Four "Reason's I Can Celebrate Mother's Day! (And the great husband who makes it all possible!) ( This is a behind the scenes of the post below!)Thanks, Sweets for the many projects that you do around our "Haus" to make us all happy! Daryl lovingly calls me his 95% Proverbs 31 woman! (I'm not too good at the whole "Real Estate" thing!:)

Natasha got everyone busy helping do what they could do in preparation for our Mother's Day meal... and she is here helping chop the Tomatoes that would go on top the chicken. She is telling me here... "Oh NO, this is going on the blog... my whole life is being blogged right now!" :) But this was another glimpse of our Natasha coming back to us.

Brittany's adding good sticky sweet stuff to our Strawberries!

Darla washed the dishes up for me. One of the good things that has come about because of her big sister having to have surgery. Darla and Bryan have stepped up to the plate... (or rather set up on the stool so they can reach our sink) and have mastered the "doing dishes" thing pretty well. I needed a dessert for our Saturday meal, Natasha isn't quite up to baking for me yet, Brittany was faithfully running errands with her Daddy (and that included Goodwill, much to her delight!!) so I asked Darla if she would like to "help me" bake a cake! She was delighted, of course. Here is a pic of her 1st cake!! It was a big HIT with her family too! Good Job, Darla! Here she is doing the dishes... for I reminded her that is a BIG part of the joy of baking, is a cleaned up kitchen afterward! Good "reverse" psychology! :)

Bryan is cutting up the green onions that will also top the chicken on Sunday's meal. He often asks me if I have a "Man's Job" for him to do! :)

Thank God for this Moment!Mother's Day 2011! God has been so good to me and allowed me so many pleasures. One of which is the privilege of being a Momma! What a great responsibility, but what a great Joy!

Natasha told her Daddy early on what she wanted him to make for me for Mother's Day! She has fond memories of this meal from when she was just a child. Daryl has had a good time teasing her that she's gotten a by with a LOT, since her surgery! She got her way and here's our menu: Monterrey Grilled Chicken, Baked Potatoes, with topping, yummy corn from Yerians Garden, and Macaroni Salad. For Dessert we opted for Strawberry Shortcake... blueberries were add for color too! And they enjoyed setting our table in the China which was given to us as a wedding gift over 20 years ago. The table cloth is a gift from a dear Christian lady in Ukraine, and the napkin rings came from Russia. Our life has been SO richly blessed... all because of Jesus and His calling for our lives!

To the Best Mommy in the world!
Thank you for all that you have done through the years as a mother. Thank you for putting your kids needs in front of your own. Thank you for being such a wonderful Christian example to us. Thank you for your example to us in your marriage and in loving Daddy. We know that your priorities are Jesus, Daddy and us. And even though we may "complain" about being sent out of the living room for y'all's "couch time". I think that inside we are really pleased because we know that you really love Daddy and you both want what is best for us.
Thank you for being there to talk to or have fun with even when you are exhausted! :) Thank you for loving us. We love you so very much! Happy Mother's Day!
Love,
Bryan, Darla, Brittany, and Natasha~

Each day we see little glimpses of our Natasha coming back to us. Saturday p.m. Darla was practicing for her upcoming recital and was having some troubles. So here is another glimpse of Natasha as she helped Darla with her practice. Natasha later said, "Mommy, I didn't realize how much I missed playing the violin."



This knock-out Rose bush was a gift from the girls violin teacher for Natasha following her surgery. She also gave her a delightful card that we have all enjoyed and thought you all might enjoy it as well!
The wording of this card she once received from a friend and thought Natasha might enjoy it. (outside) "Your doctor tells me you are doing better and will be able to play the violin soon!" (inside) "Which is quite remarkable because you never could play one before!" :)
We howled laughing!!! Thank you, Mrs. Collins for your very generous gift, your understanding spirit, and most of all your prayers for Natasha through this healing process! You are a dear, and we believe GOD helped us find you to teach our girls!

Friends!Natasha wasn't well enough for us to go to IHC this year and we all greatly missed going. One of the reasons that it's fun to go is getting to meet up with friends that we normally don't get to see, except each year at IHC. We had a wonderful treat in that these dear friends of ours agreed to come out of their way and meet us at a restaurant for some food and fellowship! Natasha and Brittany are friends with these girls as we are with their parents. Darla and Bryan were here too, but wanted to sit by themselves, and so I forgot to get their pic! Thank you SO much, Ferguson's for this meeting. It meant SO much to all of us, but especially Natasha! God Bless You All! (Our kids are loving the Church Christmas play that you gave them... especially "Megan!" Lots of laughs it has generated here at our Haus!)

What did you say? EHH? You thought Christmas was over! Well, not for me! I saved the money I got from Christmas and bought myself some......GLASSES! Yes, I have officially gotten old! Actually, I've needed glasses for 4 years but didn't want to spend the money - too many other things on the list.
Me and my favorite girl friend! When I introduce myself to my students I usually say, "I have been married for 20 plus years, have 4 kids....and 1 wife." They get a kick out of that - to which I respond. "That's the way it's supposed to be." I love teaching non-native English speaking students. They actually laugh at my twisted humor. They really laugh when I tell them of my cultural blunders over the years.

Just wanted to update you on some of the specifics of Natasha's surgery. We would ask that you continue to pray for the healing process. The important part now is that 'fusion' takes place. The body must accept the 'laboratory' bone that was placed in her spine. If the body accepts this 'laboratory bone' then fusion takes place and the surgery is successful. However, if the body rejects this new 'lab. bone' then they will have to do surgery again. This is the process where they trick the body into thinking your back is broken so that it will grow new bone (lab. bone is not an actual bone). The new bone grows around the rods and fuses together. Lord Willing! We just wanted to let you know, so that you would know how better to pray; however, aren't you glad that God knows it all! We don't have to have the correct terminology - He understands! Slava Boga!

Sunday School Class Greetings!
Natasha has gotten so many phone calls, cards, texts, letters, all kinds of sweet notes from all of God's Family... all over the world. Yesterday, she got a large envelope containing notes from a sweet 5th Grade S.S. Class in PA that she has never met, telling her that they were praying for her! Thank you girls, so much! She will thank you personally later. Your prayers have and continue to mean SO much!
Blessings on ALL of you who have taken the time to say You Care and You Are Praying!

