The Lockwood Family

Getting ready for Family Camp

2009-07-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

Samuel and Mommy on a hot summer day...do we look alike? :)
First, we are so happy to report that Samuel is doing about the best he's done in weeks. No fevers, eating like a true Lockwood :), alert, breathing so much better, and just as cute and sweet as could be. He still has a cough and is continuing with his antibiotics and nebulization treatments, but overall, he's not acting "sick" anymore. Last week at the hospital, he weighed in at 10 lbs 8 oz! He's getting so big and much stronger for which we are so thankful. How we thank the Lord for giving us Samuel and continuing to strengthen his little body.

This week, Thursday through Saturday, is our 2nd Annual Church Family Camp. Everyone is so excited! About 2 years ago, we had to sell our church bus as we were unable to financially maintain it. The man who purchased it told Daniel that our church could still use it whenever we needed it as long as it was available. What a blessing that has been! So yesterday, Daniel picked up the bus and brought it home to check it over and clean it up.

Lots of eager helpers

Ivan and Alan came over to help us get the bus ready for camp

Sweeping and washing...LOTS of dust!!

Nehemiah dressed himself...can you tell? :) He was pretty proud! I tell you, when it is 107 degrees inside and out, running around in just a diaper and a vest was probably a good choice for a 2 year old.

Get those tires clean Susannah!

We'll leave Thursday morning to head down to La Paz where we will be renting a campground with another Independent Fundamental Baptist Church there (the church of Brother Juan). We ask you to pray for a safe trip there and back and that we'd all grow closer to the Lord and each other during our time there.

Daniel left a while ago to go out to the village of Jesus Maria. We prayed together as a family this morning for the Lord to keep Daniel (and Isaiah who went with Daddy) safe and that the people's heart would soften and they would be able to see the truth and their need to trust Jesus alone for their salvation.
After their time there, Daniel and Isaiah will be going to the airport in Loreto to pick up Uncle Samuel (Daniel's brother) who is coming to work with us for the remainder of the summer. We are so looking forward to having him here with us! There is so much work to do and for Daniel, having another man to help out is a real blessing.
Uncle Samuel was our ring bearer in our wedding 14 years ago (July 22, 1995). I see him now, taller than Daniel or I and all grown up....and am reminded how quickly time passes. Will my children grow up that quickly???? I know they will...how thankful I am for each day I have to love, train, work with, talk with, and hold each of my children.

Hospitalized again... (UPDATED)

2009-07-08T22:09:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Samuel was well enough to come back home this afternoon and continue his antibiotics and other treatments here. His condition is delicate and he may need to return to the hospital again, but we are so thankful for each day we are able to all be home together. We got the whooping cough test results back also today and they were negative. So we will continue to keep a close eye on (well...26 eyes are basically on him most of the day :) ) this little boy and give him lots of TLC and continue to lift him up before the Great Physician. Thank you for praying...it's so good to have "Little Brother" home :)

Pictures taken this evening from Samuel's room.

Empty Crib tonight :(

Loading up the things for Samuel's room

When I told Daniel this morning that I'd update the blog tonight, I never thought I'd be saying that Samuel is in the hospital again. We have enjoyed 10 wonderful days with our sweet little boy here at home. It still amazes me how incomplete our family feels with just his little self not here. While it's been a lot of work and time caring for him, lost sleep is sweet when he's in my arms. I had to make a chart when he came home to keep track of all his treatments he needed around the clock. Between feedings, nebulizations, and medications, we had to take care of him in some way almost every hour. Either my alarm or his little cry woke me up all night long and the children got use to bringing whatever we were doing (schoolwork, sewing, reading, ect...) to the bedroom each hour to help take care of our baby. Last night we completed the last of the treatments and I was so glad to finally file my charts away and set my alarm for a time closer to when the sun rises :) Samuel had a follow-up visit scheduled with the pediatrician this morning. I was a bit concerned about the reoccuring fevers he'd been having the past few days. Daniel was home and had just finished preparing for the service tonight, so he offered to take him into town to see the doctor while I continued home schooling. Samuel was running another low grade fever this morning, and his heart rate was running about 200-220 (due to the fever). The doctor ordered another chest x-ray and blood test and then admitted him as he has another case of pneumonia.
About 4 weeks ago, when Samuel was first admitted into the hospital here, they tested him for whopping cough. Our family had unknowingly at the time been exposed to it up in the states before Samuel was old enough to get his vaccination for it.
While we still have not heard the test results, it appears that is what Samuel has which is the underlying reason for all his complications. A 2 month old baby here had just died from whooping cough the week before Samuel was admitted back in June. The hospital here sees about 1 case a month and we are so thankful for the knowledge the Lord has given the doctors here in caring for Samuel.
Whooping cough can last 3 months or more, so we may still have a long road to travel. There is no "cure" for it, but you treat the complications from it as they arise.
We are continually blessed and encouraged as we read the comments from so many of you who continue to uphold us in prayer. "Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience." You know, between it being 97 degrees in the house each night, being over tired from caring for a sick little one, and having an awful "chest cold" for the past month (I may have whooping cough too...did you know you can get it as an adult even if you were fully vaccinated as a child?...I didn't! ), I have been tempted to complain on more than one occasion...and sometimes I just do complain and grumble and then not only am I unhappy, but I make everyone else unhappy around me. The Lord will work patience in me yet!
Just rising early, no matter how much I've been up at night, to have a bit of time alone with my Lord before I start the day, has carried me through and brought so much peace and joy to my heart. He is faithful and sure; He tells me to count each trial for joy and you know, when by His grace I choose to do that, He in turn gives me joy...no matter how hard it is and even if there is no end in sight, I know He is lovingly leading us and at times carrying us along and what a comfort to rest in Him.
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Well, I know this post is already long, but I had a few other things that I wanted to write about tonight seeing as how I didn't plan on writing about Samuel being in the hospital :)

Since Samuel came home 10 days ago, we've started full time in our new schedule and been able to work out most of the kinks now. I know many of you have asked to see it and I'd love to share it with you...when I first started scheduling, seeing examples of others schedules, especially ones who had many young children, was a great help in getting ours put together. But, we had a computer crash last week (part of the reason for the long time between posts here...that and the 12 children and 1 hubby who live here and require a bit of my time ;) ). I'm hoping my computer savy brother will be able to help his less than computer savy sister recover some of our documents, but if not, I'll have to type the schedule up again on the children's home school computer. I'm thankful that I printed up a couple of copies already. I'll let you all know when I have it ready.

