Joel's grandma, Norma Knotts, whom we all know as "Nana" went to be with the Lord yesterday evening, December 30. I had mentioned in my Christmas post that she had suffered a stroke Christmas Eve. She continued to depreciate and the family was called to the house Sunday morning at 12 am. The home care nurse felt sure she would not live through the night but she surprised everyone and continued to hang on. Amazingly she was responsive and acknowledged everyone that came to see her. It was difficult for her to talk clearly because of the paralysis and the build up of fluid but she did her best, and she loved all of the company! Joel had had time with her Saturday night and then we went over to see her after church. When we walked in Sunday afternoon, I told her that we were there and took her hand. She had not been able to see since the stroke but immediately indicated that she was aware. Her exact words to me were "that's so important". We have learned all too well that you never know how much time you have with your loved ones. We are so glad we went, 5 hours later she would take her last breaths. Joel's mom and dad and one of the sitters were with her as she entered into eternity with Christ. Tomorrow - January 1st - would have been her 81st birthday. I'm sure this will be the best birthday ever!! Death is never a pleasant thing, and although we were praying for her escape from pain and misery it is so hard to accept the finality of death and separation. It just seems too soon to lose another family member. We will miss her dearly.
The family is finalizing viewing and funeral details today. It looks as if there will be 2 viewings on Friday at Upchurch in Ft. Ashby, WV and then funeral services Saturday at Wesley Chapel United Methodist in Short Gap (where Joel and I were married).

Christmas Day

Christmas started early for us! Raegan burst into our room at 3:22 am and announced that Santa had already been to our house. She proceeded to tell us everything she had gotten in her stocking and that there were LOTS of big presents in the living room! I calmly told her that was nice but that it was too early. Joel wasn't so diplomatic and ordered her to get her butt back in bed! She promptly did so and even went back to sleep!! What a jewel!! We then woke her up at 8 to get the day going - we had lots of places to go.

Raegan loves her Polly Pockets and must have every one ever made! This year the newest item was the Jumbo Jet and Santa came through!

This large item was addressed to the whole family.......what could it be?!
A Karaoke Machine!! Look at Hannah Montana rocking the stage! Yes, everything Hannah Montana was on the list this year as well! Joel jumped right on the karaoke machine too - there was a party CD of love songs with over 30 hits wrapped for Mommy and Daddy!
After opening presents we went to visit Joel's grandma, Nana. She has been in failing health but Christmas Eve she suffered a stroke. We went over to help the sitter roll her to her other side - her left side was paralyzed from the stroke and it affected her sight as well. While we were there she mumbled several brief things to us; one of which was that she wanted the misery to be over. She is not well and we covet your prayers for her comfort and (if the Lord's will) quick home-going. Today (Wed, 12/26) she developed a low-grade temp and fluid in her lungs. The fear is that she is developing pneumonia. Please pray for the whole Knotts family - we are comforted and thankful that she has trusted the Lord as her Savior.

After that, we traveled out to PA for Christmas with my mom and dad. It was a nice visit. We were the first ones there and we were able to spend several hours in great conversation! It was truly one of the best conversations I think we've had. Just a neat discussion. Raegan couldn't wait to give them her presents that she bought at Secret Santa's shop at school.
This was pap's present from Raegan - a fishing picture frame. She will be sending a picture of her fishing for him to put in it. She actually enjoys fishing with Joel! Grammy's present was a beautiful necklace but the picture I took ended up blurry. It did look really great with her sweater that day! Soon, the cousins arrived and we ate lunch together.
The kids enjoying some kid conversation! I don't even want to know what they were discussing. That's Rachel on the left, then Raegan and Ryan on the right.

We were then on the road to get to Joel's parents by 2:30! What a day - it was busy but good for the soul.

Late that night I read over all the Christmas cards we had gotten and one of them really touched me.
"In Jesus we find -
the greatest depth of love,
the fullest portion of joy,
the richest measure of peace.

Only in Him~
Leah

Christmas Eve Service

We enjoyed a beautiful Christmas Eve Service together at Bedford Valley Bible Church. Adam is trucking out west and had to be gone for Christmas - wish he could have been there. But Carole and Olivia were there with Joel, Raegan, Grammy, Pap and me. Amy's family had Christmas obligations of there own, missed them too.
After the service there was food and fellowship time - here's Raegan, Grammy, and Olivia. It was great to visit with so many friends and families that we don't get to see very often. Tyler and his wife were there. They were in to celebrate Christmas with his parents and came to the service, great to see them! (Tyler and Aaron spent alot of time riding 4 wheelers together when Aaron was a junior and senior in high school).

