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

"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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.