My morning wake up time is 5:30 am as the children get up at 6:30 am and I love meeting the Lord there in our living room while it's still quiet. Monday, Samuel woke up early (4:30 am) and was hungry. After I fed him, I was wide awake and figured there wasn't really enough time for me to fall back asleep before the alarm went off, so I used the extra minutes to decorate our school room; Daniel let me go to the Dollar Tree while we were in the states and they have such a good size, fun school section! :) I tell you, what a few charts and pictures will do...the room looks so cheery and the children were so eager to study...that's a well spent $12! :)

Oh, I wanted to ask you all a favor. As you can see, I have a few pictures there in our kitchen.

Some of them have been sent to us by you! How exciting it has been to put a face to the name of those who we've been blessed to know through here. I have another large bulliten board waiting to be hung in our family room and I'd love to fill it with pictures from you all. So if you have a picture you could send us, we'd love to display it! Be sure to tell us who you are and where you are from and anything else you'd like to say. You can find our mailing address on the bottom of the right hand side bar.
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Daniel went out to the village of Jesus Maria yesterday for the first time since we've been back. Sadly, the men seemed harder than ever toward the gospel. They told Daniel he could come back another time but they didn't want to talk about the Bible anymore. Daniel said he'd return this coming week; there are several other villages in the "area" and he's planning on heading out early Tuesday morning and seeing how many villages he can preach in before dark.
Next week, Thursday through Saturday, we are having our 2nd annual Church Family Camp. With Samuel being sick, I'll probably have to stay home with the younger children, but the oldest 8 are counting down the days. I sewed Beka a new pair of culottes for swimming as she's grown several inches since last summer. We are praying that it will not only be a time of fun and fellowship, but that the Lord will work in the hearts of all who attend through the preaching.
We were encouraged last week to have 6 more come to trust Jesus Christ alone for their salvation...a man and his wife, an older man, a 20 year old lady, an 8 year old girl, and another lady who lives out on the way to the village. Five of them want to get baptized this month. How we rejoiced and praised the Lord all week long for bringing more souls to Himself! On the days when we just want to cry or give up, we remember how much the Lord suffered for us; how much we want the people here to know Him and His great love. Thank you Lord!
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And one last thing to share...
Timothy wanted me to video tape him doing what he calls a "Lazy Boy Backflip". When I first saw him do it, my heart about stopped, but now even Noah (age 4) can do one (though not quite as high as Timothy) and it's turned out to be quite a hit with my children and the neighborhood children too. :)

Wonderful normal

2009-06-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today has been what I would call a normal day...but oh what a special treat it has been. Everyone is walking (or in Nehemiah's case, running) around with extra bright smiles on their faces.
When Samuel came home from the hospital earlier in the month, he just never seemed "right". We were watching him very carefully and just had that nagging feeling that something was wrong.
But this time, Samuel seems so much better. He's still sick, but not so sick that we are afraid to take our eyes off him for a few minutes. He's eating well and has been awake looking around for hours. I think he likes it here :) and we are hoping he'll decide to stay for a while...18-20 years or so would be good :)
Today we felt like we could relax for the first time in a long time. We all sat around the breakfast table to eat oatmeal together while Daniel led our morning Bible time. Breakfast ended a bit late as ~~we all~~ mommy and daddy slept in a bit and we just all hung around the table visiting together.
We cleaned up and then the children wrote a letter while Daniel and I worked on our new prayer letter. We played for a while, made bean burritos for lunch, ate outside on the picnic tables, and then Rebekah made banana bread while the rest of us worked on afternoon projects...homework, music practice, housework, laundry and lots of cuddling with Samuel.
Normal just doesn't seem that normal today...it seems so very sweet and special.
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The girls have been asking me to cut them bangs this summer. I was planning on doing it the beginning of the month, but with all that was going on, it didn't happen. So today I called them into my bathroom one by one and gave them bangs.
Rebekah was first and when she walked out into the kitchen where Abigail and Elijah were washing dishes, they both immediately knew what was different about her and Elijah said, "Oh Rebekah, you look so beautiful and young! I like it a lot!" Abigail gave me that look of "Mommy, what about me????" so I smiled and pointed and off she ran for her turn.
Thank the Lord for plain, ordinary days :) They are so wonderful!

Night Night little Samuel...to sleep in your own bed

Reason for our sleeping in this morning...a round the clock feeding, medicine, nebulization schedule to help our little man continue to get better

These last shots are of the girls bang cut. Don't they look sweet? :)

Elijah took these pictures of us girls enjoying the afternoon sun. With so many men folk around here, us ladies love to get alone to visit...or giggle, which is what normally happens :)

Somebody came home....

2009-06-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

Somebody is missing home...

Awwww.....now that's more like it!

We hope your Lord's day was a wonderful as ours! Lots of snuggling, cuddling, kissing, hugging, loving and thanking the Lord to do as a FAMILY tonight! :)
God is so good! Thank you Lord!

Update on Little Samuel...and new family picture :)

2009-06-26T15:02:00.001-07:00

Little Samuel is still in the hospital, but has slowly been improving. Yesterday, Daniel called and said Samuel was being fussy but wasn't hungry and didn't seem to be in pain; it suddenly occurred to Daniel that maybe he was bored (he had felt so sick the past several days that all he wanted to do was lay down and sleep). So Daniel sat him up in his Bumbo seat and he stopped fussing, gave 3 big smiles (awwwww....I'm so sad I missed them :) ), and then sat there and looked around for over an hour. His lungs are sounding better and his appetite is gradually improving as well.
We still don't know when he'll be able to come home, but it just makes us so happy to see him doing better. Thank you so much for praying and for the comments and verses you shared with us. What a blessing you have been to us during this time!

