Wednesday, June 22, 2011

My baby's "trials"

So in a previous blog, i alluded to "trials" with Christopher. First grade was a tough year. It started out easy enough with a FABULOUS teacher and right where we left off at Kindergarten. However, it wasn't long before he started getting in trouble for talking. What? My child, talking.... NO, say it ain't so!!!!! Yep, he's all mine. Then we started noticing he was having trouble reading. What was once coming so easy, was suddenly like pulling teeth. Each night ended in tears for one or both of us. We spent the whole year working with his teacher, the reading teacher, the pediatrician, etc... the words ADD, Learning Disorder, Dyslexia, etc...all floated around, but none stuck. None fit! I had been around kids with all of these and it just didn't seem right. The school nurse tested his hearing and eyes. Hearing was perfect and his eyes tested at 20/20 and 20/30. One day, while taking Halie to get her new glasses, I mentioned to our friend David Oliver, what the eye exam revealed. He said to me that it was possible that the 20/30 eye could be just enough to be causing a problem and it wouldn't hurt to do just a simple eye exam. I scheduled it right away. The last day of school saw us in the eye doctors office. He tested 20/20 in both eyes and the doc looked puzzled. Then in my explanation he caught something. It seemed when the reading teacher would cover all but one line, Christopher could read perfectly. When she uncovered it and he would see the whole page his eyes just could not focus. The wise doc, Scott Oliver, immediately ordered another instrument be brought in and saw that Christopher's muscle in his eye was going spastic every time it tried to focus on a whole page. This brought us to another day of tests. This time was much more "painful" for he and I both. We had to begin dilating his eyes the night before. The muscle had to be totally paralyzed. The drops burned! We "dropped" his eyes 3 times before his appointment the next day and when we went in, he was very farsighted. To our amazement, this was his problem. He could not focus. Not mentally, but visually! He now has glasses and is starting tutoring to catch up on his reading, but the doc says he could gain a whole level this summer because now he should be able to focus! I'm so glad I did not accept those labels and neither did his teacher or his pediatrician. We all worked together to find an answer. God is awesome and answered our prayers for our precious Christopher. I can't wait to hear him reading his little heart out to me. He is excited. He no longer has to be frustrated on a nightly basis. He no longer has to think he is stupid (which I told him all along he wasn't). AND.... He looks sooooo cute in his glasses!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

My current purpose


Wow! As I stated in my earlier blog, so much has changed for us in the last 7 weeks. Due to unforseen circumstances, we were forced to make a decision to change churches. It was painful, it was gut wrenching, it was down right heartbreaking! I was treated horribly by a church leader, and let down by people I respected and looked up to. Then again, so was Christ! In the last seven weeks, I've reflected on a lot of things and realized that part of the reason we've gone through this is because God has been talking to us for a long time, and we resisted His voice. Change was needed for many reasons. The main reason, for our children. Their spiritual health and growth is our responsibility. We were comfortable, we were "happy" or so we thought, and we were in a rut! Christopher was getting absolutely nothing out of church, except to spend many hours watching mom and dad "serve". Caleb was just there playing with friends. For what purpose? So mom and dad could work in their "ministries". Seriously? My eyes were opened wide this week when we visited a new church and my children's eyes lit up and they asked "when are we going back to church". Christopher told me all about his "Bible book" and what he learned in Children's Church. I woke up Monday morning singing a song from the service on Sunday.... WHAT? I got my happy back! I see potential for ministry at this church, but one thing I want to be sure of this time... NEVER again, do I want to get bogged down so much in ministry that I neglect the reason I am doing the ministry, or neglect the needs of my husband or children. That being said, my current and most important purpose... Mine, my husbands, and my children's needs spiritually! Meeting those needs through church worship and at home. Being a Christian Wife first and then mother.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Down but not out!

I can't post much today, cause i'm not even supposed to be on the computer due to tendonitis and a much needed but very painful cortisone injection. The past few months (well I haven't blogged since January and we are now at June) have been POWER PACKED but I will catch u up in a few days when I am able more to type. Right now, my title is "Down but not out" and that is how I feel. Satan has been on the war path, but he is not winning. God has my family in the palm of His hand and we know He has big plans for us. Small catch up. Christopher finished first grade, and is enjoying his summer. I'll post about his little "trials" and our fix soon. Caleb has one more year at home with mommy and thinks he is a "mini-me". We are enjoying our summer and our new pool. Headed to the beach in July and can't wait! Catch up in a few days. Ta-ta for now!
*Walk with your eyes open, live a life examined; abide in Christ so that you can see with the eyes of Christ all the chances you have to change the world one obedient opportunity at a time.

Our Family

Our Family
We are so blessed!

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