Stephanine and Joey before the prom, 2006.  We will get more of her pics posted when she gets hers developed and when Joey gets the digital one uploaded.

Michael and the girls in Stephenville.  Sorry for the lack of posts, but this week has been wild and hectic.  Before I get into that insanity, though, let me catch you up on happenings in Tepic.  We tried to call Lorena a minute ago.  Sergio answered the phone, explaining that Lorena was on a ride around town.  We will try to call back a little later -- or tomorrow night because we are all about dead from lack of sleep.  Sergio is all excited because little Mya Naomi, his first child, is due tomorrow.  She will be another very lucky child.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and we anticipate a wonderful celebration shortly.

The prom went very well.  I had the honor of guarding the punch bowl, ferrying ice and bottles of water in from the back, emptying garbage cans and carrying garbage bags out back to the dumpster, shaking countless young men's hands, and hugging a plethora of beautiful young women.  Believe it or not, I enjoyed the latter most of all!!!  We really do have a fantastic group of young people coming up in the world.

After the prom, I had the distinct pleasure of helping to deconstruct the ballroom.  THAT, of course, was what I do best.  I really am much better at that than I am at decorating.  I finally got home about 1:30 a.m., where I collapsed until I resurrected Sunday morning.

Jeremy's mother, Audrey, has adopted our girls, so Rainey and Lya went up Saturday to run around Dallas with her.  They came back Sunday evening, and they didn't return empty handed.  Audrey had taken them shopping, and they had a lot of loot, along with what I suspect was a touch of food poisoning.  (All my girls love sushi, and they had eaten at an exclusive sushi restaurant in Dallas -- getting more culture, I suspect, than they had bargained for.

Lya has not gone to school all week, and I don't even begin to suspect that she is faking.  She hasn't actually thrown up much, but she has had two bed partners this week just in case.  She has been sleeping with me so that I can keep a hand on her and her illness, and she has been sleeping with a big bowl so that neither of us would have to HAVE a hand IN her illness.  She has been waking me up retching several times per night (at which point I quickly remind her of her bowl), and I have been up and down all night every night running aspirin and water errands.  Consequently, I find myself dozing off any time I slow down during the day.

Welcome back, Alice!!!!  We had been wondering what and how you have been doing.  Several other folks have been calling and emailing us asking about Lorena, and the girls absolutely hate going to the store with me because so many people stop me and ask about her.  Last night we had to go replenish Lya's pharmacopia at Wally World -- where Jill and Emily Gibson, John Ash, Kelli Wakefield, Jeremy Harris, Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Wartes, Carmelo Cobas, Raquel and Taylor Fulfer and a myriad of other folks.  Lorena's friends are so incredibly loyal.

Hopefully, Lya will be able to go to school tomorrow.  We will try Lorena again in a minute, but I am about to go to sleep now.  Thank you for your support!!!

Oh, yes; Lorena really enjoyed our calls this week, especially Stephi's description of prom.  Of course, when Lya got on the phone describing all her near-death experiences, Lorena grew a little somber until I began debunking Lya's hyperbolic claims...  We all had a big laugh about that...

Michael in Stephenville on an absolutely gorgeous April morning.  If only Lorena were here.  We had a fantastic talk with her last night -- but first for some background info...

Stephanie has already run into herself three times today because she is so freneticly and frantically doing so many things for prom tonight.  I simultaneously laugh at her and feel sorry for her because she is so excited and stressed out at the same time.  She has gone to the shoe store with one of her friends right now to help the friend find some heels...  (I just misspelled that last word as "hells" -- which is probably perfectly appropriate...)  Then she has to get batteries for her camera, etc., etc., etc.

