Who Knew?

Wow, what a summer so far.  I'm glad to say that Max is feeling much better now.  It's been almost 3 weeks since his release from UCLA Children's Hospital and each follow-up visit to the many different drs. he's seeing here is giving pretty much a clean bill of health.  His eyesight is still being watch, though.  The right eye did recover completely, but his left eye is still blurry.  His optic nerve is supposedly no longer swollen, so the drs. feel there has been some permanent damage to that eye.  It could take 6 months to a year for complete healing, but the signs that are showing up in different optical tests now lead them to believe that the nerve was damaged from all the pressure, and there was A LOT of pressure.  He's lucky to not have more damage than there is, and the blurriness that it's causing can be corrected with glasses.  He's not too happy about that, but I tell him "hey, you could be blind, sheesh."  I think he'll look pretty cool with glasses and, who knows, he might improve over the next several months.  We're definitely keeping it in prayers.  Look what prayer has done for him so far!  He was talking to me about that the other night after one of his appointments and asked "Just how many people were praying for me?"  I told him there were hundreds that we actually knew of, and he smiled and said "I felt it every day."  He was so great through this whole thing, never complaining, never really worrying, and never crying once.  He also didn't understand how sick he was until one of his drs. told him he's lucky to be here.  He knows he wasn't lucky.  It was the constant prayer.

Now that he's back and we've finally settled into a summer routine, we get to focus on Jon and his no-job situation.  Looking at the good that has come out of it...he was able to devote 24 hrs. a day to Max at both hospitals, then fly to Knoxville for a little r & r and drive Ian and Olivia home in a much-needed newer vehicle purchase, and now get some things done around the house...all of this would have been a struggle with his work "in the way".  Also, due to the nature of his lay-off, it allowed the incoming HR Director time to look into the situation and, after Jon meeting with him yesterday, there is a good chance he may be rehired and we'll know by this Monday afternoon.  Keeping that in our prayers, too.  We still feel the need to move our family, but a rehire would make that process a little easier.  It would ease the burden of HAVING to look for another job, and would allow us to finish up the things necessary to sell our house, allow Jon more time to find something to keep him in the same retirement system, get Max's follow-ups with the same drs., etc.

Lots of things can happen over the next few weeks.  May and June were huge months for us, so let's see what the rest of July has in store for.  It's definitely been a roller coaster ride, but what a view we've had!  I also LOVE roller coasters, so it's very ironic.  I realized this looking at pics I took while we were at the UCLA Medical Center.  This one was taken while Meg and I were on the roller coaster at the Santa Monica Pier, waiting for Max and Jon's plane to arrive.  It was exciting, but very peaceful.  It's funny how God reveals things to you.  :::sigh:::

Here's some more pics of our California trip....