Elizabeth's Gift

A friend of mine dropped by today. She called and said she had something for me. Never in a million years could I have guessed what it was. I met Elizabeth at the door and she held out her gift. It was in a little red bag. I carefully picked up the contents and felt a glass jar. I pulled it out of the wrapping paper and there was a pint jar of those red candied apple slices that I wrote about on the blog last month at Thanksgiving. Elizabeth was recently offered some by her Aunt Betty, only her Aunt Betty called them her homemade candied pickles. When Elizabeth tasted them she was sure they were what I had written about on the blog. So she brought a jar to me today. That gesture on Elizabeth's part meant so much to me.

Paul was here and opened the jar for me. I dipped my fingers into the ruby red pickles and popped a slice into my mouth. My whole being was swept back into my childhood as taste and fragrance were powerful transporters. We talked and laughed while I ate a few more slices. Although I have not been able to "connect" with many friends over the past three years, Elizabeth's gift reminded me that friends are there, reading the blog, praying, and loving as they always have. And I loved spending time with my friend today. My closing thought for this post comes from the song of David, "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good." Thank you, Elizabeth.

Celebrating Thirty-Six Years Together

It seems like just a few short years ago that Paul and I said "I do" on a snowy Saturday in Michigan. I can't believe how fast those years have flown by. We plan to celebrate tomorrow with brunch and a trip to an art museum in North Carolina. Paul had just one request when planning our day together; no kids along for this trip! I'm in full agreement that there are times a couple needs some time away from parenting. We can use the break and plan to enjoy a quiet day together without those "little ears around." Those little ears can be very humbling. Such was the case last week when we were taking Qavah to Cincinnati Children's Hospital for the first time.

We found that Cincinnati road signs were a bit confusing, so naturally while we were looking for certain buildings in Cincinnati there were some frustrating moments. As we neared an intersection I quickly said to Paul, “Turn right here!” "I can't turn right here; I am in the wrong lane," he stated hotly. I retorted, "No I meant this is where you turn! I meant turn left right here!" “Then say left!” Paul exclaimed. Defending myself as only a woman can do, I said, “Listen to what I mean, not what I say!”

Suddenly from the back seat a little voice said these penetrating words, “All right guys, can we use our happy voices please?” We were busted by our six year old. Using a line I have repeated to her many times as she plays with others, Qavah rightly stated a fact. When a situation arises that causes tensions to flare, the right thing to do is to use our “happy voices.” Left to ourselves we probably would have let the whole thing blow over, but Qavah caught us being naughty. Paul and I took turns apologizing to her for our temper flare up. Tomorrow we are planning to use our "happy voices" while we celebrate a happy marriage, and we are leaving our backseat driver at home.

The Thistle's Story

The Thistle's Story by Dawn Campbell

Growing along the wind blown path,

A thistle danced in the sun.

Little thistle, all of creation speaks of its Maker,

What story have you to tell?

"My downy bloom of purple hue

speaks of royalty so true.

For it was the King of Creation

born one quiet night in Bethlehem.

My green leaves and stem draw life from Him

There is no life cut off by sin.

It is His life that flows through me,

Weathering storms so valiantly.

My fierce stinging thorns speak of a crown

Worn at Calvary.

When a sacrifice was made for man

By the Lord of Eternity."

Little thistle, how beautifully you portray your Creator

With royal purple, green and thorn.

My heart will ponder all these things

Come this Christmas morn.

Merry Christmas to all the readers of The Campbell Family Journal. We pray for our blog readers regularly, sincerely hoping that you will find in these writings that Jesus is our Immanuel; God with us.

Back Home

We sat in our hotel room in Cincinnati Saturday morning listening to The Weather Channel. We decided that since most of the snow had already fallen in our hometown we should try to drive home. We figured that road crews would work all day to clear I-81 and by the time we would be driving in that area, the roads would be passable. By taking the southern route to Knoxville and getting on I-81 from the south, we were able to get home in ten hours and missed most of the snow. We needed to be home. We are all very weary. We've tried to clear snow today between naps. Qavah slept most of the day away.

As we think about the past week of testing in Cincinnati, we are committing it all to the Lord. If there is something to be seen at this time, I know He will reveal it. We are praying that nothing will be missed and that those who interpret the tests will see what needs to be seen. Paul and I saw many little children at the Bone Marrow Transplant clinic who needed our prayers. As we sat in the waiting area and saw the sick children we were able to pray for them, and our hearts were moved by the look of suffering on their faces. We were all swept up into the world of unknowns together. But the motto on the clinic wall stated, "Changing The Outcome." I pray it will be so.

After our last doctor visit on Friday we planned a surprise for Qavah. We took her to the IMAX cinema to see the Princess and the Frog. She sat riveted (no pun intended) to her seat with her bag of popcorn on her lap. Paul and I sat there watching her. The movie was delightful. Qavah would laugh with deep belly laughs at all the funny parts and it seemed like all the tension of the week was put far behind her. We were glad to have the chance to do something fun with her.

We have felt the very real Presence of the Lord guiding us and placing His peace over our home. Kathryn did very well on her own last week, and had the help of friends nearby. The Lord has supplied our needs in every way and then brought us home safely for Sabbath rest. We could not be in better Hands. He is the Prince of Peace, and it is evident in our home as we wait on Him to bring healing to Qavah.

Qavah and Maddie enjoying themselves

Leaving Cincinnati Children's Hospital on Friday - headed to the movies!

Surprises in Virginia

While Mom, Dad, and Qavah are probably sound asleep in Ohio, Paul Burton and I are enjoying the biggest snowstorm to hit Roanoke, Virginia in more than a decade. Who cares that it's three o'clock on Saturday morning? Yes, we really do have 10 inches of snow on the ground, and it's still falling from the sky. The wind has also picked up, so the snow is drifting and blowing at times.

Earlier tonight after dinner, I used the computer camera and Skype to talk with Colin and his family. I actually saw Annelise, Nehemiah, and Eva sitting on their parents' laps in their own home office! While I was "visiting," Mom called on the telephone. So, I put her on the speaker phone and held it close to the computer camera. She was able to hear Colin, Jennifer, and the children talk. Even Qavah and Annelise said "hello" to each other.

Just about the time we were ending our conversation, Colin suggested that we play a game over the internet once the children were put to bed. By this time, Paul Burton had also entered the library where I was with my computer. He had his laptop with him, so he too joined us in playing Settlers of Catan. After playing two virtual games, Colin and Jennifer said it was time for bed. That is when Paul Burton and I decided to venture outside for some more fun.

After a long week, the Lord knew my soul needed the good surprises I experienced this evening. I'm now praying that Mom, Dad, and Qavah will have "showers of blessings" of their own before returning to Virginia on Sunday. Until then, I must get some sleep so my body stays healthy and happy for their home-coming. There is a book on our library shelf titled, The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday. Well, I don't want my next blog post title to say, "Kathryn and Too Much Weekend Fun," so I better head to bed right now.

The expression "Winter Wonderland" has never been more real to me then it is tonight:

Friday Afternoon 4pm

I just spoke with Mom; she was understandbly tired, but sounded happily relieved. Unless something happens, the week of tests, questions, and appointments at Cincinnati Children's Hospital is over.

