GroshLink

Your Saturday morning prayers were heard!

After convincing the little ones to get in the car and try out their childcare rooms at Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren, their resistance melted. The well thought out and coordinated childcare provided by Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren in partnership with the Renovaré Essentials Conference at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College enabled me to have the space to go to Saturday's conference without fear of meltdown/issues. Eden was well taken care of throughout her time at the conference. A true blessing to our whole family on a busy day and to our family/ministry in future endeavors which benefit from the time in the presence of God as part of the Body of Christ growing in following Christ. Thank-you to Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren, Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren, and Renovaré. To God be the glory!

PS. I had opportunity to briefly chat with Richard Foster about my ESN blog series with his son Nathan. In response Richard smiled, discussed his appreciation for his son's work, and shared a story about his first climbing trip with Nathan. What a joy to hear him briefly reflect upon it in person. Notes from the conference, including from presentations by Richard, coming :) Hoping to even post some Renovaré material on the ESN blog. More on that later . . .

Eden continues to develop in so many ways. Please join us in praising God for her growing ability to JUMP! She's even beginning to bend her knees some. Yeah! What a beautiful spring and summer this will be for our family with Eden more active and with the ability to enjoy her time outdoors even more. To God be the glory!

I shared earlier today that it's Eden's birthday. She turned 7 today. And I posted a few baby pictures of her.

What you can't see in the pictures are the thoughts in my head as I watched her get those pictures taken. The picture of her in the basket was taken at the Picture People, just days after we were told that Eden had a brain tumor. I made it a priority to get her picture taken before surgery and chemo ravaged her tiny body. I scheduled the appointment just like a million moms do every day, but I didn't mention the morbid thoughts swirling through my mind. A few days after the basket picture was taken our doctor called, shedding the light of doubt on the original diagnosis. Maybe it wasn't a tumor after all, but instead a less life-threatening vascular malformation (a mass of blood vessels all mumbled and jumbled together in a way they shouldn't be).

My amateur photographer friend, Michelle, offered to take the black and white picture (click for more). She took many. I don't remember what we talked about at the time, probably what poses I thought would be cute. But I know what I was thinking. Would my precious baby girl even live to see her first birthday? I wanted to have as many pictures of her as I could. I wasn't sure there would be a lifetime of photos. (More)

Yesterday, the oral surgeon took out Eden's fractured baby tooth. She recovered quickly and was wound up this morning as she began the celebration of her 7th birthday. What a joy to share One More Day. To God be the glory!

PS. Pray for Theresa as she continues to wrestle with insurance to cover various medical expenses for Eden, in particular the fractured tooth extraction and drops for the eye whose lid does not fully close.

Pray for the next steps of care for Eden's fractured baby tooth. The fracture was caused by an improper bite (due to her developmental issues) applying too much regular pressure on one side of the mouth, even one lower tooth on the one side of the mouth.

After she expressed pain we took her to the dentist, who referred us to the oral surgeon. We're waiting for the Monday consult, at which time we'll also find out more of the specifics on what our health insurance will 'cover.' Thankfully the permanent tooth, even though there is not space for it to fully come in at this time, is just below the surface and will hold the space.

Pray for patience and insight for Theresa as she tries to resolve three health insurance cases, including this one. Pray for God's provision of the financial resources necessary maintain the current level of care for Eden. Pray for healing for Eden. Join me in longing for the new heaven and the new earth!

Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. -- Matthew 6:8

The other day I read "Buffalo Before Breakfast" (Mary Pope Osborne. Random House. 1999. 72 pages) with Eden in a day -- well I should credit Theresa for a chapter.

Fun! I really liked my introduction to the "Magic Tree House Series." Hoping Eden will check out another from the school library.

Eden came back hungry & wound up after receiving her new ear tubes. She's running around the house with our younger one. To God be the glory!

Hoping we can give both of them a good nap :) We rejoice in your prayers and encouragement.

Today, Eden's receiving a replacement of her ear tubes. Pray for a smooth surgery/recovery. We look for forward to the improvement of her hearing, leading to an improvement in communication.

