Minister's School Week

It went by way too quickly.  Our fellow preachers/pastors/friends come from across the US to attend Minister's School in KY, and we make a week of it!  The memories we made this year are priceless.  I wish we could do it all again this week.

All dressed up for church!

Brother Brian and I pick on each other a lot!

I sure missed seeing his sweet wife!

Elias really wasn't sure about this horse.

Sweet Samuel on the playground

Boys marching around the playground, 

making up words to a song.

Daniel was making up an obstacle course

with make believe laser beams.

This is what our van looks like when 

you have to pile all of the children in one 

vehicle while the other vehicle gets a new tire.

We were tired... 

There was a LOT of playing, driving, then napping.

Sharing snacks and tired faces

Giving his girl a hug

Jenna and Karaley

Playing on the Old Union piano

Napping again

Special notes left behind from the Keens

on our white board -

we sang this song with the Keen family 

when we were in Alaska 3 years ago.

Sweet encouragement from the Keens.

:)

Long Awaited Visitors

We have known for quite some time that some visitors would be coming to our house this month.  We had no idea all we would be facing at the time of their visit, and we are certain that God knew we would need their encouragement and presence more than ever during this particular time.  Having them here is no small thing seeing as they would be coming from Alaska!  We love having them, and our boys adore Brother James.

Daniel was so excited that he remembered he had a suit that had been given to him in a storage bin in the garage.  I wasn't sure it was in his size or in decent shape, but Daniel wanted so badly to find it so that he could wear it when Brother James came to preach at our church.  Thankfully, it was the perfect size and BRAND new!

From the moment they arrived to the night before they left, my heart was full!  I could not thank God enough for His perfect timing and for blessing us with friends like He has.  We are so unworthy, but I am so grateful for the late night talks and chocolate cakes.

Whispers

In their new suits -

Sunday best, of course!

James and Brian

Jenna and Mary

Our Boys with the Keens

Miraculous Mammoth Cave

Following Monday's MRI results, we felt both relieved and ready to face what is to come.  We knew is wasn't going to be easy, but to be honest, we were thankful that the neurosurgeon was thorough and detailed.  His requiring of 6 more weeks of symptom logging really discouraged me at the moment of the appointment, but as the day progressed, I (Jenna) was able to see how God was gracious in that.  He was supplying me the ability to be patient with both Him and our little boy.

In the midst of this appointment, God had ordained it that some of our dearest friends would be in town, a couple from Alaska and a family from Missouri.  These precious friends have prayed over us and supported us in so many ways, and they are brothers and sisters in the faith.  Having them here in Tennessee AT THE SAME TIME and during the time of Samuel's appointment was, without any doubt, orchestrated by the Lord.  The Calhouns, from Missouri, had asked if we wanted to join them on a trip to Mammoth Cave following Samuel's results if all went well, and praise God, it did.

Going to Mammoth Cave with 5 children under the age of 5 shouldn't be called miraculous unless you survive...  which we did and REALLY enjoyed it!  :)  I had my doubts in all honesty about whether or not Samuel could handle the rigorous journey into the cave.  Our tour guide was very honest about that beforehand...  I felt how red my face was becoming by the second.  Nerves were getting the best of me.  I feared that Samuel would get tired or his feet would get numb.  I was worried we couldn't carry him the 2 1/2 miles it would require to get down into and back up out of the cave.  I also was thinking about the other 4 little ones we had with us...  oh, wow, that's a lot of littles.

However, the further we traveled into the cave, the sweeter it became.  The children helped one another.  They really didn't complain all that often.  They held hands.  They laughed together.  They showed one another things they found or saw that amazed them.  My fear and worry turned into joy because they were demonstrating the true beauty of fellowship and friendship.  It was what our family needed that day.  If Samuel was hurting, he didn't mention it, and I truly believe it was because his buddies were right beside him every step of the way.  After weeks and months of pain and aches, it was a miracle in my eyes...

