Getting Better and Better

We celebrated our birthdays this weekend (Scot 24th, Liza 25th of August), and a funny change is taking place - besides our rising numbers of persistent aches. Since Liza was born in Australia on the 25th and I in Texas on the 24th, she figured out before we were even engaged that she was actually out of the womb 3 hours earlier than I was - even though the date is different because of the time change. For years we've been playfully bantering back and forth on who is older. You know what...she's beginning to let me win. I don't think either of us are "old" by a long shot, but I think we're both beginning to feel the accumulation of thousands of tiny changes that remind us we're not teenagers anymore. It's all kinda fun.

To celebrate we just took a night and a day vacation. A dear sweet family watched our two lovely children and we just enjoyed each others company at dinner, walking around, running errands, exercising and cooking. It was fantastic. All she wanted for her birthday was to get her hair done and to have a new diamond ring. The hair - worth every penny. The ring - $30. That's all she wanted. A cheap knock-off. I look forward to one day getting her a real one to take it's place. (She has a really nice wedding ring by the way - a real one - much more than $30.)

She is also beginning to feel "normal" a bit more regularly. Rest has helped. She has also decided to get completely off all medications and oddly enough, that has seemed to help. So keep praying for her, the pain and tightness and discomfort is FAR from gone, but better days have come. We pray for more. Many blessings.

One Year Anniversary and Birthday

August 24-25 will mark the one year anniversary of Liza's Chiari symptoms. I remember going in to work on that day and getting a call from her that the whole left side of her face was numb and it was creeping down into her arm. Well, four MRI's, a major brain surgery, countless physical therapy appointments, and months of headaches bring us here. Liza has been doing better lately. She has been resting a bit better and still experiencing intermittent relief from headaches. Keep praying for her.

Oh, August 25 is her birthday. Some well wishes or comments would be great.

A New Idea

I've recently started a new blogging venture that is intended to be more devotional. Please let me know what you think.
It's called OMNI relevant.

http://www.omnirelevant.blogspot.com/


.

Still Here...Lots of News

Well, the summer has almost come and gone for us. School and dance and pre-school are just around the corner for the Pollok family. And we've got much to catch you up on. This very old mosaic of bread and fish illustrates our summer experience in a lot of ways - as John 6 has become extremely important to us.

First of all, Liza has been doing a bit better lately, although inconsistently. We have actually seen some minor and short reprieves in the constant headache, that lasted about 15 weeks or so. We still think it is related to a cycle of headaches that are heavily dependent on stress, tension, and poor sleep - with which Liza has been excelling. This week she was supposed to be in China doing some choreography and dancing as a part of a ministry team during the Olympics - see earlier post with super-secret wording. But, the visas were denied and the trip was cancelled. But, even though China may not be an option, continue to pray for China and other opportunities for foreign missions for Liza and her dancers. Liza also enjoyed a bit of a break while I was in Dallas. Grandma and Pop Pollok took Andrew and Izzy both back to Falls City for about 6 days. They went fishing and took a trip to Sea World etc. It was a great time for them, and for Liza, who didn't really know what to do with herself for those 6 days. She slept in, had to work a bit, but just tried to relax. I think she succeeded too.

Liza also hosted and taught her annual summer camp/intensive at the studio with her mum last week. She had a bunch of students and it turned out very well. One of the students was our little Izzy, who went every day for an hour or so. She even put on a little "show" at the end of the week - dancing to a 3 minute song with a dozen other little dancers. It was precious. Pictures soon to come.

I have been busy lately too. After summer speaking waned, I traveled to Dallas for a week to take a New Testament class at the main campus of my seminary. It was a good class but I also got to spend several hours in the library doing some key research for my thesis - about 24 hours in total, to be exact. 2 classes this Fall, and 3 more in the Spring and graduation! If things remain close to the same, that graduation will come with "high honors." A few days after I got home from Dallas was the first day at my new job. I am now a teaching pastor at our church, Faith Bible Church. I will be teaching the second of our two Sunday services starting August 24. I am extremely excited and have been thoroughly enjoying my time of study and interaction in the office. I really can't imagine a better job to tell the truth. Please pray for me in this new position if you think about it.

The kids have been really well too. We had a fun dentist adventure lately. Andrew and Izzy both got their teeth cleaned but Andrew had to go back and get a root canal and cap. He was a trooper and the pediatric dentist office was just superb. He is very proud of his "shiny tooth" now. We've been going to local public pools often and taking trips as a family whenever we can. The summer has actually been very good (it took us about ten minutes to get a picture of them both in the air).

Thanks for your patience with us and especially your prayers. We covet them and love you. Many blessings, and now that we're back in it, more posts soon.