We have earmolds!!!!!

And here they are. Little Guy isn't horribly impressed, but he's not pulling them out, either. I put the earmolds on a quarter just so you can get an idea of how tiny they really are. I'll have to get a shot of his next to the Beast's, which are easily three times as big. Just imagine that in comparison to an adult's earmold. Crazy!

Here's what they looked like before the tubing was trimmed. The tubing has to be cut to whatever length is needed for the aids to sit just right on his ear without flopping around. I may have to trim them just a little bit more because they're still a tiny bit loose. Luckily, I have experience doing that. :)


And, finally, here he is with his new hearing aids. As you can see by the fact that he's sleeping, he doesn't seem to impressed. He did come with me to ladies' night at church right after we got back into town. While he did throw up in my hair and then have an explosive poop all over my shirt, he didn't complain about his new ears. So, that's good...right?

A Noisy Bus Patron

I haven't really said much about the Beast here. I keep planning on giving some background info. on him, and just never get around to it. I'll add more details later, but the basic story is that he was born with a moderate/severe hearing loss that progressed to profound. He received a cochlear implant eight days after his third birthday, and has never looked back. We were okay with letting him be Deaf and taught him ASL from day one. He had other plans, though, and wanted to speak. He is now a completely mainstreamed oral deaf child. He signs when his equipment fails him or he's in a situation where he can't wear his aids.

He does have some "quirks". (Don't we all, though?) He has issues with sensory integration and a few social skills delays. On the other hand, he also has some gifts. His has a very high level of intellect (which, combined with the delays social skills, often causes some troubles. Anyway, that's a VERY simplified summary of the Beast's history.

He has come so far, and is really enjoying school this year. While he keeps his teacher on his toes, he is succeeding in a classroom full of "typical" children. He's happy there. He is not a fan of naptime, but I think that's par for the course when you're five years old and have ants in your pants. One of his favorite thing about school is that he has friends there. And he LOVES to talk to them. He will talk to anyone. This kid could befriend a corpse if he had to. He is just a genuinely loving and outgoing little guy. And he is making his bus driver nuts.

I got a phone call from the head of transportation from the school district today. It sounded like something horrible was happening on the bus and the Beast was going nuts. What really was happening is entirely a different story. The real problem? He's talking too loud and too much. He doesn't realize he's talking so loud. It is, afterall, a bus. Buses are noisy by themselves before you add in all the happy little kids. And his hearing is going more, so he's talking even louder. Apparently, they've moved him to a "solitary seat" in the back of the bus to try and get him to stop talking so much. Instead, he's frustrated and talking more and being deliberately annoying. *Sigh* Figures.

So, tomorrow I get to call the district guy and explain more about the Beast to him. I know they'd prefer him to take the special ed. bus, but I'm not budging on that. He's in a mainstream class. Why should he play with "typical" kids all day long and then be the only kid who has to take a different bus home at the end of the day? Nope! Not happening.

This is a chance for the driver to learn. Schools are all about educating, right?

Well, We Know Which Hearing Aids Little Guy Will Have...

...and I'm feeling sentimental about it. In a good way. When we met with our audiologist, Dr. Michele Gillentine, a couple weeks ago, we all wanted to make sure we were getting Little Guy the best possible aids based on what we know of of the Beast's history and where Little Guy is now. So we actually left last week a little up in the air because Michele wanted to do a little bit of research to be sure we were making a great choice.

I contacted her office today to find out what pair of aids had been chosen, and what we could plan on paying for his aids. We knew it'd be somewhere between $4,000-$6,000, but wanted an idea. Her receptionist, Deana, told me to hang on because Michele had been wanting to talk to me. Okay. Sounds great. Nothing could have prepared me for what Michele would say. I'm still in a little bit of shock hours and hours later.

Michele told me she'd wanted to consult with Dr. Peters, who is the Beast's ENT (and now Little Guy's). He and she consulted at length and agreed that the pair Little Guy is wearing is good enough for his current level of hearing loss. When he loses more hearing (and it's greatly anticipated that he will), he'll need different aids identical to the one the Beast currently has behind his left ear. He could just get a pair to match the Beast's, but his ears are so tiny right now that he'll be really uncomfortable wearing them. If he is uncomfortable in his aids, he'll keep pulling them out. If he pulls them out, they can't possibly help him.

