May Activities

May has been filled with lots of fun for our family!

1. We were granted our wish for a camper from Make a Wish of Michigan. It is everything we wanted and we are so excited to have a camper of our own. We were able to take it on its maiden voyage over Memorial Day, and though the weather was lacking, it was everything we had hoped for.




2. I participated in Run for Wishes to benefit Make a Wish of Michigan by running the Riverbank 5K. I was able to raise $500 to support a great cause! Thank you to all who contributed!



3. We were also able to participate in a few other fun events for special needs families. One was the Visual Impaired Sports day, where the kids were able to play blind baseball, jump in a bouncy tent, and make garden stones. And of course, there was free food ;) Another fun event was attending a Whitecaps game with Ken-o-sha, Ellie's school that provides her therapy.



And that was all in May! June has promised to be just as exciting, with my sister's wedding, vacation bible school, and more camping!

Blessings!!

Today is World Wish Day

Today is World Wish Day. Please consider making a donation to Make a Wish of Michigan in Ellie's name. I will be running the Riverbank 5K on May 14 to raise money for Make a Wish of Michigan.
http://www.active.com/donate/makeawish2011/vedrafamily

Make a Wish is granting our wish for a camper some time in May. Life with a medically ill or special needs child is so difficult. Organizations like Make a Wish are a bright spot and bring joy to families every day. Both the special child and the siblings get the chance to experience something amazing.

Thank you for joining me in supporting this cause!

-Emily

In like a lion, out like a lamb?

March started out rough for us, with Ellie again getting sick, this time worse than the others that she had this winter. I thought for sure it would be the one that would put us in the hospital. But, in true Ellie form, the fever broke right after I called her pediatrician, and she was on her way to health again, lol. The month also was rough with some nursing drama and administrative duties on my part, and I am glad to say we are on our way to health in those areas as well.

March has been a time of reflection for us as well. Ellie getting sick once again helped me come to the long-coming realization that I will probably not be able to continue homeschooling. It is still something we are struggling through, but things are pointing in the direction of the boys entering school in the fall. With Ellie's continuing high needs and appointments and care, the work of schooling has been falling to the wayside. We are starting to realize that in order to meet all the needs in the family we may need to change some of our plans for schooling. Please pray for us as we work through these issues.

March has also been a month of anticipation and planning. Next month Adam and I will be taking a trip to Florida, just the two of us. This will be our first solo vacation since our honeymoon. As you can imagine, planning this trip, with Ellie's needs and the boys' care, has been quite a job. But I am confident that the preparations will be worth it and it will be a great time of relaxation and bonding for me and Adam. Please pray for Ellie's health and well-being while we are away.

Through this month, we have been constantly reminded of God's unceasing love for us and his faithfulness. This many not have been the life we would have planned or chosen, but God has been good and reminds us that his love and plan never fails. To Him be the Glory.

Winter Storm

Here are some pictures from the recent blizzard that hit Grand Rapids. Calvin closed, so we had Adam home for a day during the week, which made us all happy. The boys have enjoyed making tunnels and forts in the big drifts.

Feeling Better

Ellie has been sick for over 2 weeks, starting the week before Christmas. It was just a cold, but a long illness nonetheless. So you can imagine or relief and happiness that she is finally better. I think she is really happy about that too!