Victoria is Nine Months!!!

 Here it is November already! Truly our days fly quickly by.  Today Victoria is nine months old.  We are so thankful that God has given her to us for this long already.  She is a blessing to our family, and we thank God for her. 

                                                  Aaaaaa!  They took me to the doctor!!! 

Last month we had an appointment with a doctor in our area, and he connected us with the Gillette Childrens Hospital in St. Paul.  We were able to get an appointment within a day of having to be in Minneapolis anyway, so we did not have to make two trips, for which we were thankful...it is a long trip down that way.  We got to the hospital around 10:30am and were not done until around 5:00pm, so it was a rather long day.  We saw a pediatric neurosurgeon, a pediatric neurologist, various nurses, a physio therapist, and one other doctor.  They were all thorough, knowledgeable, and treated Victoria as if she were a person and special...which she is, of course!  They were surprised by her overall good health, and by many problems which she does NOT have...but which often come with her condition. They were also able to answer some questions we had.

 We were able to stay with Ilyas and Tami Masih while we were there.  We thoroughly enjoyed their generous hospitality and catching up...(thanks so very much!!)  It was so nice to spend time there.

We picked up Reuben at the Minneapolis airport the day after Victoria's appointment, then headed home.  We were thankful for the nice traveling weather...and that the deer stayed off the road.

Victoria sleeps through the night...the majority of the time...and is content most of the time.  She has discovered that she can sooth herself with her fingers, and enjoys playing with them. 

Did you know that different positions you naturally hold your baby in are actually good for their muscles??  I have always carried my babies with their back to me...(like in the above photo) and it is amazing what you can do with the extra hand when a baby is contentedly in that position.  I hadn't been holding Victoria in this position because of the weight of her head and her tendency to tip forward.  The physio therapist told me that it would work different muscles, though, so we're back to this cozy hold...at least some of the time.  We are also doing various compressions, and encouraging movement other ways, as well.  She even gets 'tummy time'...which does require a little creativity.

We found that we had already found many things which stimulate her development...but were glad to have them confirmed and find more ways to encourage development, as well as try to help prevent various muscle problems.  One interesting the pediatric physio therapist suggested doing is getting her into a crawling position and then putting gentle pressure in the hip area to encouragement the proper forming of the femur ball in the hip socket. So many things to learn...never a dull moment.  : )

JoAnna with Victoria

 If I had a photo where Victoria looked half smothered by little big sisters, while  she is trying to have a little lunch, it would an accurate one.  JoAnna and Esther both think that a little cuddling and nursing baby is an invitation to come start kissing her and I often have a little entourage gathered round at lunch time.  They also love to hold her.  With a good chair and a soft pillow  we can let them hold her for a little while, anyway and they feel quite privileged. In the photo above and right, JoAnna still has on her nightgown and her special morning hair style...at least she wakes up cheerful!   The position on the lower right is probably Victoria's favorite position to be held in.  She does get tired of being held though...and then she just needs her own bed.

A little cuddle with Elizabeth

Victoria sometimes sounds a little funny when she sleeps...but mostly she sleeps peacefully...sometimes with hands in front like above, sometimes with her hands straight up...I'd say above her head, but they don't reach that far.  She never sleeps long with her hands covered.  If I happen to cover them, she promptly remedies the problem.

We want to thank all of you who have prayed for us over the last nine months.  It has been a journey with many ups and downs...but through it all we have been thankful for our God who is good ALL the time.  We don't know all of what is down the road in our future...but we know Who will be with us all the way.  Our prayer continues to be that God will be glorified through our little Victoria...and through all of our lives, as we lean on Him for strength.

                                                                                       Good-bye for now, and may God  bless                                                                                              you   all!!

