Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Dear Family and Friends,

May 7, 2007, started out just like any other day except I was busy getting ready for our trip to Hawaii. Everett and I were scheduled to leave on May 12 to celebrate a belated 35th wedding anniversary. But then the phone rang and our lives were forever changed. It's hard to believe that only a year has passed. In many ways it seems like ten.

On the anniversary of Kevin's accident I just wanted to reflect a little and thank so many wonderful people. I have tried on several occasions to go back and read through the entire Blog but find I just can't do it without having to put it down because my eyes fill with tears. Even though we have been so blessed in Kevin's recovery there is still so much that is very painful. Everett and I have both gone through some pretty bad experiences in our lives but they all pale in comparison to the pain of watching your own child suffer. But today I do not want to focus on the negative but rather on the blessings. As I have reflected over the past year, I am continually reminded of how God placed so many wonderful people in our path to help ease the pain of our journey just a bit.

I am blessed to have my dear friend, Karin, who right from the start was in constant contact with me and immediately started and maintained a prayer chain; who eased my burden by phoning so many of my friends and family so I wouldn't have to; who let me call her at all hours just to cry, vent, scream, or whatever I needed; and who later helped with getting the Blog started. Thank you, Karin.

I am so grateful to Jan, Sarah's mother and a registered nurse, who came and spent almost six weeks while Kevin was in the ICU. She was invaluable to us as she helped explain medications, medical procedures, and the myriad of things going on in the ICU. The doctors and nurses didn't always have the time to explain every detail going on so it was such a blessing having Jan to give us a better understanding of what was happening and why. And, I know it was such an emotional help to Sarah to have her mom at her side at a most critical time. Thank you, Jan.

I want to thank all who came to visit us while we waited for endless and agonizing hours in the ICU. Your visits were such an encouragement and your wonderful gifts of food and other goodies helped sustain us. Thank you, all.

Staying in a hotel for six weeks, eating every meal out, gas to Riverside and back, staying in hotels almost every weekend for six months while Kevin was in Bakersfield, meals out again, as well as gas back and forth, was a huge financial dilemma. But God provided exceeding abundantly for all our needs through so many of you. My heartfelt thanks go out to Scott Kincaid (Kevin's employer) Moses (Kevin's supervisor) and his work crew, Redeemer Church, Biola University, Bound By Grace of EV Free Fullerton, Computer Specialists, Inc., and Threads of Friendship Quilting Group for their huge financial contributions. There are countless individuals who gave so generously to us as well, some anonymously, and I apologize that I don't name you one by one because I am sure to leave someone out. Thank you, dear friends.

I want to thank Guy and Barbara, our neighbors, who looked after our house and property while we were in Riverside and weekends in Bakersfield. It was so nice not to have to worry for one minute about it knowing it was in excellent hands. They kept our yard in better condition than we did. Thank you, Guy and Barbara.

I can't possibly thank all of you enough who prayed and prayed and prayed some more and are still praying. Your prayers were and are felt and have encouraged us in ways you will never know. I thank little Eli and Emma Lister, quite possible two of the most steadfast prayers, and only 4 and 5 years old. You two really touched my heart. Thanks to you all.

When I asked that cards of encouragement be sent to Kevin I was absolutely blown away by the response. Each day a handful of cards was delivered to Kevin's room and later to his apartment at CNS. I know these were a real source of encouragement to Kevin. Thank you.

Our whole family was blessed to have Wayne and Connie, our dear friends in Bakersfield. When they found out Kevin was coming to Bakersfield, they immediately rolled out the red carpet to us. They became a safe harbor to us on our weekends to Bakersfield and treated us like family. They fed us, encouraged us, loved us, and blessed us in so many ways. Thank you, Wayne and Connie.

I want to thank my dear friend, Michelle, who suggested the idea of starting this Blog and offered to maintain it. This venue has been a blessing to me and to so many others. Thank you, Michelle.

I also want to say how grateful I am for my family. An experience like this can either make you or break you, but our family rallied around one another as we trusted God to bring us through. I am so thankful for Kim, Keith's lovely bride. Kim can turn the gloomiest of days into sunshine with just her presence. She just has that quality about her. Thank you God for the blessing of Kim. I am so thankful to God for bringing her into Keith's life at just the right time. I am so glad Keith has her love and support to lean on during this trying time. I don't often tell him, but I admire Keith's strength and commitment to family. I know it was so difficult for him to work full time, drive out to Riverside almost daily for six weeks and have to deal with all the emotional and physical fatigue, not to mention he was just beginning a new marriage. I love you, Keith.

Sarah is absolutely amazing. She is the best thing that ever happened to Kevin. Her quite and gentle spirit is such a blessing. But don't let that fool you...she is a rock. I am so grateful for her love, devotion, and loyalty to Kevin. About thirty years ago when I started praying for the women who would one day be wives for my sons, I couldn't have imagined two women more wonderful than the Godly women He brought into our family. Thank you God for the blessing of Sarah.

Of course I have to thank God for blessing us with preserving Kevin's life. I am so thankful for the progress Kevin continues to make and how he continues to trust God for his future. Though the future looks like a big blank canvas to us, we know God has the whole picture already painted. I love you, Kevin.

And thank you God for Everett, my dear husband of 36 years. There is not a more steady man than Everett, one who loves his family dearly. I could not have made it through this without him by my side. I love you, Everett.

Before I close, I want to give you a little update on Kevin's trip last week to Bakersfield. He met with Dr. Suter, the neuro-ophthalmologist, and she has determined Kevin may do well with blue-green lenses. This may help with his depth perception and may possibly increase his peripheral vision. So he is waiting for them to be made. Kevin also had an assessment of his ability to operate power tools. He was told he should not use power saws and was told he could use some of the other power tools but only if he is supervised by someone who knows how to handle power tools well. This was disappointing but Kevin took it in stride. Please be in prayer for our next family conference on May 16 where we hope to gain better insight into how Kevin's future will be managed.

So to all my dear friends, thank you from the bottom of my heart. For your love, prayers, encouragement, gifts of time, money, hospitality, and so much more, which you all so unselfishly have given me and my family, I pray the Lord's blessings be heaped upon you. My cup overflows with thanksgiving to God for the wonders He has performed. To God be the glory!

Grace and Peace to you all,
Tami