Pete the Purple Pumpkin
By EmmaLee McDonald

(Dedicated to EmmaLee’s little pumpkin Toby, who happens to have Down syndrome)

There once was this purple pumpkin named Pete. Unlike any other pumpkin, Pete was purple. Every fall he hoped he would get picked. But every fall he didn’t get picked, he wondered why. He thought, “Sure I might be purple, but you can still carve me and eat my seeds.” The only thing different was his outside. People would look at him and then laugh. Every pumpkin thought that Pete was the kindest, sweetest pumpkin ever! They also wondered why Pete wasn’t getting picked. Now, Pete was getting older and the farmers said that if Pete didn’t get picked this fall, he would have to be thrown away. Pete didn’t want this to happen, so he hoped this fall would be different. Two days went passed and people only looked at him and laughed. Then, the next day, a little girl with a pink tutu and a tiara looked at Pete and said “I want this one.” Pete was so overjoyed. This girl loved Pete the most. Once this girl carved him, she placed him on her porch. That evening, she saw all of the neighbors on her lawn. Hoping they weren’t making fun of Pete, she ran out. Then, she realized what they were all staring at. It was a light brighter than any she had ever seen, shining from within Pete, without even one candle. It was a light that shown from within. Then, people came from far and wide to see this bright, little pumpkin. Just imagine what the world would have missed if Pete were simply thrown away. Even though people may look different on the outside, true beauty comes from within.

Big thanks to EmmaLee for sharing her story

(EmmaLee is twelve years old. Amazing, huh?)

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Posted by Jan Brandt on Jul 20, 2010 at 8:24 AM

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We need to be there by 9:30 AM and her surgery is at 10:30 AM.  Ella is off at school and a friend has graciously agreed to meet her at our house when Ella gets home around 11:30 AM.

Justice will be hanging out with dad at the outpatient center while Bonnie undergoes her procedure.

Please keep Bonnie in your prayers.  I’ll try to keep folks updated here.  If you want an email, sign up for email updates in the top left column or use the form below in this post.

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Please keep her and her parents in your prayers so she will be stroke and seizure free and bounce back from these procedures and surgeries and that her parents will feel the presence of the Lord during these tough times.

You can keep up with the Marchenko’s here.  http://lintofpocket.wordpress.com/

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As a parent of a child with Down syndrome we are blessed to have them as friends and are supporting them in their adoption quest both in prayer and financially.

Before Sergei began pastoring at the Christian Fellowship Free Church in Chicago, he and his family attended The Chapel in Saint Joseph, MI. Their former church family had a baby shower and this video was created for that shower.

For more information on their adoption process please go to http://expectingevangeline.blogspot.com/

If you ware interested in providing financial support please go to http://www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsormarchenko.htm

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Bonnie and Justice

I am happy to report that both Bonnie and Justice are doing great!

Bonnie has been able to get up and about and has done a bit of walking even.  She’s back on solid food, and while sore, is feeling pretty chipper.

Justice is feeding well and is doing great. There are no known medical issues that he will have to face and he seem to be very strong and alert.

Ella, despite have a very hard night not having mom home, was able to get to touch her brother and very exited that both of them have ears, noses, foreheads and chins. She was simply aglow being able to help hold Justice.

We also had some friends come by and share in our joy.   In short, we continue to be very very blessed.

Sleeping Angel

There are three new albums up for today within the “Justice’s Second Day” album. I forgot to bring the camera home tonight so I’ll try to add those pictures from today into these albums tomorrow.  So make sure you check out all three albums for today which are “Mom and Justice“,  “Friends Visit” and “Ella and Justice“.

Thanks again for your continued prayers.

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Bonnie discovered, after turning on the light in the bathroom and a lot of blood was being lost by her.  She yelled for me and from the light I could see a blood trail to the bathroom discovering my wife covered in blood.

I can’t begin to share the thoughts that ran through my mind discovering my wife covered in bright red blood.  The fear that was felt was quickly overcome by the realization on how much I truly love and need my wife.  She is truly my soul-mate and helpmate.  I can’t share the level of prayer that emanated from my soul at that time asking God to take all of us into his hands.  It’s was a real epiphany to me what blood can do to one’s heart and soul.  But I’ll step out of my pulpit and move on to Justice’s day.

