Thursday, August 28, 2008

Pray for Olivia

We had a tragedy in our neighborhood yesterday and I am asking if you could to please pray for the girl involved. We had some new neighbors move in at the beginning of the summer. We have gotten to know them a little and Molly and Emily have played with their two girls. One of the girls, Olivia, age 10, was at the bus stop yesterday which is at the corner of our street. In a freak accident an armored truck coming from the other direction skidded across the street striking the bus and then hitting Olivia. She was pinned under the truck for some time until they could get her out and into an ambulance. Her father saw the whole thing as he was sitting there in his car watching for her to get on the bus as he does each morning. Unfortunately I was also there as I had just finished running. It was a terrible scene.

Olivia has extensive brain trauma and is in very critical condition (actually it is amazing she is even alive at this point - most of us at the scene did not expect her to be). Eric has been over to the hospital and has had an opportunity to pray with her parents. Our pastor came down and was able to go back to ICU (pastor's privilege) and pray over Olivia back there. They cannot tell the extent of damage until they can bring down the swelling and relieve the pressure on her brain. She also has several broken bones and other things, but the major problem is the brain trauma. If she is stable enough they plan to try a CAT scan today.

We would ask for prayer for Olivia and her family - it will take a miracle at this point for her. You could also pray for the driver of the truck. He had an absolute break down at the scene and just kept saying he was going to kill himself for killing a child like that. We are trying to minister to the family as best we can, but at this point they really need prayer.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Happy Birthday Scott!

19 years - Whew!! It's true that time goes by fast.

It was a growing year for Scott (and us) as he began making the transition to being on his own. He made some great friends at Tech, he did well in his studies at Tech, he plugged into RUF as a music leader, continued being a music leader at church, and he was stretched in some different ways this past summer at camp. We are enjoying the man he is becoming.

What to say about Scott. Well to "let others praise you and not your own mom" (my paraphrase of Prov. 27:2) these are words that various people he worked with a camp this past summer used to describe him: passionate - for his campers and for the Lord, loving, respectful, daredevil (hmm....), talented, humble, generous, encouraging, wild & adventurous (hmm...), great leader, treats everyone as important, joyful, kid at heart.

Happy Birthday Scott - we love you.






Saturday, August 23, 2008

Milestones

Matthew learned to ride his bike today without the training wheels. He had been asking to have them taken off and assuring us he could ride without them. He wobbled a bit getting going especially as he didn't want anyone to help him, but then he took off. He hasn't however mastered the stopping aspect....




Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Scott and Football

Last fall I had a conversation with my oldest son which went something like this:

Scott (coming in from a day at school - first semester at Tech): Guess what I have been doing?
Me: Studying (that was my standard answer to this sort of question, but it was never the right one.....)
Scott: No, I've been kicking.
Me: Kicking what?
Scott: Kicking a football. I think I'm going to try out for the football team.
Me: THE Georgia Tech football team? Do you even know HOW to kick a football? (granted the child played soccer most of his life so I knew he could kick a ball - but putting a football between two posts was a little different especially between the posts for a NCAA Division I school)
Scott: I've been practicing and I think I'm pretty good.
Me (thinking to myself "yes all these people are right, my children are too sheltered"): Do you realize that this team actually recruits people to play - they PAY people to play and they play on TV?
Scott: Yes mom, but I can get the ball in pretty consistently.
Me (questioning whether he still even knows what he is doing but not wanting to shoot down his confidence and figuring this really would not work): OK

Well Scott kicked faithfully each week with some contraption he made with materials from Home Depot that he said simulated someone holding the ball. He went to spring walk-on tryouts and was told they were not taking kickers, but he could try-out in the fall. So he continued kicking and attended walk-on tryouts this morning at 6AM.

He called home around 10:30 and he had MADE the team!!!!!!!!

We are very proud of his diligence to accomplish this. I don't think we will be seeing him on TV or anything, but he is so happy to be part of this team. Congratulations Scott!!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Vacation

We just returned from our annual beach trip with my side of the family. As always we love being at the beach and are thankful for family that make this time possible.














Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Boston

A few weeks ago, Amy and I went up to visit Eden. We flew into Boston and spent the day sight-seeing. We stayed at their apartment until Monday. We had a great time with them!!!!!!

-Katie

The Boston Massacre Cemetary

The Holocaust Memorial

Paul Revere's house



The USS Constitution

Bunker Hill Memorial-300 steps to the top!

At Eden's apartment in Connecticut

Out the window on the flight back