Working With His Daddy

Trey LOVES working on cars with his Dad. In fact, my 3 year-old son would rather work on a truck in 90 degree weather than go swimming with his Mom & friends. He is crazy!!

I love the fact that there is something that they both love to do and get to do it together. I love my husband for allowing our 3 year-old to "help" him change the oil or rotate the tires when surely he could do it faster without the "help". What a great Daddy!

Yes, he's sitting in the engine compartment!

Working on the 79 Chevy

He has his own work clothes, or as he says, "oberalls and work shoes" and gets so excited to fix anything. When people ask him if he's going to be a doctor like Daddy, he says, "Nope, I'm going to fix cars". I love that little guy so much!!

We want Trey to grow up to be whatever he wants to be!! I'm excited to see what God has in store for our little man!

New Trial Date

First of all, I just want to say that the prosecutor on our case ROCKS!! I truly believe that the case has been postponed until this time because HE is who God wanted to prosecute the case.

It appears that the trial will take place October 2nd & 3rd. I say appears because, well, we've been told dates before and things change. I am okay with this new date. It took a little while and some chatting with the prosecutor before I came to be okay, but we are definitely trusting God. I wish it was sooner, but believe that God has a plan.

Keep on praying! God wants to hear from us and we covet your prayers during this time.

My Blessings

Sweetness and orneriness personified!

Best friends and cousins.

These are my sister's babies and Trey.

Emerson, Aubreigh and AJ!

My sister Valerie and her kids came out last week for a visit. They live about 4 hours away. We miss them like crazy! Trey talks about Eme, Aubreigh & AJ almost daily. They really are his best friends. When they get together it's like they haven't missed a beat. You would think they live next door. Emerson & Aubreigh have taught him everything they know...which is scary. And if Trey & Aubreigh are missing at the same time, watch out, they are surely up to no good. AJ is Trey's only boy cousin, so he is definitely looking forward to teaching him all about cars, trucks & tractors!

I love these kids like they are my own. I was there when Em was born, on my way when Aubreigh was born, and just finished painting Valerie's toenails when she went into labor with AJ. I would do anything for them as if they were my own. Aunt Jocey loves you all!

So, this is a shout out to all the cousins out there!

Uncle Frankie, Aunt Jocey & Trey miss
everyone and hope to see you soon!

(And I'm sure you'll be hearing more about
my awesome sister later!)

The Trial

Ugh. Our pre-trial was scheduled for July 23rd (this coming Wednesday). We believe it is being rescheduled once again. (This would be our 4th pre-trial.) I can't believe it. The trial was scheduled for July 31st and it's been scheduled since April. It has to be moved as well.

I feel like I've tried to rise above all of the politics of the justice process. You always hear how bad our court system is, and so I tried to keep a level head. I knew our time would come and was beginning to feel confident that this was it.

On July 18th, it has been exactly 7 months since the abuse of my son occurred. The two bones in his right forearm both fractured and surgery to set one of them, bruising around his neck and other places, terrible marks on his buttocks. Doesn't he deserve justice for what happened to him? In a timely manner? Why does it feel like he is the one who receives the littlest consideration?

I am angry! I haven't felt this way about this situation before now. Was I upset initially? You bet! But I was confident that the system would provide justice. Now, my family continues to be abused over and over again. All while "he" sits on his butt a free man, paying no consequence.

Hotel rooms booked, family requesting time off work, childcare set up for the children, physician's schedules cleared for that day and now must be booked back up. Those things seem menial, but it's our life everyday. Waiting for our time to come.

Will it ever end? We need closure.

Please pray for my family. God sees the big picture and we get only but a glimpse. We are trying to trust Him, knowing that we are in his hands.

Meet Melissa...

Honestly, the sweetest person I have ever met.

Selfless wife, awesome mom, great friend. And she knows that God is in control.

Frank & I met Doug & Melissa their first Sunday at church when they moved to Dayton. We have shared a lot of experiences together, mostly the birth of their three children and our Trey.

Trey, Lauren & Caleb

Audrey


And we share the bond of being doctor's wives.
(Which contrary to popular belief, is no easy task.)

When you live far away from family, friends tend to fill that gap and that's exactly how I'd describe our relationship with the Rexs. We love their kids like neices & nephew and know that they feel the same about Trey. That's a great part of being a part of God's family.

In March of this year, Melissa was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma. She is 31 years-old. She is undergoing chemotherapy every three weeks. Four treatments down, two more to go. All tests thus far show that the lymphoma is responding to treatment. Now I can add to the list of her attributes, strongest woman I know.

I just wanted to introduce you to one of the most special people in my life. Please pray for Melissa & her family. Pray that her chemo continues to be effective. Pray that their move out of state would go smoothly as possible. Pray for their little ones, who will grow to be great people because of the parents who raised them.

Check out her blog, authored by her sister, Jenn:

http://www.danceintherainmelissa.blogspot.com/

Why "Our Hope Endures"

**This is a blog from my myspace page that I bumped over here for your reading pleasure.**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, so the last 4 months of my life have been nearly more than I can bear...seriously, things that you cannot imagine, 4 very significant events in 4 months and then some...

Through trials you learn a lot of things: about yourself and about others. I've learned that we can NEVER know what others are going through unless we ourselves have gone through it. And even then every situation is different.

You find out what your friend's are made of. You find out if they're willing to stand up for what is right no matter the consequences...no matter. You find out who is really there for you, no matter how far away.

I'm finding out what I'm made of. I'm not as tough as I thought I was. I'm finding out that I depend too much on myself and not enough on God.

Abuse of a child & a friend who doesn't believe it, a best friend with 3 little ones who has cancer at 31, loss of a child, loss of an important friendship, loss of innocense, loss of everything you believed to be your future.

I just heard this song this past weekend (at Women of Faith in April).
It seems as though it was written just for me.


Our Hope Endures ~Natalie Grant

You would think only so much can go wrong
Calamity only strikes once
And you assume this one has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here

Oh, but sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

How do we comprehend peace within pain?
Or joy at a good man's wake?
Walk a mile with the woman whose body is torn
With illness, but she marches on.

Oh, 'cause sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?
But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism

Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

Emmanuel, God is with us
El Shaddai, all sufficient

We never walk alone
And this is our hope

Overcomer!

Yesterday Trey & I went to a playground. We've been hiding out in the house for a while, so it was definitely time to get out and play. He had such a good time, running around, going down the slides and swinging, and saying hello to the kids he would run past.

Watching him over these past few months, seeing him grow, watching him come out of his shell, has been bitter sweet. He has been through so much since the abuse in December and when I see how much he's overcome, I just thank God for putting his hand on Trey during this time.

People always say, "kids are resilient". I admit it, I've said it too. But NO child should have to overcome abuse. They should not HAVE to be resilient. If you would, say a prayer for Trey today, he is definitely our miracle from God.

Here we go!

I guess everyone has to have a "first" post...so here it is. I'm starting this blog for therapy and believe me, I need it. :)


A lot of things have happened in our life in the last year and this is where you will probably hear all about it: the good, the bad and the ugly. But, oh the blessings that we have as well! And you'll be sure to hear all about them too! So welcome, and here we go!