When Samuel went into the hospital for 8 days at the beginning of this month, Daniel and I went back and forth taking turns caring for him. Daniel would stay with him overnight until around lunch time and then I would stay with him from then until late at night when Daniel would come back. I would get home around 10 or 11 pm and then begin on the housework and laundry. In the morning, I'd make breakfast, get the children up and ready, do a little bit of school with them and try to prepare something for lunch and/or supper for the family before I'd head back.

This time, after much thought and prayer, Daniel thought it would be best if he stayed at the hospital with Samuel most of the time and I stayed at home with the rest of the children. At first, I did not like that idea at all, but Daniel often has this annoying habit of being right :), and he asked me to just try it and that of course, I could come into town anytime if I really wanted to.
So that's what we did this week. And while I did miss my baby terribly, the Lord gave us all a good week. Samuel was so sick for most of the week that he just slept. Daniel brought his typewriter, Bible, books and paper and studied and worked on his sermons for this week. I was able to homeschool, care for and play with the other children and take care of the home. Everyone got some much needed rest too.
Wednesday afternoon, I got to stay with Samuel (yea! :) )for several hours while Daniel and the other children prepared for and held Wednesday night service at church. He gave me a big smile, let me feed him, and then slept in my arms until the nurses made me put him back under his oxygen hood. I brought him his favorite stuffed animals, extra blankets, books, toys, and Bible lullaby music. The nurses all said how cute his room looked and how good it was that I was making him feel like he was at home. I told them that I wonder if maybe Samuel thinks the hospital is his home as he's spent the majority of his life there. :)
I'll get to stay with him most of the weekend too. Saturday Daniel has soul-winning, teaches guitar class, has a meeting with the youth, as well as all the preparation for Sunday services; and then on Sunday he'll have services all day.
A pastor once told us that the magnitude of a trial is proportionate to the blessing that is to follow. We are so thankful that the Lord never gives us more than we can bear and is so good to freely give us the grace and strength we need as we go to Him. How we desire Him to be able to use us more fully!
Daniel has his cell phone and calls me throughout the day to give me updates on Samuel or just to chat (how I miss my hubby too! I love it when he calls!). How blessed I have been to hear over and over again the opportunities he has had to share the gospel with the nurses and other patients/their family members there.
Wednesday was my 36th birthday. Daniel said we'd celebrate as soon as Samuel gets to come home, and while I know he and the children want to give me a gift and have a cake, I told him that I just feel so very blessed already and had a truly good day.
Timothy and Benjamin made breakfast, the children were so sweet and gave me little treats from the store and made me many pictures and notes; my morning was filled with laughing and singing with my 11 here at home and then I got to cuddle with Samuel all afternoon. And in the evening, the nurse said she would watch Samuel for a bit so Daniel could take the children and I for supper...a really special treat...Chinese food! :)
Do you like the new family picture and blog header? We had that taken right before we headed back to Mexico. I look at the line up of precious little (and not so little anymore) ones and I either smile or cry...happy tears of course...tears that come from a heart that says "Why me?". Not a "why me" of regret but one of feeling so very undeservedly blessed!
Oh the Lord is so good! How loving, forgiving, and faithful He is! What a wonderful God!

Little Samuel is back in the hospital

2009-06-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

Last night we had to take Samuel back to the hospital. He just wasn't eating much at all and often vomiting the little he did eat. He was running a fever and just not breathing right. We were very concerned about him getting dehydrated, but you could tell he just felt too sick to eat.
Daniel took him to the ER and they admitted him. The doctor just came by this morning and said the blood work indicated that Samuel has an infection which is most likely pneumonia. He'll probably be in the hospital for several days.
We will keep you updated and appreciate your prayers so much. Besides the concern of having a little one so sick, both Daniel and I are weary. Again, we take turns staying at the hospital with Samuel or caring for the other children and ministry here. Isaiah 40:31 says, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength..." Most of the verses the Lord has given me during this trial have been on "waiting on the Lord."
My heart is comforted knowing that I can fully trust our Lord; He is so loving and good. Before he left for the hospital last night, Daniel prayed with me and read me James 1:2-4..."My brethern, count it ALL joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing."
My brother in law preached a message while we were up north on this very passage. He pointed out that the Bible calls trials "temptations" because they tempt us to respond in the wrong way. And how strong that temptation can be at times! How thankful we are for God's Word as we meditate on His truth. So we keep clinging to the Lord and His Word for He is our strength and our shelter in the time of storm. May His wonderful name be glorified.

Samuel's Home

2009-06-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

After a week in the hospital and many prayers, little Samuel was able to come home today. He's doing so much better and we appreciate your prayers as he continues to recover here at home.
This past week was one of the hardest weeks I've ever gone through, not just with Samuel being sick but another trial as well. The Lord gave me much alone time (very rare :)! ) there in that hospital as I sat for hours by Samuel's bedside. My heart hurt so badly and all I wanted to do was cry out to the Lord and read His Word. Daniel is always so strong and encouraged me to keep trusting the Lord. He reminded me again and again of truth that my mind and heart were forgetting. The book of Job and the Psalms became so dear to me. At the beginning of the week, I just wanted to lay down and cry, but after seeking the Lord those first few days, I just wanted to praise Him and sing. He again lifted my burdens and the joy and peace He gave! He keeps working on me, changing me, molding me...and how it hurts! His ways are so much higher than our own. But how wonderful it is to know Him more!
Thank you all so much for praying; I know often those words may sound trite, but oh if you could just see how the Lord answers your prayers! I told you all that I would update again once Samuel came home. Daniel called me from the hospital early one morning this week. He told me he honestly thought the Lord was going to take Samuel home to be with Him that past night. I thought maybe my next update would be letting you know that Samuel was home with his Heavenly Father. Each morning, we thanked the Lord for giving Samuel one more day. How short time is for all of us. Do you long for Heaven more and more? Do you long for His Kingdom to come? My heart longs for it much more than it did before. And my heart longs for those who do not know the King of Kings...who do not have them as their own Savior...How he wants them to come to Him while there is still time.
I cannot explain it, but we are seeing the Lord open hearts here like never before. Daniel would preach and preach and preach and come home saying, "Jaynee, we need to keep praying...they can't hear." And now, there seems to be a softness in their hearts...they are listening...they are coming. Our burden for their souls deepens.
Why the Lord chose us to go here for Him, I do not know. But I do know He has called us, sustains us, and continues to prepare us more and more for the work He has for us to do. May He receive all glory!
If any of you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and you want to know Him, please email us.
(*Amanda, please email me again). How we want you to know His mercy, grace, love and forgiveness in your life...what joy He gives!

