Karl - 2 wks later - Staph & More

Today we were driving to church as a family, following Ty and Sarah where they attend each week.  They drive almost an hour to be part of this amazing place!

It was a really wonderful service - 

We can totally see why they make the drive!

As we drove each way, Dw and I started praying aloud for Karl.  We were both overcome with powerful emotions.  Two weeks later, so much progress, but still anxiously waiting till the day he is really "back".  

We all {Karl, Bob, Vicki, Derek, Ryan, Autumn, our family and all the others} cannot thank you enough for praying!  This time has been like nothing else and each of you are part of Karl's miracle story!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

There are some pressing needs to pray for:

The infection they are dealing with is Staph and something else.

Please pray that it would be gone!

Karl did follow commands again today, but they need him to do two in a row.  Please continue to pray for this.

Autumn asked Karl to blink his eyes twice for her, and he did!  She was so tickled.  

It also turns out that they found that his shoulder is torn - no wonder he is more hesitant to lift his left arm than his right!

All in all, it was a good day and we thank you for taking these cares to the Lord with us in prayer.  

~*~ standing together till Karl is healed~*~

xo

We're Here!

After 2,486 times of 

"Is it almost time to be at at Tyler and Sarah's?"

{sadly, 2,483 of those were from Dw! - haha!}

and

twenty-five hours of on-the-road drive time,

 we are here!

We had not seen Tyler in over a year, and it is so wonderful to hug that boy of ours {and hug him and hug him and hug him}.  Many of you remember that Sarah {thankfully!} was able to come home for Christmas this past year and we sort of Skyped with Tyler who was overseas at the time. 

and now

We are on their turf, seeing a part of the country that most of our family has never seen, staying in their beautiful home 

{reminds Dw and I of our first home 33 years ago} ....

Oh, how good it is to be together with these two treasures of ours!

And boy-oh-boy, do they ever grow some gigantic 

leaves around here!

I love having my kids all in the same car together, it's one of my favorite things...laughing, talking, enjoying, snuggling, remembering, story-tellin', sweet teasing....and last night as we road over to the water together we were only missing Autumn, Karl, Abi, Ryan, Finn, Little Miss R and Miss S.

 We are so thankful that we get to be together 

making memories 

before that yellow ribbon goes up again.

Late Night Update on Karl Hujus

I talked to Vicki this evening.

She was so thankful that Autumn was headed back up to stay, after having to work for a couple of days.  Autumn was able to get some of her shifts traded so she'll be up there for several days in a row.

Karl's fever is still not gone, in fact it is a bit higher.  

Please pray that the second antibiotic they are trying would work, 

better yet, pray that the Lord will just heal it - whatever it is!

They are beginning a bit of physical therapy with him.  But the real goal is to have him obey two commands in a row, so he can be transferred to a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center. 

Vicki asked that all would pray that Karl would be able to respond to two commands, one after the other. 

It's two weeks tomorrow since the accident.  Would you join us in asking the Lord to move in a huge way to make the two week day a really good day of progress for Karl {and all who love him}?

Thank you for loving Karl, Autumn and the families involved.

~*~standing together till Karl is healed~*~

Karl & Autumn - A Few Weeks Ago

Just about two weeks prior to the accident 

{on the 4th of July} 

Karl and Autumn went to the Pagosa Springs parade.  

When I saw this picture for the first time, I noticed how his hand is clearly and tightly wrapped on her shoulder....

always figured that was a man's way of sayin'....

"Yup, she's mine, back off dude." 

Thank you for praying with us that 

he will be able to do that again very, very soon. 

Don't they just look so sweet together?

Clearly enjoying each other's company.

I love this picture.

Karl - Friday Night 7/29/11

I spoke to Vicki earlier today and Autumn tonight.

The praises:  

Karl is no longer bleeding AT ALL in the brain!  

{Yippee Jesus!!}

His blood pressure was really good!

The prayer needs:

Karl is running a fever. 

They were not sure where the infection is coming from 

and were running some tests.

Please pray that the infection {wherever it is, would be gone!}

Please pray that his brain and body will continue to heal.

