MAY 5, 2008
Hi everyone, looks like spring may finally be here
for real this time. My flowers are coming up and the tulips are so pretty.
I can hardly believe school will be out soon and the kids will be home all
day. Just does not seem possible I have had the grandchildren for over 1
year. Time passes so quickly and yet we have had so many miracles in our
lives this past year. Took the children yesterday for their first skating
lesson and the lady could not believe that Joshua was only 2, he caught on
as quickly as the older 3. Stephen will have his last soccer game next
Sunday. Stephen, Jackey and Sarah have all started practice for t-ball and
baseball the games will start around May 17th. So there is never a dull
moment at our house. Stephen has learned to ride his bike without training
wheels and the girls are working hard to take theirs off also. I have been
busy planting flowers and shrubs, the new house had lots of rock beds
which are being converted to flower beds.
CHRISTIE is now staying Monday through Friday at her apartment in
Lincoln, she wants to finish the school faster and this will help her. She
also wants to be there for Bible study on Thursday evenings and she has
given a couple of piano lessons to others. She is looking forward to her
trip to the National Conference in Dallas the last week of June into July.
She is a little nervous about being so far from home but yet she wants to
do this and I am sure she will do just fine.
JOSH was home last Saturday for a visit. He will be coming home
most weekends in May getting ready for his move back home. He helps with
meals and the children. He will be home the 18th to spend the night and
help get the kids off to school on Monday morning which happens to be the
last day of school. He was able to walk up some stairs last week with
assistance. He is still moving forward. He will be in Lincoln this week to
visit TABITHA about being a volunteer there when he comes home. He will be
packing the silverware and napkins for the meals on wheels if it all works
out. So he will have a full day with rehab and the volunteer work. He is
also managing his own time now as far as where he has to be and at what
time.
I am so very proud of my kids and how they are working to get things back
to as normal as possible.
Well that's about it for now. The news does not seem like much but for us
it is still exciting because both of them are still moving forward. The
day is getting closer all the time when JOSH will be home and then our
little family of 8 will be complete.
THANK YOU all for taking this journey with us and for all the thoughts and
prayers. GOD BLESS all of you and continue to keep us in your prayers....
MARY E BRASFIELD
APRIL 7, 2008
Well, our lives have been very, very busy. Stephen
is playing soccer and doing very well. Now he is looking forward to
baseball and wants to play football next fall. Very different from my
little man that entered my home last year and only wanted to play on the
computer or watch TV. The girls did not get to play soccer as they had NO
COACH for their age group. However they are looking forward to T-ball. I
plan on all four children starting skate lessons this Saturday. They are
very excited about that. Last of the children but certainly not least is
Joshua, he is such a smart little guy and will be keeping pace with the
rest of them I have no doubt. He loves his Jackey as she is his defender
with the other kids and yes she spoils him. Jackey is my little mother
hen, she has adapted well to having three siblings so to speak but she
does act like a mother hen...
CHRISTIE is doing very well at the commission for the blind. She
still spends 1 or 2 nights a week at the apartment. She is planning on
learning to play the bag pipes. She is turning back to her music a little
more. She has talked to the commission about giving music lessons to those
who want them and they are encouraging her to do so. She is in choir at
church and just expanding her list of things she can do.
JOSH is still making forward progress although we do see that his
memory is not as good as you would think with just one visit with him.
People from the army were up to evaluate him last Friday and afterwards he
thought a friend of theirs that is in South Korea was with them. He does
occasionally ask the same question several times forgetting that he had
already asked. Overall though the forward progress is fantastic.... He can
take a few steps with a quad cane and 2 assist. He transfers from the
wheelchair to his bed without assistance only verbal cues. We are just so
very pleased with his progress and keep encouraging him to work hard.
As we approach the One Year Anniversary date I pause to reflect on how
wonderful everyone has been. The prayers that went up and continue to go
up for my kids is so very much appreciated. My little group is very much a
family at this point as we have melded everyone into one family unit...
All the miracles GOD has sent our way and for me to have the chance to
share them with so many people. GOD has blessed us with a story to share
that truly shows he does still perform miracles in this day and age. the
guardian angels here on earth he has sent our way I am so very thankful
for and yet cannot always THANK them enough for what they do on our
behalf...
Thank you all again, for taking this journey with
us. GOD BLESS EVERYONE of you...
Mary E Brasfield
APRIL 1, 2008
Hello everyone.... The children have had a flu bug
and that has kept me more than busy. They are all on the mend and now I am
trying to get to feeling better since they kindly shared with GRANDMA.....
Stephen had his first soccer game and is just a little timid but did very
very well. Sarah and Jackey did not get to play soccer as they could not
find a coach for the girl's team... Joshua he is growing so quickly and is
such a cutie... Before I know it he will be getting on the school bus with
the others...