Waiting on the Lord

2009-06-15T00:23:00.003-07:00

As you know, the Lord has lovingly allowed another trial to touch our lives. Little Samuel is still in the hospital; he’s still sick, but stable and the doctor tonight said his lungs are sounding a little bit better. We are thankful for the doctors and nurses the Lord has placed here to care for him. Just like we did during my pregnancy, we rest knowing the Lord has Samuel in his ever loving hands.
Either Daniel or I are by Samuel’s bedside day and night (which is why it‘s taken so long for us to update!). I’m grateful for Daniel taking the late night shift as he seems to be able to sleep anywhere…even a cold, hard hospital floor. Though it’s been very tiring physically, the Lord has enabled us to continue with the ministry as well as maintaining most of our schedule at home with the other children. Of course, Daniel and I miss being together as one of us is always here with Samuel while the other is working with the other children. But we pray together often over the phone and happily give up some sleep in the wee hours of the night so we can chat as well.
As you may know or can well imagine, having a sick child is not only physically draining but emotionally hard as well. We have been so blessed to have the love and prayers of so many which I know the Lord hears as He gently under girds us day by day/night by night.
Often times, as we pass through trials, the Lord will give me a special verse or verses to which I can cling. As my mind begins to doubt or fear or as discouragement comes, I say that special verse and let it’s truth fill my heart and mind. How precious is God’s Word! Yesterday, the Lord gave me Psalms 27:14~ “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”
I don’t remember how long ago it was that Daniel asked me if I would keep our blog updated. I have always enjoyed writing and am happy to share from my heart what the Lord is doing in our lives as we serve Him here in Mexico. He’s taught us so much, given us wonderful opportunities to share the gospel with those who have never heard, provided for our every need, and carried us through many trials which have caused us to grow in His grace and love Him all the more. We have thanked him for loving us so much to refine us more and more that we may be able to be used by Him. I can’t thank Him enough and through all the difficulties, our hearts overflow with joy each time we see someone come to Christ. We just want the Lord to use our lives to bring glory to His name.
This afternoon, I was sitting by Samuel while sharing some burdens that were heavy on my heart with Daniel. A thought came to his mind that had already crossed my mind as well. He said that maybe it would be best at this time take a break from the blog. We talked a bit and both felt the Lord’s peace over that decision. Right now, I just need to put my whole heart and time into caring for our children and then in the evenings (which is really the only time to use the computer) ….sleep! We’ll will be sure to let you know when Samuel get's back home and will pray about when to continue regular updates.
We are so thankful for those who have blessed us abundantly through emails and comments and most of all, have helped bear our burdens by bringing us before the Lord in prayer. We continue to desire your prayers and during this “break” , please feel free to write us (email or snail mail) anytime. The Lord is so good and faithful.
Love,
Daniel and Jaynee
Timothy, Elijah, Rebekah, Benjamin, Abigail, Isaiah, Josiah, Noah, Susannah, Nehemiah, Eliseo, and Samuel Lockwood

Little Samuel is in the hospital...

2009-06-12T00:56:00.000-07:00

Samuel's took a turn for the worse today. He sounded so much more congested and as he coughed, he couldn't breathe and would turn bluish/purple. I took him to the ER in the town next to us and they admitted him. The pediatrician will be in early in the morning to evaluate him and take chest x-rays. Daniel is there with him now; the children and I will return in a few hours. He turned 3 months old today.
The Lord is so good; He loves us so much; and He hears.
While my heart aches so badly right now, I know I am not alone. I can cry my heart out to my God and He hears. When sleep won't come, I can open His precious Word and cling to His promises.
Please pray the Lord will heal our little boy.

Thinking Truth

2009-06-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

Between caring for sick little Samuel and being sick myself, I've had quite a few sleepless nights.
When feeling weary, little things can seem overwhelming. When I feel discouraged or at a loss, I tend to try to reason things out in my mind and "fix the problem" which in turn generally leaves me feeling worse. But more and more, I am learning to take the Lord my every burden, little and big, and open His Word to search for truth.
By filling my thoughts with what is true, those doubts, fears, and worries fade as I know He so lovingly cares for me and gives me His grace and strength to do all He's called me to do.

We took Samuel to the doctor in La Paz this week and he said he has bronchilitis. He started him on another antibiotic as well as several other medicines to help relieve his symptoms and help him fight the infection.
So we have our own little mini pharmacy at my bedside :) As I tend to Samuel throughout the night, it is so sweet to know my Lord meets me there as well. As I give him his medicines and feed him, I give him to the Lord knowing He loves and cares for each one of our children so much more than even Daniel and I do.

During the afternoons while the little ones rest, I've been plugging away at our new schedule. Each morning, I ask the Lord to help me and give me wisdom as I put it together. Daniel has spent a couple of his free evenings going over it with me giving me his thoughts/ideas. This is so important to me because my goal is not only to give order to our day and cover our schooling/chores, but to ensure each day, we are taking steps toward the vision/goals that our husband/father has set for our family.
I also have re-read "Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit" by Teri Maxwell. I read this each summer as I am about to enter another school year. I highly recommend it to any mom who homeschools. It is an easy, simple read, yet the deep truths she covers from God's Word have encouraged me immensly as I endeavor to follow the Lord in teaching my children here at home.