Our Kids Easter Basket~ Thanks to Hausman's!!!
Sometime after Natasha's surgery, I got a text from Daryl's mom saying that she and Dad would take care of the kids Easter basket! How nice that was to hear, for We've had very little time to shop... (and those of you who know me well also know that I seem to be a rarity among females in that... Shopping is NOT my thing!) So a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to you, Dad and Mom for the wonderful, actually BEYOND wonderful, HUGE Easter basket for our kiddos! (they are sharing with us too, kind of them, huh?!)

Thank You, Lord!
Today, we are praising Jesus for this date, April 28th was the date originally scheduled for Natasha to have her Spinal-Fusion surgery, but God saw fit to allow there to be an opening one month ago today and thank the Lord her surgery is behind her now!!!

Fun Easter Treats for our neighbors!
Someone called and offered to bring our meal for Resurrection Lord's Day, so with that offer it gave me time to make Easter treats for our neighbors! This is something that I really like to do, I see it as a ministry, a way of connecting with them, praying it will be a way to reach them for Jesus over time! The kids helped me, even Natasha came over the join the assembly line for a few minutes! The Kids enjoy doing this too! Darla and Bryan especially enjoy taking them house to house, which is FINE WITH ME!!

He Is Risen!

Natasha got to go with us to church for a little while to help celebrate His Resurrection! She had hoped to be able to make it all the way through Pastor's sermon, but only made it about 1/3 way through as it was getting to be too much! It was SO nice to have her with us. She chose to sit in the vestibule so as not to be "front and center"! :) Jesus helped her and gave her the strength to make it, though she was one weary girl for the remainder of the day!

Our First Family Outing ~ After Natasha's Surgery!

We were given a gift card for McDonald's and Natasha said her McChicken sandwich never tasted SO good! It was so nice to be out as a family! This was Good Friday p.m. to give Natasha a chance to see outside our four walls and in preparation for our Sunday outing to church for her 1st service back to church since mid-February!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was exhausted beyond words, but so glad that she went out!

He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! This saying has become so special to us since arriving in Russia as missionaries. I don't know where I was in previous years in the U.S., but I don't ever recall the church folk saying this. If so, it was done so few times that it never sunk in. However, on Easter morning in Russia, every child of God that you locked eyes with - it was mandatory that you either instigate or reciprocate the saying (mandatory is a little strong, but you get the point). Additionally, on Easter morning, the place of worship was ALIVE! I could sense the electricity in the air, and it wasn't some built up emotion due to loud music and a heavy beat. God's children brought that electricity with them. He was alive in them; therefore, the place was alive. We serve a risen Savior! He's alive! Praise be to God.
In addition to what Daryl has written above, what stood out to me, was even the non-believers on the street greeted us with "Eesus Vas Cris!" And we answered to the best of our ability, "Vaestanus, Vas Cris!" He is Risen, He is Risen, Indeed! (First, I must apologize to our Russian Friends for the spelling errors that are very evident above! :) And then I must apologize to our dear Romanian Friends, for we can't remember how it was said in Romanian, though I remember hearing it as well there!) Now in Cincinnati, OH... As our neighbors partied late into the night last night and I was awakened by their obscene yelling and laughter, my heart was SO saddened if it had not been wee hours of the a.m. I could have cried and tears are now very present! Who Am I that I should know about Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him? What privileges I have, and ALL BECAUSE OF CALVARY. Truly, "Because He Lives,... I Can Face Tomorrow!" Praise Him, this Resurrection Morning! How I Love Jesus and thank Him for my redemption!

We aren't celebrating 'Earth Day!' Absolutely not! We are celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Easter is a Christian Holiday and it's not about Easter bunnies and eggs. Every Lord's Day is in fact a celebration of His resurrection! He is Risen! He is risen indeed!

Elevated Mealtime!
We've had to re-invent the wheel so to speak with Natasha needing to wear her brace as well as not being allowed to bend her neck down at all! So if you look closely you'll see a 6 qt pot upside-down holding her plate up to where she can see it to eat! :) We enjoyed our 1st meal that I've had to cook since her surgery, thanks to the gracious ladies and friends from our church. We had Pork, Sauerkraut, Mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans. I LOVE this with homemade cornbread, but was lazy and just served leftover rolls. Bryan would gladly "sacrifice" his helping of sauerkraut next time, if you wanna stop by! :)

Haus Kitchen Officially Re-Opened!

One of our favorite treats is fresh hot chocolate chip cookies with a tall glass of cold milk. And since Natasha's surgery we've been being blessed by such wonderful meals that we've not needed any more treats. The dear ladies from our church have showered us with delicious meals and we are VERY thankful and feel very spoiled.
Those meals and almost all of the leftovers are finished now and so it was time to re-open the kitchen and what better way to do this, than fresh hot chocolate chip cookies... these are actually mint chocolate chip cookies! Yum! Now it's time to get more milk! :)

Gift Baskets from Family!

Natasha has had so much trouble with her TMJ that we've saved much as we could of these for her to have later, when she can chew without jaw pain! We sure did enjoy this yummy fruit basket as it wouldn't keep. I made Natasha a couple of smoothies out of some of the fruit, so she got to enjoy some of it!

It's Spring!
We've been having SO much rain that I've not needed to use this to water my flowers (especially those that aren't even planted yet :) ... But I did find another use for it that was a huge blessing! I never do things "alone", so since I firmly believe I am who I am, do what I do, live how I live because of Him... JESUS! That's Who I give credit for everything I accomplish or strive to do in life. (Now, I don't go so far as to "blame" Him for all that I DON'T GET accomplished and wished I had! :) But that's for another post some other time! :)

Back to our Flower Watering Can... As you all know, Natasha has VERY LONG, VERY THICK, hair and with the Doctor's instructions... "it was safe for her to shower, but NO WATER DIRECTLY HITTING HER SPINE from the shower nozzle" had me puzzled. I've been at a HUGE loss as to how to wash her hair. [Now she would want me to MAKE SURE YOU KNEW that I have washed it with the waterless shampoo someone graciously gave us in her Sunshine Basket.] I had thought about taking her to a beauty salon just to have her hair washed, but since her hair is nearly to her knees, I was SO afraid to take her for fear of what on earth they'd want to charge! So while chatting with my dear lil' neighbor lady the other afternoon, the Lord brought this watering can to my mind and by putting a towel over her incision we were able to wash her hair!
Tulips are some of Natasha's favorite flowers and since they were on sale, she needed another boost and I could double my money by drying the bulbs and replanting them... we got her these last weekend to encourage her heart!

