Our Pioneer Woman

Ellie Kate recently welcomed her Great-Grandmother Tully as she entered Heaven and left this broken world behind.  Colleen Patricia McFarland Tully passed away on her farm, just as she wanted.  She poured her heart, soul and life into that farm and the house that they built on their land, so long ago.  I can only imagine the reunion Ellie and Grammie must have had!  It brings me so much joy to think about.  

Grammie's death holds some uncertainty at this time, which hurts my heart very much.  I think everyone would agree that they want their loved ones to pass peacefully.  I always imagined Grammie meeting Jesus in her sleep, but that isn't the way her life on earth ended. But now . . . none of that matters.  She is with her Lord and Savior, Jesus.  And she has been reunited with her beloved dauther, Deidre, who passed away from cancer at the age of 22.  And My Sweet Ellie Kate . . . can you even imagine??!!  

I imagine Ellie's "welcome" smile looked something like this

I'm so grateful that we were able to spend time with my Grandmother while she was living on earth.  Mike and I would take the boys out to the farm and we would have lots of adventures there, making memories all along the way.  Each time, the boys would leave with some little trinket, rock or shell that Grammie gave them as a special treasure.  Conner and Henry went down quite often to visit Grammie with my Dad.  They love her and always looked forward to picking up a hamburger and Dr. Pepper for their Great Grandmother.  The boys truly felt safe in her home, and they absolutely love being there.  I'm glad they knew my Grandmother well.  I'm glad that Grammie knew and loved them so much, and also loved Ellie Kate and Lucy so dearly.  She would hold and hug on the girls, even when they were wiggling and kicking, as they often do/did.  They both have her green eyes.  Grammie buried her daughter as well, and she had given me a few pieces of wisdom during the times since Ellie passed, which I hold dear to my heart.

Henry and Grammie at Braum's

Summertime Fun with Grammie 

(photos by Henry)

Colleen Tully is my Grandmother, and I am proud that I'm in her bloodline - part of this large, crazy, fun, loud, opinionated, loyal, and stubborn family! She was brave, strong, heard-headed, intelligent, caring, and stubborn (did I mention that already?).  We call her the "Pioneer Woman" because she loved living out in the country, fixing her home and raising animals. I have memories of baking oatmeal raisin cookies with her and picking berries off her farm.  She would let me ride her tractor with her, and she even let me stay with her for two weeks one summer.  I had so much fun and remember her teaching me to drive, with TWO feet, back when I was only twelve.  

One of my most treasured memories is when Grammie came up to Ellie Kate's dance recital at school.  I was able to get a picture of Ellie, Grammie and Lucy - it's the only one I have of all three of them together, and it's precious to me.  That was one of Ellie Kate's best days - really, one of the happiest days of her little life, and my Grandmother was there to witness all of her smiles and was able to see her on stage.  It makes me proud.  

What a Special Day!

I truly will miss my Grandmother.  I will miss her hands, I will miss her voice.  I will miss her hugs, although I'm thankful that she is no longer confined to that precious, little frail and thin body.  I will miss getting to call her on the phone, taking her a burger and piece of pie from Hamburger King, and of course, bringing her Dr. Peppers!  I know my boys will greatly miss her too - in so many ways, as they were all so close.  

Please pray for my Dad and his siblings as they handle all of the many things that come up when a loved one passes.  There is so much to do, along with facing the loss of their mother.  They know she's alive and they know where she is, but I know they will be drained in every way possible.  I would also love prayers for our boys as this all sinks in for them.  I asked Conner tonight if he was okay and he said, "I'm okay, Momma.  I've just lost so much, you know?".  It hurts my heart, and Mike and I desperately want to parent well through this season.  

"May the God of hope fill you with all JOY and PEACE in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in PEACE." Romans 15:13

PEACE.  JOY.  HOPE.  He still reigns and I will worship.  

Ryan

Peace, Hope and Joy

The Christmas Season brings so many feelings and emotions to us all.  In a previous post, I mentioned the fact that I feel that this is a season of Peace for our family.  It's a word that God has given me for this time in our lives.  Everywhere I look though, I have a hard time finding "peace" decorations and ornaments!  Hope, joy and Santa are just about everywhere, but I've been looking for PEACE - figuratively and physically.

A sweet ornament I unrwrapped last night from my friend Amy!