Joey, of course, is a typical guy, laid back and completely stress free -- much to her consternation.  Yesterday, she called him after school to see how his preparations were going -- to discover to her LOUD horror that the business where he rented his tux had neglected to order it even though he had paid for it.  Then came the even LOUDER reaction when she discovered that, far from being a screaming/moaning/groaning/over-reacting-basket-case, he was with some friends at the skate park.  It was absolutely hilarious to listen to her end of the phone conversation (if one could have called it a conversation.)  She immediately illuminated to him the errors of his ways, all the way from from helping him see the need for applying pressure to the tux rental folks to warning him that at this particular time of the year, a simple injury on a skateboard such as a sprained arm or leg might very well prove fatal for him...  I have Joey in class this year, and I constantly preach to my kiddos that the school curriculum is merely intended to provide them common ground as American and world citizens and to help prepare them for lifelong learning outside the classroom.  Yesterday, Joey had some major extracurricular education.

Stephanie "shared" her concerns with one of her girlfriends within my hearing, and I really enjoyed eavesdropping on her.  She was ranting about Joey's lack of concern, and she concluded by saying, "If I were him, I would be calling the tux rental place every ten minutes saying, 'Don't forget that I need that tux that I have ALREADY PAID FOR by noon tomorrow!!!  I only SOUND unhappy now, so please don't disappoint me!!!'  But is he doing that?  No!  He is skateboarding!!!"  I just giggled in a most unfatherly way...

Joey will learn that life will be a much more pleasant experience if he becomes a faster learner.  Several phone calls later, he finally began to comprehend the lesson, and Steph was gratified a while later to learn that the tux rental place has promised them that they have upgraded Joey to their most expensive tux, GRATIS, and they have guaranteed it to be in by noon today. 

By this time, though, their "conversation" had shifted to picking up the corsage and garter.  Joey couldn't do it because he had a very busy day planned, primarily consisting of sleeping in late and then playing video games with friends.  Stephi, obviously exasperated by this time to the point of being homicidal, finally said rather curtly that SHE would go by the florist's since she had nothing planned except for getting up early so that she and fifteen other girls could get an eight hour head start on coiffing, dressing, and making each other up as well as making sure that everything was arranged for the pre-prom pictures, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc... -- and she did not want Joey to be inconvenienced on his busy day. 

It was now very LATE, and the next thirty minutes consisted of Joey repeatedly calling back in an effort to find out why Stephanie was sounding so angry.  With each call, Stephi proceeded to sound even angrier -- but nonetheless she would carefully end each call by telling Joey she loved him.  It is not often that I get to roll my eyes at my girls...

We did not get through to Lorena until it was 10:30 p.m. there.  When the girls started talking about the prom preparations, Lorena cried just a bit.  I have gone to the proms for years even when I was not an involved sponsor just to help out.  Each year, everyone vanishes when the prom ends even though there is only a 30 minute window to clear the TSU ballroom of all decorations and props without being charged extra.  Consequently, each year the class sponsors and a handful of parents end up frantically dismantling, loading, hauling to destinations all over the country, and unloading decorations as well as cleaning the ballroom.  Lorena would always accompany me to the prom and plan how the girls' proms would be.  Now she has missed half the girls' total prom opportunities with no indications that she will get to participate in any of them. I know that her disappointment is sad and bitter.

However, when we began describing all the frantic preparations for prom that our world has revolved around for the past week, Lorena began laughing.  I am a little uncomfortable with this because I don't know if she was laughing because she was happy for the girls, because she was happy that she was far away from the insanity, because she found my incessant whining so humorous, or because she was so happy that I am caught in this maelstrom of madness...  I just know that she was happy, and that makes my agony worth it...

It was a wonderful call though, with Lorena sounding better than I have EVER heard her sound since the stroke.  Lya elicited a huge "UH HUH!" from her (much to our delight).  She sounded strong and vibrant.  We all complained to her about her not being here, followed by forceful demands for her to work hard to get well so that she can come back, to which she responded with heart-warming laughter and another "uh huh." 