As I'm caring for our youngest during Eden's procedure, I'll miss the launch of this term's PSU-Harrisburg C.S. Lewis Seminar.  But I can pray for the noon gathering. Take a few minutes to join me to pray for the members to reconnect, recap previous chapters of N.T. Wright's Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense, complete Chapter 7, and most importantly walk away with richer understanding of/actual with with Jesus the Christ.

PS. If you're unfamiliar with the work of N.T. Wright (former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and one of the world’s leading Bible scholars who is now serving as the Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at University of St. Andrews’s School of Divinity) and desire to learn more about his writing/perspective, I encourage you to check out Believing and Belonging (excerpt from Simply Christian) and Georgetown University Veritas Forum Presentation (10/20/2006). I had the privilege of attending this Veritas Forum at which N.T. Wright spoke, my notes are posted on this blog at Simply Christian.

Updated: 1/18/2012, 8:56 AM.

Several times this weeks I've heard from friends at our local assembly, "Eden's getting so big." She is. And she's getting so fast. PT is doing an amazing job. Pray for her to watch where she's going. Also receiving good outside reports on her reading acuity. Wow! To God be the glory!

God's gift of each day with her is precious. Do you remember when we were unsure whether she'd live through her first year? Now she's almost 7 and in first grade. What do I ask God the Father for this Christmas? His continued healing of Eden: head, heart, and hands. AND the patience/grace to be the parent I have been called to be.

The other day Eden visited the eye doctor and her eyes are doing well. She continues to practice closing her left eye and is making great progress, so much so that she was eager to show her eye doctor. Eden's eye doctor found her eyes to be "very healthy" and her vision stable. As such she does not need to go back to eye patching and she does not need to go back to her eye doctor for six months. To God be the glory!

Pray for continued healing. Pray for perseverance with practising the closing of her left eye. As you may remember, Eden receives eye drops every two hours to moisten her eye and she received glasses when she was 2.5 years old.

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:14-16 NIV).

Praise: The whole family enjoyed celebrating my cousin Chris' wedding (congrats!). As for a road trip with one overnight in a hotel, I was encouraged by Eden's perseverance in the midst of continued growth, healing, and skill development. I woke up this morning with the sense that a 2012 summer roadtrip may be a possibility. Yes, I'm optimistic with the glass half full . . .

E.g., The younger two slept most of the night. They only had a 1:30 - 3 am intermission. They arose for the day at their usual time, 5:30am. The family had breakfast at 6:30am (would have shown up earlier if it was available earlier) and were for the most part in the pool by 7:15. Of course, this couldn't have been done with out the support of my parents. 

E.g., Lots of spills in the grass, on the gravel drive, etc. But Eden picked herself up, with some help at times, and kept going. All the exertion is part of what enabled her to sleep so soundly on Saturday and Sunday evening.

Eden has a hearing test today and it's causing her much angst. Pray for peace and patience not only for her, but also those seeking to serve her. Pray for the strength for physical therapy after school. 

PS. Wedding pictures coming :)

When the twins were little we played hours of Candyland. Also known as "The Game that Never Ends" (you know, you get within a few blocks of winning and the next card you pick up is Plumpy. Yeah, you know...). I haven't played Candyland for so long but we "rediscovered" it this weekend while cooped up in the house for several days. The joy is that Eden is now able to play and she loves it. This excites me b/c it's a developmental milestone of sorts. She's kind of behind on the "game-playing curve". But now I'm back in Candyland. I guess there are worse things... It's also a joy to find something that all the kids can do and enjoy together. Yes, even the older girls enjoy playing. -- Theresa on FB, 9/12/2011.

More from Tom: In contrast to some of my weekend visits to Candyland, "The Game that Never Ends" lived up to its reputation this morning. But none-the-less it is fun to fill the time between when the girls get on their buses (twins earlier than Eden) mostly with Candyland -- Lily even joined us for the game :) 

Eden's intense about playing, but even more excited about getting back to school. She really missed being in class the two days cancelled due to Tropical Storm Lee's flooding. Hoping and earnestly praying all the girls enjoy their first day back and that the schools are ready for all that the members of their community bring back with them.