An amazing thing has happened over the last two weeks and it truly is nothing short of a miracle, seeing how burdened my heart has been.  God, in His goodness, has not only given me a craving for peace - He has actually GIVEN me peace!  He has also placed JOY and HOPE in my heart, and those are things that I truly did not think would be in my heart, or in my mind, at this time of year.  I  wasn't sure if I truly would ever again feel those things during Christmas time . . . Ellie's Month, ever, ever again.  But Jesus has changed that for me, and even if it only lasts for a bit, I am relishing in it, basking in it, and dancing in it, as one would dance in the rain!

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. 

How beautifully He ties it all together!  

The joy and hope in my heart have made me excited to decorate for Christmas.  To us, this is now "Ellie's Month", so having the house decorated early for Christmas just means that we extend the time of celebrating Our Girl!  It's been so fun and freeing to get things ready around the house.  In a strange way, I feel as though I am still parenting Ellie Kate by decorating.  I hang her ornaments just as I hang those of the other children.  

This Month of Reckless Love truly does give me the opportunity to feel as though I am parenting and sharing My Daughter's life with others.  I know it sounds strange and I wish I could explain it better, but it's just so hard to put into words.  That is one of the many reasons that it means SO much to have you participate in the Month of Reckless Love!  And, there is now a special way for you to support OKC Hope Link when you make your purchases on Amazon.com. You can go to Amazon Smiles and choose "Hope Link" and a portion of your purchase will be donated to OKC Hope Link, the non-profit that is so dear to our hearts.  Also, be sure to "like" our official Facebook page under "In Honor of Ellie Kate McLaughlin - Living a Life of Reckless Love".

Ellie Kate's Month of Reckless Love Wish List  - REMINDER - all gifts will be donated to OU Children's Hospital and will be delivered on December 4th (Ellie Kate's 9th Birthday)

It is truly a rich relief, distraction and solace to have these feelings flooding our hearts and home at this time.  Mike and I are even looking into getting a new puppy for the boys this Christmas!  New, hopeful, joyful, full of peace . . . He is SO faithful.

With Peace, Hope and Joy,

Ryan

  

A Critical Diagnosis

This post is extremely important, as we have recently learned more about Henry's behavioral issues.  We have spoken with him and asked if we could share with all of you a little bit about what has been going on.  Outgoing as always, Henry is more than happy to share, as long as I post some pictures of him, of course.  What I want you to know is, though this information is very serious and we understand the need to protect Henry and his interests, we also want to share with those who have been walking this journey with us.  So, here we go . . .

Our sweet Henry was born with a smile on his face.  Well actually, he was technically smiling when I first held him the day he was born.  He was a laid-back baby that has always been full of joy and life.  When Ellie was so sick and shortly after Lucy was born, Henry's behavior started to change.  It really deteriorated after Ellie Kate died and of course we blamed his behavior on all that Henry had to deal with in his little heart and mind.  He was only 3.5 years old, and that's a lot to take in for a little man.

My Sweet Smiling Boy!

One Year

 

Happy Henry

Since that time, Henry's behavior has worsened, although we have desperately tried to help him in every way possible.  Henry has been in individual counseling and group counseling.  We also did PCIT training with him, which is quite intensive.  We've worked with counselors and doctors and nurses, all trying to help Henry.  Last summer we finally resorted to a psychiatrist. 

Henry missing Ellie Kate

You may remember that we ended up being assigned to a precious physician who once attended Bridgeway Church with us, and had also watched Ellie Kate so we could attend the service.  Upon walking into that psychiatrist office, all of my fears melted away as I realized that the Holy Spirit had brought us there - that the Father had navigated and set things into motion better than I could have hoped or planned.  With our physician's help, we started Henry on a plan and he also eventually received several diagnoses.  Again, this isn't far-fetched by any means, seeing that Henry has faced so  much in his young life.  With the prayers of our physician, we were continuing on with our treatment, although we weren't seeing much of a change. 

One of Lucy's therapists heard me talking about Henry's behavior and had some suggestions and asked a few questions.  She told me about PANDAS, a rare auto-immune disorder that affects children and causes drastic changes in their behavior.  She had mentioned this to me a year or two ago, but we didn't get very far with it.  It is rare and a fairly young disorder, and not much is known about it, so not many doctors are very knowledgeable about it. 

