I’m sorry for the email problem in the last blog.  This is the new one:  lalinam786762@yahoo.com 
They have changed the address on their blog, but it links to an invalid address. Cut and paste this yahoo one to get through. 

Abby has an update going at http://www.abbylinam.blogspot.com/

There’s some good news about Abby today.  She is beginning to swallow. A couple of her good friends went to see her and said Abby smiled when they started dancing around and acting silly. There’s still so much she needs to relearn.  We just keep praying!!  Thanks to all of you.

This is what Abby’s desk looks like at our school.  We keep a candle burning to remind us to pray for her. We are also making a photo album for her to look at to help her remember us.

Our girl Abby was moved to a rehab center this week.  She is still doing pretty poorly.  They are working on very simple skills, like swallowing and focusing her eyes.  We continue to pray for a miracle, but we are aware that it will take a miracle for her to be completely healed.  I believe God is a miracle worker today just as He has been in the past.  Thanks all of you for praying for her!!

Her family is wanting to set up a world map to pinpoint where prayers are coming from.  If you are praying for Abby, would you email them to let them know?  I think they really need to know the magintude of her prayer support.  I can imagine that they are really struggling with her slow progress. This is from the blog that her parents have going.

Abby update – October 29

I went to see Abby yesterday afternoon.  I know God does miracles.  I have seen some first hand.  I must say that we certainly need one here.  She has been off medication for a week now, and she is still not awake.  They will soon be moving her to a rehab center which means the hospital feels there isn’t much more they can do.  I wished I had had the faith to say, “Rise up, Abby!”  but I just didn’t at that time, and I wasn’t going to fake it.  Please keep her and her family in your prayers.  I know it is really hard on them as time passes and progress is so slow.  She has opened her eyes, but she doesn’t focus.  She was holding a big stuffed dog, and her hands relaxed when she felt it. The nurses took it away for a few minutes to adjust some tubes.  So there are some signs of awareness. 

Her parents’ blog is http://www.abbylinam.blogspot.com/ if you’d like more details.  In addition to their being at the hospital day and night, they had a water pipe in their house burst and flood part of it.  I heard that they were going to try to bring her dog in to see her last night. I hope it worked out.  She was part of an agility training club in Austin and competed with her Golden Retriever.  Thanks to all of you who have been faithfully praying for her.

I got tagged. I’m supposed to tag 5 others, so look out!!

1. You and Jesus go out to dinner — who pays?
Since everything I have comes from him, I guess it would make little difference. 
I would want to though because it would be such an honor! I can’t imagine where
would be good enough though!

2. You suddenly have to flee the country and adopt an alias.  What would it be?
I think I’d move to Russia with Nick and become Svetlana Fedosevna Sukardenski. The name Sukardenski comes from one of Nick’s ancestors who is responsible for the famous Sukardenski nose. Another option would be to move to Idaho, become Coyote Wise Woman, and teach knitting
and bread making. Again with Nick who would become Sparky (Colorado nickname for the electrician) Wise Guy.

3.  Pick one state in the US to get rid of permanently.
Get rid of as in to wipe off the face of the earth or to incorporate into another state.  I wouldn’t want to imagine total elimination, but I think that Wyoming could become an extension of Colorado without any problem. They could come up with a new name like Wyrado or Colorming. 

4.  You wake up as the opposite gender, what’s the one thing you want to try?
OK, to wake up as a man of my age with my health problems…the only thing I’d want at that point would be to try to change back!
But if I woke up as a young healthy man minus back trouble and fear of heights,  I’d like to design and build a house!

5.  What’s an automatic deal breaker in a potential significant other?
Lack of integrity. You cannot have a relationship with a basically dishonest person.

6.  Stupidest thing you’ve ever said out loud?
I don’t even want to remember!

7.  You’re sentenced to death and it’s the morning of your execution.  
What do you want to eat?
Honestly, at that point, I don’t think I’d be interested in food!

 8.  If you were an animal, what would you be?
I think I’d like to be a mouse in the walls of a great cathedral.  What fun It would be to run in and out of the many spaces in the stones and to see all the different rooms and people.   That is assuming, of course, that the monks or priests don’t have cats or set out bait!

9. What’s something your friends make fun of you for?
Probably for mixing up words.  I do it all the time with very strange ideas.  Like “Could you go get the milk out of the oven for me?” “Uh, what?”  “Oh, sorry, I mean refrigerator.”