~*~ standing together until Karl is healed~*~

That Yellow Ribbon

That yellow ribbon is about to go up and we are heading to love on our hero-son and our precious daughter-in-love.   This was to be our big family vacation, but the situation with Karl has changed all that.  {Actually, because of Autumn working for the airlines and her flight privileges she and Karl were going to fly to meet us.}

We are leaving in a few minutes.

It has been a year since we saw Tyler.  

We must go - we miss him so much! 
It is approximately 1500 miles one way - 
 a long journey!   


Tyler's position is such that his life is continually in jeopardy while he is gone.  He is a Sarg*nt now too, so he has quite a few men under him.  

This will be the 5th time the yellow ribbon will hang on

 the old apple tree on our lane.

Please pray for traveling mercies for all of us.

For Autumn while we are gone.

And most of all for Karl to continue to heal.

I will be talking with Vicki and Autumn constantly,

so the updates will keep coming regularly,

so you all can keep praying specifically....  

Good News!

Karl's surgery went well.

Very well.

And I did not get to update last night about how well he was responding yesterday. 

I had spent time about an hour with Karl and all the while, I knew that Karl was completely responding.   I read him verses, I prayed over him, I teased him....and at one point when I was teasing him about Autumn he gave me a huge smile!

 I came out of being with Karl 

and said enthusiastically,

"On a scale of 1-10 that was like a 2 Trillion!"

I was giddy!!

Seriously, I had a blast and I know Karl 

was completely enjoying the time too!

When I got out in the ICU waiting room, everyone was really tired and hadn't seemed all that interested in my joy

{I think because they were thinking I was being a little overly optimistic.  Silly people!}

UNTIL

They went in themselves.

Autumn and Vicki came out so excited they could hardly stand it.

Karl had given Autumn the biggest smile.

He even winked at her!

AND

He had raised his arm to her.  She bent over his face and said, "Oh babe, do you want to stroke my face?"

To which he lifted his arm and rubbed her face with his hand.

Every time she would lift her face away, he would raise his arm.  She would lower her face back down and he would stroke her face for a bit.  

Clearly, Mr. Karl was responding very well!

When Autumn told me that what had happened, I kept yelling, "I told ya!!!  I told ya!!  I told ya!!"  

Such good MIRACLE news.

Now with the surgery today they have had to sedate him again for bit and so today was pretty low key.

But you guys - 

It is the POWER of PRAYER!!

Plain and simple.

Almighty God responding to the prayers of God's people....

He is just soooo faithful!

*PLEASE KEEP PRAYING*

A Few Minutes From Now....

I am up in the ICU waiting room.

Elizabeth came with me today.

I woke up just before 4am and spent some time with the Lord.

Then I ran to get a shower and met Elizabeth 

coming down the stairs.

She said, "Mommy, where are you going?"

I told her that Karl was having surgery and 

I was going to come here to pray.

She begged, "Please mommy, can't I go with you?"  

Who could resist those gorgeous brown pleading eyes?

All of the kids have already been up here, and it is actually kind of therapeutic for Bob and Vicki and Autumn to have our little treasures around from time to time to love on. 

Anyway, in just a few minutes 

{11:00am MST}

Karl will be having surgery to put a tracheotomy 

in to protect his airway.

He will also be having a feeding tube put in.

Here are the requests via Vicki:

{1} Surgery to go smoothly.

{2} No infection.

{3} Continued healing to Karl's brain and lungs.

{4} Please would you also pray that Karl's body is filled with peace as he continues to heal?

**standing together till Karl is healed**

If you missed the Prayer Vigil it can be accessed from the right top sidebar.  Just click on the picture of Autumn and Karl.

Thank you to all who have continued to pray with us,

you are each part of Karl's miracle!! 

xo

Miss Jump Rope Does Have a Name!

Sunday, July 17th I had planned to do the post and share the 

name of our precious treasure whose upcoming arrival I had just announced.  

And just in case you were on vacation for a couple of weeks:

I told the beautiful story of God orchestrating
 events to bring her to her forever family in two parts.   
In case you missed it:

 Part 1 and Part 2

Obviously, with the situation with Karl being so critical, I just didn't even have it in me to write the post about naming her.

BUT

So many of you have made me smile in the last eleven days when you have mentioned, "Miss Jump Rope"...that I thought I'd better share her name....

Our sweet girl treasure is somewhere around 10 years old.  
We haven't been able to get her exact birthdate 
but her name has been 

Sarah since she was little.  