PANDAS had entered my mind the last few weeks, although I kept thinking about how we didn't get far the first time I mentioned it.  But then again, this therapist has known Henry since before he was born, and she has seen his drastic change in behavior.  She had seen how hard we tried and knew what all we had tried, all to little or no avail. 

Early last week, the Holy Spirit had PANDAS burning so hot in my heart and mind that I couldn't stop thinking about it.  I researched it as best as I could.  I prayed about it, and I KNEW without a doubt, that God wanted us to test Henry for this rare disease.  I called our physician in the psychiatrist office, and she ordered the blood testing right away.  I picked up the orders and took Henry in for his blood work two days later, and on Friday we received the news . . . Henry DOES have PANDAS. 

Now, what the heck IS PANDAS??? 

"PANDAS/PANS is an infection-triggered autoimmune condition that interferes with normal neurologic activity.  In PANDAS/PANS patients, antibodies recognize and mistakenly attack normal receptors and antigens found within the brain.  This molecular mimicry-based attack can be directed against dopamine receptors, lysoganglioside, tubulin, and other neurologic targets located within the brain.  Binding can interfere with, or cause over-stimulation of neurologic activity.  This can contribute to a whole host of movement and neuropsychiatric disorders, OCD, and abnormal neurological behavior.  Often, this condition may be treated only symptomatically with neuropsychiatric drugs, but the underlying basis is an infection triggered autoimmune disorder attacking the brain".  - Moleculara Labs

And get this, Henry has almost ALL of the PANDAS/PANS symptoms!  Do you know what this means for our Little Man?!  It means that, as far as we know, it has been this autoimmune disorder that has been causing his behavioral issues!  It means that he truly hasn't been able to control himself.  It breaks my heart to know that Henry really has been telling the truth - that he can't control his thoughts and actions, but I now have hope in knowing we have a diagnosis.  And while there is no cure, there are things we can do to help Henry and his symptoms.  Can you imagine the freedom this will bring to Henry?  To our family?  I just cannot even tell you!!!  And to think, it was the Holy Spirit who told me to ask that Henry be tested!  God is so good to help US take care of Henry in the way that he needs to be cared for. 

We have started the new treatment for Henry and have already started seeing a difference (we had the results on Friday and our physician started his treatment that day!).  Mike and I are SO relieved, even though PANDAS is a serious neurological condition.  Henry is relieved to know that something is going to help him and he is also relieved to know that he won't be getting in trouble as much, bless his heart. 

The leading PANDAS/PANS doctor happens to be at Boston Children's Hospital and just "happens" to be the same neurologist that presented at our NKH Conference this past October.  I met him there as he was talking about NKH and now I hope to visit with him about Henry and PANDAS.  God works in such intricate ways, doesn't he? 

I want to thank you ALL for praying for Henry in specific ways.  Thank you to everyone who has and is loving Henry no matter what - even when it is hard physically, mentally and emotionally.  Thank you to those who have made life-changes in order to accommodate Henry (Eastlake Elementary,  Bridgeway Church and Bridgeway Kids).  Henry will struggle with this his entire life, unless the Lord delivers him from this.  He will have ups and downs and flares, and we still we need some extra help and extra grace.  However, we just couldn't be more humbled and grateful for the ways you have loved and cared for our son thus far.  Knowing that he hasn't been excluded and hasn't felt left-out, even with his troubled behavior, has been a priceless and precious thing. 

Please continue to pray for our Precious Boy and for our entire family, school family and church family as we learn how to live PANDAS out with Henry. I know the Lord will connect us to the right organizations, the right doctors, the best information and hopefully He will connect us to some other great PANDAS families! 

For More Information on PANDAS:
http://pandasnetwork.org/understandingpandaspans/about-pandaspans/whatispandas/

http://www.moleculera.com/research/

Youtube Video Description

Lifted and Loved

With the kick off of Ellie's Month of Reckless Love, my longings for Ellie Kate were getting pretty intense. One evening we had my parents over for dinner and I just broke down.  All of these hard days are coming up so quickly - faster than I want them to; faster than I'm prepared for them to come. 

