Prayers have been answered in so many ways!!!

Quick post holiday and doctor appointment updates. Christmas was wonderful! We finally took Matson out to see Santa on Tuesday evening the week of Christmas and then to church on Christmas Eve. We had a wonderful candlelight gathering of friends singing Christmas hymns at Michael's tree after. It was a tough hour for all of us, especially the kids that understood why we were there celebrating Michael's life that was all too short. Made me look at my 4 kids that were with me and rejoice in the Lord's amazing gifts to us. Oliver and our pastor's son chased each other around the tree and I could picture Michael and his good buddy, Joe chasing each other 5 or 6 years ago around a tree as I listened to Joe cry for his best friend..........

Oliver truly loved opening gifts and we kept coming back to the meaning of Christmas being Jesus' birth. We need to work on it hard over the next year, I am determined to never have my kids think Christmas is about Santa. Stephanie was down for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Michelle and my mom and step-dad were down the weekend of the 17th to celebrate a little early. So we had lots of fun and good eating for over a week. Matson enjoyed ripping the paper off his gifts and we had to keep dragging Oliver over to open presents as he just wanted to play with his new toys.

Yesterday was Matson's appointment at Dr. Stelnicki's office. I was prepared for surgery and had gotten my mind to at least research terminology, procedures and doctors in Florida for second opinions. The outpatient nurse at the hospital on Tuesday had pointed out somethings about his headshape that led her to think we may be looking at surgery, without coming right out and saying it to us. Well, Don and I braced as the doctor came in the room yesterday and said "I have good news." and I think I finally let myself breath after that. "No surgery. His sutures haven't closed." I think I quickly said my thanks to God for listening to me and everyone praying for Matson. So, he has torticollis or a tightening of the neck muscles on one side of his neck that is causing positional deformities of the skull. He needs physical therapy at home. I do it 5 times a day for about 2 minutes each time. And he needs a helmet. After a day and half of phone calls, we finally have Children's Network of SW Florida paying for it ($2,650) and we should get it two weeks from now. Matson and I will be traveling back and forth to Ft. Lauderdale every 2 to 3 weeks for the next several months but no surgery! What great news! Thank you so much for praying for Matson.

Brynn.....had decided to leave Stetson and return to Ft. Myers to attend Edison State College and transfer in a year or two to a state university. Not overly excited about it but trying to find acceptance. She is supposed to be moving in to an apartment in a couple of weeks. I am praying that things go well for her.

Tomorrow is Orthodox Christmas. Looking forward to a Russian meal to celebrate. It is important to us to keep Oliver's Russian heritage alive and part of our lives.