Thru June 4, 2008

Hello everyone! I know it's been a LONG time, but Spring brings a LOT to do outside. I've been working in our flower beds, the kids have been playing outside, we've had a graduation, and things have been BUSY!!! We've started babysitting the boys on Saturday nights, then taking them to church with us on Sunday. They sat through several Worship services with us, then I started taking them to Sunday School. They enjoyed that enough that over the next two weeks (when I didn't have them for Sunday morning) they kept asking about it. They REALLY like going with us! We've also started a Bible Study on Monday nights. It's with a group that has invited us several times in the past, but with the business, we felt there wasn't time. It's interesting how much our focus has changed! Our grandson, Eric came home from Iraq sometime around April 30. He was HERE for 3 days, then had to go to CA for 2 weeks. Now he's here on a 30 day furlough. We've spent some time with him, but hope to have more before he leaves on June 14. Last Friday and Saturday Indiana had tornadoes! Several people from our church sustained quite a bit of damage, some had so much that their homes are not livable until MAJOR repairs are done. We PRAISE GOD that there were no injuries!! Now the good stuff! Terry is improving all of the time! About three weeks ago, the "quad" muscle FINALLY started working! They've tried LOTS of things to help that to work, to no avail. Then, during one therapy session, it fired for the first time! Now we're doing all we can to strengthen it and help it be more functional. This includes a new set of daily exercises, so I'm helping a lot in that. He also learned CAR TRANSFERS!!! For the first time in 16 months, he got to ride in the passenger seat of the Blazer!! We don't take it every time, because that means he has to use the manual wheelchair, but we try it 1-3 times a week. His walk time in the pool (300 feet) is diminishing all the time. The first time Julie timed it, it took over 17 minutes. Now, it's slightly over 13 minutes! On land, he has almost DOUBLED his best distance! He walked almost ONE HUNDRED feet on Monday at ONE attempt!!! He's standing in the pool each time, also. He hasn't yet achieved a minute (standing WITHOUT the walker), but he's ALMOST there. James is also working on Terry PUSHING off of his chair to stand on land! That is going well, also. We passed the one-year anniversary of Terry starting rehab at HMH. We've been looking at the early days and realizing how FAR God has brought him!! He had NO strength last year!! Now he's doing SO much more of his own care. I don't think I'll be out of a job too soon, though. What he is able to do is HELP me with his care, rolling himself onto his side, pulling himself up into a sitting position, etc. He still needs MUCH more strength, but there's more hope than ever before for an almost COMPLETE recovery. He will probably have limitations, but they may be much less than we would have thought just a short time ago. GOD is SO GOOD!!! He still sleeps in our bed once a week. I'm praying that increases SOON! The more he can do things in the "normal" way, the quicker he will improve. It IS a work in progress! Please pray for strength and wisdom for BOTH of us. Each hurdle seems harder than the last, and some days it seems he'll NEVER be free of pain. Thank God, He's promised to never leave us or forsake us. I'm SURE none of this would be possible without HIS care and comfort! Thank you for YOUR care and support! Keep praying!! Love, Lynn