What a wonderful day! Jacob had a very light schedule for therapy. He was done by 1:30. It was gorgeous here, we couldn’t just sit around and waste the day, so we decided to break out of this joint. Ken’s sister Kim brought over a vehicle for me so I would have some wheels to get back and forth to all the appointments. It was just too tempting! We’ve been stuck in this place way too long, so we hopped in the new van and left for Hastings (the town where both my sisters and their families live). We had a wonderful time! It was 85 degrees and Jacob was loving the fresh air and the freedom. Along with all the cousin time. We were able to stay until 7:00 and it was nice to see and smooch on Caleb. Jacob and I had a hard time leaving though – back to reality.

Well, tomorrow is another big day for Jacob. We have to head back over to Helen DeVos Hospital at 11:00 for Jacob to get some blood work done and then he will have surgery at 1:00 to have his port put in. We will be staying there both Monday and Tuesday night as he will also be starting his chemotherapy. Please keep Jacob in prayer while he goes through another tough process over the next couple days. Thank you for all your prayers!

Today was a little bit different of a day. Some of Jacob’s usual therapists were gone for training of some sort. It’s hard when you’re used to someone being there everyday and then all of a sudden they’re not. I think that kind of threw Jacob off, including myself. He still did good, but wasn’t as enthusiastic as he normally is. Most of his sessions today were all about strengthening his legs. He also did a lot of walking and he got to shoot a Nerf bow. He had a blast with that! Also, more Lego building while standing – always a hit!

Later this afternoon my sister and family (The Endsleys) brought Caleb up to see us. We had a great time visiting and the kids helped decorate Jacobs room. There are stars and planets hanging all over the walls and hanging from the ceiling. It’s a nice touch and makes it feel a little less like we’re living in a hospital. 🙂

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in Grand Rapids for only 17 days. It feels like so much more than that. But at the same time, I realize that Jacob has come such a long way in such a short amount of time. Even though it’s so tough being here – seeing what Jacob is going through, that my sweet baby Caleb isn’t with his mom or dad, and my wonderful husband is alone 8 hours away – I have peace, total peace knowing that my Heavenly Father is in control. It’s out of my hands and in His. He has a plan…something greater than any of us could ever imagine. And the best part is? We get to be a part of it!

Jacob had another good day again today. This morning’s therapy included working on his balance with the Wii Fit again. He also got to do one of his favorite things – put a Lego set together while standing. He got a 2 hour lunch break and then right back into therapy for 2 1/2 more hours. That included kicking the girls butts in hockey again (I must say, they are getting a tad better), LOTS of walking and strengthening exercises and one tough assignment – putting together another Lego set while balancing on half of a ball. It’s about a foot and a half wide and sits flat on the floor, but the top looks like a bouncy ball. He wasn’t allowed to lean or hold onto anything. I don’t know how he did it for 1/2 hour (with two 2 minute breaks), but he did. He did say his legs were like jello afterward. He’s certainly a champ and determined to get out of here soon. They told him that they’re not letting him leave until he can walk out of here on his own. 🙂 Hopefully that’s sooner than later because we’re both sick of living in a hospital already!

We finished off the day by working hard on a 3-D castle puzzle. It was some much needed down time.

Jacob’s day didn’t start off too good. Between the thunderstorms and a lot of other things going on, Jacob didn’t get much sleep last night. He ended up having 4 hours of P.T. He did a ton of walking so they could evaluate him more, played a monster truck video game which was controlled by how fast he pedaled the hand bike and did some boxing to work on his balance. The therapists said they took it easy on him because he was so tired. It’ll be interesting to see what tomorrow will bring. Hopefully he’ll feel a little more rested – He’s snoring as I write this.

Thanks again for the thoughts, encouraging words and above all else your prayers. They mean more to us than you could ever imagine! Jacob’s told me several times over the past week and a half that he can’t believe so many people care about him and it’s always said with tears in his eyes. Your messages mean a lot to him and us, so thank you!

Yesterday was a good day. They took it easy on Jacob since it was his first day doing physical therapy. He was able to go outside for a bit and walk around. It was a beautiful day and Jacob was so excited to get out in the fresh air. He also practiced walking up and down the stairs and we were so surprised at how well he did! 🙂

Today Jacob’s physical therapy was a bit more intense. He made macaroni and cheese for O.T. (occupational therapy). He kicked around a soccer ball for a while, which frustrated him because it was difficult to balance on one foot while he kicked with the other. He also got to play basketball and practiced squatting and picking things up. Jacob’s grandma and grandpa came for a visit this afternoon, along with aunts, uncles and cousins. They ate pizza for dinner, were able to visit for a while, and had lots of fun! Jacob even got a shirt with his own personalized army patches from his cousin Steve who is currently serving in Iraq!

For those of you who live in the lower peninsula, the Triumph employees are hosting a spaghetti benefit dinner on April 21st. It will be held at Tina’s Country House, located at: 50828 N. Avenue, Macomb Twp. (near 23 Mile Rd.) You can contact the hall at: (586)949-2280 More details to follow!