I walked away that day thankful for so many things:

• the Creator
• the ability to KNOW Him
• for results and a plan for our son
• friendships and fellowship
• saying yes when you aren't sure you want to
• for friends who know what you need 
• that our children have Godly friends
• laughter
• good days
• lack of symptoms
• miracles
• God-ordained days
• pizza :)
• for naps in the car
• trusting in the Unseen

There's just something about boys and rocks...

Our crew listening to the tour guide,

whose pre-cave pep talk 

made me a wee bit nervous.

Samuel and Jenna 

before heading into Mammoth Cave

Brian in the cave

Brian, Elias, and Daniel in the cave

(please notice Elias - 

he is making his new "smile for the camera"

face; he makes it ALL of the time now)

Big Buddies in the Dark

Holding Hands

This picture was impossible.

Well, not necessarily.

Only if we wanted all of them looking.

The Johnson family

Please respect that we are shepherding our children through the process of Samuel's diagnosis and ask that you refrain from speaking about it to them.

http://jennarjohnson.blogspot.com/2015/03/seeing-through-suffering.html

Time for a Pizza Party!

We opted for a smaller, less involved party for the boys' birthdays this year.  Oh, and we knew their parties needed to be combined, seeing as their brother is due two days before Samuel's 2nd birthday.  So, since I was having early contractions, we scheduled their Pizza Party a week before Daniel's birthday.  We invited mostly family and a few neighborhood friends.  It was perfect!

Waiting not-so-patiently for Daddy to finish praying

Hugging on Grandpa during the prayer

Daniel was so excited that

Baby Josie came to his party!

Our indoor train table provided lots of fun.

The sand table outside was such a mess,

but honestly, so much fun for everyone!

We borrowed a bounce house from our friends,

and Daniel was thrilled...

so were most of the kids!

Getting their personal pan pizza cakes

on a picnic blanket in the backyard.

This isn't the best picture,

but please look at Samuel

eating his cake.

On his 1st birthday,

he actually shoved his cake away...

My, how a year changes things!

Daniel didn't care so much for the cake...

He liked all of the cake's toppings!

Possibly Samuel's favorite gift(s)

came from Mimi -

Stuffed Sesame Street characters,

Ernie and Cookie Monster.

He was very happy to hug them!

Daniel found this gift unwrapped a week or two

BEFORE the party and talked about it

every.single.day.without.fail.

He was PUMPED to FINALLY open it!

Whew, what a tiring party!

Slept like babies...

Happy (early) Birthday, Boys!  Thank you to everyone who came and made this so special for the boys and our family.  We truly are blessed with dear family and friends.

A Dear Friend

We made some very dear friends one year ago this month...  Brian was called to preach a revival in Alaska (forgive me for never posting pictures), and we just became forever attached to the pastor and his family over the course of the 9 days Brian and I were there.  Being friends with people who live across the country isn't easy...  We don't actually get to "spend time" together too often, but when we learned that Brother James was going to be in our state in March, we were ecstatic!  James had never met our boys, and they were anxious to see who this "James" character was.

We took Brother James around Nashville, and Brian showed him some of the important places of his/our life.  Not all that entertaining compared to the Alaska sites he showed us a little over a year ago, but we were just thankful to spend some time with him.  We ate lunch at Jason's Deli then drove James to our house where the fun was just about to begin.  :)

Thankfully, Brother James came

bearing gifts from their family.

Mary, these bubble tools were genius!

And, since it was cold outside,

we opted to play bubbles indoors.

Seriously, the most fun they've had in a while!

We hadn't seen a smile this big

on Samuel's face in a few days... 

He had just gotten his cast on that week.

Learning to blow bubbles through

the bubble wand

Getting the hang of it

Samuel loves the star wand.

Looking over the building plans

 to the Anchor church... 

Daniel approved.

Our usual shy and timid Samuel

actually was willing to take a picture

with Brother James!

All of the boys!

If only Josiah and Micah

could have been here to join in...

AND Mary, Grace, and Anna

could have been here to get a

girls' shot with me!

Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed our time with Brother James.  We were even able to see him later in the week, and the boys were very happy.  It is such a blessing to have dear, Godly friends across the country.  God has truly given us some precious gifts!  We love you, Keen family!