Friday!!! Our family is glad to see the end of this week arrive. It has been a super busy week for us, and it has been a pretty emotional one as well. We have several friends who are walking through deep waters right now. We are grateful for the fact that we can see evidence of God's sustaining power in their lives, but we are grieved for the heartbreaks they are enduring.
For this reason and because Josiah is struggling greatly with all the rain today, I need to keep this post shorter than normal. Our wonderful support staff worker Shinika is in labor today with her first baby. We would appreciate your prayers for her. We are going to miss her so much while she is on maternity leave. Shinika has been a godsend, and we are so very grateful for her help.
The drainage issues have cause the liner to ripple,
but this is fixable thankfully.
The forecast this week is looking very concerning for our drainage issues. Please continue to pray with us that the french drains and landscaping can be completed soon to prevent further damage to all of the construction that has been completed. If you would like to help us reach our goal of raising $6,100 for the drain construction, we would be so very grateful. Donations can be made via the Verroi Fundraiser at Beacon Baptist Church: http://www.beaconbaptist.com/donate/.
The therapy room and pool are continuing to help our boy! Each day is easier for him and us, because so many of you gave to make this happen. Thank you!!!!
God is good!
Because of His grace,
Christy
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
The Truth...
It has been two and a half weeks since we introduced Josiah to his therapy room and therapy pool. I was talking with my Dad this past Saturday about all of the positive changes we have seen. The improvements have been numerous! Last night, while Josiah slept, I woke to the sound of him laughing in his sleep. My husband has always warned me not to put too much stock in dreams, but, considering I have never heard Josiah do this before, it felt like further affirmation that we are seeing true joy in our boy. This video was taken on one of Josiah's much fewer and shorter van rides. Seeing him happy is priceless!
The pictures below are of a Facebook post from June 27, 2015 that popped up on my "On This Day" feed yesterday. Two years ago, we were desperate to find a solution for Josiah's swimming needs. We hadn't even thought of the fundraiser at this point. Two years later, our boy is swimming and has a calm and quiet place to help manage his sensory needs. We are amazed by the goodness of God and the generosity of so many!
While talking with my Dad about all the positives, I told him that I'm struggling some with how to still convey the truth of our situation without coming across complaining in any way. The primary purpose of creating this website was to raise the funding needed to help Josiah. But Jeremy and I also wanted to share our story as a means of further educating our friends, family, and community about special needs in general and severe autism specifically. And the truth is that we wake up every morning with the challenges of this disorder staring us in the face. Every hour of the day and often the night, its relentless glare is there. The truth is that there was poop in the pool on day two. The truth is that yesterday couldn't have been better until late afternoon when the clouds rolled in and Josiah had three back to back meltdowns. The truth is that this therapy pool and therapy room are making tangible and significant positive impacts on Josiah's quality of life. And every positive is a salve for the times of negative.
An equally important goal of creating this website was to publicly share the hope that we have found in Jesus. He alone renews our strength daily and sustains us through every moment of the day. His grace has been extravagant. Though we fail Him daily with our impatience, pride, selfishness, and lack of faith, He continues to guide us through this journey. His faithfulness is unending. The greatest gift Jeremy and I have ever been given is the gift of trusting in Jesus. The truth is that we are undeserving sinners, but He sacrificed himself on the cross to give His people forgiveness and an eternal hope that makes every day on this earth bearable.
Because of His grace, Christy *We are still trying to raise the funding needed to fix our massive drainage issues around the pool. If you would consider giving to help us protect all of the construction that has been done, we would be so grateful. Thank you!
Friday, June 23, 2017
Friday Funding Update: June 23, 2017
Just when we thought things were nearing completion, a torrential downpour that yielded 3-4 inches of rain in one night came close to causing catastrophic damage to the breezeway, therapy room, and therapy pool. God was so gracious to allow me to see the flooding right when it started, and He allowed the damage that did occur to be repairable. The morning after the flood, I was shocked to see the pool. It had large bloated sections where water had leaked in between the liner and the pool walls. Thankfully, our very gracious and patient pool contractor David Foust of Foust Pool Construction was able to siphon the unwelcome water without having to drain the entire pool.