Daddy and Mother at the church service

By the time we got home it was 10:00 and Raegan was anxious for Santa to come - she wrote a letter to leave for him and left cookies on the plate she made plus some CHOCOLATE milk, not just plain milk!
She was certain she heard his bells ringing while she set these out and ran to her bed for stories and prayers. After all, Santa doesn't come until you are asleep!

Christmas Eve

Lately, many people have asked me how I and my family are doing. I guess they mean how are we dealing with the holidays and just recently losing Aaron. I know they mean well and honestly until Aaron’s death I would have said the same thing to a dear friend that had suffered such a loss. But with my new perspective I really want to say “I’m awful – I’m depressed, I’m sad, I’m grieving. Other than that I’m just fine, thanks for asking!”
In all seriousness though, it’s made me consider what I really should say as a reply. As I was thinking about it I also sat down to write my mom and dad a Christmas card. Keeping in mind that Christmas time is NOT my mom’s favorite season, I knew this Christmas was going to be especially tough. Very briefly, here are my thoughts!
The man-made traditions of Christmas can leave us with emptiness, heartache and sadness. Not to mention debt and regret! It is difficult to face this "normally cheerful" holiday shadowed by the darkness of sorrow. But the birth of our Savior that holy night gives us hope! He was born with one purpose....to die – for each one of us that we would have life everlasting! Through the grief we can truly rejoice that His birth AND death thousands of years ago brings us comfort. We know that our sweet Aaron is with Him because he accepted that precious gift of eternal life and what better hope and comfort than that we too will be with Him!! We will choose to enjoy Christ not necessarily Christmas.

We are off to spend tonight with my mom and dad at Christmas Eve service. I’ve always loved the candlelight, the songs and the beautiful quiet reflection. I will especially cherish the sweet presence of each family member knowing our time is precious. We miss Christina and the family and wish we had them all here to hold tonight. Blessings to you all!
Leah

Christmas activities

Last night we had our church program. The kids learned verses and recited them between songs they had rehearsed. The kids were a riot, one thing is for sure there isn't a shy kid in the church! They belted the parts they knew and gladly entertained us all.
Raegan is the smiley one in the middle with the head of curls!


Today we enjoyed making cookies for Santa. Raegan is quite the cook, cracking the eggs and all. You can't see the apron that she's wearing but it was my Grandmother McCoy's. Grandmother never got to witness her grandchildren grow up and boy would she be surprised at how many great-grandchildren she has!

We baked enough cookies just for Santa and left the rest of the batter for Daddy and Raegan to enjoy all week. Yes, they eat the batter raw! It's something they love to do when I'm gone - make batter and eat it. Real healthy!! Look at the hunk of batter on her spoon!!

Bailey is getting into the Christmas spirit too!

Conversation with Grandma Charlotte

I spent an hour on the phone with Grandma Charlotte last night and found it so amusing that I thought I'd share. First let me tell you that she is doing well and has had the dialysis port removed. Her defibrillator is working and she has responded well to the implant. Friday night she decided that she wanted to go back to "living on her own" and so she asked to be moved back into her mother-in-law suite that is attached to my parents' house. She has a separate entrance but is still close enough that my mom runs back and forth all day checking on her and bringing her meals and meds.

Anyways, she is enjoying her renewed freedom but is concerned about her weight! Yes, you read it right - her weight. Grandma turned 86 on Monday, is recovering from major surgery, lives on a renal diet and thinks that she needs to lose weight. We women are never happy, are we?! So I proceeded to ask her how much weight. Well, she thought that 8 pounds would be just about right. I'm thinking to myself some people have a good bowl movement and lose that much! Anyways, I asked her why she wanted to lose 8 pounds and her response was that she has several skirts in her closet that she would like to wear again. I inquired as to why and where she would be wearing a skirt these days and she said - "I want to go back to church again!" I was so encouraged to hear her say that, it's been quite a long time since she's been able to go to church. Initially her energy was so low that she couldn't even think about getting up and getting ready to go to church then her conditioned worsened and led to the defibrillator implant and it was absolutely impossible to take her. She's got a little ways to go but the woman has drive I tell ya! I hope she gets her wish and is able to get that skirt on and go to church soon - there are so many people waiting to welcome her back! Oh and by the way Grandma Charlotte, HAPPY 86 and here's to many more.....years that is - not pounds!
Leah