10.  If you were on Death Row for Murder, what would be the details of your crime?
It would be a frame-up because I was causing such a revival in a Godless country that the government was ready to do anything to get rid of me. And I’d go out smiling!

Last weekend I spent most of  my time driving.  This is rather amazing since our car has been broken for months. In some ways it was scarey. I found that I wasn’t used to paying that close attention, but all went well anyways!  Actually we rented a car for me to go to Corpus Christi, three and a half hours, spend the night and then go on to Laredo with my daughter in the morning, another three hours, to see my goddaughter and her mother.  We had a wonderful day of shopping, visiting, eating out, and in general just being family! Both daughters are pregnant so it adds to the joy of visiting. 

Rachel and Lira were best friends all their lives.  Her mother and I were also close when we were in Colorado. Rachel spent many days at our house when she was growing up.  In high school, she lived with us which gave her instant siblings close to her age.  We all benefited!  So now they are to have babies that I hope love each other as much as their mothers do.

 

That was then.  This is now.

We drove back in the middle of the night, getting back to Corpus at 2:30 am. Now that was hard!

You know, God does talk to us.  I was there when Rachel was born at home in Colorado. Right before her birth, I distinctly heard the “thought” that said, “Go wash up.  You are going to be the first person to hold her, and she is going to be very important in your life.” So I scampered to the other end of the house and hurriedly washed my hands and arms and ran back just as she came. The doctor wrapped a blanket around her and handed her over. I guess technically the doctor touched her first, but I definitely held her first and I prayed, thanking God for his promises and for her safe delivery. Twenty-eight years later, that promise is true!

In the midst of all that has been happening with my class, life has moved on too.  Last Wednesday we had rewards day for a magazine subscription fundraiser we have at our school.  Each class had a goal based on the number of students.  If the class met their goal, they were allowed to color their teacher’s hair for the day.  My class jumped on it and were the first to make it. My helper and I both agreed to it.  So here’s the result of their efforts!

It’s not just a spot in front either!! 

Abby’s family has started a blog on blogspot.  They are posting daily updates now.  http://www.abbylinam.blogspot.com/   Sorry, I don’t know how to write in the name and not the address.  Thanks for your continuing prayers.  We have a candle we light every day on her desk to remind us to pray for her. 
 

I was so looking forward to sharing good news about Abby.  It looked like she was progressing so well, but this afternoon after they removed the feeding and breathing tubes, she began trying to talk and move around. I guess it was the excitement of waking up that caused her brain to swell again.  She is back in the induced coma and they are saying they are not going to try to wake her up for at least 5 days! This is sad news indeed. 

On a more positive note, her friend Taylor was released today.  I don’t know what will happen concerning the surgery they said she needed. Perhaps she won’t need it after all.  Thanks to  those of you who are praying!!

The crucial third day has passed.  For head trauma, 48 to 72 hours are the most crucial, and Abby has steadily improved.  This is the report from out school web site:

Thursday night was a good night for Abby.  She had a cat scan on Friday and the results should be in by Saturday.  The crainal pressure has stabilized.  There are reports that doctors are “pretty sure” there is no spinal cord injury.  Her hand and feet were both tested and they all had movement.

Taylor is now is a private room.  She is awake.  She has a broken pelvis, broken wrist, gash on her forehead and a small skull fracture.

Gordon and Lee Ann were able to obtain a room in the Ronald McDonald House.  The room there is $25.00 a night.  There is a kitchen in the room so they will be able to warm up meals.  They will be staying until at least Monday.  In the meantime, meals delivered to them would still be a great idea!  Over the weekend, Gordon and Lee Ann will evaluate their situation and come up with a plan to be there for Abby and to also be there for Frank.  This may mean one staying with Abby while the other spends time with Frank and then after a while they would switch.  Please remain in prayer for Abby and her family as they make these decisions.

The Linams would so like to express their appreciation for the outpouring love and support!  They feel they have been so blessed by everyone.  At the same time, they would still like to encourage people to lift up and pray for the driver of the vehicle and also pray for Taylor’s family.  Both are still feeling badly about the accident.

[Taylor was driving the 4-wheeler when they crashed, and Frank is Abby's little brother.]

Thanks again for your prayers.