It is a good thing I checked the blog because Janni has already updated you on their return. It was a week ago today Amanda and I spent the day with Kole at St. Jude hospital. We had to be up bright and early that Friday morning. Kole needed to be weighed in at 7:45. At least weekly if not more, Kole gets a mini physical to check his weight, height, temperature, blood pressure, blood work check, and I am not sure what all else. Kole has two lines connected to a main artery in his chest where he gets most of his medicine and blood work taken from. It was cute how he knew which line needed flushed. He has a red line and a white line. Kole did not hesitate to give the nurse instructions on how to push the plunger of the needle into his line. He claims that the medicine or solutions would burn his nose unless they pushed the plunger slowly instead of quickly. He did not hesitate to perform this task himself. The nurses there were so friendly. They showed great honor and respect for their small but mighty patients. The hospital was very well organized. Everyone received a schedule for the day, first thing in the morning. Not only was the hospital well organized, but it was incredibly clean and brightly decorated. The floor tiles had inlays of flowers, puppies, rainbows, and the like. The walls were brightly and tastefully painted. There were play areas in every section of this cozy hospital. Some of the play areas were maned with volunteers who brought in toys and activities to entertain the children inbetween appointments. The hospital also had what Janni called a" hepple filter", which purified the air. The Ronald McDonald House contained the same system as well. Anyway, after his mini physical, we were off to physical therapy. Kole loves physical therapy. As an extra bonus , today was Friday, which means every appointment means a new toy out of the box for Kole to rumage through. The physical therapist was a young woman who allowed Kole to set up his "candy cane" (flat foam balance "beam") . His challenge was to walk the balance "beam" with one foot over the other without loosing his balance. The hook on the end was to aid Kole in turning a corner. He did wonderful. He has done so well at meeting his objectives and moving on. Janni said Steve not only was his cheerleader during these sessions but took what the therapist did and practiced with Kole at home. Steve had his own little "basketball practice" at the Ronald McDonald House". He explained to me how he set up "dodge ball" and invited other children there to participate. One of the Keller's neighbors called Steve the "resident dad" of the Ronald McDonald House. Anyway, Kole also practiced jumping and walking down stairs. Next was speech therapy. This was not nearly so physical but draining all the same. He spent quite a lot of time working on forming sounds correctly. He did great and was a very hard worker. Steve than took Kole to his educational therapy session. I did not see what that was like. Later, I was pleased to go back with Kole as they prepared him for his radiation. St. Jude had a wonderful way of allowing their patients to make choices. They respected their personhood and allowed for them to participate in their own treatment. I feel this prevented frustration in their patients, who had very little say in what was happening to them. I was tickled to be new at all this, so that Kole could be my teacher. I asked the nurse how he knew so much and she commented that Kole was exceptionally observant. He watches and learns. He explained to me that they would be moving him to the "radiation room" . This meant he could ride on the bed or be carried. He said "Aunt Jodi, you have to carry me", I said that would be my pleasure as long as I didn't have to carry his "stinky shoes". He laughed and I felt so much love for this precious boy who was brave beyond his years. In the radiation room, I watched this four year old boy delight in receiving his medicine. He chuckled as he went off to sleep, "I love getting dizzy". It was hard to pull myself away. It was even harder to hand him over to the professionals who knew what they were doing. Somehow parents and aunts think they are needed to help. I know it is a foolish presumption, but it is not that we know how to help. We just are so willing to help. Kole was in there quite awhile. Afterwards he was pretty droggy, but that did not last too long. The doctors commented that they do not understand why Kole does not seem to be having the side effects most patients have. He is getting such high doses of radiation. Who do we thank for that--God of course and answered prayer. You just try trusting God. He will never never fail. He will always come through, somtimes in unexpected ways. There are no regrets in trusting God. There is huge regrets in failing to trust.

You may have read earlier how I have been studying on Abraham in the book of Genesis. This study could not have come at more perfect timing. The story of God asking Abraham to offer his one and only son Isaac on the alter in Genesis chapter 22. Abraham was a man of great faith. His faith was built on years of walking, talking, and listening to God. His faith was built on watching God fulfill his promises .His faith was built in believing that God would fulfill his promises even if it took many years. Abraham also realized how deeply God loves. The more you read the Bible the more you get to know God. The more you see how for God"mercy triumphs over judgement". Sometimes, God is forced to judge perpetual hard hearts. Though he waits and longs for repentance. Anyway, Isaac's birth was a fulfillment of a promise God had made to Abraham and Sarah. His promise took years in comming ,but it was kept. The timming perfect. Isaac's birth was nothing short of a miracle. All through the Old Testament and New Testament displays God's unquestionable ability to perform miracles. God does not play by the same rules as we mortal humans. He is not limited in power, knowledge, time, and space. Abraham had gotten to know these facts about God. So, when God asked Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, Abraham had the faith and understanding to obey God immediatly. He realized that God had the rights over Isaac. He realized God loved Isaac more than himself. He also realized that God had promised to carry on Abraham's family line through Isaac. In Hebrews 11:19 it says "Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead...". Abraham was a father who loved his son like crazy. He waited a long time for this promised boy. He probably cherished ever moment of his little life. He probably spoiled him a little. I can guarentee that he taught Isaac about his God. I guarentee Isaac felt the love of his father and more importantly the love of the Lord. As Abraham and Isaac headed up to the mountain to make this offering to God, Isaac asked his father why they did not bring a lamb to be sacrificed. Abraham, honestly told Isaac "God will provide the sacrifice". Up on the mountain, as they prepared the alter, Abraham had Isaac get up upon the alter. Isaac trusting his father's love, willingly layed down his small body on his bed of stone and wood. God had provided Isaac for Abraham, yet God in his great mercy and love draws for us this picture. As Abraham was getting ready to slay his own son, the angel of the Lord said "do not lay a hand one the boy...Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son". It was at that moment that God did provide the sacrifice. For he placed a ram with it's horns caught in the brush. Both Abraham and Isaac prepared to give back life to their rightful owner, God himself. However, God stepped in . In his mercy he provided the sacrifice. Now, Abraham's son Isaac got to get down from the alter of death. It will be sometime later, probably on that very same spot, that God himself would place his one and only Son on the alter. This time the alter would be the cross. This time the Son would not get down. God provided the ultimate sacrifice for us. This happened when he provided his Son to take our place on the alter. We deserve to pay for our sin, but God provided his Son in our place. To reject it, is to regret. For we are telling God we don't need him. We can pay for our own sins. He will allow us that freedom, though he will grieve our choice. Sometimes, when I get down on myself for my past mistakes and sin, I hear God whisper to me " get down from the cross, Jodi, I took your place. My blood was enough". Sometimes God is looking for us to show that we love him first and that we believe that he can do what he says he can do. God has provided the sacrifice for Janni, Steve, you and me. He has the power to restore health. We are tested to see if we trust him and love him first.

Jodi