New IS Friend

I found a new IS friend that is local to our area.  Crazy enough, I found her through one of Ethan's friends at school.  Finnley has just begun her ACTH treatment and we are ever hopeful that it will stop her seizures.

As I read the following post for the first time, I cried knowing that yet another family was affected by IS.  But to see the message of hope in her mother's post lets me know that a mother's hope has no bounds.

I look forward to following their blog and Finne's progress and I hope you will too!  

They say behind every cloud is a silver lining. I like to imagine that lining is not only silver but full of chunky glitter and sparkle. Something that catches all the light and makes you look forward to whatever is behind that cloud. There is always something good on the other side of life's challenges. It may take awhile for us to discover it sometimes - but it is always there. What we learn from it will help us to grow and become stronger. If we don't learn from it - my experience has been that it will be taught to us over and over until we that lesson in.

A bit of a cloud presented itself this month to our family. I say a 'bit of a cloud' because nothing compares to the cloud(or trial) of almost losing a child. Paul was given a lay off notice at his job and has until the end of the month. One blessing is that his boss is going to carry our insurance until the first of the year. A wonderful blessing because Finn's next treatment will be around $100,000.00 and without insurance or a dead rich relative - treatment just wouldn't happen.

Job prospects are grim right now as we all know but we are hopeful for the change. If there is one thing we have learned this year - God knows us. He knows our family and hears our prayers. I always knew that - but know I KNOW that. I hope all of you know that. We are His children and are individually known to Him. He listens and answers in the way it will serve us the best. We may have a job tomorrow or it may be six months from now. Heck - we may be living with you! But we know that we will be where the Lord wants us and needs us. Not moving is of course our first choice but that glittery lining may be in Texas, Ohio or Bora Bora! I am personally hoping it's in Hawaii but only time will tell. (Can't you just picture that glittery rainbow over Kauai??)

Prayer strengthens us when we are scared and gives us hope when we are feeling alone. We are at peace with the job situation, calm even. So maybe that proves that we have learned a lot these past two years. It usually gets really dark and scary right before everything falls into place and we know where we are headed. It's not dark at all - maybe that means we have a long time yet... Or, that our perspective has changed and our faith has increased in His plan for us. How do people get a long in this world without the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Finnie's seizures have not gone away so we are on to the next phase of treatment. It should start within the next few weeks. I will have to inject her with the medication and that makes me a little nervous to be the one hurting her everyday but it's a necessary evil. She is doing well otherwise and smiling more and more. She LOVES Angie and they are so cute together. Finn just lights up when Angie comes into the room - it's so sweet.

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