Friday, November 14, 2014

13 Days of Prayer for Anna Cate

13 Days of Prayer for
Anna Cate

Friends and Family,

In honor of Anna Cate’s 13th year we will be celebrating with 13 events, with an overall theme called Lucky 13 for Her (Help End Rett).  In coming up with all the fun events to host in the next year, I was having a difficult time trying to find something for the month of November.  Nothing was grabbing my attention.  Nothing excited me.  However, what has been grabbing my attention (and not in an exciting way) is all the changes coming into Anna Cate’s life in the next six months.

Rett Syndrome has progressed health wise in regards to her physical mobility.  Luckily, everything Anna Cate is dealing with is “fixable”.  So there is hope and I always hold onto hope.  With the new challenges and her future recovery, her education is also going to be affected.  As my head has been spinning and many tears have been shed, it was during this time I realized what the Lucky 13 event for November needed to be.  It needs to be 13 days of Prayer for Anna Cate.

We have never formally asked anyone other than a few friends to pray for Anna Cate.  During the times I have asked one or two friends to pray for specific things for her, it was incredible to see the power of prayer work.  I know prayer works.

I would like to invite you and your friends to join us in 13 Days of Prayer.  The kick off day will be this Sunday, November 16th.    Each day we ask you to pray for the specific prayer request for that day.  I have also included verses from the Bible for you to read for her as well.  If you have a favorite Bible verse for a specific prayer day that is not listed, please share it with me and others.

This is for you to print for your review, to keep in your Bible, to carry with you, to make extra copies to give to friends...however, you see it to work for you, all I ask is for you to join us in 13 Days of Prayer.

I wanted to share a page from Beth Moore's Devotional which was shared with me this week at Thrive.  I felt as though the words were being spoken directly to me and the timing was too perfect knowing I would be writing this email today.  I hope you enjoy Beth's words too and find them to be inspiring to you as you begin to pray for Anna Cate.

We always pray for you that our God will...fulfill every desire for your goodness and the work of faith.
2 Thessalonians 1:11

God can deliver anyone from anything at any time.  He doesn't need any help.  
Yet He invites us to be part of His great work through prayer.
Never underestimate the effects of intercessory prayer lifted for our deliverance.
Never underestimate the effect of prayer for others.  If we don't intercede for one 
another, we miss opportunities to see His deliverance and to thank Him for His
faithfulness.
I call this God's profit-sharing plan.  When we pray for one another, we share the blessings when 
His deliverance comes because we've been personally involved.



Day One: Sunday, November 16th
Gods Love and Purpose for Anna Cate
Psalm 139:13-17
Colossians 1:9

Day Two: Monday, November 17th
Gods Plans for Anna Cate
Jeremiah 29:11

Day Three: Tuesday, November 18th
Wisdom for Anna Cate
James 1:5
1 Corinthians 1:30

Day Four: Wednesday, November 19th
Health and Healing for Anna Cate
Numbers 12:13
2 Kings 20:5
Matthew 4:23
Matthew 14:36
Malachi 4:2

Day Five: Thursday, November 20th
Prayers Anna Cate is not Fearful
Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 34:4
Day Six: Friday, November 21st
Pray for Patience not only for Anna Cate but her family
Psalm 40:1
Romans 12:12
Colossians 1:11-12
Philippians 1:6
Proverbs 14:29
Proverbs 19:11
Day Seven: Saturday, November 22nd
Anna Cate's Friendships
Proverbs 17:17; 18:24

Day Eight: Sunday, November 23rd
Anna Cate always has Joy in her life
James 1:2-4
Nehemiah 8:10
Psalm 16:11

Day Nine: Monday, November 24th
Peace for Anna Cate
Philippians 4:7
Psalm 29:11
Psalm 37:37
Romans 5:1-5
Galatians 5:22
James 3:17

Day Ten: Tuesday, November 25th
Protection for Anna Cate
Psalm 5:11
Psalm 40:11
Psalm 91
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Day Eleven: Wednesday, November 26th
Prayers for Anna Cate’s Family (mother, father, siblings, grandparents and those who have become family due to their relationship with her)
Luke 12:34
Joshua 24:15
Acts 10:2
1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Day Twelve: Thursday, November 27th
Prayers of Thanksgiving 
Psalm 92

Day Thirteen: Friday, November 28th
Prayers for Anna Cate to Grow in her Faith
Mark 5:36
Mark 11:24
Matthew 17:20
I Corinthians 13:13


Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to pray for Anna Cate.

With Much Love,
Emilie, Will, Betsie and Eli.....who love Anna Cate so much!





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Our Everyday

Monday, September 15, 2014

"That" Word….the one that makes me cringe

I certainly was not going to be writing about this, but I have heard this word one too many times lately and think it warrants a post.

Do you know what word I am talking about?  It's the "R" word.

Retarded.  Used in a sentence stating "I feel so retarded" or "I felt so retarded".

Every time I hear this word I cringe inside.  I really do.  Why, probably due to the fact I have a child with special needs.

People use this word all the time, so often you don't even realize it.  You do!  You use it to describe how you feel when you can't get something to work (i.e. a new iPhone).  You use it to describe how you felt when you injured yourself doing something silly.  You use it to describe people you don't know.  You use it when you do something you feel silly about.  You use it.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Chippewa

It is hard to believe our family was at the beach three weeks ago still enjoying summer vacation!  We had a great summer and there is so much I want to write about….which feels great!

