Who's Gonna Shine in 2009?

Look at how much he can open his eye when he wants to. Presents are always a good motivator!

Playing Rockband with Sis...he loves to pound on the drums.

Happy New Year to all of you!

Trip #2 to the snow...24 degrees out with snow coming down hard, but this boy still loves to sit and just eat snow!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! I know we did. I am still amazed how much more Luke participated in everything, compared to how he was last year, can't wait to see how he does next year. I have to brag on Luke for a minute. The kids had their annual dental check up today. This was the first time Luke has been for a cleaning since he was hurt (I know bad mom, but for some reason I was paranoid of it.) Luke did awesome! He opened and closed his mouth and did everything the hygenist/dentist asked him to do during the cleaning and getting x-rays. I was so proud of him, and thought he deserved much more than the ruler he picked out of the treasure box:) Good news...everything looks good, no cavities! You rock Luke!

Can you believe that 2008 is almost over? I know there are many people who are glad to see the year come to an end, because with a new year, comes the hope of better times, less trials, less stress. Hopefully we all learned something from the trials we were each faced with in 2008, that will make us that much stronger for anything that comes our way in 2009. If there is one thing I have learned, is that trial will always come when you least expect it. So, my wish for all of us in 2009 is may we all have more faith and less fear, more gratitude and less greed, more love and less hate, more joy and less sadness, more giving and less wanting, more peace and less stress, more enjoying and less complaining. Many thanks to all of you for your love, support, help, EVERYTHING you did for us in 2008! May God Bless each of you in 2009! Now, watch out world because there's this Gladiator we call Luke, and he is gonna SHINE in 2009! Believe!

Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. Jeremiah 33:3 NLT

Snow Much Fun!

Lynsey sits on Santa Luke's lap.

Luke coming down the hill...see his big smile.

All of us in the snow...gotta love the masked man!

Yesterday we made a spur of the moment trip up to Payson hoping to find some snow. Well...no snow in Payson, but about 20 minutes up the road we found the perfect snow tubing hill! Mike took Luke down the hill a few times on the tube...he enjoyed it, even though it was freezing out! I think his favorite part though was when Mike set him in the snow and he started eating it...huge handfuls of it! We had a great time playing in the snow and we are hoping to get back up there after Christmas. We hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas...thanks so much for your prayers and support this last year. Believe!

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. (10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:9-12

Healing well

Luke got his stitches taken out today so all is well. He has recovered great from the surgery. Despite having to make a trip to the Urgent care on Monday. He took a little fall on Sunday, and apparently his elbow was out of socket, something known as "nursemaid's elbow?" The doctor snapped it right back into place and we were on our merry way...in and out in less than an hour made for a happy mom. I wish the same could be said for the trips to the eye dr, we have a minimum hour wait every time we go there, so we are usually there 1 1/2 hours for a 10 minute visit! Today though, I had the chance to meet another mom whose almost 2 year old daughter got ran over by a car in Sept. I had been following her journey. This little girl also had to have her eyes lifted. She is such a cutie...she kept giving Luke kisses. You can check out her journey at http://thebutlerfamily15.blogspot.com/. Just another reminder to count your blessings ...life can truly change in an instant. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season...it seems to come too fast and then in the blink of an eye it is January already. Make sure you take the time to reflect on the reason we celebrate the season...believe!

What a Relief!

The surgery went great!! Praise God! Last time it took Luke about a month and a half to really get back to himself. Today....about four hours! We are so happy. So what they did is undo the opening they did back in September, then the doctor also sutured Luke's left eye shut to allow it to heal. He will hopefully take those sutures out at his follow up visit next Thursday. Luke is doing great, you would never know he had surgery today. He has been very vocal...I just wish sometimes I knew what he was trying to tell us...I know, all in God Speed, not Stacey Speed. So, the only bad thing about today is, I never think it is a good thing when the hospital staff starts to recognize you. It means we have been there way too much. I told Mike after we were done, the next time we go to the hospital it better be to have this baby. Thanks so much for the prayers today, they worked in a mighty way! Believe!

Surgery in the morning...

Just a quick update to let you know, Luke's eye surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9am. We would certainly appreciate prayers for a successful surgery and a quick healing! Believe!

Visit with Santa

Luke was able to see Santa this week! Lynsey said he was a whimpy Santa because he couldn't hold Luke very well, thus the slouch in the picture. He told Santa he wanted trucks. Then, this week he got a letter from Santa in the mail. He was very excited when I read it to him. He has been very vocal this week...pray this keeps up. In the past, he will be vocal, then refuse to say words the next week, we like to hear him try to talk though! They have scheduled the surgery on his left eye for Sat. Dec. 13th, no time yet, pray this goes smoothly unlike the last surgery. I want him to be happy for Christmas.

I had a lady ask me yesterday if I really believed Luke would walk again. It got me thinking...how could I not. When he was first hurt, we prayed he would survive...prayer answered, then we prayed he would be able to breathe on his own...prayer answered, then when a nurse told us she thought he may not be able to see or hear, I prayed he would at least be able to do one or the other (not good to be greedy right?)...prayer answered in a mighty way (she was wrong!,) then we prayed that he would wake up from his coma...prayer answered (I will never forget that day and his first cries in 4 months!,) then we prayed he would show some sort of purposeful movement...prayer answered, then when he started eating little tastes of baby food we prayed he would one day be able to eat by mouth...prayer answered, then we prayed he would start following commands...prayer answered, then we prayed he would be able to hold his head up without support...prayer answered, then we prayed he would be able to do some "normal" kid things...prayer answered...I could go on and on and on. So now, we pray that one day he will be walking and talking, and we wait for this prayer too to be answered. Believe!