Must Hear This

I've not attached a youtube link on my blog yet, so I hope this will work. If it doesn't I hope that Shannon tells me how to do it the correct way. hee hee
We all face the grief of losing someone or something we love. But our perspective can be skewed by our own pain. This is a phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston radio station KSBJ FM 89.3. This little boy's comments are so amazingly profound, he is wise beyond his years. It will move you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY
Blessings,
Leah

The 7 Ups!

1. Wake Up !!
Decide to have a good day.
"This is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!
The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance,but the Lord looks at the heart."I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!!
Say nice things and learn to listen.God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking."He who guards his lips guards his soul." Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!
. . . for what you believe in.Stand for something or you will fall for anything. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time,we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!
. . . to the Lord.
"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!. .. . for something higher.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !! . . . your Prayers.
"Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING." Philippians 4:6

Taking Time

Like everyone else this time of year, our lives are chaotic! Add on top of that the emotional roller coaster of grieving and the dark northeast dreary weather and you have the recipe for…..well, depression. There are days I just don’t want to wake up and face the day. I would love to just stay in there and hibernate. Each day I keep pushing myself all day and by evening I’m exhausted. I decided to take some time on Monday to be alone and I went to the cemetery to visit Aaron’s gravesite. I KNOW he’s not there, but it was cathartic to “talk to him”. I guess I just needed to dump my feelings. Unbeknown to me Mother and Daddy had been there Saturday and placed some pine and flowers.

Mother and Daddy take great care in keeping his grave site cleared and attractive.

I also had bought some pine shaped in a cross that I fell in love with. The cross is full of different pines and greens – so effervescent, strong and masculine. It just reminded me of Aaron when I saw it. It even has some sort of berries in it. I just love it. I had the florist add a plaid ribbon so that it would have that manly Christmas feel.


The view was not as clear and pristine as it was the day we buried him. The wide open view of the mountains was covered by a thick fog and haze but in some odd way it was beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever been up there that I didn’t just stand there and take in the view. It’s absolutely breathtaking.

When I got home I got a call from Christina! We talked for a long time. Sorry you didn’t get more done girl, but I can’t tell you how much that specific call meant to me. Keep on keepin’ on, there’s a plan for your life and God is bigger than we can ever imagine!
Leah

Two Months

Yesterday marked 2 months since Aaron's death. Try as I may I just could not forget it. So many things during the day reminded me of him, Christina and the kids. When the kids were outside playing in the snow I thought of all the times we spent sledriding down those hills on our farm in Centerville. I remember jumping on Aaron's back on a waxed up sled and screaming down the ice covered roads, hoping no one had been brave enough to drive up them. Wow, what a rush! I remember coming in from hours in the cold and my mom having hot chocolate for us all - the mix that she made from scratch!! Loved that stuff.
When we were kids, we were responsible for shoveling the snow and my mom was usually out there with us. Sure enough, when I called her last night she told me she had been outside shoveling yesterday. I'm sure her thoughts were of the same thing - Aaron.
Last night as I was getting ready for bed I heard Joel in Raegan's bedroom helping her with her spelling words and reading to her. I closed my eyes and tried to record that voice and that moment in my memory. Knowing how short life really is. I cannot imagine facing the rest of my life without my dear husband and yet I know that I cannot live my life in fear of what could happen. I'm comforted by the knowledge that God is in control. He loves us, He wants what is best for us and He uses our lives to bring honor and glory to Him. Just as He did with Aaron.
Christina, you face an unspeakable difficulty each and every day, but we know that through Christ you have the power, the strength and the wisdom to lead your family. He will give you rest, comfort, understanding, guidance and the unconditional love that He showed us at the cross!
The kids are continually in our prayers. My dear Samuel, you are a spitting image of your handsome daddy and I pray that you will grow in God's grace and He will heal your broken heart. Your mom loves you more than life itself, she prays for you everyday as do we. There are so many emotions that come and go - some good, some bad but we must learn how to channel or direct them so that we don't hurt those around us. Talking and writing about them is good, even if it brings tears. Those tears are part of the healing process. We will face each milestone as it comes, praying for and encouraging each other and always trusting our Heavenly Father.
We love you!

