This past Sunday evening (Nov. 8, ‘09) Karla and I were hanging out in the kitchen and out of nowhere I said, “Oh by the way, did I ever tell you that Tom and Stephanie came to visit me when I was in the hospital?”  She looked at me as if I were an alien…probably because that was eight months ago and this was the first she had heard of it.  Once I had thought about it myself I began to doubt it myself!  Was it just a dream?  Or….?

Then she called them to confirm…or I would like to think affirm my memory.   You see, Tom and Stephanie are friends of ours from way back in our college days at Luther.  After that we both moved to the Twin Cities, but that’s a pretty big area so we didn’t really stay in close contact. 

You know the drill…busy lives etc. etc.  They still live there, while we moved away 17 years ago.  Anyway, they somehow heard that I was in the hospital and they came to visit me. 

It was in the earlier days of rehab so I was still in pretty rough shape.  I was also easily exhausted in those early days and they arrived at the end of the day…and being the kind and sensitive people that they are they saw that I was tired and so stayed for only five minutes or so. 

Karla made the call.  It was in fact just as I remembered it to be.  A five minute visit that was lost for eight months!  Or, if not lost, at the very least it remained an unintended “secret” between Tom and Steph and myself for eight months…. that is, until last night.

In his last post, Mike made it abundantly clear that he owns this blog, although I thought it was mine for several weeks!  He asked me to post a guest blog several days ago with one stipulation:  it is not to be about him!

So what on earth could I possibly talk about?  Other than dealing with Mike’s ongoing health issues (Oops!  I did not follow the stipulation.) the current issue requiring most of my attention is forcing Luke to get college applications done and getting my part finished.  He is only applying to a few schools, so it’s not like it should be that time consuming.  Alas, that is not the case!

As the teacher and guidance counselor, I have quite a few forms to fill out.  To make it worse, the Common Application has a huge homeschool supplement.  They even want to know why we started homeschooling.  What could that possibly have to do with Luke’s preparedness for college?  That was twelve years ago!  The other part that irritates me is that the homeschool supplement asks for all of his courses, grades, and curriculum used.  I included that in the required transcript, so I’m not sure what the point is.

This has been a rather difficult thing for me to do.  How can I write an entirely honest recommendation of my son?  What I have going for me is that we have never been people to offer our children praise unless it is due, think telling kids who just lost a basball game 20-o that they did a good job.  On the other hand, who better than me to make a case for Luke being a good college student?

Luke is also on the test of the month plan.  ACT in October, SAT in November, and SAT Subject Tests in December.  I’m glad I’m not him!  Guess who gets to get up early to drive him in for all these tests?  Anyone out there want to meet me for breakfast on Saturday, sometime after 8?

This is also a very bittersweet thing.  I know that Luke is ready for this.  I think that he is going to love the academic environment of college.  But he wants to be a chemical engineer.  One school told us to expect them to be gone for good once they start college, as they need to do internships.  Right now his top choice is the University of Minnesota, so at least he will only be 4 hours away.

The other thing on my mind is illness.  Everyone is freaking out about H1N1.  We have a family at our church who had very serious cases in the whole family.  So Jared gets a cold and slight fever this weekend.  How do I know if it’s more than a cold?  The H1N1 info on the internet sounded like it could look like a common cold or much worse.  We have 7 people in our family!  We can’t just stay home until no one has a runny nose.  We might never get out!  At the same time, I don’t want to be responsible for giving the flu to someone.  So, I’m reliving my epidemiology days from grad school.  I washed my hands so frequently that I think Mike was seriously concerned that I was becoming obsessive-compulsive!  Elisabeth seems to have inherited this trait from me.

That’s it from the Evans’ house.  We are enjoying our family and relatively good health.  We are trying to make the most of the time before Luke leaves.  God is good!

Wow!  It’s very hard to believe that it was just one year ago (October 23rd, 2008) that this most interesting of years began for our family.  I can scarcely comprehend that 365 days have elapsed since we began this journey with a seizure that revealed a peach sized AVM (mass of intertwined veins and arteries) in my brain. 

