Friday, May 29, 2009

School's Out for Summer...

Hey isn't that a song? One of my favorites actually : ) We are all beginning to get in our summer mode. We are looking forward to relaxing and enjoying time together. 

Steve has had a pretty good week. He still struggles sometimes, mentally, with not being able to eat. He is very positive, but even the best of us get down in the dumps. We have 2 doctors appointments at the end of next week. We will see both the oncologist and the oral surgeon. We are also going to our dentist. Steve wants to talk to him about the possibility of getting some kind of prosthetic that would lower the roof of his mouth so his tongue can touch it and get some leverage. Good idea! We'll see what he says. I'll keep you posted later.

We have a special prayer request. One of my girl scouts and very close friend of Alli's is having surgery next week for a rare heart problem she has had since birth. She and her family will travel to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for this surgery. Please pray that all will go well for Emily and her family. Pray for the doctors and nurses, for her parents and sisters strength and for her courage and healing.  She will be in the hospital for 7 - 10 days and then will stay with relatives until she is able to fly back home. 

Many of you have asked if I will keep the blog up to date over the summer. The answer is yes! My goal is to write twice a week to let you know what is happening. I might not have much to say, but I will keep you up to date. Many mornings God puts things on my heart to share with you. I thank you for indulging me by reading my thoughts. I continue to keep you in my prayers and ask that you continue to pray for us too. This month will be a challenging one financially with all the summer activities for the girls and a possible vacation for us. My prayer is that Steve will find success in his roofing business. May God bless your summer with relaxation and time for friends and family.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Message from Lisa

I don't know how many of have the privilege of truly knowing Steve. If you do, you are one of the lucky ones. He is an amazing man. I for one feel that my life has been blessed and touched by his love, kindness, generosity, and of course his humor. I was in Steve's tool room/ office early this week and saw an old plaque he has posted in there. On it is STEVE: "Crowned One", "The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. Psalm 118:14". This pretty much describes Steve perfectly. He is so full of faith and trust. 

Did you realize that Steve has not been able to eat or drink anything since the day before his surgery (on Jan 30th)? He is still getting his nutrition through his feeding tube. Did you know that he has very little tongue left? ...cannot lick his lips? Cannot pucker up to kiss? Cannot wet his finger to separate papers? Did you realize that he cannot take Holy Communion? Did you know he has a huge scar on the side of his leg (someone asked him if he was in a motorcycle accident!)? Did you know that Steve drools constantly and has a really hard time talking clearly. He deals with so many things every day, and yet he still keeps his faith and hope. 

Although he gets down and out sometimes, like we all do, he still gets up each morning and faces the day with a positive attitude. Do you do that everyday? I know I don't. I work hard to keep upbeat. My smile helps me a lot. Steve is such an wonderful inspiration, although he would say differently. 

I don't know what you are struggling with in your life right now, but I do know that God is right there with you. Are you feeling like Job? We all have those times. As we struggle with the day to day stuff, worrying about lack of money, time, energy, health, and life in general, please remember that the one who created you is always there for you. Just reach out to Him and find some quiet time to spend with Him. Praise Him for everything in your life, the big and the small, the good and the bad. (You might want to read Psalm 103:1-5.) And say a special prayer for Steve today. Maybe send him an email to let him know how much you love him or how you are proud of him, or how you are praying for him. We all need to hear those good words - right?

(stevebowman@bellsouth.net) 


Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sunday, May 18th

Steve had a pretty good week. He was fairly active in the yard. He dug holes and started planting his roses (remember all those roses I moved to the back yard - 87 of them I believe). The physical work helps him feel alive. However, his leg has been swelling up a lot lately. He has to put his leg up as much as possible and by morning it is usually back to "normal". His leg has been throbbing a lot too. The pain is a nuisance to him. He gets frustrated by it more than anything else. 

Steve thinks he is fighting something off these last few days. He has had some chills and been a bit more tired. We stayed busy with band and chorus concerts, so it could be he was around some germs. 

