Elijah Wesley

Today Eli turns 7!  WOW!  It doesn't seem possible.  I remember bringing him home from the hospital just  two days before Christmas.  I remember him sitting in a bouncer seat as we celebrated Jesus birthday.

This little man is a JOY!  You can tell by his face he is just all fun and boy and smiles and laughter.

We got the nicest compliment this week.  While we were celebrating Uncle Ryan's life, ,a cousin was greeting us and said, "Ryan could always light up a room with his smile.  I thought I would never see someone who could do that like him, but your Eli - he has it.  His smile lights up rooms."

It's true too!  He's the kind of boy you love to be around.  The kind that can make you laugh and just brings so much joy to our home.  Eli is a smart little man too and his desire to be a preacher someday like his Daddy makes us so proud!  He's passionate and sweet and kind and loving, but mostly he's joyful and fun loving!  He's Eli and we are so blessed to have the privilege of parenting him!

Today we celebrate Eli and the joy he brings!  We celebrate his seven years of life and look forward with anticipation to what the Lord will do in and through him!  I'll post more on our celebration, but for now - know that today there is JOY!

Transitioning

Getting back into the swing of things is not easy.  It's hard to be one day burying and the next just pick up and move on.  It's cruel actually.  Life shouldn't be that way.  We need time, we need to mourn, to remember, to grieve.

The boys are going back to school today.  They've missed 3 days now and will have work to make up over their Christmas break.  Eli wanted his birthday treats today.  He didn't like the idea of waiting and celebrating  after break.

Ministry is hard too.  It's hard to transition back and yet there are demands.  A 98 year old parishioner fell and broke her collar bone, another gentleman had a serious surgery yesterday and a sweet lady lost her sister.  All phone calls received hours after walking through the door.  Difficult to transition!  In fact it seems impossible and yet we lean on each other, draw strength from the Lord and minister to others while we grieve ourselves.

I've thought several times in the last few days about what Ryan is doing now.  The pain that he has had for years is gone, the physical limitations are no more.  He is free to worship Jesus and there is no other agenda. Just sit in the Presence of the Almighty and soak it in.

We soak in our memories and cherish the things we remember!  We focus on who Ryan was and his life!  I remember the last time I heard him talk and how he told Ron and I his dreams.  Things he wanted to do when he got out of that hospital bed.  It is hard to swallow.  There was so much more he wanted to do for the Kingdom, so much that was left undone.

So we are remembering and will continue to remember!  We hold tight to our memories!

Family

Brothers

 Deep in thought

 Fun Uncle

 Buddies!

 Hard doesn't seem like the right word.  Unimaginable how life just continues.

We love and miss you Ryan!

Jesus give us strength.  Give us understanding where there is none.  Give us peace in the midst of this storm.  Help us to lean more on You and draw from our relationship with you.  Ryan would want that.  He would want his life and death to bring about stronger relationships in YOU!  We know that in life there are no certainties and yet we feel thrown for such loops.  Life and death are such mysteries and so we seek You, Jesus, for the answers.  We pray for your peace that goes beyond our deepest understanding and beyond.  Help us Jesus and fill us with You!

Ryan Nathan

Ryan Nathan Adkins

39 years ago Ryan Nathan was born to Ron and Frances Adkins and his big brother Ronnie.

I only know stories of the things those Adkins boys got into.  It is fun to hear the stories from the boys of their "adventures and craziness".  

It wasn't until 13 1/2 years ago that I joined the family,

From even before that day, Ryan treated me like a sister.  It was as if he had always wanted a sister. He would tease unmercifully.  

Oh what I wouldn't give to be teased one more time!  To laugh and goof off with him.

On Saturday, December 14th Ryan was welcomed into the arms of Jesus.  He was a fighter until the very end!  Ryan was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma, but while it slowed him some - he didn't let it stop him.  For years he was in a great deal of pain, but wouldn't show it.  Years of battling, fighting trying to beat this dreaded disease.  He did too, he was cancer free!  It's the treatment that wore his body down.

The pain is unbearable.  Unlike anything I have ever experienced.  My heart is hurting so bad and I would do anything to listen to him, to be teased, or hear his voice or just sit with him.

From the beginning of his diagnosis we were there.  Ron and I were the first ones who knew.  We watched the girls while Ryan and Holly went to the hospital for the first time and learned that there was a mass in his chest.  I remember standing in our trailer in Circleville when they told us and just holding onto Ron.  It was devastating news and yet, Ryan was a fighter!  

He fought a good fight!  He lived a good life!  We are comforted in knowing that he now sits at the feet of Jesus, worshiping in the presence of the Creator of the Universe!  

Ryan was a giving man, a great father, a wonderful Uncle, a good husband, a great brother and son and so much more!  He loved life.  He loved family!  He loved being surrounded by family and friends.

The boys went Christmas shopping together one year and bought us girls coats!

 These boys would do absolutely anything for their Grandma Vadah.

 Uncle Ryan meeting Ronnie Lee III for the first time!

Ryan loved his girls and Holly!  He loved being surrounded by girls :) 

A loving son and brother.

The pain is unreal, unbelievable and yet I am thankful for his life.  Thankful he loved Jesus.  Thankful he used every opportunity to show Jesus to others.

The pain is still very raw, still very difficult and yet we lean heavily on Jesus!  Trusting in His love and mercy toward us!  I'm so thankful tonight for Ryan, for his heart and his love for Jesus.

