Thankful at Thanksgiving

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving in Scotland. For those of you who can't think outside of the US--Thanksgiving is purely an American holiday! Yes, we had thanksgiving here with 30 other Americans. It wasn't family and it wasn't by any means "traditional" but it was turkey with all the fixings. We thought we would share some of the things we have been especially thankful for in the last 5 months.

*Visitors
*mail of all kinds
*letters
*packages
*emails
*posts on our tagboard
*prayer support
*financial gifts
*no TV
*making friends here
*opportunities and chances to be salt and light
*Community Church Edinburgh
*work for Janette
*people who move out of our flats and leave us with all kinds of fun stuff
*no car
*phone calls (even in the middle of the night!)
*web camera & video emails
*food from back home that we can't get here
*Monday night tea with the ladies
*free health care
*IKEA
*Shayna (babysitter who was a total God-thing)
*multi cultural living experiences for all of us
*great schools for the girls
*our flat (as much as we have complained about our 564 square feet of nothing we have grown to love it)
*our parents and siblings who love and encourage us from afar no matter how bad they want us home.

And for you, whoever you are, wherever you are. Thank you!

Baking with Barney the Bear

STA60018, originally uploaded by dustkunkel.

Lily brought her P1 classroom bear home with her last weekend and they did all kinds of things together--including making cookies! From left to right: Zoe, Chiersten, Lily, Caitlin, and Tabitha.

Papa Dan tells Lily and Zoe About Addie . . . .

What follows below is an email "Papa Dan" sent to Lily and Zoe to share what's going on with Addie with them. They've had lots of questions since they pray for her often. We felt it was just as good for Lily and Zoe's parents, and may be helpful for some of you as well:

Dear Lily and Zoe,

This is papa telling you what Addie has hooked to her body right now, just as I saw her resting on Auntie Sara’s lap in the hospital this morning:

In her nose: oxygen tube (one little tub for each nostril) hooked to a machine

feeding tube also in left nostril hooked to a machine

patches to hold tubes in place on cheeks

On her chest there are round sensors at least 2 under patches

Into her left arm: a PICC line by inside of elbow under big white patch with IV tubes junction attached for at least three different kinds of inputs

Into her right leg foot: a PICC line on top of foot under big patch with IV junction for at least two (maybe its three now) inputs

Left foot, big toe: Oxygen in blood sensor with a little red light that’s on all the time and blinking

Left lower leg: Blood pressure cuff (works most of the time, sometime they replace it!)

Addie is wearing a special hospital shirt, a children’s long shirt (gown) with ties in the back and with nice pictures of animals and things that are bright and cheery as you know, Addie’s eyes are also trying to watch everyone and everything, because so much has happened and keeps happening to her. She is tired-looking and starting to lose some hair from the medicines, but she’s not giving up. She moves her arms and legs and lets us know she’s still there because Jesus lives inside her heart—and she is HIS precious child.

Pray the new medicine Addie is getting this week will give her calm and fewer “owies.” Keep thanking God that His eyes are always on Addie, just like they are on each of you everywhere you are. And Lily and Zoe, just keep praying for Jesus to hold cousin Addie with His special hands and loving arms like the Bible story about Jesus the Good Shepherd and the little lambs.

And every time you pray for her, you can make the same motions to show how you are keeping her in your hearts and prayers—and looking ahead with HOPE to the day your hands and arms and faces will touch each other again.

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world—red and yellow, black, and white--all are precious in HIS sight!

love,
Papa Dan

New Jammies

linda's jammies 8, originally uploaded by dustkunkel.

We love our new jammies from our friend Linda Forsythe!

If you look close, you'll see the little monsters on them:)

Lily and Zoe
PS more silly pictures on the flickr site, we had fun making faces at dad!

Adeline's Got a Web Page!

For those of you who have been praying for Addie and supporting her parents in a variety of ways, you can now check out the latest info on her and sign the guest book at her new site!

Give it a try--just click on the link to the right.

Keep healing Addie Hope!

D,J,L, and Z.

Hangin' Out with "the Addster"

STA60012, originally uploaded by dustkunkel.

This picture was taken a few months ago with Uncle Kris and Addie. You can tell the girls really love their cousin and uncle.

We wanted to put this picture up as another reminder to keep praying for Adeline who remains in ICU. She seems to not need as many blood transfusions as a week ago, but the chemotherapy and other drugs are very hard on a little person, and her blood continues to "fight itself."

KEEP PRAYING!

We love you Addie!

Dust, Jan, Lil' and Zo'