Rainbows in the Sky

We drove home a bit discouraged from our appointment in Charlottesville. I thought I was prepared to accept that the doctor there might not be much help. He suggested a couple of things that might help Qavah in the long run, but nothing that might arrest this disease. Paul and I were in a reflective mood on the drive home as we mulled over the hour-long visit with the doctor.

Qavah had a blast today. She had a little picnic box of goodies to eat in the car. She also had our complete attention, watched movies to and from Charlottesville on her little DVD player, and for an added bonus, she was able to see Grandma and Granddaddy on the way home. She hardly noticed that we were making the trip for health reasons. Her heart was joyful all day.

As we were nearing home this evening, we had just gotten off the interstate, and painted in the late afternoon sky were two huge and distinct rainbows side by side. We have been teaching Qavah about God's promises and even bought her a little rainbow light for her bedroom, but today she saw the marvelous handiwork of God. They were the real deal. She was in awe. Qavah has learned that when there is a rainbow God takes notice and remembers His promises. He has made some promises to His children, and today He reminded me with a double rainbow that she is in the palm of His hand. "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." Genesis 9:16

Qavah's Turn

Kathryn, after two years, has finally reached a place with the right medications that she is now experiencing relief from many of the problems she was faced with at the time of the HPS diagnosis. It was a long and very hard road. Many times she had to wait for doctors to observe her condition for weeks and months before they were willing to prescribe things that finally worked for her. That is the nature of medical treatments for rare diseases.

Tomorrow we will be taking Qavah to the hospital in Charlottesville knowing that we may have to come home without many answers, but it is still worth pushing and trying every door. We believe one will open when the time is right. I would like to think that day has arrived. I've explained the visit with the doctor tomorrow and that she will most likely have to give them some of her blood to examine. Although she heard that part and considered it, she has talked of nothing else but taking a trip to Charlottesville with Mommy AND Daddy! I'm glad she sees this as a big treat. Cheerfulness seems to be the theme of her life.

Sunday Sermons

This morning Kathryn went to hear a missionary from India speak on the subject of teaching new believers how to grow in their knowledge of the Bible and to help them get involved in a local church. We went to a different church and the sermon we heard emphasized the need to be engaged in the world enough to share the Gospel message, because it brings hope and eternal salvation to those who believe. Paul Burton went to a church service in Blacksburg and told us that the Sunday School discussion was about methods of evangelism. I thought it interesting that three different churches; three different denominations, had a similar message today. Perhaps it is one that Christian circles need to hear. It was a reminder that there are still many who don't have peace of mind concerning life after death.

The sermon we heard today was also a good reminder that frightened, lost, and angry people are watching Christians with the question, "Is Christianity anything I should care about pursuing?" The pastor began with the story of a police officer coming upon the scene of an accident. A woman had failed to stop at a red light because she was on her cell phone and applying her lipstick. She hadn't noticed the light changed to red and rammed the car in front of her. The officer observed her obscene finger gestures through the sunroof and heard her swearing when he arrived. He asked her to step out of the car, handcuffed her, and put her in the squad car. Later at the jailhouse she was released with an apology. "I'm very sorry," he said, "But when I saw and heard your rantings and observed all the Christian stickers on the bumper, I assumed you had stolen that car."

Father, when Monday morning begins, and Christians face a new week of challenges, help us all to remember that You are the Sovereign Lord and that others are watching to see how Your children behave under pressure. Grant us grace to respond with patience. Amen

From the Kitchen

I took Qavah to her GI doctor again today. She has not gained weight over the past few months and his report today was not very positive. I am not looking to the doctors for the help she needs. Her disease is so rare there are no known cases. Most of her doctors don't know what to do. Our hope is in the Lord who made her. He knows when the time is right to move on her behalf. We believe she is going to improve somehow. We have seen miracles in Kathryn's life and I am expecting one for Qavah.

Fernando and Rosa were not kidding when they arrived and said, "We will cook for you." This evening we sat down to a wonderful meal made of beef and several vegetables cooked in a savory sauce. They said it was a typical Spanish dinner for the winter because it is a wholesome and comforting meal. I would say it resembled an American stew. Tomorrow they are making a special chicken dish and found all the ingredients at the new Kroger nearby. They have made two trips to the grocery store because Rosa loves it. I'm not sure whether they have taken their pictures in Kroger, but they have found it a wonderful American experience.

Kathryn is doing very well this week. She is enjoying her job and it has been a source of joy for her. It is also fun to come home and find Fernando and Rosa here making dinner. Our hearts are at peace and I am grateful to find so much joy in the "normal" things.