First Outdoor Walk With Daddy

Natasha has walked outside before, i.e. getting from our vehicle to our "Haus" but these pics, (though not that great expression wise) are of her 1st walk - just for the fun of it- outside!!! We live in "Hilly Cincy", so her walks right now are limited, for the Doctor doesn't want her walking uphills yet. So in order to walk longer, we'll have to drive her to a flat surface and then let her walk! :)
Every new day is a cause for us to rejoice. It's hard to believe that it was 3 weeks ago today already, that we started this journey! God is So Good!

Natasha had a good night last night - Slava Boga! She's resting more and going longer periods without meds. God has been helping her and we praise Him!

Natasha received a special treat today. Around noon (EST), some of our friends from Russia called to talk to Natasha. In particular, Anya (pronounced Ahn - yuh), Natasha's friend from Russia called to speak for a while. This was a special treat - Natasha's face lit up and she was very touched by their thoughtfulness. Thank you Vlad, Pastor Anatoly, Dema, Anya, and anyone else involved to make this happen. We appreciate your friendship, sacrifice, and especially your prayers. We love you all!

Maybe only in heaven will we gain a better understanding of how our prayers went around the world and moved the hand of God. Brothers and Sisters, we have a lot of work to do! Now is no time to be satisfied with life. Let's press onward and upward!

Dear Prayers,
Thank YOU ever so much for continuing to pray for Natasha! I wanted to report an answer to prayer. Last night was our BEST night as far as sleep, pain, no bad dreams, since her surgery over 2 weeks ago. We haven't talked about it much, no need, but we have been getting very little sleep. And as you know she needs her rest to be able to heal properly! God is so good! I had called her Doctor but they didn't have many options to give her to switch her meds and so we just went to prayer. Our Great Physician knows how to by pass all the evil reactions of the meds right now, and He did! Keep praying for Natasha as the road to recovery is long, but we are definitely sure that He is leading us. In my devotions recently I read the verse in Isaiah 30:21 " And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." I'm SO glad that Jesus guides! He doesn't limit His leading to just "important stuff", but He guides us according to which way is best as far as our healing goes too!

And if you'll allow a testimony from me as I quote from Isaiah again.

"Praise the Lord, call upon His name;
Declare His deeds among the peoples,
Make mention that His name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord,
for He has done excellent things;..." Isaiah 12:4-5a

God is SO good and we desire that He gets the glory in EVERY endeavor of our lives, and we praise Him!

The Kids visiting their sister for her 18th Birthday!

we plan to celebrate in a BIG way when she is able to get her brace off and is able to chew properly! She requested that we do this. We have celebrated, but only in a quiet way, since that is all she feels like right now! we are thankful for every little step towards healing that God is giving us! love you all and thanks so much for standing by us! The fleece blanket covering Natasha is a gift from our sweet neighbor lady across the street from us! Thank you, Mrs Neal!

Sunshine Galore!
Thanks Christian Nation Church Family! You all are the best!!! She looks forward to the opening of each new numbered gift for that day. She has also enjoyed sharing some of the goodies with her siblings and they are thankful too! :) Natasha said with tears the other day: "Mommy, what do people do who don't have such a church family as we do?!"

We are sooo blessed to have such a large Christian family standing with us, not just our church but our friends all across the world. Thank you, everyone for your continued prayers!!! They mean so much. We are ever-so-grateful to the Lord for his MANY blessings and bringin' Natasha safely through surgery to this extent and through all the hurdles that we've come through thus far and we are trusting Him for the remaining days still lying ahead of us. They have prepared us for at least 8 weeks recovery time needed and we are 2 weeks into that now, so she would want me to ask you to please keep praying!

Before and After!
The top picture is the morning of the surgery (before) That morning she measured in at 5' 3 1/4". Laura is 5' 4" The bottom picture was just taken a day ago. Natasha finally is taller than her mother. We are told that she may actually get taller once the brace is off - because until healing takes place the body still wants to slump a little bit.
I better watch out, she's catching up to me. Continuing to pray that God gives full healing and recovery.

This pic is the morning of surgery. We praise God for Dr. Crawford - truly he was God-sent! Some folks flippantly use the word miracle for everything! They found a pair of shoes at Goodwill and it's a miracle (I have a daughter who loves shoes and loves to shop at Goodwill; that's why I chose that illustration :) )I guess 'to each his own.' Whatever the case, I have no doubt in the providential working of God throughout this whole surgery process. Dr. Crawford was the first African-American to graduate from the University of Tennessee Med. School some 46 years ago and is one of, if not the best in his field (sure I'm biased - I don't deny that). Furthermore, Dr. Crawford is in the process of retiring - I say process because when you are in his field, you don't just stop one day - because of the surgery schedules, follow-up visits, on-going training of other surgeons, etc. So to get an appointment was God working in and through the hearts of men/women and circumstances. After the surgery was over and we met with Dr. Crawford, he said, "I am pleased with the surgery," and "I think Natasha will be pleased with her back." We told him, we had hundreds of people praying for him and the surgery, to which he replied, "Well, then maybe that's why it went so well." Don't read negative into that comment, it wasn't meant to be negative. God has blessed this man with amazing talents and we never detected any arrogance or cockiness. He previously told us, "I do the surgery, God does the healing!" He said that because the body must fuse the bones together or a 2nd surgery will be required. To engage in such serious work as he does, you better have a little bit of confidence that you know what you are doing. I can assure you, if he would have said sheepishly and with false humility, "Well, I do my best." We would have found another Dr.! God gives us gifts, some more than others, and we are to develop those gifts to their fullest. God uses our gifts for His glory. Thank you Dr. Crawford for all of your labors to help our daughter. I have no idea what you went through decades ago to be in the position you are today, but we thank you for overcoming. I thank you for all you have done not only to help thousands of other youg people, but to help our daughter and answer her prayer. We are eternally grateful and thank God for you. God bless you!

