Suprised to be heading in for Surgery

My Dad had a final scan this morning and review with the Neurologist. To our dismay he needs urgent surgery to relieve the pressure in his brain caused by the initial bleed. The old blood has mixed in with cerebral-spinal fluid on the one side of his brain toward the surface. A week from now Dad might have been paralyzed again and not have anyone to intervene living alone in Indiana. Needless to say it has pushed the brain to the side and is most likely behind his headaches and stumbling this weekend. We met with the surgeon right away and ran to the hospital to do paperwork and labs. He would have had the drain today but he had eaten already. Pray for God's guidance with all that the next weeks and months hold... and especially for the surgery at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow..

He had a special visit from a retired pastor that Bart's parents know. The Pastor will be keeping in touch with Dad and helping along in his spiritual journey. God has helped him through much and we trust He'll be making himself more and more real to my Dad as time passes.

Looks like Kira will have her Papa here a couple more weeks until he is in the clear. We still plan on making our trip but have a lot to get figured out quickly.

Papa Ted had a Brain Bleed

While on vacation in Arizona, on October 11th my Dad fell and split the back of his head open requiring four simple staples and was sent home. The next morning he was admitted with difficulty walking, headache, and dry heaving. GOOD TIMES! He's been on a blood thinner for his heart condition and it helped induce a large bleed that put dad in the ICU for about a week. He was set for surgery but then the blood shifted toward the center where it can be absorbed easier. Dad was primarily paralyzed on left side of his body. Scary for all of us especially for him. Each day that past he made miraculous progress. He was discharged on the 20th. Sadly, my step-mom decided to separate from dad Friday afternoon before discharge. She has been with one of her daughters in the San Diego area and is off to Florida to be with more family in the near future. My brother, Matt graciously helped Dad with discharge and flew him to Denver the day after he discharged. They were both wiped out after missing a couple flights, we were glad to take over.



We have given Dad lots of TLC and had great medical support. The Neurologist was so pleased with Dad's rapid progress that he doesn't want therapists involved. During the week he went outside with us and even walked a mile round-trip to the garden with all the kids! Despite his confidence on his feet he did fall on Friday and looks to of broken his nose and bruised his forehead. I have got my hands full: ) He sure loves Kira and she's finally decided he can hold her occasionally. We had a nice bonfire at the in-laws yesterday and today we ran some errands and got Dad's hair cut off- he looks really clean cut! Pray for his recovery and transition into living alone at the lake house in Indiana. Kira and I have a flight to Chicago with him on Wednesday. Bart will join up with us on Friday for a little reunion of sorts with our college friends over Homecoming weekend. We are so excited to see everyone. I get to spend a day with my best friend Meghan on Thursday, I miss her so much! LOVE TO ALL OF YOU-- especially my relatives in Michigan who are celebrating my Uncle Art's birthday!! Have loads of fun and laughs for me!!!

Little gardener

Fall is here!

I can't tell you how glad we are to move into the fall season! It was not the bright and cheery summer I had dreamed of... not to say we did not enjoy it at all. Our close friends Emily and Chis lost their baby Carter in July and then within days Mark and Polly had their fourth miscarriage and Polly underwent emergency surgery. We have walked with them through some dark times. Just recently we started hosting a couples small group at our home again... it will be awesome to see how God works in each of our lives over this next year.

It is almost time for our annual corn maze adventure- my team never wins no thanks to my directional sense! I tend to twist people's arms into doing some little trips and fun social stuff: ) I'm very glad they put up with me!

We live very close to the family business- Walker Mowers, most of Bart's extended family all live here... it makes it easier for me to be away from my owm family. My mom visits often and fits right in, we hope she can still move here in the next year or so.

I have cut way back on my cleaning business and have no idea how I used to juggle so much this last year. I just love those clients and the daycare kids so much... yet I was getting worn out. I have six kiddos here to care for and teach... you can only imagine the crazy times! Kira has a love-hate thing going with the five boys. She just realized she doesn't want to share her mommy. At least she won't be shocked to share me with another sibling.

I can't wait to return to Olivet Nazarene University at the end of the month! Bart's close friend, Scott Weinberg, talked us into a little reunion with a bunch of our old friends. I hope to make some great memories over Homecoming weekend. My mom will room with us and Kira will get plenty of Nana-bonding. I have to say my Mom is the greatest Nana! The other day mom admitted she had reserved plane tickets out here right after we heard Kira had some bad labs come back after five weeks of diarrhea! It was scary and I am very thankful things are better now. She would do anything for her girls!

Fall holds great promise of beauty and change for us. Mark and Polly took us on a fall journey to check out the changing colors today... I'm so glad we went. Kira loves her Aunties and Uncles- she was an angel! If you want to click on our photo albums on the right- flickr.com :) Comment here if you would- we would love to know who all is really reading... that means you too Uncle Tom and Uncle Art: )