This morning's appointment with the pediatric gastroenterologist went well. Over all, the doctor was very pleased with the treatment Qavah is receiving from the GI doctor here in Roanoke. He was also surprised at how much the Ursodiol is helping Qavah digest her food. His main concern, though, was in regard to weight. Qavah's height is increasing at a good pace, but it's hard for her body to maintain the few pounds she does gain in between transfusions and infections. So, they discussed at-length several different methods of how to "put weight" on Qavah.

Mom and Dad have decided to spend Saturday night in Cincinnati, because of the snowstorm that is hitting Virginia and the surrounding States. Actually, when I called them, they were on their way to Kroger for groceries - such an ordinary trip for Qavah, but thankfully, one that doesn't require poking, prodding, or "sticks" (blood draws)! For Mom and Dad, staying another night means getting some extra rest before driving home.

Friday Morning Update

I just got off the phone with Mom (Dawn), who was enjoying a leisure breakfast at a Cincinnati restaurant. Aimee and Maddie were dropped off at the airport earlier this morning. As of right now, Mom and Dad are planning to get home Saturday evening. Of course, that could change if Virginia gets the "big snow storm" that is predicted to begin late this afternoon.

Last night, my father rigged up a "tent" over Qavah's bed so that the humidifier they brought from home would be working right where Qavah was sleeping. Combined with the dose of Rocephin Qavah had yesterday afternoon, she is already feeling better. Amazingly, even when Qavah was so physically sick, she was still smiling and joyful. That is definitely the mercy and power of the Lord!

On the agenda for today is one final medical appointment. They will visit with the pediatric gastroenterologist at noon (12pm EST). Please pray specifically for this consultation as it is one of the most important appointments Qavah was scheduled to have this week. Mom said she'll try to call me this afternoon after the doctor visit. So once I speak with her, I'll try to update this blog right away.

Thursday Night 7pm

An update from my father's sister, Judy, who lives about two hours away from Cincinnati, Ohio:

I was able to go down to Cincinnati today to visit Paul, Dawn, and Qavah. The labs showed that Qavah has a blood infection. She is on a wide spectrum antibiotic until they can determine exactly what is causing the infection when they will most likely switch her to a more specific antibiotic. In spite of her fever she is perky and happy - she was eating a pizza when I got there and later had some ice cream. She does have some congestion with a cough.

I was happy to meet Maddie and her mommy Aimee and to help out a little bit. Please pray for them all as their strength is being stretched to the limit. But we know that God is able to do abundantly above and beyond what we can imagine!

Thursday Night 7pm

An update from my father's sister, Judy, who lives about two hours away from Cincinnati, Ohio:

I was able to go down to Cincinnati today to visit Paul, Dawn, and Qavah. The labs showed that Qavah has a blood infection. She is on a wide spectrum antibiotic until they can determine exactly what is causing the infection when they will most likely switch her to a more specific antibiotic. In spite of her fever she is perky and happy - she was eating a pizza when I got there and later had some ice cream. She does have some congestion with a cough.

I was happy to meet Maddie and her mommy Aimee and to help out a little bit. Please pray for them all as their strength is being stretched to the limit. But we know that God is able to do abundantly above and beyond what we can imagine!

Thursday Morning 7am

Qavah's condition worsened last night. There will be no biopsy today. We have labs this morning at 8:30 and they will check for infection and white cell count. Paul drove Aimee and Maddie to the hospital at 6am for Maddie's procedure. We are resting in the knowledge that we are being obedient to what God has called us to do, even though we thought we were here for a bone marrow biopsy. The verse God gave us this morning is this: "Man makes his plans but the Lord determines his steps." We are at peace. Please pray for Qavah's lung congestion to clear. Her fever is 102, but she is still smiling and happy. I hope to post an update later today.

Next!

Our appointments today centered around the Immunologist. There is no pediatric immunologist in Roanoke, but Qavah's symptoms suggest an autoimmune disease so this appointment was an important one. When we arrived the nurse took down the information we gave about Qavah, and our observations. All her vital signs were normal. We told her how we have seen Qavah become quite ill within hours. We have seen a sudden fever come upon her and wipe out her red cells, creating the need for a transfusion. When the nurse left, the residents came in to gather information. As they were firing out the questions, scrutinizing everything we said, I looked at Qavah and saw that she was not doing well. She slid toward me on the exam table and said, "Mommy, hold me." I took her in my arms and she was burning with fever! The very thing I had just described happened right there in front of the doctors. Several vials of blood were drawn immediately. They will run tests trying to determine what Qavah's immune system is doing to her body. Given the way in which this health issue today showed up, I am giving glory to God in advance for the things He will reveal.

Once word got around that Qavah was suddenly struck with a fever there was concern over whether her bone marrow aspiration can be done tomorrow. Marrow must be drawn in this hospital in order for research to happen here at Cincinnati Children's. They cannot send us home to have the marrow drawn and shipped here. So our prayer tonight is that God will bring swift healing to Qavah, and that this most important test will not be delayed a single moment. We are to be at the hospital at 6:45 tomorrow morning and it will be determined then whether we proceed. So our next challenge is right in front of us. Paul and I are about to pray and go to sleep.

We have had trouble with our internet connection at our hotel and we have not been able to get online to keep family and friends updated as we had hoped. But we do know that our children back home are praying and fasting. We received greeting cards from Kathryn with a note of encouragement that meant so much. Qavah even had a note to open from her big sister. It is encouraging for us to know that while we feel far from home, your thoughts and prayers are with us.

We were able to get Maddie to her appointments today. We pushed Aimee in a wheel chair and Maddie rode on her lap. Aimee is now struggling with the nausea that comes from taking pain medication, so she is in need of our prayers. She has to be very careful with her back. Paul and I are working together trying to help Aimee as much as we can, and we are glad for her sake that she is not here alone.

Christmas is just around the corner, and we are excited about turning our attention toward such a lovely holiday and leaving all of this medical stuff behind for awhile.

Sunrise

The sun is just rising over Cincinnati and our routine is about to begin. Paul and I have been praying for supernatural strength to meet the challenges of our days. Aimee has had severe back pain since arriving here and has needed a wheel chair as well as assistance getting in and out of the car. Maddie has "taken" to us in a big way and we are thankful for that. With Aimee in pain, we immediately knew we would have to see Maddie through this week. It is merciful that God has put a love in her heart for us and she readily follows our instruction. She is also very joyful so she and Qavah have made fast friends. Each day this week we have had appointments at the hospital and we are able to attend Maddie's appointments as well. We are all praying that the diagnostic tests will begin to paint a clear picture of what is happening in the bodies of our children.

As we have been moving through this week it feels like we are wearing waders and that we are slogging through muck. While it is mentally and physically exhausting, we have our dreams beyond this to keep us moving. We can picture Qavah taking music lessons and enjoying her talents. We visualize the days beyond this illness when she can run and not be weary. We imagine praying her through the teen years when she will wonder where in the world she "fits", and patiently teaching her that she will never "fit" in this world because she is made for heaven. Our time here in Cincinnati is hard because we are working against the enemy. But our dreams for Qavah and Maddie are great, and a great motivator to keep slogging. And in doing so we hope above all that our efforts are pleasing to the Lord.

