Updates from HOME!

That's right ... we made it HOME last night! We got Claire's culture back and the antibiotics that Claire needs can be administered orally AND her blood culture didn't show any evidence of infection in her blood stream (YAY!). She hasn't had any fever since yesterday and is acting much more like herself - still pretty sleepy but the antibiotics are working!!

We had quite the night, Claire's pump has been malfunctioning since midnight (it has been beeping and stopping every couple of minutes) so she has had practically nothing in her tummy for over 14 hours. She's so sleepy from recovering that she isn't too fussy but we are waiting for a home visit now to bring us a new pump and to help us troubleshoot - she needs the calories and hydration to help her heal. I've been trying everything I can think of all morning to get it working again including pulling out and replacing her tube on the floor of our car in the Target parking lot ... baby needs to eat! [[And big sister too - I didn't realize that we had NOTHING in the house for Anna to pack her lunch for school today -oops!!- so the trip to the store was necessary]]. Both kids were content in the parking lot so I may have laid down on the floor of the car too and shut my eyes for a little bit, sleep will come again... someday ;).

feeling better!

Philippians 4:4-7, 10-13

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

"I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

I shared these Scriptures as kind of an afterthought in my last blog post but I wanted to share a little bit of my heart and how they have been sustaining us. 

I've been reflecting on how, so often, we feel like the degree to which we feel [and show] our emotions must directly correlate to our circumstances. We question ourselves when we can't explain our feelings because, in our minds, we must feel "worse" when things are worse and "better" when things are better. We are told these things all the time too in an attempt for people to understand and relate to us, they say "you must feel exhausted [discouraged, angry, disappointed, sad] " or even just a simple "I'm sorry" can imply that we should feel bad.

But, like most things, our human nature and God's Word don't automatically agree ;). We are commanded to renew our minds.

Romans 12:2a
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

This means continually checking our thoughts against His Word.  His Word says:

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

We don't have to carry our burdens, in fact we are not just asked but commanded to "cast our cares upon Him" (1 Peter 5:7). He intends for us to have peace and rest! I'm not saying that we should never feel upset but we don't have to stay that way!! He has given us everything that we need to feel content in every situation. To be overwhelmed by His peace and light and love despite what we experience in this world. 

It is no secret that facing trials changes your perspectives in many ways, it is intended that way ...

James 1:2-4

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

I think that all of us can admit that our first thought when facing a trial isn't one of joy! BUT by focusing on His Word and in renewing our minds continually through Scripture, we keep our focus not on this world, but on Him and there we find joy, peace, light, and love no matter what we are facing. 

So friends, please don't feel sorry for us, we aren't sorry! I won't say that we don't have challenges or that it's easy all (or even most) of the time but we do have a joy and peace that sustains us and keeps us smiling, yes, even when the baby is in pain, we haven't slept in days, and the "big kids" are feeling the effects of it all ... we have peace knowing that He loves all of us more than we could ever imagine, that He is working on our behalf to "finish the work" so that we can be mature and complete, not lacking anything [all six of us]. 

That is how we finish the "race marked out for us" ... races aren't easy and they take lots of training. Finishing a race is all about pushing through and overcoming challenges [and pain!] to come out victorious! The joy of the victory makes it all worth it. So instead of saying "I'm sorry" when our fellow brothers and sisters share their challenges of the day (however big or small), let's encourage them by saying, "Great job for making it through that!" or "You can do it, you've got this!"  We all need our own cheering squad.  

Thank you for keeping us strong!

I was introduced to another mom by our neighbor recently [Thank you Annie!!!! Best gift ever <3]. Kaitlin's son, William, also has Down syndrome and is in the hospital in North Carolina battling Leukemia. Her and I have been able to encourage each other over the last couple of months and share quite a few middle-of-the-night hospital conversations.

I had shared with her how I wasn't at all expecting Claire to get admitted to the hospital on Monday so I hadn't showered in three (yes three!) days, had no extra clothes or shower supplies, and had been holding and rocking a screaming baby with a 103.9* fever for 12 hours straight, as you can imagine I was STINKY! She replied with this Scripture:

Exodus 17:11-13

"As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword."

And she wrote to me, "I'll lift those arms up. Yes, even without deodorant." We need each other friends! In that moment, Claire needed me to "hold my arms up" so that I could calm her and she could fight off the infection and I needed Kaitlin to remind me that there were lots of people praying and "holding up" my stinky arms!! In the first verse that I shared above from Philippians, Paul mentions that he is thankful that the people had again begun to provide for him, he knew that he didn't need it, but it was a blessing to him. Thank you for taking care of us!  For the prayers, the cleaning, the meals, the care packages (Annie, the cough drops <3!!!!), sometimes it's the littlest things that get us through and encourage us. Thank you ALL for blessing us.

Hebrews 12:1-12

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneerand perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,

and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 

because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."

I am copying our prayer request from something that Kaitlin wrote in her blog because I love how she put my heart into words so much better than I could have (isn't God great!):
"Pray that we can keep our sights on the long-term vision while only taking on the tasks for today. If we survive the trial but complain or become beaten down, it isn’t enough. Pray that we can find our strength in the Lord and rest in his presence. We must finish well, serving the Lord and others."

Be encouraged friends! We are cheering you on <3. Thank you for being our "battle buddies!"