Things that we are very thankful for over the past couple of weeks.

1. A God-timed visit to Alison's fiddle teacher Tuesday night. After a day of Kevin having "extreme" flu-like symptoms, I shared these symptoms with Michelle Found (fiddle teacher's mom) and she said "That sounds just like the cellulitis my husband gets! Does he have a rash?" At that point, he didn't. But because of this I got up with Kevin the next morning as he left for the station at 4:00 a.m., and sure enough he had a fist-sized rash on his shin. While he went to work, I wikipedia'd cellulitis and found photographs of Kev's leg, and a symptom list that could have been Kev's from the day before (also the disconcerting words "necrotizing fasciitis" which I filed away as a "yeah, not possible"). We headed to the local hospital as soon as his morning show was over. Any further delay ...

2. The new doctor in town, who was working the ER that Wednesday morning. He studied Kev's leg for approximately 12 seconds before sprinting down the hall to the ER phone. He then spent 20 minutes on the phone with an old Prof, ER at KGH personnel, etc. and set up the Nec. Fasc. antibiotic cocktail in Picton. Kev's surgeon at KGH credits Dr. Colby's quick thinking for saving his leg. Had the antibiotics waited until the ambulance arrived in Kingston, the outcome may have been substantially different.

3. That although Kev had to sign a "consent for amputation" form prior to the emergency surgery on Wednesday, that was not the outcome and that when he came out of anaesthesia during the night Thursday morning, his leg was still there.

4. Our church family, who rocked. The financial support, so we were able to park wherever we liked, and eat meals right there, was so appreciated. And the prayer support ... well, I could literally feel it. On Wednesday evening, and into Thursday, when there were still unknowns, I could feel myself wavering on the edge of losing it completely ... and coming back down from that place. I can only attribute that to prayer.

5. Janna Cylka, who thank God had not moved yet. Each night the kids came home on a different bus to her home, where she fed them dinner if I was not home from the hospital. This is the woman who SAYS she can't cook, but I know better now ;-). The pork dish she served one night could have been served at a restaurant. Even better, she sent us home with leftovers so I didn't have to panic about lunches on my way back out to Kingston the next day.

6. Kevin's two sisters, who came and stayed overnight in Kingston (from Cambridge and Bradford) and got an extra room so the kids and I could stay overnight. This was so awesome. My two "less-comfortable-in-the-hospital kids" could have a short visit with Dad, then were able to swim with their cousins and hang out. Kim and Karen also paid for our meals while they were there. We are so grateful.

7. A wonderful woman who came and stayed at our place to watch the animals.

8. That when above-mentioned wonderful woman accidentally got my instructions confused and fed our sheep 1.5 BUCKETS of barley rather than 1.5 scoops, our sheep only had tummy aches and went off their feed for a week, rather than dying which would have been the more normal outcome.

9. The love and care we received from so many folks in so many areas of our life; family, church, community, work, friends in NJ, homeschool community, the children's teachers at school. I still owe return phone calls and e-mails.

10. The special time the kids and I had on Wednesday night at home while Kevin had his first surgery. We were scared. It was real life. We cried together, and prayed together, and saw God answer prayer together. My children's perception of Who God is and what He can do is much bigger now. Priceless.

Perhaps more to come, but Monday is starting and there is much to do :-).