One Year Ago...

I know I haven't posted for a very long time and I'm not sure why.  We've certainly been busy enough this past year to fill page after page but this has been a year where I've mostly just pondered things and mulled them over, not really able to express them like I usually am able to do.

Today marks 1 year since the accident our boys were in last December. It is amazing how well things turned out. When I think back to a year ago, waiting patiently for permission to go see our boys. We were in Abbotsford Emergency waiting room in shock and disbelief, worried, scared and uncertain of what we would be faced with. Someone brought us all the fixings from Tim Horton's so we could have tea. One of our elders and a visiting pastor (who is now our permanent pastor!) came to see us and pray with us.  I remember lots of tears that day.  I remember the amazingly supportive Abbotsford Police officers and the caring staff in ER. I remember wondering over and over again if our Stam family was about to change in a way that none of us would be able to handle because we are so close and to lose one of us would have been devastating. The whole time I was going through all these emotions, I remember feeling clear and certain that God would provide the strength we needed, that it would all work out for His honour and that, ultimately, He only had our spiritual good in mind even though our flesh was going through something so hard.

Then we had the flurry of cancelling Jeremy & Bailey's wedding for the 22nd and not being sure when it would be rebooked. Instead of spending Dec 22nd in a joyful celebration, we all sat together outside of RCH ICU and prayed and begged and cried because at that point we still weren't certain whether or not Jordan would live. To call what we were living through agony would be an understatement. And, if I was feeling this so strongly and am just Jordan's aunt, I can't even imagine what was going through dear Doug & Yvonne's minds. I saw a broken father and mother worried sick about their son but remaining strong in spite of their brokenness.

Our Christmas last year held none of the traditions our Stam family is used to. We had a small Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve with just a few of us. It was very quiet (and, if you know the Stams, you know they are NOT quiet by nature!). Nothing was the same. It felt like we went through those days on autopilot. Our hearts were somewhat lightened when we heard that Jordan was moved out of ICU because he was doing so well! That was beyond our expectations and can only be described as a miracle.

It is one thing to have family & friends with you through the good times, but it is something else when they are there during a time of crisis and standing in the gap for you in prayer, holding you when you don't think you can stand one more minute, and ministering to you. As soon as we got home from the hospital on Friday morning, 2 of my very dear and precious friends, Leanne M and Charmain DH didn't just phone but came to our house to make sure I was okay. There are no words to describe what that means at a time like we were in. I remember arriving home on the Saturday and my sisters, Ruth and Teresa, bringing us soup and baking for us for Sunday. It's things like these that might seem little but they really aren't.  They make all the difference! Then I remember Bob & Marianne popping in late that night just to be with us and to hug us. On the Sunday, Doug called us to tell us that Jordan woke up and was recognizing people! On the Monday I was allowed to go into ICU with Yvonne to see him and I will never forget him opening his eyes, seeing me, and giving me a big smile while he opened his arms for a hug and said, "It's so good to see you, Auntie Sandra"!

When things with Jordan were improving so much, Jeremy & Bailey's wedding date was rescheduled for Dec 28 and everything went very well. I know I promised to post pictures but I totally forgot.  I will try to get a few of those up by their 1st anniversary!

We are so blessed to have so many loving friends, a caring family & church family, and a complete Stam family.

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Wedding anticipation

Well, in spite of a whirlwind week of obstacles, Jeremy & Bailey's wedding is scheduled for tomorrow! The church and reception hall are decorated, tuxes and bridesmaid dresses are ready to be worn, and Jeremy & Bailey's eyes are sparkling with excitement!!

So much has happened in the last week, that it's hard to even list it all. If you would have told me last week what the Stam family would have to deal with, I am quite sure that I would have doubted my ability or stamina to cope. Looking back now, I see how God provided amazing strength and protection to all of us affected by the accident.

Tonight we are at a hotel in Bellingham with the bridal party.  While we're joyful that we've reached this day, we definitely miss Jordan a lot and pray that he will be given the strength to cope with his disappointment of not being able to stand up with Jeremy tomorrow. We know how important it was for Jeremy to have all the "Stam" guys in his bridal party and how excited Jordan was to be asked to be part of that. It's sometimes hard to get perspective.  On the one hand, we're so thankful that he has healed and recovered way beyond what we dared to hope for, but, on the other hand, we realize that missing a wedding is different than missing a birthday, which you can hopefully participate in the following year.

