Summer is here!

We kicked off our summer going to Chattanooga to meet up with some of our dear friends from seminary. We mostly walked around and ate all weekend, which was fine by all of us! We even got to go back to Point Park on top of Lookout Mtn where Jason proposed to me over 6 years ago! It was the first time we'd been back there. Below is a picture of the spot where we got engaged (we didn't have a camera with us on that actual day since it was a surprise).

Jessica and me waiting for breakfast at our favorite breakfast nook.

Enjoying a snow cone in the art district!


Now, we've been back home in Knoxville and Jason is taking himself through a course independently through textbooks and online lectures and is loving it! This is a perfect scenario for him since his back is giving him such a hard time! Here is the story on his back:
Back in April Jason did something to his lower back (yes, this is different from his neck--for which he had surgery last June). He began going to physical therapy for it in May and they recommended after zero progress that he get an MRI done. He did and learned he has a ruptured disc (L4 and L5). They made an appointment for him to see the neurosurgeon about it and that finally happened this past Monday. The doctor wants to do the steroid shot to the spot next. We are waiting to get the call for that appointment and praying it comes SOON! If that shot does not help, then the doctor said surgery is going to be necessary. It sounds ridiculous since we just went through all of this last year with his neck (which has finally started to improve). But, my poor husband has spent the last month unable to sit (only stand and lie down on the floor to eat and do his work. He can sit, but it is quite painful. He wakes up in the wee hours of the morning with cramping causing nerve pain down his leg and takes walks down our street. (If neighbors see him, they may think we're a little creepy!)
Anyway, I just don't know how clear a picture of this I've give you all. When we drove down 2 weekends ago to Chattanooga (just barely a 2 hr drive) he laid down in the back of my car, but it was still uncomfortable. When we got home from that trip, he was in the most pain he'd been in yet for 3-4 days.
I'm sharing this for a couple of reasons: 1. Please pray for a quick appt. time for the shot 2. that the shot would do the trick (they didn't with the neck, so even though this is separate, it's hard to be optimistic), and 3. if he doesn't heal, he won't be able to travel with me in July to go on our family vacation :(.
I am happy to say, though, that his attitude regarding the entire thing has amazed me! I'm not going to claim that he is thanking God for it, but he is embracing it and making the most of his down time working through his independent study for this month and learning a ton. He remains aware of God's love and sovereignty in his pain.
Meanwhile, I am teaching summer school to a small group of students. That will end July 1st. It is providing a little extra income, which will help in numerous ways for Baby Bintz (if extra maternity leave is needed, or starting a savings for day care, etc.)
July 1st is also a big deal because that is my next doctor's appointment--the one with the big ultrasound! We are going to try to find out if it's a boy or girl and are super excited! So far the pregnancy has been a blessing and very easy going. Jason encouraged me to start some preventative physical therapy since I also have a history of my back going out. So, I've been twice and have a home routine that I do and will be going back one more time next week and then as needed after that. They said I may want to come quite a bit in my last trimester. I'm just now starting to wear maternity clothes (began around Week 16 and now I'm on 18) and I need to be careful since I keep "going on errands" and coming home with loose skirts, shirts, and pants. Whoops! It is kinda fun to get to start looking a little preggers though!
Anyway, that is our update and I'll be sure to update after the July 1st ultrasound and when we know more about my sweet hubby's back. Please do pray for him!

Blessings from Above

The Beginning
As we were finishing seminary (Spring 2008), we knew we wanted to start a family as soon as our jobs began. I really thought, despite some fears, that we would be able to conceive right away. So, for 6 months we tried and realized it would be difficult due to my irregular cycles. Then, my sister referred me to her doctor, not a specialist, but an OB in Montgomery.

First OB Meeting
On my first visit (December 08), I was expecting an exam and the usual, but this doctor was different. He spent 10-15 minutes just trying to get to know who Jason and I were and of course the doctor detail of how long we’d been trying. Then, he walked me through his usual “fertility workup” to see what might be wrong if anything. Next, the best thing that he could have done he did. He asked if he could pray with me. (I had known he was a Christian since he attended the same church as my family.) In his prayer (which I cried most of the way through), he acknowledged God as CREATOR and THE Giver of Life. What a precious reminder that I needed in the midst of my initial discouragement! I was grateful and humbled. I had already formed a mindset of “fix me doctor”. This made me realize that I was NOT relying on the only One who can bring a little one into this world. The doctor also prayed that he would be used as God’s instrument…Wow! It wasn’t even a doctor who could “fix me”! It would be the hand of God to guide every little part of this journey!