Sarah means Princess and we think that our 
Princess 
would love to remain the 
name she has been called all her life.

For a middle name we prayed and prayed.

I had a beautiful sister who passed away.

My sister's name was Jane

and 

Jane means "God is gracious"

{which HE certainly is and has been.}

On that note, we joyfully announce the upcoming arrival of 

Miss Sarah Jane

Our precious princess whom God has been gracious to...

We will call her Sarah Jane.....

making a differentiation between Sarah Jane 

and 

our treasured daughter-in-love Sarah.

Sarah is so excited that we are bringing home another Sarah.

So from here on out....

Miss Jump Rope 

is 


officially 

Sarah Jane

Isn't she precious?  
Really.  
Her countenance reflects the Lord.  
Gracious, do we ever love her!

We wrote to the director of the orphanage where Sarah Jane lives and asked if we sent a letter, would she be able to let Sarah Jane hear it and know that she has a family waiting for her.  I wrote it in two parts.  First letter introducing us and sent along the pictures of Daddy jumping rope with her and also the picture of her and I together from April.  


Second letter I introduced to her all her
 siblings and sent pictures of them.  


We got a report back that 

Sarah Jane 
was so excited and had been practicing 
writing her full name:


Sarah Jane and our last name

How sweet is that?


Miss Sarah Jane is acomin' home,


Lord willing, 


before too, too long.

1:00pm Update on Karl {7/27/11}

I have waited to update till we knew more.

As it turns out, they opted not to do the surgery this morning.  

There was some thought that maybe Karl would not need it, as it turns out, they are going to do it tomorrow morning after all.  

{No definite time yet.}

I was able to just spend about an hour with Karl.  His eyes were open and there was no doubt that he was responding to the things I was saying.   It was such a pleasure to spend all that time with this precious young man.  I prayed with him some and read him some verses.

I told him that people all over the world {25 countries last count} were praying for him.  He moved his arm when I told him.  Not a fiber in me doubts that he knew exactly what I meant.  

I'm sure he would thank you all, if he could.  

And one day, 

he will be able, 

I am confident! 

Keep praying!

Pray Specifically:

1.  Continued healing of his brain.

2.  Lungs would continue to clear.  

3.  That he would not need to be sedated again.

4.  Protection through the surgery tomorrow morning.

Karl's Having Surgery in the Morning

We are all so thankful for the prayer coverage 

going on round the clock for Karl.

No doubt you who have been joining us in

 prayer are part of this miracle!

Here are some specific requests:

1.  Karl is having surgery in the morning, somewhere between 9 and 10am.  They will be putting in a trach and a feeding tube {this is very normal with a traumatic brain injury and will help a ton because he won't have the tubes down his throat {which he has appeared to even want to pull out a couple of times!}  

They both are just temporary.  

2.  Please pray that the surgery would go well as 

the Lord skillfully guides the surgeon's hands.  

Also, a complete absence of infection. 

3.  Please pray for protection for the vertebrae in 

Karl's neck as they do the surgeries.  

His neck went through a lot of trauma the day

 of the accident....it needs to continue to be

 protected as they tip his head quite a ways back.  

4.  Please pray that Karl's brain would continue to heal miraculously!

A special thank you to all who are praying at shifts during the night.

To see the Prayer Vigil please click on the upper right sidebar picture of Karl and Autumn.  We would love to have anyone who would like sign up for an hour of prayer any time.  

Thank you sooo much!!  

This woman is pretty tuckered. 

 I just got home from the hospital where Emmy, 

Liberty and I spent about 8-9 hours with Autumn and Karl's family {Dw went up for the first 5 hours of the day} and 

I barely slept last night, so on that note.....  

night-night from Colorado. 

xo

Such Joy.....Soooo Needed!

Yes, it's true, when Bob and Vicki entered Karl's room

 at 9:00am this morning 

{everyone is kicked out from 6-9 both am and pm}....

they found Karl laying with both his eyes partially open!!!

You can imagine their joy!!

Not wide-eyed, but open enough that yes, indeed, 

they were open!

Bob and Vicki almost fell over...

actually Bob was overcome with emotion and 

bent down weeping and praising the Lord.

