Christmas 2008

Oh the joys of holidays with family! We really did enjoy a calm Christmas this year. Things in our lives have settled a bit and we kept things to a minimum of sorts. Just wanted to post a few pictures from our Christmas. Enjoy!

Christmas Slippers - The Christmas Eve Gift

Jeremy's Surprise gift from the Kaperaks - Kolaches !

Christmas Morning

JohnDavid, Caitlyn with Luke, Kylie, Haley, Lanning

Lanning discovered he DOES love Deigo!

Poppy loves his cat! Now everyone will know.

New Pots and Pans! The guys were more excited than the girls.

Haley and her Polly Pockets!

JohnDavid as Obi wan Kanobi. Mom and Dad got the costume, Poppy got the sword.

That's how you make a little boy's day!

Kathryn Claire Stonebraker Thomas

It is amazing to me how God puts people in our lives who come in a little on the irritating side and end up in the depths of our hearts. Kathryn Claire Thomas was one of those people to me. When I started dating her son, Stan, in 1977 she was not exactly thrilled. I viewed her as opinionated and bossy. I must say my opinion of her has changed greatly!

Many times Kathryn's head would bang into mine. We did not always see eye to eye but when I needed her she was always there. And not just physically. If she knew that you had a concern or a need you could count on her to be on her knees before the Lord's throne in petition for you. If she said she would pray, then by golly that is what she did. You may get her opinion with the prayer, but there was lots of prayer non the less. I have had a couple of days of panic since her death, wondering who will be praying for me and my family as diligently and fervently as she did.

Through the years we have weathered storms together. Specifically the death of her son. In 1981 Stan became sick very suddenly and died in a matter of days. Kathryn never once said a harsh word to me about his death. There was never an accusation of poor care or comments like "if you had been a better wife" or "how could you let this happen". In the midst of her pain she worried about me and the children. Andrew was just 6 days old and Angie was just 2 1/2 years old.

The day she buried her son of just 22, she lost her beloved husband, Tommy. Then 14 years later her daughter Beth, died of brain cancer. Kathryn also experience the lose of her mother, her father, her sister, and her brother-in-law, and several other loved ones. She endured much pain in her 87 years. If you looked only at the pain you would wonder why she had not turned her back on God. I don't think the thought ever crossed her mind. She was a faithful servant of God.

Kathryn served her Lord in nearly every way you can imagine from Sunday School Teacher to Short Term Missions. She loved the God who held her in His hand. Her life speaks loudly of her commitment to "walk worthy of the calling". She lay down her cross daily for Him. She loved Lord and His Word. What an inspiration! What an example! I pray that God would allow me to remember the lessons of faith, prayer, family and compassion that she tried so desperately to teach us all.

When Kathryn went home to her Lord on Decemeber 1st, I knew instantly that my life would not be the same.The space she occupied in my life could never be filled with anyone else. It is just one of the marks she left behind. He life was not wasted. She worked as a nurse for over 30 years. but her real work was as a faithful servant of God.

I pray that I never forget Kathryn Claire Stonebraker Thomas and the impact she had on my life.

Bringing You Up To Date

Just in case you have missed something let me give you the run down of the continued happenings with our family since my last post.

Dad was released from the hospital after a few days of monitoring. He did great! Mark's sister Sandy came to help out. She was able to stay with Dad so that Mark and I could return to work. What a tremendous help! Each day after work Mark and I would drive to Clarksville to visit Mom. for many days there was no change or little change. She would improve one day and regress the next. It as such a rollercoaster ride. Many tears were shed as we prayed for her recovery. After nearly 2 weeks in ICU, mom was off the ventilator and moved to a regular room. The prognosis was "there is nothing else we can do for her." We thought the end was near. But Mom had other ideas. As another week and a half ticked by she began to improve. In no time at all she was down to just an oxygen tube on her nose. She continued to have good days and bad but the good were beginning to out number the bad. Mom's memory began to return. Her speech was more audible. And on Wednesday, November 12 Mom was moved to a rehabilitation center in Smyrna! She continued to improve in strength each day. Then on December 3rd, she went home! Dad is caring for her with the assistance of home health care. It seemed unbelievable that just a few weeks earlier we were planning her funeral. God is so good!

Life is a short term mission trip....