So the plan she and Dr. Peters came up with is to leave him in the pair he's wearing now. For those who don't know, this is the same exact pair that the Beast first wore. When his hearing began declining, Dr. Michele let us trade them in to help decrease the cost of the new set. She never sold them, though, and gave them to Little Guy when she realized he'd be in need of some magic ears of his own. (That's where the sentimental part comes in.) I was fine with that plan, and asked what we'd owe her.

Just $500. JUST $500!!! That's what she charges for fitting and programming, and the aids are just for him to use until he can't use them anymore. Eventually, we'll trade them in and buy the stronger aids when he needs them. But for now, he gets to have the benefit of his big brother's magic ears in his ears. This buys us time to save up more for better aids instead of purchasing them on credit. A huge blessing. Never let anyone tell you there is no such thing as angels among us.

If the weather holds out (we're due for a big ice storm tonight), I'll be taking Little Guy tomorrow morning to get his new earmolds. Rumor has it they're about the size of Dr. Michele's finger nail. (Yeah. I'll be taking pictures for you all). I am a little apprehensive about really seeing him in his aids and earmolds just because of all the emotion involved in that, but I'm so glad it's the Beast's magic ears helping Little Guy find sound.

Little Guy Saw the Nutritionist! Now I Have a Challenge for YOU!

Snort's ECI nutritionist came over yesterday morning to see him and meet Little Guy. She'll be working with Little Guy as much as Snort anyway. I gave her my whole long story about why I just have to keep nursing despite what it means I have to give up to help his reflux. I'm grateful to say that she understood my feelings on this, respected them, and gave me some great tips. She worked wonders with Snort, so I really do trust her completely.

Anyway, we've now removed gluton, dairy, corn, and nuts from my diet. Here's the challenge for you guys: Help me find something to eat. So far, I'm enjoying cocoa krispies with rice milk, rice krispie treats, pretty much any meat I want, most veggies and fruits, and Andes Candies (a personal favorite-who'd have thought they'd be okay??). I need to keep my costs down and eat enough to keep my milk supply up.

In other news, Little Guy seems to be feeling so much better. One more thing I can check off my worry list for now. His breathing is great, he's not crying as much (so I think his ear is feeling better), and he seems coziest wrapped up in his special blankey and Mama's arms. Today just might be a good day.

Angels Come in the Form of Tired Friends in Tennis Shoes

If there is one thing I've learned over the years, it's that there is no possible way I'd survive without a good support system (or, as I like to call them, our own personal angels). I don't think that rule applies to just parents of Deaf children, but to anyone who has ever done anything difficult. I have worked with and helped parents of children with a variety of special needs. It doesn't matter what their child's "issue" was, the rule still applied. A great support system is always necessary. And, like I said, it even applies to people who are just trying to get by and live life. Humans need each other. Plain and simple.

What I hadn't really taken into account is that our support system doesn't always have be in the form of someone we have right by us. Sure, a good firm hug is always nice and we have to physically touch for that. But, there are other things that can be equally, if not more, comforting. (Especially for me since I'm not a very touchy feely kind of girl.)

I also hadn't really given credit to the support systems that were already in my life even before I got married, let alone had children. There are some people in my life who have been with me through thick and thin, if not in person then always in spirit. For me, it's some dear friends who came into my life at just the right time...and stayed there. I always call them my other mom and dad. It's also a special aunt who has never let me down. And, it's friends from my childhood who are still willing to call me friend all these years later.

I got a package in the mail today. No return address on it. I was, of course, completely curious as to who it could be from and what could be in it. Nothing could have prepared me for the special surprise inside. It was a beautiful blanket, and two matching burpees for Little Guy. And, a card from my friend, Megan. To anyone else, it would be considered just a baby gift. But there's more to it than that for me.

Megan and I grew up together when she moved to my hometown when we were both about 13 years old. We ran with seperate crowds at school, but enjoyed each other at church. I remember that she was so good at everything. Everything!! And she was SO COOL!! I loved Meg. And I clearly remember that, even though we didn't hang out with the same group at school, she never let me down. She always smiled and said hi when I walked past her in the hallway. (And that was a big thing because she was cool and I was...um...well, a theater geek with bad hair.) When it came time for college, she and I were the only ones in our graduating class going to this one particular school (mostly because it was in Rexburg, ID where it was so cold your nose hairs froze together. Literally.) Anyway, since we were the only two going there, we became roommates. That was one of the best years of my life. I don't remember much of what I learned in class, but I remember being grateful that she was the one there with me.