Sorry for the delay. I, Daryl, am back full swing into school, working, and studying and Laura is taking care of Natasha. It has been two weeks now since the surgery and Natasha has made some major steps. PTL! She continues to improve although she has a long way to go yet. One of my students had similar surgery and said he felt like it was about 2 months before he began to feel like he was 'over the hump.' If that's the case, then she still has another 6 weeks; however, surgeries affect different people different ways, so we will take it week by week. Thank the Lord, on Sat. night she slept for 2 straight hours. Yes, that's what I said, that was a huge answer to prayer because Laura has been getting up with her every hour to assist her in moving around to get a little more comfortable. Occasionally, I have given Laura a break, but Natasha prefers her mother's help. Early Monday morning, Natasha slept for several hours and both she and Laura were able to get some nice rest. PTL! There are a lot of ups and downs through this and one day she can bee feeling good, then the next, her body comes crashing down. So we covet your continued prayers.

Other Wise How Are Things?
I DO COFFEE and 1st thing EVERY morning... and "someone" knowing this... was needing some "Mommy attention" and this was one way he KNEW he'd get it! I just thank him for leaving the frogs out! (Long story... see an older post about that one!)
These two lovely creatures greeted me the 1st morning after Natasha was home from surgery. Our sweet son, was who I KNEW was the culprit... sure enough when I asked him if he knew anything about some creature being in my sugar bowl, he giggled and giggled nearly falling off the bed! Kids, you gotta love them! :) Sure bring many smiles our way! I agree with the Gaither's Song... "Thank God for Kids!" Totally! We are so blessed and if I have to squirm a little b/c of a creature now and then, that's okay... I'm just glad Jesus gave us a son too! :)

Praising God for His Many Blessings!

Last evening in our family worship time, Natasha had a praise and was very broken, thanking the Lord for keeping her safe from all injury during such a serious surgery! It was a precious time! You see they had to precaution us of all the risks of such a huge surgery and many of the possible injury's were very serious. They warned her she could be deaf, blind, or even paralyzed! God is SOOOOO Good to keep her safe and have all of her senses in tact and we praise Him!
The anesthesiologist said to her as they were checking on her just before surgery, "You seem at such a peace!".... What an Awesome God we serve, who comes and gives us strength and peace to face the battles that lie ahead of us..." He never comes early," as the song says, "but He never comes late... He's ALWAYS ON TIME!" She had been SOOOOOO anxious, and had many times of tears going into surgery, but Jesus came and took all of that away so that she could go into surgery totally at peace! PTL!

Natasha and her daddy are doing a little slow dancing. This was 4 days after surgery and the first time I helped her up. She has come a long way since then - Slava Boga!

Hello Again!
Things are going okay. Natasha is still in a lot of pain, mostly due to her TMJ, now. This keeps her from being able to chew and though her appetite is increasing she can't chew things well. She is a bit bummed about this, for our dear church people are sending in delicious meals and she can't chew well. She had this trouble years ago while we were missionaries in Romania and we saw a chiropractor who adjusted her jaw and things went much better after that... now that isn't as easy to do, so we are praying about what to do to help her. Her jaw can still be adjusted, just not sure that she could take the ride clear out to our present chiropractor. She has her days and nights mixed up... as she did about 18 years ago this time!!! :) She has had a decent day, came downstairs to rest in the recliner, for the 4 walls would get to her if she stayed in her bedroom all day. Just help us pray that she will somehow be able to find some comfortable way to rest at night. You can imagine how comfortable it would be for you to sleep on your dining room table, 24/7... and that's kind of how it feels for her.
We are so blessed to have come through SO much!! Thank you for your continued prayers, they mean so much! Natasha has gotten several cards and gifts from family and friends and has enjoyed reading them... (though that is rather difficult since she must hold them up in the air to even see them, because of her brace! :) Thanks to all of you for your unspeakable kindnesses to us and your prayers... thanks even for those of you who want to comment and can't. We do get your e-mails and they mean so much!

We are Home!

We finally got released from the hospital and home about 4:30 this afternoon. Natasha is one weary and ill girl. She said with tears in her voice on the way home.... "Mommy, I sure hope people don't stop praying for me now that they know I'm home from the hospital!" (she then confessed that she has done that, but that now she knows differently how much a patient still needs prayer!)
We made it up the stairs and into bed but she was crying by that time... so weak and in so much pain; glad to be home, but sad that she didn't even feel like greeting her siblings.
So thanks for your continued prayers as this is still a LONG journey ahead of us!
~Laura~

Baby Steps, increasing! (I typed these 3 words before 8 this a.m.... and that's all the further I got til now... nearly 12 hrs later!) Wow! Where on earth do I begin... it's been a LONG, LONG, Day! We had another night with much confusion due to meds and that is always NOT a fun thing. We have had a FULL day and quite eventful. "All things work together for the good..." is definitely been at work with us here. "Tough Love" has been in practice all day... which to be honest, I'm NOT too good at. I tried it this a.m. and Natasha ended up loosing her breakfast! That's where it ended for me, now I'm gonna just be the "NICE nurse" style, I'll leave that "tough love stuff to someone else. :) But Natasha has done therapy and done it well, learned to climb stairs, in preperation for heading home, Lord willing tomorrow. A major prayer request that I have for EVERYONE.... we have GOT to get her pain meds under control and finally through the Lord's help and understanding, I was able to start to narrow it down today. PRAISE THE LORD! The Lord sent a wonderful nurse on shift that has helped me big time, plus Dr. Crawfords nurse... to finally ask the right questions to help this all start to make sense! Natasha has been so emotional, scared, reactionary, and a whole bunch of other descriptive words that I can't spell, since surgery and I've been wondering what to do with all of that... so today we are real close to some answers. thanks for praying with us about this, for if it's not under control she can't come home tomorrow! Natasha has only wanted a quiet birthday celebration... too weepy with meds and pain and emotions to want much company etc. So we have had a quiet day as far as company, but a full day with nice presents sent from friends, cards from family, and even had a birthday cake delivered to her room from the hospital staff. They sang "Happy Birthday" to her and made her day! Have a wonderful night... and I SURE HOPE TO TOO... with some SLEEP!! :)