Meds
After learning of my irregularity, he suggested we try Clomid to regulate my cycle to ensure ovulation. He prescribed 5 months (I think). Thankfully, I didn’t have any terrible reactions to it, as some people had warned. It did regulate me, but for those 5 months, periods came and went.
The doctor wanted to do a couple of other tests that summer, but scheduling them became hard since Jason and I were moving to Knoxville during that time.
On top of all of that, Jason had had chronic neck pain nearly the entire year that kept worsening. He also ended up having a neck fusion in June 2009. So, with that, plus the stress of moving to a new place, becoming first time home owners, and new jobs, we just put off the other tests until we got settled in Knoxville.

New Place, New Doctor
After we settled into our home, began our jobs/school, and made new friends and coworkers, I began asking around about doctors. A coworker of mine and my sister-in-law recommended a fertility specialist they’d known friends to use before. So, I called right away after hearing such neat reviews on this doctor. I first went to him in September 2009. I can’t say that on our first visit he prayed with me, but he did have a clear plan and was very reassuring in his expertise. He also wanted to run some tests (similar to what my last doctor was planning to do).

Tests
First up was Jason…everything came back just fine there.
Then, blood work for me testing lots of different things.
Next, was my biggie. In November, he did a laparoscopy to “search and find” what was going on inside. It’s a surgery in which a tiny camera can go in through a tiny incision by the belly button. He found level 2 (out of 4) endometriosis. While I was unconscious, he was able to go ahead and clear that out. Not only did he do this, but he (get this) widened my cervix and did a dye test on my tubes. Quite a productive surgery right?
Well, on the tube test, one tube wasn’t taking the dye (aka—closed); however, he said that sometimes that happens when the body is asleep. Guess we don’t try to conceive in our sleep! ☺
So, he scheduled me in January for an HSG (a dye test done through a catheter while awake). I dreaded that one, but by God’s grace, it was fine and results were good—my tubes were awake and open.
So, last, due to low hormone levels showing up in my bloodwork, he put be back on a low dose of Clomid. So, I was on that for January and February.

Lesson from Jason
At some point during my lowest weeks, Jason stopped me as I was telling out story to a friend. It had begun to come out of my mouth (without me really realizing it) that I thought I was being punished or something. I guess that stems from my invented legalism (not learned from my upbringing). He explained to me how God does NOT withhold GOOD from his children! He WANTS us to be happy and full of joy. He wants us to procreate! The best thing he said to me was, “God is on our side!” (I’m crying again as I remember this teaching moment.) It drew me to go to Him with an open and honest heart in prayer. It also made me fall more in love with the gift I have in my husband! Boy do I see why God gave me Jason!


February 2010
After 3 months post-surgery having 3 cycles, the nurse called and said for March, they would start me on a higher dose of Clomid and talk to me about getting an IUI if Jason and I were interested. (An IUI=Intrauterine Insemination—just helps the little guys get there.) Well, not only did I not want extra hormones—this time it was really getting to my moods along with feeling pretty low already about our lack of pregnancy, but the IUI would cost a good deal and was not covered by insurance.
But then, day 29 rolled around, day 30, day 31, day 32…I talked to my sister who was begging me to take a pregnancy test, but I was hesitant. It was almost going to be easier to start my cycle than to see a “Not Pregnant” sign again. But, by day 33, unbeknownst to Jason, I did it that morning. Almost immediately that digital Clear Blue test said “PREGNANT” and I couldn’t believe it. I ran to where Jason was and showed it to him. Both of us were in shock! That was one of the greatest feelings I’ve had—seeing those words and enjoying the surprise with Jason!

Well, the rest is what many people go through—doubt until you see a doctor, then fear until there’s an ultrasound, wondering when to tell people since I’m being treated as “high risk” at this fertility center, etc. So, now, two ultrasounds and a full trimester later, we are telling everyone with joy, humbled that the Creator is using us as his instruments to bring a child into the world! We will trust in the Giver of Life as this baby grows and await November 2010 to meet him or her.

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!!!

Merry Christmas!!! I've decked the halls!

