new wednesday loves...

I have seen a few bloggers do this What I Love Wednesdays and I thought I would jump on the band wagon! It is good to remember the things God put in our lives to LOVE!!

I LOVE...

~Jesus with all my heart!
~The man God has given to me...BEN!
~The sacrifice of American men and women
~my amazing family
~Starbucks!
~The love God has put in my heart for kids

{i love kisses!}

{i love new wrestle moves on gloomy sundays}

{i love puppies! a girl can dream right?}

{we love...new bathrobe from my sister for christmas!}

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27

Happy New Year...

{New Years Eve 7:30pm}
{Midnight kisses at 8pm}

{many faces of us}


"Year's end neither an end nor
a beginning but a going on,
with all the wisdom that
experience can install in us."
Hal Borland


"Glory to God in highest heaven,
who unto man His Son hath given;
while angels sing with tender mirth,
a glad new year to all the earth."
Martin Luther


“People are so worried about what
they eat between Christmas and the
New Year, but they really should be
worried about what they eat between
the New Year and Christmas”
Anonymous


"It depends on us...another year
lies before us like an unwritten page,
an unspent coin, an unwalked road.
How the pages will read, what treasures
will be gained in exchange for time,
or what we find alone the way,
will largely depend on us."
Esther Baldwin York

"Come on...! We have seen that the land is very good! Aren't you going to do something? Don't hesitate to go there and take it over...God has put into your hands, a land that lacks nothing whatever!" (Judges 18:9-10)

claim your promises...

"Come on...! We have seen that the land is very good! Aren't you going to do something? Don't hesitate to go there and take it over...God has put into your hands, a land that lacks nothing whatever!" (Judges 18:9-10)
"Come on! This command indicates that there is something definite for us to do and that nothing is ours unless we take it! We need to have appropriating faith when it comes to God's promises and should make His Word our own personal possession. A child was once asked what appropriating faith was, and he answered, "It is taking a pencil and underlining every me, my and mine in the Bible!" Pick any word you want that He has spoken and say, "That word is my word!" Put your finger on a promise and say, "It is mine!" How much of God's Word have you received and endorsed, and how much have you been able to say, "this has been done in my life?" By how many of His promises have you signed your name and said, "this has been fulfilled in me?" "My son,...you are always with me, and everything I have is yours!" Do not miss your own inheritance through your own neglect!"
"When faith goes to the market, it always takes a basket."
{streams in the desert}

I read this last night with Ben and was very humbled by the words that I was reading! Starting with the scripture in Judges! The "land" that the Lord has put us in a this time may not be what we wanted but it is good! But what are we going to do about it? Am I going to complain? Am I going to settle? Am I going to sit back and allow the enemy to take over a place in my heart that the Lord should have? That is not what the Lord instructs me to do...He tells me not to hesitate but to go forward and claim the goodness that He has promised Ben and I!
I love the response that this young child gave to underline every me, my and mine in the Bible! Why...because God's promises are our promises too! Every promise He made to those in the Bible are also ours to be had! But the catch is that we have to reach out and "take it over!" This applies not only to Ben's healing but our day to day life, feelings, emotions, dreams and desires! I have been challanged now to read the Word with a different look on the promises of the Lord!
For some reason this morning I woke up with a lightened heart, one of feeling more free. I don't know when the change came but it sure feels nice and the Lord is to be praised! He is enabling Ben and I to continue in this journey with more faith, strength, security in Him and together as a couple! I don't want to always look back and remember what "was" but what is to come and yes, the best is yet to come! Ben and I have created memories before the accident but we continue to build memories now that are just as important!
So, His Word is our Word, His promises are our promises, His dreams and desires for our lives are ours too! He did not come to destroy us but to build us up! He has a plan for our lives and that plan is perfect, perfected by Him!

When Ben was resting today I was laying next to him (the only way he will rest sometimes) and he said, "you are not going to leave me are you?" I asked him why he would think that and his response was, "there are people out there looking for love." My heart about broke but I also know that he was just double checking! We have had chats about trust and both of us being so in love with each other! I reassured Ben that I was not going anywhere (besides errands and at night to my room)and that I would love him with my whole heart for the rest of my life! He paused for a bit and then said in one full, loud sentence, "I love you with my whole heart, soul and mind...you deserve it!" Ben knows how to get to my heart and today he did! I don't know what I would ever do without him and him the same!

Ben has had a few productive days! He works hard in everything he does and comes back to his room sweating! It takes alot for Ben to sweat and has not really sweat that much before coming here! Today he had speech, neuro psych testing (which he said was bad because it was a test), PT in which he walked a ton and got on the foot bike, treadmill practice for an hour (actual time walking was 12 min...longest time yet) and currently in OT to work on his feeding skills! Full day and still not yet done! His goal is to work hard to go home!
In his testing in neuro psych Ben was asked to draw a circle and then put the numbers in where they should be. He was then asked to draw the hands at 9 o'clock. This is the first time he has been asked to do this and this is how it came out...