What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him for ever.
*The first question of the Heidelburg Catechism

From where does my help come?

This is from Kathryn - Today has been a very rough day for my parents, Qavah, Aimee, and Maddie. Everyone except my father is battling some kind of health issue. Aimee went to the hospital with significant back pain, Qavah is not feeling well, and my parents are exhausted. Please pray for supernatural strength for them all to get through this week with good news! Thank you for your prayers!

For all these things to be happening at once is so bizarre that we can't help but believe the enemy of our souls is trying to keep good things from happening. It's in moments like these that it is can be so hard to hold on. The Psalmist had to remind himself of what was true in moments like these. Psalm 121 says:

¹I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

³He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

⁷The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
⁸The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.

Arrived Safe And Sound

Dad is trying to connect to the internet, but due to some technical difficulties, he has not been able to do so. Therefore, I'm going to post tonight's update. ~Kathryn

Your prayers for our family are already being answered. I just finished speaking with Mom. They arrived at their hotel a few hours ago. Today's trip went well for them. Qavah slept a little and watched movies during most of the journey while Mom and Dad talked and listened to sermons. Tonight, they spent some time mapping out the hospital and planning for tomorrow's 9:30am appointment. Even though Cincinnati Children's Hospital is just a short distance from the hotel, they are planning to leave almost two hours before the first appointment because of rush hour. Apparently, Cincinnati is a very large city with lots of possibilities of places to visit in between doctor appointments.

Aimee and Maddie fly into Cincinnati tomorrow, so please continue to pray for their safe travel. Meanwhile, I've had a very spiritually refreshing day due to the kindnesses of family friends. As we go to bed tonight, our entire family senses God's goodness and nearness. Thank you again for supporting us along this journey.

Ready!

We are about to leave our driveway. The packing went smoothly. The cure for keeping our minds from getting mushy in our old age is having a six year old. There is so much to remember that we rely heavily on our lists. Medications, toys, movies, and Cocoa Puffs, are all in the van along with a mommy and daddy that have a lot of hope in our hearts. And of course, a little girl who is brave enough to meet this challenge.

We'll post from Cincinnati as we are able. We've made it this far by God's grace, and prayer. Kathryn and I prayed early this morning that God would bless our prayer partners. We're so thankful for you.

Ready for Miracles

Paul and I were just watching a series of true stories from a reporter who went to Israel to check out the stories of miracles still occurring for the Chosen People as in days of old. We watched a re-enactment of a group of Israeli soldiers exploring the grounds just outside Jerusalem in 1973 where the enemies of the Jews had previously laid land mines by the hundreds. They were exploring the ground by night, being careful not to be seen by the enemy, when suddenly one of the men shouted, "Stop!" At his feet was the tip of a land mine that had mercifully caught his attention. As all the men slowly dropped to their knees a command was given. The soldiers were told to take out their knives, dig at the dirt in front of them, locate a mine, and disable it. They all began to whisper prayers as they dug, each one knowing that a simple slip of a knife could set off a mine and kill them all.

Suddenly the wind picked up and began to blow with such great power they were forced to stop and cover their heads with their jackets. The wind howled and the sand blew fiercely. Within a few minutes the wind had blown the clouds away to reveal a full moon and the soldiers stood up. Unbelievably the sand had been blown off all the land mines and the shimmering moon revealed hundreds of mines around them as far as they could see. They would never have been able to conquer the task of uncovering them on their own. They were able to walk through all of the potential danger in complete confidence because of what the Lord did for them, and what they were shown by the light.

Like hidden land mines, there are many traps set before us in this life. Because of the fall of Adam, we are surrounded by decay and brokenness every day. But our hope as Christians is that God in His great mercy will help us navigate the tough times. He can be trusted with our brokenness and He has shown a Light in the darkness to help us on our way.

As we near our trip to Cincinnati there have been several unusual things come against us. I have been praying that the Lord will continue to hide us in the shelter of His wing, and then light the way when it is time to venture forth.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely He will save you from the fowlers snare and from the deadly pestilence. Psalm 91: 1-3

Praise Report!

I just spoke with Mom! She sounded wonderful. The CT Scan showed a benign cyst on her liver and absolutely no evidence of cancer in her body. The pain is most likely coming from a gallbladder that is functioning slowly. At Mom's request, the hospital gave her only one drug, which was an anti-nausea medication. She said it worked so much better than all of the other medications she has recently tried. The GI doctor did not see an immediate reason to remove the gallbladder, though. Instead, Mom was released from the hospital with a prescription, instructions on how to manage the pain after eating, and orders to call the GI office on Monday to schedule a gallbladder function test.

Please continue to diligently pray for Mom, Qavah, little Maddie, and Aimee (Maddie's mother) over the next two weeks. Like Mom, Aimee is also encountering some very unusual and serious health-related issues. We believe that these recent attacks are from Satan, who is trying to discourage and distract our families from the job of preparing the girls for their upcoming trip to Ohio. We believe the Lord is going to work mightily through the doctors at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Satan despises anything that is good and what else could be better than calming the physical war that rages in Qavah's and Maddie's bodies? We are not without hope, though, because the Lord is the ruler of our lives and stronger than any attack Satan brings our way!

In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-40

-Kathryn

Hospital

After a very difficult night of nausea, pain, and vomiting, Mom telephoned the hospital's GI doctor early this morning. He wanted to order specific tests to determine if her gallbladder was diseased. However, since it's the weekend, the only way the tests could be administered was through the emergency room. So our good friend Linda drove Mom to the hospital around 9:30am. Dad has some business-related deadlines, so he stayed home to work. I'm also here babysitting Qavah.

While no one likes to visit the hospital, we know the Lord is ordaining our lives within His perfect will. He is working out the details in a "wonderful" way. Yesterday, Mom and I spent the day shopping for next week's trip to Ohio. We also did our weekly grocery shopping. The G.I. doctor Mom spoke with this morning is the specialist I use and the same one she visited Thursday morning. So, he was already familiar with Mom's recent health issues. Linda's plans for today were canceled due to the light snow we had this morning. And amazingly, the emergency room was not crowded when Mom and Linda got there!

Currently, we are still unsure if Mom will stay at the hospital or if she'll have surgery. She just drank some dye for her ct scan, but it'll be an hour or more before the results are available. Linda is calling me with updates, so once I have some news, I'll post it. Thank you for your prayers. We can feel them. Our home is filled with peace and Mom is doing well, considering the circumstances.

-Kathryn

Paper?

I had more testing and another appointment this morning. Tomorrow I will sit down with another doctor to go over the results of yesterday's testing. My best friend said, "You've been to the doctor more in three weeks than in all the years I've known you." She's right. It has been so long since I have been to the doctor that I did not know those flimsy little backless gowns have been replaced by something even more degrading. The nurse said, "put this on and the doctor will be right in." I picked up the little packet and found what looked like a large paper towel.

I sat there wrapped in paper feeling pretty uncomfortable; like sitting in a wet bathing suit on a chilly day. I started to laugh and talk to the Great Physician. I mentioned that He obviously thought I could use a little humbling. So I'm sitting here tonight with about half of all my labs and tests complete and feeling truly humbled. Thank you for praying for our whole family. I believe great things are going to come out of all this.