It’s also Jared’s fourth birthday celebration which was largely ruined last year due to my theatrics.  

Thus began a journey for us that would take this family through the heights and depths…through good days and bad where my very life would hang precariously and tenuously on a precipice…between life and death. 

Little did we know then what lay before us!  But, I had a suspicion that there was going to be more to this thing than it first looked.  That’s why this blog was begun in November, 2008.  I wanted to allow all of you who were interested, to walk with me (us) through this trial. 

It also became a tool of inestimable worth in the dissemination of pertinent information…from a first hand source.

It also served as a bullhorn of sorts for prayer around the world when we needed it most.  On the day I underwent emergency open heart surgery there were more than 5,500 hits on the blog and no doubt thousands of prayers laid before the  throne of grace on our behalf.

Karla just entered the room to inform me that as of late I have been rather possessive of this blog…perhaps that’s because it is my blog.  However, after re-reading each of her entries yesterday I guess I can understand why she would think this way!  After all, there was a four week period in there where this blog was her baby and the last thing on my mind.

Along the way I have been honest with you all…sharing my fears and trepidations, all the while trying to maintain a sense of humor.  I would say “good”  sense of humor but I know some might question the adjective.

As I have been preparing a testimony I will be giving at the Word Fellowship meeting next week I have gone back and read all of the entries that Karla made on the blog between February 10 and the last week of March, 2009…that’s no small task!   

Karla and I have to write a book about the events of this past year…and the funny thing is I don’t really care if anyone reads it.  From Karla’s daily detailed blogs we have many of the details already there for the looking…but there are so many more Providential things that ocurred along the way that we just have to have some kind of more permanent record!

It is very humbling and surreal to read each of her entries along with the accompanying comments by some of you who stepped out from the shadows of anonymity, even if only momentarily, to leave a comment or thought. 

Karla was kept in a safe place during this entire ordeal.  She experienced, as she herself freely admits, “…the peace of God that passes understanding.”   Peace in situations like we found ourselves in is non-sensical. 

It makes no sense at all and is contrary to absolutely every bit of information that came her way during the darkest hours of this ordeal.  This is precisely the point.  The peace of God soared in Karla’s heart and mind even higher than the grim facts.

Top Ten Reasons my AVM was not wasted: (to borrow Pastor John Piper’s exhortation  not to waste such things in an article he wrote titled _Dont_Waste_Your_Cancer/ on the eve of his cancer surgery February 15, 2006…three years to the week of my own )  

1. Because there have been 122,600 times (and counting) where God’s goodness and faithfulness even in the midst of a great trial have been attested to by people accessing this blog.  The thing about God is that He is unchanging.  Regardless of the circumstances we face God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

2. Because I was able (and continue)  to see the full force of wedding vows taken seriously 22.8 years ago.  Let’s be honest here… when I set my eyes on Karla for the first time 24 years ago I wasn’t thinking to myself  “When I’m 44 and find that I have had an AVM the size of a peach growing in my brain my whole life…and even before birth, is this woman going to take care of me?” 

No one signs up for these kinds of trials.  When I look at Karla now I see in her a beauty that transcends any earthly thing.  My love and appreciation for Karla has increased greatly…and I thought my love for her was well above average before this trial arrived one year ago!

3. Because I have now walked through the valley of  the shadow of death and found everything I previously believed about God to be true even as I was cooking in the furnace of affliction.  This trial didn’t change my understanding of God one iota.  However, it did serve to make me more empathetic with those enduring difficult trials.

4. Because I have now discovered a weight loss program that I can emphatically denounce as bogus.  Though quite effective at losing nearly 50 pounds in a very short time, lying motionless for days on end tends to create other problems…like blood clots, complete loss of muscle mass, and a cachetic (emaciated, malnourished) look. [sorry...always looking to use a new word.]

