Not Forgotten

Do you realize that you are never forgotten? Even if you are sitting in a snowbank on a very cold day with a four year old and no cars around...you are not forgotten. I was sweetly reminded of that today.

On my way back from a visit with a dear friend Cale and I slid off the road into a snowbank/ditch. It had been snowing all morning and we were travelling on some unplowed streets out in the middle of acres of farmland. I had my mom's cell phone (YEAH!!!) and I called my sister who called a guy from our church who happened to live right near where I was stuck(YEAH!!). The man and his big strapping son were both home and came to our rescue in minutes with their pick-up truck, shovels and a chain. While they were shoveling me out, another man in a pickup and a snowplow stopped and helped as well. The van was not badly damaged (although my Dad said there is a corn cob wedged way down inside the bottom bumper-how did that get there?) and the brand new license plate that my Dad JUST put on was knocked off and bent completely in half.

It was a wonderful picture of how God cares about all the things that happen to you, the big things (like surgery) and the little things (like sitting in a ditch). The very first thing Cale and I did was to pray for someone to be able to come quickly to help us. And within minutes there was a multitude of strong able-bodied men at the van door. How is that for an answered prayer? Pretty awesome if you ask me!

I don't know what you are going through right now-the big things or the little things, but please remember this: You are not forgotten!

Love you

Rachel

Pictures from Wisconsin

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A Blog Post from Wyatt

It’s Christmas and I am without a mom and a brother. It’s been hard because she brings a lot of the joy to our family. At Christmas we usually do a bunch of family things, but this year we don’t have a mom or a brother. My dad and I have missed them a lot more than we thought we would, but the girls on the other hand miss them like nothing before. We have been opening one present just about every day and Sophie and I asked if we could sort the presents. Dad hesitated at first but said sure. While sorting, I saw that mom only had one present and hurt so bad to see that too. But just think, of how much stuff she’s done for us and provides a ton of presents for us but only gets ONE present sheesh! Thank you mom. The dorm kids left three days ago and that’s been weird too. We are used to falling asleep to loudness. But it’s been so quiet lately. The pembantus are still coming in probably until Christmas eve. We watched a movie called Merry Christmas Drake and josh and we (wyatt, Emma, Sophie) have memorized it. It is my favorite movie. We have watched one movie almost every night of Christmas break so far. At Sunday night soccer I jumped up really high to get a ball. I basically did a backflip and landed wrong. I got so many injuries then. Well that basically sums all of whats going on while mom and cale are gone.

Wyatt Erickson

An Update…

I do not have a pretty way to describe this, so if you are weakened by "medicalese", fast forward through this post.

Friday morning I went in for some laparoscopic surgery-more than anything they wanted to look around and see what has been making me sick.  None of us were expecting the problem to be my appendix.  But apparently it was three times the size, inflamed, infected and leaking toxins all over the inside of me.  These toxins were making me sick and were also causing scar tissue to form.  They removed the appendix and scraped off all that scar tissue and then stitched me back together.  Thursday I will go in and talk to the doctor and see what else he found out.  I am so appreciative of all of the prayers.

Things have worked out so well with me coming home.  My personal doctor had been out for 7 weeks with knee surgery but he was back for my appointment.  The specialist I needed to see was out for a few weeks having a tumor removed from his spine, but he was back for my appointment.  I got all my appointments and lab work and CT scans and surgery all completed in the short amount of time I had.  The fact alone that I got here without having my appendix burst points to God's Hand being in all of this as well.  I am so very blessed that God didn't have that baby burst in Indonesia or on the airplane on the way here...or any number of other places.  To all of you have prayed for me or written me notes, or called-I am thankful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So very thankful!!!  God has great timing!  How fun to be here in my house recovering with my family all around instead of in a dirty hospital in Indonesia somewhere!

My time here has been such a blessing.  And is quickly coming to an end.  Cale and I leave next Sunday.

Pray for a speedy recovery  and happy healing.

Love you all

Rachel

The Birth

Christmas is drawing closer.  It is amazing how here there are burst of the holiday season everywhere you look.  If I was in Indonesia right now, I would see some decorations in some of the store, (nothing like here) and I would be blasted day and night with Christmas music being played at the loudest possible decibel from little huts called pondak natals.  Christians build these huts just for the Christmas season to show everyone what they believe.  It is their chance to show the community that they are Christians.  Since it is amazingly loud, it takes quite a bit of persistence to learn to sleep through them.