Due to sickness, I've only been able to attend a couple of church services since we've been home, but how sweet it was to fellowship once again with our brothers and sisters in Christ here. Daniel was so encouraged to see the faithfulness of each member in our absense and their hunger and thirst for God's Word hasn't waned but rather grown all the more. How blessed we are to have God's Holy Spirit in us as we become His children as He guides us and changes us as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Saviour!

Here are a couple of new Samuel shots:
He loves his bath time and just looks at me with a look of "awwwww! I'm so relaxed Mommy" :)

Saturday was Abigail's 8th birthday. What a joy she is! Her smile lights up the room and her sweet spirit is so beautiful.
She loves to play with her baby brothers and is so patient with them.

Here are a few pictures from her special day:
She asked for omelets for her birthday breakfast. Yum :)

We had nachos for her birthday supper...Eliseo really enjoyed them :)

She got a weaving loom from Grandma and she and half the other children have been enjoying making things.

She looks so much like her Daddy (especially in this picture :) ) and loves to please Him.

She is quite the little lady and so very helpful! I've been told that as your children get older, they become more and more your friends. Oh, how blessed I shall then be!

A little bit of this and that

2009-06-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

After 3 1/2 days of non-stop unloading, unpacking, sorting, putting things away, cleaning a VERY dusty, spider web filled house, and LOTS of laundry, this is the face of a hot, sweaty, tired, and VERY happy mommy... who after this picture was taken, went outside with a big glass of iced lemonade as she watched her children and their neighborhood friends play once again in their back yard.

Oh, it is so good to be home. It is so good to be in the place where I know the Lord has called our family to serve Him.
And this is room that I walked through to get to the back yard. I couldn't have done that the day before as it was piled high with laundry from the trip. It is so good to be caught up on laundry too! :)

Notice there are 3 washers and 2 dryers (plus a nice clothes line outside!)...we went from having no working washers and dryers last year (those were interesting days!) to finally having 1 working one of each. And then, right before I had to fly to the states for the baby, we got 2 more washers and another dryer! Someday I'll share how that happened.... :)
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The next few days, I'll be working on our summer schedule. It will be a bit different this year...mainly in the fact that we will have to continue on with school full time as we missed so much during the time Samuel and I were in the hospital. But I'm not hearing any complaints :) Everyone is eager to "get back to work"!
One of the biggest things we all missed while up north was being able to sit around the same table together.

Once Eliseo outgrows the highchair, we'll be shy a seat...and of course someday, little Samuel will be joining us too...but I've heard Daniel and the boys making plans to build a "really big table" :)
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Thank you for praying for Susannah. Her chin is healing very nicely and she says, "It doesn't hurt at all unless Noah tries to take my stitches out" ???? :)

Speaking of Noah, the other day, I walked into our bedroom to do something and Noah was standing there at the dresser obviously waiting for Daddy to come in and help give him a clear conscience about something.
I asked him, "Noah, what did you do?"
He replied, "I pushed Nehemiah on the ground"
I said, "Oh, that's not nice. Should we push people?"
"No", he said.
"Why shouldn't we push people, Noah", I asked him.
His answer..."Because the Bible says 'Thou shalt not push'"! :)
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So after breakfast yesterday, everyone did their chores....

And then we all kept busy while we waited for Daddy to be ready to take us over to work at the church...

And while the girls here are greatly out numbered...you can still see their fingerprints on many things...

Hna. Tola and Hna. Victoria walked from all the way across town to come see their newest "grandbaby" (as they call him). They checked him all our from head to toe and then got lots of time to hold and love on him while we drank coffee and chatted.

Finally it was time to head over to the church to work. Remember the pick-up that was given to us that Daniel's brother brought down in December? Doesn't it fit our family nicely? :)

While the girls and I cleaned inside, the boys worked on the yard.

After a couple hours of work, we were all hot and thirsty. We went back home and I opened my cupboard to get a couple of pitchers to make something to drink...and the new pitcher I brought back from the states was gone. After looking around I bit, I spied it out on the back porch (along with one of my pots). Now how did they get out there?

I guess the boys leave their fingerprints on somethings too :)

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We are all battling with chest colds right now and little Samuel was running a fever again yesterday. I'm sure that it being 92 degrees in the house didn't help, so stripped him, bathed him, and put a cool cloth on his head which brought his temp down considerably. His cough has gotten worse, poor baby. We have church service tonight and will be praying for him there. Will you please pray for him too? We have to go to the capital tomorrow and will get him checked by the pediatrician there.
We know God hears and answers prayer...I still remember that almost everytime I see or hold Samuel.

Home

2009-05-31T22:21:00.000-07:00

My baby sister Jacquee, her husband Chuck, and their twins with Samuel and I.
We surprised them on our way back home and finally got to see each other's babies! :)

A couple of Samuel's NICU nurses took me out to lunch the day before we left. And they gave us gift cards/money to buy a couple of meals on the road! What a treat! Yea for the dollar menus!

We stopped by and visited several people/churches on our way home. The children enjoyed playing at Pastor Wilkerson's house (First Baptist of Long Beach, CA) after being in the car for several hours.

We finally made it! We managed to turn a 3 day trip into a week, but none the less, we are home! I had great plans of taking pictures of our arrival and some video of the children jumping and running around with shouts of sheer joy as they one by one brought me all the things they'd missed that they wanted me to see...but the camera got lost among the piles of books, games, sunflower seeds, diapers, and all the other things that were covering the floor of the van. I did take some pictures during our travels and so will share some of those with you all.
Thank you so much for praying for us as we traveled. We praise the Lord for bringing us home again safely. We arrived home Friday night, and between all our luggage, supplies, and dontated clothing for the people here, I was thankful I didn't lose a child in all the mess! :) The children and I plugged away here at home and we finally have everything in it's place. Daniel has already had many calls to minister since we walked back into the door and I'm so thankful to know the Lord has called him to serve Him here; we are eager to see the Lord continue to work in the hearts of those here in the days ahead.
We had a long but good trip home. I tell you, it's been quite a week!! One of the reasons it took so long is that Samuel got sick. He began running a fever, coughing, and sounding all wheezy. We were so concerned and at the time were in San Diego planning on crossing the border the next morning. We weren't sure what to do. We prayed and then I woke up all night long to check on him. His fever was higher in the morning, so we decided we'd better try to find a doctor. We called Daniel's brother/sister in law and asked them to call the our church's prayer chain. I hadn't a clue how to find a doctor, so I just opened the yellow pages and called a pediatrician. She saw us right away and was so very nice. Samuel had fluid in his lungs, but his fever was gone by the time we got there (thank you Lord!). We have a couple of children with breathing problems, so we carry a nebulizer with us at all times. So she put him on an antibiotic and prescribed some medicine to use in the nebulizer to help his breathing. He seems to be doing better now; we have to go to the capitol this week so we'll take him to see the pediatrician there to get checked. So please pray for Samuel to continue to get better.
Daniel just got home from taking Susannah to the hospital. She was taking her shower tonight when she slipped and cut her chin open. We knew she needed some stiches and so Daniel took Rebekah (as moral support and comfort for her little sister)and Susannah to the ER. An couple hours and a few stitches later, they are home and sleeping together soundly.
It's so good to be home! Thank you Lord!

