i made it.

I just wanted to post quickly that my oral surgery went really well. I'm doing better today, mostly off of my pain meds--and my mouth isn't hurting much at all. They somehow managed to do the surgery without needing to stitch me up--so there was nothing to rip out when I puked.

I made it through the whole first day of surgery without vomiting--and have since started again, but nothing in my mouth is bleeding, so I'm taking that to be a good sign. The oral surgeon told me to call if there are any problems...and there don't seem to be any, so I'm in the clear. :)

I think that's all for now. I'm resting up for the big weekend--Halloween parties and such...it should be lots of fun!!

b

resilient

The word that I've been hearing a lot lately is "resilient." I've heard it in many different contexts, but the message is the same...When I am faced with challenging situations, it can sometimes feel like my heart is being ripped from my chest, stomped on, and then returned to my body--only to be left in a puddle on the floor, exhausted, rejected, and feeling not a bit resilient.

At some point along that journey, God shows up and provides grace. He breathes new life into my scarred body, He injects hope into a situation that seems hopeless, and He whispers gently in my ear, "Be resilient, my child. You can make it! You can keep going; you have the strength to make it through this in MY power."

And so we continue on our in changed lives, walking through times that are filled with sorrow--but equally filled with joy and promises of a brighter future. We walk through the valley, but realize that the sun is shining just around the bend...and so we listen closely to God's guiding, trusting that His plan has brought us this far and won't leave us hanging out to dry on our own.

When the world looks in at this whole journey, they see the person in crisis and call them resilient. I'm not sure if resilient is the right word, because I think it's important to recognize that my strength is not my own. I can't live a day without God and the hope that He provides. I can't imagine a life without knowing there is something after this suffering...something so much bigger and so much better than I can even begin to comprehend.

And so we trust. We look to Psalm 62, and see that we are not alone in this difficult journey. We can take comfort in His promises to us:

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge.

the 'claw

Marcus and I have made the move into our new house officially. We finished cleaning and painting at the condo in Sammamish on Thursday night, went out to dinner with some good friends, and then have been unpacking and cleaning at our new place in Enumclaw ever since.

We are enjoying our time out in the boonies so far, and are definitely excited to be done unpacking/cleaning/arranging. I feel like the end is in sight--so I just need to stay the course, and hopefully finish sometime before my mom arrives on Thursday.

So far, there is nothing phenomenal to report about my health. I have noticed that I'm vomiting less, but am not sure if that's because we're in Enumclaw, or simply because I'm ingesting less each day. I'll keep you posted on that one.

Beyond that, I have oral surgery to have my wisdom tooth removed on 10/26. I can't believe that:
1) I have a wisdom tooth that just came in and,
2) That I have to have oral surgery. Ugh.

The good news is that I spoke with the oral surgeon didn't seem too worried about me vomiting right after surgery... saying that even if I rip out my stitches right away when puking, he thought everything would be fine because of the size and location of the tooth. My GI doc suggested IV anti-nausea meds during surgery, and told us to keep him posted on how it goes.

One of my favorite parts of living in Enumclaw is that we are super close to our family. We got to go "boo-ing" last night with our nieces and nephews. It was basically like ding, dong, ditch--only you drop off treat bags with a poem. It was adorable watching the kids hit the deck everytime a car drove by--they'd dive face-first into the grass. It was awesome--full of joy and giggling. :)

I'm looking forward to this new adventure that Enumclaw is for us. I pray that God blesses my health while we're out here, and that we'll see a miraculous healing take place any second. :) I trust that God's plan will continue to be revealed to us, as we embark on this new town and these many new adventures. We're excited to see how God will use us in this new community too, and we're ready to learn from the people here as well.

Super duper blessings to all!! And if anyone wants to clean something, come on over... I've got a project for you! :)

Brelin

the big move

The past couple of weeks have gone surprisingly fast...we have enjoyed time together with family, celebrated the lives of loved ones lost (my uncle, Mike, and my grandma, Sarah), partied it up at my brother & Alyssa's wedding, and made it out alive.

Our biggest news is that we are moving to a house in Enumclaw. We've decided to rent out our condo for a year, and rent a house in Enumclaw to see if we like it out there. We'll be closer to our nieces and nephews--which will be great, and we'll get to be in a house!! We make the big move on Saturday! We're looking forward to starting fresh, and we're praying that I may just be allergic to something in our condo--and that just by moving, I'll stop vomiting. That's our prayer anyway.

Other big news is that in the midst of this busy time, I have developed a problem with my tooth. A wisdom tooth, to be exact, that didn't grow in until I turned 30. While "normal" people get their wisdom teeth, and have them removed in high school or right after high school: clearly, my teeth are late bloomers. I went to the dentist, thinking I had a cavity or something, only to find that it's my wisdom tooth--and it needs to be removed pronto. I go see the oral surgeon on October 14. While my initial response to this news was, "why me, Lord? why something else to deal with?"--I've decided to approach the situation with laughter, and do my best to make some wise-cracks (ha ha!) along the way. The main problem with the wisdom tooth (besides that it really hurts to chew) is that every time I throw up, it feels like my tooth and, in turn, my head are going to explode. Ugh.

I'm not sure if there's much other news to share. I'm looking forward to the change of scenery, making new friends, and hoping for a brighter future full of health and life. :)

Oh, and a funny story to leave you with... It is not news that I puke into ziplock baggies. Recently, I was visiting my parents, and there were people occupying both bathrooms when the urge to vomit struck. Fortunately, I had grabbed a baggie "just in case". I'm running from bathroom to bathroom, baggie in hand, hoping that someone will come out in time. When I realize that I just can't hold it all in a second longer, I burst into the garage and attempt to "hide" between the cars--silently frustrated with my father who never closes the garage door--trying to puke into the tiny baggie I'd brought out, with all the neighbors in plain sight. Meanwhile, my brother and his new wife are out on the street checking out a family friend's new truck. While still silently cursing my father about the open garage, I try to slyly dispose of my puke-filled baggie--while smiling and waving with the other hand to the family friends. I'm looking forward to a time when I don't have to hind my baggies of vomit anywhere, and there is no need for my parents to ever close the garage door again. (Well, except for when they are sleeping--for safety, of course.)

Grandma Sarah left us with her confirmation verse, which she could still say in German:
"Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelation 21:10b

Thanks for your inspiration, Grandma, and for the way that you lived your life, free of sickness and death until your last days. I pray that I too can be an example to others, and live my life with my sights set on things that glorify God--rather than the mundane tasks that are so easy to fill our lives with. I hope that I can remain faithful and receive the crown of life too.