Winning Days

I went into Kathryn's room yesterday morning and her face and hands were quite swollen. She was feeling strange and had a terrible sinus headache. We talked about what might have caused the sudden change and traced her steps back to the evening before when she ate ham at a special dinner she attended. Too much table salt affects her the same way as saline in her IV. The ham sent her into an all-day sleep-in with several glasses of water between naps to flush out her system. By evening she was better. Things change quickly with her health, but now that she knows country ham is off her list she can avoid another setback by not eating it. Her list of food sensitivities has grown considerably. However, she still enjoys being at the table with everyone and I try to cook the foods she can tolerate.

Qavah and I have had a good day together. She waited at the Social Security Office with me for over an hour. We took a number when we arrived and her number was twenty-nine. She waited patiently until a woman called out her number and from the squeal that burst forth from her, one would think she was called to be a game-show contestant. She jumped up and down waving her number. I think that was the most excitement the Social Security Office had seen for awhile and it made several people laugh.

Table Talk

Tonight we had a lovely dinner and the whole family could be here around the table. The funny things Colin and Paul Burton would say meant more to them than the rest of us because they shared a room and an apartment until Colin got married. They were reliving some silliness from their childhood. They would say something in a funny voice and crack themselves up with laughter. Qavah giggled whenever they giggled. Annelise sat across the table from Qavah and they began to giggle together. Around the table there was freedom from our daily cares and times of good laughter. This doesn't happen very often due to our busy schedules, so it was a lot of fun to watch tonight. Kathryn ate a regular dinner with us, and appreciated everything.

After dinner, Annelise and Qavah took the toy grocery cart into the kitchen and filled it with canned goods from the pantry. Annelise is talking now and was quite clear about her desire to "go shopping." Qavah and Annelise have a great relationship and are always excited to see one another. When Jenn drove up and the van door opened, I was in the kitchen but could hear Qavah and Annelise shriek and squeal when they saw each other. I loved it.

I don't know how many ways there are to say how grateful we are for these days. To watch Kathryn working around the house for herself is a daily reminder that God is the giver and sustainer of life. One of our discussions tonight centered around the subject of grace. It touched my heart that, as Colin was sharing some thoughts with us about God's grace, seated around the table was tangible proof that God has poured out His grace on this family. I'm counting my blessings.

Father, let me take these treasured times and hold them close. They are a gift from You. Let them be to me a loving reminder of Your grace when the days grow dark and stormy. Amen.

Jenn's Birthday is September twenty-second, so tonight we had a family celebration:

Colin carved out the center of the apple, so we could place a votive candle inside of it:

Annelise and Qavah are best friends:

Upcoming Events

Many of our friends here in the area may remember our foreign exchange student, Fernando, from Spain. We had him for several summers which gave him a chance to further his education and improve his English skills. We chose to take in Fernando because his documents stated that he played the piano and enjoyed classical music. From that decision we have all made very happy memories with Fernando. My job was to take him shopping for gifts to take home to his Mom and sister. He hated shopping! Well, tonight I heard Fernando's voice on the phone calling from New York. He is back in America. He is now in his second year of medical school and is coming for a visit next week.

We have not seen Fernando for a few years. On this trip, he brought with him a young lady. "You will love her," he said, in a tone that really said, "I love her." She is a surgical medical student and hopes to observe an American operating room during her stay here. Fernando is pursuing a residency at Duke University Hospital next year. It seems like yesterday that he was sixteen and ready to take on the world. Now he is twenty-six and ready to take his place in the world. The time has passed so quickly.

We are hoping for a good week of health for Kathryn and Qavah during the visit with Fernando and Rosa next week. We have a good bit of catching up to do and not a lot of time. We want to show Rosa the view from the Blue Ridge Parkway, the market downtown, and all the reasons why Fernando loved coming back to the United States each year. This evening he called on his new iPhone, purchased from a store in New York; a great little souvenir! I'll post pictures of the visit next week and in them, Lord willing, we'll see Kathryn and Qavah smiling joyfully.

Goodness and Mercy

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." That's a bold statement from King David when he was just a shepherd and had his whole life ahead of him. How could he know that goodness and mercy would follow him? How can anyone know that mercy will be a theme of their lives? The answer of course is simply that David knew His God.

As Kathryn works another day and Qavah enjoys her time with me, I can say with assurance that over the past year "goodness and mercy" have followed us. It is pure joy to have arrived in this place. The last two days have been restful with quietness and peace strengthening us for the days ahead. I'm so thankful for the rest that was waiting for me beside the still waters.

A Five Year Old

I've told God time and again what a good idea it was to give me another child. If it hadn't happened all His way and in His timing, I never would have thought of it myself. He made it happen in a miraculous way. Tomorrow Kathryn starts a new job. Qavah and I will spend the day together. Since getting our adoption papers, I have begun a search for a new medical team for Qavah. I am no longer a "foster parent," but a parent looking for answers and I will not stop until I get some. I have several calls in to UVA Medical Center, and expect to be taking Qavah there for extensive testing. I can't think of a better way to use my time than helping Qavah overcome some of her physical challenges.