I have been making a packing list for Cincinnati and spending time with Qavah on the computer. I am teaching her how to play simple computer games that will help her with her letters, numbers, and puzzles. I was in the kitchen cleaning while she was pretending. She was in the middle of introducing herself to her invisible friend and said, "My name is Qavah, that's spelled Q-a-v-a-h.com!"

"Man makes his plans"

"But the Lord determines his steps." There is a river Jordan in my life. I am being asked by the Lord to step into the waters and trust Him and I am wondering where this journey will lead. Having visited the doctor three times with gallbladder attack symptoms, I had an ultrasound yesterday. I did not have gallstones, but rather a lesion or growth on my liver, restricting blood flow. I will be seeing a specialist on Thursday and expect to have more testing. I have periods each day of extreme nausea, vomiting, and pain. But today I used four hours of the better moments to plan our trip to Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Through a remarkable set of circumstances, I found out today that our trip to Ohio will be paid for including the hotel. The state of Virginia has a special arrangement with Extended Stay America just five miles from Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Qavah qualifies to stay there with her mommy and daddy. Currently there are four other families from Virginia staying there. I hope we will have a chance to meet some of them. And little Maddie will be there with her mommy having the same procedures along with Qavah. The hospitality staff at Cincinnati Children's Hospital will be providing us with complimentary tickets to the zoo, science museum, and other attractions. They encouraged us to take Qavah out for some fun each day because she has a lot of serious grown-up stuff happening during our four days there. Her biopsies will take place on Thursday, the last day of our trip.

While I have made my plans, the Lord will decide whether I take those steps with Paul and Qavah. I pray that He will give me the good health to go, but I trust His reasons if He does not. I have learned bravery from my two dear daughters. They have blessed my life with their joy and courage and I hope to do the same for them.

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

The Image of Jesus

I read a news article this weekend about a woman who saw Jesus in the bottom of her iron. The metal on the bottom of the iron had discolored in the shape of the Messiah complete with long hair and a beard. I'm always interested when I read about people seeing Jesus on a potato chip or grilled cheese sandwich. I always wonder if they see Him in the daily routine of life.

I saw the image of Jesus this weekend when Paul took the time out of his busy weekend to make Qavah a rope- swing from our black walnut tree, and when he emailed a friend whose wife died suddenly last year. I saw the image of Jesus in church today when one of the church elders handed Kathryn her communion cup knowing how hard it is for her, with her visual impairment, to select her own tiny cup from the tray. I saw the image of Jesus as we went forward for communion, each of us knowing in our hearts how unworthy we were to receive the gift of forgiveness, yet the table was set for those of us who put our trust in the finished work of Christ. I think He probably gets a kick out of the "sightings" on an iron or cheese sandwich, but I am sure He takes greater delight when His image is stamped on our hearts.

Thanksgiving Musings

When I was a little girl, my brothers and sister woke up on Thanksgiving Day and we watched the Macy's parade on TV. I recall seeing it in black and white, if that tells you anything. The floats, the balloons, and marching bands made it seem like a really extra special day. Although it was a school day, we did not go to school, and Dad was home. Stores and shopping centers were closed.

Around noon we got into our family car and traveled a few miles to the home of my grandparents in Detroit. They would have dinner ready for us and we would be taken to the table for a bountiful meal. Since we were not there during the preparation time, I didn't see the boiling pots, the mashing of potatoes, and the makings of a salad. I just sat down and ate. Therefore I had no clue how grateful I should have been. Every year we had the same traditional things. I ate some unfamiliar foods that became part of my history so that my own Thanksgiving feasts are not quite the same without them. I don't know where my grandmother bought those little red candied apples, but I miss them. They were bright red in a sweet cinnamon syrup. And sweet-sour cabbage was always served as well. I tried to like it, but it made me shiver. Still there was something so pretty about the deep purple cabbage slaw that made it seem like a treat. I always wanted to try a bite. Our meal ended with pumpkin pie and whipped cream.

Kitchens were small in those days. Although people tended to have large families they seemed to be able to cook and eat in a very small kitchen. Our family was big enough that a smaller table had to be set up for us in the living room. While the adults ate in the kitchen, the children ate at the "kids' table." Year after year I hoped that I would be big enough to eat at the "big people table," as I called it. I felt that somehow they were having more fun, and I looked forward to the day I could join them.

The years have swiftly passed and I now am helping my grandchildren into their high chair or booster seats. They may have their favorite things to eat too. I wonder what they will remember of the feasting at our house. I hope they will always carry some fond memory of a warm welcome, fragrant food, festive candles, and a powerful love for them that will help them feel secure in an insecure world. And I hope they will remember that it is God Who gives us all our daily bread, and forgives our sin, and blesses us beyond measure. May your Thanksgiving feast be one that brings back fond memories for you, and also enriches your lives with new ones. God bless you one and all.

More Preparations for Cincinnati

Tonight I took a small piece of pipe and showed Qavah how a pipe was like a bone. Then I stuffed the "bone" with peanut butter "marrow." With a butter knife I showed her how something comes along and swipes away all of her "marrow." Then I re-stuffed the pipe with more peanut butter and called it a transfusion. She asked some very good questions. When we were finished with that little exercise I explained that her new doctor might want to try to find a way to keep all of the peanut butter "marrow" inside her bones so she would not need blood transfusions. She looked at me and said, "He will say get out of here knife! Stop swiping the peanut butter!"

I'm not sure I understand any of life's lessons any better than Qavah. But it sure was entertaining to have her "take" on the matter.

Sweet Sleep

I had an early morning doctor appointment for myself. This has been my first physical challenge since we got Qavah. As all mothers know "resting" with a child in the house is like trying to take it easy hanging wallpaper. It just doesn't happen to work that smoothly. But today I put a movie on for Qavah in our bedroom. I curled up on the bed and asked Qavah to wake me up if she needed anything. I gave her a sippy cup of apple juice and a bowl of popcorn. For two lovely hours she watched her movie on the bed beside me while I slept like a baby. After having a pretty severe reaction to two different antibiotics, I am trying a third hoping it will begin to work.

Tomorrow morning I have to take Qavah for a transfusion bright and early. So my plan tonight is to curl up and go to sleep early while Paul takes care of all the bedtime routine. A family is a team and when one member is down it takes all of us to keep things going. Go team Campbell!

End of the Day

It has been such a wonderful day. The girls are doing well. I felt like writing a simple poem tonight before going off to bed. Enjoy your Sabbath rest.

It's the end of the day
When all is said and done,
The work is complete
And the battles are won.

That is the time for just God and me,
When I recount the blessings He showered on me.
I felt His pleasure and saw His hand
And in the face of adversity He caused me to stand.

Sundown ushers in the Sabbath Day
The noise and activities have fallen away
I rest tonight in the shelter of The Most High
Sweet peace floods my soul as I close my eyes.

