While we have seen God provide in incredible ways, the weight of ongoing recovery, decreased income, and expenses and needs continues to stretch us.

Eric is still experiencing pain in his left arm and hand. While it is nowhere near the level he endured before surgery, it still makes daily life difficult, especially at work. Although he has returned to his job at Jackson EMC, he missed out on four months of his handyman side work during recovery. That work has always been a vital part of our family’s income, and while he is starting back SLOWLY in August, the gap has left a significant strain.

To better manage his ongoing pain, Eric is also in need of a special support pillow, a new insert for his office chair, and a cushioned insert for the vehicle seat to relieve pressure and reduce nerve pain throughout the day.

Also, our gray truck has major issues and is currently undrivable. Because of this, I now lose two hours of work each day transporting Eric to and from his job. His mom has been kind enough to loan him her car a few days a week, which has been very helpful, although inconvenient to her. Looking ahead, many of Eric’s handyman jobs are about 45 minutes away, and as he starts easing back into that work, we know it will be difficult to manage transportation without a reliable second vehicle. On those days, I’ll have to take even more time off from my own work to get him where he needs to be.

I run a tight ship with homeschool and running a business and a home, but things start to get chaotic in those aspects when we have to spend time taking Eric to work, although I must admit, we all enjoy the family car rides. I’m incredibly grateful that I can make up my hours by working late at night or early in the morning, but this is not a sustainable way to live. The pressure adds up quickly, especially with everything else we’re navigating right now.

We have also received the final judgment in our child support modification case (after 2 years of waiting). The amount remains the same, but we are now required to cover daycare costs on top of that. Added to this, we face significant dental and medical debt, including $2,000 in dental bills for the other children just this month. This has been especially difficult, emotionally, because we do not have control over the environment they are in, which leaves us feeling unable to prevent the need for these major dental surgeries, procedures, and medical visits. We would also greatly appreciate prayers for their health and wellbeing.

On top of this, we are also in need of a fall and winter wardrobe for Hudson, specifically pants, long sleeve shirts, and a sweatshirt. He is currently in size Youth XS and 5T, and can still fit in 4T for pants. He loves camo, fishing, and cars, and his favorite colors are red and blue. We will include a link to an Amazon list for these items for anyone who feels led to help in this way. We would also gladly accept any hand-me-downs or Walmart gift cards to help meet these needs.

Through all of this, we see God’s hand at work. We believe there is an element of spiritual warfare in these trials, but we are choosing daily to trust Him.

Current Need

To help stabilize our family through this season, we are praying for provision of $9,000. This would cover:

Closing the gap for current grocery needs

Devices for Eric's continued recovery

Clothing needs for Hudson

Repairs for our gray truck

Current medical and dental bills

The new daycare expenses

We were blown away by the generosity of God’s people after Eric’s surgery, and we continue to believe that He will always provide. Often times, God uses people to meet our needs. If you feel led to help through prayer, sharing our story, or giving, we are deeply grateful. Thank you so much for your willingness to support our family during this season.