Merry Christmas from the Bookamer home!

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel" — which means, "God with us." ~ Matthew 1:23

We are so thankful that God came to live with mankind as Jesus Christ, and that He is still with us through His Holy Spirit. Life is not always easy, but thanks be to God for His grace through Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

To catch you up with our growing girls, Jamila is in 5th grade, Joanna is in 4th, Julia is in 2nd, & Jenna is spending her last year home with Mama before she goes off to kindergarten next year. She has told me that she has decided not to have any more birthdays so that she can stay home with me. :) Speaking of Jenna, this week she was so excited to tell me that she figured out “P starts with pizza” … then later “penguin, too!”

Jamila, Joanna, & Julia all played soccer (aka football) in the spring & plan to again this coming spring. Each of them does very well in school & love to keep up Webkinz accounts.

Jamila & Joanna are working very hard illustrating my children’s picture books based on UAE childhood memories. I then scan them into the computer to create my 2-page spreads, formatting to add the text & borders. I am getting pretty excited that they might actually get published after working on them for many years. (I had an excellent illustrator friend who just never had time to finish a book to submit it to a publisher.) So far, we have the inside covers, 7 pages & the glossary for the 1st book, as well as 2 pages for the 2nd book. I am so thankful for the girls’ abilities & willingness, especially since my neuro-muscular condition makes it impossible for me to draw like I used to.

The difficult aspect of our lives is my diagnosis with spinocerebral ataxia (SCA). I just finished 6 weeks of physical therapy, which (not surprisingly) didn’t help. David & the girls really pitch in to do what I find it increasingly difficult to do. In addition to all that David already does at work & at home, he is up for a 3-year term as deacon at our church. And so, the Lord continues to remind us to rely totally on His grace as we strive to live each day to His glory.

Coming to the end of PT ...

Next week will be my 6th & final week of physical therapy. We can't see any improvement, but hopefully it is slowing down the progression of the ataxia (SCA). I have PT homework to do, so will try to remain faithful at these balance & coordination exercises. I will miss my therapist's lower leg massage rub-downs that I have been spoiled with at the end of each of my PT sessions.

I do struggle with feeling totally unmotivated & with bursting into fits of crying for inexplicable reason, but the prayer of dear friends & St. John's Wort supplements seem to be helpful. Thank you for your continued prayer for me.