In the meantime, I have the joy of teaching a smart little girl all about God and everything He made. One Sunday she went to children's church and came back to sit with us for the closing of the service. She was carrying what looked like two bowls stapled together. The top bowl was inverted like a lid with rainbow-colored pipe cleaners in an arch across the top of it. She sat down beside us and in a whisper said, "Mommy, I made Noah's Ark!" Sure enough, I could see how it looked like a little boat with a rainbow stretched across the top. Then she said, "God saved the animals in here, but I ate them all." Inside the bowls were crumbs that were remnants of animal cookies. As I laughed discretely through the rest of the service I thought, "See, this is why it is fun to have a five year old again."

Oatmeal All Around

This morning after worship the five of us were hungry. As we were deciding what to do for lunch and tossed around the idea of visiting the new Mexican restaurant, or eating hamburgers, someone said, "How about one of Daddy's big pans of oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar?" That was the one suggestion that made us all respond with a resounding, "Yes!" Paul looked rather surprised that, given a choice, everyone would want his cooking above everything else mentioned. As we gathered around our own table, bowing our heads to thank God for the food, I was especially thankful that we were all able to eat, and that the simple comfort of a steaming bowl of oatmeal was enough to make everyone happy.

The girls are healthy today but tired. We are headed to our beds for naps. Could it be the touch of maple flavor Paul put into the oatmeal that has made us feel content and dreamy? Whatever it was, we are ready for an afternoon snooze. Enjoy your Sabbath rest!

More than a Piece of Paper

Today, in the eyes of the law, Qavah is really and truly ours. Our friend, and advocate for Qavah, came to visit us this afternoon carrying the document that we have been waiting for since last February. Yes, it is a piece of paper, but its meaning is a huge event for our family. Our final adoption decree was signed and delivered! Qavah stood right in front of Bill as he looked her in the eye and said, "This paper means that no one can ever take you away from your Mommy and Daddy!" Qavah had such a priceless look of delight that I wanted to capture the moment on camera.

To know that she has a place of belonging, someone here to fight for her, and someone to rock her to sleep, means so much to us. She was treasured and loved before the piece of paper arrived, but today makes everything official. I asked Qavah if we should celebrate tonight when Daddy gets home. She said, "Yes! Let's go shopping!" She made me laugh while the tears were still brimming in my eyes from the wording of the adoption document. They read, "Wherefore, it is now by this final order of adoption ADJUDGED, ORDERED, and DECREED that the named infant child is henceforth for all intents and purposes, the child of the petitioners, Paul and Dawn Campbell." The matter is settled in Heaven and on Earth. AMEN!

Medical updates

There have been some very positive changes in Kathryn's medical care. For one thing, she has not had an overnight stay at the hospital since last October. We credit that to a GI doctor who is relentless in his care of Kathryn. He saw her this week and changed one of her daily medications to the latest drug to hit the market for acid reflux. It is working very well. He gave her a ten day supply to try. As it turns out she is already seeing improvement. Also, her esophagus is being treated with herbal tea! After weeks of a strange tightening in her throat and esophagus, the doctor told her that he just got a new patient that had complained of the same thing. He tried everything to help her and finally asked her to drink very warm herbal tea at the onset of her problems throughout the day. Kathryn started doing that yesterday and has found relief at last.

Qavah has been low on energy after her last transfusion. She tires easily and with all the doctors' appointments we've had this week, she was worn out today. Her afternoon nap stretched into four hours. We kept activity to a minimum and watched Little House on the Prairie. She was not familiar with the series, so I enjoyed watching her reactions to Pa's fiddle, the Ingalls' cabin, and the little dresses the girl's wore at that time. She comments enthusiastically over many things so I enjoyed observing how she thinks. It was fun to watch her get all excited for the Ingalls' girls when Pa got home from hunting. That's also her favorite part of the day; daddy coming home.

Tomorrow is Kathryn's Remicade treatment. Now that her body has stabilized on Methotrexate, her GI doctor is going to try to stretch her Remicade treatments out further than six weeks. It is normally given every eight weeks. He promised her an immediate appointment for a treatment if she started having symptoms after six weeks, so she is going to try that. The care Kathryn is receiving is something we all prayed for and I can say for certain that God has given her His best. Now we are praying for a new medical team for Qavah. We appreciate your prayers and have seen many of them answered.

