Happy Mother's Day!

I have the best job in the whole world! Sure, sometimes (daily?) I need to remind myself of that fact...but I wouldn't trade being a mom for anything!


The boys who call me Mom:



And an updated family picture:

Too bad it doesn't work this way with vegetables!

This was the conversation I overheard between Levi & Matt during snack time tonight:

L: Dad, I'm never eating ice cream again because I don't like this kind.

M: Then you won't mind if I finish off the rest of yours?

L: No! I'll keep trying it to see if I start liking it.

Flutter-bys

Today, the boys and I went with my mom to the F.M. Gardens. We had a fun time looking at the butterflies and playing in the children's garden -- the boys' "frav-it" (favorite) part!

Here are my handsome butterflies:




And here are a few of the real butterflies we saw:


The boys love their Grandma!


We managed to get a decent picture of the boys with me (on our one and only try).

When asked what his favorite part of the day was - this was Levi's response:

"We can hear you, Grandma!"

This was the first time we walked up close to the big horse.

"But Grandma, I can't get wet with the boats from up here!"

Another fun trip to the gardens comes to a close...

Thanks for a fun day, Grandma!

No Foolin'

This report on our weather station today was no April Fools joke. The weather was absolutely gorgeous today! If I had actually followed our weather girl's apparel suggestion - now that would have been foolish!

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow!

Here's the e-mail we received from Luka's Aunt Katie today:

"Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow!

Three weeks ago, I wrote all of you with tears in my eyes (cheesy, I know, but it's true!) asking you to pray for Luka. Today I write you again with tears, tears of amazement and wonder and love and thanksgiving and awe. Our God does indeed listen to his people--our prayers have been answered. Luka was discharged from the hospital in Kenya today! He and Josh and Mandy leave Kenya tomorrow and arrive in GR Wednesday afternoon about 1:00. I didn't talk to my mom (my daily "up-dater") but I did read Josh and Mandy's blog, so I decided to include today's entry in my email too:

After almost three weeks here, we are finally discharged from the hospital. God is so good! What a feeling to come with a child in critical condition and to now leave with a healthy child. What a journey it has been. Josh is so excited. I find myself quite emotional. I even cried while thanking Luka's doctor and saying goodbye. He helped save our child's life. Yup, it is a strange mix of emotions. A lot to process over the next few weeks. So today we leave Gertrude's Childrens Hospital, have our last visit with Luka's kidney doctor this afternoon, then stay at a hotel until we fly out tomorrow night.

Yesterday we had a nice day away from the hospital. Our IT friends took us for lunch, to see rift valley, and the giraffe center. We were so blessed by the fun day they gave us.

Keep us in your prayers as we travel to Michigan Tuesday/Wednesday. Pray for Luka. He is still not sleeping well at night. He has a TERRIBLE cold and cough which continues to give him a fever and keep him down. Pray for Luka as he continues his medical care under the doctors in Michigan for several more weeks. Thank God his blood level is high enough to fly (high as it has ever been through this whole ordeal) and that both toxin levels are back to normal. Praise God!

Someone wrote recently made a comment about following our story actually God's story. They are exactly right. This is God's story. Our whole lives are. It is all from God and for His glory. No one ever wants to go through tragedy or have their child critically sick, but to see God at work through it and in His people is a rare privilege. To be able to testify of God's love and power is an honor. To give Him the glory is what life is meant to be.

We cannot begin to personally thank everyone for each word of encouragement, all the offers to help and care for us, and most of all for the faithful prayers lifted up on our behalf. We have been richly blessed by all of you. Please except our heartfelt THANK YOU! You have shown us the love of Christ.

Thank you to all of you for the emails and cards and calls and conversations that you've given to/had with Chad and me (and the rest of my family). The love and support we felt from you the last few weeks is indescribable. It is an incredible thing to be able to literally feel prayers being said on our behalf. God has used you to bless us.

To our God be the glory!

Katie"

We echo Katie's thanks for everyone's prayers for Luka and his family during these past few weeks. Thanks for your continued prayers as their journey continues!