Our Updates

  1 Corinthians 10:13-There hath no temptation taken you but such is common to man: but God is faithful and will not suffer you to become tempted above that ye are able:but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

PRAISE! Chris recieved all A's on his college work and wrote a great paper on Collabrative Learning, Higher thinking for the home schooled vs those who are in Public or Private education. He did a lot of research which was hard to find but out there on testing scores on SAT and ACT of Home school students  vs those in traditional school settings  and found that indeed those who were home schooled had higher tests scores on both the SAT and ACT. His point was to see if it was due to the fact the kids at home have more collabrative learning than others. There wasn't too much on this but what there was did seem to validate that the reason for higher test scores seems to have to do with Collabrative learning. Students at home are able to fully understand the subject matter and can go deeper into the subject matter by asking questions and having the time to fully understand. Also, most of the home school kids he interviewed had many Collabrative learning through Home School Groups and Parent exchange. He noted that of those interviewed they felt they were able to express themselves and speak up in class and thought it was due in part to being able to do that at home. He also found to our own relief that college willing accept Home School students. This writing class was hard for him but everytime he would ask my help, I could see his own wheels spinning and that he had already planned it in his mind and didn't need any help, just encouragement. We all were so proud as he did all the work under great strain with Samuels jaw and Jake and I being sick. We are super proud and we thank God for allowing Chris to be able to do what he has always wanted to finish. Even though he loves the Bibles classes, he needs to finishe this first and then he can return to Biblical Studies.

He has always done well in Science and Math but the teacher of his class encouraged him to continue to write and teach in his field as he was gifted and wrote as well and better than most in graduate writing classes. This was a boost of confidence. Now he is finished with those but already in the summer courses and will start another difficult class in June for eight weeks. He will be loaded down and need prayer!

We are in another rental and like it very much. It's a log cabin and cute. The kids have a place to play now which is nice yet were still close to were we were and able to use the pool there.  We have a busy summer as we are planning on a lot of doctor/hospital trips and Jake and Samuel will be working in school four days a week. Grace is thinking of going on to the next grade level to graduate early like her brother. So I am still teaching all summer. We had so much illness, we fall behind. We plan to go to Camp Sunshine in July and are lookin forward to that trip. We also will spend time at Hilton Head as we did last year which we love.

Please continue to pray for Jake as he just isn't doing well, he will have tests ran soon and we are getting some other opinions as well. He is having nose bleeds and gum disease and bledding gums as he needs braces due to his jaw but because of his gums and status of health, they can't put them on now. Samuel's jaw is not healing well and it looks like we will face years of surgeries and problems. Please pray all the money will be worked out. We average just in dental care without braces 6 to 8K a year and now with Grace needing braces and Jake as well as Samuel, we don't know how it will happen. We have messed Jake's jaw up really bad by waiting but we never had the money. Most dental offices do not allow payments but you must go through a third party and we do not qualify. We have one orthodontist here who is a believer and wants to help us so we are hoping that happens. So hard when you do not know how long you will live in one place, moving is getting really old! Still God lead us here and we are grateful for a place to live and He has meet our bigger needs, we know He will meet the needs of their braces and teeth too.

I also request prayer as my own health is not so great. I really need to be healthy in order to do all I have to do. I know how my kids feel now and understand just how bad it is to feel sick so often. I am not sure what is going on as I haven't been to the doctors. Its the last place I want to be. Chris needs prayer as well as he may need surgery on his shoulder. He too is tired often and we think it's likley due to taking care of the kids for so long, you just get worn down. We just need a boost and for both of us to remain well. God is big enough to heal us all.  They know we both are carriers of what the kids have but we do not have their disease.

 While some may think that is just looks, it isn't. SDS causes a lot of issues with teeth and bones and even so, our kids deserve to have straight teeth! Just because they are sick doesn't mean they are not like any other teen and want to look nice. Samuel's jaw issue is totally different and they had not seen him with the SDS abnormality so we were hopeful he would only need teeth fixed. Now we have this growth plate issue which means surgeries all the time so we just cannot have that and pray it heals. He will be seeing a few docs here and then back to Ohio. 

  Medical insurance should pay for Samuels but insurance companies are not ones to do what they responsible for! We really need insurance by Novemeber so we do not run into even bigger problems. We have asked God to heal Samuel and we really think He will and Samuel is doing well. Jake still needs prayer and we need prayer as well to find a way to give our kids stability and stop moving all the time, their continued well being and we are thankful for any work but do need benefits. Thanks as always for prayers.

The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation! 

Just continue to lift Jake, Samuel and myself up as we are all very sick. Pray for Chris as he has been ill and is worn down from all the work being left mostly on him. Grace is so far better and we pray she stays that way. It is hard on all of them, moving and being so ill. They and I are so tired and we know having so much stress and dealing with the house move has caused us to not be able to fully take care of ourselves. So we look forward to getting better. We may need to take them to Ohio and would have it it wasn't for this going on.  We are working hard to just get the school work they MUST do done each day and this has been very hard.

We have praises to report as we have a place to stay!

We want to take a moment to thank all those prayer warriors, brothers and sisters in Him for their love for us. So many who write to encourage and uplift without ever growing tired of our numerous never ending needs. You are the greatest gifts we ever recieve besides His Love. You seek Him out and the words He gives you help in so many ways. We feel those prayers and we need those who are mature in their walk to understand that we have faith and are broken before Him. 

In Him, Vickie, Chris, Jake, Grace and Samuel

If enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you for it. Proverbs 26:21-22

The Cox family