CHRISTIE is doing very well... She stays at least one night
a week in the apartment for the blind. She has organized a bible study for
them- on cassette tape and discussions to follow. Her goal now is to learn
to play the bag pipes-- since she is so musically inclined I feel she
should accomplish this without too much difficulty. She is moving forward
easily and learning everyday. Once in awhile we still see just a little
glimmer of memory problems but all in all she is doing FANTASTIC>>>>>
JOSH: The time is getting closer for Josh to come home.. They are
going to simulate the home environment at QLI to help him when he does
come home for good. The 18th of April he will come for the day and
interact with the children.. This is for parenting skills and just
basically to see how things would go... He will also prayerfully meet with
our Pastor and that our church can find a way to put Josh's skill to use
volunteering for the church... They have been in touch with Pastor Jon and
we now wait to see how the Lord moves those in control as to how he can be
of service to our church and community. Josh can now move his left arm and
leg some...another miracle in our court. He is working so very hard to
accomplish all that he must to come home as quickly as possible.
Well this is the month that our journey started last year. I have been
over to our old house and walked the yard and garden area reflecting on
this past year. It has been so very full of rainbows and miracles. As
tragedy often does it has reconnected us with old friends and we have made
some new ones also. The words seem so inadequate when I thank people for
the kindness and all the thoughts and prayers sent our way. Prayerfully
everyone knows how much we appreciate everything that has been done for my
little group. This has been a year of rainbows miracles and also affirming
the knowledge that most of us only go by faith on and that is GOD WILL
TAKE CARE OF US and PROVIDE FOR US... Strange as it may sound even though
I have not worked for the last year and there is no income for Don, Jackey
and I money was never a worry... I had always trusted GOD and had faith
and he delivered everything my group needed when we needed it most. Of
course he was usually working with some of his angels here on EARTH...
Well better close for this time... Thanks for taking this journey with us
and sharing our story. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers... MAY GOD
BLESS EVERYONE OF YOU!!!!! Mary E Brasfield..
MARCH 14, 2008
Hello everyone I am sorry for the long gap between
updates for reasons I cannot explain it was necessary that I not tell all
on the web... Now I can go back to keeping everyone posted on a frequent
basis once again... I know there are several that do hear from Josh once
in awhile.
First the grandchildren, they are all doing well. The three oldest are
anxious for soccer season to start and then baseball season to come. God's
Kids Club is over for this year and the final program was so darling and
they all learned their memory verses. Now I plan to fill in Wednesday
Evenings with a devotional for them and to continue memorizing Bible
verses since they are already in the habit just as well keep it going
right....
CHRISTIE went back to the Commission for the Blind after the first
of the year and is doing FANTASTIC.... She stays one night a week at one
of the apartments. She travels to the apartment by city bus and back to
the school the same way. She cooks meals and is learning many new things.
She is going to Dallas the end of June/first of July for the National
Federation of the Blind meeting. She is scared and yet excited. She walks
with a more natural gait now not the scared halting gait she had at first
she is really moving forward... Still things to do but she is determined
to do them and keep moving forward so I know we will get them done in
time.
JOSH: His birthday is this Wednesday (March 19th) and he will be
home tomorrow to celebrate with us. He is going to get to come early
enough to go to church with us. As usual it will be a busy day and pass
way to fast. But we all know the time is getting closer for him to come
home. Summer will be here before we know it and then these week-end trips
will be over. We are starting to get things together now for the things we
need- ramps to the front and back doors for the power chair. Handicap
toilets, lift to the basement, ordering the power chair for home, manual
wheel chair and the transfer poles to be put in so he can transfer himself
from the bed to wheel chair. Then we need to buy a 12 passenger van with a
wheelchair ramp. So we have got things started. Josh can take a few steps
on his own with a quad cane. He is still using a splint on his left arm
although it does still cause some pain it is working at increasing the
mobility and preventing it from freezing up. He does choke on his food if
he does not cut it up small and remember to chew good and swallow
frequently with lots of fluid. His fluid has to be nectar thick and he
cannot use a straw to prevent choking. BUT ALL IN ALL HE IS GREAT!!!!!!
Well that is it for today and as usual I must thank every one that I see
has kept checking on us so faithfully while I had to stay of the page....
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and you can let everyone know we
are back sharing our miracles and all the steps forward and we will soon
be at our one year mark and then it will soon be all of my little group
home and settling in....
GOD BLESS EVERYONE OF YOU for taking this journey with my little group and
blessing our life's with your prayers...MARY E BRASFIELD
DECEMBER 21, 2007
Hello Everyone... I AM SORRY I HAVE NOT BEEN AS
FAITHFUL AT WRITING. It does not mean I have forgotten you or do not
appreciate the prayers anymore. I have been running out of steam. I
caught a little bug from the kids and it just seems like I am having a
tough time getting back on my feet.
We are just about all unpacked...did not get everything brought over from
outside at the old house before the ice storm and then the snow storm.
Guess some of it will have to wait till spring. But what is here is
pretty much unpacked and sorted. Even then with the holidays I know there
is still more to do.
My sister and her husband, both retired Air Force, now own a Christmas
Tree farm in WI. They were so kind as to send us a lovely live
tree. I put on the lights and all four children decorated it. Imust say
it is the prettiest tree I have ever had... Maybe it is the miracles and
blessings and prayers that are added to it...