Meemaw in the Mud
We met with our pool contractor, cement company, general contractor, and a professional landscaping company this week. All of them agreed on a course of action that will be necessary to prevent this from happening again. As I said last time, no one could have predicted how bad the drainage issues would be. The likelihood is that, with just a standard rain storm, we would not have had much trouble. But its the occasional downpour or hurricane level storm that we have to prepare for if we are going to ensure that this doesn't happen again. My brother and his team of guys from LaTour Electric came yesterday and dug a trench and installed a sump pump that will stay in place until the landscaping company can come in about three weeks to complete the work.
The temporary fix.
We need to have a substantial portion of our yard graded. Then we need two french drains installed in the yard to prevent water accumulation. So that the water doesn't become an issue for our neighbors, we also need to have the drains flow into a pipe that will be installed all the way to the road. Because gravel has to be used to install the drains and because Josiah and Jalen are so drawn to mud, we have to have the entire area sodded after the drains are installed. Both of our boys have a long history of Pica which is the medical condition of consuming non-edible materials or objects. Josiah and Jalen both have had multiple dental surgeries for broken and abscessed teeth due to eating gravel, broken cement, and mud.
The expense for all of this work was not something that we anticipated or budgeted for. The quote for correcting the drainage issues is $6,100. The current balance of the Josiah Verroi Fund is $5,800, but a large portion of this money was supposed to go towards paying for the padding in Josiah's therapy room. We have a few other smaller invoices that we are waiting to receive for work that has been completed. These will also have to be paid. The padding company is coming out today to give us a final quote for the padding. There was some delay on this, because we requested that they drive to come and take the measurements for us to ensure accuracy. For many reasons, I feel terrible asking people to give more money towards a project that has cost so much already. But, as my brother reminded me, none of this could have been anticipated and it would be a shame to allow what has been purchased to be ruined due to water damage. So I am swallowing that big lump in my throat and asking for anyone who is able and willing to help us fund the $6,100 needed to correct the water drainage issues. We need to be able to raise the funds for this within the next three weeks before construction begins. If the Lord has taught us anything through this fundraiser, it is that HE is able and so many people are willing! As I have so often said, we truly are eternally grateful for any help that can be offered.
Trusting His plan,
Christy
*To those who have been asking, Josiah is doing great. The barometric pressure changes have been tough this week, but the therapy room and pool are helping SO much!
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Comfort in Chaos
Monday morning I went outside to clean the pool. Our son Jack was helping me. He took on the task of trudging around the red clay dirt surrounding the pool so that he could turn on the spigot for me. When he returned, his flip flops and feet were caked in mud. We haven't given landscaping this area much thought yet, because there still has to be a french drain installed near the pool to prevent water accumulation. Had I looked at the forecast yesterday morning, perhaps I would have waited to add water to the pool.....rain was coming.
I took the time to clean Jack's shoes at the spigot in the front yard. As I sprayed the water, a rainbow appeared in the mist. I thought about what the rainbow represents. And its significance hit me in a way that it hasn't before. We all know that, after the Flood, the rainbow was created by God as a promise to His people that He would never completely destroy the earth again with water. I thought about how gracious this was of our Heavenly Father. He knew that, every time it would rain, his people would probably experience fear. How awe inspiring to think that the God of the Universe would care so much for His children to give them, for all ages to come, the rainbow as a reminder of His promise.
Fast forward to that night. Josiah had been up and down some with the barometric pressure changes, but still vastly improved overall. All of this swimming has exhausted him though. He has been going to bed earlier and even taking short naps each day. Around 9pm, I went outside to grab the laundry I had forgotten on the fencing. It was raining heavily, but everything looked calm. I walked inside and worked to get Josiah to sleep. He went out pretty quickly, and around 10pm I went to straighten the therapy room before heading to bed myself. In just that one hour, things had changed dramatically. Rain had accumulated at the spot where the french drain is supposed to be installed. And that rain had backed up into the breezeway. There wasn't standing water, but there was a lot of mud where the water had come in and then receded back as the rains calmed. I tried to call my brother Jon, but he had already gone to bed and didn't get my call. I called my parents who of course offered to come over, but I told them no because I felt I could handle it. I also texted my brother Bobby to see if he possibly had a sump pump just in case the rain got worse. As I was texting with Bobby, the breezway suddenly began to flood. Buckets and buckets of water were pouring in. I told Bobby and my parents that I needed help. (Side note: Jeremy was working night shift so I didn't even let him know what was happened, because I knew he wouldn't be able to leave work.) Bobby said something about digging a trench so I quickly grabbed a shovel and ran around the fenced in pool to the corner where the water needed to flow. Oh if only I had a picture of this craziness. I sunk half way up my calves in mud and started shoveling as fast as I could. All the while, water was filling the breezway and heading for the therapy room. My parents and brother got there just in time to start helping. I also put a plea on facebook for someone to call me if they had a sump pump. Our dear friend Michael Abernathy came to the rescue. He drove the pump over and got shin deep in the mud with us. We worked until close to 1am before everyone felt things were safe enough to go home. I then set my alarm for 2am to check on things. and finally went to bed at 3am when I was sure the rains were departing.