Next post will be from....

2009-05-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

Home! :) We're pulling out in a couple of minutes. The Lord has been blessed us abundantly during our time here through so many answered prayers. What a wonderful Heavenly Father we have! He is so good!
Thank you for praying! Pray as we travel home that the Lord will keep us safe. Pray for our little ones as several have bad coughs/colds right now. Pray that little Samuel will stay healthy and not catch what the rest of them have.
God bless you!

Swine Flu

2009-05-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

We've had a few people ask us about the Swine Flu. Some are wondering if we are nervous about going back to Mexico or if there have been any cases in our specific area.
From what we have researched, to date, there are no reported cases in our area (Baja California Sur). In fact, last time we checked, there were more cases reported now in the United States than in Mexico.
After much prayer and counsel, we feel the Lord would have us to return to our home and the ministry there at this time.
We do not fear returning and know that the safest place to be is right where the Lord has called us. We rest secure in His loving care knowing He is with us whithersoever we go.

After 5 months in the states....

2009-05-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

....we are heading HOME! Lord willing, we'll be leaving the end of this week to take our little Samuel (and his 11 big siblings) back home to Mexico! Can I even begin to tell you long we've been looking forward to this day?
When we first came up here, we were unsure of many things. We did not know when we'd be able to return and we just prayed that all 14 of us would return together. We have seen the Lord answer so many prayers and while the past few months have not been easy, how we thank Him for the trial. He carried us through each day, strengthened our faith and oh how we love Him more. Thank you for praying along with us all this time. God has heard!

Plans for this week: Packing, cleaning, vehicle repairs, celebrate Benjamin's 9th birthday, saying good bye to family/friends, packing, packing and packing! :)....oh, and a very long drive back to our yellow home in the desert.

Plans for next week: Unpacking, cleaning, settling back in, and introducing Samuel to our church family/friends/neighbors who can't wait to meet him!...oh, and lots of laundry...there always is after a trip! :)

Plans after that: Daniel- Preach, teach, disciple, pray and work, work, work. Mommy/children- Help Daddy in whatever he needs and begin our new summer schedule.
And hopefully begin posting again more regularly :)

We're Back...

2009-05-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

...to posting here that is :) Not quite home to Mexico yet, but getting there soon!
I know some of you worry when you don't hear from us...I must spoil you all and post too often :) Around here, no news means I haven't had time to sit at the computer.
We are all super, duper (to borrow a phrase from my children) excited to be "almost" home! Plans and arrangements are being made now and Lord willing, we will be leaving here in 2 weeks!
Daniel has been wrapping up our time here preaching. On the 3rd, we were up in the mountains in a town called Burney, CA where he spoke at one of our supporting churches there. And this past Sunday, we were in Boise, Idaho where Daniel spoke at another church. We had a wonderful time at both places and were so very blessed and refreshed spiritually. How sweet it is to fellowship with such dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
But, as I'm sure you can imagine, packing and unpacking for 14 people each trip is quite a task...it takes up all the free time I didn't know I had! :)
We also went to a retirement home here in town where the children sang for about 45 minutes while Daniel shared the gospel with the residents between songs. Afterwards, they shared some chocolate-chocolate chip cookies with us while we visited together.
Samuel is growing and growing and growing! :) We praise the Lord he's doing so well and the children can't wait to show him their "real" home :)
Oh...and a side note...remember my baby sister Jacquee who had twins shortly after I had Samuel? Well, my next to the baby sister Jessee and her hubby just announced that they are expecting twins as well! I love nieces and nephews! I'm so happy for them!
We celebrated Daniel/Daddy's 36th birthday last week. It was the most beautiful day and we took the children to Shasta Dam where they offer a free tour of the dam and have lots of hands on activities and information for the children.
I hope you all had a blessed Mother's Day. Saturday, on our way up to Idaho, we stopped at a park to eat lunch and let the children run and stretch their legs a bit. Daniel was doing running races with them and I shot a quick video. I played it back when we got back into the van and just had to laugh. Sure it there is a lot of work in being a mommy, but there is just so much fun! The Lord is so good!

As you can see.....

2009-04-29T16:14:00.000-07:00

we've been busy around here. Soon I'll write a post answering your questions about our plans for returning home to Mexico and such.
But for now, there's a baby to kiss/hug/snuggle/stare at/hold/love/touch/smell.

