the difference a day makes

Wednesday and Thursday were really tough days...I truly thought I would never see my sister alive again.  When my dad called and told me he had all but given up hope, and the doctors weren't hopeful that the medicine they were trying as a last resort would work, that's what you just prepare yourself for.

But then, on Friday, the texts I got started looking different...Terri was becoming responsive again, she was opening her eyes and by last night she was trying to talk around the ventilator tubes and she was asking where her granddaughter was.  And things started taking on a different light, that maybe God was going to give us the miracle we had almost given up on.  The doctors warned them that she is getting "cautiously better", meaning that she is not out of the woods yet.  She needs to be able to maintain these better numbers in order for her to be taken off the ventilator and she still will probably have to have a tracheotomy, and she will still have a long road of recovery ahead of her, but she will still have life!

I'm not being dramatic, I promise, it's just awesome to hear about a miracle unfolding before your very eyes.  "Thank you" doesn't seem adequate in thanking the Lord for what He seems to be doing, but I haven't been able to stop praising Him.  Because truly, it's not the steroids giving her life again, it's God.  I don't hesitate to give credit where it's due.  All glory and honor to Him!  I'm still in awe, and my kids are amazed.

Have you ever witnessed a miracle?  I have several times, a lot of which occurred in my own little family...I've witnessed two in Todd's life, one in Drew's life, one in Jonah's life, one in Noah's life and now this.  It's awesome to witness and talk about faith-building!  We don't believe because of our sight though~we believe by faith and by hearing and the word of God, and I guess the "hearing" part is why I share this with you.  I don't know if this is something everyone will get to see in their life, many people don't even believe that God can still perform miracles, but He does and He can!  If it is in His will to do so, He will do it...but I know a lot of the time, that is not His will.  I've learned to pray for His will more as I've gotten older, and that's not always the easiest thing, like when I was praying for my sister.  On Wednesday and Thursday, my prayers sounded more like, "Lord, if it not Your will to perform the miracle we have been asking You for, if it's in Your will to take her Home, then please do that quickly so that she doesn't suffer."

After all this wonderful news yesterday, my dad's texts became much more light-hearted.  He's been really great at sending Trish and me pictures of Terri that he had on his phone.  But all of a sudden yesterday, I got this:

I know many of you don't know what my dad looked like when he was younger, but if you want to know, just take a good long look at my brother Paul.  They're like twins.  ;)  I love their smiles, and when I got this picture yesterday, I longed to be there with them.  Paul has this magnetic personality that just draws you in to him...he's a great story teller, he's always smiling and he has this laugh that is so infectious.  He doesn't take himself too seriously, either, which might be my most favorite thing about him.

Sigh.

In other, happy news, look at what I found in my glass cabinet this week!

We bought these glasses while we were in Iceland four years ago.  I had forgotten about them until Monday morning, so I pulled them out and the boys enjoyed their milk in them while we ate breakfast.  It's also a good reminder for us to pray for our friends who live over there.  :)

I had a little bit of this on Wednesday night, when my sister showed up with Taco Bell for our dinner.

This girl doesn't give up her Dinstuhl's candy often, and especially when they're of the coconut cups variety.  And yes, I ate them all.  I did offer to share them with her, but she only took one.

On Thursday, my in-love's came over for dinner to celebrate my father-in-love's seventy-first birthday.  The plan was to have grilled chicken, but Mother Nature had other plans.  I was forced to bake the ginger dressing-marinated chicken in the oven, but it was delicious.  We also had oven roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus and a huge salad with lots of fun toppings.  The only thing that was left was one measly little piece of chicken.  And for dessert?  Cheesecake from Costco.  Yum!

Does that picture not just put a smile on your face?  It does mine...I can hear them all laughing.  It was a fun night.

Yesterday Jonah went to work with Todd, and the other boys and me went to lunch with my mom.  We also had a few errands to run, so we just did all our stuff together.  It was a fun day and it's not often that we get together during the week.

When we got home, I was munching on a snack and Crash was doing this.

He is such a beggar.  And the cutest one I have ever seen.  As I wrote those words, he just sighed.  He's taking his morning nap on the couch...well, on a pillow, to be more exact.  He thinks those bright decorative squares are all for him.  The turkey.  ;)

Last night, it just so happened that my best friend and I were able to go to dinner together.  I love it when everything works out for us to be together, and my sweet husband is always so nice to encourage me to get away for a bit, since I never (NEVER EVER EVER!!!) have a break from my kids.  (Homeschool problems, I know.)  He's pretty cool like that.  ;)

I got more fancied up and even washed my hair.  I took a picture, too, because it was an unusually good hair day moment.  And you can't see it, but I had on hot pink lipstick.  It makes me feel so sassy!

I know.  I'm goofy.  We did our usual thing~we went to dinner and Starbucks.  :)

It's a little rainy here this morning, but I am hopeful that it will clear up so all these boys can get outside to play!  I have to go to church in a bit for praise team practice for our women's conference next weekend, then we're heading to my mom's for dinner.  I love Saturday nights!  Toddley is working tonight, downtown because of the basketball tournaments going on.  And I can't wait till church tomorrow!  I always look forward to our Bible fellowship class and worship, then community group that night.  It's a fun day for all of us.  I hope your day is magnificent, and I hope to update you again soon, with some more good news about my sister Terri.

For all of you who have been praying, thank you!  Love to all.