You, Oh Lord, will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you. Isaiah 26:3

More than Israel has kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept Israel. Ahad Ha-Am

Taking Care of Me

I had to visit the family physician today. I had been feeling lately that I should probably have a check up. It seemed like it was about time. I sat in the waiting room wondering if there was enough sanitizer in my purse to kill the germs I might be picking up. My name was called, and my first stop was the scale. "Not too bad," I thought. A slightly elevated blood pressure and slight fever baffled me. The nurse gave me a little "sample" cup and said, "You probably have a UTI." And she was right.

When the doctor came in and told me that she would be giving me some medications I had to admit that my back and sides had been hurting for at least a month. We ended the visit with a handshake and a promise from her that I would be hearing from a specialist to have my "yearly" check up. She then told me that according to her records my last yearly check up was six years ago. I couldn't believe how fast the time had flown by. While she fussed at me for neglecting myself, I quietly thought, "God has been very gracious to me." He has given me unusual strength and health for the mission He has given me. I will keep my upcoming appointments, but I also want to thank God for His sustaining grace.

Opened Doors

Qavah is going to Cincinnati Childrens' Hospital. I got a call right during dinnertime tonight expecting it to be a call from someone asking for a donation. But it was a call from the hospital telling me that Qavah's pediatrician in Roanoke had called Medicaid today and laid out her case before them. They agreed to the requests for diagnostic testing and our appointment has already been made for mid-December.

When we arrived at Bible Study tonight our friend said, "we told the Lord this morning that it was discouraging to have so many doors slammed shut for Qavah, so we prayed that He would open doors today." We know that their prayers along with others have been heard and that this is a gift from Him. We are in awe of His great love. Songs I learned in my chilldhood about His faithfulness have been running through my mind tonight. This hymn was written by Fanny Crosby. She lost her eyesight when she was six weeks old. Knowing she was blind, the lyrics take on a special meaning as she wrote about trusting her Guide.

All The Way My Savior Leads Me

All the way my Savior leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread;
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living Bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see.

All the way my Savior leads me
O the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages—
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages—
Jesus led me all the way.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord

We have a signed contract with the government promising health care coverage for Qavah until the age of eighteen. Any testing, treatment, or medication, related to her blood disorder would be covered by Medicaid the contract said. When God decided to take Qavah out of the Foster Care System and place her in our home we didn't say, "only if the government takes care of this." It was a Sovereign God Who placed Qavah in our care. God and God alone is the giver of life, the giver of health, and the giver of all good gifts. We depend daily on His provision for our daughters, and work hard to pay for what they need.

I have been increasingly disgusted by the promises made by our current members of congress as they have been promising the American people a better-than-ever system. Although we have a signed contract with the government's current health care system, we have increasingly paid for more and more medications and services after being refused the promised care.

It is not a government "plan" in which I place my trust. They are not going to take up my cause as the financial squeeze gets tighter. It is my God Who is above all nations, all peoples, and all living things. He will make a way. While we continue to pray for the prosperity of Paul's drill business, we know that everything we have is from God. If we prosper and are able to continue meeting the needs of our girls, that would be a privilege. If He chooses to bless the girls in another way that pleases Him more, so be it. We have been given a mission to honor God by caring for two of His girls. We are dependent on Him for the "how." But our nation is in trouble because we have traded our dependency on God for a dependency on government. While the political parties of our land bicker about government funded abortions or when to "pull the plug on grandma," there is really only one solution:

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Qavah for the soul

The word qavah means hope and patience. It is a fitting name for Qavah. Just after posting the last entry about trusting the Lord of "the process", I received word from Cincinnati that Qavah's medical insurance is not approving our trip to Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The very first thing I thought of was my last post! I trust God is going to heal Qavah. I trust Him in so many areas of my life. But upon hearing the news about the insurance I thought, "Now where do we go from here?" And a still small Voice whispered to my heart, "qavah."

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1

The Process

Last night at Bible Study as we were studying Nehemiah chapter eight, the subject of trusting God's process came up. In that day, Nehemiah and the people had just finished rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem in fifty-two days. The effort took the cooperation of every family member. The work was difficult as the people rebuilt the wall with a stone in one hand and a sword in the other. Their enemies hounded them. It was hard work. It was intense. There were moments of anger and frustration. All the while they worked they didn't realize that the labor and effort was a process. The process of rebuilding in difficult circumstances taught them obedience.

When the wall was finished, the Israelites gathered in the city to hear the ancient scroll read aloud. They had not heard the word of the Lord read in years. When it was read the people began to weep, repenting of the evil they had brought upon themselves. Having recognized that it was through disobedience that their lives were in such a mess, they humbled themselves before the one true Holy God and asked His forgiveness. What part of my suffering comes from disobedience?

The discussion in Bible study also led me to ask myself this question. If I trust God, can I trust "the process" He is using to draw me or a family member nearer to Him? The "process" is hard work and looks messy at times. The end is not in sight. The enemy is standing ready to point out all the failures. While our girls have their physical struggles, I am always aware that many around me are struggling as well. There are financial difficulties, marriages in trouble, wayward children, illness and disease. And it would all be overwhelming if not for trusting the Lord of the "process." There is a line of a Christian song that says, "when you can't trust His hand trust His heart." I'm hanging on to that when I have difficulty accepting "the process."

I Get My Hour Back!

Maybe no one else cares about this topic but me. But every year when I find out that I get my extra hour of sleep back that I lost in the spring, I somehow feel celebratory. I can think of all kinds of ways to use my extra hour. After finishing another major house project and a very busy weekend, I am planning to use it sleeping.

Kathryn is coming out of a tough time physically. Although she was able to keep working, a sinus infection has plagued her. Her body has a strange reaction to antibiotics and she is again covered in bruises and took some Stimate today to control bleeding. This particular drug has worked better than others so she is getting relief from her sinus headaches.

Qavah was energetic today and followed Paul around as he worked between the garage and barn. We are all getting ready to go to bed in order to be up and ready for church on time tomorrow. I see by the clock that my extra hour of rest begins now!

Purple Mountain Majesty

Our little family stood on a mountain lookout point gazing at the Fall colors yesterday. Kathryn and I had a precious time of worship together Sunday morning and when the rest of the family arrived home from church we took a little time in the late afternoon to drive on a stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The time of worship coupled with the splendor of nature provided us with a good reason to celebrate our Creator God. He must absolutely love beauty. He sure gave us an eyeful yesterday.

Yesterday morning as Kathryn and I heard a message from the Old Testament about Gideon, my ears heard the story and my heart listened. Gideon was fearful and weak. And he was given a task that He knew he could not handle. When God fought Gideon's battle for him, there was no doubt Who deserved the glory when victory came. He deserves all the honor and praise for the moments we have to be a family enjoying our days together. We are hidden in Him, our protector. These days are so gloriously sweet.

Bravery and Giggles

In my observations it seems to me that children born with health challenges are given an extra measure of joyful spirit. We had so much fun meeting another little patient at the hospital. It was very sweet. The girls communicated more with laughter than words. Qavah needed an extra dose of joy this morning because her veins were flat. Her CBC had dropped pretty low and she may have been a little dehydrated. It took 4 tries to place her IV line. She cried quietly in my arms on the third try and I told her how brave she was. I was thankful when she fell asleep and rested after the transfusion started. We watched Dora and had a cup of hot cocoa, too.

