January 10, 2020 -- Seizure Saga Update

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!  We hope and pray that you all had a very blessed season of celebrating the true hope . . . our hope in Jesus Christ.  What an amazing Saviour that so humbly came in the form of a baby to provide salvation for all who would put their trust and faith in Him!  In the Bible, I read through the book of Matthew during the month of December and Trevor preached a Christmas series from a passage in Matthew.  From that time studying the life of Jesus, it never ceases to amaze me the love of our Saviour that came to serve rather than be served!  Praise Him for He alone is worthy!

I have been meaning to post an update on Hope's seizures. . .

January 8, 2020 -- Hope Proclaims re: Disability Awareness

Hi everyone!  This is Hope, and I wanted to share with you that I started a YouTube channel to be able to share some of the things that are important to me.  Last semester, I made a video called, "Disabilities 101," and as part of an action plan for my Social Studies class, I would like to share it with you.  It took my mom and I two months to make this video with a LOT of takes and retakes as I really struggle to remember and speak my lines in front of a camera.  You get to see the final "polished" product . . . well, as polished as my mom is able to do, according to her!  You would probably laugh with us to hear about some of the video bloopers, such as when my standing pole fell over on me when I was trying to do a transfer . . . don't worry, no one was seriously injured in the making of this video . . . well, unless you count the wall . . . it has a nasty gouge in it now!  I did choose to leave in some of the bloopers of our cute little doggie, named Connor, just because who doesn't want to see a cute little fur ball!  I'll tell you more about him later in another post.

So, back to my Disabilities 101 video.  My life changed drastically about 8 years ago and has never been the same since.  I've had to learn so many new things and different ways of doing things as a severely disabled person.  And, the people around me have also needed to learn how best to help me, to engage with me, and to love me through a lot of really hard circumstances.  I'm so thankful for the people that God placed in my life to walk through this journey together and learn from each other . . . nurses, doctors, therapists, friends, teachers, educational assistants, church family, my dear family, prayer warriors like you, and even strangers at times, but most of all my Saviour who has been with me through it all!  

I think that people with disabilities are often lonely, isolated, and excluded for a variety of reasons that are often just practical because we can't do what many typical people do.  I think sometimes people don't talk to or hang out with disabled people because they don't know how to.  I can't imagine going through what I have gone through without Jesus and the many people who have loved and supported me through it.  I realize that not everyone has that and that is heartbreaking.  So, I wanted to make a video that helps people learn a bit more about what disabilities are, what a day with disabilities might look like, and how you can engage with disabled people more effectively and meaningfully.  Have you heard the song, "Dream Small" by Josh Wilson?  It's one of my favorites and it has a line in the second verse that says, "dancing on a Friday with a friend with special needs, these simple moments change the world."

I really hope you enjoy my video and can take something helpful away from it so that God can use you to be a light and blessing to someone who lives with disabilities.  They need to know that Jesus loves them and you can be the one to show them His love and that they are special and loved just the way they are!  And through that, you can change the world and how great would that be!

Signing off for now, 
Hope

Link to YouTube Video:
(you will need to copy and paste this link to get there)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyJbffflsAI 

February 1, 2019 -- Despised, Yet Loved

Hope needed to write a blog post for her English class in response to a worldview or issue presented in a movie.  We thought it might be fun for her to actually share her blog post with you, on her blog!   I would so love for her to take over the blog some day, so this is great practice for her toward that end, and we hope you enjoy a little peek into the heart of our sweet girlie!

November 27, 2018 -- Hope Is On Joni & Friends Radio Program Tomorrow!

Hello dear friends!  It has been way too long since I've had a chance to post an update.  I started an update post on Hope's school, hmm . . . yikes, it was 5 months ago now!  Ha ha!  And Hope has a few things that she wants me to post as well.  It has been a difficult fall for us, and many things have fallen to the wayside as a result.  However, for now, I'm gonna just keep this short and let you know something kinda cool!

April 19, 2018 -- How Did Hope's New Neurologist Appointment Go?

Thank you so much everyone for your faithful prayers for our Hopey girl as we took her to a new neurologist appointment yesterday.  Here's an update on how it went . . . 

April 17, 2018 -- Update on Seizures and New Neurologist

Hello dear ones!  I'd love to share a quick update on Hope's seizures as well as a prayer request for an appointment tomorrow to meet Hope's new neurologist . . . 

February 20, 2018 -- Hope's Journey to Walk

Well, this was a post that I have been wanting and meaning to share for a long time.  As such, a lot has happened over the long while since I first started out to write this post, including some significant ups and down.  I even noticed that I referred to it in my last post back in Dec 2016!  Well, you have waited long, and God is so worthy of all praise, so here is an update on Hope's walking progress. . . 