PS. Wish I had more time to play games! Something to look forward to in the mornings, evenings, and weekends. BTW, We also gave Chutes and Ladders a try. The Candyland characters draw more interest at this time. It's a lot of Lost Cities and Bohnanza (i.e., the Bean Game) with the twins :) More on that later . . .

Eden's transitioned from ballet/tap to Upwards Cheerleading and she loves it. I had opportunity watch her practice last night while Theresa picked up a brood of hens (or should they be called a flock now that they're a little older). Wow!

I wonder if our youngest will give us 4 for 4 in cheerleading. Last week Theresa shared on FB,

"What an excited 6 yr. old cheerleader we have in our house tonight! I hope she never loses her determination and confidence. And yes, I'm saying that even after spending much of the day ready to pull my hair out! Help me keep things in perspective, Lord!"

Yes, Eden's super excited to start first grade today! Pray that she has the mobility for the regular bus, strength for a full day, and the care she needs for special moments (e.g., eye drops every two hours, lunch, stairs). Last week we visited to see the layout for the 200+ kids in 11 first grade classes in the elementary school (full-day literacy kindergarten, grades 1-4). Wow! 

BTW, the twins seem ready for Middle School with their bags, folders, lunches, clothes, etc. Are we?

Earlier in the week, Eden had her first Upwards cheerleading practice. She's truly enjoying it more than our summer foray into ballet/tap dance. Join me in praying that her enthusiasm continues through the whole fall football season. She loves moving about and it's great exercise/skill development for her at an age when kids aren't as picky about how things look.

More news: Yesterday Eden received a letter from her First Grade Teacher. After Theresa read the letter to her, she rushed to find me and share the letter with me. As the letter's border had the letters of alphabet, Eden, Lily, and I sang the alphabet song in response :) Next week we'll walk through the elementary school and see her classroom. School starts Monday, August 29. I can't wait for school to start. I guess one could say that we're all pumped for the fall, Eden has expressed the most enthusiasm. Pray that this carries us through the tough days, particularly for Eden to develop the strength for 'full day,' i.e., school without the afternoon nap. To God be the glory!

God the Father continues to hear & answer the cries of His people in amazing ways in Eden's life. To God be the glory!

Join us in praise: Six years of daily eye patch wearing -- many battles but Eden (& her parents) persevered. Rewarded by NO MORE PATCHING!! We don't know who's more excited -- Tom*, Theresa, and/or Eden!

A little more: Yesterday afternoon, Theresa took Eden to the eye doctor for her annual dilation of pupils and eye exam.  Reports from the past year (we go every 3 months) show improved vision in Eden's left eye. We shared with a number of friends and family that we were hoping to finally hear that she does not need to wear any eyepatch anymore. Despite Eden's cold and missing of a nap, the visit and afternoon/evening went well.  Answered prayers.

Eden goes back in four months to see how things are, so it may not be permanent, but it feels like it! Pray that it will be permanent. To God be the glory!

*Over the past several days I've pushed for the eye patch right after the 6 am breakfast. The first part of the wearing occuring during a video.

Over the past several years, Eden's participated in a summer weekday morning "camp" for "individuals with developmental or physical challenges." This is the first year she's been able to go "on her own" and engage well with the rest of the camp participants. Two significant parts of the transition have been

• caring for some other "campers"
• continued improvement in the ability to get around

It's such a joy to hear her enthusiasm for the camp, the campers, the helpers, and the program (including the crafts which she brings home). Praise God! What a joy to see the healing power of God evidenced in our Eden's (& our family's) daily life.

Watch out local EMS, Eden can't wait for the camp to visit your facility :)

What a joy to see Eden's growth over the course of Kindergarten. Truly a testimony to the healing work of God. Below is video of her solo at the Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyDAtqMDI8k. How do you like her new haircut and dress :)

BTW, Eden volunteered, stepped up to the microphone, and performed without trepidation.  To God be the glory!

What a joy for Eden to be graduating Kindergarten and going up 'on stage' as part of the closing program.

God brings healing. God enables parents, schools, school districts, and kids not only to learn, but to persevere. To God be the glory!

Pray for a good closure to the school year, a strong summer of growth (including the ability to go to some children's activities on her own), and the ability to step into First Grade in a new school building with confidence.