This summer Betsie was blessed to have enjoyed two sleep away camps.  We started to entertain the idea after summer ended last year.  I asked friends what camps their children went to and we looked into every single one.  I am almost certain I was given close to ten different camp names between West Virginia and North Carolina.  I had no idea there were so many sleep away camps available so close!  At times I felt like it was a glimpse into my future of looking at colleges with her.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

A, B and E…..as in Eli!

How many of you have more than one child?  More than two?  Do you feel like sometimes you don't write down everything for the baby book or take as many pictures as you did with the first one or two?

For me, pictures isn't the issue.  I love to take pictures!  It's documenting the events or writing things down before I forget them.  I was so good when I had one child.  Baby book was up to date and the first year scrapbook was done shortly after her first birthday.  The photo album was a work of love.  I remember spending hours on it while she napped and even worked on it with friends.  I believe this was around the time of the Creative Memories craze!

Second child, baby book is little more complete and her first year photo album was also a scrapbooking masterpiece (ok, it really isn't that great, but I still took lots of time on it!), though it was finished closer to her 2nd birthday.

Third child…well... his baby book is more of a baby scrap book in that there are scraps of paper in a box with things written down I don't want to forget.  And his one year photo album was complete by his 4th birthday with the help of a digital photo site….oh my how time has changed!  I don't know what I would do without Shutterfly!  At the same time I don't know what I did before Shutterfly.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Summer Road Trip 2014

We are a family who loves to travel and see new places.  We are also a family who has a daughter with Rett Syndrome which makes certain types of transportation easier than others.   As a family, the car is our preferred method of traveling right now for various reasons.

Last summer we loaded up the Yukon XL and left the sticky summer heat in Richmond to head to hot and humid Houston.  We were going from bad to worse in the heat category.  However, believe it or not we had incredible weather when we were there and even felt a breeze…every day!  I think they were having cooler weather than normal for them….we didn't complain….at all!

This year we headed in the opposite direction….NORTH!  We did what many "wiser" (and by wiser I mean older) folks do in the summa'….head North where it is coola.  Yes, I am trying to talk like I am a Yankee…well, I am by birth, but luckily my mom moved to the South as soon as she could…thanks mom!

Monday, June 16, 2014

Off to Middle School!

I can't believe I typed the title of this post.

I can't believe Anna Cate's elementary school years are over.

Kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade and fifth grade.  Puff!  Gone!

Anna Cate when she started 1st grade at REES!

Three years ago it seemed like this day was still far away, but now the time has come.  We say goodbye to the school that welcomed us with open arms five years ago.  We say goodbye to our comfort zone.  And we say goodbye to a dear friend of Anna Cate's who is moving this summer.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Christmas in February

Christmas was three months ago; however, on some levels it feels like it was just yesterday.  It must have to do with the fact my children have missed ELEVEN days of school this year due to snow days and as I type this, there is an 80% chance of a slushy mix tomorrow.  Seriously?!?!?  It is March 24th! (yes I started this post…that long ago….however, it is only April 4th and to think we had snow 11 days ago is crazy!)

One plus to the winter we have had this year is the fact that when we took the kids away to enjoy their Christmas present from us, it truly felt like Christmas.

I am sure many of you are like us and every year you look under the tree on Christmas morning and can't believe how many presents are staring at you.  You ask yourself where did these come from?!?!  Is ALL this necessary?!?!?!

Quickly the room looks like a tornado came through as wrapping paper is all over the place leaving you  with memories of love and joy from seeing the sheer happiness on your child's face.  They are playing with the toy they asked for and had to have.  They are so excited Santa listened to their wishes!  However, months later, while the memories still remain, the novelty of the "must have" toy has vanished.  You find many of the items they had to have are no longer important and just sit on the shelf or floor.

Christmas 2013 was an eye opener for me…for us.

Friday, February 14, 2014

My One and Only Love

Happy Valentine's Day!

I thought it would be a great time to write a post about our 15th Anniversary trip we took in October.  I have been enjoying looking at our pictures over and over again especially on these snowy days.

But first, here's our love story…..how cupid struck love with his arrow…..17 years ago!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

The "S" Word!

Anyone else feeling the winter blahs?  Every year I get them, but this year I think it is worse due to the "s" word which has kept my kids home from school more times than I would like to mention.  And another storm is approaching….well at the time of me posting this, the storm has arrived and school is cancelled…again.

The winter blahs have also made it hard for me to write... actually hard for me to think about something to write about.  I have sat in front of my computer and started posts, many different times.  And then I hit delete and start over.  I just wasn't feeling it.

All these snow days have helped me "focus" on different aspects of my life.  In the past I would have complained on and on about my kids being home, driving me crazy and not having enough caffeine and wine to get through it all.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I didn't complain about all the past snow days...I did, but for the first time it really truly wasn't about the kids being home.   Of course having my kids home for 11 days (including weekends!) got to me….and I to them, as we all craved our routine...our schedules....our sanity.  But something inside me changed.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

What is Normal?

I never really think about what a word means, in truth depth, until "that" word takes on a new meaning in my life.

Lately for me,  I have been thinking about the word "normal".  

I love those wood signs you see everywhere now….they are funny, beautiful, witty, cute…I love them all.  I have a few around my house and I love how each one truly speaks to me.  I love how when I read them they make my mind wander to some other place.

Over the holidays my husband and I were at a party and we saw this sign hanging on the wall of a friend's home.  




We looked at each other and said, "we need that!".   My children (with the help from my husband of course) gave me the new sign for Christmas.   And I love it!





Every day I see it and re-read it,  so I have been thinking more and more about the word "normal".

What is normal?