Scripture tells us to always be ready. We cannot see the future as the Lord can. So we must know Him and be ready to share Him. Our "mission trip' could happen today. The past 4 days have brought unexpected opportunity to bear witness of Christ like love. 

With Mark's mom and his dad in the hospital we have once again had the opportunity to love on them. God has given us extra measures of patience and grace. It is only through His strength that we have been able to encourage our family. It is not by our strength but by His. We are nothing without the Lord. And why he would even use us is beyond me. Yes, they are our parents but I am sure that their pastor is better trained than we are to bring just right scripture or say the meaningful prayer they need to encourage them. And that is what is so awesome. He wanted to use us. Plain old everyday us. 

Tonight after we visited Mom in ICU and got her update we went down the hall to Dad's room. He was very discouraged with their situation. Worrying about Mom, sorry for inconveniencing us, questioning his care of Mom. And there right before our eyes was our mission trip. Dad needed encouragement, love and compassion. We talked as he cried. What a precious moment with him. God was faithful to still his worries and comfort his heart. After I had encouraged Dad to trust the Lord with Mom and to remember that God knows how much he loves her, I could not help but think of the man in the bed on the other side of the curtain. Since Dad did not have his hearing aids in there was no doubt this man heard everything we said. Does he know the Lord? Maybe we will have opportunity to find out. Maybe we won't. But this man we don't even know has now heard that we will love Mom and Dad and stick by them and that God is faithful and only He can heal Mom. Our worrying will do no good. Trusting in God will. And all because Mom and Dad are both in the hospital. Because God himself ordained this visit.

How awesome is our God! I am thankful for our 20 minute mission trip.

Pray for Mom

Just we think it is okay to start answering the cell phone again we get another call and once again we drop everythinga and run. Thursday afternoon Mark's Dad called to say the ambulance had just left with Mom. I will spare you the details. Mom in the hospital in ICU. She has severe pneumonia and is on a ventilator. She also has an infection in her blood. There is no change today in her condition. She is not out of the woods.

Mom nearly died on Thursday. The Lord gave us atleast a few more days with her here. We are entrusting her to His care and praying for a full recovery. Only God knows what that will mean. But we are trusting in Him and His sovereign will for each moment.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder...

I know. It has been about 6 weeks since I have written anything in this blog. I can assure you it is not because I have not had things to write about. Just most of the things that have been going on, I can't put on the blog. Too personal, to confidential.

One thing I can share is that I miss my grandchildren terribly. In fact terribly does not even cut it. Just thinking of them makes me tear up. We will be seeing Haley and Lanning this weekend when we go to Mom and Dad McKay's. I won't see Caitlyn, Kylie, JohnDavid and Luke until Thanksgiving. That just seems so very far away. It will be hear soon enough but it can't get here quick enough for me.

How do these little people get under your skin? How do they steal your heart and capture your thoughts without even being around? I guess it is just one of those secrets of life that we are not meant to understand. If we did understand we would be able to plan a defense. And that would not be good. We would all lose on that deal. We need them to keep us in a state of anticipation of their next visit. To keep us laughing and loving. To keep our inner child alive. Playing with Polly Pockets, rolling a ball on the floor or growling like the hulk may not sound like a great weekend to you, but I would beg to differ.

Kisses and hugs to my precious little ones. Grandma is counting the days.

May I Introduce......

Luke James Knutson

Born August 18, 2008

9 pounds, 15 ounces

There is no way to fully praise the Lord for the new little branch on our family tree. He is a blessing in every way. It was a really such a wonderful pleasure to be at Angie and Jeremy's home and help them get back on their feet after Luke's birth. I did my usual cleaning of the kitchen and each day Mark and I took the kids out for a little while to let Angie ease into the new role of "mommy of 4". The goodbyes are always difficult. John asked if Poppy and I could just come and live with them. Kylie did not want to come out of her room and see us off but when we pulled away there she was. A sad little face in her bedroom window waving goodbye.

I did not get much time with Luke. In 7 days I only changed one diaper for heaven's sake! But I did get my moment alone with him as I have with all my grandbabies. Just a moment by their cradle to pray for them and ask the Lord to draw them near. To bring them to an understanding of His sacrifice for their sin and to experience His grace in their lives. I can't wait to see the plan He has for their lives unfold.

Enjoy the pics!