Hold On...

Dara Update

For those of you still praying for my sweet friend Dara....thank you. She is such an amazing miracle.....here are the most recent updates from her husband David:

"Dara had a great day. She is off the IV and her BP is better, but still a little high. But it is best after she exercises. She has walked and walked today. Dara is determined and amazing the nurses. She is stretching and her muscles are feeling better. Still not ready to leave ICU, but getting better and better. The nurse questioned whether she will even need much rehab, though it's her cognition ...that needs the most work. Still praying for the blood pressure. We don't want to go on that drip again. Funny story. Today Dara said she realized for the first time that it's a miracle she's alive. She was, in her words, amazed that so many people are praying for her. I told her she won't believe all the stories she will hear in the next few months. She appreciates all the prayers. When she's home, we'll have a party and everyone who prayed can come and celebrate! But we're not out of the woods yet (I feel the need to keep saying this, because risks are still very real).

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Dara's BP is way better. It was stable through the night until around 5. Then it jumped extremely high before being brought under control again. She will be moved out of ICU today, though mostly because they need beds. So pray it is not too soon, that she is indeed stable. She will still need me here more than ever since she will not be getting one-on-one care. It's a good step and hopefully she will be in Chicago in a day or two. I know many of you have been waiting for a good time to see Dara. I don't think this is the time yet. We will see how she transitions. She is still in a great deal of pain from her muscles. And now is the best time in the last two weeks for her to get some real sleep. Prayer is still more important now than personal visits.

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Dara is now out of ICU and settling in to plush new digs. The room is quiet, there isn't as much beeping and the toilet is in a separate room. As we left ICU I thought of a Psalm shared with me by Todd Mikelson: For you, O God, have tested us; You have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance. Praise God for this victory. But we are not out of the hospital yet. Pray for sustained BP and a good night's rest. Regressing is too bitter to imagine, but God can still do as He pleases. Yet Dara is so close to being out, perhaps tomorrow night or Thursday. Also it is not too soon to pray for Dara's rehab in Chicago. She expressed to me tonight that she is concerned because it will be very, very hard. Yet if anyone can do it, Dara can. Pray that she will reach 100% before Christmas and be home with her lovely daughter. God is so gracious to us."

Succeeding

“I’ve missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot…and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

~ Michael Jordan

Pictures-Thankful For Them

Thanksgiving

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.

~W.T. Purkiser

Please Pray for Dara

Here is my sweet friend Dara's story.....she had their baby: Isabelle Grace last week and things went downhill from there. The story is as follows with every paragraph from her husband David: Please, please pray for them!

David update: She is in intensive care. She is on a respirator and is sedated. She had something called an Amniotic embolism in which the amniotic fluid was sucked into her blood vessels and went, among other places, to her lungs. The mortality rate is extremely high. But so far all attempts have succeeded in getting her stabilized. When not sedated she is conscious. Please understand she is fighting for her life. We don't need anything here at the hospital. Just please pray today that God might continue healing her. The baby is healthy and fine and Dara is improving."

Update from David: Dara is strong and mentally alert. They had to up her sedation because she was waking out of sedation that would put most people under. That's a good sign that no brain damage has taken place and that she is strong. Pray that she would not fight against the restraints or the IVs or breathing tube as they try to bring her out of sedation. Dara can't stand being still let alone forced to lie down. But they must take her off sedation so they can take the breathing tube out. She can breathe on her own but she keeps getting agitated and she needs rest. Pray that God would communicate to her as she sleeps that she will be fine and she must trust the doctors. Pray also that talk of the baby would not upset her, as it seems to now. They are giving two more units of blood because her numbers were slightly low. Pray that she would stay stable and leveled out. Thanks for all the prayer everyone.

Update from David: Thanks for all the prayer. I am truly moved and I believe it is saving Dara's life. Prayer for the next 3-6 hours: they are going to try to wean Dara off the oxygen. Pray that she breathes on her own, which shouldn't be a problem. Pray that she would STOP fighting. She is so strong, which is good, but the strength that served her so well till now will hinder her recovery if she struggles and fights as they take her off sedative and remove the tube. God is a God of peace, not fear. Pray that Dara would have peace. And of course for her body to continue to balance and recover. Xrays all look good and blood too. Keep praying her to recovery.