On Wednesday Eden had a quick 1 hour visit in which she had her cast taken off. She 'cast off the cast,' i.e., she left the cast behind at PSU-Hershey. X-rays indicate that her fractured toes are healed. She's walking around and navigating school well, but her leg aches. We greatly appreciate your prayers, encouragements, and gifts. Continue to pray for 'good footing' for her next steps and for the aches to go away.

PS. Eden truly enjoys the "You can be a nurse" coloring book which she brought back. So much so that she doesn't want to share it with anyone. I wonder if this is a sign of another health care professional in the family ;-)

"Sometimes you have nothing to say and other times you don't know where to begin. So I'll just say that Eden broke her foot yesterday (2 small fractures) when she stubbed her toe Sat. morning. Unfortunately it's her strong foot which makes hobbling around on her weak leg very difficult. That's making a long story short!" (Theresa).

Pray for

• quick recovery and good attitude through the whole process.
• discernment for 'next steps' -- This morning Eden received a foot brace which fits.  We have put out feelers for a walker.
• strength for my wife Theresa as she deals with the 'red tape' and new set of appointments (some of which displace previous appointments).  Saturday was a particularly rough day, spent for the most part at PSU-Hershey Medical Center (10 - 6 pm).

God provides. God sustains. God guides. Thank-you to friends, family, & my supervisor who have helped us out on such short notice, your flexibility with time, energy, & care are a great blessing.

After I returned from Chicago, Eden was a fan of a newly checked out book:

Nobody's Mother is in Second Grade.  Robin Pulver.  Illustrated by G. Brian Kraus.  Penguin Books.  1992.

The conclusion sums up the book beautifully:

Miss Gardner turned to Cassandra [2nd grader].  "I hope your mother will join our class again.  She doesn't have to pretend to be a plant."

"Thank-you, Miss Gardner," replied Cassandra.  "But nobody's mother is in second grade.  That would be ridiculous!"

But if you have K - 2 grade kids and haven't read Nobody's Mother is in Second Grade, I'd encourage you to do such.  It's lots of fun :-) 

PS.  After writing the initial post, I found out from Theresa that she finds the story, which she's had to read every day while I was in Chicago for InterVarsity's Graduate & Faculty Meetings, "dumb."  "Why would you read a book about that?"  Is this a difference between father and mother? 

In follow-up I asked Theresa whether should would still find the book "dumb" even if it was about a father dressing up like a plant. The answer was, "Yes." She thinks "the teacher and mom must be in cahoots for this to work."  Also, unlike what she reads by the author, Theresa finds the green plant facts secondary. Some of the science teacher background coming through?  Will I feel the same way after reading the book several times?

Question:  Do you remember better those things which make you laugh ;-)  How is "the ridiculous" accompanied by laughter an approach to teaching/learning?

As I mentioned the other day, Eden and I have been digging into book after book in our local congregation's library.  Although it was hard to top The Song of the King (Max Lucado. Illustrated by Toni Goffe. Crossway. 1995), we both found The Sleeping Rose (Angela Elwell Hunt. Illustrated by Chuck Gillies. Tommy Nelson. 1998), superb.

A simple story which highlighted "what is success?"  And when we offer help to the broken hearted, we offer it to none other than _____ .*

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Eden and I have been digging into book after book in our local congregation's library.  Recently we read The Song of the King (Max Lucado. Illustrated by Toni Goffe. Crossway. 1995).  What a story!  I think that I enjoyed the quest of the three knights for the hand of princess more than Eden :-)  Lucado provides an excellent exploration of the fears and flaws which accompany our strengths.  May each and everyone of us hear/follow the song of the Father/King, guided by ____ * in the face of "the Hopenots" which inhabit "the forests" through which we travel.

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"I like to play with Lily because she is so sweet and wonderful." -- Eden.

On Thursday, Eden shared with us that she wrote "a second grader sentence."  It didn't come home in her bag and she couldn't remember it :(

On Friday, Eden wanted to write sentences ("like they do at school") instead of taking a nap. I guess a half day isn't enough school :-)  She packed it in her bag to take to school.  Self-generated homework!

On Saturday, Eden ....