Gardening 2010

I love working in the garden. It is so much fun to plant things as a family...to watch them grow...to see the garden looking neat and tidy, (after weeding and tilling) and finally to harvest. We have canned applesauce, pizza sauce, peaches, jams, squash and more. We have also frozen corn, beans, carrots and blueberries. You should see the production when we are in action! Everyone enjoys working together. Caleb's favorite job is tilling, Matthew prefers mowing the lawn, but when it comes to gardening his favorite job is pulling out corn stalks. Rachel enjoys freezing and canning and Elizabeth enjoys spading the garden and picking beans.  Marie, JoAnna and Esther love planting the seeds...especially onions, beans and corn...as the size is good for their little hands.  Reuben prefers eating what comes out of the garden. (He's gone today and so I can say anything I like for him) Actually, Reuben helps with whatever needs doing in the garden... : )...don't know if he has a favorite.

There is so much to learn from gardening...the principal of reaping and sowing, for example.
 The seeds that we plant determine what we grow.  In our lives it is the same.  We reap what we sow...so the question is...what are we sowing today??  Without a doubt we will reap.  And we always reap MORE than we sow.  Do we want to reap MORE of what we are planting today?  There is also the need to take care of little things...while they are still little.  If a weed is allowed to continue to grow, it begins to choke out the good plants while they are young...around the older plants the weeds may not choke it out...but watch out! There is nothing like a weed to be ready to reproduce....hundreds and thousands of seeds...which will patiently wait through the winter and then bear fruit...perhaps after we have long forgotten that we did not deal with them.  A few years ago, I was my Grandma Doris' gardener.  Her garden was a little low, and it was a wet year.  We replanted three times, and finally gave up.  The weeds grew up in that garden, and in the fall, my Uncle Vernon mowed them down, and later the garden was tilled.  Spring came, and once again I was planting at Grandma's.  We make a habit of keeping our garden fairly well weeded...because of that, most years, after weeding once or twice, we are well ahead of the weeds, and a little attention here and there keeps us ahead of the weeds...not so the garden at grandma's that year.   A little while after planting the garden we came back to weed.  I had NEVER seen such an excellent weed crop!  It was like a shag carpet!  The children looked at it and we were all a little discouraged before we ever began.  I reminded them how we usually are ahead of the weeds in a weeding or two...and certainly the next time should be less...and we plunged in!  How we weeded...then we waited for things to grow.  About a week to 10 days later we were back...what did we see??  The shag carpet of weeds once again!  Aaaaah!   Once again we plunged in...I admit...I FELT like quitting on that garden.  It would never do for the garden in grandma's yard to be untidy, however; so we kept on.  We did finally get a reasonable harvest that year.   After that labor intensive year...I took some time to think about sin in our lives.  Never imagine that we can let it grow up with out paying for it in the long run!
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap...and let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galations 6:7 & 9)

7 Months

Just a few shots of Victoria.

Many ask about her, and how she is doing. We love her to pieces, and are enjoying seeing
her babble, smile and grab for some toys. Not huge things
for a 7 month old, but for her they are. Health wise, she is
doing well...just getting rid of a little thrush.

Okay, now which boy do you suppose took this?
I guess hunting season is just around the corner.

Thanks for all your prayers for us. We are resting . Have a wonderful
time enjoying fall.

Looking back...two of our four July Birthdays

These photos are from July...Elizabeth and Esther's birthdays are the 25th and 26th...with 13 years in between. We are so thankful for both of them. Esther's sunny disposition and Elizabeth's servant heart are an encouragement to all of us.

Family Music festival at Lake Itasca, and our attempted trip to Toronto

The Wisseman family singing at the bluegrass festival. These pictures were taken the weekend before we were to go to Toronto.

Joanna enjoying the park

My sweet girls

The Wisseman family did a children's program at the festival

Victoria enjoying the shade. What a face

The cabin we rented for one night at Wandering Wheels in Michigan. No , we did not all fit in the cabin.  Our van blew a manifold gasket at 10:30pm, just outside of Christmas. Ho Ho Ho. What a wonderful gift. But we know that God makes no mistakes in our lives, so we were stuck at this campground without a vehicle for 2 days. By the time the van got fixed, it was late Friday night, and we decided that we were not going to keep going down the road. We were so sad to miss my Dad's 8oth birthday party, but felt that we couldn't go on as we had no idea if the van would get us there and back.  We stayed at this campground just outside of Munising MI. A beautiful area with lots to do.

