie.  Since they are close in age, they have always been together.  He is having a blast at VBS this week as a squad leader.  The kids LOVE Cody. Cody is such a hoot and so much fun to be around.

With love & many thanks,

Mia