Over the course of the next while,  

the doctors saw as Karl blinked in response to his mom

 and then wiggled his toes for the nurse and doctors - 

who were all elated!!

Autumn ran to his room and running in said, 

"Hi baby, it's so good to see your eyes open."

Karl responded by blinking those beautiful brown eyes three times. 

Miracles!!

True miracles!

Can I just say that yesterday was a tough day for all of us?

Super tough.  

And today, there was breakthrough.

Yippee Jesus!!  Yippee Jesus!! Yippee Jesus!!

"To God be the Glory, 

Great Things He has Done!"

They had to sedate Karl right after this awake time because his blood pressure was rising.  

Please continue to pray with us for Karl's 

complete healing and the upcoming surgeries {more later}.

PRAY!!!! MIRACLES!!

Vicki just phoned me...

She said, 

"I can't reach Autumn...we need her right now!  Find her!! We're getting some responses, he's starting to open his eyes!!  

PRAY with us!!

It's happening!!  

It's beginning!!  

Emma and I immediately started dialing Autumn and when Emmy reached her she quickly handed me the phone  {Autumny must have been in the bathroom due to the echo} and I said,

"Run Autumn - Run to his room!  

He's starting to respond!"

Autumn screamed, "He is?  He is?"

Pray!!  Pray!! Pray!!

"Then you will know that I am the Lord;

those who hope in me will not be disappointed." 

Isaiah 49:23b 

*thank you all who have been believing and praying and standing and fasting with us - you are part of Karl's miracle - don't stop!*

Tattoos and An Update

Tattoos really aren't my thing
{just being honest}.

Not for me personally.

If you, my sweet friend, want every limb and your entire trunk tattooed to the umpteenth degree - -  

you go!  

I was already a pin cushion much of my life with shots for the Multiple Sclerosis and medical procedures, so the thought of paying someone to purposefully stick needles in me, 

ummmmm,

no thanks.

But I do know that much of this generation
{and many in my generation get into it now too} 

digs 'em and all I can say is, 

"whatever."

My two oldest daughters have some.

I can't remember if Tyler does or not, 

but I know he has had one planned.

Anyway,

Karl, as I've previously mentioned, has them.

One on his chest.

It looks like this:

I just can't help but believe that unbeknownst to Karl,
 it was put there prophetically.

Not just for us, but for him too.

When he wakes up and looks in the mirror, 

he will see

TRUST

And for us, so that when we are there with him, praying over him and reading him scriptures, we can see it peeking out from under his hospital gown.

TRUST

So hard to live it out though sometimes, isn't it?

I know it is for me.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the "what ifs".

But this is the verse I have had to go back to time and time again.

"You, oh Lord, will keep me in perfect peace, 
when my heart and mind is stayed on you."

Isaiah 26:3

I'm realizing, yet again, that it's my choice to have peace.
I just have to continually resign my heart and mind to Him.

The barometer of 

TRUST

is

PEACE.

The easiest and fastest way for me to get to that place of 
PEACE 
and quiet confidence in Christ

is through prayer and fasting.

It applies to every life situation.


I know many of you are going through 
your own difficult places.

He offers us His peace,

but it's up to us...
Will we trust?
Moment upon moment...

day upon day.

Autumn also has some tattoos.
One of her tattoos is on the inside of her wrists so when she holds her wrists together  


One says 


Jeremiah


The other says


29:11  

I told her the other day while we were sitting in the waiting room, "Honey, I don't believe for a second that your tattoo was really your idea.  I believe that the Lord had you put it there for this very tragedy in your life."


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you, not to harm you, to give you HOPE and a FUTURE."
Jeremiah 29:11

Autumn lost her first love to a car accident on a sunny Sunday in July a few years ago.  He was a kind-hearted young man that we all really loved.  He was on his way to baseball practice and the car he was merely riding in took a curve too fast.  He lost his life.

Autumn has struggled greatly with life and, quite truthfully, with God since Quinton was killed.  It is difficult to explain tragedy to us adults, let alone young people. 

So this traumatic accident with Karl on a sunny Sunday in July a few years after Quinton's death {as Karl came to pick up Autumn for church} is all too reminiscent to Autumn and our family. 

What young person experiences a tragic car accident 
on a sunny Sunday in July to the person 
they love and care for twice in their short 22 years?