5. Because it was necessary for me to go through this trial.  I Peter 1:6ff. “In this you rejoice (i.e. that God is unswervingly committed to me and also promises to guard me by His power through faith), though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith–more precious than gold that perishes by fire–may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 

I’m sorry if you find the thought repugnant…but with all my heart I believe that this trial was tailor made for me at this exact time in my life.  God is sovereign over every trial and heartache as well as every victory and joy.

As painful as it was I needed this AVM…and every single complication that came with it.  All of them!  They were all necessary and designed by the unsearchable, inscrutable God for me.   The grieving caused by this trial was a necessary suffering that served to sink down deeper roots of my faith.     This does not mean, however, that I am not delighted that it is for the most part over!

6. Because I have obtained an entirely new perspective on those who are suffering.  As I looked around me while I was at Mayo Clinic I couldn’t help but notice those who have illnesses that are not fixable… who are destined to a lifetime of suffering with little earthly hope of anything better…so many people with far greater trials and sufferings than mine. 

This new perspective on those who suffer should serve me well in the years to come.  My theology and faith have held strong for a full year now.  I can only extrapolate from this that it would have remained intact even if things had turned out very differently.  

7. Because I now have much more empathy for those who are paralyzed (for a few days on my entire right side),  paranoid pschizophrenics (ICU psychosis…) , pondering a perplexing problem (What should we do?), or those with perpetual physical problems (there are still neurological connections to be re-learned).  You’ll just have to accept my word on these things.

8. Because I have been humbled in countless ways.  Most of the bravado has been eradicated from my life…and has died a quick and painless death.  Physical suffering has a way of suffocating bravado.  Part of the suffering in those early days included the utterly helpless feeling of not being able to do the little things I would normally do for myself or doing those things that I would never do if I was in a right state of mind and body.

Perhaps the most encouraging bit of information is that my vertical leap is now nearly back up to what it was before the surgeries: seven inches as compared to ten.  Just kidding…I haven’t really measured.  Makes we wonder though.

9. Because I, and my family, have been forced to be on the receiving end of countless acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity.   From cards to cash to caring for our children while Karla and I were  in Rochester, to the gracious hosts (thanks again Ray and Connie Krueger!) who housed Karla for the 46 days we were there, to countless acts of compassion and kindness directed our way, and to those silent prayer warriors in the shadows…thank you for not being silent with God on our behalf!

10. Because we have come to appreciate even more the larger body of Christ, the Church.  Hundreds of you blessed my socks off as I read or heard of prayers going up before the throne of God on our behalf.  The fact that there were thousands of people praying for me and my entire family through this trial will never be forgotten!  I really and truly am eternally grateful.

Thanks for standing (and kneeling) with us! 

With much appreciation for you all,

Mike and Karla Evans

P.S. If you are still reading this blog please consider leaving a comment!  It would make us happy to hear from you!

The Word Fellowship meets again Tuesday Oct. 27 at Crossroad Church here in Earlham. The Word Fellowship consists of a group of 35-40 pastors and church leaders. If you are either please consider this an open invitation to join us!

There will be 3 messages given with singing, and significant amounts of time allowed for discussion and prayer. Our theme for this Fall’s meeting is “Through Many Tribulations We Must Enter the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Specifically, we will be exploring what the Bible reveals as the relationship between suffering and the Kingdom of God.

Following our normal pattern two messages will be expository sermons with a biographical sketch for the third message.

* Al Lewis will be giving a message entitled “Why Must We Enter the Kingdom Through Suffering?” from Acts 14:22 (former pastor for many years of the E. Free Church in Fort Dodge and now on staff with Reach Global, the International Missions wing of the Evangelical Free Church of America).

* Terry Schoenfeld will be giving a message entitled “How Does Suffering Strengthen and Encourage?” also from Acts 14:22 (Terry is the former pastor of the Atlantic, Iowa Free Church for…oh let’s just call it an even 100 years, who is now the pastor of Cornerstone E. Free Church in St. Louis, MO.)