The girls finally excused themselves to go to bed since it was almost midnight here, as I continued to talk to her.  I was emotionally telling her how much I love her and telling her how much we all need her here, when (and I would swear the following in a court of law) I HEARD HER SAY SOMETHING!!!!!  I am sure of that!  I could not make out what it was, and I immediately began bombarding her with questions about it (to which, of course, she could not respond except for some "uh huh"s) but I am absolutely sure she said something!  She may not have actually said any real words, but it was not random gibberish -- and, as sleepy as I was, I am equally sure that I was awake when I heard it.  Needless to say, the call ended on an almost deliriously happy note.

HER MIRACLE CONTINUES!!!  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!  Thank you all for your prayers and your thoughts.  We love you, and one day, Lorena will be back.  That is my fervent prayer...  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

This is my lunch 20 minutes, but I realized I have not blogged for several days, so I will let you know what is going on.  We are still trying to decide what to do with Lorena.  All of us agree that the best thing would be to leave her where she is, receiving care from the crew she is working with right now.  She and her caregivers all consider themselves to be family, and that is wonderful.  She definitely does not want to go anywhere else.

The only problem with this arrangement is that it places hardship on her family, and neither she nor we want that.  I will post our decision as soon as we make it.  Both because of these concerns and because of inertia itself, I suspect that we will leave her where she is.

We have been running circles.  Stephanie is excitedly frantic about prom.  Rainey is going to school, giving massages, and starting a new job at a florist shop.  She loves the new job so much that she has decided to go in the direction of a business/interior design major.  I have absolutely no idea where she is going to land as far as a career goes.   

Michael in Stephenville.  We just completed a wonderful phone call with Lorena.  The rest of the family were meeting in the big house there in Tepic, praying for Papá and Mamá, so Lorena was able to take our call.  Lorena sounded great although we were not able to actually talk to her much because Angie was in the prayer session.  Lya did get a belated but huge "uh-huh" from her after some prompting from us.  She is obviously very tired, but, when I asked, she indicated that she has been working very hard.  We got a big laugh when the girls started telling on me -- and when we asked her to please get well and come back to us.

Life around here has really been getting hectic and tough, and it seems as if I take the proverbial one step forward and two steps back.  I had always empathized with single parents, but I had no idea what being a single parent was like.  On top of being a terrible mother and a short-of-time father, I continue drowning in bills coming in from Lorena's original hospitalizations.  It seems that there is no end to them -- and I was feeling so self-satisfied for having paid them off.  Yeah, right!!!

Prom is this weekend.  Grades are due Monday.  I still haven't gotten our taxes done.  My yard may be designated a national forest.  I can't decide whether to vacuum our carpet or to sow wheat on it.  And I haven't had time to beat my head against the wall as much as it needs lately.  But I heard Lorena laugh today, and Lya called me back to her bedroom for her nightly tuck in -- and three call backs for goodnight kisses, so I am okay.  It is dark outside, but my day has brightened beautifully.  Oh, yes, and I would like to nominate Nony and Duane Godwin for sainthood.  I thank God for my family and my wonderful friends.  And I thank my family and wonderful friends for your support.  You may not feel the crushing share of my load that you are carrying, but I can certainly feel it being lifted off me.  Thank you.

Lorena's miracle continues.  To God be the glory.  Thank you all.

Lorena has literally not spoken other than a handful of one or two syllable words in over two years now.  Spelling is slow and tedious for her.  I wonder so much what she would say if she could, and to whom she would say it.  If she could walk and use her body, I wonder what she would want to do first, who or what she would want to see.  I want so much to hear her describe her ordeal -- in the past tense.  Please, God....

Herb and Marion Wooten sent the following email, and I needed the smiles.  Thanks.  Lorena and I always loved catching errors in signs and translations.

Michael in Stephenville.  It is good to have Rainey back.  She and we were amused at the number of people who were aghast at the idea of her traveling alone to Tepic.  It was as if they thought the journey akin to traveling to the nether world -- with a great likelihood of not returning.  I must constantly point out to folks that it is much more dangerous for Mexicans traveling in the US than it is for Americans traveling in Mexico.  (Out of deference to my Latino friends, I should have said that it is more dangerous for them to travel here than for norte americanos to travel in Mexico.)