Downright dumbfounding to me.

I know adults who really have never even had any tragedy in their up-close lives.  Maybe someone in their extended family, but not up-close, ya' know?


I choose to believe that the God's plans for Autumn and Karl are good, that Almighty God has HOPE for their future, and 
that they/we/all of us can TRUST Him. 


And when I focus on that fact, I find HIS peace.


As far as an update:


They allowed Karl to have the ventilator off for 28 hours and he breathed on his own the entire time.  We believe that is wonderful.


I just spent an hour in talking to Karl and reading scripture over him and praying over him.


I sure love that young man and I can't wait till he can sit at my kitchen counter and turn red cause I've been teasing him again.


Please keep praying!!


*~*standing together till Karl is healed*~* 

Late Night Update

I'm home from the hospital.  

I got home just about dark 

so I was able to snuggle with the 

little guys for a bit, tuck them in and pray with them. 

As I got out of the car the kids came running.

Elizabeth: "Mommy, did Karl open his eyes?"

Jubilee: "What's wrong mom?  What's wrong? You sad mom?" 

 {I had cried most of the way home and she could tell.}

Isaiah:  "Is Karl awake?"

Elijah:  "Are you going to tuck me in?" 

In a little while, Elijah had headed up to bed and 

was kind of taunting me to come tuck him in.  

I do love chasing him up the stairs, but he was not used to me running full speed across the loft upstairs.  {Heck, I'm not used to running full speed across there either - haha!}

But I decided to give my littlest treasure {at home} 

a run for his money.

I took off like lightening {or at least as much like lightening as a 52 year old can run}....his eyes about popped out of his head and he ran laughing and giggling out of control and then fell on the floor from laughing so crazily.

Good stress relief for both of us, no doubt. 

There is a quick little update from the hospital tonight.

They did the breathing-on-his-own test again today.

When I left the hospital, Karl had been breathing on his 

own for a full NINE hours.

I just texted Autumn.

She said, "They are leaving him breathing on his 

own as long as he does not get agitated and his numbers remain stable....through the night."  

That's amazing!!

Now we just need to pray that he will be able to continue to relax and that his numbers will all remain stable. 

Thank you guys!!

I am CONVINCED that this would not be happening without the prayers of all of you...because God's word says

"The effective,  fervent prayer  of a righteous man {or woman}  accomplishes much!!"

James 5:16

*******************

PS

Thank you to all who have signed up 

for a slot on the Prayer Vigil today.

You can join in by clicking on Autumn and Karl's

 picture at the top of the 

right sidebar.

Noon Update on Sunday 7/24/11

It's been a week now today.  

I keep reliving what was happening a week ago right now.  

Yukky. 

So weird how life can change in an instant.

So icky and weird.

We are so thankful for all of you who have been standing with us. So thankful for all who have been praying with us and signing up on the vigil.  Early this morning I was looking at the Prayer Vigil sheet and thanking the Lord for Joni setting it up and all you who have added your names.

You guys are the best!

So here's the latest:

They lowered the amount of sedative this morning and Karl has been more agitated, so they put the sedatives up a bit more.

He is continuing to do the trial of breathing and he is doing this well again.  They will continue to have him off the ventilator each day until it gets to stressful for him, then they put him back on.  

The first day he was off the ventilator, he was off for 6 hours.

 {Forgive me if I spoke otherwise, I may have been confused.}

Yesterday he was off for 7.5 hours. 

So far today he has been off for 3.5 hours.

Please pray that Karl's agitation will stop.

That he will continue to breath well on his own.

That he will open his eyes voluntarily.

They are giving him more rest today, 

calling it actually a "day of rest."

We all agree:  

Since this is Sunday and a God-given day of rest, 

Karl should have a rest too.

 Thank you for praying for peace and healing for him.  

Lastly, we are keeping the Prayer Vigil going.

I know that it is easy to let up and get weary.

It reminds me of this verse:

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, 

for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."

Galatians 6:9

If you are up for it, please add your name to the Prayer Vigil.

**You can get to the Prayer Vigil by clicking on the picture of Karl and Autumn {at the top of the sidebar} that looks just like this one.**

THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR STANDING WITH ALL OF US!

*~*STANDING TOGETHER TILL

 KARL IS HEALED*~*