Regarding Katja

The day my girlfriends and I went to pray for Katja I had an overwhelming sense of peace come over me the moment I stepped into the room. It was almost as if we didn't even need to be there. I didn't understand what that meant, but it makes a little more sense now.

I was talking with Barbara Telzerow about this on Sunday. She told me that they had a similar circumstance a few years ago at the church we're affiliated with in San Antonio. A young mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and they prayed and prayed and prayed and felt as if her healing was just around the corner. When she died the church was devastated. The pastor, Alan Vincent, asked God what they could have done differently or what they did wrong. God told him that this was His plan, but that He couldn't explain it to Alan just then b/c he wouldn't understand. "His ways are not our ways."

On a happier note... We celebrated Ivana's 26th birthday and Thadeus' first on Sunday. We had friends over for lunch and cake. Thadeus is teething so wasn't really up for celebrating, but enjoyed it as long as he could. We got great video of him and his first cake. I made Ivana an ice cream pie for her cake. The Slovene's were amazed and delighted at this new concept.

We've all been pestered by some kind of virus that's going around. I've done my best not to get it, but yesterday it started; sore throat and lots of sinus stuff. Thadeus was up coughing during the night. I got up with him and offered him a bottle, but he wasn't interested. When I first picked him up he was excited, but once he realized we were the only ones up it wasn't that much fun. We rocked and sang and then he gladly laid back down.

In about a week the apples and pears will be ready to start picking. We've been getting lots of rain this month. I think that's typical of August here. September should be beautiful and October gorgeous with the changing colors. "God is in Heaven; all is right with the world."