Update from David: Dara worked very hard at breathing. She did a great job. She was calm and cooperative and off the sedative and alert. She got annoyed at me which means she's getting back to her old self. She did well enough to be taken off the respirator, but the specialist felt like she would benefit from another night's sleep. So she is still on the machine and lightly sedated. Pray that she would sleep and not be anxious. That her family coming might encourage her. That in the morning her blood levels would rise a little, that she would have that old Dara energy, and she would get off that machine. She wants to so badly you can see her determination. And everyone post on Todd Mikelson's page how awesome he was for being here and helping me out all day. Wouldn't have had the energy without him.

David Update: No change overnight. Dara slept well and is hopefully rested. I felt God tell me today that He is the healer, not doctors. Medical science is awesome but as one doctor told me, "Who knows. We just pumped the blood into her and hoped it would work." It was Christ working through Dara's body that did this. We are not out of the woods yet by any means. Keep praying that God would keep healing. He could choose to take Dara if He wished and He would still be a good God. But He is not immovable. He does yield to prayer. He is the healer and our hope, not doctors.

From David: "Thank God for His kindness to us. Dara is off the respirator, breathing great and very feisty. She just told me I'm fussing too much. Thanks for all the prayers. Keep them coming. Not sure how to direct your prayer yet. That she would be well enough to go to recovery and see her beautiful daughter."

From David: Most of you have heard the news, but just to make sure. Dara had a stroke during the events of Wednesday night. The stroke was "not big, not small" according to her (one of many) doctor. A hemorrhage formed on the spot where the stroke took place. It is getting smaller. They will keep checking to make sure the body absorbs it. How much of her condition is owing to the stroke and how much to stress, lack of sleep and emotional trauma remains to be seen. Therapy is in her future though. BIG prayers needed for the following: that her blood pressure would go down naturally; that the hemorrhage would dissipate, that the effects of the stroke would be minimal; that she would stay free of infection and her blood numbers return to normal; and above all that she would be lucid when she sees Isabelle. I would love for it to be a memory she cherishes forever. I feel as if all of you, many of whom I don't know, have carried us through this on your prayers. Please don't stop praying but pray us all the way home. Also, many of the medical staff are moved by what happened and by Dara's faith. Pray that God would use her miraculous continued recovery to bring many too him, while remembering that He can also use the opposite for the same purpose.

update from david:
Awesome story that just happened moments ago. My mom wanted to take me out to get something to eat. I wasn't sure about leaving, but I agreed to. On the way out I was sad as I passed hallways Dara and I had walked together on many an OB visit. But I don't turn back. We get in the car, my mom puts the key in the ignition and it won't turn. I tried and she tried. Will not turn. I said, "God doesn't want me to go. I'm going back to Dara."

My mom just told me the car started no problem as soon as I left. Back at Dara's side there was a brain doctor who was about to leave. He had ordered a procedure for Dara based on erroneous info. I was able to correct him and he cancelled the procedure. Now that's the kind of thing that's been going on here.

Please do NOT take this as proof that God will save Dara. I know from experience you can't draw such conclusions from these things. But do take it as proof that God is involved in all this to the level of car ignitions. How much more must He be involved within my wife's body?

David Update: 2:00 in the morning and Dara got to hold Isabelle again and feed her. Dara knows who Isabelle is and is VERY excited to see her. The primary concern now is Dara's hemorrhage and her memory problem. She doesn't know where she is, her date of birth, etc. She keeps calling Isabelle Elizabeth. Now this is huge progress considering six hours ago she didn't know she had a daughter and two hours ago she couldn't think of a name. Now she is starting to correct herself, realizing Elizabeth isn't right. Pray that the doctors have wisdom to see the improvement and don't rush into surgery. I believe with all my heart that much of the problem is that Dara cannot sleep for more than ten minutes with all the chaos going on all the time. The ICU nurses are the most amazing people on the planet, but the ICU is horrible on the mind. Pray, please, that she rests. Another CT scan at 4 AM.

From her husband David Watson: We had a setback today. Dara had a seizure this morning. This is not something new that requires testing, but a symptom of the hemorrhage/stroke. She is on anti-stroke medication and her blood pressure is coming down due to higher doses of meds. So we won't be getting out of ICU tonight. Please keep praying. After the seizure Dara ...said, "I don't want to be afraid," and she asked it we could pray. I told her how many people are praying for her and that we don't have to fear because so many are interceding for us. God has made clear to me that He has us here for a reason, and I believe it is a very specific reason. I feel God is telling us to be joyful and thankful, and the opposite of these is fear. Through your prayers God is strengthening Dara in Jesus that she might fulfill what it is God has for her to do.