* Last and least I will be speaking on “A Necessary Suffering” based on 1 Peter 1:6. I will be sharing from a pastor’s perspective what it’s like to be weak, weaker, very nearly die, and then gradually find my way back…to the family…to life and ministry. I will be sharing from our family’s experience over this past year…so I am the (auto?)biographical sketch for this installment of the Word Fellowship. I first came home from Rochester on March 27th, 2009, just four days before we had our last installment of The Word Fellowship… which I had to leave (due to exhaustion) after the first message so that I could return home and sleep for five hours!

Where? Crossroad EFC here in Earlham, just 20 minutes west of Des Moines off of I-80 (exit 104)

Why? We meet together two times yearly, once in the Spring and once in the Fall, to encourage and equip one another as pastors and church leaders to be Word (Bible)-centered in our preaching and teaching of God’s Word.

When? Tuesday October 27, 2009 9:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.

Cost? $5.00 for a rib-eye steak lunch. If you think $5.00 is too much for a rib-eye then I don’t know what to tell you.

RSVP to pastormike@crossroadefc.org or call at 515-834-2626.

Looking forward to another edifying day of the Word Fellowship,

Mike (on behalf of “The Word Fellowship” Committee: Randy Anderson, John Mochel, Jeff Whitt, Al Lewis, Jeremy Kidder, and myself)

Click here to see a very cool (10 minute) video of how the brain has an uncanny ability to rewire itself…even with half missing!

I had another seizure Saturday night (Oct. 10th, 2009) and this one nearly scared me to death.  I have wanted to set some things straight about our situation.  This is a good opportunity to do just that.  Our church had a Fall Festival planned and we were supposed to go out to a country home for hay rides, bon fire,etc.  But when it snowed nearly three inches it behooved us to move the festivities indoors.  

As the evening was winding down Benj and one of his friends waited in the car (I was planning to take Benj’s friend home momentarily) I found myself engaged in one of those last second…minute…fifteen minutes conversations.  In retr0spect this was a smiling Providence of God that it happened when it did.

While I have come to appreciate and even admire the volunteers who make up the Earlham First Responders Unit I am tired of being at the center of attention!   God bless the men and women who selflessly serve on this crew. 

If you live in a big city then you can’t even comprehend what I mean as I try to express my thanks.   When a 911 call goes in I believe that an ambulance is immediately dispatched, along with the First Responders in the Earlham area. 

The ambulance can always be called back if it proves not to be urgent.  But the Earlham First Responders are always the first to arrive on the scene….taking vital signs in my case.  I don’t know what their average response time is but it has to be near to NASCAR Pit Stop times.  I was then taken by ambulance to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa about 8:30 p.m. 

Top Ten Questions From The Hypothetical Peanut Gallery

1.  Question:  Why did you have another seizure?  Is this thing growing back?   

Answer: This mass of tangled blood vessels and arteries is gone and it can’t grow back.  I will die someday…at my appointed time…but not from this AVM…which no longer exists.  I am at peace with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and am ready to leave this body behind.  Are you?

2.  Question: You were just at Mayo Clinic and had an EEG which showed no seizure activity in the brain.  What gives?

Answer: Though the EEG produced scientific proof that my brain still functions, and though there was no apparent seizure activity occurring in those tests….as the doctor warned us so I have proven: “…that just because there is no obvious seizure activity in the brain does not mean that seizures will not occur.” 

A good friend keeps reminding me over and over that this is a marathon, not a sprint.  And he is encouraged, as I am as well, at the progress made thus far.  There is a whole host of complicated factors that could account for this seizure.  Swelling in the brain from surgery can take up to a year to go down to normal. 

Then there is always the very real possibility that during some of the darkest hours of this ordeal that other areas of my brain were damaged as well.  But again, the brain is the most amazing organ in the human body and it is capable of re-wiring itself to an extraordinary degree.

3.  Question: Did it scare you to have another seizure?

Answer: Uh….Yes!  It lasted for roughly two-and-a-half minutes.  It began while I was talking to a woman and her husband…trying to swat a fly is how they described my actions…and as this dear woman continued to talk on I tried with all my might to pull myself out of it but could not. 

