All things new!

Today we are starting a new week.  In this week we will start a new year.  In this new year we have a new chance to make a new start.

I am feeling so grateful to the Lord for new beginnings granted only by His grace.

May you see the glory of the Lord and feel his peace and joy during this new year.

Together for Christmas!

The best present this year was being together!

Merry Christmas

If you knew today that your life was going to be turned upside down over the next year how would you be preparing for Christmas?  Would you be praising a God who was going to allow all kinds of crazy into your life?

Last Christmas I had no idea the year that would lie ahead for my family.  Our family had begun moving through life with a complacency toward God and toward each other.  We made big deals out of little things that didn't matter and forgot about the things that were important.  And then we began the year 2014...

If I knew what this last year was going to hold in store for us I would have prayed that the Lord would let us skip this year, but that is the blessing in God not allowing us to look ahead into our lives.  I look back on this year with great Joy and an increase in my love for the Lord and for my family.

As I pray for our family as we look forward to the next year I am reminded of what God can do in just one short year.  I see beauty in ashes.  We were struck down but not destroyed.  I say through tears that Happy are those who's God is the Lord.

I have seen God in people who I didn't know.  Our family has been blessed beyond our understanding and although some of it has been painful, it has given us a closeness with our Lord Jesus Christ that we had been lacking for some time now.

So... Merry Christmas to all of our friends and family.  May you seek Jesus Christ this year as he patently guides and leads you (and us) through this year.  May you count it ALL joy!

Home Sweet Home

We are home!  I am sorry it took me a few days to post this.  We got home Saturday night about Midnight.  We had the fun experience of surprising Emma's basketball teammates! 

We have missed home so very much.  Emma summed it up with her facebook post ( I am going to cut and paste it here.)
My hair is always a little crazy. I have my ups and my downs. Sometimes I'm cranky and have no energy, but sometimes I am crazy and fun to be around. I may not be beautiful, and I am definitely far from perfect, but one thing I can admit is, I am strong. I made it through a year of struggling, and also spending this past month away from home, and in the hospital. I worked my butt of this past month. And it sure did pay off. I am happy to announce that I am finally home! And I... am learning to love myself, for the good and bad things. Last night I got to surprise my teammates/best friends, and it was so touching. I am so so blessed to have these girls in my life to have helped me be strong and get through this past year. I am proud to announce that I have "found myself" again!! Thank you all for helping me, thinking about me, praying for me, and supporting me through everything! EMMA

I woke up in my own bed.  Went to see our own church family with my family.  Came home to my own house in my own town.  There is no way to fully express the gratitude our family has for the love and support from our family and friends.  We have been blessed and blessed again!! 

Thank you all.

Two more days

I don't know who is more excited, Me or Emma.  We can't wait to see Craig, Abby, and everyone else.

It is so good to be getting ready to go home.  I have seen so many positive changes in Emma and I can see how much she is using her PRC skills to keep herself healthy.

WE ARE HEADED HOME IN 2 DAYS!!!

Driving!

If you are friends with Emma on Facebook you will already know that she is driving.  Her driving privileges have been on hold because of her health but she is doing so well they told us to let her drive.

I can't tell you how proud we are of how hard Emma is working.  She is amazing!

What can you do to help?

I know that there are lots of unanswered questions with all the things that Emma has gone through.  Conversion Disorder sounds crazy and it very hard to grasp.  The best description seems to be that Conversion Disorder is the way your body converts stress and anxiety into a physical reaction. 

There is no real way for me to explain how all of this is working but it is and Emma is doing great.

Being as we are basicly dealing with a subconscious response, we then have to train Emma's brain to respond differently to her stress and anxiety. 

How can you help?  Well, we need her brain to NOT focus on her symptoms and so... We need you to not ask her about her illness.  We need you to talk about normal every day life.  How is school?  How is basketball?  How was your Christmas?  We are helping her brain to not focus on the "illness" and focus on being a teenager.

We know that this feels weird to some of you who have been so awesome about keeping track of, helping out with, and managing some of the issues that Emma has had.  She is doing so awesome.  She is controlling her symptoms and moving past this bump in the road.  So, thank you so much for caring for our girl.  She is amazing and we so appreciate you all.

Perfectionist?!

Who knew, they think Emma is a perfectionist... hhhhmmmm!

It is fun watching all the crazy things they are making Emma do to try to help her overcome some of her perfectionist tendencies that cause her to be stressed or nervous.

GO EMMA!  I know this is hard for her!

Success!

Today, for the very first time, Emma felt like she was going to pass out and was able to totally stop it!  One at a time!!  She used the techniques she has learned here as was able to control her subconscious response.
WWWOOHHHOOO... one victory at a time!

Mama does the 7 minute drill

Dear Mrs. Wilson,
Tonight I did the 7 minute drill with Emma.  OH MY WORD!  I nearly died.  I am so thankful that you make my children run these drills.  I see why they are in shape.
Thank you,
Nearly Dead Mama

Day 7

Each day we do and learn something new.  We have had a few rough spots but we are learning together and working toward the goal of being healthy.

Thank you to my sister Erika I was reminded of some facts.
1) nothing surprises God
2) God is in control
3) God works all things together for good for those who love him... and we do!

Today some fun

Today we decided to do something fun.  We are making big changes in our brain (on the inside) so we decided to make some changes on the outside!  So... first Emma

Then me...

 

Hard Day

Today was a hard day, but Emma has been a trooper.  She has fought through it all day long.

I just pray each and every day that she will follow the program and learn the things she needs to be successful and I see her trying to do that.

Reality and hard work

Tonight Em passed out.  It was shorter than it has been in a while and only lasted about 5 minutes.  We will see what the doctors and nurses plan for tomorrow.

Ice Ice Baby

Some ice skating at a local ice rink.  Fun fun!!  They had such a good time.  Brooke graduated from the program today (she is the cute little doll on the right).  She came into the program in a wheelchair.  She has been amazing and has made awesome progress.  It is so fun to see the kids work so hard and make so much progress.

Teenagers

I do believe that most of the stuff we are learning here would be good for all teenagers.  I believe we all need to learn to manage stress, time, and relationships.

Bow Range

Dead Eye Dudley!  Today for our group activity the kids got to go to a bow range tonight.  Emma did very well and got to bring home her target.  This was a fun activity.

We are both working hard in this program and there is a lot of information that we are taking in.  One day at a time.

Tuesday morning

Yesterday was our first full day.  Things move very quickly and we have lots to do.  We leave the hotel at about 7:30am and last night we got home about 6:30pm.  We threw in some laundry and went to bed. 

Emma is working hard and learning lots of new things.  She will begin to put all these things into use this week.  We meet again with the team of doctors today so I am sure we will have much more information by tonight.

Abby has a basketball game today, I am so sad to miss it but I know she will do great!  I am excited to hear about it tonight.