Chris Tomlin Concert!!

AMAZING night of Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, and Louie Giglio.....and time with friends.

Pictures-Fall Fun

Not only have we tried to enjoy the remainder of the warm fall days before winter comes....but we've gotten lotsa snuggle time in too ;)

And PapaMonkey thought it necessary to teach all small monkies how to climb trees....for real.

can we say yellow camoflouge?!?!?!

one of our most favoritest neighbor girls....we love love love her ;)

I Really Lived....

I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived. Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Against the Wind

"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it."

-Henry Ford

The Answer

LOVE

is always the answer....

yesterday-today-tomorrow...

the answer will always be the same!

Our Angels

http://www.awmi.net/devotion/jesus/nov_14

RECEIVE THE MINISTRY OF THE ANGELS
Luke 22:43 "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him."

We have angels assigned to us. Hebrews 1:14 further reveals that their purpose is to minister to us, on our behalf. In the Old Testament, Psalm 91 teaches on the ministry of angels to God's people.

Some people who have realized this truth have taken it as far as to say that we are suppose to speak to our angels and they will obey our commands. There is no instruction in scripture to do this nor is there any example of that being done. We don't have the intelligence to administer all of the angels.

Many of the angels' protective duties described in Psalm 91 are preventative, and we certainly could not effectively command these activities.

Rather, these angels are dispatched exactly as this verse describes - by looking at the Father's face (Mat. 18:10). God Almighty controls them for us; however, we do have a part to play. Psalm 91 prefaces all of these promises about angels as being for those who dwell in the secret place of the most High. Verse 2 further instructs us to say that the Lord is our refuge and fortress and in Him we trust.

It is the combination of our faith in God and His faithfulness to us that releases the angels on our behalf. If it was solely up to God, His provision would be the same for everyone because of His mercy and grace. However, we have to receive God's grace by faith (Eph. 2:8). As we seek the Lord, become aware of His ministering spirits which were created to minister to us, and speak forth our faith in this area, He will send forth His angels on our behalf.

Favorite Meal-Haystacks

One of the most favoritest meals in our house: Haystacks...AKA....Hillbilly Tacos...

Taco meat
Rice
Crushed cheesy dorritos
Crushed Tostitos
Secret homemade cheese sauce ;)
Lettuce
Diced Tomatoes
Black Olives
Shredded Cheese
French/Ranch Dressing
Shredded Carrots

*can add or take away any ingredients and build it with whatever sounds good!

Pumpkin Delight

1 yellow cake mix
1 stick margarine-melted (I of course, being a country girl use only butter!!)
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin
1/2 c chopped pecans ( i did mini choc chips instead)
1/2 c brown sugar
3/4 c white sugar
2/3 c milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 stick margarine-melted (butter butter butter!!!! ;)

Reserve 1 c dry cake mix. Combine remaining cake mix with 1 stick melted margarine and 1 egg.
Press into greased 9x13 cake pan. Combine pumpkin, 3 eggs, 1/4 c of the white sugar, all of brown sugar, milk, and cinnmon. Spread over cake batter. Combine reserved cake mix, pecans (or mini choc chips) and 1/2 c white sugar with the 1/2 stick of melted marg. Mix til crumbly and spread over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 min. serve with cool whip ;)

Just had this warm outa the oven....it is scrump-dilly-icious!!!!!!!

Song of the Day

http://youtu.be/r6nHLg1Y7-M

Oh God of heaven come and hem me in
Gather the pieces that are broken
Show me the wonder of You again
Oh God of heaven

God of my hope God of my need
God of my pain that no one else will ever see
God of my healing God of my strength
God who has always and will forever reign
God of my everything

In all creation You call my name
In all the beauty that this world displays
Still I'm the one for whom Your heart aches
In all creation

God of my hope God of my need
God of my pain that no one else will ever see
God of my healing God of my strength
God who has always and will forever reign
God of my everything
God of my everything

And when the mountains shake
You are my God You never change
And when the earth gives way
You are still God You never change

God of my hope God of my need
God of my pain that no one else will ever see
God of my healing God of my strength
God who has always and will forever reign
God of my everything

God of my everything
God of my everything
God of my everything

Oh God of heaven come and hem me in
Gather the pieces that are broken
Show me the wonder of You again

Photo Shoot Continued...

Be a Visionary

“the difference between a day dreamer and a visionary is having enough faith to act..."

God's Plan

Photo Shoot-Part2