It Must Be Christmas: Lights, Santa, and Angels

Here are some recent pics of Titus.

Titus loves to play with this string of rope lights.

And, Titus and the boys got to meet Santa this week. Titus wasn't too excited, but the fact that Tucker did not run screaming from the building (as he has done in years past) was a huge step.

And, here's Titus with his new day-time nurse - Lisa. She comes twice a week and along with Vanessa are two of Titus' guardian angels. Our life is so blessed that these two ladies are part of our family.

All I Want for Christmas . . .

We found out this morning that Titus will have his Cochlear Implant surgery for his left ear on Monday, Dec. 15, 2008. Yep - a week from today!

We found out late last month that insurance had approved the cochlear implant, but the surgeon did not have any availability in December. Our insurance at work is changing carriers in January, so we have been praying very hard that a time slot would open up in December. Last Friday, we met with hearing specialist to review the two different brands/styles of implants so we could choose which one to use when surgery is scheduled. We mentioned to the specialist that we were still waiting on surgery date and she mentioned she would discuss with the doctor on Monday morning to see if they could schedule a time in December. Well, the next thing we know, is that we received a call this morning. Surgery will be at Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth. They have told us that it's basically day surgery, but we will see if Titus will need to spend the night or will be able to come home that night.

As an FYI, the cochlear implant consists of two devices: a small receiver that is installed into his skull with a fine wire that wraps around his cochlea and an external receiver/decoder that takes the sounds and translates it. The external device is worn around his ear with a quarter-sized, magnetic attachment that attaches to the internal receiver (which also has a small magnet).

After the surgery, they will wait for 3 weeks before they turn it on and then they will fine-tune it over the next few months.

Needless to say, we are thrilled and are praying that the cochlear will work as designed and provide Titus with the gift of hearing. If all goes as planned, they will do his right ear in 2009. Please pray for Dr. Bauer and his staff as they perform the surgery and that Titus' remain healthy this week.

Titus is growing - he's up to 17lbs and he's truly filling out. His knees are getting chubby! And, if anything, the child can grow a head full of hair. He is already in desperate need of another haircut since his hair is getting in his eyes. He continues to show improvement in therapy. And, he is just the happiest baby to be around.

A is for Aidan, B is for Becky . . .

While having our traditional pancake breakfast on Saturday morning, Tucker and Cade started to show us how they are learning the alphabet.

Cade: "C is for Cade".
Tucker: "T is for Tucker"

I asked them what is mom. They both piped up "B is for Becky".

So, then I asked them "What is P?"

And Tucker spurts out "P is for Pee in the Potty!"

Noah adds "That's what Nana has been teaching them."

Great - with all the P names we have in the family: Paul, PeePaw, Poppy, PawPaw, Patti, you might think the P would stand for one of them. But no, now we know that P is for the potty.

Thanks Nana!

P.S. Titus if feeling much better. His fever stopped yesterday and his breathing continues to improve on the antibiotic. Thanks for the prayers.

Titus has a Virus

Titus has been running a fever for the last week with a lot of increased secretions. We've been to the doctor twice this week - and he put him on an antibiotic on Monday, but now that the fever is continuing, the doctor believes it may be more viral - so we just have to wait it out.

Poor little guy - you can tell he just doesn't feel well, but even with a fever, he's not very cranky. We have increased his breathing treatments to every 3 hours (we were down to twice a day) and started CPT (which we haven't had to do in months). It helps him tremendously on his breathing and loosens all the gunk so we can suction it out, but it's the fever that comes and goes that tires him out.

So, he stayed home yesterday with Meemaw while the rest of us did the Turkey Trot, and then he celebrated his first Thanksgiving at home with the family. We kept flashing back to last year when he was in the hospital at Thanksgiving (and Christmas and New Years). It is so much better having him home.

And, we received his approval from insurance for his cochlear implants for his left ear. They will only do one ear at a time. Since our insurance is changing in January, we are praying he will be healthy soon so we can schedule the cochlear implant in December.

