Bulgaria Awaits

It is hard to believe that our Bulgaria Vision Trip is almost upon us.  A week from today, we leave to take our boys up to my parents' house, and a week from tomorrow, we will be in the air flying to Bulgaria.

We are excited about being in Bulgaria, meeting it's people, seeing the beautiful country, and learning about the ministries we could be a part of.  We will have the opportunity to serve alongside the missionaries on the Bulgaria team while we are there, and we look forward to getting to know each of the team members as well.  We will be based in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

The trip will cost us about $2,000.  So far, we have been able to raise $850.  If you would like to support us as we go and minister in Bulgaria from April 21-29, there is still time for you to do so. For those of you who have already supported us financially, thank you so much for partnering with us for the furtherance of the Gospel!  You are an encouragement to us!

For a tax deductible donation, please write checks to Grace & Peace PCA; Memo line: “Bulgaria trip.” Mail to 1200 E. High Street, Suite 204; Pottstown, PA 19464.

If you'd rather send the check directly to us, you can mail it to our home address: 519 May St.; Pottstown, PA 19464.

Please pray with us that God would use this trip to solidify in our hearts His call for our family's lives.  Pray for safety traveling, and pray for our boys as we are away from them.  As the opportunity arises for us to be on the internet while over in Bulgaria, we will try to update the blog about how God is working.


Thanks for your prayers and your financial support!

Lighting it Up Blue for Autism Awareness

As I mentioned in my previous post about Autism Awareness Month, World Autism Awareness Day is April 2.  April 1st and 2nd are set apart to kick off Autism Awareness Month of April.  A group of children recorded a song to help encourage people to "light it up blue" to help spread the word.  It was put into a great video that I was so encouraged and touched by.  Watch it here:

We lit our house up blue to honor Joshua and spread the word around.  We've decided to keep our lights blue for the whole month of April in honor of the Autism Awareness theme.  Here are a couple of pictures that we took to show how we lit it up blue.

Front porch (picture taken by Tim)

I decided to get creative and experiment with a puzzle piece which is a symbol for autism.  My husband was so patient with me and held that puzzle piece through so many shots.

Our light out back.  By this time, Tim's arm was cramping from holding the puzzle piece, and my hands were cramping from holding the camera! :-)

 Also, along with the idea of lighting it up blue, people are encouraged to wear blue on April 1st and 2nd.  Our whole family participated (including my mom and sister).  On Saturday (April 2), we went to a Reading Royals Ice Hockey game sporting our blue clothing.  Here are pictures of us:

Autism Awareness Month

Joshua at 3 months old

Joshua at 1 year of age

Today marks the 1st day of Autism Awareness Month where attempts are made to raise awareness of this fastest growing developmental disorder in the world.  In the U.S. 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder with 1 in 70 boys being diagnosed.  Research is being done to determine the cause.  There is no cure, but intensive early therapies can really improve the quality of life and function.  So, the hope is that if more people are aware of the disorder, they can be alert to the symptoms to help others get an early diagnosis and therefore early treatment.

Just before he turned 2 years old

3 years old

At 4, Joshua started taking violin lessons since music has always been an obsession for him.  However, playing the violin lasted only 1.5 years.  He's now playing the guitar and piano along with any other instrument he can get his hands on.  This was taken in April 2009, when Joshua was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome

 Joshua was diagnosed at 4 and began intensive therapies right away.  Now at 6, he has made some incredible progress socially and behaviorally as a result of these therapies.  Several of his therapists over these past two years have made comments about how fast he picks up on the therapies and utilizes them.  In the first year of therapy, his therapist told us that what Josh accomplished in 3 months, many kids can't even come close to accomplishing in 1 year!  We praise the Lord for the brilliant mind He has given Josh and for the eager spirit he has to try the things he's being taught.  He still has a long way to go, especially socially, but each therapy will bring him closer to the potential to live a "fairly normal" adult life that his diagnosing psychologist says is possible for him because of his early diagnosis and treatment.

At 5

April 2nd is World Autism Day.  To commemorate it, people all over the world "Light it up Blue" by wearing blue, using blue lights, hanging blue signs, and wearing blue autism pins and such.  The Empire State Building lights it up blue each year along with other buildings throughout the world.  April 1-2 is used as the kickoff to the month along with the celebration of World Autism Day on the 2nd.  Won't you join the growing number of people who rally together from around the world to rally autism awareness?  Take a look at my Blue Page and browse the sight to learn more about the "Light it up Blue" Campaign as well as information about autism.

Crazy 6 year old so full of life

See my Lighting it up Blue post to see what we did in honor of World Autism Day!