My last thought before I momentarily blacked out was this:  ”This is it.  I’m going to die right now because I cannot even breathe!!”  So yes, it was terrifying!  I would happily remain on seizure medications the rest of my life if only to avoid another one like this.  After all we have been through in the past eight months I wasn’t expecting any more excitement…or rides to the hospital in ambulances.

4. Question:  What are you taking for seizure medication and have you made any recent adjustments?

Answer: Three months ago I was taking 600 mg of Dilantin and 1500 mg of Keppra.   In the past months the Dilantin has not even been at a therapeutic level so that has been eliminated altogether .  Per Dr. Meyer’s recent instructions we adjusted the Keppra downward by half (to 750 mg/ day).    Thus, the most likely reason for this seizure was because of the medication adjustment made just 10 days ago. 

My body and brain responded to this change with an emphatic, “NO!”  Or, if not a permanent “NO”  at a minimum it was an emphatic “NOT YET!”  

5. Question: What do you plan to do now? 

Answer: Eat a Snickers bar…I haven’t had one for awhile and increase the Keppra back to 1,500 mg/day.

I don’t really understand codependency but I think this word most accurately encapsulates my feelings toward the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota…and St. Marys Hospital.  I know I need(ed) them and even though they may not admit it publicly I think they also need(ed) me…if only to glory in the miracle of a life that almost ended nearly seven months ago.

Wednesday 10:00 a.m. A good conversation with the ultrasound technician

Karla and I left early last Wednesday morning (September 30) at 5:00 a.m. to make a 10:00 a.m. appointment.  The first appointment was to have an ultrasound to check the status of the blood clots that the IVC filter (positioned near my belly button in a vein that is at the intersection of the two major veins that carry blood back to the heart to get reoxygenated) was holding back the last time we were there for a follow-up visit in June.  They also checked the lower extremities for clots. 

As the technician did her thing we got to talking.  As it turns out she is a Shamanist.   A Shamanist is a person.  Shamanism is a religion akin to animism.  Shamanists, as near as I can tell, believe that one of their primary goals in life is to serve as intermediaries between human beings and the spirit world.  Adherents believe that Shamanists can treat illnesses and have special powers.  As I talked with her and asked her what she believed she felt free to express herself.  She told me that Shamanists believe that there is a high king of the heavens and specific gods that are responsible for the water, land, heavenly bodies, etc.  

I was impressed by how articulate and intelligent this young gal seemed to be.  It soon became clear that she was very open to Christianity as well.  I gently prodded her by asking the question “So how do Shamanists worship the gods?”, I asked.  She responded by saying that they do not gather publicly to celebrate or worship anything.  I quickly found out that she had a very high respect for her family as she said that eternally she wanted more than anything else “to be where they were.”  I responded “Really? Even if that’s not a good place?”

She went on to tell me of one Shamanist who converted to Christianity…a person whom she knew personally.  Since she seemed open to Christianity as well I explained to her how some of the claims of Jesus were just plain exclusive.   Such as John 14:6  where Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  And I John 5:11-13 where the Apostle John writes to Christians “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” I also quoted John 10:9-10 to her where Jesus said “I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly.  I shared some other verses of Scripture as well, but these were the main ones.  

After we finished up I asked her to come out into the waiting room to meet Karla.  She gave me an email address whereby I could contact her again…and now I can’t seem to find it…UGH!

Wednesday 1:00 p.m.  An EEG provides  scientific proof that my brain is still functioning.

As I arrived for my EEG appointment (to see if there is still seizure activity in my brain) I was ushered into a preparation room and a number of tiny electrodes were attached to my skull.   The test itself involved sleeping…which I am good at.  Over the course of 30 minutes or so I fell asleep twice.  They had to wake me up once to re-connect one of the electrodes… after which they feared I would not be able to fall asleep again.  Again, not to worry.  Did I say that I excel at sleeping?

Wednesday 4:30 p.m. A Vascular consult with Dr. McBane leads to an unexpected surgical procedure.