Snow Day!

It started out as a 2-hour delay and soon the kids were off school for the day! I had to chuckle because when we were kids they didn’t close school unless there were feet of snow - this was just a few inches! So, the kids are excited for their first day off and it didn’t take long for the street to fill with kids.

Just don't eat the yellow snow!
These are the 6 that went to see Cinderella together Friday night. Raegan is in the purple coat. Her twin cousins are in the black with green stripe coats. Jansen is on the left and Isaiah is on the right. They are a year younger than her but they're both bigger than her!
It's still snowing - they are calling for 3 inches but I think we've surpassed that now. It's beautiful! Raegan finally had enough of the cold and came in for hot chocolate - she's off to make Christmas cookies at Mimi's (Joel's mom's)

Grandma Charlotte seems to be doing well. She met with her new General Phys. on Monday, he was pleased with her progress and doesn’t need to see her for several months unless there are complications. She also had an appointment with her new Kidney Dr. They flushed her port and took blood to see if she needs dialysis again. She’s only had it once since she left the hospital. She is wanting to “move back” to her apartment that’s attached to my mom and dad’s but she is not strong or well enough. My mom says she thinks Grandma is afraid that she’s infringing on their alone time. It has been very time consuming and draining on my mom. She is behind on her work in their office, hasn’t been able to send out thank you cards, is feeling the crunch of Christmas, and had really wanted to be with Christina and the kids for Christmas. This is a huge responsibility for my mom, please pray for her continued strength.

Warm hugs

Leah

Busy Weekend

Friday night Raegan joined her twin cousins & friends for a night at the Cumberland Theatre to see a production of Cinderella. Thank you John and Tracy for taking them (all 6 of them). This gave Joel and I an evening to ourselves, which we chose to spend at a local restaurant. It was nice to finish complete conversations without being interrupted. Raegan seems to have so many intellectual questions these days and she insists on being in on EVERY discussion!
Saturday morning we were up early to make it to the mall for Breakfast with Santa. Radio Disney was there and they had lots of characters for the kids – Shrek & Fiona, the Grinch, Beauty and the Beast, Pooh, Tigger, and yes, Santa and Mrs. Claus. I forgot my camera (duh!) but the whole reason we were going was to register for a Hannah Montana concert ticket drawing. Oh, by the way – we didn’t win it…..bummer! Raegan and I did a little shopping and then went to talk to Santa ourselves.

She had her list of toys in mind and one more thing…..a baby brother or sister. I sat with her & Santa but I can’t tell what I asked for.

Sunday started like normal, a rush to get ready and pick up all the kids for church. Raegan continues to invite all of her friends but we are running out of room in our Explorer. We are so proud of her willingness to share Jesus with others – even the boys in the neighborhood!

After church we took Raegan to see the Nutcracker at Allegany College.

She bought this at the "gift shop". It's a ballerina jewelry container.

We were in the front row, center seats. A little girl’s dream!! She sat with her mouth open the entire time. Joel did too, as he slept – ha, ha, just joking. He watched the entire production and even enjoyed it somewhat. We may just give him the “Dad of theYear Award” for sticking it out!

Giving Thanks

The past 4 years we have had Thanksgiving at our house and it was very strange to change this year. We had even started a new tradition of Thanksgiving Brunch with pumpkin pancakes, sausage, eggs, yumm it was great! This year we celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday at my mom and dad’s house which made it much easier for Grandma Charlotte and in a way easier for everyone.


We laughed (something we McCoy’s do a lot of), ate a ton of food, cried a bit, watched WVU win BIG, and thanked the Lord for all He had brought us through this year – pain, loss, sadness and joy. We even got to talk to Christina on the phone as she traveled back to Arkansas. We all wished we could have had their crew to add to the crazy chaos of kids!

Raegan and Olivia loading up their plates.

The kids enjoyed several heated games of Twister – this was a dual between Raegan and Olivia. Raegan ending up winning, I think those long legs gave her an advantage!

