20 years!

Unbelievable how quickly 20 years goes by. Dave & I celebrated 20 years of married life, Wednesday, October 15! The girls both had activities at church so Dave & I went to Uccellos, about 2 miles away for pasta. His 50th birthday is Saturday. I think we will be able to garner the girls into joining us for dinner.

My Mom, Arlene, wanted us to get away. We thought about it but Dad just got out of the hospital on Sunday. He had continued problems with his creatine levels and the nephrologist was discussing removing the kidney. He was disappointed with that news, and so were we. Fortunately, on Saturday, all the levels improved and by Sunday they were ready to turn him loose.

He is feeling better and is trying to get some grip on the little details of 'home improvement', like repairing the 'professional' repair on the hot-tub. The electrician cut through the water line, underneath the tub, in the process of bringing in the proper wiring & voltage. Mom has been doing much of the grunt work around the house, but she loves to be outside whether she is pulling weeds, shoveling or planting. I wish they were closer so we could help more often. Every time I talk with them, which is usually frequently, she has some other project in the works. Dad has been able to create or define plans and assist with minor details. He is tired of the 'lame duck' season. He wants his energy & strength up so he can pursue deer in the north country next month...we'll see?

I forgot to ask Mom what the specialist said on Monday, about the goiters on her thyroid. I'll post more later.

...The things you planned for us no one can recount to you;

were I to speak and tell of them,

they would be too many to declare. Psalm 40:5

Courtney frequents a community Swing Dancing activity on Tuesday evenings in downtown Grand Rapids at Rosa Parks Circle. This is a photo of her captured this past, rainy Tuesday, dancing with a friend. Yes, they got wet...very wet!

Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp. Psalm 149:3

a Love Affair for email

This post is for Uncle Bob...my gmail account has 265 w/183 unread and my msn account has 961 w/795 unread! That is not counting all the ones I have filed to read later ;) Thus you can better understand my inability to stay totally committed to my blog on a daily basis. Hallelujah, there IS life outside of the internet. If you are like me, you will just bookmark our site and visit it when you have time, not when you get an alert that I've posted.

A Brief Stint

This past week was a difficult path to travel. Getting through football games after the tragic death of a team-mate and friend, mourning with family and friends at the visitation, seeing hundreds stream from the church after the memorial; all a reminder we are just passing through. Travis' dad, Doug made the comment on the last post of their carepages that the community that surrounded them with prayer was like the Verizon Network commercial. Such a great analogy when you stop to think that our Sovereign God is the 'tower' from which all this energy flows!

My Dad, Louis, has also had a difficult week. I reported that on September 29, he had gotten the stint removed that was assisting his ureter. He had a new one replaced the next day. He has not felt well since then. He has had fevers, nausea and next to no urine output. His family doctor orderer blood and urine tests this past Monday when he continued to not feel well. Since his creatine levels were high and the urine test was suspect, Dad's family doctor called and said he needed to go to the Emergency Room at Greenville hospital ASAP, for further testing. In preparation for an appointment with his nephrologist today in Grand Rapids, they did more blood & urine tests and a CT scan. This morning Mom contacted his oncologist and Dr. Curry scheduled Dad for surgery late in the day. They canceled his other appointment and made their way to Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids about 1:00PM. They got him prepped and tried to keep him as comfortable as possible. Since he was an 'add-on' for surgeries in the radiology department, they didn't have an operating room available until 5:30PM. The procedure was quick, but Dr. Curry wanted to keep him overnight for observation. We had to wait for a hospital room to open up before he could be moved from recovery. They were preparing to put him back in the pre-op admissions area temporarily if a bed didn't open soon. They wanted him to be in a regular bed, rather than on the gurney. About 7:00PM the gals from transport came to move him to the 4th floor, right across from the nurses' station. His nurse and nurse assistance are very attentive, with a good since of humor! Mom and I left him in good hands. Hopefully, he will get some much needed rest...maybe. The NA was going to bug him for vitals every 30 minutes for the first 2 hrs, then every hour thereafter for 4 hours, then having the stint creates a constant 'urge to urinate'. We pray tomorrow is a good day.