I wish Qavah didn't have to go through so much, but after her bravery is tested, her joy boldly kicks in and I am reminded that "a joyful heart is good medicine."

Making a Wish

I just finished rocking Qavah and telling her a bedtime story. She loves my stories. This one was about a little girl named Lucy who helped Mrs. Beaver bake a cake because Mrs. Beaver could not read the directions on the cake box. I am telling Qavah stories that will help whet her appetite for reading. So when I finished telling the story, I asked Qavah if she had any wishes. She said, "Yes, I wish to make a birthday cake for Daddy!" That was what I hoped to hear. I told her that I would help her read the directions on the box just like Lucy did. Then I asked her if she would like to go to the book store to buy Daddy a book for his party. Anyone who knows Paul would know that a good book is an all time favorite gift. But she said, "No, I just want to go to the toy store and buy him a bouncing sponge ball." Okey-dokey.

Making a Wish

I just finished rocking Qavah and telling her a bedtime story. She loves my stories. This one was about a little girl named Lucy who helped Mrs. Beaver bake a cake because Mrs. Beaver could not read the directions on the cake box. I am telling Qavah stories that will help whet her appetite for reading. So when I finished telling the story, I asked Qavah if she had any wishes. She said, "Yes, I wish to make a birthday cake for Daddy!" That was what I hoped to hear. I told her that I would help her read the directions on the box just like Lucy did. Then I asked her if she would like to go to the book store to buy Daddy a book for his party. Anyone who knows Paul would know that a good book is an all time favorite gift. But she said, "No, I just want to go to the toy store and buy him a bouncing sponge ball." Okey-dokey.

In the Shelter of the Most High

After several "project" weekends, and capitalizing on the good health of our girls, we put down our hammers, paint brushes, broom, and saw, to rest this weekend. We did not just rest. We fasted, prayed, read scripture, listened to sermons on sermonaudio.com, and had ourselves a real retreat. Our home was so very still. God quieted our hearts and we rested together. No one had a project. We simply rested.

As the sun was setting this evening, and our family retreat was officially over, I felt a sadness that we all had to leave the comfort and shelter of the Most High to prepare lunches for work and take out the trash. We have to live in this world with all of its duties. But we took time out this weekend to share our hearts as a family. We shed some tears, we laughed, we hugged. We played with Qavah and Paul Burton knitted her a little yellow hat that she wore the rest of the weekend.

The time is coming that Qavah will need to be very brave. Our trip to Cincinnati Childrens' Hospital is coming up next month. This weekend we spent time praying over her and telling her how much we love her. The sweetness and protection of being in our home and away from the cares of the world has refreshed us. We are ready to press on.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

More Than a Scarf

I went up the little hill beside our home to visit Paul Burton tonight in his apartment. He is making winter scarves on a loom. We talked for awhile, and draped across the back of his sofa was a brand new green scarf made of a very soft yarn. He had shown it to me this morning when he was putting the finishing touches on it. "Who's this for?" I asked. "It's for a homeless man that sits outside one of the Market Street businesses downtown," he answered.

It's good to know that while Paul and I are keeping our shoulders to the plow helping our girls at home, that we have a couple of sons out in the world plowing right along with us. I wish there were more words in the English language to express how much God has blessed me through my children. I'm glad He sees my heart and knows how full it is tonight.

Entertaining Snowbirds

Today we had Uncle Ed and Aunt Lois stop in for lunch. Uncle Ed is now 87 and still drives from Michigan to Florida and back. They are headed down to their winter home after visiting a few relatives along the way. We have more relatives in Florida now, and after taking a few trips there ourselves in the winter months we can understand the attraction. They call it the Sunshine State for a reason.

Paul picked Kathryn up from work at noon and brought her home for lunch. Dan and Julie also joined us. We had a little reunion over homemade soup and corn bread. It was a lovely lunch and it was good to have Kathryn and Qavah at the table with us. We enjoy entertaining, and today was just perfect.

PaPa's Workshop

I have been so focused on finishing projects while the girls are well that I have forgotten about updating the blog. We've been having some wonderful days together and I am thankful for them all. Paul and I both have our "to do" lists. Both of our lists have something to do with getting ready for the winter months. I have managed to update rooms in our home with brighter colored paint. He is managing to get the barn straightened up in order to have space to work indoors out of the snow and ice.

We have both worked on getting ready for having the children playing indoors. We want them to get plenty of exercise while playing with their toys. A few years ago, Paul and I kicked around the idea of starting a business called "Keeper Toys." We thought we would manufacture just a couple of toys that our children loved when they were young. In particular, Paul made a little scooter for Paul Burton for his second birthday and we have kept it in the family until nieces, nephews, and now grandchildren are enjoying it. That little scooter was a keeper! Nehemiah is just the right size for the one that is now 24 years old.

Last weekend Paul went to the barn to look for scrap wood to make two more scooters for Annelise and Qavah while I went on a hunt for wheels at a local tool store. He modified the plans for a larger scooter for older toddlers and I found some great wheels at Harbor Freight Company. He cut, sanded, and assembled them. I applied an oil wood finish and made a license plate. This project was most fun when the job was finished and three little people were eagerly ready to ride. I couldn't get a clear picture of the children on them because they were in constant motion. We are ready for winter. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Qavah News

Last night we had a call from the Children's Hospital of Cincinnati. There is a well known hematologist there that will be meeting with us on November sixteenth. I am making all the arrangements to go, and feel that this is what we must do next. As I was waiting to hear from Johns Hopkins I found out that the doctor Qavah was to see there is out of the country. I discovered through a conversation with Cincinnati Children's Hospital that the doctor at Hopkins had gotten his training at Cincinnati. We are now making our way into the top scientific research area for rare blood disorders going on in this country. It will be interesting to see where God takes us from here.

I was running errands this morning with Qavah and picked up a chicken at Sam's Club for lunch. We could smell the aroma of perfectly cooked chicken all the way home. I looked at Qavah in the rearview mirror and asked her if she wanted a chicken leg when we got home. She looked shocked and said, "No Mommy! I can't eat the chicken's leg!" That perplexed me because she had always liked it best. When we got home I set the chicken on the counter and she pointed to the part she wanted. "Oh, so you want the drumstick?" I asked. "Yes", she said, "that is the only part I like!" Oh dear.

Recharging Day

Every now and then we have a drowsy day around here; a day where we stay in our pajamas until early afternoon and linger over several cups of herbal tea. Kathryn had more problems with her electrolytes during the night and didn't have the energy to go to work today. We've enjoyed the quiet house and spent some time napping this afternoon. There was a time in my life that I would have considered this a "wasted" day. With a mere change of perspective I now think of it as my "recharging day." I have several projects to finish before winter, but they will all keep while I take the time to gather some steam. It was a lovely day. I appreciated the peaceful presence of God and my girls.

More Good Things

We woke up this morning with more joy for our journey. Kathryn's bleeding is under control. She looks so much better. The Stimate worked very quickly to help clot her blood. By noon today she was dressed and ready to go to work. She worked happily all afternoon and when co-workers found out why she was late for work they pampered her the rest of the day. She is happy to be home for the weekend and has another dose of Stimate to take tomorrow. We are very thankful for the way God cared for her physical needs yesterday.