We have a tradition of lining the kids up on the stairs when we get together around the holidays. We grabbed Jacob from his nap to include him so that’s why he has that “deer in the headlights” look. Of course we are missing our four little ones in Arkansas in this picture.
And we are also missing the baby that's on the way! Amy is now 30 weeks, she looks great and is still going non-stop!
I have so many reasons to be thankful this year. As I led the song "Give Thanks" at church last Sunday, I was thinking of the verse in Thessalonians that says to give thanks in ALL circumstances. We are to be thankful for the good and bad, because through it all God is given the glory. Yes, I'm even thankful for (gulp) Aaron's death, that is so hard to say. But through it many, many have come to know the Lord as their personal Saviour and many others have renewed their walk with Him. Unfortunately sometimes it takes tragedy to show us what we already knew but were neglecting. Give Thanks!
Leah

Going Hunting!

I haven’t posted on my blog for an entire week so I have a bit of catching up to do! West Virginia hunting season started last week and then of course Thanksgiving, so our kids had the entire week off from school. Needless to say, I didn’t have much time to work on my blog. Raegan enjoyed her first hunting outing with Daddy. She told me she was “really into it” the night before they went. I don’t even know if she knew what she was talking about but Joel and I were both excited that she wanted to go spend some time in the woods with him. She wore the required blaze orange but underneath that is ALL girl in an Ariel sweatshirt!
Luckily we had a very warm day on Thursday (70 degrees!) and it was the perfect time to take her. They saw 6 does, a fox, and lots of squirrels! Daddy & Uncle Shaun had gotten all of the bucks evidently.
She WAS willing to hold the horns from daddy’s deer. Go girl!

This reminded me of the first time my dad and Aaron took me hunting. I was probably 10 or 11. I got up early, put on all the layers to forge the cold, and headed out with them. As we walked through the woods, my dad and Aaron kept saying they could smell something. We soon got to our spot and not long after that they started saying “don’t you want to go back to the house, Leah?” I thought they were concerned about me, but instead they were concerned they wouldn’t get a deer because I smelled too good - it was scaring all the deer away!!! So much for wearing Love’s Baby Soft into the woods!!

Today begins Pennsylvania Hunting Season so we wish our family and friends in PA all the best in the woods today and this week – may you bag a big one!

Happy Birthday!

Today, November 19th is my dad's birthday!! (I'm posting this at 11pm which means I only have one more hour, I'd better do it fast.) Some know him as boss, some know him as a businessman, some know him as Sunday School teacher, some know him as the church maintenance man, some know him just because he is so outspoken! But I know him as Daddy. Yes, I'm 33 years old and still call him daddy, I just can't seem to call him anything else. The term dad is just, well...too plain. Father is just too formal. Pa is too old fashioned. So I guess Daddy it is! Daddy is 63 years young today and still going strong. After having triple by-pass 3 years ago he continues to work full-time, play full-court basketball and insist on doing just about everything on his own. Of course, behind every successful and healthy man is an amazing woman - that would be his beautiful help-mate of 42 years, Linda!

His 10 grandchildren know him as PAP!

Having a serious discussion about back-hoes with Raegan.

What a great picture!

I've inherited a few things from my daddy, here's the first 10 I thought of:
1. my extremely long legs
2. my flat rear end! thanks alot
3. perfectionism, thanks again
4. a Republican bent - after all, my daughter's name is Raegan!
5. ability to socialize anywhere, anytime
6. love for humor
7. a devout respect and honor for my country
8. respect for others
9. Personal relationship with Christ - not inherited, but influenced
10. Burden that others come to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour!

That said, I wish you a very Happy Birthday, Daddy, and pray that our Lord blesses you with many more years to influence and direct others to a saving knowledge & personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Love
Leah

A Real Trooper!

Mother dressed in Aaron's flight suit for the church's Halloween Trunk or Treat back in October. Tonya Grimes sent me the picture and I thought it was fitting for today's post since she has been such a trooper handling all that life has brought her these last 2 months. We all love you mother, allow yourself time to rest and regroup. Don't hesitate to ask for help. There are so many that are ready and willing.

Your baby,

Leah

Grandma Charlotte was discharged from the hospital today. Hard to believe that just one week ago she was on borrowed time. They weaned her from the Nitro, removed the dialysis port and said it was time to go home! Now the real work begins. Mother has moved Grandma back in the house with her so that she can tend to her. Grandma enjoyed a small supper at home this evening and was preparing for bed at 9 pm but not before she and my mom got all of her pills figured out. That woman is a walking drug store! We pray they will all have a restful night. She is scheduled for a recheck on Monday.