Anyway, now that you've gone down Memory Lane with me, let me tell you what all this has to do with anything. Meg sent Little Guy this blanket and burpees. She didn't know it, but I have always believed that every new baby, even if he is the FOURTH boy, deserves his very own special blankey when he's born. Little Guy didn't have one of his own. Sadly, he's been sleeping with Pretty's old pink blankets. (A huge sin in the eyes of "real men" everywhere). Megan would have had no way of knowing that, but she's one of those lifelong friends that just is always thinking of people she loves. Somehow, she just knew what we needed after the week we've had. It's just one more example of how a great support system never lets you fall when the going gets tough.

And then, literally while I was in the middle of writing up today's post, I got a call from another friend, Julie. "Don't make dinner. I'm bringing it over. *giggle*" I don't even know what to say other than thank you. THANK YOU!!!

So, tonight while my baby is cuddled up in his long-distance hug from Megan and I have something warm in my tummy but no dirty dishes in my sink, I'll remember that I have angels in my midst. They come in the form of good friends with big hearts and open minds. They may not wear halos and have wings, but instead wear tennis shoes and drive mini vans. And all that is great by me. And they may not speak to me through a burning bush, but instead send fun text messages (thanks, Mindy!), encouraging e-mails, yummy dinners, and blankies in the mail.

Growing up, I never would have guessed I'd be raising five children two of whom would have special needs. I may be the one blessed with the challenges of raising these amazing big spirits trapped in little bodies, but it's the angels in tennis shoes and mini vans that make it all possible for me to be the best possible mom to them.

(And, yes, Little Guy does have other outfits. He just happened to be wearing this one again when his package came. He was so excited to have his picture taken with it that he wouldn't even let me change him. *giggle*

Some Days are Easier Than Others

You know what's so great about life? It's such a dynamic thing. It's always changing, moving, and flowing in one direction or another. Whether we want it to or not, life continues to happen around us all the time. And, because of that truth, the fact is that some days are better than others.

Yesterday was one of those days that was a little less easy than the others. I joked with our Early Intervention Co-Ordinator that yesterday was one of those days I was just sure God was wearing steel-toed boots and I was wearing a large red "Kick Me" sign. Maybe I was only half-joking. Poor Little Guy has his first ear infection (never good when you've already got so little hearing to begin with), RSV, and horrible reflux. We can't help the RSV until we help the reflux, but we can't help the reflux until the RSV is gone. It's just a cycle we'll have to find our way out of.

After learning all this from the pediatrician, I went over to Target to pick up his prescriptions. What did I learn there? Well, I learned that our insurance still didn't have Little Guy in their records, so I'd be paying for his medicines out of my own pocket this time. I'll be able to get a refund in a few days when it all kicks in, but it was still just one more thing that day.

Once the ordeal at the pharmacy was done, I came home to do Snort's semi-annual evaluation. Of course I was late to that, but at least I was able to give the ECI people a heads up that I'd be late. I have the MOST amazing ECI team organized for my kids. (So good that I hyperventilate a little at thought of losing any of them somewhere down the line. There is nothing more valuable than a good treatment team).

Anyway, I rushed in and put Snort and Pretty down for naps and filled them in on the morning's events and findings. The occupational therapist, who I really do love, suggested that we might try pumping Little Guy's breast milk and thickening it for him to help keep it down. She made a very reasonable suggestion, and it's one I know we'll hear from the GI dr. next week. But, it also happens to be one that breaks my heart. It's bad enough that the crappy genes he got from me took his hearing from him. Now, the one thing only I should be able to do to comfort and nourish him is also making him sick. Well, at least that's what went running through my head at the time. And, of course, I proceeded to come completely apart and cry. Me! Crying there in front of Snort's team and a student. Nice. Yeah, sometimes we all feel like big losers. Yesterday was one of those moments. And the poor OT. I can only imagine she felt so bad...and it wasn't even her fault.

Then, Little Guy's breathing got pretty yucky in the middle of the night, so we got to spend some time in the ER together. Turns out the RSV hasn't penetrated his lungs yet (hooray!!!), but he is too little to know how to cough and get all that junk out. Poor kid. I have found that crying clears his lungs, so I'm the mean mom who keeps making him mad when his breathing gets yucky. Think he'll need therapy for that later? Probably. If he doesn't, I probably will.