More family lore has emerged since Rainey and Ben returned.  All the family but Rafael, Ramón, and Lorena and their families are staunch Catholics.  Protestants and Mexican Catholics tend to see the world through very different eyes.  Rafael has been calm and at peace with the death of his parents, secure in the knowledge of what is to come.  Consequently, he is considered by some to be unfeeling and disrespectful.  All week, the family met at the big house to pray for Papá's soul during its stay in Purgatory, supplicating Mary and their individual saints to intercede on Papá's behalf.

Papá has been in poor health for some time, but earlier, before his health declined precipitously, Alma reported a dream in which the siblings were all sitting together at the table -- where their mother, unseen, addressed them.  She explained that she was waiting in Purgatory for Papá because she did not want him to have to make the journey alone, and she announced that it was his time.  She wanted to children to know that she was well, that Papá wanted to go, that they would pass quickly on once he had arrived, and that this would be their final goodbye.  Apparently she announced this the morning of the day he died, simply taking a nap and never awakening.

Lorena is sounding great.  Rainey reports that she is looking great and is vocalizing much more than she was.  I am really hoping that she starts talking soon.  The nurses have taken her off her evening pastry and coffee and put her on a diet because she has been gaining too much weight.  That is a strong testament to the quality of the care she is receiving because she had lost a shocking amount of weight before she flew to Mexico.  Rainey and the girls tease her about her weight now -- and she laughs delightedly.

Earlier last week, I heard a news story about stem cell research done on lab animals that had resulted in spinal cord/brain trauma test animals regaining some ability to walk.  However, I have been unable to find any more information on that story.  Please, if anyone out there has any more information, please, please let me know!!!!

Lorena is happy, and her miracle continues.  To God be the glory.  Thank you for your support and your prayers.

Rainey and Ben are home.  She just came in after an uneventful flight.  They are both looking and doing great.  The only problem is that Ben has to get up at 2:00 a.m. to help a friend deliver the Sunday paper because the friend misses church otherwise, and he is one of the youth leaders.  I have the friend's younger brother in class, and they are a wonderful family.  (In fact, the friend's mother kept Rainey when she was a baby.) 

Both of them report that the family in Mexico is doing well.  Papá was 90 years old, and Ben and I had a nice chat about good deaths and funerals and bad deaths and funerals.  Ben was a pall bearer for his Abuelito, and he mentioned how his father, Rafael, was

I will finish this tomorrow.  I am about to go to sleep. 

Nurse Cox, have I told you lately what a wonderful person you are???  When Lorena was in the different hospitals and in the nursing home, it was so incredibly wonderful to see some of her nurses and technicians come on shift because I knew that I could relax and sleep because Lorena would be cared for, whereas, when some others came on shift, I knew that there would be no rest during their shift.  I know that you would be one of the former, and I suspect that you are as much a minister as a nurse in the very truest sense of the word.  I am certain that your patients are blessed by you -- and to have you.  Thanks for your kind words.

Mrs. Tiggy Winkle, thank you also.  So often your comments are just exactly what I need to hear and see, and I find them very comforting.  You have been a true and loyal friend.  Thank you.

I have not had time to be on the computer much lately, so I beg the forgiveness of those of you who have been such staunch supporters.  I will be back....    Please forgive me.

It seems that we have been on the phone all evening with Lorena and Rainey or with friends here in Stephenville.  Sergio answered the phone when I called down to Tepic earlier -- and he sounds exactly like Rafael on the phone.  He will be taking Rainey and Benjamin to Guadalajara tomorrow morning for the flight back to the States.  He is all excited about the pending arrival of little Mya Naomi, expected within the next two weeks -- and Minelli is definitely looking forward to the change.  Sergio says she is miserable -- and I can sure understand that.  Mya will be their first, and we ask God's blessings on them.