We are all extremely exhausted - everyone of our families have been running ragged trying to catch up and to manage the already planned events of life. Adam is still on the road and expects to be in some time Saturday. Joel, Steve, my dad and a friend from church are planning to begin moving Adam & Carole Saturday morning. Amy is bringing the food for all since she cannot lift much due to the pregnancy! I'm sure no one will go hungry! Hopefully, we will have some pictures for you to see.

I have been running on very little sleep since Raegan's seasonal allergies worsened. We were at the dr's last night and they increased meds, added a puffer, steroids AND antibiotics!! Hopefully sleep will resume. Our business is still going strong, with work scheduled for the rest of the month - if the weather would just cooperate! I managed to get the bills, bookkeeping & payroll done for 2 businesses in two days this week and I have a Creative Memories Open House that is scheduled for Saturday! Somehow I will pull that off. My wonderful Mother-in-law, Sharon, and sweet, sweet friend Julie have offered to help me out tomorrow. I plan to take them up on it!

We continue to rejoice with Christina as more and more people are making decisions to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour since Aaron's death. It is like a revival of sorts and we know that Aaron would have it no other way. He was willing to be used by the Lord and his legacy is proof of that. My mom and I mentioned last night that it is so easy to say "why couldn't someone else have been taken?" but we know that Aaron was ready, many others are not! That's when you know that you are looking at situations through God's eyes not your own!
His ways not Mine, His thoughts not mine,
Leah

Change of Plans

Joel and his dad have a favorite saying "if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans." So true! We think we know what we plan to do but that rarely is how it happens. Thus the reason for this post. Yesterday I explained that Grandma had been taken in for a heart cath. That's what we all thought (including her general physician). Well, when she came out she had NOT had the cath but instead had her pacemaker removed and a new device implanted, the ICD. A type of pacer that is teaching her heart to beat properly. What a shock! We had been told this was her only hope but they weren't sure if she could handle such procedures and needed the cath first! The heart dr. said he never had a cath on the schedule just this procedure and she should have had it a year ago! How about that for our plans!?

She did excellent in the surgery and her heart rate is already improving! This is an 85 year old that refuses to give in. She ate a little bit of lunch and then napped for several hours which gave my mom and I precious moments together in the quiet just chatting, crying and laughing. I love you mother, you are a beautiful woman of God.

When Grandma awoke we combed her hair and put some makeup on her so that she could make her debut on my blog. She knows there are so many of you praying for her and she is so thankful for you all. She is experiencing a great deal of pain from the incision to remove the pacemaker and the 2nd incision to implant this new device so they've started some heavy pain killers. She still has other health issues like kidney failure but we will know today how well she has reacted to this surgery. Mother now must prepare to bring her home (near future) and take care of her in-home. Continue to pray for her strength - emotionally and physically.

Leah

Small praises continue to come along. Yesterday Grandma's numbers were good and she did not have to go through dialysis! She is currently undergoing a Catheterization (8am) and then will immediately begin dialysis to clean out the dye. They have decided not to implant the ICD today - we won't know when until after the cath and after we see how she fares all of this. She is in good spirits but fears being a burden, of course. She has had lots of visitors and prayers and she knows that the Lord is in control. Before I left her bedside last night I told her that I loved her that none of us were worried we were trusting completely in the Lord and praying for His will and direction on the doctors. She told me she was not worried either, praise the Lord for the peace that He gives us all in every situation. We'll continue to update you all.
Thank you for your prayers.
Leah

Heroes

As we honor our Veteran’s today, we are reminded of ALL who have served our country on every front during peacetime and war. Our servicemen and women are the best in the world and we owe them our deepest gratitude for sacrificing their lives to protect ours and preserve our freedoms.
I always loved to see Aaron in his uniform, what a handsome man he was. Even his flight suit made my heart go pitter-patter. And evidently it did the same for Christina! Hee hee. When we were in Arkansas I was honored to be in the presence of our Airman and comforted by their strong stature, their disciplined resolve, and their tender hearts. They all share that same love for our country that Aaron had. I think it was born into him. He never wanted to go to college, he instead wanted to serve his country and that small flicker in his heart burned into a bright fiery passion the longer he served. He was willing to give his life for it and came close to it many times. I still find it hard to comprehend that his life was taken on American soil in the split second of someone’s bad decision. But no matter how he died it doesn’t change the fact that he was a true American hero! I know I speak for my parents, my siblings, Christina and the kids – Aaron will always be our Hero!
On Saturday, at a small town veteran’s memorial service in Centerville, PA, a wreath was laid in honor of Aaron and his service to our great country. As you can imagine we all shed tears (AGAIN) and felt our hearts swell with pride as we honored his commitment and service.