Caught in the Rain

2009-04-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we spent much of the morning/early afternoon doing various errands. We took Samuel to his pediatric appt. (6 lbs 14 oz!!), picked up our mail, attempted (unsuccessfully) to get Samuel to open his eyes for a passport picture, and did a few other things.
After being in the car so long, we thought it would be fun to take the children for a walk down the trail to the Sundial Bridge. So with 3 stollers and an Ergo baby carrier, we began our family walk. It was a beautiful day, partly sunny, a bit breezy, and the children had so much fun hiking down to the bridge. But by the time we got there, the blue sky was grey and it was staring to sprinkle. The droplets began to grow bigger and we ran for cover under a canopy.
We waited out the worst of it there before making our way back up the trail. While Samuel stayed completely safe, warm, and dry in his covered carseat/stroller, the rest of us...well, as Timothy put it, "Hey, we just got our shower for the day!" :)
Eliseo was in one of the umbrella stollers and as the rain fell and he started to get wet he began to cry. I wrapped him in a blanket and Daniel scooped him up in his arms and carried him, protecting him from most of the rain, for the remainder of the hike.
As we approached the top of the hill, Daniel said, "This reminds me of what the Lord does for us. Trials, just like this rain, come...often unexpectedly. And just like we had no choice but to walk through this rain to get home, we have to go through trials as well. But like Eliseo who cried out as the water fell and within moments found himself safe and warm in my arms, the Lord carries us through. We are weak, but He is strong and so loving...how He cares for us!"
Thank you Lord for carrying us through the rain.

After 55 days in the hospital....

2009-04-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

...11 inside of mommy and 44 in the NICU, our little Samuel Thomas Lockwood came home! How we have missed him! How much we love him!
Thank you Lord for bringing our family together again...thank you for our little Samuel.

...

Three days down....

2009-04-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

...two to go.

Samuel has gone 3 full days without any apeneas or bradys...
Keep it up little guy and you'll be home Saturday night!!!

Happy 6 week birthday to my littlest man today! :)

Our little girl is 10 years old!

2009-04-20T21:16:00.001-07:00

Today we celebrated Rebekah's 10th Birthday. We had a rough weekend; after spending much of Saturday in the ER with Elijah, several of the children came down with the stomach flu on Sunday. I was so thankful that the Lord kept Beka from being sick (so far) so she could enjoy her special day.
Daniel had a lot of office work he needed to get done and most of the children were lying around resting/recovering. So I was so excited to be able to take Rebekah out for the afternoon like I'd planned. What a wonderful time we had! She said it was the best afternoon ever and thanked me and hugged me; but I tell you, she was the one who made it so much fun. I love being with Rebekah. The smallest things bring her so much excitement and joy. Her fun, joyful and loving spirit is contagious and she always brightens my day.
We first went up to the NICU to visit Samuel. Beka certainly has a built in mothering touch and a love for all babies and little children. She was hoping so much that Samuel would be home for her birthday, and when she heard that it will still be a while (he still is having problems with his heartrate/apnea), she wanted to postpone her birthday meal/cake until we could ALL be together. So that is just what we'll do :)
After the hospital, we went out to lunch where she ordered a chicken/cranberry sandwich, yogurt with fruit/granola, and a smoothie for us to share. It was delicious and the time spent talking even sweeter.
Finally, we went shopping for her birthday. She picked out a purse (with some fun thigns to fill it), some pink flip-flops, a kit to make bracelets and one to weave potholders, and a camera.
She opened her gifts tonight and then we went around the room with each person sharing special things about Rebekah.
Rebekah is a servant...she see's needs and meets them often often without being asked. She loves to take care of little children and is so creative in her play. She has about as much energy as our other 11 combined and while we are often telling her to slow/calm down, I am grateful for the way she puts her whole heart into most everything she does.
Thank you Lord for giving us Rebekah...she is so sweet, sensitive, and caring.

Another trip to the ER

2009-04-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

Between Samuel being born premature, Daniel/Joel's accident, and my pregnancy complications, we've been in the hospital for the past 7 weeks. So everything was very familiar as we took Elijah (age 11) into the ER late this morning.
It was a beautiful day and Daniel was doing some yard work outside while the children and I helped/played along side. Timothy came up to me and said that Elijah had gone inside the house crying but he didn't know what was wrong with him. Isaiah told me that Elijah and some of the others were playing in some cardboard boxes in the garage when Elijah's box got pushed over and he'd bumped his head.
I called Elijah out to me and while he was crying and said he'd hurt his head, he appeared to be okay and after some hugs and an apology from the one who'd knocked him over everyone went back to work/play.
Our neighbor came over to visit for a few minutes and then I went inside to pump for Samuel. Afterwards, I went to the laundry room and heard some moans from the boys room. Elijah was on the bed moaning/crying and mostly asleep. It was hard to wake him and when I asked him what was wrong he said his head hurt really bad. I asked him if it was from his fall and he said, "What fall?"
He didn't remember anything about that day at all and was looking pale, was very lethargic, in great pain, and getting nauseous.
We knew we needed to get him to a doctor. Daniel's brother Joel (the one who was in the accident with Daniel) and his wife and family drove up at that moment as Deb and the children were going to visit while Daniel went with Joel to work on a project.
So they stayed with the children while Daniel and I took Elijah to the walk in clinic right down the road. The doctor looked at him and told us to take him right to the ER.
We got to the ER and Elijah started to throw up. We were thankful they took him right in and within 15 minutes they took him to get a CT of his head. We spend the next several minutes listening to Elijah's moans and praying with him and for him.
The doctor came in and said the scans looked good...no fractures or bleeds that they could see. He just has a bad concussion. We again thanked the Lord for His care and after giving Elijah some more nausea meds and pain med they sent us home.
So when you pray for our family, could you please pray for Elijah especially.
How thankful I am that our loving Lord is ever near and always hears.

Little Samuel is 5 weeks old today!

2009-04-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

We were hoping our little Samuel would be coming home this week, but the Lord just must want us to wait a bit longer. He's doing well, but still has a couple of issues. The biggest one is the bradys he continues to have (sudden drop in heart rate). These are normal for preemies, and Samuel was doing much better with them. But then he started to have more. If he is able to self resolve (the heart rate goes back up without any stimulation from the nurses...rubbing the back, turning him ect...) or they happen during a feeding, they don't really "count" those. But Samuel's been having them when he's sleeping and he's required some stimulation to get his heart rate back up. The nurse today told me that the earliest discharge date would now be the middle of next week.
Monday, they checked his blood and his hemoglobin was low (in the 8's). The doctor told me that possibly that could be the reason for the increase in the bradys. So they gave him 3 days worth of a special medicine to hopefully help his body prodoce those red blood cells and they'll recheck his blood tomorrow. If his numbers are still low, they'll talk about a blood transfusion. We are praying that the medicine will help his body do what it needs to and there will be no need for a transfusion.
We are very excited to report that our youngest little Lockwood is truly related to the rest of his siblings...he loves to eat! He started nursing today and is up to...are you ready for this....6 lbs!!!
Thank you so much for praying for him. I tell him all the time how much he is loved and prayed for...and sometimes, he smiles :)
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Here are the latest pics of our "big" little boy:
Biggest Brother/ Littlest Brother :)

Biggest Sister Rebekah

"Sammy's little Lamby" :)

After visiting Samuel, we took the children to the park down by the river.

