A Gathering of Friends...This Weekend

In February, when we believed that Brad was about to start rounds of very difficult chemo, I mentioned to a couple of friends that I wanted to host a gathering of friends and family to have a prayer & praise night to lift up Brad's spirits in the midst of his challenging physical trials. Brad loves to sing so much, I originally thought that we would gather and spend lots of time singing his favorite praise songs so that I could record it & he could later listen to the cd during his treatments.

Although Brad's treatment plan now looks different, we still thought it would be very uplifting and encourgaging to gather, pray & sing as a group. So, numerous friends have spent many hours planning a weekend gathering in honor of Brad....we appreciate it so much.

We would love to have all of our friends & family join us this weekend at our home congregation. The main gathering will be at 5pm on Saturday, April 5th at Southeast Church of Christ in Friendswood. If you would also like to join us for the dinner that Saturday evening at 5pm, please RSVP to Jenny Winter at 832-434-1839.

Below is the link to the evite with more information.
http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?inviteId=YOXAFNCVRWOOSCPBFGXY&li=iq&src=email&trk=aei6

Broken Leg Update

Here is the latest. After meting with Dr. Marco and taking another x-ray of my leg, it is not healing the way he would like. It is lined up correctly but just not "attaching" back to the bone well. Here are our two main options. Also, my fibula bone, down close to the ankle, was shown to be broken as well.

The first option is to cast my leg from the hip to the toes. This cast would likely be left in place for 3 months or so. The other down side is likely a significant loss in range of motion that would most likely never be gotten back. Plus, there is a chance that the bone still would not heal properly and I would then have to take the surgical route.

Option two is to surgically repair my ankle and place a metal plate that attaches to the bones and holds everything together. The downside to this option is surgery always poses a possibility for infection. One upside is ....the likely recovery period for this option is only 6 weeks in a brace.

We are trying to decide which choice is better for us at this time. Please pray for peace and comfort as we decide what to do.

More Easter Pics

We took quite a few pictures this last week in spring outfits. I realized the other day that I hadn't taken the kids picture together in quite a while. Kaelyn looks so long & skinny in the last couple of pics....she's getting so big. Today she took some steps while holding on to only one hand....that's big progress for her. She hasn't shown a lot of interest in walking just yet.

Easter Cuties

Zeke & his good buddy Luke

Cousin Callie & Zeke just before the big hunt at church.

Ouch!

Brad is taking over the blog for this latest post. I don't have any pics or anything but you will understand why after I finish my story. Last night, I went to the Rockets game (against Boston on a 22 game winning streak). It was raining outside as a cold front was moving in. Jenny dropped me off and I walked in the front door. They have mats right inside the door and I stopped to dry the bottom of my cane off. The next step I took at the Toyota Center was a bad one. My cane slipped out from under me and I tried to catch myself with my bad right knee. It buckled outward and as I fell, it caught and then I fell to the ground.


The EMT's took me to a first aid station, then into an ambulance to St. Joseph's ER a few blocks from the Toyota center. After spending close to two hours waiting to be seen, my wife had one of her greatest ideas ever. We got in the suburban (painfully) and went to Foundations Surgical Hospital where I have had my three previous knee surgeries. They front desk called Dr. Marco to ask his advice and then they called the on-call x-ray tech to come in. We rolled into the hospital, immediately saw a doctor who gave me a shot for pain. We then got an x-ray which showed a fractured tibia. I got another shot for pain and was in the process of being discharged when Dr. Marco came in (out of bed...at 11 pm) to look at my x-rays and figure out a plan.
Side note: What doctor do you know that is not on-call that will come and visit you at 11 at night after a busy day! He is an incredible doctor and a great, caring person.


Dr. Marco thinks that the bone will heal on its own (a huge relief that God kept me out of surgery)! I have to stay off the leg for a while and pray that it heals on its own. I will also have to wear a brace instead of a cast. But all that is nothing when we think about what "could have been" and we gladly accept this outcome to avoid another surgery!


Thanks again for all the nice notes and prayers that we have been flooded with.

Birthday Celebration

Several friends from church got together for a surprise 30th birthday party. We celebrated at a beautiful tea room in League City. It was such a fun evening....even the moms were able to join in on the fun!

Thank you for the party ladies....I loved it!