I sobbed as my parents both held me.  It was really a special time.  Mike had the boys in the other room happily watching a cartoon, so for once in a long time, I was able to let the tears flow and I was able to share my feelings of loss with someone other than Mike.  Those feelings run deep, not just for EK, although that obviously is where my heart has been struck the most.  Over the past several months, baby Kylee, Ellie Kate's friends Makenna and Alyssa, and my friend Jenni all went to Heaven within days/weeks of each other.  My heart has been full with questions as to why God does what He does and why He does it when he does.  I know He is Sovereign, but when you are mourning, the Truth sometimes flies out the window.  That's why you have to grab it when you see it, and hold on to it with all that you have.  Our feelings change but Truth does not.  Jesus is Truth.

This same week I was contacted by an old and dear friend who, along with another friend, wanted to help our family in specific ways.  I was overjoyed at a renewed friendship more than anything, and I was truly encouraged in realizing that God had forgotten about us.  I mean, I know He hasn't forgotten about us, but sometimes it feels that way, and sometimes it feels like He forgets the little things we need or desire.
 
Within a matter of days we were blessed with Henry's first ever REAL bedroom furniture (and it is gorgeous, family heirloom pieces)!  The boys BOTH have their first REAL mattresses! Not only that, but the boys were able to order their very own bedding sets, which is a first for them.  You should have seen their faces as they scrolled through the choices online.  The medium Tumbleform feeding chair, which we needed for Lucy to safely sleep in at night while on continuous feeds, was mailed straight to our door; an extravagant gift that the Lord used His people to lavish upon us. 

My spirits and my heart have been lifted in knowing that I am NOT forgotten by my God.  He sees our needs and those special wants we have in our hearts.  He bestows them upon us just when we need them - physically, spiritually and emotionally.  Yes, My God is concerned with my emotional and spiritual well-being too! I'm so incredibly grateful that God used these two families to love on us this way. I mean, who gives family heirlooms and furniture sets??  Who orders special-needs equipment for another family (it's costly, ya'll!)?!!  THAT is some "Reckless Love". 

Speaking of reckless love - the first gifts from our "Ellie Kate Wish List" came in this week!!!  In the last two days, we've received seven packages full of wonderful things for http://www.ocfoundation.org/uploadedFiles/MainContent/Find_Help/PANDAS%20Fact%20Sheet.pdfthe patience at OU Children's.  It feels my heart with joy to think of handing out these gifts on Ellie Kate's birthday, December 4th.  Here's the list in case you want to check it out:
 In Honor of Ellie Kate McLaughlin - Amazon.com Wish List

Our Very First Packages for the Month of Reckless Love!!

I'm happy to say that my joy inspired me to put Ellie Kate's Christmas tree up this week too.  I was so excited about not being forgotten about by friends and by the Lord, and I was so excited to have a tangible reminder of My Girl up in our home, that I just couldn't wait any longer to get it up!  I unwrapped each packed ornament with care and I was struck with the sweet memories that flooded my heart with each and every one.  The tree is so special as it holds ornaments that Ellie made at school, a few she's made at her birthday parties (she IS a December baby, after-all), along with things that remind us of her - Tinker Bell, Hello Kitty, ballet dancers . . . there are even a few ornaments from special friends that were sent to us last year that now have important places on the tree.

 I hope these pictures bring you joy, Friends.  I hope you remember that the LORD remembers you and your needs, your wants, your desires, down to the very detail.  He gives us above and beyond and does so when we least expect it, always where He alone can get the glory.  And remember - our feelings will fail us but the Truth of God never will.  Go out and love recklessly today! 

Hope Link Halloween 2014

Last night was our annual Hope Link Halloween Party! As usual, it was a blast and we had friends in and out of the house all night long. We wouldn't have it any other way!

The girls far outweighed the boys this year, and as you can imagine, we saw man Elsa and Ahna's. I still sit in bed this morning dreaming of how darling Ellie Kate and Lucy would have been dressed as Elsa and Ahna - they are perfect for the parts! And I just know that Ellie would adore "Frozen", just as Lucy does, just like every other little girl in America. I wonder if The Father will allow Our Girls to dress up like this in Heaven - just once, even if if its just for their Momma. I know, I know - many of you are saying, "we won't even worry or think about those things in Heaven!" But you know what? God does place desires in our hearts and Heaven will be the fulfillment of all things good and perfect here on earth. To me, it isn't out of the question that My Girls may run around Heaven a bit in those
costumes (Please no theological debates)!