This week is the last week of school for the girls. They are excited, but weary from all the upcoming tests and activities. We are all looking forward to less structure and stress in our days. 

Have a great week!  

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope that each of you is enjoying this Mother's Day weekend. I know at my house we had a fabulous spa day with facial masks, foot baths, paraffin wax and make overs! Have you ever realized how messy oatmeal and honey really are? And those cucumber slices really do NOT stay in place - ha! 

Steve has had a busy day today. He was at church from 8:30am to 12:30pm. He spoke at both services to give our thanks to everyone for their love, prayers and support. He played the bass guitar at the second service!  He was very good, and looked so at ease and at home up there on the "stage". What a wonderful Mother's Day gift - Steve, Becca, and my dad all performing in the praise band!

This afternoon, Steve was able to speak with his mother. Many of you know that she is in a nursing home in Virginia. She has dementia and has a hard time putting complete thoughts together. It meant the world to Steve that he could talk to her, and that she could understand him. She sounded as if she were crying. I wonder if she realizes how long it has been since she has heard his voice, and what a blessing it is that he is able to speak after all he has been through.

Steve stayed fairly busy this week. He worked in the garden and in the yard. He worked in the house. He got this downstairs tool room/office  straightened up. The back porch is looking much less cluttered now. Despite a couple of setbacks this week, Steve is determined to keep his roofing company going. I am just praying that God will guide him and give him a way to support his family while he continues to heal. He needs (as we all do) to feel productive and have worth in this world. He needs to know that he is useful and needed and that his life has a purpose. I need him to get better and be around for a loooong time. I know God has a plan, if only we can be patient and keep to his path. 

I continue to struggle with the insurance red tape. I am continually amazed how God continues to provide for us through the generosity of all of you. God bless you for that. We are all looking forward to the end of this school year. I am hoping that with more time, I can find a good speech therapist for Steve so that he can work on his swallowing issues. 

There are so many people on our hearts right now. Our prayers are filled with the needs of so many. I ask that you add a few of these to your prayer list. I know that all of you prayer warriors have helped us through all of this and can help them too. Please pray for Kelly Tadeo and  her family (her cancer has returned after a year of remission), for Brad Reed and his family (he is undergoing chemotherapy for a brain tumor), and for my sweet Girl Scout, Emily Mikkelson and her family (Emily will have major heart surgery on June 5th - her family is an important part of our lives and she is such a brave young girl!)

On this Mother's Day, I pray that you are well and are aware of how much you mean to us. May God give you special blessings this week. 

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Celebrate!

Steve has been feeling better this week. And the good news is that he has gained 5 pounds! His color looks better and he has even ridden with his roofing partners to look at some roof jobs and talk to people! He has felt much more productive! Steve has been working hard to keep his spirits up and not let the doldrums get to him. It seems to be helping a lot.

Earlier this week Steve went fishing with his brother. He caught several fish and enjoyed himself. We attended Becca's end of the year chorus concert. It was the best one yet. We truly enjoyed ourselves. Steve was very tired and weak by the end, but was glad he was able to go. Those kids are so talented. Of course, Becca had a small solo and did a fantastic job. Her friends were all cheering for her which made her feel more at ease. She is such a natural on the stage!

Only 15 more school days! I think we can do this if we just take it one step at a time : ) Becca has lots of final exams and projects so she is pretty stressed. Alli is just counting down the days. I am just trying to keep my students calm and under control : ) Steve is working on keeping his days productive so they go by quickly too. We are all looking forward to the summer more than we ever have before, and that is saying a lot. I for one live for summer!!!

I am still fighting with the insurance company to get them to approve Steve's formula. We've been fortunate to have some cans left over from his September surgery (when I had a different insurance company). That has helped get us through so far. But we are on the last case of that, so I am praying that insurance will finally see the error of their ways. God's timing is not always ours! I prefer to have a cushion to fall back on. I know God will provide. I am learning another side of what God means in Matthew 6:25-34, when he tells us not to worry about our life. It is just hard not to be in control!