Third Project

Today Dan (Gene), Papa (Bill) & Papa C (Dad) came over to work on a handful of home projects. The kitchen ceiling was painted, the baseboards were nailed in, walls were retouched, closet doors were re-hung, and (most importantly) the back porch was repainted with a texture paint (our back porch is absolutely trecherous when it gets wet & I think we were all fearful that Brad might slip and break his other leg if we didn't hurry up and get it fixed).


And, Allie, Gena & Lisa watched all the kids while the projects were in full swing. That was a HUGE help too.

Thanks for all the help today everyone!

Oh...and at the end of the afternoon the boys decided they needed to take a dip in the pool (burr!). Nothing like a little early spring...70 degree dip in the pool. Zeke thought it looked like fun but once he got in....he seemed to prefer watching from the side.

Second Project

Friends from Deer Park Church of Christ came over last weekend to help rebuild a section of our fence that was completely falling apart. Gracie & Mike Flannigan, Amy & Mike Davis, & Chris built the entire fence section in just a handful of hours last Saturday and Sunday. Liam & Jessie helped out too...they helped reposition some of the supplies & helped manage the entire project.

Thank you SO much for the new fence.....it looks fantastic!

Tons of Help with Home Projects

The very beginning



Isn't he a cutie?





Zeke is really helping here

More than halfway done...hooray!

We have been so blessed with SO many wonderful friends/family offering to help us with projects around the house. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of the assistance....it means so much to us.

First off, my dad took on the project of purchasing and constructing a new play set for the kids in our back yard. (the old one was in pieces) We carefully selected the set that met our credentials....one high enough to make sure that if Zeke or Kaelyn fell off of it....it would ensure another trip to the ER (6 trips to the hospital in 13 months is not enough....I feel certain we can do better :) )

The box clearly stated that "2 moderately skilled" men could assemble this set in 20 hours. I guess I am unaware of what "2 moderately skilled" men look like because it took Dad, Gwanddad, Brad, Matt, & myself at least a combined 80 hours. I would like to see the 2 men that assemble that set in 20...they must be haulin' that is all I can say.

Ok, my pictures are downloaded in a completely crazy order....but I think you can get the main idea. Also, I realized tonight that I never took a final picture of the entire thing complete. I will have to post another shot later to show Dad's handiwork finished....the true Taj Mahal of playsets.

The Consequences of Too Much Fun

Well, what can I say....
Too much relaxation
PLUS

Too much fun at the Rocket's Game (of course I don't know how fun it was...he hardly made it in the door)
EQUALS

An exciting ride in an ambulance with a broken leg!
I guess Brad thought things had calmed down too much & he felt like he needed to spice things up a bit. There just wasn't enough drama this week. (just kidding Honey) :)

All joking aside, please pray for Brad's speedy healing. He is in a lot of pain right now and could really use some relief. Thank you for the prayers (again).

Birthday Trip to the Spa

My Aunt Vickie & Uncle Gene surprised Brad & I with a 30th Birthday Celebration trip to the spa. We are at the Houstonian for a few days where we are spending time relaxing and having a few pampering treatments at the spa. Today we had an aeromatherapy couple's massage, following by time in the relaxation room (sipping on hot tea, juice & snacking on fresh fruit), then a dip in the whirlpool. It was absolutely delightful. After time at the spa, we went to our room to rest and order room service for dinner. We are basking in the quiet and we are giving notion to the idea of never leaving our room. If Brad didn't have Rockets tickets for tomorrow night, we probably wouldn't leave.

Thanks Vick & Gene.....we are having an amazing time!

Matt & Kara brought us another delicious meal last night.....a great Italian dish that Matt made from scratch. He created a special garlic, tomato pasta sauce with whole wheat noodles & a green leafy salad. Brad has been so pasta starved.....he was super-excited! Thank you Matt & Kara for the dinner....it was fantastic!

Trip to Kemah

A little over a week ago we went to Kemah for a day trip with Sandra, David, & the kids. We stopped for lunch at Landry's, walked around the boardwalk, and then watched Zeke run through the water sprinklers. Kaelyn kept trying to crawl over to Zeke to share in the water fun (I wouldn't let her.....I know, mean mom....I just knew that she would stick her mouth over the spout and suck up that disgusting, bacteria-filled water.)