So, why do I tell you all this? Well, it's not so much to get your sympathy. (I do just fine feeling sorry for myself, thank you very much.) It's more to tell you that today is a better day. The sun is shining today, and it's much warmer than the bitter cold and wind of yesterday. The air is just right to really feel the warmth of the sun as it shines down. Little Guy's cough is sounding so much better, and he's sleeping comfortably. I think maybe his ear isn't hurting him as badly today. And, just because God loves me so much, I don't think he's refluxed one time today. (I have to give God credit. He always opens a window when he closes my doors.) A friend of mine showed up and helped me take the kids to the chiropractor. She just showed up because she knew I could use the help...and that I'd rather die than ask for it.

It is true that some days are easier than others. And I'm glad for that. I'm glad to know that not every day is going to be like yesterday was. Some will be even better than today is. Others might be worse than yesterday. But, in life, things are always changing. So, if today isn't so great, at least I get to look forward to when it will be better. And that's a good thing.

Little Guy's first introduction to sound. 20 days old. January 15, 2009

completed earmold impression. Look how tiny it is!!!

Making impressions for earmolds.

ABR test. Notice that the baby sleeps through the whole thing. No pain. Just a comfy nap.

So, We Debuted the Hearing Aids

Little Guy came with us to church yesterday. He did great!!! And, he wore his hearing aids. Well, I should be more truthful than that. He wore his hearing aids for all of ten minutes. The makeshift molds he has don't stay in very well, he's not a big fan of how they feel, and his mama (that's me!) isn't really quite ready to answer all the questions yet.

As soon as I pulled him out of his carrier, a very-well-intentioned friend got really wide-eyed and went "What is in his ears??". I know she was just asking a question. I also know that these are all people who love my children like their own. I think just seeing other people alarmed at the sight of this tiny baby in hearing aids is confirmation of my own feelings; it looks a little wierd. Not something you see everyday.

Now, don't start freaking out thinking that I'm one of those vain parents who won't give her children what they need because it may not look cool. That's not the case at all. It's more a matter of the hearing aids being a constant visual reminder of Little Guy's hearing issues and all the work that is ahead of him and me.

On the same token, those hearing aids are about the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Those tiny little things riding on his ears are going to give him the gift of sound. They'll help him experience song, the sound of the voices of those who love him, and they'll give him a chance to find his own sweet little voice. They are truly a blessing to our family. Had the Beast or Little Guy been born 30 years ago, sign language would really have been their only option not to mention the fact that we'd never have known of their hearing loss until much later.

So, we're taking two steps forward and one step back, I guess. He's got what he needs. The resources are at our fingertips to help him with whatever should come up. As soon as those new aids come next week and his earmolds fit better, we will be ready to work together to get more used to wearing them on a regular basis.

Photos of the ABR, Earmold Impression, and Tubing of the Molds

*Click on the pictures to see the whole photo. Apparently I need to learn to reformat pictures.*

One thing friends, family, and others who may have had their own children referred for follow-up screens wants to know is simply "what is like?". We promised we'd take photos and video footage of the process, and we've done just that. When you go through the movies, please remember that this is my fifth child and I'm still only 3 weeks post partum. I promise those extra three chins I'm carrying will go away eventually. :) (They will go away...right?)


This is what the ABR (auditory brainstem response) test looks like. The baby sleeps through the whole thing. Tiny receptors are placed on the baby's head and then a small tube pumps sound into the baby's ear at various frequencies and volumes. The test records the brain's response to auditory stimulation. This is a totally painless test. As the child gets older, it sometimes becomes necessary to give the child medication to help him stay asleep through the test. Under about six months, though, most babies sleep through it without the aid of medications.

This is what it looks like while impressions are being made for earmolds. In order to insure that little or no feedback occurs, the earmold needs to fit the inside of each individual ear perfectly. So, the audiologist will make impressions of the inside of the ear to send off to the molding company. Babies grow rapidly, so it's expected that a baby will go through several sets of earmolds in his first couple of years.

After the earmolds arrive, the tubing needs to be trimmed to fit the baby's ear just right. This is what the tubing may look like to start with. The earmolds in this picture are just temporary until Little Guy's real molds come in sometime next week.

Today, We Got Confirmation

We took Little Guy to the audiologist today. He doesn't hear. I already knew that deep down in my heart, and I was trying to prepare myself for it. But, what parent is ever really prepared to hear that their child has anything wrong? I've already walked this path with the Beast, but that doesn't necessarily lessen the blow. Having already done this once, I know that there can be amazingly happy endings to this story. But, I'm still scared.

