Leather Slippers

Paul has a pair of leather slippers that are a necessary part of his unwinding at the end of a long day.  Something about sliding his foot into his favorite slippers settles his soul for the night.  The work is over, the day is coming to a close, and his slippers put him in a relaxed frame of mind.  

Sunday afternoon he was examining a hole that has begun to appear on the sole of his left slipper.  He looked anxious as he came to me and asked if I thought the shoe repair in town could fix them.  I had my doubts as I looked at where the hole was located.  Qavah, standing nearby stated, "Or maybe I could go to the store and buy you a new pair and give them to you for your birthday!"  Paul smiled at her, admiring her generosity, and asked, "But where will you get the money?"  To which she replied, "When all my teeth come out I will have lots of money!" Paul turned to me and said in a whisper, "It's pretty sad when your only source of income is the tooth fairy."

Sunday Afternoon Movie

We spent the night on Friday night into Saturday morning with Qavah, who began dry heaving again in forty-five minute intervals.  We gave her the medicine prescribed.  By morning her nausea subsided and she fell asleep.  Saturday morning Kathryn woke up with a very bad sore throat.  Sore throats for a person on two different immuno-suppressants can easily turn into something more serious.  Kathryn is needing more Prednisone to meet the drain on her adrenal system.  She has been staying to her room in the hopes of being able to get over this bug without complications, and without spreading it.

After church today Paul and I each had the same idea.  We wanted to go home, put on our comfy lounge wear, and watch a good movie.  We watched a film called The Lightkeepers.  It is a charming love story, filmed on Cape Cod.  There are many ways to relax through music, books, and movies, but today we felt like watching a movie. There are many needs and prayer concerns for our family and friends, and with the world of late.  I can't help but think God gave us the ability to watch or read lovely stories to help take our minds off the cares of this life at times.  Whether you read a book, watched a movie, visited with family, or just stayed home, we hope you feel refreshed and ready for a new work week.

A Better Day for Qavah

Your prayers are so appreciated!  I have good news to report.  Qavah was able to eat some solid food this morning and seems to be tolerating it well.  She is up on her feet today, and sang songs on the way to the doctor visit this morning.  The little girl we know and love is back.  I called Paul on my cell phone just to let him hear her sing.  Paul came home for lunch today and neither of us could stop smiling.  

Qavah is scheduled for an endoscopy in two weeks so that the GI doctor will know what things look like on the inside.  We have cut out one of her medications that has been known to cause Ileus of the bowel, and we are talking to her doctor in Cincinnati about that.  The medication is necessary, and can not be cut out for long.  We believe this medical issue has been resolved, and we are experiencing the joy of seeing Qavah healed.  We continue to pray for an even greater healing.

Who among the gods is like you, Lord?  Who is like you - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?  Exodus 15:1

Qavah in the house

We brought Qavah home this afternoon after deciding that the medical help we received at the hospital could only take her so far.  Most everyone said, "I wish you felt better," as we were leaving with her.  We have to keep her hydrated but she is still gagging and heaving when she tries to drink.  The nurse told me to bring her back if she doesn't urinate within the next eight hours.  She is sound asleep in her bed at the moment.  The house is quiet.  Here in our quiet home, I believe God is going to do some wonderful things to refresh her body.  Please continue to pray that we will have wisdom to do our best for her. 

Update on Qavah

Qavah had a much better night last night and had just a few episodes of dry heaves, so together we made a decision to pull the NG tube that had been draining her stomach for her.  At first things seemed fine, but after two hours of sipping, she began to have dry heaves again.  She is not able to bring anything up, but the nausea is there with no relief.  She has had a little apple juice, but isn't taking in enough to be able to go home.  The doctors here have been great at pulling up all of her older records and have been discussing their ideas with us.  We are pleased that they want to see Qavah get to a better weight, and while they are giving her medications to help her today, they have also been mentioning different things we can try in the future.

We are very grateful for the prayers on Qavah's behalf.  She is the most patient person in the room at times.  She seems to find a peaceful place inside herself in which to retreat, while the staff considers what to do for her.  I've learned a lot about her on this hospital visit.  She has courage beyond her years. 

Qavah has discovered her bedside call button and has been known to call the nurses' station with various requests.  I thought she was sleeping early this morning when the decision was made to remove her NG tube.  A couple of hours later I was straightening her room and I heard her hit the call button. This was her simple request: "The doctor said I can take the tube out of my nose today, so can you come and do that for me now?"  Immediately, a nurse appeared and I thought about Qavah's courage to ask for what she wanted.  Of course it helps to have an adorable voice, but I thought it was a good lesson for me; "Ye have not because ye ask not!"