Also, I have to laugh about Brad's goatee. It has always shown a rainbow of color pigments (a little blonde, a little brunette, a little red) but for some reason recently it has been bright red! I keep kidding him that it is a result of all the raw carrots and sweet potatoes he has been eating.

Zeke-Isms

Zeke was extra-insightful today so I decided to write a few Zeke-isms to share with you.

1. First thing this morning Zeke asked his Daddy, "God doesn't like the Longhorns, does he?" (Brad told me that he is still struggling to think of an appropriate response for this question)
This question was quickly followed by, "Are God & Santa together Daddy?"

2. Zeke made a recent observation that Kendall, Krista, Kaelyn, & Callie all start with the "ka" sound. He told me that because they have the "ka" sound, then they all start with the letter "K." He then told me about an earlier conversation that he had with his Daddy who was "arguing" with him about Callie's first letter. When I tried to explain that the letter "C" & the letter "K" can both make the "ka" sound he said, "no Mommy...the "C" starts like "s-s-s-C." I told him that he would just need to call Mimi (former 2nd grade teacher) and ask her why Callie's name doesn't start with a "K." His questions were beginning to stump me.

3. I overheard a conversation Zeke was having with Brad this afternoon. While I was making lunch in the kitchen I heard Zeke telling his Daddy all the reasons he loved him. It was so sweet.
"Daddy, you are the very best daddy."
"I love it when you take me to places to eat."
"I love when you read stories to me."
"I love when we make a snuggle sandwich and I am the cheese & you & Momma are the bread."
"I love it when we fight and I woop you."
"I love you very much and you are a really good daddy."

Ok, so I cried a little after hearing those expressive words....wow...he is just such a sweet little boy. I love him to pieces.

News from Dr. Marco

I wanted to let everyone know that I spoke with Dr. Marco (he had promised to look into 2nd, 3rd, 4th....opinions) by phone on Wednesday afternoon. He told me that he shared Brad's case with the doctors who attended the medical conference in California and there were not any new treatment plans that the other doctors had to offer. I told him that we were considering alternative treatment plans and he responded by saying that he felt that if he were in Brad's situation, he too would look to other forms of medicine. I asked him if he knew of any places that his patients/friends had found success & he didn't have any other information to offer but he did support the idea of us looking elsewhere. He is a very kind man and has always taken a personal interest in Brad. It is always comforting to talk with him....knowing how much he geniunely cares.

We are praying now that God lead us to the best alternative treatment center for Brad. We are looking into several options and they all seem very different. We are keeping our minds open to several options, but we are feeling ready to decide & take action. Thank you in advance for all of your thoughts and prayers regarding this important decision.

Thank You!

I wanted to say "thanks" to our friends Matt & Kara Hartleib who have been bringing us dinner every Sunday evening. They have brought us some terrific chicken vegetable soup (yum...I love soup) & some incredibly tasty grilled salmon with blue cheese/apple/pecan salad. Thank you Matt & Kara!!

The Hanna's & The Shoup's brought us our last 2 meals of this week. The Hanna's brought us a terrific chicken salad with sweet potato latkes & the Shoup's surprised us with a ground turkey meatloaf & several other goodies (including some sugar-free, all natural juice drinks...those were really great!)

We really appreciate the meals....I know it takes a lot to feed us at this point in our lives. You practically need a Nutrition degree to decifer all the labels and insure that you are cooking according to our diet. Brad & I just want each of you to know how much we genuinely appreciate the amazing effort that you put in to feed us and to help take of our family. You are the best support group that anyone could ask for.....Thank you!

Ladies Prayer Gathering

Our family was touched deeply yesterday morning as thirty women of great faith came into our home to pray over Brad's health and to lift up our entire family. Linda, Jane, Merla, Sherri, and Allison spent the last week planning a special gathering of an amazing group of women to support this effort (many friends from Brad's hometown congregation, former co-workers of our family, & other friends from Baytown). We spent the better part of two-three hours singing, reading scripture, and sending up petitions to the Lord on Brad's behalf. Those that were not able to attend sent written prayers that were read aloud to the group.

We want to say thank you to everyone who has been praying and for all who continue to pray for our family. We are richly blessed and we can feel the presence of the Lord, shown by those who surround us. We can feel His presence and are comforted daily by His love shown through each of you.