I have a really great group of friends that I share a message board with. I'm the only one with two hearing impaired children in the group, but there is one other mom who has a child with a hearing loss. There are also lots of moms with children who have other special needs. They were the first people I contacted when we got Little Guy's hearing test completed this morning. This is what I shared with them:

I'm exhausted. It's been a loooong day that started at 6am.

Last night, I made the mistake of pounding on a metal pan with a large plastic spoon to see what he'd do, and it made him jump a little. So, of course I let myself think that *maybe* the newborn hearing screens were a fluke. My brain knows so much better than that, but my heart just really wanted him to be okay. Banging on a pot like that right up close to a baby will almost always result in some response because it's SO loud.

Anyway, he had his test this morning, and it started out okay. But, it quickly became clear that the test was showing some kind of hearing loss. The audiologist was kind and upbeat the whole time, probably because we were both very calm and cool. Once all was said and done, she said he definately has a severe hearing loss. (We checked later and found that it's just a little bit worse than The Beast's was at this age...just a tiny bit, though.)

She told us he needed to see the ENT, so dh ran to the office down the hall and got him an appt. for the next hour since we were already all the way down there. He was awesome, and gave us some very, very, very kind compliments regarding our parenting of special needs kids. That was nice, but I was still feeling kind of on edge about the whole thing. We talked at length about The Beast, and my bio-dad, and then Little Guy's current situation. He had suggested we see a geneticist when The Beast was three, but I've never been able to bring myself to do it. There are some things I just don't even want to think about. He strongly suggested it again this time. The King really wants to do it. I don't. I'm just not in that place yet.

From there, we left to go see the Beast's hearing aid audiologist to get Little Guy fitted for hearing aids. She was hoping we'd be able to cancel the appt., but was ready if we didn't. She actually still had the original aids The Beast wore when he was first diagnosed. We'd traded them in for stronger ones when he was about eight months. She rigged up some temporary earmolds, re-programmed the original hearing aids, and we went about ordering him some really strong ones. I think he'll get the same ones The Beast has in his left ear. There was something special and really reassuring about him wearing The Beast's first aids.

While we were there, the ENT dr. called back. He'd been pouring over The Beast's files and found some details he'd forgotten about before. He is 99.9% sure he knows what's causing their hearing loss. It's a genetic link I carry that can only be passed to boys from me. So, my boys can't pass it to their kids, but Pretty can pass it to her sons. And, if the boys have daughters, their daughters can give it to their sons. Clear as mud? So, he really wants us to see the geneticist just to make sure he's right and it's not something else with other potential effects. I don't know if I'm ready to officially hear someone in the know tell me that it's me that has been passing this on to my boys. Based on my knowledge of my bio-dad, I've been pretty sure it was from me all along. But hearing it just...I don't know. I feel like I've done something bad. I can't really put it into words.

He has his intake appt. for early intervention on Monday, and then goes for more hearing tests every three months for the first two years. And the new hearing aids should be here in a couple weeks. We really are WAY ahead of the game on this, but I'm still feeling kind of overwhelmed about it. Your thread sending love and hugs really helped. You guys have no idea. We haven't even told family yet. Just you guys. I do know we can do it. And I know that he's meant to be our baby just as much as we're meant to be his parents. And we love the blessings that come from overcoming hardships. But, this is still going to take me some time to digest. It stings a little. So bear with me and be patient. I won't wallow in this. Or at least I'll try not to. But, be patient when I seem a little all over the place.

Sooo, there you go. That's the updates. Severe hearing loss that the dr. expects to progress to profound just like The Beast did. That's it. We've beat the odds more than once. We are planning to do it again.

After I wrote my message to my group of friends, I decided that I just needed a little more time on my own. Just a little, though. With five kids in the house, too much time on my own means painted walls, clogged toilets, or shaved cats. So, I took a shower. And it felt good to finally just let loose and cry a little bit. After a few days, I should be back to where I need to be in order to press forward and really do the things Little Guy (and my four other amazing children) need me to do.

One thing we did do today was take lots of pictures and video footage of the process. It's important to me to share this with other parents who are just starting the journey with their own children. Our purpose and goal behind this blog is to be there as a resource and sounding board for anyone who can gain anything from it.

I hope to hear from my readers about their own experiences. When others share with us, they provide us an opportunity to learn and grow as well. It's therapy for all of us.

