Update on Lauren

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Lauren!
I have not written much about her lately, but her recovery has been very slow and there has not been much to tell. However, in the past couple of weeks she has really seemed to be her old self, minus the hip displacement. She is eating well and I think maybe even gaining some weight. Her hips are still somewhat tender, or sensitive, but over all she is doing really well. She has returned to her therapy schedule (minus the horseback riding for now) and she is making marked improvement in many ways.
We remain hopeful that she will be able to walk, or at the very least have some level of mobility in the future.
Please continue to pray for Lauren and her complete healing. Praise God for so many answered prayers so far. Pray too for Lana as she continues to try to balance all of her responsibilities while she battles UC.
Yours in Christ,
Patrick

Day of prayer for Lauren

Many of you know Lauren personally and you know of her struggles with CP.

She is scheduled for major surgery on June 16 for double hip replacement and reformation of both femur bones.Our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia have set aside Thursday, May 29 as a special day of prayer and fasting for Lauren.

We invite you to join us in prayer.

Finished Bath

Roll-in shower makes bath time much safer, with less strain on the caregiver.

Elevated toilet and pedestal sink make maneuvering easier. Grab bars can be added as needed.

Special Thank to the Jackson Center for Independent Living for providing a grant that covered the cost of bath and bedroom renovations!

The Sheetrock Goes Up

New sink placement beyond the ladder.

The new shower

As you can see this shower will be much better than the previous shower which was too small to be useful in bathing our special needs child.

Down to the studs!

Where the shower used to be will soon be a sink.

Maybe Getting Back Underway

After the holiday break and some funding issues we do hope to resume renovations to the Accessable Bedroom and Bathroom. Our contractor has been having some health issues and that has caused more delays. Hopefully I will have some progress photos to post soon.

The Demolition Begins

The renovations have begun. This small guest bath is located off of the former den, which will now be an accessible bedroom and bathroom. One wall is being moved 16 inches to allow for a roll-in shower. The current shower and toilet will be removed. A raised toilet and roll-under sink will be placed on the wall opposite of the new roll-in shower.

The original bath had a 24" door. This door will be replaced with a 36" pocket door to allow for greater access.

Don't Build -- RENOVATE!

Praise God we don't have to build!!!

I planned for this blog to be the story of how we built a home, instead it is a record of God's grace and His provision.

After three years of prayers and plans God has provided a handicapped accessible home that has already been built! LORD willing, we will close by April 10, 2007.

Our new home has two bedrooms and two baths down stairs, which we needed to be able to minister to our daughter (and get some sleep ourselves). Upstairs there is another bath and a half, three bedrooms and space to expand. Possibly the best part (for me anyway) is the garden, which is unbelievable. (I see many little girl tea parties in the future!) More than what we need, this house is the home that we wanted and more.

I believe this whole process has been a blessing to everyone involved, and it is a testimony of God's grace.

After years of planning (and a desire to build a house since childhood) I can honestly say that I am happy that we do not have to build. I would like to see my creations built by someone, so the plans are available to those in need (just pay for the copies and shipping).

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Back to the drawing board, again

Well, it has been over a year since the land was purchased and five months since we sold our former home (that was not accessible).

After much prayer and deliberation my wife and I have decided to take the land off the market and build the home that we feel will meet our needs for years to come. The first plan (although I love it) is simply too expensive to build and not very practical. The second plan is more practical, but I don't like the placement of the garage and the aesthetics are not as pleasing. So, it is back to the drawing board and a quest to find the right contractor(s).

The land is For Sale

Just over 10 beautiful acres in rural West Tennessee are up for sale.

I hated to put it on the market, but it is becoming obvious that we simply cannot build our dream home 20 miles away from the hospital, my office, our church and our support network.

It is back to the drawing board concerning our future housing, but God knows our needs and I am confident that He will provide what we need.

If you are interested in this piece of property look it up on www.JAAR.net and do a search under Realtor Jim Hart.

Sydney Cottage - 2,200 sqft

This plan was designed for a family with a handicapped child.

The child's bedroom is near the master bedroom for easy access and caregiving. Two additional bedrooms are on the opposite side of the house to provide for siblings, or future guest quarters (a separate water heater and HVAC allow for this space to be "closed off" when not in use). Both the master bath and child's bath are accessible (or easily made so).