Skittleache

We would all have to agree....skittles are just fun. They come in all colors, and oh so many flavors. Have you all noticed the newest skittle invention? Yes...chocolate!

Santi loves these fruity tasting candies...they are very high on his favorite list. When he received a surprise box in the mail (Thanks Sheltons!) containing 3 whole packages, it was candy heaven. I think "just one more" turned into a few more, and Santi ended up with a skittleache. After a little lecture from Mom, Dad said, "Santi, did they taste good?".....Santi brightened and said, "Yes Sir!"

Noah and Santi

Some of you may remember the little yellow truck Noah have Santi while in the hospital a couple of months ago....

Just this week, Noah and Santi were able to see each other again...Santi a little more perky this time! These guys are the same age and both love to talk...=)

Noah and Santi

(this week)

Santi's First Church Service...

Santi was so excited to "Go to church". Everyone who knows Santi will recognize his excitement...Going to church is santi's favorite thing to do!

Last night, our parents excitedly told Santi that this would be the day he would be able to go to church! Santi has long awaited those words! Santi has two particular days he likes best...Sunday and Wednesday. So far, he has waved everyone off to church with a'few sniffles and tears for (3) Sunday's and (4) Wednesday night church services.

For the last few days we have been able to participate in a series of services held in Plant City Florida.

The first night, seven of us Huron children sang. These are a little girl's sermon notes from the evening...

Peter, Santi and Olivia

Treasure, Santi, Cilicia and Peter.

"Sweet Pete" and Santi

Paul, Olivia and Treasure

Benuel and Treasure

Cilicia and Paul

North and South

When Uncle Benny and Aunt Treasure say they are coming,...we know we're in for a fun day. Out comes the grill, and in go the baked beans. Uncle and Aunt are always there for us. They always check up on us when Santi is in the hospital and are always there to have a coming home party with! Since they live south of us, they are know as, "Huron Clan South". When North and South meet, you're in for some sweet fellowship.

Mmmm....

Jon-Michael helping out...

Santi and Ann, our sweet cousin...

Peter ready to eat!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Treasure!

Samuel found someone to read to him...

Titus Sweets...

Lovey...

Cooking funnel cake & pretzels...

Just warm out of the oven...hmmm...

SANTI IS AWESOME!

Well, Santi had his first doctor's appointment after having surgery! After having x-rays and talking with Dr.Woo, we got the news that Santi is doing GREAT! We are so excited! I think, according to one of the doctors, he is "awesome". =) What an answer to prayer.

Just as a fair warning, I am posting a picture of Santi getting his staples out. For us, this picture is encouraging as this is what we prayed for! If you decide to skip this picture and not look further, you miss out on some other great pictures....

After seeing the new x-ray of Santi's back, Dr. Woo noticed that Santi doesn't have a hiatal hernia anymore! Santi has struggled with this hernia for many years, and what a blessing for it to "go away" after surgery. We knew this would be a possibility with his back straightened again, and his organs having a proper place to be. A hiatal hernia can be very uncomfortable as part of your stomach is herniated into your esophagus, causing extreme acid reflux. Santi can now eat pizza and spaghetti! This is just another wonderful blessing.

Many of you are faithful to pray for Santi's weight gain. Even though the scale dipped, and showed a pound less, Dr. Woo was still very happy. In most cases, children lose from 5--10 pounds after such a major surgery. Even in this, we are blessed!

Santi all ready to go...

Dr. Hanff taking the staples out...

Mom and Santi holding hands down the hall...

Ms. Teri Emma, a most wonderful friend

and advocate at Shands...

We thank the Lord for Dr. Woo!