A Stable Christmas

This picture was on a blog I read!  It's a great reminder.  It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle and forget the true meaning of this season.

I pray that in our home we can relax, have fun together as a family.  NOT have to have everything in place or done, but truly remember the Reason we celebrate and the gift we have been given.  

All Jesus wants (this time of year or anytime) is US!

Praying that in our home we can not stress, but reflect on Him and give Him ourselves this year!

Praise!

Ryan spoke using his speaking valve on the trachea yesterday evening and today too!  He talked to the Holly and then asked to call the girls and talked to his parents too!  

So thankful for Answered Prayer.

He is out of ICU and back into the James and so Holly can be with him all the time!  We are thankful and continue to Praise the Lord for his Goodness and Mercy!

Also just talked to Ron and he made it to Wilmore through snow, sleet and ice.  It was a tense trip for him, but he made it!

Thankful tonight!

Wilmore Week #20

Ron has actually been on the road for almost 5 hours.  He is nearing Lexington now.  I haven't talked to him much, but the roads are treacherous!  He is tense and ready to just get there.

We have had a busy day her with our Ney Christmas Party (I'll post more on that later), but I'll be thankful to hear that he has arrived safely!

Thank you for your prayers this week while we are separated.  The kids are hoping for a delay tomorrow, so we'll see how the week starts out!  Lots to keep us busy at home this week with play practice, Youth Group, Discipleship, basketball and just regular life :) 

5th Grade Program

Last night was the 5th Grade Winter Program.  This meant our first program at Fairview.

Before the program that had the option of everyone participating in a Pottery Night.  All 4 of ours picked a piece of pottery (all different) to paint!

They all seemed to enjoy the painting!

Then the 5th grade band played as well as several solo pianist pieces.  Ronnie surprised us when he came home and said that he would be playing the piano for the program!  The 5th grade presented this program 3 times in the last 2 days.  Once for the Elementary, then for Grandparents yesterday (during the day) and for Parents last night!  Ronnie played, "We Three Kings" each time.  He was nervous, but did great!

His class also put on the "Jingle Bell Jukebox".  They did a great job and I was especially impressed that the music teacher said that they were going to sing a few songs that told about the Real reason for Christmas, Jesus Birth!

It was a fun evening, and Ronnie did a great job!

Thanksgiving with Mom and Dad

On Saturday we loaded up, picked up my Grandparents, and headed south to Mom and Dad's!  My brother, Jay and his family were there too!  That's 6 kids and 8 adults and we had a great Thanksgiving.  The kids don't see each other often enough, but always seem to pick up where they left off!  

Mom went to a lot of work to feed this crew and did a great job!

We tried to Skype with my sister and family in South Africa.  We were able to hear each other, but couldn't get a clear connect to see my 4 cute nieces!

This is Bradley, my only nephew!

Below Terra and Ronnie are working on a craft

We watched the Buckeye game together!

 Granny, Maddie and Aunt Tonya weren't into the Buckeye game so much!

We had a great Thanksgiving meal together and enjoyed each other's company.  

It was fun to catch up a bit on Jay and Tonya's ministry in Circleville.  We're looking forward to seeing them a couple more times in the next month.  

We are so blessed to have Godly parents and then for all 3 (my brother, sister and I) to be raising the next generation to love and serve the Lord as well!  

It is a Blessing!

Sledding

I don't think the kids have ever had so much fun sledding as they did last week and Grandpa and Grandma Adkins' home in Northeast Ohio.  There was about 6 to 7 inches of snow instead of the predicted 10 to 12, but it was perfect!  The pictures don't quite capture all the fun they had!

Believe it or not, no one was hurt during the picture taking :)

Lots of boyhood memories of taking the hill by sled!

These 4 had a blast in the snow!  

They are anxious to get back and see if the snow remains!

How We Spent Thanksgiving!

We enjoyed this on Thanksgiving!

The journey to reach Ron's parents house was a bit of a challenge.  It is a little crazy driving through this, but thanks to the Lord's protection we arrived safely! 

Ron's parents house is beautiful anyway, but you add 6 to 7 inches of snow and it is just gorgeous!

Then you put 4 kids into the mix...priceless!

Besides celebrating Thanksgiving with Grandpa and Grandma our mission was to help Grandpa who was only a week post-op!  He can't lift for 4-6 weeks, so the boys went to work hauling wood to replenish his supply.

It had gotten pretty low, 

but by the time they were finished it was stocked for at least a month.  I didn't get a final picture, but the front porch is packed with wood for the woodburner. :)

Ron also went to work putting the blade on the tractor and plowing out the driveway.  Grandpa actually ventured out for the first time in a week (which scared some of us - because of snow and ice).  I think we wore him out, but he just wanted to be with "his boys".

These 4 found sleds and the then we couldn't seem to drag them back inside. 

They had so much fun (I'll post more sledding pictures later)

We did warm up some and played a few games of Risk.

Maddie enjoyed pretending and playing at Grandma's desk.

All the kids like pulling out Daddy and Uncle Ryan's matchbox cars and towns.

We also enjoyed some delicious food and a little football too!

We had a fun few days in Northeast Ohio and are so thankful for opportunities to help out Ron's parents.  We were reminded a lot this trip how much of a gift life is!  I am so blessed with not only parents who love the Lord, but my In-laws are also deeply committed Christians and unafraid to share Jesus and their love for Him.  I realize more and more how rare that is!  Blessed just doesn't seem to say enough!   So Thankful for ALL the Lord has given me!