This is Marine Maj. Stewart Hickey with my dad. He retired in 1999 and resides in Centerville, PA. He was the Mastor of Ceremonies. A true patriot!
This young man, Lt. Bullington was the guest speaker. He served in Kosovo with the U.S. Army. He graduated from Bedford High School (our high school), and either IUP or Shippensburg Univ. I can't remember which. His speech was very inspiring. My mom and dad got to speak with him afterwards. My mom is holding Jacob (Amy's youngest).We thank God for our Veterans!

God Bless America!

Leah

l

Grandma Charlotte

So much continues to happen with Grandma and I wanted to keep you up to date and thank you for your continued prayers for everyone.

A dialysis port was inserted yesterday for Grandma to begin dialysis to deplete the amount of fluid that has built up in her lower abdomen and chest. This is something she had not wanted to do again after going through several months of it 2 years ago but she asked for it so that the doctors can pursue other procedures this week. She received her 1st dialysis this morning, she is very groggy from morphine that they've had to give her to relieve her pain. She will get another treatment tomorrow and then a Cath. is planned for Monday. They will look to see if her stents are still in place and/or if they need to do anything else. She will have immediate dialysis following the Cath to remove the dye so that it does not damage her already failing kidneys. Depending on how she handles these procedures they are looking at possibly inserting an Biventicular ICD in her. This is an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator - it will help her heart regulate its beating and shock it when necessary. Her pacemaker cannot do what she needs. You can check out what this is here http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/abnormal-rhythms-icd

We are all (hopefully) going to make it to the Veterans Memorial Service at Centerville, PA at 11am today - they are honoring Aaron. Mother and daddy have been told they will lay the wreath. It is very cold and wet here but I plan to get some pictures for you all to see.

Thought You Should Know

It’s 4 am and I’ve been up with Ragean since 1. Her seasonal allergies have resumed and the hacking cough is constant. I’m wondering if her dosage of Singulair is strong enough. After taking some Triaminic she’s finally resting. Anyways, I’ve wanted to post some news about the family to keep everyone informed so what better time than the quiet hours of the early morning.

In case you haven’t read Christina’s blog lately, a case against the young lady responsible for Aaron’s death has begun by the county in Arkansas. She is being charged (won’t say the charges). Christina is taking one day at a time. The motorcycle has been sold and the travel trailer is in the process of selling. The kids are faring ok; Lanie seems to be having the most visible difficulty. She doesn’t want to go to pre-school anymore and would rather stick close to mommy. Continue to keep them in your prayers.

My oldest brother Adam and his wife Carole are in the final stages of building. If all goes well, we plan to move them in on the 17th. We are praying that their other house sells quickly – 2 mortgage payments isn’t fun! Hopefully, I will have some pictures of the new one to share soon. Adam is on the road a lot traveling – long haul truck driving.

Amy, my sister, is in her 26th/27th week of pregnancy with baby #5 and is doing well. They’ve been told it’s a girl and while they have had lots of input they seem to settling on one name in particular. I’ll share the name once they give me permission. The kids are all very excited to welcome their baby sister sometime before February 17. Amy’s husband Steve won re-election for Bedford County Commissioner in the Pennsylvania State Elections on Tuesday. This is great news; however, he missed being top vote-getter by 14 or so votes which means he will relinquish his title of Chairman. We are just thankful for godly men like him that are willing to assume the role of public servant.

My mom and dad are very busy with life’s details since Aaron’s death in addition to carrying on with their mechanical contracting company. My mom has been extremely overwhelmed with caring for her mother “Grandma Charlotte” who is 85. She has not been well since Aaron's accident – her health has continued to decline, she's shown signs of depression and now is suffering from chest pains. She was admitted to the hospital this afternoon. Raegan & I spent the evening with my mom and her there. They’ve placed her in high-level care on a Nitro drip and have diagnosed her with Unstable Angina. They are not saying that she is having a heart attack but her severe symptoms and continued pain give them cause to treat her with extreme care. Hopefully we will have more news in the morning. Please pray for her comfort and God’s direction on the doctors.

