April is Autism Awareness Month

I'm a few days late in getting this posted, but I'd be quite remiss in my duties as Auntie B if I didn't use this blog as a forum for raising autism awareness, not only for my precious nephew Ethan, but for all the kids who daily struggle with an autism spectrum disorder. The Centers for Disease Control now estimate that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders occurs in 1 of 150 children. Of course, nobody wants to see any child struggle with this, but to me, that statistic seems of epidemic proportions, so we have to do something now to find a cure!

I just want to take a minute to talk about my little buddy. Ethan is 4 years old and has been in speech and occupational therapy for 2 years now. Our family thanks God for each new achievement and every little bit of progress we see. Through Ethan's hard work, the help of sign language, and the dedication of his parents, grandparents, teachers, therapists, aunts and uncles, Ethan is able to communicate with us. His speech is still quite limited, but with effort, we can understand him and vice versa.

I am so thankful, most of all, for Ethan's sweet spirit. For example, most of the adults in his family have been fighting colds for a few weeks now, and Ethan has taken to asking, "Mama, Mama, you otay (okay)?" if he hears his mommy coughing...or his Pa-pa or Nanna, for that matter. We didn't teach him that...the expression of concern is purely volitional on his part and perfectly demonstrates what a loving little boy he is.

I have all the hope in the world and every reason to believe that Ethan can and will rise above his difficulties and as his daddy says, "prove them all wrong." If anybody can do it, my little buddy can.

I love you Ethan Lee, and I'm so proud of you, every day of your life. You are truly a good and perfect gift from the Father.

Yes, I'm still here

I'm alive but...just barely, sometimes. I want to keep going with this blog even though my life has drastically changed in the last month...

I want to be honest but brief. I am separated from my husband, both legally and physically. We are living apart and our life together is very much shattered and as I put it to my friends, on life support. With people in the next room debating on whether it would just be better to pull the plug.

Yes, friends, it's that bad. I won't pretend that it isn't. However, I will not disparage my husband in this semi-public forum, even though it's my personal journal. Some things are just not share-able, nor should they be. So even though I might mention my thoughts and feelings about the separation, I won't mention specifics. Let it suffice to say that we both are contributors to the problems, and it will take both of us to come to a reconciliation. And it will have to be of the Lord, or it won't happen at all. Until then, I am going ahead with my life as best as I can, with the daily strength that only The Comforter can provide, nurtured through the day, sometimes from hour to hour, by the beautiful and amazing love I'm being shown and given by faithful friends and dearest loved ones. You guys know who you are, and I thank you with all of my heart.

So I hope all of my blog readers will forgive me if I'm not my usual self. However, life goes on. And that's what I'm trying to do...move on, looking to the future with hope, knowing that my future is in the right hands.

don't know what to say...

other than, if I ever whine about my life ever again, please someone, smack me upside the head as hard as you can. If you ever think you're suffering, just visit Kelli at her blog and read her story here and here, but most of all read her prayer to the Lord Jesus here.

May God bless you Kelli, and answer your prayers abundantly. I'm praying for you.

prayer request

Please say a little prayer for my almost-3-year-old niece, Ada Grace, aka "Zu-Zu." She had tubes put in her ears on Friday, and although the procedure lasted only 7 minutes and was much harder on her mommy than it was on her, Ada is still feeling uncomfortable and her equilibrium is still off. Ada's had a pretty bad time of it as far as ear infections go, so we're hopeful that she'll have a much better time of it this winter. The most darling thing about our Zu-Zu is that she is such a happy child and never complains when she feels sick...this darling always has a smile on her face! Here's a couple pix of her on her first day of ballet class just a few weeks ago...

please pray

If everyone could keep my sister Sarah and her unborn baby boy, Elijah, in your prayers, I would be so very grateful.

Sarah is going into the hospital tomorrow for some follow-up tests after some bloodwork came back showing her blood sugar is very, very high. Apparently, her thyroid gland is also not keeping up properly. Sarah is 31 weeks into her pregnancy, but Elijah keeps measuring at least 3 weeks larger than his gestational age, so he's technically measuring at nearly 35 weeks (he's over 4 pounds by now...big boy!). Specific prayer points for Sarah would be: that the doctors get Sarah's blood sugars down to normal levels, that her blood pressure doesn't spike (happened with Ethan, who was also a very large baby), and that her thyroid hormone levels would adjust appropriately. Specific prayer points for Elijah would be: that he doesn't keep growing too fast, necessitating an early arrival before his lungs are ready for oxygen, and that through Sarah's difficulties, he would be kept safe and protected. Finally, also say a prayer for Sarah's emotional well-being: she has had pretty dramatic pregnancies, labors, and deliveries with all 4 of her children. Please pray that the Lord would give her an extra measure of peace and calm right now. She is also very tired and this heat is not helping any! Please be with me and my family as we lift up Sarah and Elijah right now.

Thank you!

An addition to the family...

Well, my sister has given me official permission to post the big news on my blog: Sarah and Garrett are expecting Baby #4!!!

Although this news wasn't exactly met with cartwheels and dancing at first -- simply because they have 3 kids aged 3 and under already! -- the news has sunk in now and we're all joyfully anticipating this final installment of their family (right guys? Final installment???). I'm very excited to meet another version of this particular baby species...I've been duly impressed with the first three specimens!!! I can only imagine how much fun I'll have with all four of my nieces and nephew(s?). Ethan, Ada, and Abby are truly the pride and joy of my family, and as Katie and I often say, their antics are "better than TV."

So, if everyone who reads my blog would be faithful in sending some prayers heavenward on behalf of my sister and her family, with special mention of this wee little person in her belly, who is about 10 weeks' gestation at this point. It is a marvel to me to know that this little one already has a beating heart, and a gender (though we don't know it), and even a name (only the Lord knows for sure right now, but I've heard I'm going to have either a niece named Avery or a nephew named Elijah, and my money's on the latter!). We'll be meeting Baby sometime around September 21st, and I can't wait to get my hands on him/her. I absolutely adore them when they're brand-new...so cuddable and lovable!!!

Thank you Lord for the promise of new life!
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you"...Jeremiah 1:5

Image of a 10 weeks' gestational age baby: