Fall Family Fun

This fall has been a busy one. Aren't they all though?

We had a great time with EBI's fall tribal cup. Emma played for the women's team for the third year in a row. They won! Actually, Jackson took the tribal cup this fall! That always makes it more fun to sit in the cold. Go Jackson!

Seriously it was a lot of fun to see Emma play. She really played well, and we were proud!

Emma right after the win! 

I wish I knew who took this pic to give them credit. It's always fun to cheer with the students. Jonah looks unhappy because I made him wear a blanket. It was cold!

Emma had a fall choral performance as well. Her choir is so good, and it reminds me of being in choir myself back in the day. She also was invited to go to Michigan State University earlier this fall to be a part of a Choral Leadership Workshop. It was a fantastic opportunity for her, and she loved all she learned!

What a cutie!

We had fun in the neighborhood this Halloween. While our party was a smaller one than years past, we still had a great time. The weather was warmer, and the neighbors were great as usual. We love being able to get to know our neighbors this way. It's fun handing out candy to the kids that come to our house too!

We have a Storm trooper, a lion, a rooster, The Cat in the Hat, a mime, and Wednesday Adams.

The grownups dressed up this year too!

At Josie, Addie, and Isaac's school they have a spirit week full of fun dress up days, and fun activities for the kids like a staff vs. student volleyball game, and decorating boxes to collect food for their annual food drive.

Crazy hair and socks day!

The kindergarten celebrated the 50th day of school with a sock hop! Here is Isaac, one cool Daddy-o!

Life's Unexpected Twists

Last time I blogged I asked for prayer for Addie's orthodontist bill. I am happy to report that God supplied the whole amount through two generous gifts from others. Praise the Lord!

Life continues to keep us on our toes. This summer, less than a week after I shared about Addie's braces, Josh was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He had surgery on July 30th, and has been recovering well. He had some scans that we were hoping would be completely clear. They were not. They showed two nodules on his lungs, and a lesion on his kidney. The good news is that the two nodules on his lungs are small. The doctor said if he were a healthy man and they showed up on an x-ray, he wouldn't be too concerned. As a cancer patient though, they were something to keep and eye on. The lesion on his kidney is most likely benign (the doctor said he is 95% sure) but again, we care keeping a close watch on it. This coming Monday he will have repeat scans, and Thursday we will know more about what they find. Won't you pray with us?

Now, we just keep busy with normal, everyday life. Josh has switched back into the Student Life Department from The Buildings and Grounds department here at the Bible school. I continue to plug away with updating information in the database here at the school. Soccer season has just ended for Josie's team. Josh coaches for the school's team, and Emma was the assistant coach this year.

We have many late summer and fall birthdays that have been a lot of fun. Everyone is growing up so fast!

Josh and I at one of his appointments. Even though it is a doctor's appointment, it is still good to get some one on one time together. A doctor appointment date!

Josie turned 13 and we celebrated with a fun sleep over!

Jonah turned TWO! Where did my baby go? Jony loves running around and keeping up with his brothers.

Happy birthday to this guy! What a year 40 was. He had meningitis and cancer diagnosis in one year. Here is for a less exciting 41!

Ezra turned 4. We went camping the weekend of his birthday which made for an extra fun celebration!

Those Pearly Whites

Addie is the third born child in our home.  Even though she is third, she is the first to have curly hair. First to play the violin. Now she is first in another thing. We had hoped by the time adult teeth showed up, the problem would self correct, but it hasn't. 

What is she the first at this time, you ask?

BRACES!!!

I know many of you are intimately aware of all the ins and outs of these wonderful contraptions, but this is all new to us. After getting three different opinions, it has been decided that she needs 5 teeth pulled, and braces. This is not something we went into lightly. Braces are EXPENSIVE, especially when our heath insurance does not cover any dental. 

God has been so good to us though. He knew she needed this long before we did. He has been her comfort, as she is nervous about having five teeth pulled. He didn't give her any wisdom teeth, so she won't need to have them pulled later! He laid it upon a family to generously give us almost half of the cost of the braces. We are blown away by their generosity, and God's goodness.

Would you pray with us as we trust the Lord to provide the $3,100 left that we need?

My brave girl.

She lost two baby teeth since this x-ray was taken.

Getting more comfortable with these visits. 

A little glimpse of part of the problem.

This is just a picture of her at her awards ceremony at the end of the year. She is such a smarty pants, and we are very proud of her.

Ain't No Party Like A Mathew Party...

Maybe "party" is too joyful a word for the rough year it was, but we do love to party!

It's been over a year since I have written. So much has happened, that a short recap is about all that will be possible at the time.

In March of last year, Addie's appendix ruptured making her very ill. She had emergency surgery, and even though recovery was a long one, she was able to recover, and for that we are certainly grateful.

Recovering well after surgery.

Right after Addie got better, Jonah got sick. This was so hard to see. We had kept him under preemie quarantine just like we did when Ezra came early, but unfortunately Jonah got sick right away. He came down with RSV and Pneumonia and ended up spending 7 days in the hospital.

Jonah's first Easter.

 Jonah was discharged from the hospital on a Thursday. Friday I was able to go visit my parents. The next morning, my mom passed away from complications from sarcoidosis.  Losing my mother has, by far, been the most difficult thing I have ever had to face.  I am so thankful that God gave me that Friday to see her one last time.  I am thankful that this isn't the end.  My mom trusted in Christ and His death on the cross, and now is with our Savior, and I know I will get to see her again. That brings me comfort when all I want to do is call her on the phone and tell talk with her again.

My dear mom.

We had a good summer last year, and made some good memories with extended family, and just us.

The fall brought new changes. Emma entered high school as a freshman, Josie a 7th grader, and Addie in 5th. I was back into the office learning some new things on Populi, a new program that was implemented at the Bible Institute, and Josh was plugging away with the building and grounds department. In October things came to a screeching halt. Josh got very sick with spinal meningitis. He was hospitalized (and now he was the one in quarantine!) and spent a a few weeks recovering. We are incredibly thankful he recovered so well.  

We are basically quarantine pros at this point.

In November, I needed to have surgery to repair some complications from my last c-section.  It was a longer recovery than I expected, but am glad to be doing fine now.

Overall, 2017 was a bit rough, but there were good things too! Spending more time than usual with family, and so many celebrations. Two milestone birthdays were had in September, and we were blessed with the opportunity to continue to trust God through what seems like impossible circumstances. Isn't our God so good though? I don't know if I could have survived a year like last year without knowing that He was unsurprised by it all, and ultimately in control over what felt like chaos in my life.

Jonah turns ONE!

A little surprise party for Josh who turned 40!