Mr. Bud and Cindy's Wild Ride...

If you've ever been to Fantasyland in Disneyland, you might have visited Mr. Toad's wild ride, well that ride has nothing on our lives! Sometimes all you can do is hang and shout, "Help me, Lord!"

We arrived in Oregon on December 1, and are loving being home! I've enjoyed two wonderful baby showers in anticipation of our next grandchild's arrival. Eli is due any day and we are anxiously awaiting! We spent a week driving 200 miles to see Bud's folks, picking up the grand kids, and then drive back 200 miles for a long weekend at the beach celebrating Christmas with our four kids, their spouses, and the grand kids. It was a really fun time and each time we have the privilege to be together I marvel at the gift of how God has weaved our lives into a loving, caring, awesome family! Not all blended families can boast that achievement (heck, not all "natural" families can either!) But I don't boast in our own strength or abilities, but in those of Christ working in each of our lives and I give him all the praise! When Bud sat reading the Christmas story with our two oldest grand kids - Ben and Tabby on either side - it was a gift beyond words!

We returned to Salem on the 16th; moved from our "cabin in the woods" where we had been staying, to the mission house which is closer in town, closer to the church, and closer to the freeway on the 17th; and prepared for my surgery (which was scheduled prior to our return) on the 18th. Before leaving Haiti, Bud had been experiencing some pain in his right calf, but thought it was a muscle strain. Throughout the month, he'd been doing stretching and other things to try and ease the discomfort, but the pain continued, grew less manageable, and began "moving" up his leg. On the 18th, as we headed to Portland with my folks (where I would be having surgery), the pain became so intense Bud wasn't able to drive and ended up writhing in pain in the back seat the entire trip. It was a long day as he suffered in pain waiting for me to be taken in to surgery (scheduled @ 1:00 p.m. but delayed until 3:15 p.m.) When I got out of recovery at 8:45 p.m., he and my folks were waiting in my room. All went well and I'm on the mend...for Bud, the ride was just beginning!

The following day as I lounged in the hospital having my every need and whim met, Bud went to the doctor in Salem, had an MRI, and was diagnosed with a herniated disc. My mom and sister brought me home on Wednesday, and Bud awaited a call from the neurosurgeon to determine the next step. The surgeon was a blessing beyond words! She came into the office on her day off to see Bud and scheduled surgery for Sunday morning, December 23. The surgery went well and Bud was released on December 24; we were, praise the Lord, able to attend the candlelight communion service that evening (which is our favorite of the year), but it about did Bud in - he slept the rest of the evening.

We are so thankful the entire incident happened while we were in Oregon. While unplanned, this was the best place to be and God's timing and plans are always perfect! We are scheduled to return to Haiti on January 20, but are awaiting Bud's follow up appointment. We have a team from our church arriving in Haiti on January 22, with one very special member - MY MOM! Please pray that things will work out as they are meant to and that however they work out, we are at peace with the plans.

We pray you have enjoyed a wonderful, rest-filled, and joyous celebration of our Lord's birth. He is so worthy of our praise and adoration!