However, I like how proud they are of their faith.  I know here, there are more and more people trying hard to make this a holiday season and not a religious season.  I think that is awful.  There are so many things in this world that are meaningless-we need more things with genuine worth.  Like a holiday to celebrate the birth of a baby born so long ago in Bethlehem.  The birth that changed everything-the birth that changed a world without hope to a world full of hope!  Don't forget the meaning of the star, the true reason we give gifts and what this holiday CHRISTmas is really about.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Rachel

On a much different note:  an update on my health.  I went to Milwaukee yesterday and saw a specialist.  It was a very good visit and we found we have much in common.  After a thorough exam and a CT scan he ruled out some ideas of what my problem might be.  The next step is the laparoscopic surgery scheduled for Friday.  That should be the final piece of puzzle.  Pray for wisdom there and a quick diagnosis.

Baby Jesus

This week has been cold. Thursday I woke up and the thermometer said it was below zero. Do you realize that is more than 100 degrees difference from Indonesia? My, oh my! I have learned to love layers.

Besides the cold I am loving the winter beauty and Cale is having a blast with the snow. He wakes up with this phrase, "Mom, can I go out and play in the snow?" He built a snowman with my sister, and went sledding at some friends house...helped shovel the driveway...and made tunnels with my parents puppy. What more could a 4 year old want?

As far as my health goes, the doctors have decided that the best thing to do is to check me out laproscopically (did I spell that right?). I have a few things going on that they think would be good to have a closer look at. So I will be doing that Friday morning.

Cale has been going to the kids class at my church on Sunday mornings and will be able to be in the Christmas Eve concert in the kids bell choir. That will be so fun to watch. He is super excited. He gets to play the yellow bell. When he was just born he was the baby Jesus in the concert. Now he is the bell ringer.

I hope you are enjoying the holidays. We were able to go to Elmbrook church to the festivities they have called Bethlehem Marketplace. They tranform the church into a market during the time of Bethlehem.  They pass out shekels and you can purchase things from the various vendors. There is a little bit of everything from women throwing pots to dancers, jugglers, even Roman soliders and live camels. It was an amazing thing to see with Cale. At the end there is Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. Cale ran back after we had exited and gave his shekels to Jesus. It was a touching moment!

Christmas is all about that baby. Just like Faith Hill sings, "A baby changes everything!" Remember that.

Love you

Rachel

My last few days…

I am having so much fun here.  I went to Wal-Mart today with my Mom and sister.  What a treat!  I told Cale he could pick out a cereal.  He was amazed at all of the selection, and finally settled on two-Lucky Charms and Reese's Puffs.

I went to the dentist on Thursday and discovered that after 35 years with no cavities, I now have one. (Bummer, Dude!)  Oh well, it is bound to happen sooner or later.  I went and saw my doctor on Friday.  He discovered that I do have some sort of infection going on but he is not sure what is causing it, my white blood cell count was down along with some other things.  He prescribed an antibiotic and I tried to get it when I was at Wal-Mart.  Wouldn't you know, they didn't have it.  How funny!  Out of the thousands they do have I needed the one they don't.  I was told that they would have it by Monday so I will get it then.  My doctor is running some tests and I will get the results from those next week.  Monday I go for an ultrasound and Wednesday to see another doctor and sometime next week to see an urologist.  Fun, fun, fun...

Today I am going with my family to get a Christmas tree.  We always go to a tree farm and cut down our own-I LOVE the way they smell.  I am sitting here listening to Christmas music looking at my Mom's beautiful Christmas decorations pondering how blessed I am to be here.

This is wonderful!

Love you all

Rachel

My Trip to Wisconsin

"Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays.." Wouldn't you agree? Well, home is where I am!!!!!! Can you believe it? Cale and I decided to surprise my family and make a trip to Wisconsin (in December. What are we , nuts? It is freezing here!) But we are having so much fun. Cale is loving all the choices in food and the fact that he can drink water right from the faucet. Today God even sent us some snow. My friend brought us a winter coat and some boots and snowpants just Cale's size. And Garth's sister loaded me up with warm shirts and sweaters along with a bunch of warm stuff for Cale as well. We are both still getting used to the time difference. The first night we were in bed at 8 and both up at 4 hungry. We crept upstairs and had a bowl of cereal (Cale has discovered that he loves Cinnamon Toast Crunch). Then we took a nap at 8. I slept till noon and had to wake Cale up at 2. Last night he was up at midnight and wide awake. He crawled into bed with me and started talking. This is what I heard, "Mommy, what color are my jammie pants? Mommy, when you lay like that it looks like you only have one shoulder. Mom, when I say something and then say I am just kidding am I lying?" My, my such questions for so early a time...finally we both fell back to sleep until 5. It takes quite a few days to get all adjusted.

Do I sound like I am closer? I am so excited to be here. The trip was long. It was a total of 48 hours from when I left to when I got here. It will be awesome to celebrate the holidays with my family but a bit sad to miss it with Garth and the kids.

Well, I am sure I will see many of you in church and in Wal-Mart. I can't wait to see Wal-Mart again!

Love you

Rachel