The morning after, we are in repair and planning mode. We believe the breezeway will be fine. It seems to be drying out, and our friend John Triola who laid the flooring for us is going to come and make repairs if need be. The rain in the yard was so bad that it leaked through a portion of the concrete floor in the therapy room as well. But thankfully we caught this early. We removed part of the padded flooring and everything is drying out now. The pool also sustained some damage. Again, the yard was flooded so badly that water seeped in between the liner and the walls of the pool. Our awesome pool contractor David Foust was here early this morning working on the pool, and he has assured us this is fixable. No one could have predicted a drainage problem of this magnitude. The entire slope of our yard looks like the water should flow directly to the road with no trouble. But the slope was just no match for the level of rain we got last night.
The plan is to now have two french drains installed to address the drainage issues. We don't want to endure this again if at all possible, and two drains should take care of both the drainage issues around the pool and the area that is backing up under the therapy room wall.
I wish I had a video of the worst parts of the evening. God was truly gracious in prompting me to go out to the therapy room at 10pm. Had I not, the water probably would have been at the back door by morning. He also mercifully allowed the damage to be much less than it could have been. And I could of course go on and on about my family and how they come to our rescue time and again. In the craziest moments of last night, God brought His rainbow back to my mind. And, while the rainbow doesn't mean that He will never use flooding as a means of sanctification in our lives, it does mean that He keeps His promises. And God has been so gracious to make many promises to His people. Jesus has a plan. We just have to submit to His will and trust in Him.
Because of His grace,
Christy
Uncle Bobby!
Before things got really bad!
What I first found. Not so bad.....yet! :)
Friday, June 16, 2017
Friday Funding Update: June 16, 2017
These Friday posts are becoming less and less about funding, but, since I haven't come up with a catchy new title yet, we will just stick with what has worked so far. :) This morning, when I sat down to write this post, the first thing I did was to write down a list of all the positive things we have seen in Josiah since introducing him to his therapy room. I have mentioned before that, apart from God working a healing miracle, Josiah will have to live with the affects of his brain damage and autism and sensory overload for the rest of his life. But this fundraiser has given us so many more ways of helping him endure these struggles while experiencing moments of joy and comfort and calm.
Here is my list from this morning:
-Much fewer episodes of self- injury (He averaged only once each day this week. A few days, he had no episodes. And there was only one day that he reached three.)
-Much fewer episodes of aggression (Only two episodes this week.)
-Improved sleep (Josiah has fallen asleep by 9:30 pm the past three nights! And he has taken short mid-morning naps the past three days.)
-Improved appetite (He is eating more often. The swimming has made him ravenous.)
-Much fewer van rides (We were going through a tank of gas at least every other day. This week we have used less than one tank of gas. The rides he has taken have been much shorter, and he isn't melting down or crying when it's time to come home.)
-Much fewer showers (Before, if Josiah wasn't riding in the van, he was in the shower or bathtub. This week he averaged 1-2 baths or showers daily.)
-More physical activity (Riding in the van for hours each day was not good for many reasons. Josiah is getting much more exercise which helps with hyperactivity and sleep issues.)
-Greater interest in things that he had previously enjoyed (He is particularly loving his golf cart and reading books more.)
-Engaging with his siblings more
-Happier and more content
-Laughing!
-Senses seem calmer overall.
Bed Head but so HAPPY!
There have also been benefits to our family as a whole. Due to Josiah's extremely sensitive hearing, our children were often confined to the back of the house so that their voices wouldn't cause Josiah distress. For the most part, the kids are able to roam around freely as long as they stay away from the therapy room. Josiah seems to have quickly understood that this is his space, and that has helped so much. Because of the breezeway, we can keep the door to the house open and Josiah comes in and out of the house as he is able to tolerate the extra noise. Jeremy and I are enjoying being able to interact with our kids together. Often, Jeremy has had to keep everyone in the back while I have managed Josiah out in the front of the house. Because Josiah is calmer overall, we have had several opportunities to all be together. And our other kids are tremendously enjoying the chances that they get to swim. The surprising and sweet part has been to see Josiah want his siblings in the water with him often.
