Prayer

As we are anticipating a call for Noah's heart we would love your prayers.  When we saw the transplant doctor last week, he said he would be surprised if we made it another month without receiving "the call".  This has been consuming my thoughts and it has been difficult to think about anything else.  We are approaching the one year anniversary of finding out about Noah's condition.  He has currently been on the list for over 8 months.  We really thought he would have his new heart by now. The longer Noah goes without his new heart the higher the chances of sudden death occur.  It is taking a toll on me physically as I'm not sleeping well and my stomache is in knots.  I don't want to be consumed by this.  I want to be faithful in laying my burdens down.  I don't want to fear the unknowns I just want to trust in God's good plan.  I want to use every bit of this for his glory.  Please pray that he would fill me with his perfect peace.

Since we started this journey Noah has kept a map and has marked people that have been praying for him all over the world.  We still have lots of empty states and countries.  If you see a place in the picture below that isn't marked and you or someone you know is praying for Noah, would you let us know.  We would love to fill this map up.  We are so thankful for all of you that have been on this long journey with us.

Don't forget to join us Friday June 14th at the Angel Game.  You can purchase tickets through the Website at www.noahsheart.org  Noah would love to see you all come out and root for his favorite team

Another Miracle

I read the following story below and was reminded of how much our Lord is in control.  It is so easy to get wrapped up in the prognosis of our diseases, the gloomy percentages and what the doctors say the long term effects may be.  The truth is they are just man like you and I. People who easily make mistakes and don't know it all. They can only go on what they have seen.  They are not God who is soverign over all.  God's word says in Mark 10:27 "With man it is impossible, but not with God.  For all things are possible with God."

I am so in awe....

today was the start of a long week of hospital appointments for the kids.

A week that I thought would be grueling has me hardly able to take a breath and feeling like I am floating on air!

Some of you may remember that last year we walked through a nightmare....

thinking our son was going to lose his vision,

then finding out he had Albinism and low vision.

The things we were told:

* He had at best 20/50 vision (with glasses)

* It was anatomically impossible for it to ever improve (he was literally born without a fovea in either eye so his eyes would NEVER be able to focus better)

* He may never be able to drive

* He would need special dark pencils, classroom aid equipment etc. because he REALLY struggled with low contrast stuff

* He could not do any sports where a ball or object was coming at him

* It may not be safe for him to ride a bike much longer

We were SO excited that he would still have some vision and amazed at God's grace in that.

We started appointments with the Low Vision Clinic,

added a second pair of 'desk' glasses for up close work,

added a 'powerdome' to help him read,

added an Android tablet to help him make letters bigger....

all of these things were helping alot but we knew down the road he would probably need more help in the classroom.

So today we had our scheduled Low Vision Clinic meeting to run tests and see where we were at....

The doctor started testing....

and he kept saying, "are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

I kept nodding my head as I wiped away tears....

That anatomically impossible deal?

* He is now seeing 20/25 (with glasses)!!!

* He is seeing completely 'normal' in low contrast stuff....

* The doctor said, "I cannot even call him 'low vision' anymore....because he isn't!"

* His vision is completely in the NORMAL range in all categories!!!!!

* The doctor said that he has "no explanation" for the progress...

* We have been discharged from the Low Vision Clinic and never have to go there again!!!!!!!

I am stunned and the tears just keep coming....

For some reason God has chosen to return sight to my little guy...He has heard our cries.

I will never, EVER forget watching Parker leap down the Doernbecher hallways singing, "I'm a miracle!" to everyone who passed him by.

Praising God with all my heart!!!!!

Not Our Plan But His

Jason and I have tried to get away a few times in the last month to relax and something has come up each time to disrupt that.  We recently on a local trip had a good talk about our desire to want so badly to relax and how we feel like somehow even for a minute that will just make it all better.  The truth is it really wont.  It may be nice for the moment but it wont last.  God wants us to desire him and to need him and to go to him for the peace we desire.  A few hours after we had this really good talk I got a phone call from one of my dearest friends.  Her husband was being rushed to emergency because his white blood cell count was extremely high and his platelette count too low. Hours later we would find out that he has acute leukemia.   This couple is like family we spend holidays together and this news just rocked us.  We were on vacation close to home (Escondido) and it felt like we were another state away.  We wanted so badly to be with our dear friends.  God was telling me once again to desire him above all things, to go to him for peace, for strength, for  everything. We couldn't stay away any longer and headed back to be with our friends.  Seeing my dear friend crouched down outside her husbands hospital room was too much for me to bear.  He has always been her big rock who could handle anything.  The man who after  hard work and dedication graduated from nursing school to take care of others needs.  The head deacon of our church who would give the shirt off his back for others was in the room suffering from chest pain and high fevers.  It was difficult, not at all relaxing but there was no other place I would rather be.  This same couple held my hand as I almost lost my daughter and rejoiced with me when God healed her.  It felt so good to get off the mat and to help someone else in need. God showed himself so beautifully in the ways he worked through his people.  We could not get the Caring Bridge site up fast enough, people wanted to know where they could bring meals, cards, money, etc. people just wanted to do something.   It was a beautiful outpouring of love. It helped jason and I get a view into the way you have all felt wrapping around our family.  Geoff still has a long road ahead but the last few days have given us so much hope and encouragement for the days ahead.  He has been fever free for a few days and his numbers keep improving.  He will be transferred to UCLA soon and will eventually need a bone marrow transplant.  It's pretty amazing that we will end up at the same hospital awaiting transplants together.  We joke that we will meet in the hall for a quick hug and prayer.  Our friendship has deepened as we have a new level of understanding for one another.  We were just saying today how you feel like it just doesn't seem real.  You feel like you are watching a movie and things are gonna go back to normal.  We both acknowledge however that this is the place God has for us and this is the place he will do his biggest work.  They have certainly inspired me with their strength and faith through this hard last week.


Will you please lift up our dear friends the Dykstra Family in your prayers.  They have five young adorable children and we are praying for restored healing.  You can follow their journey at
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/geoffdykstra/journal/6

As for Noah he will have a heart biopsy on June 17 to check the pressures in his heart and how much the disease has progressed.  We would covet your prayers.