I have a new job; I start 12-26-07. It's Part-time evenings at the
nursing home one block from the house. That will be such a great position
and so close to home. It will be nice to not drive 20 miles each way for
work especially with the high gas prices.
JOSH is doing very well. As to be expected there are changes every
time we see him but slowly moving forward. His speech is still hard to
understand but he is patient with us and spells the words we have trouble
understanding. He has a passion for playing games right now. So I am
hoping to get our little foosball table set up for Christmas. He loves the
air hockey at Quality Living. He loves to talk to us on the phone
everyday and still e-mails us. His memory is still faulty at times or
rather a good share of the time but we work with him on it and prayerfully
in time like Christie most of it will return... We keep on working and
that is all we can do... He is looking forward to Christmas and being home
for a day again.
CHRISTIE is doing fine. She has decided to return to the
Commission for the Blind if they have an opening for her. She now sees
she does need the training she will get there in order to function and be
able to help here at home. Also that we do need her to help and for us
not to do everything for her. So prayerfully there will be a spot and she
will move forward quickly now that she is ready to go.
The children are all doing great in school. They love the snow and
sledding down the driveway. It is hard to get them to come inside. But
they are doing so good.
Have a favor to ask and will provide a few details. Last November of 2006
a young girl from Adams, about 10-15 miles away, was hit by a police car
in Lincoln. She also suffered a traumatic brain injury but unlike my
children she remains in a coma today. Little did I know I had grown up
with this young lady's mom. In fact our mothers played softball together
when we were in grade school. I only found out last week-end when I
visited my parents. I called and visited with Debbie this week and asked
her permission to ask for prayers for Jenna to wake up and continue
healing or whatever the Lord has in store for her. She gave me her
permission as I told her I had a powerful prayer chain that went all over
the world and I knew they would gladly add Jenna to the list. Jenna is
only 19 and was working and going to college at the time of the accident.
Like us, they are having to sell their home and they have built a new home
with a special room for Jenna. So their lives are all topsy turvy... It
was wonderful and sad at the same time to visit with her. She has not
left my mind since I figured out we grew up together and lived so close
and our tragedies are so similar and only five months apart.
Please continue to pray for my family and add Debbie and her family and
Jenna to your list; this family could use a couple of miracles.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS
JOURNEY OF MIRACLES WITH US.
THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A BLESSING IN OUR LIVES. THIS IS THE SEASON THAT
I START TO THINK OF THE ACTS OF KINDNESS I INTEND TO SHARE AND THIS YEAR
I AM CRYING AS I REMEMBER THE GREAT GIFTS GIVEN TO ME BY GOD, FAMILY,
FRIENDS AND STRANGERS.... THE WORLD IS STILL A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS MARY E BRASFIELD AND FAMILY..... MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
DECEMBER 7, 2007
Well I must say I have been very slow and must offer
my humble apologies. I have been ill and so were the children. They were
sick first and then they kindly shared with Grandma. Glad to report we are
all on the mend now and feeling much better. Tomorrow is very very busy
indeed as the children have their final practice for the church Christmas
program. They get to go Christmas shopping at another area church and then
off to have pictures with SANTA at a local bank. So the day is full and
going to have lots of fun.
At this time we plan to go and get Josh Sunday and have him spend the day
with us and go to the Christmas program Sunday evening since it is the
first Christmas program for the children. Then we will take him back to
Omaha after the program. This is all dependent on the weather, we had 3-4
inches of snow yesterday (Thursday) and may have more tomorrow and maybe
freezing rain or snow on Sunday.
It makes it nice that I am a nurse that way it is easier for Josh to be
able to come home even if the weather may turn bad because some of the
cares he needs I know how to do and have done before so if anything was to
happen I would be OK....Not an ideal situation without all the proper
equipment like at Quality Living but in case of a blizzard or something we
could hang out for a day or so...
Christie is doing okay; gaining ground slowly as she adjusts to the many
new things in her world. She does her own laundry and we have marked the
washer and dryer for her so she can set them. We are saving the small
creamer plastic bottle to put washing detergent in so she can use one
bottle per load when she does her laundry. I know the time will come when
she is comfortable with the regular size bottles but right now she is not
ready for that. So we are marking and adjusting things to help her out.
Takes a little or rather a lot of encouragement sometimes to get her over
the fear of failure and started down the path but we are getting there and
she is moving forward.
ALL in ALL I HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR....This holiday season at our
home is more meaningful than ever. LIKE to think we always were thankful
and knew how blessed we were. but this year AFTER ALL THE MIRACLES for
JOSH AND CHRISTIE and the BLESSINGS from friends and strangers IT HAS A
MUCH MUCH DEEPER MEANING... I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL EACH AND EVERYONE OF
YOU THAT READS THIS HOW THANKFUL WE ARE FOR YOUR THOUGHTS PRAYERS AND ACTS
OF KINDNESS as we have blended this little family of ours together.
THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND MAY GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE
OF YOU! THANKS FOR TAKING THIS JOURNEY OF MIRACLES WITH US...MARY E
BRASFIELD
NOVEMBER 2007
No new updates at this time....please continue to
pray for our family....
Blessings,
Mary
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