Overall, today has gone quite a bit better than last night. She's been drinking water, herbal tea, juices, eating applesauce, pudding, and a couple bites of potatoes and meatloaf (which was YUMMY!) Thanks to the Kennedy's for the wonderful meal they brought. She also took a little ride in the wheelchair, had a few visitors, sat in the chair, and walked a little around the bed. All of this is very beneficial for the healing process. He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

Last night was rough on all of us because she did not rest well. She was suffering from lots of confusion and "pain." I, Daryl, had the first shift from 10:30-3:15 and Laura had the 3:15 to morning shift. So I, was by her beside the entire time; however, she was not too happy with me because I wouldn't take the brace off and was convinced I had laid a bunch of commentary books on her chest and wouldn't take them off. She finally started resting about 5ish this morning and has been resting since then. All I.V.'s are out, thank the Lord. The last one kept beeping everytime she would bend her arm (where the IV was located). She's able to do most of the work in standing up. Last night as Natasha and I stood there facing each other, I leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead and said, "I love you Natasha!" She leaned forward and kissed my cheek and said, "I love you too, Daddy!" A special moment I cherish. Thank you for your constant prayers, last night as I was sitting next to her holding her hand, I sensed the Lord's presence in a special way. The pediatric Dr. checked her out today, everything is sounding good. He encouraged us to let her eat more to move things through (TMI). :) She must drink lots of fluids because of not having the I.V. They are monitoring the pain meds as best as possible, just trying to make sure they treat the right type of pain. She will not be pain free, and the brace will cause pain, so they want to try to alleviate the pain they can and now move her to working through the "discomforts" (major understatement). The pediatric Dr. has a real dry sense of humor and got Natasha's first genuine smile since the surgery. He was wonderful! We are trusting that today she makes another big step. We need to get her to drink plenty, eat more solids, get her up more, and engaging in activities (i.e. reading or being read to, sitting in the chair more, etc.) The purpose is to try to bring as much normalcy to the situation as possible. Thank you again for your prayers. Tomorrow is a big day for Natasha so we pray she keeps making much progress. Eighteen years ago, Laura was the one in pain and in the hospital, but the baby God gave us has been a real delight. Tomorrow at 10:56 a.m. Natasha turns 18 years of age.

Baby Steps! Natasha was able to get up several times today and did really well. A huge answer to prayer happened this afternoon... the brace people showed up... a RARE THING, if ever on Sat... took her brace and fixed it! We are SO thankful! Without that brace we took steps "backwards" for several hours with the pain VERY INTENSE... so though we are thankful we are SO exhausted... we need your prayers, for Natasha hasn't had 1 winks sleep all day, well til now at nearly 5 pm. It's so exhausting to be ill. The Lord knew that there would be NO WAY we could have made it today without the rest that He granted last night. Please DO cover her with prayer tonight. The nights are always worse. She isn't tolerating the needed pain meds well, for they make her dream... sometimes happy dreams... but often dreams that make your heart just want to bawl for her. We DO need the precious blood of Jesus to take away the dreams and the side effects of the drugs... she has to have them, for the pain is SO intense. We are thankful for the times that she says something funny... and we usually laugh like crazy, just because we are SO weary. Thanks for all your prayers and support... for those of you checking and can't comment for one reason or another too. Your prayers mean so much right now, for we are beyond numb! Weary, Weepy, yet praising our Wonderful God for his many blessings! (I'd never make a good preacher, can't even think of a 3 point outline! :)

There is a time.. a time to sleep.... that's all I can seem to remember from Ecc. 3... and if I'm wrongly interpreting scripture... you would too if the only sleep that you've had was about 20-30min sections for the last 5 days!!! Last night.... long story short, (well, sort of...:) we felt that she MUST HAVE SLEEP! But her brace doesn't fit correctly and since it was Fri p.m. and the weekend is upon us... they told us we would have to wait til Mon for the techs to come and fix it but there was NO getting it off... she had to wear it 24/7!!!! OUCH!!!!.. was all we heard for hours yesterday! ... that's a background what we were facing last night as 11 pm came around. We had SPECIAL prayer and God came and did the amazing! He sent us two WONDERFUL nurses who knew that if she didn't get sleep, things would NOT be good today... so with that as a Duo... Jesus and great nurses... we got the 1st 2 hr section of sleep that we've had since Sat p.m. BEFORE surgery. She would awaken and take the meds that they needed her to take, say OUCH often, but then turn and go right back to sleep! Oh Hallelujah! Sleep, precious sleep!!! Thanks to ALL of you for praying... keep praying we still have lots of "steps to take" before she will be able to make the "flight of stairs" that await her at our Haus...

Second therapy session went a little better. Natasha and daddy did a little dancing as we shuffled, her arms on my shoulders and mine around her torso (from the bed to a cabinet in the room and back -a distance of about 20 feet round trip). Still pretty upset at the restrictions of the brace; however, Dr. Crawford said that she will probably come to the place where she will actually enjoy it, because it brings security and protection. She keeps wishing she would wake up from this "bad dream." Thank you for your prayers!

Physical therapy went as only it can go - slow, painful, and way too long. Natasha is not happy with Dan the Physical Therapist or the brace, or anyone requiring her to be in this crazy contraption. This is exactly what Dr. Crawford said would happen. Therapy went well though - trying to look at it objectively that is. She got up, out of bed, sat in the chair for about an hour and then back to bed. She did rest better in bed with the brace and has laid on her back for most of that time, which she didn't do previously. She emphatically told me, "If Dan doesn't get back here soon, (to put me back in bed) he's going to be headless." Now mind you, she doesn't know everything she's saying, but I have a hard time not smiling at her comments. From my vantage point, the therapist and brace folks did a very professional job today: respectful, professional, and doing a tough job well. They will be back again in a little while to try to get her up and shuffling around. P.S. Even in this digital tech world where folks post pics of everything (which I think is unwise and sometimes stupid), we are trying to be respectful to our daughter and her privacy. When she is better and will grant us permission to share a few more pics, then we will.

Natasha is progressing slowly. She had a reel rough time between approx. 3:00 and 6:00 a.m. This seems to be the pattern and it is real rough for her and her parents. Today we must get her up and moving even more today. The Dr. said she is to wear the brace 24/7 and they do want her to walk a little today. "Tough Love" is the statement used for today and tomorrow. Once she is up and moving they can gradually remove the various iv's, increase the type of food, and everything will begin to improve. She's had lots of pain in shoulders, hips, etc - the non-affected parts but this is normal because of laying around for a few days and is a good sign - "It's time to get up and moving." :) Thank you for your prayers. We deeply appreciate them. Physical Therapy just showed up so we are fixing to get her up.