In addition, I would urge you to pray fervently for my mom. The pain and sadness she is experiencing is devastating and her burdens are tremendous. She has barely had time to cope with this tragedy and rest has been slim. Please, please, please pray for her strength and God’s tender healing.

New Every Morning

I love mornings, especially if I get a little extra sleep and have time to putts around. Well, I didn't have either one of those this morning but I woke to the words to that song in my head. His mercies are new every morning, new every morning, great is thy faithfulness oh Lord, great is thy faithfulness! My mom used to sing it alot when we were kids and I guess it has stuck with me.
Each day I'm reminded how our Lord really is in control. As I read Christina's blog from yesterday I'm amazed at her strength and fortitude to keep plugging away. We all know she is human and has her down times and sorrow but our gracious God has walked her through this, held her hand, wiped her tears and coordinated EVERYTHING! There are no coincidences or luck in the believer's life. Why then do we choose to doubt, to control things, to worry and fret? Because Satan wants us to doubt the almighty power of our Lord Jesus! Don't do it! Even when you feel you are at the end - His mercies are new every morning!

Family

Each one of us is beautifully and wonderfully made by our Creator. When He binds us together by the strings of our mother and father we are Family. The bonds we form in those early years (including the normal sibling rivalry) connect us forever. I love to listen to my mom and dad tell the stories of how each of us were born. They love to tell the stories just as much as we love to hear them and they have such tender memories and hilarious recollections of our birth, our behaviors and our well......teachable moments! My dad especially adds a great deal of humor as he recounts them. How proud our parents must be to see the beautiful fruit of their labor.

This picture was taken in November 2005.

Adam is on the left, Amy in the back, me in the center and Aaron on the right.

I remember with sweet sadness the days of my childhood, the smells of the country air, the joys of no responsibility and the endless fun we shared playing together. The four of us and our endless groups of friends found entertainment in the outdoors. Playing in the sun, sled riding in the cold and hiking in the brisk fall. I yearn to return to those days and live in utter ignorance where there is no death, no pain, no sadness. But that is not reality. And without the pain there would be no joy. Without the loss we would not gain.

I feel the pain in my heart today as we mark a milestone – one month without my dear brother Aaron. There will always be that “count”. I’ve started to refer to it as A.D. – After Aaron’s Death. One week, one month, etc. This month has been life changing for me to say the least and there are days I can barely remember it the way it was before because of the intense sorrow. In a devotional called Joy for the Journey I read this today:
“When we stand in the middle of a lifestorm, it seems as if the storm has become our way of life. We cannot see a way out. We are unable to chart a course back to smoother waters. We feel defeated – and broken. But do we let that brokenness keep us forever in the mire of “if only” thinking. Or do we yield up that brokenness to the resources of the One who calms the winds and the waves, heals the brokenhearted, and forgives the most grievous of sins. The choice is ours.”

Yes, there is pain. Yes there is sorrow. I believe there always will be. But our God who makes all things possible promises us perfect peace. Amy (my sister) shared with me one of her husband’s favorite verses when we were on our way to Arkansas. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you. Isaiah 26:3

He is the Almighty God. He is the God who heals. He is the God of peace. He is the God who forgives. He is the God who provides, and He is the God who is in control. He knows everything that is happening. He is not caught off guard. His love is perfect.

My family lost a very special piece on October 5th and even though that earthly bond has been severed by tragedy, the spiritual bond will remain and we will jump into each other’s arms on that glorious day we are called up to be with the Lord. And as I said before, with pain - there is joy. We rejoice knowing EXACTLY where Aaron is and we embrace the joy of adding more to our family through Aaron’s life. What a huge family we’ve discovered!! We’ve met so many of you – but there are many more that we will not meet until that glorious day.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:38-39

More of the family. Each of us with our spouses and children. This visit from Aaron & Christina and the kids was a God-send. We never realized how special this picture really would be. It was a surprise Christmas gift for our parents that year. And now it's been a gift for us all!!

Amy was pregnant with #4 and is now pregnant with #5! Try getting that many kids to sit still long enough to get a usable picture!!