Mini putt was favorite at the campground, as well as swimming in the pool.

Rachel in the cabin...now that's camping.

We picked lots of blackberries where we stayed. Even got to share some with  the workers at the campground

There were so many beautiful falls, here are just a few pics.

The kids were so good, and really enjoyed themselves. Only ones missing here are Ben and Victoria

Yes, this shot is on the shores of lake Superior, just beautiful. This was taken 300' above.

Do you think they enjoyed the beach???

Caught you Linda. I think she enjoyed her self more than the children

Reuben on some of the pictured rocks

The scenery was just incredible

Thank you Father for remembering your promise

The end of a fantastic day on the beach. So our vacation did not end up as planned, but I guess we never know what is around the corner for us. I guess God wanted us to bless some of the folks we rubbed shoulders with in Michigan.  Victoria traveled okay, but she was also one of the reasons that we did not go on, as her colour in and around her eyes did not seem right. I really missed seeing my family as some of them I have not seen for over 4 years...something to look forward to I guess. One of the lessons that God is teaching me through Victoria is to trust Him when things don't turn out as we plan. Normally I get upset when things do not go as planned, but His peace was so evident in my heart this time (for those of you who have broken down in the middle of nowhere, you will know what I'm talking about.)  We have much to be thankful for. Blessing on  your day, and remember to pack peace, patience and trust on you next family vacation. Bruce

Victoria is Six Months!

Hurray for six months.  Why are we so happy for six months? Only 3% of babies with HPE are born. Of those 3 %, only 50% will ever make it to six months.  So, we count our blessings. At work today as I showed some pictures of Victoria, someone made the comment that life is so unfair to allow something like this to happen. No I said, we don't blame God or think He makes any mistakes in our lives. We are just grateful for the days He gives us, and if He gave us what we deserve, none of us would be here today.  Tomorrow, Lord willing, we are on our way to Toronto for Dad's 80th birthday party on Sat. Would appreciate your prayers for a safe journey,and that the van would run well (307k miles and counting on the van)., and that we would be able to be a blessing to those the Lord sends our way.  We are so grateful for all our children, aren't they a blessing?

Victoria in her car seat

Thank you so much for praying for our family. We are so weak, but God is so strong. May  you be resting in the sweet arms of Jesus today. Sometime today, thank God for how good He is. Blessing. Bruce

Happy Birthday Rachel July 6th

Rachel had some friends over for her birthday this year.

 

They had a wonderful time eating, playing games, and having Caleb take pictures. How many did you have to delete off of your camera Krahn girls?

 

Here she is, our sweet Rachel. Wonderful disposition. Organized. Thorough in her work. Great initiative . Loves Jesus. You are certainly a blessing  Rachel. Lots of love, Dad

Mom and Dad's Visit

WAITING!!!!Have you ever had a hard time waiting for something? I think it goes without saying, that most of us do not like to wait.Whether its in line, in traffic, for appointments...you get the idea. But what about waiting on God, just as tough I think. In Isa. 30 it mentions waiting several times. For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: (and then the sad words) and ye would not." Later it says "blessed are all they that wait for him." Are we part of the waiters, or the others, and you would not rest ? I would love to rush ahead in time to see how certain situations will turn out, but we must wait. I would love to see what Victoria will be like in say 5 years, but we must wait. Thank God its not a hopeless waiting, but it will be an unprofitable waiting if we miss the present. You see, we only live in the present, and sometimes we can miss the joy of the present because of our worry of the future. Quietness, and confidence is to be our strength . Okay, enough preaching.

We had a wonderful time with my parents who came to visit from Toronto.

No visit would be complete without games and food. Mom, you sure made us laugh in the balderdash game
My mom and Victoria
Can you believe that Dad is almost 80? Here he is staying fit in the school playground
Then there was the trip to Macdonalds

Thank you Aunt Ruth and uncle Wilf for providing for this meal. Our famous Roosevelt diner is closed, so had to settle for the Black Bear Cafe.

I am blessed with such wonderful parents. I think they enjoyed Victoria, and all the others too.
The time went all too fast.