Wrapping up July

The days have been passing so quickly! I've meant to sit down and blog several times lately, but my real life has kept me too busy. The highlights of my month have been a visit from Rebecca, Brandon, and Ava, a joint birthday party for the girls, a wedding in Tennessee for my father-in-law and his new wife, Mary, and a second spontaneous trip to Tennessee only a few days later. It has been nice to spend time with family and see my father-in-law marry such a sweet lady.

The Blue Springs Church in Tennessee broke out in revival the weekend of the wedding. After we got home, we got such good news that my cousin, Justin, had gotten saved, and that God was doing great things for so many people there. Phillip called me and said, "It's probably crazy, but if I could, I'd take Avery there and get him prayed for." He said that he knew God's arm wasn't shortened, and the He could reach us anywhere, but he said that he felt like the dad in the Bible that just needed to get his son to where Jesus was. I told him to do whatever he wanted, and that we'd make it happen. So, on a whim but with great hope, we packed up everything but the kitchen sink, and headed to Tennessee. I took my own cleaning supplies and our air purifier, and we put Avery in the bedroom at my aunt and uncle's house. We knew we wanted to take Avery to church to get prayed for, but he really isn't supposed to be in public beyond doctor's appointments. We went ahead and took him, and he left his mask on during service. We had a great prayer for our son that God would perform a miracle in his body and give us strength as a family to do what we need to do. No, there wasn't a lightning bolt or thunder or anything else for that matter, but there was heartfelt prayer and such a powerful spirit as we prayed. Phillip asked me, "Do you think we're crazy?" I told him that I'm sure some people might think we are, but they've probably never been as desperate for God's help.

Avery is doing well in so many ways, but he still has so many needs that we're praying God will move in. The most urgent at the moment is his eyes. Avery is scheduled for an eye exam under anesthesia with surgery to follow the same day. He has been to two eye specialists over the last few weeks, and it seems Avery has a pretty serious condition. The doctor won't know for sure until he is under anesthesia and can look better, but he's pretty sure that his retina in the right eye has already started to detach, and the left eye is on the same track. He said depending on the specific issues he sees, he will do surgery to try to correct it, but he said his vision has already been damaged. Avery has so little that he can enjoy in his life right now that the thought of him having severely impaired vision makes me so sad. We're really hoping and praying that whatever the condition, it can be repaired.

Big news this month is that my little Emmy is walking. She hasn't fully mastered it, but she's well on her way. It makes me so happy to see her progressing and growing, although sometimes it seems like it's just too fast!

This blog has taken me three different days to finish, and now, I'm once again needed elsewhere. Take care, friends!

Bethany