I could go on and on. Truly I don't know that this week could have gone much better. Josiah still has his times of significant struggle, but the difference in his spirit is palpable. Our goal was to improve his overall quality life, and we have succeeded because of the grace of God and the generosity of so many people who wanted to help support Josiah.
We are eternally grateful.
Because of HIS grace,
Christy
Looking from the house into the breezeway.
The unexpected blessing of having the breezeway has meant more storage
and freeing up space inside our house.
Josiah enjoying his new TV.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
The Day We Had Been Longing For
This past Saturday, June 10th was the day we had been longing for. After 8 months of fundraising and 9.5 weeks of construction, we were able to introduce Josiah to his new therapy room and therapy pool. The day went better than we could have ever hoped. We did a live-stream video of the reveal on our Support Josiah Facebook page. So many people joined us for the reveal, and, to date, the video has been viewed 930 times. Once again, we are overwhelmed by the support we have received! God has answered our prayers and exceeded our dreams for Josiah.
Since the reveal, a few people have asked me if I think this will be the answer to Josiah's struggles. The reality is that no amount of funding or construction will heal Josiah's brain damage and Autism. He will have days that are harder than others. Days where he will need to still ride in the van a lot to calm. He will still have meltdowns, and he will still have episodes of self injury. But, as I have said many times before, the therapy room and therapy pool are now tools that we can use on a daily basis to help care for Josiah. They are tools that will bring him joy often. They are tools that enable our family to better function, and, in turn, dramatically increase the quality of care we can give Josiah. Josiah is loving his therapy room and therapy pool! He has had just a handful of meltdowns since Saturday, and he has been on much fewer van rides. The padding on the therapy room floor has already protected his head twice. And all of these triumphs translate into a drastic improvement in Josiah's overall quality of life. We are feeling the joy we have so longed for. And it feels amazing!
A dear friend purchased furniture to go around the pool.
We are in the process of writing a final punch list for the project. There are just a few things left to complete. As we get these things done, we will share photos and updates. We covet your continued prayers for our boy. Please pray with us that God will show mercy to Josiah. Pray that He will use this new therapy room and therapy pool to bring continued joy and calm to his life. Please keep following our journey. We are planning to continue sharing about our boy, our family, and our faith in the ONE who sustains us!
Because of His grace,
Christy
Friday, June 9, 2017
Friday Funding Update: June 9, 2017
To God be the Glory! Great things He hath done!
Our prayer is that the fencing around the pool will be installed tomorrow so that we can let Josiah enjoy both his therapy pool AND his therapy room! Thank you to everyone who has given to make this happen for our boy! We will continue to share updates as everything gets completely done. We cannot wait to see how God will use this in Josiah's life!
Because of His grace,
Christy
Friday, June 2, 2017
Friday Funding Update: June 2, 2017
Beautiful tile work!
We are busy busy busy! Mr. Bill Brown finished the amazing tile work that he and his wife Toni installed for us. My brother's company LaTour Electric Inc. finished all the lighting, and it looks perfect! The locks for all the doors have been installed. The padded flooring for the therapy room was ordered, and it arrived today. The flooring in the breezeway should be installed this weekend. And more plumbing in the bathroom is being completed this evening. My brother Bobby and friend Aaron are here installing more privacy fencing, and we are so thrilled with how wonderful it is all looking!
I have learned through this experience how greatly the weather can affect construction. We are trying to patiently wait for the concrete decking to be poured around the therapy pool. The concrete company that is doing this for us is drowning in jobs that have been delayed by the rain. We are trusting God's timing and praying that Josiah can wait just a little longer to access his therapy pool.
I am keeping this post short today due to one of Josiah's support staff being out sick, and the hustle and bustle around the house. Our other kiddos finished their last day of school today. There is excitement in the air, and we are looking forward to this summer with great anticipation. Our prayer is that Josiah will be settled into his therapy room in the near future and that the pool will be done very soon. This will be such a blessing for him and for us all! I cannot share a funding total for this week due to our church secretary being on vacation, but I will be sure to update this next week. Thank you all again for giving to help make this happen for Josiah! We are truly amazed by all that God is accomplishing!