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces
wonderful results. James 5:16

This is just one of the hundreds of prayers shared yesterday.

Dear Father, Creator of the Universe and Giver of Eternal Life,
I lift the Wims family up to you. You know their hears. You see their unwavering faith. You hear their declaration that You are in control. You feel their love for You and Your church. We trust You, Father, and we understand that we don't know the fullness of Your plans. We ask in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that You intervene and heal Brad Wims. Thank you for allowing us to enter in to Your presence and ask anything that our hearts desire. I desire Father that You intervene to cure Brad in his illness and let his life be a testimony to the power of prayer. I pray that in his restoration to health, he would be Your agent as a mighty witness for the Kingdom and a mighty warrior in the spiritual battle.

Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit who comforts us, thank You for the words that comfort us. The words that come to mind for the Wims family right now are the words of Romans 12:12: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

I request with a humble heart that You send an extra measure of peace and strength to David, Sandra, Brad & Jenny this day and that Your love sustain them.

In the name of Jesus I pray.
Amen.

written by: Janna Duty

Fish Tacos from Chef Chris

Thank you Chris & Heather for our fabulous meal last night. Brad went on and on about how much he enjoyed the fish tacos you made & you even brought a menu along with the meal....how fancy! We got in so late last night after a meeting, it was wonderful to come home to a meal already prepared....thank you so much.

Another AMAZING Meal

Chris & Rebecca came over last night with the ingredients for grilled pizza in tow. I can't imagine how much time and effort went into the planning of this meal...Chris had made special shopping efforts, specific organic ingredient selection...it was all very fancy. I had never heard of grilled pizza before but I think it beats Pizza Hut any day....we had terrific toppings: fresh basil, grilled chicken, fresh mozzerella, spinach, red peppers, green peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and onion. It was SO good!! Even Kaelyn snatched some of her daddy's pizza to give it a try.

Thank you Chris & Rebecca for going through so much trouble for us....it was very kind and I know that Brad felt special to have someone make such a fuss over his meal. Thank you.

Obsessed with Dental Hygiene

Kaelyn found her new occupational goal....dental hygeniest. While playing in the bathroom today, she discovered her brother's toothbrush and she has been playing with it for the last hour. She only has 2 teeth....I can't wait to see how long it takes her to brush once she has a whole mouth full of them.

We better hide these clips from Zeke...I don't think he will be too excited once he sees pictures of his sister slobbering all over his good toothbrush.

Tim's Fish

Ok, the competition is ON! You ladies are really showing me up with your fabulous meals. Wow. Our life group has brought us 2 meals this week and they have been absolutely unbelivably good. Last night Noelle brought over some fresh fish that Tim had caught...it was delicious! I pan-grilled it using a little recipe my Aunt Vickie sent me and it was so good!

Thanks so much for cooking for us! It has been such a nice treat....we really appreciate it!

Cancer-Fighting Chicken Chili......YUM!

Our very kind friends from church have taken it upon themselves to bring us meals each week that fit the perameters for our new Cancer-fighting diet. Emily Gayhart brought Brad some FABULOUS chicken chili last night. She researched recipes online and found one from the American Cancer Society website. Wait a minute, Emily....I've been cooking for Brad with these dietary restrictions for a week now and he hasn't smiled like that over any of my meals! All joking aside....it was really delicious.

Kaelyn's Car

Kaelyn is obsessed with a plastic push-car that we use to stroll her around the house in. If she is upset for any reason, you can get her to almost immediately stop by placing her in it and letting her "go for a ride." She is a pro at coercing her Gwanddad to push her around the house for hours.

Today Zeke talked me into pushing him in the car. She chased us around the house for a few minutes and once she caught up to us...she stood up, and picked her foot up to "tell" her brother she wanted to ride with him. This really isn't a 2-seater, but somehow they made it work.

Aren't they precious?

She's Standing!

We caught Kaelyn standing outside on Sunday evening. When she gets distracted, she will somtimes stand without holding onto something. As soon as she realizes what she is doing....she immediately sits down. She is so silly!

Ok, so I am a really slow learner. As soon as I finished filming Kaelyn....I thought, "Duh...I turned the camera the wrong direction....again!" Oh well, you'll have to just look silly while you twist your neck to watch this clip.