She's Up and... Well... just UP! :) Not to the stage of "Up and Going" yet... but the 1st step was made this a.m. putting on the brace for the 1st time, sitting on the side of the bed, standing and then taking 2 wee baby slides (steps without having to ask "Momma, may I?:) to the chair beside the bed. She was able to tolerate sitting there happily... ok... not so happy, but doing well with it for 20 min... we coaxed her to finish the needed 1/2 hr time and then she went back to bed and is resting now! They will repeat this, this afternoon... telling us each time will get easier and easier. God is SOOOO good to give us WONDERFUL nurses, ~ so understanding. A fabulous pain team ~working with her and so sympathetic with all that she has and is facing! Can't complain... in fact we are PRAISING GOD, big time! "Little by Little, Inch by Inch" is a fun kids Patch the Pirate song a favorite of our kids ... and that's pretty much where we are right now... we aren't to the point of saying... as the song indicates that "by the inch what a SINCH"... but we are grateful for every inch taken. As it looks now, she is going to be wearing this brace for at least the 1st 6 wks... and then we'll see after that! Though its a TOUGH THING TO handle at 1st... we all think that she will actually be able to appreciate it more, when she's a little less loopy and in less pain of course. She is doing great, working hard. KEEP PRAYING the battle is not over... but at least we are starting to fight now, and not just sleep it off! :) I have NO IDEA all that her poor body has gone through, so I truly hope you will NOT think me heartless with my teasing. We have to smile to get through this... and God is helping us, big time! Natasha is still in WAY TO MUCH PAIN to joke or even smile yet... those days will come, I'm confident, but for now Keep praying for her. You all are our rock, right now. We so appreciate each one of you taking the time to check the blog, AND PRAY.. most importantly! It does help my Moma heart to hear from you from time to time. So a great-big thanks from me! ~Laura~

So now we finally know exactly what the brace looks like. The top left is where her chin will rest because they do not want her head/neck going forward. The velcro straps are on both sides and shell is made of hard plastic with a thin type of pad on the inside. There is a support strap for the chin, in between the two high plastic side on the left of the picture.

Brace arrived at 5:30 p.m. So tomorrow is when they will put it on and get her up.

Ok, so this is one job I can handle. Whenever Natasha is in a lot of pain and tell her to breathe through it I have to breathe through it as well - because of seeing my daughter deal with pain. So this contraption is a breathing apparatus that helps build your lungs. She is supposed to breathe through this 10 times every hour, which keeps her lungs from collapsing which will cause an infection to set in. I first encountered one of these with one of my trumpet teachers who was trying to help build by "air power" for playing the trumpet. I bought a version of one to help that process. Therefore, every time Natasha rolls over (ever 1/2 hr.) I have her do 5 reps of these. She must close her mouth around the mouthpiece and breathe in as hard as possible, which raises the little blue floating device. Sounds easy enough - try it when you are healthy, much less just after you "ran a marathon" which is how she described what she went through the first day.

Here are a couple of beautiful flower arrangements sent to Natasha. The tulips, which we love and remind us so much of Russia, were sent by the Dickinsons - Missionaries to Columbia. This arrangement of daisies, lilies, and yellow roses, with a little "Bee Well" on the little stuffed bee, to our great suprise was sent by "your Romanian friends and family." Providentially, just as the techs. came to change her dressing - which required lots of movement and pain - the arrangement came. Sally Sebo, fellow laborer to Romania shared with us that the youth and the children from the orphanage were praying for Natasha. I will add that you please pray for Sally and the Orphanage ministry in Romania that God would meet their every need.

They just changed the dressing on her back and removed the one tube that was draining the blood from the spine. The Lord helped. Lord willing this does not need to be changed for 10-12 days. That's good because she can begin to heal. The brace is to arrive sometime after 5 p.m. today. Because she is allergic to nickel, the brace takes longer to make because of using a different metal for the straps. We are not sure if she will be getting up today because she must have the brace and the Physical Therapist who are the only ones allowed to get her up leave around that time. So, Lord willing we will post as we know what's going on.

"Adversity will either tear you apart or bring you together!" - DH Aren't you glad we have a God who helps bring us together? He is the ONLY awesome one! We are so blessed and my heart just cries out in praise and admiration to our wonderful Saviour! The chorus repeats the phrase, "Lord, I stand in awe of you." Some men may say "Why me?" We could answer that questions with a question. "Why not me?" Why am I so special that I am exempt from the harships of life. Thousands upon millions, possibly even billions, have gone through hardships in life and God's holy children come through shining brighter than ever. It is through these adversities that God is refining his children and bringing Glory and honor to himself. We can either "whine," which some say "wine" is good with a little cheese, or we can praise God for what he has done. Lord, I stand in awe of you and praise you for who you are. This whole process has been an opportunity for us to be a witness to Drs., nurses, techs., other parents, some of my teacher colleques, and most importantly for God to be glorified through it all. Thank you for being a part and helping to carry the load. It is because of your prayers that God continues to help on a daily and even minute by minute basis.

What would we EVER do without Jesus? What an awesome God we serve! How I thank the Lord for His amazing care over Natasha! Last night was the roughest yet. many tears on both Momma's part & Natasha's! Today, they say, though VERY TOUGH, will do her lots of good! My devotions did my heart good this a.m. Deliverance! God watches over us. A song I sang this a.m. is... "God WILL Take Care of You"! How true and how wonderful! Sorry for the "weaker" side of admitting this... but we couldn't make it w/o your prayers! I NEED to be strong for Natasha today, but I don't "FEEL" too strong. So I'm asking Jesus, who promises strength for each new day... or could I translate that... "each new turn.. since she needs to roll every 1/2 hr. on the clock.." :) for the strength to be strong for her. So far I've been able to be strong and not break down when she sees me. THAT's ALL GOD... for I'm a very emotional Moma normally. So God is good, we are counting on Him! Natasha memorized the verse Is 41:10 this week, heading into surgery. she loves music as you know, but didn't realize that it was a song too. I sang it to her once and she had it. we'll be singing a lot today no doubt. I quote/sing, "Fear Thou not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed, for I am thy God, I WILL strengthen Thee, Yea I will help thee... Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness!" God Bless You all, from this over-whelmed Moma's heart! ~Laura~

Just tonight as we were rolling Natasha over to her side she said, "I can't take this any longer." We got her to her side and paused to pray to our Lord and Saviour. In no time at all, she was comforted and resting. Only in heaven will we begin to understand how awesome God is!