Please pray for these things:

• Titus' fever will go away
• His breathing will improve and his lungs will be clear
• His cochlear implant surgery will be scheduled in December.

Give Thanks

DiscipleNow weekend (or D-Now if your hip) was a blast. We had a good group of 6th grade girls and great leader (Halley from Lake Charles, LA). It is amazing how well behaved they can be when they know the consequence for not behaving is picking up dog poo in the back yard.

Over the weekend, I became the Bible Answer Man for several of their questions. On Saturday morning at breakfast, I was asked if Thanksgiving was a Christian holiday. This led to an interesting discussion (ok - some may say historical dissertation on my part) about the background and significance of the first thanksgiving.

But after all was said, I asked the girls why they say "thank you".

And the responses I got were interesting. All of them said "to be polite".

So, I probed a little deeper - and the secondary response I got was "to be respectful".

Then I asked them what the meaning of the words were. When you say thanks, are you showing gratitude and thankfulness because someone has provided something for you or is it the automatic response that comes out of our mouth because when we were young our parents would hover over us and say "What do you say? . . . What do you say? . . . WHAT DO YOU SAY!!!!" until you squeaked out those 2 words.

Somewhere along the training of the action, we have forgotten to train the moral reason behind the words. And frankly, I was a little surprised that even in 6th grade, these good girls knew the right words, but had not stopped to think about the meaning behind them.

As we enter into a week of thanksgiving, my prayer is my words relay the intent of my heart. I have so much to be grateful for, so much to be thankful for, and just . . . so much.

One last thought about the weekend. It never fails in a gathering like this, there is always one who just speaks a little louder than others, has just a little more knowledge than others, has an opinion more expressed than others and by the end of the weekend, you feel as if your head my explode if you hear one more word. We had one like that. But as the weekend we progressed, we learned she does not come regularly to church and her family chooses not to believe.

But Sunday morning during the worship service, God touched her heart, and at the end of the service, she accepted Christ. And again, I am amazed and grateful of how God works. He still touches the hearts of 6th grade girls who may feel like they already know it all. I pray that her new life in Christ will be wonderful and full of knowledge and thankfulness of the One who made her.

Disciple Now Weekend

As if last weekend was not busy enough with Titus' birthday and 2 Polar Express Parties, this weekend we are hosting 6 6th grade girls for Disciple Now on Friday and Saturday night.

Now, since we are a house full of boys, I'm not sure how it's going to be having a house full of girls all weekend long. As I once said, with boys you get noise, with girls you get drama. I'm sure it will be a drama-packed weekend! But I'm also sure it will be fun.

Please pray for the girls this weekend and their leader Haley. I'm sure God has incredible things in store for them.

Happy Birthday Titus

It's here! Titus is one year old today.

The last year has been a whirlwind. We have gone places we never dreamed we would have gone. Our emotions have been all over the map. Early on, someone told us the first year is the hardest - and it's been hard. But, there has also been an underlying sense of peace that can only be explained as the "peace that passes understanding".

There were days early on that we weren't sure if Titus would see the next day, much less make it to his first birthday.

But, here we are! Right now, Titus is suppose to be taking a nap, but I hear him playing in his bed. He's just jabbering away - and it's such a joyful noise.

To my youngest son. You have taught this old man new lessons in love and fatherhood. You have taught me to appreciate the little things in life. You have inspired me with your courage, your strength, your will power, your tolerance for pain. You have taught me to trust others who care for you in areas I could not, and to place you in the hands of God when all I want to do is hold on. You are a hero to so many. And one day, you will know all the people you have blessed.

For those of you in the area on Saturday, November 15 between 4pm and 6pm, please stop by for a piece of cake and join us for a prayer of thanksgiving at 5. You can email for directions. We are looking forward to seeing you and thanking you for all you have done for us this past year.