{he corrected his 9 because it was at the 8 first!}

Here are a few more random photos I forgot to include in previous posts...

{arts and crafts}

{grrrr faces}

{Ben getting our fire fighter friend Dante for picking on him}

Prayer requests:
1. Ben's memory!
2. Ben to initiate more...ask questions, ask for things, respond to people more.
3. Muscle loosening...to his neck, shoulders, arms, legs and every on in between
4. Coordination of his brain to his body...he knows how to do everything
5. ADL's (activities of daily living)...feeding, grooming, dressing...all the things that are in our daily life! The more Ben gets these down the easier it will be for me to take care of him at home!!
6. Mood continue to be up!

sickness, sister, storm, sadness,,,,

{our buddies from GA}

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”Eph. 3:20


The four words for the title of this blog have been our 5 days! Oh my goodness what a busy time it has been these last few days!
This past Thursday I woke up with a sore throat, stuffy nose, headache and sore muscles! I was thinking, no this cannot be happening to me right now! Well, it didn't get better until Monday morning! I had to spend the whole holiday weekend having sneeze attacks and feeling like crud! I couldn't even wear my contacts most of the time because my eyes would just burn...I took them off to take photos though!
Thursday evening Ben's sister and bro-in-law came in from PA! They were here to spend Christmas with us! What a priviledge it was to spend with them! We had a quick visit that night and then we all took off to get some rest!
Friday morning we all met back up at the rehab center to cheer Ben on in his therapies! He was walking so well!! Here is a lil video from the backside this time...





We hung out at Kessler the rest of the day and were just there for Ben! After he was done we all climbed in our swanky van and went out to dinner! All Ben had been talking about and wanting was enchiladas! So we found this quaint little Mexican restuarant in a neighboring town for dinner!! It was so much fun! They greeted us warmly as we entered through the back door! The other door had 7 steps up to it and this entry only one so we opted to sneek in the back door!! It was quite with Christmas music and we really had a good time! Back to Kessler we went to get Ben in bed...he was exausted but he told us he had a great time getting out and his food...cleared his plate!!

Christmas day!! What a fun day we had! No therapies for Ben and fun for us all! Again we met up at Kessler and swooped Ben into his chair and out the door! We were off to my hotel room for Christmas morning! Coffee in hand and Ben in a regular chair and not his wheelchair Matt, our bro-in-law read to us the Christmas story and it was just good to sit there and have it run through our ears and sink into our hearts!
Next it was opening our gifts! Of course ben got to go first! Last year he could barely open his gifts and this year he was tearing off the paper by the hand fulls! It was amazing to see....and brought tears to my eyes! He opened one gift and he said, "something from REI?" His eyes were huge and his hands hasty to open the box! You see...REI is his favorite store! "A North Face vest?" Was the next thing out of his voice! He went on to the next box and said after he took off the wrapping, "another one from REI?" Again big ole eyes with a slight smile! He was in heaven! Ben also got a shooting game from his sister! He was ready to do some damage with those things!
Following the gift opening Ben took a nap in my bed! He must have been so comfortable because when I went to get him up he was out of it! I knew we needed to get up and get going but I just couldn't wake him so I gave him a few more minutes!!
I finally woke him up and when I told him he needed to get up he gave me a loud, "NO!" Oh my! When I asked him why he said, "I am to comfortable!" I went on to tell him that we needed to get on the road to have Christmas dinner at Dante's mom's house! That got him moving!
We headed down the road for about 30 minutes and got to the home we needed to be at...without getting lost! They lifted Ben up two stairs...wheelchair and all and into the house!
What a wonderful family we got to be with! They accepted us, fed us like we had never eaten before, chatted with us and send us home with mass amounts of cookies, hats and scarfs! What a blessing it was for us and such a gracious invitation!
{my camera ran out of memory so Ben's sister will be sending them to me of our new friends!}

Sunday morning Ben's sister and husband had to leave...we were sad to see them go! They had to get going to get back to work in the morning and beat the storm aka blizzard!
Ummm, I have seen snow before but not this much before! Ok, well I have seen it but only on TV! It all started around 11am and didn't stop until the next day! The wind was howling up to 50 miles and hour and the snow was coming down by the buckets! I had to leave Kessler before 4 because I was warned that if I didn't leave then I would be staying the night at Kessler! I didn't like leaving Ben so early in the day but I knew that the wise decision would be to start making my way back!
Well, Monday I woke up to 2 feet of snow and the wind still howling! I got called at 6am by the fire department saying that if I wanted a drive in that they were on their way to get me! They wanted to get me to Ben before the crazy and yes they were CRAZY drivers came out! So, I was up and at em and on my way to Ben! Because of the snow many of the therapists were not able to get in to start therapy but they rescheduled Ben for the afternoon from 1-4pm! Yup, 3 straight hours of therapy! He did really well but was pooped out by the end! I spent the day with him and even got a nap in...still was not feeling good all day and it was much needed! The fire department gave me a ride back that evening and I was out!!