Thank you for continuing to keep our family in prayer,

Anita

Count Your Many Blessings

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
James 5:16b

Over the last couple of weeks, the Lord has poured his blessings on our family. It is easy to go from day to day thinking of God’s faithfulness and how good He is, but for those of you who live half way across the world or who live in the next state and have diligently prayed for Santi and our family, you may not know how your prayers have been answered! I don’t think there is a day that our father doesn’t ask all of us children to name just one way the Lord has blessed us or encouraged us, and I thought I would share some of those blessings with you…

While Santi was still waiting for surgery, he had a g-tube placed for extra nutrients before and after surgery. Our family was willing to walk this milk feeding road as we had walked this road earlier in Santi’s life. This posed a problem though…we had given our pump away to another family we had heard about a few years prior. Pumps are quite costly, even to rent, so we made this a matter of prayer. Within a week, a family heard of this need and blessed us with an “extra” pump they had…for free! Count your many blessings…

While we were trying to balance Santi’s “real meals” with the feedings, we were reminded once again how expensive PediaSure or Boost can be. With 3-4 cans a day, one can easily use up to 28 cans a week! We never complained about this as we saw this as meeting a need in Santi’s body…we just asked the Lord to make every drop add calories! About a week before surgery, a couple heard of Santi being on a pump, and donated six CASES of PediaSure to our family! Count your many blessings…

It was our prayer that our parents would be able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House during their extended Shands stay, and for those of you who have kept up with the blog know, the Lord saw fit to answer that prayer. It wouldn’t have changed God’s goodness to us if a hotel was His plan and desire for us, but He provided a place to rest only a quarter of a mile away from the hospital…let’s not pass over the extra blessings at R.M.H. like having a washer and dryer, refrigerator and caring people around you. Count your many blessings…

I guess Santi was thinking big thoughts when he stepped on the scale to be weighed because the weeks leading up to surgery, he gained a total of 3 pounds 2 ounces! What bigger thought than Jesus, right?! Count your many blessings…

Ms. Sandy, a precious woman who attends our church made herself available to us while our parents were away, as she is a nurse by occupation. We were so grateful, but at the same time I was hoping that we wouldn’t have any broken bones or incidents while our parents were away and “need” her. Come Wednesday, we noticed a few of the younger ones were coming down with colds…nothing to worry about. Wednesday night nearing midnight, one child was having difficulty and I felt uneasy with mom (who can fix anything, right?) being gone. After staying up ‘till 3:15am, we knew we needed to call Dad and Mom. After dialing my Dad’s cell 5 times, we couldn’t get through. We had been talking with our parents every day, multiple times a day, and had never had trouble getting through. This was strange. We called the hospital, they weren’t there, we called Ronald McDonald House, no one at the front desk, “please press extension number”…oops…didn’t have that number. “O Lord please help us”, was our prayer that night. Unbeknownst to us, Dad and Mom were sleeping with those loud hotel air conditioners in the background and Dad started having reflux (a rarity for him). Because of the discomfort it brought, he woke up and picked up his cell phone to see the time. As he was holding the phone, it vibrated and he saw that Josh was calling (the 8th time now). It was now 3:29am. With Dad and Mom on their way home, it would still be two hours, so another couple from church drove the 10 minutes to our home came right in with monitors and most importantly, comfort for the situation. Ms. Sandy came, pronounced the patient out of harms way, all before 6am. We were sorry Dad had to have reflux…but God sure answers prayer in mysterious ways! The Lord was watching over us! Count your many blessings…

Santi had wonderful understanding nurses. Count your many blessings…

After losing feeling in his legs three times during surgery, Santi can walk, talk…especially talk!...and eat by himself. Count your many blessings…

We didn’t need an ambulance to drive Santi home after surgery! Count your many blessings…

This post would not be complete if I did not mention the sheer army of people that prayed for Santi and our family. There are so many of you that prayed for us that we have never met personally, but are sisters and brothers through Christ. Thank you! I pray you see the Lord’s power through your diligent and heartfelt prayers through this post. Some, we heard, set alarms so they could pray every 30 minutes the day Santi had surgery, and others that had their little ones pray before every meal and bedtime. What a blessing! The outpouring of love has been overwhelming.

There are so many blessings…from food on the table, to family coming safely home in the evenings, to experiencing hard times together…

We are not different from many of you out there. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, for me and you….He is not partial to one family over another. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Heb. 14:8 Just as He moves in our family, He works and moves in yours. Take the time to think on His blessings and thank Him for His goodness and mercy. We all have something to be grateful for…

“I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore!”
Rev. 1:18

Count your many blessings!

Anita