My Parents!
Everett & Muffy Halstead
I would like you to meet the two people that are responsible for bringing me into this world, Everett & Muffy Halstead. It was way back on a hot August afternoon in 1970 that this all got started with those two little words "I Do." Since that most wonderful day they have had 4 children, Jenni (Me), Sue, Steve and Thom, or ABC and D. Those 4 children have since married and have rewarded my parents with 9 grandchild, and the 10th on the way. Here is the break down in case you don't know. Jenni married a Canadian, Jason DeMarce, way back in 1991. They started the whole grandkid thing with Tabetha and Ethen, both of whom are teenagers now. Sue also found a Canadian, Dalton Dueck, and were married in 1995. They added Jessica, Caleb, Benjamin, Jacob and one we are all looking forward to meeting in January. If you are following the math here you may have just figured out that the Dueck family will be responsible for half the Halstead grandchildren come January! So then there is Steve or as he is known by his youth group Pastor Freako. Steve married a girl from back home, Andrea, and they supplied Koty, Jayla, and Maddie. I would tell you what year they were married but I being the oldest have started loosing my memory and can't come up with it, but Koty will be 6 this year. So to a beginning there is always an end. The end here is Thom. Now Thom met his wife, Kris, from around our home area. She is German and has since made Thom a world traveler taking him to Germany to meet her family. Again, I don't remember the year they were married and as of yet have no children. So that is the basics of the family tree!!Now to let you all in on the reason for this post, praying for my parents. It was 3 weeks and 3 days after my Dad celebrated his 58th birthday this August 17th he found out he has Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). I bet you just figured out why were praying. Well, here it is. Everett & Muffy are missionaries in Guinea, West Africa and were home for a 9 month furlough. Just days before they were to leave on Sept 2nd they decided that some health problems Dad was having needed to be taken care of before the flight back so they postponed their tickets and waited to see what was wrong. Dad was getting weak, pale and was tired all the time. They were eventually referred to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia for answers. They have since received an answer and have now begun a new journey. Mom has moved in with Dad, coffee pot, popcorn, laptop and just 2 other suitcases. Together, with the prayer of many, they will journey through this. We siblings keep in touch through Skype and Facebook since we are a bit spread out. Jason & I are in Jackson, Michigan. Dalton & Sue are in Conakry, Guinea, West Africa, but returning stateside to Jackson, Michigan in October. Steve & Andrea are in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Thom & Kris are the only ones down home and close.
So here we are 6 days after what I thought might be the worst day of my life, to hear my Dad was really sick and would need to fight for his life. So many thoughts and memories have come to mind this week...remember the day Dad "fell" in the tub with all of us kids and he still had his clothes on, remember all the games and track meets Dad & Mom were there for, remember showing up at Papaw's and surprising him with his first great-grandchild, Tabetha. My parents have been there for me through thick and thin. They have prayed for and watched God heal my marriage. I know they pray for both Jason & I as we parent our children. They have been a wealth of wisdom and encouragement over the years. I may not be able to be there physically but God is using people from down home to take care of them in so many more ways then I could. I will continue to lift my parents up in prayer from here in Jackson, MI.
I have had so many people ask how I'm doing and I have finally come up with an answer. I can see how God has been in control of this even before Dad got sick and because I can see how God has been at work, I can rest in Him for the future. How great it is to have hope in an unknown future, how great a God I serve.
