Kari Update

Good Evening,
         I hope that all of you have had an amazing week so far!  I know that I can really truly say that I realize that I am blessed, but I am a bit tired.  Kari still continues to improve...and as many of you have said it's slow baby steps, but we will take that.  I know that God is moving and as I have said before it's really neat to be able to go through this process.  I feel like I am learning to have more compassion and understanding of what it means to be a believer and to stand in the gap for someone.  Now, even when someone I don't even know is going through something I am going to be even more moved to intercede for them and the ones they love.  
         Kari is doing well in therapy, she's being more compliant and doing what is being asked of her, at least in OT and PT.  I think in speech she is having some adverse feeling about this new treatment they are trying to for her throat and the swallowing issues she has been having.  I believe that once she sees/ that it is helping her she will begin to tolerate it more and more.  Her liquids right now have to be thickened, but I have already seen that they don't need to be as thick as they use to be because she isn't coughing on them.  She is doing better with her eating and drinking.  The drinking is a little more forced, but she will do it when we break it down by the sips.  
         Kari's personality has always been shining through this whole time, but more of it is continuing to show consistently.  I love being able to hang out with her and I miss being able to do things; I miss my sister.  The place that she is now is right next to a very cute and trendy little planned community with restaurants and shops that I want to be able to enjoy it with her, so it keeps messing with my head a bit.  I want to be able to enjoy those things, but with her.  I know that her healing is happening and I just need to let God be God. 
        God knows when I need a long road and when I need a short one and I will except every turn of this journey with a grateful heart.  On the night that she got sick I was reading in the book of Exodus, right before my dad called to tell me how serious everything was.  The verse that I had just read was Exodus 13:17 ~ " When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, 'If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.'" When I think about that verse it really makes me think about all the circumstances surrounding over the past few months.  God knew that I needed the LONG road so that I would be ready to fight.  He knew that Kari needed to be where she is in order to fight, not somewhere else with the "dream" job that she has been desiring.  Things have been planned out since her birth.  I just can't help but think about the goodness of God, that He would allow this to happen, but that He would already have a plan!  How awesome is that?  One day Kari will be able to say as Joseph said to his brothers, "Don't you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people" ~Genesis 50:20 (Message)
Thank you for continuing to pray, we know that because of all of your intercession God is moving mightily!
Be blessed
Kaziah