Fall is Finally Here?????

Autumn is here, my favorite season of the year. The only problem is that someone forgot to tell Dallas that it is fall, so consequently, it s still 90 degrees here. It is funny to see people decorating their doors with autumn wreaths, planting mums, hanging Indian Corn when really we are still enjoying the geraniums (well, the ones that didn't die of heat stroke). The Gap has wool coats in now, I laughed when I saw them. I might need one for 2 days here, who buys them and who buys the snow boots that Target is stocking?? This is Texas!

So, since we are about 8 weeks away from our real autumn here, I will have to wait. I decided to make a mental list yesterday of what I AM looking forward to:
1. Autumn
2. an October trip to the East (where it will really be fall)
3. camping
4. Christmas
5. Tyler and Mindy here for Christmas
6. My niece Kayla Diane coming to visit me
7. seeing Violet's new tricks
8. evenings on the back porch
9. seeing my family in October
10. Hawaii
11. scaring kids on Halloween (Just kidding)

These are in no particular order, just thoughts I had. What are you looking forward to? I want to look to the future with joy like the Proverbs 31 women. In order to do that I must think about what things are coming down the road that will bring joy. The alternative is to give into fear and worry!

Looking for a New Name

When I started this blog, 18 months ago, I was waiting for the Lord to send the buyer for our house. We were 5 months behind OUR schedule and longing to get to our new home, hence the title "Longin' for Texas." Now, we have been here in Texas for 14 months and I think I need a new title for my blog. As many of you know, I am not the most creative crafter in home school circles, so I began a Google search to get a new name. I found out my name in Japanese would be MACHIKO ASUKAI, in Pirate (yes, like on a ship) I would be DIRTY ANNE RACKHAM (don't ask me, I have no idea how that one came to be) and if I were a Viking I would be called EDNA DOGCHASER. Thank God my parents didn't use the Internet to name me!!! After much time wasted and no name found, a contest has been born. I need help in coming up with a new name for my blog. Submit your ideas and IF we choose your idea (I guess I will have a panel of judges ha ha) there will be a prize.

Yippee Yahooey!!!

Is that how you spell it???!!! We have a celebration happening here in the Shaw house!! Today Meg had her monthly appointment with the neurologist and she was given permission to begin to drive again!! It has been 8 months since she was allowed to drive. (at 20 years old this is no fun.) Meg's seizures are only at night, so she can drive during the day! This is life changing for her. She is back in school this semester and will finish up in December with her state boards!! We had her register in faith that she would be able to keep up with the work load and drive. The way her schedule is, I could drive her, but it isn't close and it would be a lot of back and forth.

Meg has come a long way since January. She is down to only 2 seizures a month, sometimes 3 and her days are great. The medication she is now on doesn't have all the side effects the previous drugs did so we feel like we have our ole Meggie Girl back. We realize we still have a serious issue in her illness, but we have come so far and each month has brought us greater hope. Many epileptics never get full control of their seizures, so that is why we are rejoicing at 2 a month. Also, any day now she will be monitored at night by a machine that pages me when Meg has a seizure or stops breathing. I will no longer have to use a baby monitor to listen for her and try to determine on my own what is happening. It will be great because we are anticipating full nights of sleep again, Meg will be kept safer and she will have some privacy again!!

Through it all we have learned so much. I have learned to better trust God for those I love, I remind myself daily that she is in His hands and nothing can snatch her out out of it. I believe with my whole heart that our days are numbered and nothing and no one can add or subtract a day to our lives. I have learned that He gives strength when strength is needed and that there is not grace for sinful worry, just repentance, but grace to trust God in all things. I have learned that no matter how much I want something to change, God knows what is best and it will change when He deems it to be the perfect time. There is so much more that I have learned in this season, but for now you get the picture.

Thank you to all of you that continually pray for us and ask about Meg in your emails and calls. We feel the care of God through you and am so grateful that we have so many who are sojourning with us on this road. Thank you for the love and care you extend to our daughter. Words fail me. I am in tears as I write this, for I am truly undeserving of the gift of friends and family that God has graciously poured out on me. I will never understand His kindness toward me, a great sinner, but I am so grateful.

Please continue to pray for complete healing for Meg and strength and wisdom as we continue down this road.