Hopefully this isn't redundant. Today they came and fitted her for her 'brace.' They made a plaster mold of her entire upper torso and got plaster everywhere - of course it was men doing the job - which may account for that, or not! Anyway, then they take the mold and make some type of a plaster brace - I think! The last last two days has been information overload and hearing terms I'm not familiar with and Laura was there for the process not me. The brace is removable and I am not sure as of now if the Dr. is ok with her removing it for sleeping purposes. We will find out tomorrow.

Big day tomorrow. The Dr. has mentioned, it is when we need to get a little mean - getting her up, moving her around more - so there will be much pain involved. It has been real tough on me to see Natasha go through the pain. She rolls from one side to the other about every hour, which requires assistance from Laura and/or myself. However, the nurses, techs. and Drs. are amazed at how well she is doing. For the most part Natasha rolls over on her own, which is very unusual for patients with this surgery, at least the first 24 hours that is.

How my heart wants to thank You ALL for your prayers for Natasha, our sweet daughter. The Lord is really helping her and we praise Him! This is the toughest thing that she will have to face for a long time and how we thank the Lord for his goodness to us... totally undeserved. As I tried to sleep last night and sleep wouldn't come, my heart was SO overwhelmed with tears and praise to the Lord for his greatness to us. What an Awesome God we serve! Our experience here at Children's has been incredible! God is SOOOO GOOD! Everyone is so caring and my mind can't grasp how many ways He is watching over us and caring for our Natasha. We would greatly appreciate your prayers for her tomorrow and Thurs as those will be very rough days for her. She is to get up and walk tomorrow and pain will hit NEW levels! But our God is able to do ABOVE... far beyond all that we ask and even comprehend! As Daryl tried to pray on Monday to find release and couldn't pray... tried again and couldn't get anywhere, that is... til Jesus sweetly whispered to him... "Son, this is when I carry you!" We feel and sense your love and support and we thank you! In Christian Love, ~Laura~

We have been so blessed at how God has worked. A few years ago we were able to buy a house in Cincinnati. That house is only 5 minutes from the hospital. Then God providentially opened the door for us to get an appointment with Dr. Crawford - who wasn't taking any new patients. Dr. Crawford is possibly the best spine Dr. in the U.S in his field. To some that may be debateable, but worst case scenario - he is one of the best. We are so blessed that God opened this door. I will post a link to a few articles about his accomplishments. God is so good! http://alumnus.tennessee.edu/2008/09/a-long-way-from-orange-mound-dr-alvin-crawford/ http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/svc/find-professional/c/alvin-crawford.htm

The casting process was quite an ordeal for both Natasha and for Laura, as she watched. Natasha had to be turned and move quite a bit which brought lots of pain. The cast is scheduled to be delivered and put on tomorrow. After the ordeal of being fitted and going through the intense pain, a nurse came in to check on Natasha. When Natasha saw the nurse she replied, if you cause me any pain, I'll send you into the next room. :) The first sign that Natasha is showing her true spirit. She's been working hard, cooperating, and a fighting spirit - a good sign. Currently, she is resting well. The Dr. came by to check on her and everything seems to be going well. Thanks again for your prayers.

Laura told me they were just getting ready to 'cast' Natasha. I don't know if they are fitting her for a cast or the actual process because I haven't made it to the hospital yet.

Natasha had a pretty good night last night until about 6:00 a.m. when she was in lots of pain. They have been trying to ween her off of the morphine so they could give her Valium, which will better help the type of pain she's having. Will try to update this a little later with more specifics. Thank you again for your prayers.

Wow! What a day! I am emotionally exhausted and didn't have anything done to me. Natasha is in her room and resting as well as possible. Thank you for your prayers and the comments as well, they mean a lot and we've passed many along to Natasha and she has been touched by them. Many times we don't see the results of God moving, we pray but never see the end result. May I encourage you tonight that our God is awesome and has answered your prayers. Yes, Natasha has a LONG way to go - approx. 2 months of recovery and 6 weeks in a brace but we serve an awesome God. We sensed your prayers! Yes, it's been tough on mom and dad but a deep peace has been there and that only comes from God. All of the Drs., technicians, and nurses who were in the surgery and that we talked too commented on how well Natasha did and how everything went well. Chance? Luck? Hardly! Not when you are a child of God and His children are praying. Thank you to our Russian, Romanian, Columbian, Canadian, "who knows what other countrian," and our dear fellow Americans who have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. You are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We love you! Continue to pray that God gives Natasha complete healing and mom and dad the strength needed to help Natasha be strong. We will try to keep posting just to keep you updated.

Praise the Lord for his help so far. Natasha's in recovery and will soon be moved to her room. She's been in a lot of pain,but doing well. Everyone involved in the surgery has commented on how well she has done in surgery. She has a long road of recovery ahead of her, but we thank the Lord for his help so far.

Thank the Lord to his help so far! The doctor was pleased with how the surgery went. However, since they had to do so much correction and straightening, he has prescribed a brace for her to where for six weeks.Thank you for your prayers! We ask that you continue to pray for Natasha that the Lord will heal her completely. WE serve an awesome God!

The most recent update is that the doctor is in the correction process, which means that they are straightening her back. The technician said this is the final stretch. He should be completed in a couple hours, and we should be able to talk with Dr. Crawford at that time. Thank you for your prayers!

Surgery Update!
We just got a call from the surgery technician. The doctor is inserting the screws to attach the rods to the spine. They said she is doing fine. Continue to pray that God will guide the doctors hands and for Natasha's recovery. Thank you for your prayers... we sense God's help.
Daryl and Laura

Surgery for Natasha has started! Incision has been made.All is well so far! Before surgery Natasha was in good spirits. The Lord was giving her calm assurance and we had several good seasons of prayer with our pastors, family, and just us. Continue to pray for all involved.