Where It Started

I posted this on my other blog before Little Guy had his hearing test today. I think it's fairly telling of how I was feeling, and I wanted to be sure I kept it, which is why I'm pasting it in over here.

Ok, I'll Answer All Your Questions
So, the questions have been swirling. Some of you have come out and just asked us. Others have asked each other afraid that you'd offend us by asking. You won't offend us. We're pretty open-minded people. But, just to make it all nice and easy, here are the answers. (And, yes. I've actually heard some of these questions come straight from the mouths of people. *shaking my head in awe at what some people will actually say*.)
Q: Does Little Guy hear?
A: Honestly, probably not. He hasn't passed a hearing test yet. There was one test that showed a little response at 70db, just like the Beast when he was a baby. We have one last hearing test this Thursday morning. It's the deciding one that will have all the real answers.By his behavior at home, it doesn't appear that he hears much of anything at all. There is no startle reflex to sound. There is no crying when children come screaming through the house. When it comes to responding to sound, Little Guy doesn't show much. I guess it's possible that it's all just because he has so many siblings. But we're not counting on it.
Q: Well, at least you guys know what to do. He couldn't have come to a better family.
A: We're glad some people feel that way. We often feel really inadequate as parents to these little people with big needs. But, then again, I think all parents of any child feels a little inadequate about their parenting skills, don't they?And, yes. We do know what to do. But, that doesn't make it any easier. In some ways, it's even a little bit harder. When we had The Beast, we only had one other child a full three and a half years older. Now, there are four other children, two of which are still VERY young and very demanding of our time and resources. And, just knowing what to do doesn't guarantee the same one in a million result we got with The Beast. Some of these realities do weigh heavily on our minds.
Q: So, have you learned your lesson and decided to stop having anymore children? (maybe not said in just those words, but that was the intention of the question).
A: Did you decide to stop having children when you got one with brown eyes instead of blue? Or one who has trouble with math? Or one who runs a little slower than the rest of the team?
Q: So, are you okay with it all?
A: It's not what we wanted, but we're always okay. We were okay when Number One had extreme allergy and asthma issues. We did just fine when Pretty had digestive issues requiring a whole new diet as a baby. We more than survived the Beast's hearing loss issues. We came out on top when Snort almost died on us, then had an umbilical hernia, then developed severe reflux. We are always okay. We are very, very aware of who is really in charge, and we love Him for the plan He has for us and our children. We will not sit around and feel sorry for ourselves, but we will stand up, brush ourselves off, hold each other just a little tighter (because really only we can understand what each other is really feeling), and do what needs to be done. And we will be blessed for it as we always have been. Let me make it perfectly clear. We will be okay.
Does all that mean we're not a little sad? Oh no. We are saddened by the fact that Little Guy probably doesn't hear. It means there is once again a detour from the path we saw for him. We know what sort of trials and struggles we and he will have to deal with, and it makes us a little sad to know what's coming. And sometimes we cry about it a little bit. But even the greatest and deepest of all sadnesses can only last for so long. The sun will shine whether we want it to or not. So, we work on embracing the sunshine and the beauty of this perfect little child.
Q: So, do you need anything?
A: Yep! We need patience. We need everyone to know we're okay and we're going to handle all of this in our own little way as a family. And, when we're ready to ask for help, we really will ask. (Well, maybe. I like to be independant. The King says I'm stubbourn. I prefer to call it being firm in my convictions).
Really, though. Patience is the thing we most need from everyone. Bear with us when we seem like we're always running late or frazzled. We probably are a little frazzled, but we learn by doing. So, be patient when you're dying to step in and do it for us and we insist on doing it ourselves. It's because we're learning.
Be patient when it seems like maybe Little Guy isn't catching up like the Beast did. They're two different people. Therefore, their timing will be as individual as they are. By the same token, their accomplishments will be their own.If someone REALLY wants to do something for us, prayer is a good thing. Don't pray for him to hear. If God has already decided to bless him with a quiet world, who are we to change that? Only great things can come from great trials, and we wouldn't want that taken from us. Instead, pray for God's will to be done. Pray that we, as his family, and you, as his friends and loved ones, can accept the cards we're dealt and handle it in the way that is best for Little Guy and most fitting in the eyes of his Creator. Who knows? Maybe next Thursday will bring a little miracle!
So, there you go. The answers to the questions we've heard the most. We welcome the questions. I just wish we had all the answers. We'll have more in a few more days. I'll update you then. Until then, just enjoy these answers. And think of more questions. We always welcome them.