Dr. McBane was giddy.  He was one of the doctors who was with us in the darkest hours of this ordeal.  Dr. McBane is an unabashed Christian man with a delightful demeanor.  He is one of the doctors I saw regarding the blood clots before I crashed and nearly died.  Died.  It seems strange sitting here typing this word “died.” 

Anyway, Dr. McBane was the one who asked me shortly after the brain surgery, while I was still paralyzed on my right side and hardly able to speak, why God would render a preaching pastor voiceless and unable even to  move his right side.  I managed to communicate to him that I didn’t have any idea as to the reason for the trial but said that somehow it would be used to bring glory to His name.  This set Dr. McBane off on a personal quest to understand more about the relationship between suffering and the sovereignty of God as they relate to personal sanctification.  I was glad to be of assistance.  By the way they still don’t have a clue as to where the blood clots came from…Mayo doctors don’t like not knowing everything about every possible medical scenario.

Since the blood clots are no more they asked when I wanted to get the filter out.  I asked if it would even be possible to get it out during our three days in Rochester.   He said “Yes.”  I said, ”Please give me the A-team” at which point Dr. McBane said “Just a minute.”  Shortly thereafter a man walks in the room asking me if I hadn’t always wanted to meet an Icelandic doctor…which he clearly was.  Turns out he was the doctor in charge of the ten doctors who perform these procedures every day. He said that he would be happy to do this procedure himself but assured me that they were all very skilled at what they do. 

Imagine that…ten doctors at St. Marys give their lives to this one task of putting filters in people and then removing them at a later date.  I wonder how many lives have been saved through the strategic placement of filters in the human body.  Many I’m sure.  So we scheduled the filter removal for 6:00 a.m. Thursday morning. 

Thursday 6:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. The filter was removed.

I must admit it was kind of creepy being back in the place where this all began.  Surgical gown.  Preparation.  I’m sure it brought back lots of lovely memories for Karla as well. 

The procedure itself took twice as long as it was supposed to take (an hour and a half as opposed to forty-five minutes) as the filter was not sitting parallel to the vein.  It was at a slant.   I was under mild sedation as they cut into the jugular vein on my neck and after a few minutes of talking with the doctor and his assistant I stopped talking and asked for more sedation! 

I was beginning to get a bit concerned because of the quietness of the room.   Sure enough they were having trouble getting the filter removed.  I was told that in roughly 5% of the cases the filters are not retrievable.  Guess what was on my mind.  I never asked what happens when a filter that is supposed to be in for one year max is unretrievable (we found out there are many different kinds of filters…some permanent.  Others not.  Mine was a Cook Select Filter which sounds impressive to the untrained ear).  Doctors have all sorts of tricks up their sleeves whereby they can manipulate the thing that retrieves the filter.  Since it was sitting nearly sideways in the vein as he began to pull it out I could actually feel it!  It made me nauseous…so I asked for more sedation. 

But, he was able to get it out at least!  And it was certainly good to have that surgical procedure over and done with!

Thursday 2:00 p.m. Meeting with a rehabilitation doctor

This doctor told me that I had officially graduated from rehabilitation!

Friday morning 3:00 a.m.

I woke up with a queasy sensation, began sweating profusely and felt as though I was going to vomit.  While standing, I leaned my arms up against the bathroom wall.  I then passed out and woke up to the distinct sound and force of my head hitting the tile floor.  This is also when Karla awakened.  I found out later that I had been having a mild allergic reaction to the dyes that had been shot into my system.   That must have been the reason there were also red spots all over my midsection!  Never happened before with the dyes. 

Friday 11:00 a.m.  INR home testing

Karla and I then met with a nurse who proceeded to demonstrate how to test the thickness of my blood from home.  In concert with Mayo we would have to call up once every week or so and adjust the rat poison as necessary.  I currently take 15 milligrams each day which a pharmacy friend said was almost unbelievable (on the high side).  This program looks not to be financially feasible so I think we’ll just stick to the regular doc.