Ben answered the phone in la casa royal -- and I called him Sergio.  It is pretty bad when you cannot identify your own family members by their voices anymore.  He is definitely ready to get back to Stephenville and to school.  Sergio laughed at Ben for studying all the time he was down there.

Rainey reported that she has been laughed at also.  As a good Baptist/Church of Christ kiddo, she never took catechism, so she doesn't know when to kneel or stand during mass -- and they have had daily masses this week for Papá with evening prayers for him.  It will certainly have been a new experience for her.

We were just talking about the bizarre coincidences of her grandparents deaths.  Both of my parents died relatively young -- within a year of each other.  Now both of Lorena's parents have died, quite older, but almost within a year of each other.  I suspect this is quite unusual.

We had discussed the fact that if Lorena were brought back to the States, she would have to be put in a nursing home.  This is an extremely unpleasant prospect, and I mentioned that some of her friends and family would kill ourselves trying to work AND sit with her and care for her in the nursing home.  Specifically, I mentioned that Duane Godwin would be one of those selfless, sacrificial victims. 

I had no more than hung up on the last Mexico call than my cell phone rang.  It was Duane asking about Lorena.  When I mentioned that she wanted to come back to Stephenville, not this year, but in her goals.  He immediately began talking about helping to care for her.  Friends such as he are incredible!!!  Just a short time ago, he himself was on the verge of death.  In fact, he credits Holly and Wade Miller with saving his life, and mentions how impressed he was that Marsil drove straight through after work from her home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to sit with him and care for him. 

Now, he, once again, is offering to do the same for Lorena.  He quite literally saved our lives, once by letting me come home and get some sleep when I was not thinking clearly, and once when he was sitting with Lorena while she was suffering from her horrific lung infections and removed the canula from her tracheotomy when it clogged and would probably have suffocated her.  I will never be able to thank friends like Duane and Nony and Holly and Wade enough.  We are incredibly blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family.

Toward the end of the call with Duane, I received a text message from Rainey to call her on her cell phone.  Needless to say, that scared me as I tried to guess what she had not been able to tell my in front of Mommy.  However, it was just that some of her cousins wanted to buy some of the clothes she had taken down because those specific brands are extremely expensive in Mexico -- but the cousins didn't have any dollars and Rainey was asking how to handle it.  I told her, considering how dismally far in arrears I am in paying Lorena's bills, for her to just give the clothes to her cousins; I can buy Rainey more clothes here.

Today, I say a ton of folks from Stephenville, Morgan Mill, Lingleville, Dublin, Huckabay, Lipan, Granbury, Hico, Bluff Dale, Tolar, and Fort Worth who asked how Lorena was doing.  The love, respect, and concern that she commands in her friends and acquaintances is phenomenal.

Today, Duane tried to call her some of that same times I was calling, and he never reached her.  I had to inform him that she and Rainey had to go for a couple of drives.  They went to the naturist in the jungle (Duane laughed when I called him the witch doctor) who coats Lorena down with his magical brew of seaweed, herbs, eggs, and God only knows what all -- but Lorena says that the treatments benefit her, so I KNOW they do!  Anyway, Lorraine said the doctor showed her (by having her feel) the strength that Lorena still has in her legs, and I know that to be the case.  It is wonderful how pliant and un atrophied her limbs are after two years as a quadraplegic stroke victim. 

They also had to get a load of limas and the special herbal tea that the naturist makes for her.  Rainey told me that Lorena drinks it for breakfast but that she doesn't like it.  Lorena immediately began to clamor trying to say something which forced Rainey ultimately to make a retraction; Lorena likes the tea, and she drinks sit with every meal.  We got a big laugh out of that, with many abject (if not heartfelt) apologies from Lorraine.

Lorena's miracle is continuing.  To God be the glory.  Thank you all for your thoughts and your prayers.  You make it so much easier for us to  walk this road.  Thank you!!!!