Not only did Kathryn wake up refreshed and joyful this morning, so did Qavah and Annelise. They had a little sleep-over and came down to breakfast bright-eyed. Paul Burton has a little song he sings for these occasions and the words are a perfect way to introduce this picture.

My Hair Had a Party Last Night

My hair had a party last night,
It musta had a terrible fight,
Cause when my head hit the pillow it was lookin' all right,
My hair had a party last night.

My hair had a party last night,
When I lay down everything was all right,
It started out friendly but there must have been a fight,
My hair had a party last night.

By : Trout Fishing in America

Trusting More

This morning started out with a supernatural calm over our home. Paul left town for an all-day business trip and when I woke up I felt like our home was wrapped in a blanket of security. I found Kathryn in her room getting her medications. When I looked in on her I immediately noticed her left eye was drooping. She complained of a terrible headache behind her left eye. I examined her head and found a large mushy place on the crown of her head. It all seems like a dream now. We knew that the doctor would probably want to see her so we left a message for the nurse and started getting ready for the the day. A few hours later Kathryn was in the doctors' office being examined. The two doctors who saw her agreed that she was having an extra-cranial bleed. The blood was pooling between her scalp and skull. She was given a new prescription for Stimate (to clot her blood) and took the first dose this evening. She has had other internal bleeds in her spine but this is the first time a bleed has involved her head.

Kathryn is strictly forbidden to do anything that would raise her blood pressure or cause her to spring another leak. So she will not be lifting much or exerting herself for a few days. The "calm" is still settled over our home tonight. I believe that there is a strong voice in the Heavenlies saying, "Peace be still!" And the troubled waters obey.

Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." Luke 8:25

Summer Bloom

With the arrival of Autumn, I have been sorting through Qavah's clothing and pulling out the sizes she has outgrown. To my amazement, her feet have grown two shoe sizes this summer and the winter pants left from last year are too short to be worn this season. Annelise now shows up at our house wearing Qavah's smaller sized clothes. It is remarkable how much children grow in the summertime. With rest, good food, exercise, and sunshine, they stand taller in the fall and look older somehow. The joy in all of that growth comes from recognizing that cells are dividing as they should, and that bones are growing normally. While I might be tempted to feel sad about Qavah growing up so fast, I am actually quite thankful for her development.

We have had so many good days all together that my heart is full of thanksgiving. I haven't known a time in my life like this before. But as I woke Qavah this morning, I asked her how we could celebrate today. She said, "We could shop at Wal-Mart and get French fries!" So that is what we did. And we were still celebrating tonight as we tucked Qavah in for the night in her new size 5 pajamas from Wal-Mart. God is good.

A Date

This past weekend was packed full of work, errands, babysitting, etc. Paul passed me in the kitchen on his way upstairs and I asked for a kiss. "Something is missing in our relationship," I pouted." "Yeah, like romance?" he asked. Bingo. This week we are planning a date.

Paperwork

While Qavah received her transfusion yesterday, I sat beside her filling out paperwork for the NIH. The questions were probing and most of them could not be answered. I breezed through ten pages because I have no birth-family history on Qavah. Someday, birth parents may be required to fill out forms that give an adoptive family some medical history. That would certainly help if the child begins to show signs of an inherited illness. We are focused on that dilemma only because we are now in a position to answer questions that could help lead scientists to a cure for Qavah.

Yesterday unfolded just as I had imagined. We all arrived home to a wonderful hot meal and during our table conversation I heard good words. "Qavah was brave." "I finished my homework." "I met an interesting person at work today." Good food, laughter, and encouraging words, all made for a lovely dinner. That was topped off with dessert later with Colin and Jennifer. (Happy Birthday, Jennifer!).

This afternoon I am ready to mail off the packet to NIH. Our two years of research has opened doors to the NIH and to Johns Hopkins. We have filled out stacks of paperwork, located all hospital records, and have prepared Qavah emotionally for the research. Now we wait. And now we trust that the One Who knows the number of hairs on her head is at work.

I agree with Job 42:1 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted."

Meat Loaf

Our family is having a busy day today. Although it is early in the day, I have given some thought to dinner. Qavah and I will be at the hospital for her transfusion this afternoon. Paul Burton will be studying at home but will be able to pick Kathryn up from work. My husband will come home after work as hungry as a bear. We'll all arrive home about the same time and everyone will be thinking about a meal. I've settled on serving meatloaf for dinner.

Once the meat, oats, ground carrot, and onion were mixed together with egg and milk, I started thinking about how it feels to arrive home to the fragrance of a hot meal. It warms the heart. I may be as Old-Fashioned as the oats I put into my meat loaf, but I love having my family walk into the house after a long day, sniff the air, and say, "It sure smells good in here."

It's more than the meatloaf, buttered red potatoes, and green beans that I look forward to enjoying. It's the conversation around the dinner table as we catch up on the day. Our meal starts with a prayer asking God to bless the food and thanking Him for His goodness. It continues with enjoying the food, exchange of the days' news, and appreciation of each other. There are many good reasons why families can not sit down to the dinner table together these days, but it sure adds some healing goodness to the end of the day.

It's early and I don't yet know what challenges or delights this day will bring, but Lord willing, it will come to a close with meatloaf and smiles all around.

His Story

While gathering together all the necessary documents to send to Johns Hopkins, I read the very first medical report written about Qavah. I read it greedily; scouring the pages for detail. She had a history before she became "ours." The physician noted, "baby born with no cry." That statement followed a long list of serious health problems, some of which she still exhibits six years later. In reading the history my heart responded with tender emotion to the beginning of God's story about Qavah.

Our common bond in this life is not just that we are all human, but that His Story is being written and we are all a part of it. His Story isn't complete without the chapter He is writing about you. And as you flip back through the pages to the beginning of your life, I hope you see His Story as a great love story. I hope you'll find, that He thought you worthy then, and has not stopped thinking about you since.

Yesterday, while out shopping, Kathryn and I met three women who knew about us through reading our blogs. They introduced themselves and shared their interesting histories. They were in the midst of working through a variety of challenges themselves. Those women inspired us and we prayed for them when we got home. Life is a series of joys and challenges, and in them God is revealing Himself and writing His Story. Kathryn and I commented to the women that it will take eternity to hear all of the redemption stories He has written. I have chosen to believe that the Author of The Book Of Life has published a work of fact not fiction. The end of His Story is a victorious one, where death is defeated and the battles won. That's an ending that makes the whole book worth reading.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." His Story is written in the Holy Bible and continues with you and me. And the very last verse is spoken as a blessing over all of our lives, "The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

Genesis 1:1 ... Revelation 22:21

Something to Do

When God gives me something to do, I feel His pleasure when I get started. We have been given a great opportunity to help Qavah through Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. They sent me a "to do" list. I am to provide them with all the background information to help the doctors get a better idea of Qavah's condition before they see her. I used some of my time yesterday having my car inspected and oil changed in preparation for the driving ahead of me. I spent some time this morning collecting hospital records and preparing to send the packet of information out by the end of this week. And in the "doing" of these simple tasks I have this marvelous hope that God has given me that Qavah is going to be healed.