We had several Transformers, a Kevin Durant, a cheerleader, a princess, and of course our own Lucy Belle as Cinderella! I think the costume winners were the Haas Children who dressed as Elsa, Ahna, Olaf, and Svelt! They were all just too cute. And my favorite part? That EASILY was watching
Lucy's eyes and face light up with joy the entire night! She adored having her friends there in her home, in her space. One of her favorite friends, Emory was there and she was dressed as Elsa - Lucy's favorite. I'm telling you, these little girls have a very special bond!'

From hot dogs and chili to gourmet pumpkin pie and salmon - everything was yummy and a good time was had by all. I'm so grateful that we have a home that we are able to open up to others. I'm grateful that my parents taught me hospitality. I'm grateful too that Hope Link families have the chance to visit and enjoy the community bond that we share. It's all just so priceless.

IMPORTANT: we are very quickly approaching the month of December, Ellie's month. We will once again be doing Ellie Kate's Month of Reckless Love, so be sure to watch for updates in the coming days. This is truly one of THE most important things to us as a family. I promise to update more as soon as my computer gets back from bring fixed (hopefully).

With Hope,
Ryan

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

Do you remember that song from Cinderella?  "A dream is a wish your heart makes, when your'e fast asleep.  In dreams you will lose your heartache, whatever you wish for you keep." I'm still singing and humming this sweet tune after our amazing adventure to Orlando, Florida!  It was a wish-come-true because of the generosity of our friends at  Make-a-Wish.  It was so much more than a trip and I will do my best to explain why it has impacted us so much . . .

When a wish is granted for a family to go to Orlando, they don't "just" go to Disney World.  There is so much more involved that requires intricate details, impeccable planning, hundreds of volunteers, a team effort made by the folks at MAW, the staff at GKTW as well as their volunteers, amusement park employees . . . the list could go on and on!  Every single detail is taken care of for the Wish Families.  Do you know what that means to someone who is planning every detail of every day, all the time - doctor appointments, therapies, school meetings, surgeries, home-health nurses and their companies, medical equipment ordering, keeping the meds ordered and up-to-date, staying on top of insurance and bills . . . you get the picture!  One of the biggest blessings of being granted a wish is that ALL of the nitty-gritty details are taken care of.  It's a relief that I cannot describe to you!

I'm mentioning GKTW quite often, and it truly is a magical place.  Give Kids the World is a park in and of itself, and it is an actual "village", where all the wish families coming to Orlando stay.  It is off-site of the parks and is home to hundreds of state-of-the-art villas, where families stay.  Wish Kids and siblings get to do so many fun things at GKTW - from horseback riding, to art projects and face painting, dance contests, and nightly parties!  There are two pools, both handicap-accessible, so every child can get in the water.  In fact, EVERYTHING at GKTW is handicap-accessible! Can you imagine the freedom that comes along with that for these kids and for their families?  There are restaurant on-site and a carousel; there is even an ice-cream parlor where you can eat as much as you want, whenever you want!

When you are there, you are surrounded by other families, from all over the world, who are in similar situations as you.  It's like being around Hope Link families for five days!  We all understand.  We all "get it", and there is a sense of belonging in that.

The people who serve at GKTWare mostly volunteers - hundreds of them, and they come in and love on each family, serving and talking to them, even carrying their trays at meal times.  They serve because they want the children and the parents to know how loved and special they are. Seeing all of the families and seeing the volunteers in action . . . well, it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever witnessed.  

Make-a-Wish granted Ellie Kate's wish to go to Orlando, and in 2009 and we took a six-year-old Conner and a six-month-old Henry Isaiah along with Ellie to GKTW.  It was an incredible time.  It was breathtaking in so many ways.  Ellie smiled there more than we had ever seen her smile before. She laughed more than she had ever laughed  She loved it all and took everything in.  We have priceless memories from that trip with Ellie Kate, memories made possible by all of those who make wishes come true for families like ours.

You can only stay once at GKTW (unless you come with a different child with a severe medical condition), so Mike and I thought that our only time to go would be with sweet Ellie.  We had no idea that we would be able to go again.  When we found out that Lucy indeed had NKH, I was desperately looking for positive things.  I needed something good and happy to focus on, and something to look forward to.  My mind jumped to our time at GKTW with Ellie Kate, and my heart found hope in knowing that we could go and experience it again, this time with a new little girl.  That thought truly gave me hope and put excitement into my hurting heart.  THAT is how amazing this place is, and their motto is, "GKTW - Where Happiness Inspires Hope".  