Prayers For Qavah

Qavah has been in the local hospital since Friday morning. That is when she began retching intensely.  Due to a past surgery that closed her stomach flap, she is unable to vomit.  Instead, her stomach has to be drained using a small tube. The doctors are doing a wonderful job trying to get her well again, but it's a slow process. Qavah will be able to come home when she is able to take in nourishment and fluids by mouth.  

Although it's been a difficult weekend, the Lord is still showing His mercy and goodness to us.  An x-ray taken on Friday to address Qavah's abdominal problems, by God's grace, showed a lung infection.  So, she has been on high-powered antibiotics for that. The GI doctor who took care of Qavah this weekend was not her primary one, but he does have some ideas of how to improve her health once she is home.  Someone who wanted to bless pediatric patients sewed a stack of small quilts.  Qavah received a beautiful one, along with a colorful pillowcase that was sewn by the local Girl Scout troop.  Yesterday, Qavah's nurse was a family friend and homeschooling mom who works only one day a month. I've been well enough for one or both of my parents to stay with Qavah at all times. All of us sense the prayers and love of family and friends.  These are all blessings from God and we praise Him for them.

-Kathryn

Hidden Things

I sat in the library with a cup of tea and my eye followed a brown streak up the wall to the ceiling.  I had just sat down to rest and to look at a magazine when I saw it.  We soon discovered that our bathtub on the second floor was leaking, and the tub was located right above the brown streak.  A family friend was visiting and took a look behind the wall of the bathtub. He discovered that the sheet rock covering the ceiling of our library below was saturated with water and it would have to be removed.  It was obvious once the men began to tear into the job that the tub had been leaking for a very long time. 

Perhaps it was always just a small drip.  But over time, that small drip turned into a major problem.  It wasn't until the leak penetrated the wallboard that we knew there was a problem.  Tonight there is a very large hole in the ceiling of our library where the soggy, moldy, sheet rock has been removed and a fan is drying out the wood. The saddest thing of all is that the access to the plumbing is in Kathryn's room.  Once the hidden  access door was opened, the smell of mold wafted into her room.  We didn't even know the leak was there, yet it might have been the cause of some of Kathryn's sinus problems in the last couple of years. 

There is a spiritual lesson in a steady drip.  It's lenten season, a time of repentance and addressing the sin in our lives.  How quietly one small drip turned into a big unhealthy mess in our ceiling that no one could see until the destruction was extensive.  Likewise, one small grievance that begins to gnaw at us from the inside out works in the same way, and the outcome is messy.

Lord, forgive our sin.  Forgive us for the hidden grievances that eat away at the relationship we have with You and with others.  Thank you that on Calvary You made a way to clean out the mess in our hearts and make us new.  For your name's sake.  Amen

Laughter On Deck

On Saturday morning, Qavah was in the shower getting ready for the day.  As she was taking her shower behind the curtain, Paul was at the sink shaving.  I was waiting to get her out of the shower to dry her off and I heard her ask, "Daddy are you the big bad wolf?"  "Where is this conversation going?" I wondered.  Paul answered her by saying, "Yes, and I am shaving the hairs off my chinny, chin, chin!"  She laughed as though nothing funnier had ever been said in the history of man.  Then he announced, "Hey, Now I am brushing my big sharp teeth!"  Another explosion of laughter came from behind the shower curtain.  I stood there thinking about the small ways a Daddy is able to be silly and delight a daughter.  Paul finishes his morning routine with one of those nose and ear trimmers and I wondered with a chuckle if I had married the big bad wolf after all.

Later that day, while Paul worked on a project on the upper porch, Qavah was about fifteen feet away from him standing at the rail.   She was totally engrossed in her own world, and imagined herself  at the rail of a sailing ship.  She waved her arms wildly and shouted into the wind, "Ahoy, Captain, shall I put down the anchor, and get some fish, and call the Mermaids?"  Paul's laughter brought her abruptly back to reality and the two started laughing all over again, just as they had at the start of the day.   It's fun for me to observe how Paul delights in her imaginings.  I hope she will remember these happy days of childhood, and will grow up to marry a man with whom she will continue to laugh. 

"Laughter is the shock absorber that eases the blows of life."

Daffodils!

I looked out of the window to the side yard and saw Qavah running full speed toward the house from across the field.  She had one purpose; one goal.  She got to the back door as I opened it, and with a beautiful smile she held out two daffodil blooms for me and announced,  "Look Mama!  I got some flowers for you!"  Robins, daffodils, sunshine; I believe spring is just around the corner!  We are entering a new season, and it is good!

Song of Solomon 2:10-12

 My beloved spoke and said to me,
   “Arise, my darling,
   my beautiful one, come with me.
 See! The winter is past;
   the rains are over and gone.
 Flowers appear on the earth;
   the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
   is heard in our land.