You're Invited to a Virtual Open House

Hello Everyone,


I thought this would be a good way to give you an idea of what our new home looks like, and at least have a virtual visit. As you can see, the kids are really enjoying themselves here. Before we started work on it, the cabin looked truly horrible. Now it feels like home, cozy, but comfortable.

The sunroom.....the office, the entry, the family room, the music room, all in one.

Yes, Aaron's a year older, and he had a very happy birthday.

If the neighbors notice their horses putting on a little weight, I think our kids are to blame. They love feeding them.

Nathan's room has the BEST view!

The good thing about this kitchen is that I get exercise walking up hill and down hill on the uneven floor as I cook and do dishes. That's right - there is no dishwasher.

The livingroom.

Up yonder by the trees is where we're thinking of building a log home one day.

Another Update

I'm still undecided about continuing this blog. We may start a Caringbridge account, where I could post updates, and it would send everyone an email letting you know whenever there is a new post. In the meantime, I will send out emails or do a post here.

Here's the latest: We are supposed to temporarily move into our friends' house in a few weeks, after they move into their new house. On Friday they just learned that their daughter has a brain tumor similar to Nathan's, and she is scheduled for surgery with Nathan's surgeon next week. We don't try to understand God's providences, but trust in the wisdom and goodness of the One who gave Himself for us.

Our plan for now is to make an offer on some land just 10 minutes into the foothills, which has a "rustic" cabin on it. We are hoping to make it livable, and stay in it for a year or so while building a log home, then demolish the cabin when we're done building the new home. We're walking into the unknown, especially considering Nathan's health, but this is the direction we feel led to go. I can just picture Nathan and Dania running through the meadow and pine trees with their cowboy boots and chaps on. They have already agreed to put their coins in together to save up for a horse. I refuse to be an Eeyore and tell them just how many dimes that would be.

Yes, we really need prayer.

The Latest on Nathan, and A Closing Request

If there is still anyone who reads our blog, just wanted to let you know that I won't be doing posts here for the time being. But if you wanted to keep up to date with Nathan, please contact us by leaving a comment, or emailing us, and we will add you to those who we will email to let you know of anything important.

Please pray for our brave cowboy. He may need to have surgery in the near future for more cysts that are growing in his brain and causing trouble. We are supposed to be closing on our house and moving by the 1st of September, so we especially need your prayers.

Thank you for the love and care you have shown our family.

TWO TOO SHORT HOURS AT THE BEACH

Just before hopping back on the plane, we had a few short hours at the beach with Dennis and Betsy and their boys. What a way to end the trip! The kids hunted for shells like they were trying to find gold.

Dennis and Betsy were there when Aaron and I met.....when we took our first walk together.....when we were idiots.......when Aaron was picking out my wedding ring. And to be apart for ten years, then get to be together again as if no time has passed, that is a very precious friendship. And how precious to get to know Philip and Andrew as young men when we held them as babies. Two hours was way too short, but we are thankful we got to have that time.

Dennis letting Nathan try on some special gear.

THANK YOU, AUNTIES

Nathan's aunties treated all of us to a day at Sea World. Here, he got to see seals perform in a show, just like in Nathan's favorite Curious George book. And it was so fun to be together.

This was the first time ALL the cousins were together at the same time. Watch out, Little Rascals.

We got to pet sting rays, pick up starfish, and see dolphins and sharks.

I love Jacob's happy face.

THANK YOU, MAKE-A-WISH!

The Make-A-Wish Foundation gave Nathan and us a wish trip to Disneyland. It was a trip of a lifetime. He wanted to go to Disneyland, surprise his Papa by showing up at his house, and he wanted to watch seals perform in a show. All three wishes came true, along with lots of other special things.

A LIMO TOOK US TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

THE LOOK OF ANTICIPATION JUST BEFORE SURPRISING GRANDPA.

NATHAN, YOU ARE A REAL BOY! BIRTHDAY BREAKFAST AT GOOFY'S KITCHEN.

THE LAPD CAP WAS HIS FAVORITE GIFT.

