Kansas City

This past weekend I went to Kansas City with Tanya. She and I both belong to an online military spouse network. I'm there for the support... she's there to support me! lol We met up in KC with 2 other Army wives from the midwest. We had a great time! Here are some pictures from the trip!

The first picture is from L-R: Linda, Steph (army medics wife), Mo (army officer's wife), me and Tanya

The second picture is at PF Changs for lunch: Steph, me, Tanya and Mo.

We had a GREAT weekend!

More Surgery

Rick went to see the orthopedic surgeon on Post today. She seems to think that the tear in his miniscus is pretty bad. Actually, she said it looks like it's hanging by a thread and that it's getting "caught" in his joint. When he hears it pop, she thinks it's actually that tiny piece going through the joint. Ouch. So, she recommended surgery on 22 November ... which is the day before Thanksgiving (and my mom's birthday). He had knee surgery last year on the day before Thanksgiving. Wow, God has a sense of humor. If the lead Case Manager agrees to let Rick have the surgery, he would most likely have it on 22 November and his orders would be extended 8 weeks, which puts us out at the end of January. That buys us more time and puts us closer to his pre-deployment training (assuming he gets any). The more time on orders we have prior to May, the better for us.

Having surgery would open him up for the possibility of a Med Board again. But we fought the hard one and WON. So, we've just gotta trust God to bring us through another one, if it is in His will. I will post an update here again as soon as I know if his surgery gets approved. If it doesn't get approved, they'll send him back to his unit... which will send him back here for surgery. So, hopefully the Army cuts out a few steps in the line of paperwork and just approves the surgery from here. The surgeon doesn't seem to think Rick can go to Iraq without it.

The Pumpkin Patch

Last week we went to Meyers Farm in Dixon, MO! The kids enjoyed a hayride out to the pumpkin patch where they each got to pick their own pumpkin. Riley really enjoyed the petting zoo and Mira loved jumping in the hay. Joey just thought that it was way too cold to be out on the farm. But we all enjoyed the morning with our MOPS group!

My husband, My hero

Rick's been working in the Emergency Room for about 3 weeks now and I just can't tell you how proud I am of him. When he comes home telling me the things that he saw or did during the day, I sit in amazement. I've always been 1000 miles away from him while he does this kind of thing. Sometimes I look at him and just say, "Really? YOU did that?" It's hard for me to picture my husband starting an IV in the head of an infant. Or removing debris from the charred skin of a burn victim. But he does it everyday... and he's good at it. The hospital seems VERY happy to have him. They've offered him a position doing shift work and he took it. He's been voluntarily working 10 and 11 hour days, 5 days a week. This way he'll work 12 hour shifts, and have days off during the week. It doesn't change anything as far as the Army is concerned. They can still pull him out at the drop of a hat. But at least he's happy where he's at for now. My prayer is that somehow he'd be allowed to go Voluntary Active Duty and hold his position in the ER here - either until he deploys, or just skipping deployment all together. We're just waiting for God to reveal to us what He's going to do. But him holding this position in the ER would definitely be the prayer of my heart. Today was his first 12 hour shift. He'll get home after 7pm tonight. But he's off Fri-Sat-Sun and I can't wait! I haven't seen much of him lately.

I'm hoping this weekend to figure out how to post pictures to this blog and I'll share some pictures that I took of the kids at the Pumpkin Patch last week.

We're all doing ok. Joey's got a runny nose and my lupus is bothering me today - but I think it's just the cold weather. One day it's warm and the next day it's freezing. Orders for Hawaii sound better and better!!

Now what, Lord??

This past Wednesday, Rick had a follow-up appointment with a doctor on post about his knee. The doctor highly reccommends surgery for repairing his miniscus. But, it's Rick's choice. If he doesn't have the surgery, he will continue to have pain and problems in his knee. If he choses to have the surgery, it will open him up wide for another Med Board. It doesn't neccessarily mean that they WOULD try to MEB him out again... it just means that anyone in the orthopedic department that reviews his files COULD decide to begin the MEB process again based on the fact that this is his second surgery on one body part.

Rick says he can live with the pain and he doesn't care- he's not opening himself up for a possible MEB again. I'm hoping that with time, he'll prayerfully consider what this means. I don't like the idea of sending my soldier into Iraq, not only without adequate training, but also with a bum knee. Of course, I also feel that it's in God's will for us to remain in the Army. The mission field here is in need of more workers. I know that this is in God's hands. I just pray that Rick will also seek God's throne before solidifying his decision. Please keep us in your prayers. We need clarity on what to do.

Uncertainty

The only certain aspect of the US Army is the uncertainty.

You would think that right now, given our current circumstances, we would be a mess right now - well, at least that I would be a mess right now. I don't know where my husband will be living next week, let alone next month or next year. But, that's ok. God knows and I have a peace about that. I can see how God is workin' in all of this. I'm constantly wondering WHAT He's doing... but at least I know that it's HIM that's working! Over the weekend Rick and I explored the possibilities of what a torn miniscus could mean for our family and his career. All the "what if's" came to mind. Some of them were actually exciting thoughts. For example, what if he DID need surgery and he stayed here for 6 more months. That would mean a steady paycheck. That would mean time together. He could continue working in the ER... which he LOVES. That would be great. The downside? He can't even stomach the thought of having another surgery here (pun intended! lol).

Please keep us in your prayers as we face the coming days of uncertainty. Pray that we will seek to follow God's will for our family... not just the "what if" possibilities that excite us!

A Matter of Prayer

Right now we are at one of the crossroads where we are unsure how to pray.

Rick had an MRI of his knee done on Thursday. He looked the results up on Friday and read that he has a tear in his miniscus... apparently, he's had it this whole time. His knee has been popping and giving out since his knee surgery a year ago and they just now did another MRI of it. We don't know what this means for him... and won't know until Wednesday when he has a follow-up appointment with his doctor.

Sunday (a week from tomorrow) he is supposed to leave with his unit for pre-deployment training. But right now it doesn't look like he'll be joining them. There is paperwork from his knee injury that was done incorrectly months ago and they have been sent back to be done again properly. He cannot leave his orders here Fort Wood until those papers are back. Also, they have reassigned him to work in the Emergency Room on post (and he's like SUPERMAN down there, by the way!) and next week they will start training him to drive the ambulance. It doesn't look like they're planning on letting him go anytime soon. A million possibilities come to mind... but I don't want to get ahead of myself. Or ahead of God.

All of this SOUNDS like an answer to prayer, but it leaves one big question in my mind: What happens if they go ahead and send Rick to Iraq without the proper training? Once again, though, I know that I have to leave this in God's hands.

Please pray that God will use each of these circumstances to lead Rick down the path that God has chosen for our family.

Also, all 3 of our kiddos have a virus right now and are running a fever. Please keep them in your prayers as they heal (and for me as I try to care for them without getting sick, myself).