catching up!

It has been a long time, but I am so happy to realize I can blog from something besides my broken computer! Its time for a major update! We are so blessed to have so many friends and family praying for Samuel and encouraging our family! Our God provides! This winter was very difficult for sweet Samuel. He had aspiration pneumonia many times, but thankfully we were able to treat him at home. We now have everything in our home that the hospital has, except for an I V! If Samuel needs an IV we can start it in the hospital and care for him at home. We are working very hard to keep him out of the hospital. He came to the point this winter that he was constantly on an antibiotic and steroid. In the past month he has been doing much better respitory speaking. We have new problems now. He has been throwing up and very nauseous for at least a month. It is taking a toll on his body and for the past week he has been lethargic and in pain. We constantly been on the phone with specialist trying to figure out what else to do for our precious boy. The answers were always the same.... We were doing everything we could. After this past weekend watching him struggle with severe pain... Moaning, grinding his teeth and crying (which he never does these things unless something is really hurting him) I was feeling panicked to help him

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. Finally, his sweet pulminologist said she would take a look at him...even though his lungs seemed ok. She did an exam and said he had a little redness in his ear we could treat with drops. But then the serious face came out and she proceeded to tell me that Samuels disease was progressing to a new phase. The throwing up, constant bile coming out of his tummy, and more pain all were happening because his muscles are so weak his tummy isnt working very well anymore. We have thought about this, but to hear it this week from the doctor made it real. So we came home sad, but giving all to our Father in heaven who has great plans. So many prayers were being lifted for our sweet Samuel and our family at this time and we could feel His peace surrounding us. Samuel had a rough night Wednesday, but when he woke up he had a grin on his face and was not in pain! Praise the Lord! This week had had many ups and downs, but Samuel is not on the constant pain he was in. He is struggling with naseau, etc., but we are trying some new things to try and help him and last night he slept and didn't wake up with coughing, gagging, etc.! Hurray! He is not himself...wiggly, smiley pleasant self, but he is doing a little better for the past couple of days and for that we are thankful. Please continue to pray for him.Also, for Tim and me as we make decisions that are best for Samuel. And for our children. We have a great hope because of our salvation! Here are some verses that have been encouraging to me the past couple of weeks. I have read then to our family and Samuel often. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 NASB ”But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.