It's November!

I cannot believe we are already in November!  The last few months have flown by.  I am determined to remember this year as one for which to be thankful - instead of being the hardest year in my life!

Pete is still determined to keep moving on with his healing.  And we remain so thankful for the strides he has made, and we try to be patient moving forward.  We went to a PA at Baptist last week.  He wore a heart monitor for a couple of days before it fell off - a great new one from Johns Hopkins that attaches without any wires.  We hope it gave any information needed, if he had anything going on.  I had to just pray about that.  This is the second heart monitor he has had, and they just don't work after a couple of days.  He may or may not get better with the tingling that comes from the brain.  It's called Central Pain Syndrome.  He has started to work out again, after a short break.  He wants US (the two of us!) to tackle a much needed bath renovation over Christmas.  So that is a good sign - that he is looking forward to that and has been planning it out in his mind.  His speech continues to improve, and his limp is still there; but it can get better.  It's only been almost six months.

Andrew is great.  His new medicine seems to be working.  His running is really coming together.  School is good.  He was 6th at the Sun Belt Conference meet in GA on Sunday.  The article (http://www.wataugademocrat.com/sports/asu_sports/vandenberg-helps-mountaineers-to-second-place-finish-in-sun-belt/article_d03d445d-e284-533e-9fac-bd8cc5b62854.html) also mentions his dad who was all conference all four years many years ago.  Coach Curcio did not mention that he was right there with Pete one year!  Sam and I drove to Georgia to watch Andrew and got to enjoy eating breakfast and catching up a little bit with Coach Weaver.  It was a great race to watch, and I am so thankful for what God does in Andrew's life.  His life is a testimony.  His abilities are not his own.  He works so hard, but God brings it all together; because it really should not come together like it does.  I know.  I am his mother and have been there on the really rough days and in the really rough nights.  Instead of being proud, I am just so thankful.  I want others to see how God works.  It's not always like it was Sunday, but I see so many ways and places He works.  In my other boys too.

Peter is good and is working hard.  He and Will (who is a busy person himself) were at the scene of a wreck on the way home from church Sunday.  Peter called me right before we left the meet.  To make a long story short, I was once again thankful; because they could have really been hurt.  Peter was following Will, who was hit by a car after she lost control and hit another car before bouncing off and hitting him.  The important thing was that no one was hurt.  The boys said the other two cars were badly damaged.  We are dealing with a headlight and a bumper - not much compared to what could have happened. 

Sam has had his diabetes check up, and his a1c was down a little bit.  But we still check him a lot and get up and check in the night.  We still find some lows, and some extreme highs.  He has not felt well and has had some vision issues, but his eye check up is Thursday; so we are trying to hold on until then.  We went to a geneticist last week and are waiting for insurance approval to have some lab work done.  I hope it comes before the end of the year.  I get so frustrated when I try to get what my children need, and the insurance makes it so hard sometimes.  But I know God knows all of that.  Sam is my helper and checks on me to see what I might need.  I appreciate his sweet little spirit.

The other week Sam asked Andrew if he thought there would ever be a cure for diabetes.  Andrew said that he hoped so.  Sam said, "Well, I hope it's a pill.  I don't want anyone putting a fake pancreas in my body."  Andrew and I just looked at each other, and before we could react, he said, "Peter told me about that.  I just want a pill."  So we had a good laugh - even though we know some would welcome an artificial (as opposed to "fake") pancreas.  Sam does not want a pump or CGM right now either.  And this would have been the year to try it if he wanted.

I am looking forward to the regional cross country meet in Virginia next week.  I am about done with all my travel.  I have been to Winston and to Charlotte so many times lately, it seems.  But it's good to wrap all this up before the end of the year.

One of my church family members wrote an article about some of our struggles this year and in years past.  The link is http://www.wataugademocrat.com/aaw/features/running-toward-hope-with-wendi-vandenberg/article_1c6350e4-6464-11e5-8596-a3a290c8917d.html.  I hesitated to do the interview, but Pete reminded me that we can always point others to our Help.  And I hope that is what this does.  I can do nothing.  God helps me through.  I just need to keep my eyes on Him.

As we come to the end of the year, it's natural to reflect and look back.  This year, it's been tough; but I know for sure that God is with me.  I have felt Him when I have had my moments of fear and sadness and, even, despair.  I want to keep moving away from the things of this world and looking ahead to eternal life.  And I want others to see someone like me, imperfect and inadequate, and see how much God can help us.  You won't find anyone perfect here, but I hope to be one with a true love for Jesus that shines through in spite of me and my imperfections and ugliness. 

Thanks to all of you who pray for our family.  We love you and appreciate you so much!