Jason and I are just about to complete our first semesters of grad school (Jason in Math and me in Education/Autism). It has truly been a busy semester both working and taking classes, but the Lord is blessing us with so much. We are enjoying our church and getting to know the people there. It is such a special group of people. We love our home and our sweet dog, Radley! There really isn't too much to update, so I thought I would just add holiday pictures of the house :).


Snowy Saturday


My tree is all in ivory, silver and gold--I LOVE IT! Jan had a lot of these types of ornaments and I bought the circles.


Close up on the tree.


The hanging bookshelves


Nativity scene (gift from Jan our first Christmas)


The kitchen wall--our "fireplace" :)


Close up on the stocking holder.


I won this as a door prize at work.


The two weird evergreens out front. I wanted to put lights on them, but our outlet outside doesn't work. Oh well, the BIG ornaments will do. Ha!


Front Door (color theme matches tree).


Sweet Radley--hard to take these pictures!

Prayer Needed

On June 16 Jason had neck surgery to relieve the pain he'd been having for nearly a year. It is now November, and there has been no relief. We still have so much to be grateful for, but Jason's entire life is impacted by this pain--when he sits, works, reads, etc. There still is physical therapy and other things to try, but most of all, we believe that only the Lord can heal him. Please join me in asking the Lord to bring healing to Jason's neck.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Jason and I are amazed at the whirlwind we've just stepped into. We feel so very blessed to be able to get this education--we've both begun graduate school. Jason is working on his Masters in Math while I am doing an online masters in Autism (sort of). We knew it would make us busy, but we are truly putting in more hours a week than we ever have. Time management is becoming a real issue--especially if we want any kind of social life! I am teaching third grade and enjoying it, but it is difficult to end a day like that and start reading and writing for 3-5 or more hours at night.
All this to say--we haven't had much going on other than that these few weeks since school has begun. We've had some friends from seminary living with us for a month or so while they were waiting to close on a house a little over a mile and a half away from us. It has been a blessing to have friends living with us during this move. However, we are about to be empty-nesters again as they are settling into their new place this weekend. At some point, I may figure out a time to do things to our new home I've been wanting to do--like paint and decorate. Maybe during the semester breaks! Helpful ideas are welcomed! So are guests! I will do my best to get some pictures up soon.

New Beginnings

We are closing in 2 weeks in Knoxville on our first home! We are very excited! We are praying that all goes well, so far, so good.

As for Jason's neck, he is still having serious pain in the same spot. Online blogs have shown that this is pretty normal. However, we have seen some blogs about the pain continuing for months and years. Please pray that this is not the case with him. We are trying to make arrangements so that he does not lift a finger throughout this move. Any strain can really upset what has been done on his spine. He will start school in a little more than a month and will need to be able to sit up and study comfortably. It is a scary situation to be with the unknowns, so we have to trust in our Lord, who is the Great Physician. Thank you for joining us in prayer.

I have accepted a job offer to teach third grade at a school near where we will be living. It will be a new adventure!

God is our Provider!

After much prayer, and some clear direction from the Lord, Jason and I have decided to go to Knoxville, TN. In the past month Jason was offered an assistantship position there for his MS/PhD track in Math, which is a HUGE provision that covers all tuition and insurance and even pays a stipend for being a TA and eventually teaching undergrad courses. I'm so thrilled for him to have this opportunity!

We're also excited about a church there that is very involved in hands-on ministry with the city and is eager for fresh ideas as well.

This decision was truly an answer to prayer. Through all of these decisions we're making, I'm learning most of all to "in nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil. 4:6). After the decision of WHERE to move was made, it was tempting for me to begin checking a list of find a house, a job, etc. I was going about it in my usual way of doing what I knew to do. This week, however, I'm reminded of the patience and time in prayer it took to have the clarity we do about Knoxville. So, I'm humbled again to pray about my job and our home. Jason is joining me in this and it has truly been a blessing for us both. Thank you to those of you who are praying for us. I have had a job offer, but I'm wanting to be certain that I know it's what the Lord wants me to do. God has been and is being our provider and teaching us so much along the way!

Here's our big prayer request: After having a great deal of pain for over a year now in his neck, attending therapy, and receiving various shots that never seemed to relieve the pain, Jason is going to have surgery next Tuesday, June 16. This will be what's known as a 'neck fusion'. Pray that it is effective and that his recovery is quick.