Tuesday, today was back to the normal schedule! The roads were clear so I was able to drive! Mountains of snow plowed roads were everywhere! Some towering 10 feet! My parents were to be flying in today! I knew that there were issues at the airports and thousands of flights were canceled going out...so here is the sadness! My parents had to cancel their whole trip coming out here! They got to SeaTac in Seattle because the airlines was not giving out any info except that it was delayed 20 min! Well, it ended up being canceled and when they went to get another flight on another day and possibly into another airport it was to no avail! No flights until next week!!
It was hard for me and I was sad but I am slowly getting used to the idea! Hopefully they will be able to make the trip out soon!
The rest of the week will be filled with rest and just being with Ben! He needs me around and I am so happy to be there with him!

and one more biking video...when you see him making a kissy face I had given him one behind the camera! This is all his super, powerful legs...no machine help!

merry christmas...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
May peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!

{half of our Christmas card this year}

We have alot to be Merry about this year! Ben and I have been blessed, healed, nurtured, taught, humbled and so many other things by the Lord this year!
I thought alot of where we were last year at this time and have been talking to Ben about it! I asked him today what he was able to do last year at Christmas and he said, "nothing, I was just laying there!" This is so true! Last year Ben could not walk, talk, process, swim, bike on his own, sit up longer then an hour in his chair and so many more things! Yesterday he did 30 push-ups, walked to his room two times while talking and did other things in his 1.5 PT session! Wow HE is amazing!
So, yes depite that we have been in a hospital/rehab setting for almost 1.5 years the Lord has brought us so far and will continue to take us even further!
I am excited to see where we are next Christmas!!!

Today we (Ben, me, his sister and her husband) get the priviledge of going to a local fire-fighters mom's house for Christmas!! This will be our first experince to enjoy an East Coast Italian dinner! Dante, the firefighter, told me that I cannot be shy when it comes to eating because it goes something like this...
-appetizers
-big pan of lasanga
-clean that up
-turkey, fixing, veggies
-clean that up
-coffee and desserts....
...oh my goodness!! We are super excited to go, meet some new people and celebrate Jesus' birth! If it takes me a few days to get on here with photos and updates just know that I am ok but quite possibly in a food coma!!

Blessings to you all and a very Merry Christmas!!

before the morning...

Do you wonder why you have to
Feel the things that hurt you
If there’s a God who loves you where is He now
Maybe there are things you can’t see
And all those things are happening
To bring a better ending
Someday somehow you’ll see you’ll see

Would you dare would you dare to believe
That you still have a reason to sing
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It can’t compare to the joy that’s coming
So hold on you gotta wait for the light
Press on and just fight the good fight
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning

My friend you know how this all ends
You know where you’re going
You just don’t know how you’ll get there
So say a prayer and hold on cause there’s
good for those who love God
But life is not a snapshot
It might take a little time but you’ll
see the bigger picture

Once you feel the weight of glory
All your pain will fade to memory
It’s just the hurt before the healing
Oh the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning

{Josh Wilson}

I have heard this song several times but really never listened to the words! When I was driving this morning in my swanky van this song came on again! The words are powerful and full of life for the things to come! I cannot see Ben and my future, I cannot see what is happening in the heavenlys and I cannot see the big picture in it all but I can know that if I allow it the joy of the Lord will come in the morning! There may be hurt before the healing but the promise is there is GOOD for those who LOVE God!

Be blessed today!

quick update...

We finally made it back to Kessler today! It was a smooth transition and for that I am grateful! Tomorrow brings back therapies and getting Ben back on a "normal" schedule! Everyone was very concerned about Ben and wanted to check in on him when we got back!
I got behind on my Christmas shopping and have not even bought Ben anything! I told him that I needed to go and get something! He said he didn't want anything! When I asked him why he said all he wanted was, "you (as in me) and my memory back!)I asked him what he was going to get me and he said nothing! I asked him why again and said that since he couldn't go out to get me anything that he wasn't getting me anything! Stinks for both of us! :)

On the way back to Kessler the medics who transporting him back to Kessler they asked if Ben was ok and he said, "no!"

They asked him why and he said, "I just want to be normal again! Please pray for Ben's spirits! They need a bit of lifting to fulfill

this mission that is set before him!
Blessings!