Anywhere we go as a family, we have the children walk in a line so we don't "block traffic". Daddy leads and mommy is at the tail end to make sure nobody gets lost.

They have these big windows so you can see under part of the river. The children hope to someday see a fish.

I agree, Eliseo...Daddy is much more interesting to look at than a fish :)

Nehemiah stood there the whole time and said, "Peesh!" (fish)

We walked down the trail to the Sacramento River

While the older ones ran around looking for squirrels, the little ones played at the playground.

I love these next two shots :)

Eliseo is now 1 !

2009-04-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

Our Little Eliseo with the big blue eyes is now a year old! Saturday was his birthday and what a fun day we had! We spent the morning baking coffee cake and putting together an egg casserole for breakfast our church's sunrise service Easter morning. We also boiled eggs to dye and made resurrection cookies as we read and talked about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Saturday we had one of Eliseo's favorite meals....Mac n Cheese...along with a homemade cake for supper.
How thankful I am the Lord gave us Eliseo. Every child we have is so special and unique! I remember about 11 years ago, I was sitting in a rocking chair in our living room holding Timothy, our one and only little one at the time. I was 8 months pregnant with Elijah and as I held Timothy, I started crying. Here I was about to have another baby and I just couldn't imagine loving a child as much as I loved Timothy.
And I still remember when they first put Elijah in my arms after his birth. I remember holding my new baby, looking at his face, and I clearly remember thinking, "Oh, I get it!" A mother's love isn't divided between her children...it is multiplied over and over again!
Eliseo is just the sweetest little thing. He's so easy going and all smiles!
While all of our children have a nick name, Eliseo kind of has the opposite. I've made up a song for each of our children and Eliseo's song is "Little Eliseo with the big blue eyes...". And that is just what he gets called.
I had Susannah up visiting Samuel with me in the NICU the other day. One of the nurses asked her if she liked her new baby brother to which she replied, "Yes, I have 2 babies now". The nurse asked her what her other baby's name was and she said, "Little Eliseo with the big blue eyes". :)

Samuel is doing super! All his buddies in the NICU (the ones born the same time he was) have gone home now, so his nurse gave Samuel a pep talk yesterday. :) Lord willing, he could be home as early as this week! I can't believe we could be going back home soon! How we've missed home!

Prayer for Joel

2009-04-09T10:40:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: After spending all day and much of the evening in the ER, and an MRI and MRA, Joel was released to go home last night. A vertebrae in his neck and several in his back suffered fractures, but thankfully they were not severe and they sent him home in a back/neck brace which he must wear for a couple of months hopefully allowing his bones to heal and protecting him from further injury.
We were privileged to watch 5 of their 6 children yesterday. It was so fun! :) During evening devotions, Daniel pulled out his guitar and I tell you...16 children singing from their hearts...what a sweet sound! Thank you so much for your prayers!

Daniel's brother Joel just called. He got the results of a CT scan. His neck and back are fractured in several places. He's on the way to the emergency room right now, so please pray for him! We'll keep you updated as we know more.

The Lord is so good! I'm working on writing out the details of the accident and how evident the hand of the Lord was through it all and how He has worked in my heart so much this month. Daniel woke me up Sunday morning, the day after he and Joel got home, and said, "Honey, it's been a wonderful week. Although it's been hard, anything that draws us closer to the Lord is wonderful." How true that is!

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Little Samuel is growing like.....a weed?...nah....he's growing like a Lockwood! :) Yesterday, he weighed in at 5 lbs 3 oz...he's huge! ;) We are praying that he will learn to eat like a Lockwood too. He isn't too excited about eating anything through his mouth and tuckers out quickly. He prefers it through his nose tube. Once he learns to eat well through his mouth and once he outgrows those "bradys" (sudden declines in his heartrate), he can come home.
It is hard to believe he'll be a month old on Sunday. And Eliseo will turn 1 year old on Saturday. So much to celebrate! Thank you Lord!

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Timothy was very concerned that I immediately update his age on the blog side bar this morning...today he is officially 12 and A HALF. When people ask him how old he is, he likes to reply, "Next year I'll be 14". It always confuses me when he says that because he's only 12.

At breakfast this morning, I was again telling the children why we gave them the names we did.
Timothy- "He who honors God"/ Daniel- Daddy's name
Elijah- "Jehovavh is God" / Douglas- Grandpa Lockwood's name
Rebekah- "Yoke or Loyal" Grandma Smith's name / Sandra- Grandma Lockwood's name
Benjamin- "Son of my right hand" / Randall- Grandpa Smith's name
Abigail- "My father's joy" / Marie- Great grandma Lockwood's middle name
Isaiah- "Salvation of the Lord" / Robert- Great grandpa Lockwood's middle name
Josiah- "Jehovah heals" (born 2 days after we found out Timothy's tumor was gone)/
Wesley- After the great man of God John Wesley
Noah- "Rest" / Hancock- Named after my "adopted" Grandma and Grandpa Hancock
Susannah- "Lily" / Evelyn- Great Grandma Smith's middle name
Nehemiah- "Comforter" / Emmanuel- "God with Us" because Nehemiah was born at
Christmas during a very lonely time for us
Eliseo- "God is my salvation" / Edward- named after Daniel's best friend who died at
the age of 29
Samuel- "God has heard" / Thomas- named after Daniel's Uncle Tom

Of course, my children's next question was, "When we have another baby, can we name him or her ..........? :)

Thank you for praying...Joel and Deborah appreciate it so much too.