I continue to have regular help with the kids; so many have watched them during my appointments and more recently for a while three days a week were scheduled for Brandon to be watched while Lucas was in school so I could focus on rest and recovery. While I was in Ontario a family from church took care of our boys for two weeks and they were so well taken care of and loved there that they are still asking to go back!! ;)
During the month of November both of Kyle's sisters each flew down for a week to help us out during my time of heavy treatment following my trip to Ontario. They cooked (even according to my diet restrictions! <3), cleaned, did groceries, ran other errands, and took care of the kids. It was a blessing to have them here and we treasure the time spent with them and the memories made.
Brandon has also been picked up and taken to Story Time that takes place during women's morning bible study on Wednesdays and he absolutely loves this! I am not able to take him so this is so special for him. <3
Lucas continues to be driven to and from school for me and this is immensely helpful for me as often sitting is painful and driving very tiring.
We continue to have regular help with cleaning bi-weekly by the same three dedicated and sweet ladies for over a year now. Wow. With this help I do not have to struggle and push myself way beyond my limits trying to keep our house clean. Nor does Kyle have to take on this extra work load. While I was in Ontario for treatment they offered a big 'spring clean' and when I arrived home I kept noticing new things that had been done over the next couple weeks :) I'm not sure who all helped with that, but thank you!
We also continue to receive a meal made for us from families in our church once a week. Following my treatment in Ontario we were getting up to five a week and I didn't have to think about cooking for many weeks! I also had two thoughtful friends offer to make me some food that I could eat according to my diet restrictions that I could put in the freezer and take out when needed. I can't tell you how helpful that was and how much I appreciated that!
Over recent months we have been gifted, sometimes anonymously, etransfers and other forms of donations and gifts by some of you wanting to help with high treatment costs. This has left us speechless and in tears over your generosity. Over Christmastime we were all spoiled with gifts as well.
I have also received many thoughtful and heartfelt cards and gifts from friends over the past year and I treasure them all. Thank you so much for your encouragement, friendship, love, and prayers throughout this time. One gift that I want to mention on my blog was made for me by an anonymous reader. I shared it on my facebook and in other updates to family and friends but also want to share it here in case this special person is not on my facebook. :)
My facebook post from December 2, 2016:
"Thank you so very much to an anonymous reader of my blog - signed from one family in Christ to another - who put so much love and thought into making this beautiful quilt for me! <3!
"I made this quilt for you based on a few things I had read on your blog. There is a garden full of tulips on the quilt because at one point you had written about the one lone but resilient tulip in your garden. For a while it only got leaves and never blossomed, but it finally had blossomed one year "If that is how our Heavenly Father clothes the grass of the field which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you" Luke 12:28. God gave you that tulip, and you shared it with us. Now you have a garden of resilient tulips on this quilt as a constant reminder of God's care for you and your family. The words in the center also came from one of your posts. I believe you had quoted psalm 121 "I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth."
May God bless you and your family, anonymous reader! This is a gift to treasure.
Thank you so very much, all of you!... even though my health struggles seem to go on and on, God continues to show His love, mercy and care for us through all of you. May God bless you and your families in this New Year.