I have to admit, Mike and I were worried about the trip.  We were worried about traveling - how would Lucy do?  She's been on a plane before, but now she is older and likes to roll around.  Will she stay in her seat without screaming the entire time?  And little Henry and his behavior issues - would he obey or would he try to do something crazy, like jump out of the plane (seriously, that crossed our minds).  All of our worries were for nothing.  The children were all so great on the trip.  I have no complaints whatsoever about how they traveled, and that's a pretty amazing thing!

Another thing that made this trip extra-special was that we were able to go at the same time as our former home health nurse and her family.  Nurse Valerie's son Simon suffers from Muscular Dystrophy and has many health problems because of it.  Somehow, someway, we were signed up to go to Orlando at the EXACT same time!  We even had the same flights!  It was a true blessing because the boys had travel companions, and of course they just love Valerie so much.  God was so good to give us that sweet time with Valerie and her family.  It was something I could never have dreamed or planned up on my own.

Our time at GKTW this go-round was even better than our first time, and I never thought it could get any better!  Facilities were updated and the weather was perfect.  This time we knew to take it slowly, to take it all in.  We were given tickets to all of the Disney parks as well as many other area theme parks.  We had more choices than we did in 2009, and since we had done this all before, we had a good idea of when to go where, what to take with us, etc.  God just had it all fall into place, even though each day held something unexpected and unplanned.  He causes ALL THINGS to work together for the good of those who love Him.  It's truly beautiful to watch Him turn stressful, hurtful things into something happy!  

Mike and I watched as the bond between our children grew while we were in Orlando. We so enjoyed seeing the boys hold Lucy, hold her hand, encourage her on the plane and in the car. My heart was so full.  And to see their eyes in the theme parks!  Oh my goodness, they were in awe and I encouraged them to close their eyes and "take a picture in their mind to make a memory".  They did this over and over again, and so many memories were made.

We also watched Lucy blossom into a little girl who can make clear choices, and we were excited and surprised to see how bright she truly is!  Lucy started reaching purposefully for us when she wants to be held.  This is HUGE for us, and it all happened on this trip.   We cry each time she does it!  And, she picked out her own doll at Disney - an Elsa doll.  She holds it purposefully and gives Elsa kisses when I tell her to. When I've given her another doll, she will cry and throw it down, reaching for her Elsa. Do you know what this means?  My Daughter understands me!  She knows what I am saying!  I truly did not know that this was possible.  I've always talked to Lucy like she can understand me because I have thought that she and Ellie have understood more than what we think.  But to see Lucy respond in such big ways has been overwhelmingly joyful, and she found that freedom there at GKTW - the same place where Ellie Kate learned how to smile.

We had so many great adventures, Friends!  Just to give you a taste, during our stay we took part in the following:

• horseback riding
• swimming
• Magic Kingdom
• Not-so-Scary Halloween Party
• Epcot
• Animal Kingdom
• Hollywood Studios
• Universal Studios
• Downtown Disney
• Character photos and meetings
• arcade games
• putt-putt golf
• electric trains
• electric boats
• playing on the giant, handicap-accessible playground
• Pirates and Princesses party
• GKTW Halloween Party
• Eating at an Irish pub and enjoying a live band and Irish dancers
• Visiting the ice-cream parlor three times each day
• trick-or-treating
• playing in the snow
• air brush tattoos in the GKTW Spa
• And SO MUCH MORE!

As we ended our time at GKTW, we were able to see Ellie Kate's star in the "Castle of Miracles".  It is something that each Wish Child gets when they leave - a star up in the galaxy of GKTW.  Mike and I cried and held each other as they found Ellie's star and the memories of our Sweet Girl started to flood our hearts.  I was overwhelmed, and I put off the "what-if" questions and focused on the fact that God was SO good to give us such two precious little girls who were formed intimately by Him.  I left relishing in the fact that we are SO blessed to have been able to stay at this incredible place TWO times - to feel this incredible outpouring of love given to us by strangers more than the average family.  God is good.  His ways are higher than ours, and He truly does cause ALL things to work together for our good.

The "Star Tower" 

Thank you so much for praying for our trip to go smoothly. It really did exceed our wildest of dreams! God truly was in each and every detail; I cannot say that enough.  He is so faithful, even when we are not.