November 2017 -- A New Look!!!

You have probably already noticed that Hope's blog has a new look!  The old template was deleted and we needed to choose a new one. . . 

March 15, 2014 -- Hopeism

The other day, while driving the girls to school one morning, this conversation occurred. . .

Hope:  "Mom, what do you think I'll be when I grow up?"

Mom:  "I don't know honey, but I sure can't wait to see what God has planned for your life!"

Hope:  "I sure hope that He wants me to be an author and an illustrator!"

Mom:  "That would be fan-tas-tic!!!"


I still remember clearly asking Hope at 4 years old what she wanted to be when she grew up. . . she responded quickly and simply with this, "Whatever God wants me to be!"  We are so very thankful that from such a young age, God has impressed on Hope's heart that her life belongs to Him and she trusts Him explicitly with her future!  How He has prepared her for the circumstances that have come into her life robbing her of so many abilities. . . yet, nothing can take away our ability to rest in the hope that our Saviour gives!

March 2013 -- Fun Hope-ism

We never cease to be amazed at the sense of humour that God has given to Hope, even through her awareness of the daily challenges that she faces.  So it is a great delight for me to continue to share with you what we have coined, Hope-isms!  And as you share in a smile or laugh with us, please also remember with us, that although Hope is beyond special to us as her parents and such a joy to all who know her, the greatest joy is in the God who lovingly created her, fashioned her with uniqueness even in the midst of a severe brain injury, and most importantly is merciful and faithful to do a work in her heart!  May God be glorified in her life now and always!!!

Trev was getting Hope ready for school one morning.  He turned to grab the deodorant to put under her arms, without saying anything to indicate that this was what he was doing.  When he turned around, deodorant in hand, Hope was laying on the her bed with both her arms stretched high above her head, ready for that deodorant!  Trev was surprised and curious as to how she knew that he was grabbing the deodorant and so he asked her a question and received a GREAT answer. . .

Trev:  "Hope, how did you know that I was grabbing the deodorant?  Did you use your sense of smell, your sense of hearing, or your sense of sight?"

Hope (with a big grin on her face):  "Daddy, I used my SENSE OF HUMOUR!!!"

November 16, 2017--Hope is a Big Buddy!!!

Hello all!  Hope asked me to share this with you as she would so love to have your prayer support for her as she strives to glorify God in this endeavor . . . 

October 17, 2017 -- Piano on My Back?

Hello dear and faithful friends and prayer warriors!  It has been so long since I have been able to sit down and write a post.  Thank you for the many sweet notes and reminders that although I have failed to keep you updated, you have continued to remind us of God's unfailing love as you kept us in your thoughts and prayers . . . we are blessed by you!

December 27, 2016 -- Update on Virus

Thank you so much everyone for your prayers and encouraging notes for Hope as she battles this virus I mentioned on Christmas Day.  She gave us a scare yesterday morning. . . 

December 25, 2016 -- Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!  Just a quick note to say how much we love and appreciate each one of you and your continued love and prayers for our sweet girlie, and our family!  You are such a blessing to us!!!  We pray that each one of you had a blessed Christmas celebration today and as you continue this week into the New Year, that you would know and be reminded daily of the precious gift of our Saviour who came to earth so that sinners might be reconciled to God, as they believe, repent, and call upon the name of Jesus!  We love you and praise God for each one of you, dear ones!  You are so loved!!!

P.S.  Hope started feeling unwell this afternoon, on Christmas Day.  She started running a fever and feeling pretty crummy as the day continued.  She stated several times today that her chest has been burning, and we're not sure exactly where that symptom is coming from.  Please pray that whatever illness she has will pass quickly and that it will not cause any seizures, especially with the fever.  She hasn't had a fever since the acute infection she had in the surgical site after her Baclofen pump was removed in April 2014.  She has been a sweet cuddly girl today and thankful we can enjoy the gift that she is, even when she's feeling so lousy!  Thank you dear ones!

Family Picture Taken June 2016 at our Nephew's Graduation!

We have not been good at getting family pictures over the last few years . . . we'll have to get better at that . . . so we were thankful for this opportunity, and it was fun to try a first family picture minus Hope's wheelchair!  She was a little stressed about standing with only support from her daddio, as you can see the tension in her shoulders, but it turned out pretty good, none the less!  Thanks dear Auntie Leanne for arranging this!!!

December 14, 2016 -- Five Years Ago . . .

So today has been an incredible day of sorts . . . filled with tears of joy and sorrow, observing the Lord giving and the Lord taking away, being reminded of how fragile life is and yet how mighty, faithful, and loving is the God sovereign over it all!  Let me share a bit of my heart in response to today, a day that marks the 5 year anniversary of our lives changing forever . . . the day our Hope didn't wake up . . .