When you stop looking, it will find you!

September, September.... you have kept us busy. Miss Jaque Renee' has definatley been loving life in Texarkana. You all will be happy to know that she is a strong, independent Texas A & M student. She is living on her own in the dorms. She makes mall runs and walmart trips solo!! I say on her own, but don't start stressing on me. Blessed with a wonderful support system, assistance is only a phone call or text away. She has started therapy in TK. Fate had her watching Whitley play softball and she met two wonderful ladies that are going to start working with her. So many things have changed with her condition over the last few years. She is healthy and strong. She is regaining trunk strength and the LORD is working on this miracle child. It is humbling to hear these ladies excited and hear them reinforcing the positives we have seen. Jaque sometimes does not give herself enough credit for the changes her body is making. As we all know, Dr McCarthy told her "slow and steady" would be the recovery and he would not doubt anything with our "Jaque Jaque Jaque." The power of the turtle!! She has made some wonderful new friends at school. I can tell that these will last a lifetime for her. Some people are so different from you, but are linked with you on a level that you just cannot explain. Late night laundry, IHOP runs, and making tshirts are the crazy updates that I get on a regular basis. And that classes are hard. Really hard! But I tell her, that is life. As I see her settle into a new life, I catch myself looking back over the last few years. She has really grown up in front of me. I was fourtunate enough to loose my job and be able to spend the last year with her. I went from running late in the am and late getting home, to actually cooking meals and sitting on the porch laughing. And I know that God made my path. My soap box included: get right with God, surround yourself with friends that believe as you do, rid yourself of those that continually try to change your morals, and pray that God is first in your life. As you all know, you cannot have faith enough save anyone but yourself. And no matter how "right" you get with God, JESUS is the only perfect one. So this year she has worked on just that. And her life is flourishing because of those decisions. Young people have many distractions, and it is hard to stay on course. But, I guess that is why God gives them parents. They love us and hate us. We are their best friend and their worst nightmare. We are the voice of praise and the voice in their head. It is so worth it. God has put me personally in the position to share my testimony more the last six months than ever in my life. Glory to him, not to me. But my story is just a touch of what Jaque can and will share. She was recently filmed for a feature in a video about people that love riding in the sand. It will come out in Spring of 2013. http://driftingmass.com/sandpeople_sneakpeek.php The song on it was "If I die young" by the band perry. The song really hit me when I heard her voice and thought of the words that rang so true. I can honestly say she has learned the importance of life. People that have been through something like Jaq have a different perspective than most. When she tells a friend like Caleb, Bradley, Kelsie, Ryan, Deanna, or Randee goodbye and that she loves them, she means it. She says it knowing that you never know what could happen in life. She wants nothing left unsaid, or unknown. When she talks to someone on the elevator that is having trouble, and she takes time to listen, she understands that suicides happen every day. She knows that you could be the difference in them waiting.... She feels things deeper and sometimes forgives to quickly. She seems so stong and couragous, but in the quiet worries when someone doesnt like her. She has never met a stranger, and can talk a brick wall into thinking it is made of stone. She is not perfect, quite far from it. But when she says I love you, she means it. When she makes a friend, its for life. And even her worst enemy, she is glad for the good happening in their lives. And when she falls in love, she does not take it lightly. She has had a wall of rocks (from the lake i think) around her for quite a while. Now, I slowly see it coming down. It is not disappearing, but it is beneath her as a new foundation. This foundation appeared because of a prayer one night while she was alone and close to God. She didnt ask for specifics, just that God make her path clear, and he has done just that. She was good with being single and just being herself. Then, she invited a friend to the lake. Yep.... funny to look back on it now. Needless to say, she now has a boyfriend, Caleb. He is quite the young man, and just as crazy as her. A christian. They seem to push each other...literally..lol....to be better people. They seem to compliment each other well. Where it goes, only God knows. It is nice to see her open up again, and trust. And when she smiles.... you can feel that she means it. Life never gives you a clear cut plan. God sends you the pieces and lets free will take over. They are adorable and amazing. I cannot tell her enough how proud I am of her. She has come so far. She is an amazing young woman. Never take for granted the affect that you have on someone. You can be the change you wish to see in the world, you CAN change a life with a simple hello and sharing your story. It will take courage and you will loose some friends, but when you align your life with God's WILL, it is an AHH HAA moment. Now, she is getting ready for one of the most important events of the year DEER SEASON!!!!! We started this website for family and friends to keep up with her story and progress. I am humbled by the views the page gets. Thank you all for your prayers and your continued support. I appreciate the emails and facebook messages. We are a blessed family for having so many great friends and family in our lives. Until the next update... Love Carol.