Friday 3:00 p.m. Appointment and pictures with Dr. Meyer the neurosurgeon 

Last, but not least, was a meeting with Dr. Meyer.  As he walked into the room he looked much younger than I had remembered him being.  Finally figured out it was because he had shaved his beard and moustache off.  Dr.  Meyer was also giddy.  He and his traveling nurse, Wanda, along with the latest neurosurgical fellow tagged along.  I asked Karla to take a couple of pics of me with Dr. Meyer.  I also learned a new word, for which I am always grateful.  Cachetic is the word and malnourished and emaciated is the definition.  He said that’s how I looked after the second surgery. 

A nutritionist friend said that my body devoured itself…which would explain the complete loss of muscle mass and fat loss and nearly 50 pounds. I have had to work hard at getting the muscle mass back…but not nearly as hard at getting back the fat reserves.  Dr. Meyer is a good man and a great surgeon.  There were moments after the brain surgery, as I,  and later I would find out, Karla also, silently pondered what we had let this man do to an otherwise perfectly healthy man (right side paralysis and unable to speak) and for a brief time I was angry with Dr. Meyer.   However, this was a happy day!  

And so it goes that nearly one year ago began the most interesting and exciting, death-defying year of my life thus far.  What a ride its been!

I didn’t check out the math…but I’m just guessing that Karla was right when she said that as of two days ago I had been alive for 16, 436 days.  That sounds like a big number… but you know what?  It’s not even depressing to me as these multiples of 5 can often be. 

 

Again, I’ll never tire of saying this: “I’m just happy to be here” and enjoy days like this with my family. I wanted to pass along some cool pictures I was able to shoot from the plane ride that Benj and I took on Saturday morning September 19, 2009 and also a couple pics of “the real Thomas.”

 

We (the pilot Brian Bean, Benj and I)  took off from the Winterset airport at about 9:00 a.m. and flew around central Iowa for about an hour and a half.  The world looks entirely different from 500-1000 feet above the earth than it does from ground level.  It was an awesome day for a plane ride! 

A picture of Crossroad Church

Earlham ball fields

beans glorious beans

The “Real” Thomas

Diamondhead Lake

Lake Panorama

Happy Guys

For those of you who don’t know, which is probably most of you, today is Mike’s birthday.  We always go out for lunch on Friday, as this is Mike’s day off.  As we were eating yesterday, he said, “When I turned 43, I never would have guessed that I’d be happy to make it to 45, or that reaching that age would be in question.”

Well, clearly it was!  It was 11 months ago, on Jared’s third birthday, that the whole AVM saga started.  There were several times when I was wondering if Mike had celebrated his last birthday.  Our entire family is so glad he had not!

You may recall the verse that I quoted from Psalm 139 following the blood clot incident.  “All of my days were numbered before one of them came to be.”  This is what I tell myself whenever life seems precarious.  God has all of our days numbered, and Mike’s number at least 16,436.

So, today our family is celebrating.  Mike started the day by going on a plane ride with Benj.  He had purchased this at a memorial fundraiser in our town the week before we found out about the AVM.  He chose Benj to accompany him because Benj’s birthday was pretty much a bust from a teenager’s perspective.  Yes, his dad came home from the hospital on his birthday, but he didn’t get to do the usual meal selection and the day was stressful rather focused on him.  So, he got to celebrate this with his dad, and they are getting in done a couple of weeks before this year’s event.

Shortly we are heading to Boone to so that Mike and my dad can take Jared to ride the Thomas train that is in town.  Jared’s birthday was basically ruined as well, so this is a way to make up for it with Jared.  He is very excited, being the Thomas fanatic that he is!  Luke and Benj are especially excited to participate in the other Thomas activities available to do!

Then it’s off to Hickory Park in Ames to eat at a restaurant that everyone in our family enjoys.  What a fitting ending to a good birthday celebration.

My word to all of you is this, make the most of the days the Lord gives you.  Celebrate birthdays and children’s accomplishments and even just a nice day!  Hopefully God is giving you experiences in your life to cause to you whoop for joy in thanks to Him.