Catching up again

I have not been so good with updating lately. Here is another catch up session.

Sean continues to learn and grow in God. He made a "present for God" the other day. It was a cross with two American flags around it. I will try to post a picture later. We have found a lawyer who will help us fight the SSI denial. If he is approved for disability due to his developmental delay then we can keep the Medicaid and get him some tutoring. We are continuing to work with an awesome counselor. We are also trying to get an IQ test done on him. Right now he is slated to be in 2nd grade in the fall. His IQ is the determining factor. We work on school stuff every day for a little while. He is making progress, but won't be ready for 2nd grade. We are praying for guidance in this situation. God's will be done.

Michael preached for the first time on June 28th. We had amazing family and friends come out to support him. He did an fantastic job and was so open to God using him! He has been working pretty regularly for IST Management, the company he has worked with off and on for three years. He enjoys the work, but it is an on-call status. During the summer he works regularly, but during the school year...not so much. However, he has a job interview on Monday morning for a full time administrative assistant position at a local private school. Please pray for him!

We have had quite an adventure lately. On Thursday, July 2, Michael, Sean, our dog, Beau and I went hiking at a local state park. It was a gorgeous trail along the side of a river. Well, I was climbing over some rocks and my foot slipped. I fell, catching the other foot between two of the rocks. I felt my ankle pop. Both were throbbing. Michael and I knew there was NO way we could get me back down the trail, so he ended up calling 911. Between my sister and our neighbor, Rene, we got Sean and Beau home. One Fire Rescue unit showed along with an EMT and a park ranger. However, there was no way to get me out along the trail going either way. So, they called in a hook and ladder truck, strapped me to a body board and pulled me up the side of a cliff at a 65 degree angle (sometimes steeper) for over 100 yards. At one point I counted 8 different voices around me pulling me up and there were at least 4 more men at the top with the pulley. Michael was right there with them, helping in any way he could and constantly reminding me he was near. By the end of everything we had two park rangers, two fire trucks, two ambulances, 15 EMTs and Fire Rescue guys and Michael helping! I know how to draw a crowd! I am grateful that God steadied everyone's feet and no one else got hurt on that steep hill!

Three and a half hours after falling, I finally got into the ambulance. Fifteen minutes after that I was in the ER. Two and a half hours after that I was headed home with one foot in a brace and one in an ace bandage. The left one was in the brace because it was the less injured, so I had to put pressure on that foot. The right foot was swollen so badly that I thought it was trying to create it's own zip code and I couldn't put any pressure on it at all. The pain was so bad for several nights that I couldn't sleep more than 90 minutes at a time.

Things have improved. I can now put pressure on both feet, but still have to use the crutches. Both feet are still swollen and I think they are creating never before seen colors! However, the swelling is less than it was. I can also sleep for several hours at a time with the help of Ibuprofen PM. Every night gets a little bit better. Michael and Sean have both been so strong during all of this. They have taken wonderful care of me! My hat is off to them as well as the Fire Rescue team that came to get me!

After all of this excitement, we still managed to go to the local mall on July 4th to watch fireworks. We took Michael's Sportage, put down the back seat, and I could sit with my feet propped up! We were joined by our friends Courtney, Laird and Sandy, Brigit and her daughters Sydney and Alyssa, and my sister Naomi and her daughter Amani. We had a great time. It was good to laugh!