easter and words from an honorable man...

I forgot to include this photo on one of our last posts! These are a few of Ben's buddies and bosses that came up from GA on their way to West Point to send us off! Ben was excited to see them all and we had a good time and chat with them all!

Oh my gooodness what a whirlwind the last few days have been! Between being with Ben and getting things done I have been a busy lady!
I posted that I was going to be able to take Ben to my parents house for Easter and we did have a family gathering but the locations changed! We changed to my sisters house that could house more people about an hour before we were all to meet. It gave us a bit more room and allowed more space for Ben! I picked Ben up about 1215 from the hospital and he was sooooo ready! We got there before the rest of the family so I was able to get Ben into a comfy, leather recliner chair! My bro-in-law was gracious enough to let Ben borrow it for the afternoon! Men and their chairs! Ben was able to sit there and sit up, lay back, move his legs and get lots of attention from the neices and nephews!
I was in the kitchen and when I turned around this is what I found...

{my niece Kyla reading her frog book to Ben after my nephews loaded him up with a bowl of goldfish crackers...his fav!}

Ben ate in that chair, napped in the chair and even got to snuggle with baby Larsen again! He met Larsen when he was about 3 months old when my sister and bro-in-law came to see us in CA. Ben was able to hold him and get some good snuggles there too! Ben and Larsen must have remembered their time because when Larsen was put in Ben's lap this time the both relaxed and sat there...


...and then about 10 minutes later Larsen tried to escape but Ben wasn't having it..


We were able to stay at my sisters house for about 6 hours on Easter! It was so good for Ben to see everyone and I really believe that being here will be a huge part or Ben's recovery process! God still has amazing things in store for Ben and I look forward to see what is in our future and that starts tomorrow!

I was sad to find out today that an amazing man of God passed away today in a tragic car accident. Rev. David Wilkerson was the founding pastor of Times Square Church in New York City, author of the well-known book The Cross and the Switchblade and very involved in the program Teen Challange. He posted a blog this morning and the title was, "When All Means Fail" and I leave you with his words that have impacted me and where I am at in life and on our journey now...

"To believe when all means fail is exceedingly pleasing to God and is most acceptable. Jesus said to Thomas, “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those that do believe and have not seen” (John 20:29).

Blessed are those who believe when there is no evidence of an answer to prayer—who trust beyond hope when all means have failed.

Someone has come to the place of hopelessness—the end of hope—the end of all means. A loved one is facing death and doctors give no hope. Death seems inevitable. Hope is gone. The miracle prayed for is not happening.

That is when Satan’s hordes come to attack your mind with fear, anger, overwhelming questions: “Where is your God now? You prayed until you had no tears left. You fasted. You stood on promises. You trusted.”

Blasphemous thoughts will be injected into your mind: “Prayer failed. Faith failed. Don’t quit on God—just do not trust him anymore. It doesn’t pay!”

Even questioning God’s existence will be injected into your mind. These have been the devices of Satan for centuries. Some of the godliest men and women who ever lived were under such demonic attacks.

To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.”

Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail—his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world."