AHHHH....THE BEACH. WE LOVED IT!

Waiting and More Waiting

After Nathan's MRI yesterday, we got some new information that could be no issue, or could be something we'll have to watch for. It seems like one of the tubes in his brain that drains fluid could be swelling, possibly because a hole the surgeon made has closed back up. Or, there may be no issue at all. The surgeon or the neuro-oncologist really didn't know. So, we are back to watching for brain swelling, headaches, etc, which could happen in a month or more. But it may not happen if brain fluid is draining normally. We're hoping for no issue.

The tumor looks unchanged, and so does the cyst. I didn't know it before, but apparently there are some other cysts around the tumor. It's the cysts that are the most pesky at this point. But, other than that, Nathan is doing great. He's growing and looks good.

At the home front, we're trying to keep the house clean for showings, and having to leave the house more than we normally do. The nice weather has been a blessing.


First thing Nathan does every morning is EAT. He's always up before the girls.

A blueberry picnic, reading Daniel Boone.

Coming home after a showing. It's an odd thing to have to leave your home so strangers can walk through it, but we're getting used to it.

BIG CHANGES THE LAST FEW MONTHS

I apologize for the long absence from posting on our blog. All my energies and time had to be directed toward some major decisions and changes for our family, and a lot of hard work.

In a nutshell, we decided to put our house up for sale, which led us to have to renovate, fix and clean up parts of our house. It amazes me how we could accumulate so much unnecessary stuff in just under 7 years! We hired a home stager, who told us the wallpaper had to go, we needed new paint and light fixtures, etc, etc.

But all the hard work has paid off. We started having showings on Tuesday, and so far, two realtors have told us that our house is the best one they have seen on the market. ( I think that's mostly because of Jan's staging and the great accessories & artwork she brought in; and of course, God's grace.) So, hopefully it will sell soon. Living in a staged home is great for training in neatness, but it's not the easiest thing, especially with children.

From what I can tell, Nathan is doing great. He will have his next 3-month MRI on April 19th. Here are some photos from Easter.

Before And After MRI Pictures

Yesterday Nathan had an MRI to have a look at how things have settled in after the surgery. No wonder he's so much happier now! The before and after picture showed how much pressure he had in his brain before surgery. The tumor looks unchanged and so does the small cyst which the surgeon wasn't able to get. The neurosurgeon said that he is at this point more concerned about cysts than the tumor, since Nathan seems to be in the camp of cyst-producers.

But for today, he looks and acts happy and healthy, and we're thankful for that. The future isn't ours to worry about.

This week he wrote his first words on his own. VERY exciting. Every day he seems to have a word he wants to know the meaning of. "What's typical mean?" "What's a paralytic?" (He meant a paramedic.)

Tonight he was the one who was helping me in the kitchen. He chopped peppers with a sharp knife, which made it exciting. I told him the greatest chefs in the world are usually men. He said maybe that's because moms are too busy to cook. Then he decided to set the table special, with goblets and cloth napkins he folded in a triangle. Oh, and he wanted to have candles too. And have water with lemon. After all, this was homemade pizza night.

The New and Improved Nathan

For all of you who have been faithfully checking our blog for news - sorry it's been so long. No excuses.... I just needed a break from blogging.

The main story is that Nathan appears happier and healthier than before surgery. He goes around the house singing, and is more prone to giggling than ever. I think we never got to see "real Nathan." Two years ago he was affected by the tumor and the first big cyst, then brain surgery, a year of chemo, then another big cyst. So now I think this is more like him, or it is an answer to my prayer that he would have more capacity for joy now than he had before.

He loves going to the homeschool co-op on Fridays. And since this isn't public school, he gets to pack his toy dagger, pocket leatherman's tool, and pocket knife. He pulled out a screwdriver when one of the moms needed to fix something during his class. A chip off the ol' block. One of the girls told me, "Asher said Nathan's cool!" He is becoming pretty popular with the 5-6 year old crowd. I think it's a Tom Sawyer kind of thing.