On a disappointing note, the purse of his roommate's mother was stolen a couple of hours prior to our arrival into the room. They suspect the previous 'tenant' that occupied Dad's bed to be the culprit. His mom received a call from family that the purse had been found at a CVS a couple of miles away. I am sure they will locate the 'idiot and company' since they used her phone to make some calls.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3:7-8

Livestrong to Lovestrong

Nine days ago we began a journey of storming Heaven's gates with prayer. Tragically, a schoolmate of Kelsey's, at Calvin Christian High, encountered a dark place in his life. Early Thursday morning he slipped into the arms of Jesus. Travis was a 16 year old with a passion for living life to the extreme. He wanted everyone to know that God loved them & Jesus was their saving grace. He was vibrant, sincere, & tenacious. 'Livestrong' was his way of doing things. Throughout this past week we have experienced the same kind of living & loving from his family as they kept a 'carepages' for the community to stay updated. Over 3,000 visitors & 2300+ messages of love & prayers have been written in 9 days! We continue to pray for this beautiful family & the extended community as a new walk without their beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin & friend begins.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Friends at CCHS had shirts printed with Live Strong ~ Jeremiah 29:11 printed on the back and TG36 on the front. TG36 stickers were handed out for football helmets & everyone coming through the gates. Travis was a JV football player that was excited to move up & play his first Varsity game on Sep 19. His jersey number was 36. He even made one of the touchdowns! All the teams at CCHS have dedicated their season to Travis & his family. Our Kelsey is a Varsity Football Cheerleader so I am a camera-mom. I take hundreds of pics at these games. Calvin Christian has never really had a strong football team; it's always been a 'soccer' school. This year these young men are boldly playing with a vision of winning, especially since the events of last week. Travis charged them up in life ... and now in Spirit. The scores this past week...JV twice at 42-0, up until a few minutes remaining in the first game that Travis wasn't on the field ... the score 36-0. Travis' # last year: 42! Varsity last Friday: 55-0 at the half, end of game: 68-12. The Varsity have played 5 games, won 4, & the game they lost was an on your feet 'til the scoreboard hit 0!

http://www.carepages.com/carepages/TravisGortsema

I have to admit that I still have trouble blogging on this site. I never was a very good diary or journal keeper. It is too easy for me to jump on Facebook to communicate. I love to write & like to think that I am staying current journaling our family life through photos...if only I would post them here also.

After Kelsey customized our newly purchased 1994 Audi 100s, it was established that she had a vision problem...hmmm. She was able to find the right fit with contacts, then was able to order her reading glasses which she wears over her contacts. She had to wait longer for the 'all purpose' glasses that have progressive lenses, to wear when she is not able to wear her contacts. Homework is an easier task for her now. In the process of finding a car for parts to make repairs, Dave managed a deal on a 1992 Audi 90c. It was too nice to part out so he put on new routers & brakes, fixed a couple lines under the hood, reworked the trim, but the speaker problem goes unresolved. I went & got the license plate and Kelsey is now driving a nice looking black Audi. A couple of days later, parts arrived for the 1994 Audi. My husband needs a project :)

Courtney is working on mid-term projects for her classes at GVSU. She began an observatory internship at the day-care down the street. She seems to enjoy it. She is on 2 dance teams at GVSU and loving all that a bigger university has to offer. Courtney joined the team leading the 56'ers at church on Wednesday nights. It has to be her busiest day/night of the week. About twice a month, she plays her violin in the Praise Band during our Sunday worship services.

I joined the rank of 2nd/3rd grade teachers in the Vine at church on Sunday mornings, after our worship service. Even though I am used to leading a group of 40-70 girls plus counselors in my previous position as GEMS coordinator at our former church, I am humbled to be one on one again with these young minds.