All in all, we are so thrilled that Jeremy & Bailey will be joined in Holy Matrimony tomorrow!! I will post pictures of the wedding as soon as I can.

Thank you for all your love and prayers

Amazing Grace

In many ways, our minds are blown because of how speedy Jordan's recovery has been.  Each day we see more progress, showing us that we have been blessed with a miracle that is beyond our comprehension.

We are so thankful that we had a beautiful Christmas day yesterday.  Our dear friend, Terry Klaver, was our visiting pastor these past 2 weeks and was able to be with us through this time of anguish and then rejoicing and praise.  Our friends, Gary & Becky made us the most wonderful Christmas dinner yesterday and we were able to relax at their place while they blessed us with their love and food!! I regret not taking pictures of our time there yesterday.

We are so thankful for Matt's lovely girlfriend, Lizzi! 

Terry and Matt are great friends, too!

We love this brother in Christ so much!

Jeremy & Bailey have coped so well with what this past week has held for them.

We have many, many people to thank for the way they have ministered to us in this past week.  God has been so good to us!

"Great is Thy Faithfulness"

Today we have many reasons to rejoice and be glad because yesterday Jordan made more amazing progress.  Please see his blog for the details: www.jordanstam.blogspot.ca

We were told that the first 72 hrs were the most critical. This morning that 72 hrs is over and, in that time, we have seen improvement and progress beyond what we even dared to hope for.

Please join us in praising and thanking God for blessing us so wonderfully so far.

"The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad." (Psalm 126:3)

Jordan's blog

Dear Friends,

Doug & Yvonne decided to start a blog about Jordan's progress so that everyone gets the same information from the same source.  You can find it at www.jordanstam.blogspot.ca.  They hope to update it each evening.

We also have updates about the other guys:

• Les Klaassen was already discharged on Friday with a broken ankle
• Kyle DenBoer was discharged yesterday and has 4 broken ribs and a broken shoulder blade, along with some other bruises and scratches
• Jeremy & Matt were also discharged on Friday and physically only have very minor cuts & scrapes.

This has been a traumatic situation for all of us but we realize that we have so much to be thankful for in spite of how things are today, how our plans for yesterday changed, and how much emotional healing still needs to happen.  Please continue to pray for us as we try to process and digest all that's happened.

We remain dependent on God's strength and grace to move forward.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. (Lamentations 3: 21-27)

update #1

The following is a message that Jordan's parents shared on his facebook wall last night:

Jordan is in critical but stable condition after a serious car accident. He is heavily sedated to help the swelling on his brain. His right jaw is broken and the facial bones on the left side are all broken. He has two fractures in the back of his skull. He is intubated and ventilated. Tomorrow they hope to reduce his sedation slowly to see the extent of his brain injury. The first 72 hours are critical. Please keep praying for him.
- The Stam Family

In the Blink of an Eye

Yesterday we were busy planning the final details for Jeremy & Bailey's wedding.  Last night we had a very enjoyable rehearsal and rehearsal dinner in preparation for their wedding which we anticipated for tomorrow, Saturday, Dec 22.
But then last night happened.  Jeremy and the guys from his bridal party were coming home from Vancouver in our van when they hit black ice and the van rolled several times. Jeremy, Matt, and Les were treated with the precautionary measures that they take for anyone who is in a vehicle that has rolled.  Les, broke his ankle but Matt & Jeremy left with relatively minor cuts and bruises.  Their friend, Kyle, is doing well but being kept in hospital for observation  because of some injuries they want to keep an eye on. Jordan, Matt & Jeremy's cousin, is the one that we are the most concerned about.  He was airlifted to Royal Columbian with a severe head injury and is in the ICU there.
So we had to decide to cancel the wedding for tomorrow and will put it on hold until we know how Jordan is doing. Les, Jeremy & Matt have all been discharged from the hospital.
We ask everyone to please pray for everyone but especially for Jordan and his parents.
Moments like this put everything into perspective. Who would've thought when we watched Jordan practice walking in for the wedding ceremony last night at rehearsal that today we would be begging God to spare his life? Yes, things can change in the blink of an eye but we have to cling to the fact that God never changes, even if our circumstances seem to spin out of control.

"As for God, His way is perfect." (Psalm 18:30)