Dec. 17, News from Home

This is Laura Criss on the home front.

Tuesday evening Daddy and Momma went to the hospital to be with the Van Cleves, while we prepared our home for the Van Cleve children. Adam stayed at the hospital with his parents, and Daddy and Momma brought William, Krista, and Teddy here at 11 PM, tired and emotional. On the way home, Momma was encouraged by listening to the children talk: they believe in a powerful God, and trust Him with their whole hearts! They hadn’t eaten a proper meal all day, so we scrambled up some eggs and toast for them as we loved on them and tried to help them feel comfortable. Fortunately, they are like second-family to us, so they started acting like their normal selves before long. We got Teddy to bed by midnight, and when I went in to check on him and see if he needed anything, he said, “Well, I need a drink, there’s a jingle bell on the bathroom door that’s making too much noise, and everyone’s running around the house!” :-P William and Krista were far too wired to fall asleep, though, so they didn’t go to bed until 3 AM! Jon and William talked on the couch, and Krista watched a Lone Ranger episode and talked with the girls upstairs. She wanted to stay up later, but the girls didn’t have the adrenaline she did :-).

The next morning we slept in some. Mrs. Bryan and Leanne came up from Port Orchard to help. Anyone who knows the Bryan family knows of their caring and serving hearts whenever there is a need! The two Bryan ladies, Momma, Susanna, and Krista went to the Van Cleves’ home to get it spic-and-span and to make some meals. Teddy stayed here, playing games, reading books, and just having a good time with the boys. Then after a quick dinner, the Van Cleve children, Daddy and Momma, and the Bryans headed to the hospital. Mrs. Van Cleve’s sweet cousin, Beth Short and family from Eastern WA, were at the hospital when they arrived. Momma was touched that when she went to leave, Mrs. Van Cleve held out her hand to her. Of course Momma couldn’t leave then! The VC children went to the Van Cleve home with the Shorts that evening, and our home remains open for them whenever they need it! We will be watching Roy (their oldest son) and Melissa's children this evening as Daddy and Momma join everyone at the hospital again. I’ll try to keep up on the home front news. We praise God for the miracles He has already performed in Mrs. Van Cleve’s body, and pray for continued healing!