Thursday

Just wanted to update to let everyone know that Adrianna is in the BEST mood today!  Gradually, throughout the day, she has lost one thing after another that has confined her to the bed!  She is off the oxygen now, the pain med machine, and the bpm monitor!
As soon as everything was finally removed, she was soooo eager to put on her shoes and head to the playroom!  We wanted to bring her downstairs where they were having a bluegrass band concert, but there’s too much flu or swine flu around these days, and we didn’t want to take any chances!
So Adrianna, Mommy, and Nana are all listening to Adrianna’s music CD’s and watching her play and cut up.  She has been talking, talking, talking ALL day long.  We can’t even get her to stop talking for a moment!
They took the chest tube out right after lunch and that was painful to watch- I can’t imagine feeling that thing being pulled out of my sore body! She did extremely well with it, but was sweating and upset for a few minutes there.  At least Nana had just gotten here, and she was able to divert her attention a little.
(Her Mommy couldn’t even watch them do it!  She had to close her eyes like a chicken!)
So Dr. Yu has said that we are still on track to be admitted the day after Labor Day, but the actual stem cell transplant will not start until Sept. 16th.  They have tests, prehydration, etc. that they have to do with her before the transplant can begin.
We are extremely happy that my dad, Poppa Reggie, is feeling better after having been admitted to the hospital himself on Sunday.  His heart was experiencing some arrythmia, but he’s doing better now and was discharged the next day.  Adrianna was very worried about her Poppa having to be in the hospital, too.  On the way to New Orleans, we stopped by to see him, and she wanted to make sure she gave him her little blue birdie “to make him feel all better!”  She talked about Poppa all night and the next day, until he finally got home, and then she asked to talk to him on the phone.  She was very concerned and sweet about it.

…Love to all!  Keeping the faith!
~Stephanie

Robert Thomas “PaPa Smurf” King
(April 9, 1935 – September 2, 2009)

Robert Thomas “PaPa Smurf” King was born on April 9, 1935 and passed away at 9:45 a.m., Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at North Oaks Medical Center, Hammond. He was 74, a native of Ponca City, OK and a resident of Hammond.Robert is survived by 2 sisters, Carolyn K. Patterson, Lafayette and Janet “Candy” Pourciau, Roseland; 5 brothers, Mervel A. King, Amite, Johnny King and wife Helen, Demopolis, AL, Richard King and wife Ruby, Roseland, Ronald King and wife Melrose, Roseland, and Robert “Tuffy” Jackson and wife Vera, Arcola; a sister-in-law, Dorothy King Eggers, Roseland.

He was preceded in death by parents, John and Jeanette Martin King; a brother, Jack L. King; 3 sisters, Dorothy K. Jackson, Bessie Mae Hayden and Alice K. Lyons.

Visitation will be at McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, on Saturday, September 5, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. until Religious Services in the funeral home Chapel at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Bob Simpson officiating. Interment in the Hillsdale Cemetery.

An on-line Guestbook is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, is located at I-55N & Hwy-16W behind Mr. Tom’s Car Wash and Bond Eye Clinic.

Operation Christmas Child

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php
IS THERE ANYONE WHO THINKS HE CAN WHIP ME?

The following story comes from Robert Norris (via Reader’s Digest):

“My brother and I arrived at boot camp together. On the first morning, our unit was dragged out of bed by our drill sergeant and made to assemble outside. ‘My name’s Sergeant Jackson,’ he snarled. ‘Is there anyone here who thinks he can whip me?’

“My six-foot-three, 280-pound brother raised his hand and said, ‘Yes, sir, I do.’

“Our sergeant grabbed him by the arm and led him out in front of the group.  ‘Men,’ he said, ‘this is my new assistant. Now, is there anyone here who thinks he can whip both of us?'”

That humorous story reminds me of our relationship with God.  As we look out at the world, our pride and our sense of independence may cause us to feel that we can take on anything life has to throw at us.  But life will let us know very quickly that we are no match.  The trials of life have a way of beating us down and causing us to feel helpless at times.

But God stands by our side and suddenly our confidence is renewed, because there truly is no one or nothing strong enough to defeat us both.

“What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (I John 4:4)

“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afarid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

May you find your confidence this day not in your own strength, but in the strength of the One who stands by your side.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Praying that you have a great day!

Anna Lee