In Christ Alone our Hope is Found

I have been meaning to sit and write for awhile.  But I always feeling like I am stealing time, unless I get up really early or stay up crazy late. It is just not working for me lately. But today is a snow day. When Ken has a snow day we don't do school either. The little kids are watching Little House on the Prairie, Josh is just hanging around and Ken is fixing Josh's light in his room. The upstairs is tidy, the wash is going, the computer is sitting here and everyone is downstairs and quiet. The coast is clear for me to have some time! (O: I have been thinking about writing this for a few weeks. It is something that has been on my mind all the time lately. But I was so hesitant because I was worried that I will sound boastful. That is not my intent at all. I am just so thankful. I need to write this. It is part of my story. I was young, immature and quite complacent in my Christian walk for many years. I have gone to church all my life. I attended catechism, young p...

On January 7, our boy, Micah turned 10. What a miracle. We celebrated in the morning. He actually didn't get a present because he got an IPOD for Christmas and his birthday. In the afternoon we went to Toronto to Aunt Jane's for our Van Dyk family get together. We went in a hummer limo. That made the day a little extra special. Those pics are underneath this post. For some reason it said that I posted them yesterday, but I did them at the same time as this one. (O: Micah chose the kind of cake and he went to the bulk barn to pick stuff to go on it. This is what is wanted and he pretty much made it himself! I actually really dislike this next picture. It scared me that day looking at it in the camera. It was a few weeks before scan time and I thought he looked sick here. If I would compare it to his sick birthdays, there is not much difference. He must have had a cold or been really tired. Birthday balloons from Uncle Greg and Aunt Aileen. Haha. My little love with one o...

Every year my Aunt Jane and Uncle Terry have all the VanDyks over for a gathering. They live in Brampton. My Dad thought it would be fun to get a limo to take us. Woohoo. It was fun. It landed on Micah's birthday this year, so it was a little extra special.  We played Apples to Apples on the way there and watched Ramona and Beezus on the way home.  I didn't do a great job taking pics. But they do the job! This is my mom! My Dad and Siah sat in the back. Siah was either looking out the window or playing my dad's phone! My sister, Tori and Jack! Tori's husband Justin and Josh! Sorry Justin this is a funny pic of you!  This is kind of a funny pic of Ken too. Haha! My pretty girlie Naddie. I love this picture! Micah and Grace are looking out the front window. We are almost home here.  The sleeper Grace is wearing is my favourite of all time. It is almost too small for her!  It was such a fun memory and I am looking forward to next year's ride? (clearing...

I have taken a lot of pictures since December. I have been wanted to post some for awhile. But there has been so many things I needed to write about and there is only so much time! Then our computer got a virus. So here it goes..... Installment number one of picture catch up! (O: My faves of this little bunch is Grace in her coat and hat and the bowling shoe picture. The kids on the first really snowy day we had. The sun was in their eyes! Here they are trying to recreate what they did last year. They made a slide from our front door and off the side of our deck. They were disappointed they didn't have enough snow! The kids brought up a stool with a back on it so she could eat lunch at the counter. It is too dangerous to do regularly. Oh this one melts me. This is how Siah gets dressed everyday. I try to tell him he should wear pants, but he says he is fine. (I do make him wear pants when we go out.) We had a cold in our home for probably 12 weeks. Ken coughed all 12 of...

I was just on facebook listening to a link that someone put up of Greg Lucas. I should say that I haven't listened to whole thing yet. I had to write this first! (O: He and his wife adopted a special needs boy as a baby. This talk is intended for special needs families, but I think it can be applicable to all. (I will link the talk and his blog tonight, if our good computer is working again. I am on a dinasour of a computer and it will take forever!) He also wrote the book, Wrestling with an Angel. He is a godly man, with a beautiful story and message. There were a few words that struck me deep inside. When we are in the valley: God meets us with His presence. His grace is the sweetest. His love is the deepest. His glory is amplified and His presence is magnified. I have experienced this and am sure at times in the past I have tried to explain it to someone. But my words were never worthy of the profound beauty of the experience. Greg's words say it well. When...

I have been thinking a lot about yesterday. I was amazed at the comments and "likes" on my post (on facebook). Everyone was so excited and praising God. I was praising God too. We had a good appointment. Micah looks good. But he looked good last appointment too. I read my post over and over, trying to figure out why we were so excited. (I know it sounds odd!)  I just really wrote what happened yesterday. I even asked a good friend what I was missing. But a few minutes ago as I started to write, it hit me pretty hard why we are so excited. It just hadn't really sunk in yet. Our Doc used the words, "finish point". Since Micah relapsed, he has never had a finish point. Usually you get a "protocol" of so many weeks. The first time it was 54 wks. People that were in treatment, that we had never met would ask me, "So how long is Micah's protocol?"  I would tell them that I didn't know and basically told them with my eyes (because Micah ...

Today went very well. We got there at 10:30. They did his weight, which is 68lbs. To me that is crazy big. He is very slim, but he has substance now. I remember him on treatment trying to maintain 40 and slipping down to 34. So to me pounds on him are such a blessing. They measured him, did his blood pressure, O2 sat, accessed his port and took blood. After that we waited for about 3.5 hours to see the doc. I forgot about hospital time! (O: It has it's own clock. That is also something you get used to. When the hospital is your life, 3 hours doesn't seem that long. But when you are living a regular life, 3.5 hours is crazy long. Sounds like an odd explanation, but it's totally true for me! We spent some time in Art Therapy. When they closed, we looked at the AMAZING fish tank that has clown fish and anemonies. I don't know how to say that last word, let alone spell it. Just think of where Nemo lived!! Haha. When we saw the doc she was beaming at how well Micah loo...

Micah has his regular check up today. We have these every 3 months. It is kind of fun to see Micah's Oncologist: Dr Z, Art Therapist: Veronica, and Case Manager: Barb. Those relationships run deep for both Micah and I. The difference about today is that we are going in the morning. We haven't been in the morning since treatment time, about 23months ago. Usually our appointments are in the afternoon, not during full swing of clinic. I find it a hard thing to go in when the beds are full of patients getting treatments. What was once "everyday" for us,  now shakes me. We have become outsiders in a way. I am so thankful that it is not our everyday. For me, when we were in treatment, it became very normal. It had to be that way. Beautiful little bald children didn't make me turn my head. It was used to it.  Now when I see them I am overwhelmed with sadness and I want to hug the kids and parents. I know their sadness and pain too well.  I am also hit with such tha...

OHHHH, I have been wanted to blog all week. We have a laptop and an oooold desktop. Ken has taken the laptop to school every day and has been working on it all night. The desk top is just too annoying to use. So, now it's my turn! (O: I wrote this post on Thursday morning. I actually wrote it with a pen! I still want to get it down. It's nothing exciting, just things I would like to remember. __________________________________________________________________________________ Micah twisted his knee on Monday night, skiing. It is still sore. But at least he can put a decent amount of weight on it again. It could have been worse.  Natalie got up early and started her school work on Monday morning. She was done everything except Bible, which she does with Micah and Worldview, which we do all together. So she was done by 9:30. What a good girl! She is getting so big. She has to work very hard in school. It is good to see her putting in such an effort. She has come a long way sin...