Carving pumpkins at the Leffrings is a messy job! But in the end when you step back and the light shines through those pumpkins they are so cool! All that hard, messy work was worth it! Then as the days go by and you look back at the pictures, you forget the mess and the stress of working with the awful little tools or the splatter from the jig saw :) and all you remember is the wonderful memories you made as a family! Well right now we are in the messy part! The part where you sit back and think, I sure hope He knows what he is doing cutting into us like this!! Then I am reminded God is the master Carver! He can take the really messed up and make something beautiful!! I can't wait to see what he will make out of this!
These days I wake up and find myself begging God to let my kids wake up and have everything back to normal!! Then I quickly have to ask God to forgive me and beg Him for the presence of Jesus to be clear as I walk though today! There is nothing like realizing how worthless I am from the get-go! 
I am beyond thankful for the encouragement we have gotten from friends and family! I am also so thankful for those who are working to help us get things back to normal while things are anything but normal! While we search for the right Dr. to help Alisha, one who understands the trauma that has happened to her brain causing her brain to deal with Conversion disorder we are learning that the mind will look for "crutches". We don't want to give her brain a "crutch" we want it to have to strengthen itself and regain normal use. Some of the changes we have made to accomplish this is to stop talking about her situation in front of her, not making a big deal of the "drop offs", or visible mind changes, She has also started back to school. I know to some you think of going to school as a stress, but to Alisha school is a joy! Not going is a stress. So as we try to get life back to normal for her, everyone else around has made huge adjustments!!!! This is difficult for me! I hate to make things tough on Jeremy, our other kids, other kids at school, her teacher..... I want everyone to be happy and I like for us to be the blessing! Thankfully Jeremy keeps reminding me that while it is hard, it is what is supposed to be best for her minds healing! Also that those who are around us care and are more then willing to sacrifice for what is best! Ashton, Abby and Anderson have had 4 weeks of intense training in being selfless. At first this was hard, but as I sit back and think of the day I am reminded of how many times they each gave up their rights!! I can't tell you how many times one of them caught Alisha as her body fell over limp, I am so proud of each of them! Ashton probably caught her head from landing in her dinner at least 15 times! Each of the kids help out, knowing she will wake up and wont ever remember what they did for her. Their is nothing in it for them! It makes this mom proud! On a funny note, watching Anderson catch Alisha was comical, I'm pretty sure She doubles him in height!!
Jeremy and I make a great team! We are learning about things that neither of us have had any experience with! He is constantly reminding me when I am overwhelmed of how much better today is than the last! By God's grace I really believe we will be stronger in the end !!
As you pray please ask God
1. to continue to guide us as with the right Dr's.
2. that we will continue to see even small steps of improvements
3. That God will give Alisha's teachers and friends everything they need to handle this!
4. That we would not miss helping Ashton, Abby and Anderson with needs in their lives
5. That God would help Jeremy and I to continue to work together as a team
Praise God:
For a better week this week than last!
For getting into a Dr. a week from Monday who has some experience with what she is dealing with.
For the many people who have gone out of their way to help us with the things we need!
For a God whose plan is Brilliant!!
