Go Lady Cards!!!

One more basketball season for the Whitster!

2nd place in the University of St. Thomas Tournment in Houston,

lost to Houston Westbury.

Whitney is holding the trophy, which is hard to see since it is clear! We really did get one!

They played a great 1st tournament, and we had a fun weekend in Houston.

Uncle Rand & Aunt Jane



Thanks to our Houston fans for braving the traffic to come to the game! Your traffic makes ours look rural!


It was so fun having all of you there!




Macy, Reid, & Heather

Go Cardinals!

It's Fall Y'all!

Giggi's house is well guarded!

What Happened to August & September???

I can't believe that I've gone 3 months without blogging! Well, it's been a busy three months & so I guess that is why!

The most exciting news, and news that makes me hold my breath everyday, is that Christine finally got in to see the specialist in Dallas that we had been hoping & praying to see. He found stones in her bile duct, through a test that only a few doctors seem to do. I don't really know why that is the case! But anyway, he was able to remove them the next day & she is doing better every day. I hold my breath because I really feel like & pray that this is the answer we've waited for for so long! God is doing mighty things in their lives, & we know He is always faithful even when the storm is long. Christine was able to sing "I Will Praise You in the Storm" at church a couple of weeks ago. What a testimony to everyone who has seen her name on the hospital list for the past two years. I was blessed to hear her & Matt share their story, & how God has carried them, with the FWC middle school last week. I have longed to see these blessings come out of their sufferings, and thank God for these sweet experiences. I believe God will use them mightily, because even though things may not make sense to us at the time, He never wastes a single trial that we go through.

After spending so much time as the Granny Nanny, I am reconfiguring how I spend my days. I am definitely not complaining, just readjusting. As much as I looked forward to normal (whatever that is), I find myself missing the little bugars! Jack came over the other day, & we snuggled up to watch cartoons. He said "Giggi, I love you more than the sunshine. Do you love me more than the sunshine?" Be still my heart, more than the sun, moon, & stars! And little Sam -- what could be better than a pacie pulled out of his mouth so he can give you a big juicy kiss? They are precious!!!

Now we are in full swing with our baby girls senior year of high school!!! She turned 18! I still find myself missing the big huge bow on her head! Next week is the official start of basketball season! After I'm not even sure how many years of basketball games, I can't believe this is the last one & I intend to relish every minute. Praying for no injuries this year & just an overall good season! I know next year we will miss it (and her!) so much! Go Lady Cards!

Kyle is looking in to going over seas to teach English. He is interested in Japan & Korea. I really have to trust this one to the Lord. He has to make sure he can stay healthy, as he is still receiving treatments every 8 weeks for his colitis. He is feeling great right now, and assures me there are English speaking hospitals there that are very good. I say so...I won't be able to run up there & make sure they are taking good care of things! But that is borrowing trouble. Maybe he will never have have a sick day there!!! If it works out for him to go I will trust that it is God's will. Like I said -- I have to put this whole thing in God's hands.

One day at a time has been one of my biggest lessons through these trials. One day when I was leaving the hospital during Christine's illness I was whining (yes, sometimes I realized my prayers were whining for sure) to the Lord, & I really felt like He impressed on my heart to "just do today". No, we don't always know how things will turn out, or how long a storm will last, or what will happen tomorrow, but we can just do today. I think that was pretty much stated in the sermon on the mount. "Don't worry about tomorrow, each day has enough trouble of it's own". How sweet that God knows the befores & afters and we are each hemmed in by his grace.

Blessings to you my sweet family & friends!

Quick Update

Thanks to all of you who are praying & checking in on Christine. I just wanted to let you know that she has been at home this week. She is still dealing with a lot of severe pain & nausea, and they are waiting to get in with a pancreatic specialist. The plan is for him to do further testing on a outpatient basis. The hospital seemed to think she was stable enough to go home to wait for this doctor to be available. Keep her in your prayers, and that these tests will bring answers! God bless!

Mission Piedras Negras

We started our days early, about 6:30 am, so we had a few hours before it got really, really hot. Whitney's right in the middle with a red bandana on.

Whit & a few friends ready to put those muscles to work.
Whitney's boyfriend Elliott & his twin brother, Nick, came on the trip. I'm pretty sure they had no idea what they were getting into! They worked really, really hard.
We missed our directory photo, maybe this lovely family shot should be turned in. Not.

Tying rebar on the roof.
Passing up the mixed buckets of concrete. Yes, this became a roof bucket by bucket of concrete.
Working hard, never to be outdone by the youngsters.
Elliott & Nick on the scaffolding passing up buckets for at least two hours. I tried to make them take a break, but they wouldn't. Hard working boys! This is the finished roof about a bazillion buckets of concrete later. I climbed up on the hill where the children's home is being constructed to take this picture. A group from Memorial Road Church of Christ in Oklahoma was up there working on it.

A couple of weeks ago, Ray, Whitney, & I were blessed to go along with the juniors & seniors in our church's youth group on a mission trip to Piedras Negras, Mexico. It is a town just across the border from Eagle Pass. We has a great week working with the church there to put a concrete roof on their church building. Eventually they will add two more floors to the building, and it will connect to a home for disabled children at the top of the hill. It is an amazing thing to watch it all come together, to see how hard teenagers are willing to work, and the great camaraderie among the group despite the long, hot days! There is a sweet, sweet Spirit among us to accomplish such a feat. Here are a few of the pictures from our week. God bless the work done this summer by many, many young people from all of our churches setting out to do mission work all over the world. They are living examples of giving a cup of cold water in Jesus' name!

Faith, Joy, & Perseverence!

Have you ever laid eyes on a more precious miracle? Baby Sam turned one yesterday. This time last year the only thing he was eating was through an NG tube, but yesterday he attacked this cupcake like he had been waiting his whole life for it! He did not hesitate one bit! The bittersweetness of the day was that he was in a booster seat at the foot of his Mommy's hospital bed! He had to make her feel a little better though because he put on a wonderful show! Christine was admitted to a new hospital in Dallas on Tuesday. It is a large teaching hospital, and we have great hope that the One who knows us inside and out will reveal more pieces to the puzzle with new doctors researching her case. Until the answers come, our families long for that miracle as well! We'll have an all out celebration then! Keep her in your prayers!

Back again!

I hate to say it, but Tine went to the ER Thursday night & this time they decided to keep her. She feels awful & we would all appreciate your prayers, once again! I am hopeful that their doctor will give them a referral & they'll get insurance approval to go to someplace where they are more equipped to figure this whole medical mystery out. We are weary of seeing her suffer! They desperately need a break! They are a loving , talented couple & I long to see God's plans for them go forward without the hinderances of sickness, hospitals, bills, & setbacks. I believe that is God's will, too. They are His children & they have clung to Him & His strength throughout this ordeal. Whenever Christine is able, & even when she really doesn't feel up to it, she is up there on the praise team giving it all she has. Even though it completely exhausts her, she refuses to let Satan defeat her when she has the opportunity to praise God. It makes me well up to even think about it. Matt has amazed me continually by his ability to balance his time at her side, with the kids, keeping the house & yard up, and at his work. He is exhausted! I know the Lord has been the one carrying him, but also long to see him be past the trial & on to the testimony!!! Thanks for being our tireless prayer warriors for the last year & a half! We are blessed to be a part of God's family! How do others make it through the valleys? I'm so thankful for faith, family, & friends!
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future." Jeremiah 29:11