After I attempted to calm Bonnie down, she began cleaning up a bit and I called the hospital to see if we need to call an ambulance or simply drive in.  After I told them that my wife was losing a lot of blood they said that was normal and just to come in immediately.  I’m guessing they we’re thinking I was overreacting at the sight of blood and overestimating.  But I wasn’t.

We got Bonnie to the Hospital a bit before 6 AM and the nurses got her up to the delivery area while I pack muled the bags and got a very sleepy Ella into a stroller, got the car parked and got up to Bonnie’s room shortly after they got Bonnie changed into the hospital gown and cleaned up a bit.

Ella was great and sat quietly watching VeggieTales’ “Jonah” a couple times.

Her bleeding began to slow, but she was only at 2-3 centimeters, essentially where she was the day before.  The doctor was concerned that she felt the placenta at the cervix and an ultrasound was ordered.  After the tech battled with the uncooperative Microsoft operating system on the ultrasound equipment, it was seen that the placenta had not moved and was not near the cervix.  This was at nearly 9:00.

Thinking that meant things were calming down and the bleeding was stopping and that Bonnie would simply have to wait a long time until the cervix opened (despite the frequent and intense contractions) I took Ella for a walk to calm her down a bit until her babysitter could get out of her dentist appointment.  Shortly later, I got a call from Bonnie telling me that the radiologist noticed that the placenta was perforating or splitting and the OB/GYN decided that an emergency Cesarean section was needed.  He also wanted to do a general rather than a local and that I wouldn’t be able to be with Bonnie.

Bonnie was prepped and was told by the doctor what was going to happen in the surgery.  But she was ready especially as the bleeding picked back up.  A conservative estimate is that Bonnie lost at least a pint of blood and likely more between 5:30 AM and 9:30 AM.

Bonnie was taken to the ER around 9:30 and at 9:51 Justice Wilson Goodwin made his entrance to the world, weighing 6 lbs, 13 ounces and measuring 20 1/2 inches.  Ella and I were able to see Justice being wheeled out of the ER and followed him to the nursery.   Ella was interested but was more worried that I was going to let her go and give her to either Ms. Barb or Ms. Rhonda who had come over to be with us during Bonnie’s surgery.  I too was thrilled at seeing my handsome young man, but still feared for Bonnie’s health and safety.  Finally, after an very long 30 minutes or so, I was told that Bonnie was fine.  I learned that Bonnie’s placenta was over 20% perforated and that the C-section was very timely.

Bonnie was kept in the recovery room but we were able to have her hear her son cry for the first time over the phone.  He has very strong lungs, long fingers and no “issues” that we will have to deal with immediately, so we were very blessed.

Around 11:30 Bonnie made it out of recovery and was wheeled down to her room where she will be for the next three to four days.  She’s been told no lifting other than Justice for the next two weeks as well as no driving.

However, on the way she stopped at the nursery and was able to hold our son.  Ella also had a chance to kiss both her mom and her brother “Ustice” as she calls him.

Bonnie was able to breast feed and is recovering well.  She will try sitting up and moving her legs tomorrow so please keep us in your prayers.

Ms. Barb stuck around and was able to finally get Ella to fall asleep around 3ish.  Our friends are such a blessing.

Bonnie’s folks made it to St. Joe from Ames, Iowa around 4 PM and were able to hold Justice and make Ella smile as she woke from her nap.

We all left Bonnie around between 5 and 6 so she could get her needed sleep.  We picked up pizza, and the Bonnie’s mom and I got the blood out of the bedroom carpet and off of the bathroom floor, tub, toilet, etc.  They are asleep but I’m still a bit wound up so I made a new photo site for Justice Goodwin, uploaded several photos, but haven’t taken the time to name them all the clever names Bonnie typically gives the photos.

Thank you again for your continued prayers.  They are a real gift to Bonnie and I, just as our kids are.

It is neat that Ella was born on Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Jerusalem to be our sacrifice so that we can escape from death, and that Justice was born on the Day of Epiphany, the day the wise man came bearing gifts to Jesus so he and his family could escape from death ordered by King Harod.

For the LORD loves justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever – Psalms 37:28a (NAS)

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