Daryl and Laura

Thank you all so much for your prayers! I will be going in for spinal surgery tomorrow morning at 5:30 a.m. A lot of emotions have gone through me these past couple days, but it means so much to know that people all over the world are praying! Your prayers are really a comfort! Mommy and Daddy hope to keep you all updated on my progress.
Thanks for your prayers.
Natasha

Kid Smiles!
This morning I asked Bryan to bring me 2 bowls to make he and Darla's oatmeal... and he was nearly juggling them as he walked toward the kitchen with them. I said, "Bryan, please be careful!" After safely putting them on the kitchen counter he sighed and said, "I'm careful... just in a dangerous way!"

The Count-Down is on!

Please keep Natasha in your prayers as her surgery is this coming Monday a.m., Lord willing. The Lord is helping and has kept her healthy thus far and how we praise Him. Trusting our Great Physician to give her the strength to go through with this and see her through. He is Able!

The girls decided that they wanted this yummy stuff for breakfast this Saturday. And they wanted it bad enough to get up and make it themselves! They did a great job. One of them made the homemade buttermilk biscuits and the other made the Soppy Chocolate! It was delicious! Every bit as tasty as if I'd made it... no, actually it was BETTER... cause I didn't have to make it! Hee! Thanks girls, Mommy loves you MUCH and I'm also very pleased with the progress Jesus is helping you all to make. Keep up the good work!

Soppy Chocolate! A Family Favorite!

Natasha's surgery has been reset for March 28th. There was an opening - due to a cancellation for someone else. So she is scheduled to have surgery Mon., March 28th. They have kept the April date just in case she gets sick again. So we ask that you pray that all of the 'germies' stay away. She went and saw a Dr. on Thurs. and was given the go-ahead; however, she has been given restraining orders to not go out in public much - to0 much of a risk of getting sick again.

As I was standing on the ladder, trying to fix a seem that the finishers missed, my daughter asked me how I knew how to do so much. "Your a real handy-man." How did you learn all of this? You didn't go to college for it. I laughed on the inside because my attempt at putting mud on a piece of drywall would make a sheetrocker cry; it was pretty pitiful if you ask me. I replied to my daughter - "I don't have a clue what I am doing." "Anyway, it looks good," was her reply. Thanks daughter. You made me feel good because I know I probably won't be making a living doing 'mudding.' :) I told my wife a few weeks back, if I had a high paying job all of these years - I wouldn't know how to do any of this - I would have hired it out. Even though there still is a lot to do, we are progressing. Slava Boga!

The summer I worked for my Uncle Kenny, mixing mud for he brick masons, came in handy. Today, I poured the concrete in our bathroom. It's only been 2 yrs. and 7 months since we started this project - so what's the hurry. We are on a mad dash to finish this before Natasha's surgery. Next up - thinset to level the floor, sealer for the cracks, ditra, tile, grout, etc. Just for nostalgia sake - the trowels I used today were my Uncle Kenny's.

This is an old church bench Daryl picked up several years ago. Today, Brittany decided to paint it off-white to match our L.R. The bench was in pretty rough shape so it will need several coats. The only problem was, Diesel decided he wanted to get involved. So when no one was looking, he got into the paint supplies. I think this is where the story "Run spot, run," came from.

"Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see." Corrie ten Boom

Just a note to reassure anyone who might have been tempted to think contrarily. You can't get Kyphosis by slouching in your chair or not standing straight; kyphosis has multiple causes which are out of our control. Aren't you glad that God has everything under control! The Greek meaning for "everything" is EVERYTHING! God allows difficulties to come into our life so that He might be glorified and to give us the opportunity to be a witness for our Lord and Saviour. ~DH~

Natasha update:
The surgery has been rescheduled for April 28th. Please pray that all 'germies' stay far away! :)

"There are no IFs in God's eyes." Corrie ten Boom - The Hiding Place

Happy International Women's Day!!!

While missionaries in Russia, we learned of this special holiday and it's been special to us ever since. This is similar to our "Mother's Day" in the states, only it is NOT exclusive to Mother's only, but to all women, even little girls! (I'm learning it's not just Europe that celebrates this holiday, but many other countries as well!)
So I wish all of your ladies out there a special day. Maybe you'll want to accept this holiday too, hey one can't ever be appreciated enough, huh?! Just Teasing! We may celebrate by pouring concrete in our bathroom floor. Whatever works, I'm happy!!!! :)

Update on Natasha's Surgery!

Natasha could SURE USE YOUR PRAYERS TODAY. I was very concerned about her flu like symptoms and so took her to her Dr this a.m. and they feel that due to the normal course that flu and virus must run, that she won't be well enough to face such a serious surgery. Sooooooo they have postponed her surgery and now have to FIND A NEW DATE to fit that in! We are definitely dealing with the normal let-down feelings, so do pray for her. They want her TOTALLY WELL, before such a surgery and we do too! But that doesn't make it all easy to just switch things and keep going.

We don't understand such things, but we do know that HIS TIMING is what we want ALWAYS and forever! We have been praying for God's perfect timing through all of this; however, do keep her on your prayer lists, as this is no small feat to get this all worked in and her well enough in time to march in June for her H.S. Graduation. I know that JESUS CARES about such things and so we are trusting Him with this whole outcome! We want GOD'S PERFECT TIMING in all of this, not ours!

Love to all,

Laura and Family

Prayer Request

We would like to request your prayers for our daughter, Natasha. This past summer, she was diagnosed with Kyphosis, or humpback, a genetic deformity. We have been very concerned about her back needs and have been trying to get help through physical therapy for 3 years now, but to no avail. The Lord totally opened the door for us to get in to see a spine specialist here in Cincinnati. Natasha is scheduled to have spinal surgery on March 14^th, Lord willing. Currently, she has a cold – if this persists they will not do surgery.

They will be inserting rods in her back with a procedure known as bone-fusion. This is a very BIG deal. Totally out of our hands, but we serve a faithful God who has had Natasha in the palm of his hand for years now. And though this is tough for her to have to face, it is no surprise to God, the great physician; we would covet your prayers in her behalf. The surgery they are telling us will take up to 7 hrs total. We are SO thankful for the experienced Dr. that the Lord has provided. In the words of Natasha’s Dr., “I do the surgery, but God does the healing.” We’ll try to keep you updated as we are able.

Sincerely,

Daryl Hausman