Straight from the Heart

A more difficult time our family has never passed through. We are all trying to find the positive and laugh when we can. With all of the updates of good news and fun pictures posted on the blog there has also been many tears, heart ache and pain. All of your support and prayers have been a great blessing to our family. When the Lord promises us that he will pick us up and carry us through hard times, we have felt the Lord working through all of you. We came across a song this week that express' what we as a family have felt this past month and we would like to share it with you:

He knows your heart, He knows your pain, He knows the strength it took just to simply breathe today. He sees the tears that you cry, He knows your soul is aching to know why, He hears your prayers Each humble word, When you said you couldn't face another day He understood, He knew the paths that you walk blind, Though you've felt alone He's never left your side. He knew there'd be moments when no earthly words could take away your sorrow And no human eyes could see what you're going through When you've taken your last step and done all that you can do he will lift your heavy load and carry you, He'll bring you peace and leave you hope And through the darkest night He'll comfort you until you know the sun will rise and each new day. You will have the strength to live again and in the moments when no earthly words can take away your sorrow And no human eyes can see what you're going through When you've taken your last step and done all that you can do He willl lift your heavy load and carry you. He hears you when you're crying in the night He hears you when your soul longs to fight, til the morning will come and the light of the dawn reassures He knew there'd be moments when no earthly words could take away your sorrow and no human eyes could see what you're going through When you've taken your last step and done all that you can do He will lift your heavy load and carry you. Hillary Weeks

We miss all of you dearly, and also love our new friends here in Denver, the Lord has never left us alone. We will be forever grateful for your faithfulness and prayers in our behalf. Please continue to share the plan of happiness with those you come in contact with.
all of our love,
Cord, Lisa, Josh, Jake, Justin, Marne' and Colton

An Exciting Week of updates

• Monday,Started Physical Therapy
• Tuesday, triceps and lat muscles engaged-Super exciting
• Wednesday, got a smaller trac called a "jackson 5", mom and dad passed off classes to be able to take Josh outside. We don't want to brag or anything but we did get 100% on our test.
• Wednesday, Josh also was qualified to get on a bike. They "stem" his muscles to see if they respond, they did right away. Another great blessing and exciting news for us. He will be scheduled to ride every M,W,F.
• Thursday, worked hard in P.T. and played a little "baseball"
• Friday, got fit for 2 new wheelchairs. One is a corvette version to be pushed on his own, the other is electric to race with Grandpa Wayne! Josh actually pushed the corvette all on his own for about 20 feet. We have worked hard and had an incredible week.

Trying to change Josh from a Cougar Fan to a Colorado anything Fan-We don't think so

Dave Freeman (Brianna Gardiner's Uncle) tried to capatalize on Josh not being able to move

Does He know BYU is ranked 16 this year?

Craig has some fun staff and also a super cute staff

Another Kansas Fan!

We love the respitory therapists

Life's path change for all of us

A tender mercy from our Heavenly Father we want to share

We all experience blessings and tender mercies from the Lord each day. These last few weeks our family has felt many and our hearts are full from all of your prayers and faith in our behalf. The Lord has truly kept his promise when he tells us that he will lighten our load, whenever it seems too heavy for us to carry, he picks us up and brings us through. We have probably had the hardest week of our families lives this week. It is a great blessing to be here at Craig Hospital but we are very homesick for all of you, and our emotions are being tested, along with our strength. Cord says "It is flat out tough"!
The other night we were reading the scriptures around Josh's bed. We were passing the scriptures from person to person and it came Josh's turn to read we were in Enos. Enos was praying unto the Lord to preserve the record of their people. The Lord told Enos, "Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it. And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time".
We are so grateful that we are able to pray unto the Lord asking in faith, believing that He knows who we are and our needs and will meet them, in His own due time. As a family we find great strength in the phrase "In His own due time".
Josh says to everyone that asks "what they can do" and he says "read your scriptures daily and continue to pray". We are all so grateful for your faithfulness and feel of the blessings daily that it is bringing to our family. Much love from, Cord, Lisa, Josh, Jacob, Justin, Marne' & Colton

Medical Update

• Sunday morning a new smaller trac was placed in Josh, it is much easier for him to talk and to exhale all of the air out of his lungs. This trac is awesome because it does not have a cuff. (which is the balloon mechanism that expands in his throat)
• "Where's the beef?" YEAHHH No more feeding tube
• Lungs look so great, infact on the exray they are normal!
• Started PT today and did great, tired this evening! We are so excited about his progress.

Does it get any better than Chillis Fajitas?

Party with the "Brothers" and Aunt Julie

Craig Hospital Now 2008