**As I log in to write about 2014 I see that I never posted this from 2013. I just read it and feel it needs to be shared because this years post takes off right where this one left off.**
Looking back to the beginning of this year I never would have expected to have gone through all that we have. When I look at all the junk that life throws us I wonder how we have made it through. When I look at what I should be looking at, I see a great and mighty God providing our each and every need. We have experienced a lot of struggles but with each one even more blessings than we can count. Of course we didn't see them in the storm. But as each storm settles we see the how our lives are being shaped. And how God was walking with us the whole entire time.
In the Fall of 2012 Ron went back to school for his masters in Special Education. As most of you know we have a special needs son. What you might not know is Ron has worked as an ed tech in special education for almost nine years. Pursuing a Masters was encouraged by several co workers, and with much prayer. With the whole family behind him he began.
Ron and I
This past January I started a full time job. Because Ron was going to start teaching and would have to take leave from his job he would lose pay and benefits. I now had a real job. You know, the one where you work a strict 8-5, one hour lunch, annual and sick leave that had to be used in order to take any time off for anything. I was not ready for this change and I don't think our family was either. However, the positives were so extreme. God opened doors and it has been a complete blessing. I work with several amazing people. Some are like mothers to me and some are friends. My immediate boss is incredible and truly cares for his employees and their families. I received benefits after just 3 weeks. (although they cost a big chunk of my paycheck I didn't realize how important it would be). This job has been just enough to help as we had hoped. But it's not easy to be the provider. Definitely was not my calling and I will be so excited to give this role back to my amazing husband. Although my job is full time job it will end in Sept of 2014 when the orthodontic program at the clinic where I work will close.
Ron will begin full time student teaching this January and will graduate this coming June. 6 months and counting. He is doing really well in school despite all his other responsibilities with a family. I am so proud of him. He truly is my hero.
My parents have taken on a huge role of helping with the kids. They do pick ups from school, practices, games, basically anything that takes place before 5, often offering to help more than really needed. BLESSINGS!!! That is exactly what my parents are.
The kids
Kaelyn is in 8th grade. She has a passion for volleyball and is growing so much as a player. She played volleyball for school this fall and is currently starting her second year of club volleyball. She is finishing her last week of basketball after a year and a half away from the game. She is doing excellent in school and has some great friends.
Madelyn is in 6th grade and is really enjoying Jr high. Middle school came at a great time for her. She is 5'7" and is really growing as a basketball and volleyball player. She was majorly blessed with an incredible coach who has endless knowledge of the game. Madelyn is also playing club volleyball this year and is learning so much. Sports has really brought her out of her shell and she is making great friends as well. She loves school and is doing really well.
Brookelyn is a sure mini me. She is 9, loves sports, school, friends, and just doing things. Anything. She has had a lot of success learning the game of basketball and finding out her role is going to be to park herself at the block as a post player. She will surely more than exceed the six foot mark. She is also joining her older sisters in trying club volleyball out this year. She is doing great in school.
The girls have made a pretty steep commitment with doing club volleyball. It's expensive and clearly something we cannot really afford, After a lot of prayer and talking we agreed to let all three girls play. So much time has been taken away from them for us to care for TJ. With that, we have committed to working at any and all tournaments that they are not participating in. So basically each weekend we will get up early and go back in late to set up and clean up from other volleyball tournaments. We will do fundraising. I think this is ending up being a great learning tool that they are wanting to play and earning that right. It's a blessing and a privilege to have this chance. I think they will be better because of it. And honestly, not take it for granted.
Our little man TJ. Tj is now seven. He is a big first grader. This year has been a very difficult one. We ended his kindergarten year feeling so excited and ready for the big step to all day school in 1st grade. However, as most of you know, on August 5th, 2013 TJ had his first grand mal seizure that we witnessed. It was extremely scary and once again, our lives, his little life, had been flipped upside down. After two hospital stays, 2 ER visits, three 911 calls, a hard fall in the street, a neurologist visit, close to a hundred phone calls to our pediatrician, and request for a second opinion to a different neurologist, we received a diagnosis of epilepsy. Not what we were hoping for, but we take it because God has a purpose. Fair? Nope. But you know that awesome saying we grew up hearing, "Life isn't fair". Ugh! I still dislike hearing it.
Tj missed a lot of school while we were trying to figure out the seizures and his adhd medications. He missed a lot of crucial classroom time with his friends. I could list what I call the negatives, but to focus on the positives..... He has been beyond blessed with aides and a teacher that have been incredible, patient, loving, accepting, compassionate and see the good qualities it TJ. He has been safe and only had one fall from all his seizures. We were blessed by the DannyDid Foundation with a $600 Emfit mattress monitor device for his bed, which on night one alarmed us that he was having a seizure. We are actually getting sleep after 3 months of only a few hours a night. His new neurologist is incredible and we are forever grateful for the tug in our hearts to push for a second opinion. Because of this beautiful boy of ours people around us are learning so much about autism, adhd, developmental delays, special needs, and now epilepsy.
Although the storms just seemed to keep coming, God kept us at peace. Around the time of TJ's seizures I was waiting for a mammogram and ultrasound to check on a lump that was found. Due to all the seizures and me lacking any type of leave, my appointments kept getting rescheduled. In the end it is just a cyst, but in the time of not knowing it was pretty scary. Ron was fighting to stay on top of his summer term work and we spent a total of 7 nights in the hospital and constant changes in plans when seizures would occur. The biggest blessing of all came when we attended Camp Attitude for the second year. This place means the world to us and will forever be a mission of ours to serve at in the future. We met so many people facing epilepsy. They helped us pick up after a seizure and learn to get up and go about the day. THAT was hard. But we did.
God has given us incredible family, an amazing church family and friends to lift us in prayer and pray for us when we found it hard to do so ourselves. Our friends and family were always there finding ways to help, support, feed us, check in on us, offering so many things. We never questioned our faith but I often questioned why all this, why now? There is nothing worse in the world than watching your own child suffer from a condition that is not curable. It's manageable, which I am very thankful. God has taken care of TJ in ways that I cannot even explain. God has taken care of the girls through all of this. God has taken care of Ron and I. We are still fighting for our marriage, one another, our kids, and to stay a strong family in HIM. We are fighting against satan who loves to see families fall apart more than anything else in this world. And we will always have this fight. Ron and I refuse to be one of those numbers that doesn't make it. It's not easy, but we can do it. Trials are not fun. But I believe that there are so many more blessings in each trial that if you look at those you will get through them much easier.
As Christmas 2013 approaches, we learn for the first time that Christmas is NOT about buying our kids the things they want but being grateful for the things we need are provided and appreciating what we have. Food on the table, clothes to wear, the ability to play sports, working minds and able bodies. We have love, friendships, family, faith, grace, a warm home in the freezing temperatures, a job to provide the very basic needs, and the chance at being educated. God's provision is something that we are focused on so much this Christmas season. Give because Christ gave the ultimate gift to us. Give because you want to. Give with meaning. Give only what is in your means. Because that is what really matters. This Christmas might be one of our hardest but it will be one that we remember, for it will change the way we give, and receive.
Merry Christmas from the Worst Family
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