She on the other hand has no concerns about these tasks that must be done. She just goes along keeping me company. She played with the toys at the car dealership like it was a special treat while my car was being serviced. At home she had a little bowl of popcorn and watched a movie while I sorted through her medical records and made some calls. At bedtime I have been telling her a story about a little cell named "Killer" (PacMan) that goes about devouring little dots (or red blood cells) and he must be stopped. To anyone on the outside it may look like we are just moving through the hours in our day. But in my heart I know I am following the path God laid out for me and I'm learning to never, never, never, give up.

As I go about accomplishing these tasks, I am imagining Him doing all the necessary things behind the scenes, undetected by me, to show me His glory and grace. Never far from my thoughts is the moment when we are told that a treatment plan is working. I pray for that day with all my heart.

Belonging

I woke up yesterday morning and opened my eyes to see Qavah standing beside my bed staring at me. I had to get more sleep. I asked if she could come up on my bed and sit for awhile so that I could get a little more sleep. She climbed up on the bed, put her head down beside me, and started playing with my hair. I fell asleep with her holding my hand and woke up an hour later with Qavah still staring at me. I said, "Qavah, you were as quiet as a little mouse." She replied, "And you snored like Daddy."

What a funny little picture; my little daughter lying there as quiet as a mouse, while I sawed some serious logs. I asked her later what she was thinking about all that time. She told me she was thinking about wanting to look like me. I knew what she meant. She's beginning to notice that the color of our skin is different. But when we got dressed we both wore brown slacks with red blouses. That thrilled her. Kathryn saw us dressed alike and reminded me that she went through that stage of wanting to wear matching clothes as well. Now that she is an adult I asked her why she had wanted to dress just like me. She said, "It's more than the clothes. It's going places and having other people see that we belonged together." And in her answer was the importance of giving orphaned and abandoned children a family. It gives them a place to belong.

Surprise Answer

Last night I was lying beside Kathryn praying. I asked God several times throughout the night for some sort of sign that would help us know what was going on with her. Paul Burton checked Kathryn in the middle of the night and suggested the swelling in her arm and face was her body's way of fighting an infection of some kind. He thought her doctor should start checking for a sinus infection or something along those lines. So that was what I had planned to do this morning. It is nice to have a nurse living close by!

By morning I had to help Kathryn brush her teeth and when she opened her mouth I saw the problem. It was thrush. It was there as plain as can be. I looked up the symptoms of thrush and they matched what I was seeing. After a trip to the hospital for labs and a couple of prescriptions later, she now has what she needs to address this problem. Thrush is a common side effect of methotrexate and a compromised immune system. Her labs today still showed elevated liver enzymes but the numbers were coming down from where they were two weeks ago. I think the Great Physician was smiling when I started brushing Kathryn's teeth this morning. I did ask Him for a sign. If she had been able to brush her own teeth, would I have seen it?

Call unto me and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Jeremiah 33:3

Thursday Night

Kathryn is not doing well tonight. Paul got her hot tub filled and we have soaked her hoping to relieve some swelling in her body. A co-worker noticed today that one side of her face was swelling. Now her right arm is swelling. She said she feels poisoned and is bringing up bile. Her last liver function test showed elevated levels and we were to have her rechecked next Monday. But I will take her to the hospital tomorrow for those labs to see if her blood work will reveal anything. She suspects her pancreas is involved somehow and therefore she is limiting her diet to soft foods and liquids. Her pain is manageable without pain medications and we pray it will stay that way.

I had a call from Qavah's geneticist today that was very encouraging. Qavah will most likely get an appointment to see a top hematologist at Johns Hopkins. He has made the study of bone marrow failure the focus of his career and we are very fortunate to have his interest. The geneticist took my phone number and email address and told me that I will be hearing from Johns Hopkins shortly. Every time the phone rang today I felt hope rising. One of those calls will be the one I'm waiting for.

Mom and Dad Campbell drove down from Fishersville to visit today for Mom's harp lesson. We ate dinner together while Kathryn slept upstairs. I missed her at dinner because she absolutely loves sitting around a table with family.

Tonight as we settle in, I feel the strength that God gives me when life is pressing in and there is no where else to look but up. Over the past three years I have seen God's goodness and find it easier now to trust Him for this new battle with Kathryn. Tonight when I was lowering Kathryn into her tub she said, "Mama, I want God to give you and Daddy something so special for helping me." He already has given us that in the form of hearing gratitude from someone who has every right to be mean and cranky.

The Week Begins

After a weekend of catching up on household duties, I spent the better part of today on the telephone. I arranged my talk time with Aimee (Maddie's Mommy) and Qavah's doctor around her movie watching time. I don't think "grown-up" talk about bone marrow biopsies and research is good for her. So while she watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for the tenth time, I was on the phone. She isn't able to express to me why she loves that movie so much, but she asked me to sing a bedtime song from that movie called Hush-a-Bye Mountain last night. I did my best with Edelweiss from the Sound of Music instead.

I've been in touch with Aimee about trying to get our little girls to Johns Hopkins at the same time, since genetically they have a common chomosome deletion. Qavah's geneticist here in Roaonke will be receiving Maddie's records hopefully by the end of the week. The geneticist will set up the appointment at Johns Hopkins. Aimee and I would be so thrilled to go to that appointment together with our girls. We are praying that it will happen all in God's perfect time. Please pray that they will be able to get an "Angel" flight from Phoenix to Roanoke or Baltimore in order to make the appointment.

Aimee and I have such a strong driving desire to get help for our girls. Our goal is to find a drug that will put this blood disorder to rest so that Maddie and Qavah will be able to live a normal life. This is a high calling for a couple of mommies. It is a good thing to have the Most High God hearing our prayers for a break through.

Working Vacation

We are celebrating Labor Day by laboring over our "to do" list. The girls are both having some very good days. Therefore, now is the time to get things done around the house. This past week I painted the walls and trim of our dining room and finished a couple more projects that have been waiting for me for three years. Yesterday we all spent the day working around the house. Paul Burton helped most of the day so we were able to accomplish quite a bit.

When we got home from church today we sat down in an improved dining room. The color is called Hydrangea Floweret; Kathryn's favorite flower. It's refreshing and we all like it. We work well together and are thankful for the joy of accomplishing tasks as a family. But greater still is the joy of holding hands around the table, acknowledging God's goodness, and thanking Him for all He has done for us. Right in the middle of a working weekend is the Sabbath Day, when we are called to rest. And that is just what we plan to do today.

Transfusion Day

We arrived at the hospital early! The best thing about early morning transfusions is watching the good programing on TV with Qavah. There are plenty of teaching programs to help us pass the time since a transfusion takes three hours. Qavah settled in with a blanket from the warming machine, a strawberry nutritional shake, and was good to go. It was nice to be in Elmo's World for an hour with my daughter. Today's show was all about pretending. What would life be like without pretending?

Why is it that pretending is one of the greatest things we remember about being a child? When I was little I watched Roy Rogers and Dale Evans on Saturday morning TV then spent the rest of the day playing cowboys and Indians with my brothers. Being good at pretending isn't just for kids. Pretending to be brave helps us to step out in faith when our hearts are about to faint. I still like to pretend, but now I consider it a serious skill and I'm glad I had Elmo to remind me of it this morning.