Making Memories

I have vivid memories of summer from my childhood. Some of my fondest memories are of beach days with my extended family.

Friday afternoon, I am certain my children made memories they will hold dear long into their adult years.

It began when my friend Laura invited us to visit with them when they vacationed on Hilton Head.

We do LOVE the beach, so, of course we accepted the invitation.

But, it was even more special because of this precious girl:

That beautiful girl in those photos with Josie-Tatum is Lydia. She is special to us because she spent the first months of her life in the same orphanage as Josie-Tatum. The LORD has blessed us to be able to keep in touch with her family through the years. Just minutes after seeing each other, the girls were reconnected like the best of friends.

Below is the traditional "red couch" photo families were known to take when their travel groups stayed at the White Swan hotel in Guangzhou China. Josie-Tatum is second from the left and Lydia is on the far right.

Here is another photo of the girls at a second trip we made together, less than 2 years after our first meeting when we traveled to China together.

Just seeing the girls together again would have made the trip memorable, but it was an exceedingly more than that.

While they spent most of their time in the water together,

my other children were treated as well.

Dan spent most of his time in the water with them. It started with a ride in the inflatable boat:

I went to him more than once and asked if I could take over. The first time he said, "I'm alright," and Ellie shouted, "Yeah, mama, he's alright." Dan sweetly told me to enjoy my time. What a blessing!!!

Later, Dan and two of his boys spent time in the water swimming with the Littles. They each had their own swimming buddy.

Aaron and Zeke

 Dan and Drew

 Ellie and Shayne

Zeke also enjoyed watching Aaron and Shayne play around with the soccer ball, and joined in himself.

Dan helped Zeke manage riding on his boogie board.

The family's oldest son Tanner is the same age as Whitney. They became friends in China, too. I enjoyed watching the two of them when they were both maneuvering the boat.

I also enjoyed the look on Tanner's face when he was playing with the kids.

I think Whitney enjoyed herself, too.

The day made for ONE more Ephesians 3:20 moment!

He CAN do more!!!!

We've just returned home from a visit to Shriner's for both Ellie and Drew. Both of them had their AFO's adjusted. I was excited to learn that they didn't need new ones....or we would have needed to return to Tampa in 2 weeks to pick them up.

But, the best news!

Some of you already know....but I must praise the LORD again and again.

Last summer, we scoliosis had progressed significantly. The curve of her spine was at 61 degrees. I looked at her initial x-ray from 2008 compared with that x-ray and literally felt weak. We waited several months before we saw the surgeon. I did research and knew surgery was likely in her future.

He did not recommend surgery last August, but a brace, a TLSO. He explained that our hope would be it would keep the scoliosis from progressing any furthers, possibly causing damage to her internal organs. Surgery may be necessary at a later date. Ellie was to wear it 23 hours a day, only taking it off to bathe or play sports.

Our sweet school nurse affectionately refers to it as a torture device.

Ellie wore it most days without much complaint. She has grown quite weary of it, almost a year later. It makes her sweat profusely. Then, it makes her itch. Some days she cries. Others she wears it without being reminded.

Last Tuesday, I prepared myself for bad news. We have encountered some new development nearly every doctor's visit.

Oh, was I suprised!

The PA pulled up the x-ray and beside it showed me last summer's x-ray. The curve was 45 degrees!!!

The brace is doing for Ellie more than we had hoped, more than we imagined. It is not only keeping her scoliosis from progressing, it has helped to improve her scoliosis. That is more than her medical caregivers expected, too!! I have since told two medical professionals who politely tried to discount the progress.

"That's not what the brace is expected to do," I've been told.

"How long was she out of the brace?" I was asked. "It could be that the muscles were still in place from wearing the brace." She was out of the brace for a while, not only through examination, but long enough to walk the corridor from the examination room to the x-ray department.

That is not what medical professionals may have expected.....but...

That is my God,

my Ephesians 3:20 King of Kings,

my Miracle of More Jesus!

Praise the KING who created her fearfully and wonderfully.

Praise the LORD who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we ask or think!