The new diet . . .

Hello all. It's been a few weeks and I have got to get caught up! We have been starting a new business and with that & Finn's new diet - the seconds have turned into weeks that have just slipped by! (carefulscanning.com)We had a good fast for Finnie's eyes and now we wait. Thanks to all of you who fasted and offered up prayers on her behalf. It was such a peaceful day.

Well - I'm not good at waiting so we started her new diet to move things along. She is on a Ketogenic diet - like an Atkins diet for babies. We weigh and measure everything that goes into her bottles and solid feedings as well. There is a special formula that tastes a lot like coffee creamer so how could that be bad. She gulps it all down and cries for more so there ya go! The formula went from $50.00 a can to $188.00 a can because we could only get it from one pharmacy in the area. Obviously - being unemployed that wasn't going to fly. Our neurologist was on vacation and then his nurse was out of the office the last two days of the week - it was one bad sign after another!

We were almost out of food for Finn by the weekend and we were in a panic! We had been going back and forth all week with the insurance companies to cover it, getting the doctor's medical necessity letters to the right people etc. and nothing was working. I was in tears and ready to have a major freak out! Oh, did I mention that the nutritionist was on vacation as well so we couldn't even call her for a backup can of formula. It was exhausting! So we finally went directly to the plant who makes it in Maryland and they sold us a case (with a the doctor's consent fax)for $169.00. Much better than the $188.00 per can that the rip off pharmacy wanted to charge us! The gal that helped us out was named Mattie and her "yes" after all of the no's we had heard all week made all the difference. She was truly an angel and over nighted the food and saved the day! What a blessing... We now hope that the insurance picks it all up, if not, we look for another way to make a blessing happen...

Two weeks ago I took Finn to the beach after work. The weather was amazing and I just had to get away for the afternoon. I was tired and overwhelmed at all of the changes in our lives and needed a re-group hour with the ocean breeze. The ocean has always been my happy place. I don't know if it's scientific or not but I seem to work out a lot of odds and ends by the sea.

We strolled around the Cove in La Jolla, smelled the air, enjoyed the sun but my mind was racing from one thought to the next. The calming effect just wasn't happening and the worry seemed to overwhelm my brain. I guess worry was really weighing my soul down, as I should have realized from the lack of sleep I had been experiencing over the past little while. I said a prayer in my heart for peace and Finn and I stopped at a bench overlooking the waves. As I cuddled her and watched the people walking in each direction, I saw an older couple meet up at the garbage can. They each had tattered grocery bags filled with plastic bottles and crushed soda cans. They spoke in Spanish as they decided that each would go off in a different direction and then meet up later. My Spanish is more than poor but for some reason I understood enough to "overhear" their conversation.

As I sat, holding my sweet baby, I watched the older gentleman man as he stopped at every can along the sidewalk. He quietly went through the bin and searched for his only way of making money that day. If he found enough, he and his wife may eat that night. Tears overcame me and I could not stop crying. That peace that I prayed for had already been in my heart. I found myself wanting the peace to come to his heart. My blessings had never been more profound than at that moment. I have a job, a home and a family to be with each night. Life is so much harder for some people. Our trials seem so "specific" to us. We feel that they are bigger than us and sometimes too much. But all we have to do is look around to what others are facing and ours are a drop in the bucket.

I wanted to take them both home with me but knowing that wasn't a real possibility I tried to think of another solution. My tears were coming so hard that I could barely see at this point and I knew I wouldn't even be able to speak to the man at this point. The Lord blessed me with the answer and I was able to do what I could. I hope peace comes for him and that his life gets a little easier. It's through small and simple things that great things come to pass. I hope to always remember that - and I hope you do too. Serving the Lord's children is not only our obligation as followers of Christ but one of our greatest opportunities to grow and bless others.