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September 17, 2008
Dear all,
Hello from beautiful, balmy Alberta. After a cool spell,
everyone seems to be enjoying the warmth again, soaking it
up before fall and winter hit in earnest.
Again a busy week has gone. Last week Thursday afternoon
I had tea/coffee with a former classmate of mine who works
at the elementary school, and then in the evening I spoke at
the Women's Missionary Fellowship kick-off for our church
(lots of tears! And lots of encouragement.). Friday was an
appointment for Jenny in Calgary so Mike, my dad, Laura, and
I all went and did some shopping afterwards, coming back at
10pm. Saturday was my usual biking exercise while I checked
out the yard sales (I love that kind of exercise!), cleaning
up the house (good chores for kids!), baked bread &
brownies, had a nice visit with Dale & Marcy Hufnagel (who
have been in Cameroon for many years, and now are returning
to pack up their house; they will still visit to
teach/encourage a couple times a year or so), said a quick
hello to my brother & his wife who were down for a friend's
celebration, and then I quickly studied the Sunday School
lesson. Sunday morning - we packed a picnic lunch, we had
our picture taken for the church directory (of course, Laura
had to run into a wall at a friend's house on Saturday so
had a huge lump/bruise, but her bangs covered it if we were
careful) and got into the first service late, I taught
Sunday School to 9 3-4 year olds (I had a helper!) during
the second service, we joined the Mom's Time Out picnic
after church, we dropped by my friend's (Tammy's)
come-and-go celebration for her wedding that happened last
month, I biked to the Tea House for tea with a friend, we
ate supper at my parents, and I brought the kids back home
to put them to bed while Mike was at the evening service.
Whew! Monday afternoon I attended a funeral. Tuesday
afternoon I met with the doctor here in town about Jenny and
baked cookies. This morning I got the refreshments ready for
Mom's Time Out (someone else picked them up for me), helped
Jenny at school while Mike had another appointment, we both
met with the school leadership about aide qualifications,
then I went to Mom's Time Out study. Not as busy as when
we're in Cameroon, but getting close!
Dealing with Jenny this week has continued to be
frustrating. We had a good meeting with the dr. last Friday
and agreed on some compromises so Jenny wouldn't have to
work quite so hard, but yet still make progress; the dr.
also set down some non-negotiables that Jenny agreed to, in
that if she regressed as far as not being able to take care
of herself (bathing, dressing, eating), she would need to be
re-admitted to the hospital. However, this week things did
not improve, and in order to keep the rest of the family
going, I have had to help her bathe and dress. So what do
you do? If she were an only child, maybe we could make more
progress.... We did agree that she could stay home from
school one morning this week, but otherwise she's been going
- she really enjoys school, but doesn't enjoy getting there,
moving from class to class, and getting home. Please pray as
an aide is chosen & trained - we ourselves don't know how to
deal with Jenny at times, so what can we tell an aide? It
was interesting this week, talking with Jenny one evening
(she has been talking more, which is good); she was
discouraged, saying she feels like the doctors have given up
on her, while she thinks there is still something physical
they haven't found yet. I know at least one of the doctors
is still looking around, including trying to get a genetics
testing booked, so we're still moving forward, even though
it seems like we're at a snail's pace.
Tomorrow Mike & Jenny will head to Calgary for Jenny's
weekly appointment; I'll stay here and help as a parent
volunteer with a band day (as in, musical instruments).
Friday the kids don't have school, but Christy will go with
the youth to a local hiking/swimming place for the day
(Jenny will probably want to go as well, but ...). This
weekend my sister & her kids are coming (staying with my
parents), and next Wed. Mike flies to PA to World Team's
International office for a week or so.
I thought this would be a quick update for a change, but
I guess not! Talk with you next week....
Love,
Becky
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