Having Qavah

"Qavah" means hope and patience. When I say it, I wonder why I haven't seen more plaques or wall-hangings using that word. It has a lovely sound. Maybe it isn't as popular as the Hebrew word, shalom, meaning peace. But every home needs shalom and qavah. At night we tuck Qavah in bed asking the Lord to bring healing to her body. Yet every four weeks we hear from the hematologist that her labs show she needs another transfusion. It would be very easy to think God is not hearing us, or that He chooses not to heal Qavah. So we think of her name, and remember that while we are not seeing progress yet, God has a plan for Qavah. And with hope and patience we wait for the healing we believe will come.

This month I'm having my new license plate made for my car. I decided to have the word "QAVAH" written on my plate to remind me everytime I spot my car in a parking lot that hope and patience is a good theme to live by while I wait.

Over the River

Yesterday we drove to Fishersville to spend some time with Mom and Dad. After waking up late we had a bacon and egg breakfast. After breakfast we all looked sleepy again and went back to bed. This was a highly unusual Sunday morning for us, but one we really needed. We couldn't get Qavah moving and decided to slow the pace for her sake. We all found it was greatly needed and were happy that Mom and Dad had coffee and cookies waiting upon our arrival.

We caught up on the family news and shared a quiet Sunday afternoon. Back when I was a kid, we used to visit my Grandma and Grandpa on Sunday afternoon. They lived about twenty minutes away, and I remember my Grandmother having a little dish of mints near her chair for visitors like me. She would tell me to take just one, but then she managed to slip me an extra one for my pocket. She had a little ceramic dog that I liked to look at when I visited. The words on the underside said, "made in Japan." It had a head attached to its body with a spring so its head bobbled up and down. I liked to jiggle the head and watch to see how long it could bobble.

I don't really know what made going to Grandma's house so special. But after lunch on Sunday when we heard our names called and the command to get into the car, we got excited. I liked grandma's pillowy hugs. I liked the way her house smelled, that her candy dish was full, and her little ceramic dog was always on the same shelf as my previous visit, as though it sat there all week waiting for my return. Years from now when we are sitting around the table recalling visits to our Grandparents', I know the girls will also remember the sweet "little things" that made them feel loved. We had a lovely afternoon.

Qavah playing with Grandmom's cat, Misty:

Granddaddy wanted another woodworking project after finishing the harp he built for Kathryn. He is now building a bouzouki:

Granddaddy and Qavah:

Melt-A-Ways

One of Mom Campbell's favorite candies is the Melt-A-Way mint. They are little round drops of mint flavored white chocolate. They come in a clear bag and the colors are a soft green, gentle pink, and yummy pastel yellow. They have white candy sprinkles on the flat side. I have found them around the holidays at Hickory Farms. They really do melt-a-way right on your tongue leaving a gentle after-taste of mint in your mouth. They are so yummy that putting a candy dish full of them next to a dieter would be plain cruel.

I got to thinking about Melt-A-Way moments today when I lowered Qavah into her hot bath with lavender oil. Her eyes grew glassy and I heard her say, "AAAHHHH!" Then I thought, "If life had more Melt-A-Way moments perhaps we would all eat less chocolate."

More Birthday

Today we girls woke up with the same idea. We made our way to the kitchen for coffee and leftover birthday carrot cake for breakfast! Just a few bites seemed reasonable and it was a meal that reminded us that we are still celebrating.

After a lovely breakfast we got ready to go to the hospital to have Qavah's blood tested. Just one year ago at the hospital in Louisiana she had to be placed on a papoose board and strapped down to get her blood drawn, while screaming her heart out. Today Kathryn took pictures of a composed Qavah as she was having her blood drawn. As a result of answered prayer, she has learned to trust us and take charge of her emotions. This is something she has to do every four weeks and I see God's goodness in these pictures. He gives even babies the grace to accept and find joy in difficult circumstances. Without complaint she held out her arm and had two vials drawn. She was rewarded with hugs, stickers, and her Red Cross bracelet. I am blessed to witness the daily grace.

Glimpses of Normalcy

As I was baking Kathryn's birthday cake today, I had another glorious glimpse of normalcy. Kathryn could smell the baking from upstairs and came down to the kitchen to investigate. Her pancreas is functioning like it should so she can smell food, savor the aroma, and eat it. Therefore, her anticipation was building this afternoon, and throughout the evening she was feeling celebratory. After blowing out the candles, she savored every bite of her birthday cake. Our hearts are feeling the importance of this season of celebrating, and tonight I had a sense that many more days like this are yet to come. I am ready for the good things to come, and thankful for them before they arrive.

There is a quaint little prayer book called The Valley of Vision that was given to Kathryn that I'd like to quote tonight. One sentence jumped out at me last week that is fitting for this season of praise. "I bless thee for tempering every distress with joy." Amen.