I have been thinking of some things I have left out and want to capture these as well.  There is really no rhyme or reason to any of these, so bare with me.  This the way my brain has been working lately.

I have friends who are AWESOME cooks.  I am not someone to easily accept help.  When Karen Sasine asked if she could help coordinate meals this week, I very reluctantly accepted.  I have three teenage daughters, plus I was home all week.  There should be no problem with us feeding ourselves.  However, I am grateful for the meals that were brought in.  Everything Marty and I do takes 3 or 4 times as long is it would do if I did it myself.  Many days we haven't made it home until 5 just for that reason.  We would have eaten a lot of cold cereal this week had it not been for the delicious meals brought into us. 

When my girls heard we were having dinner delivered, they whined a little about casseroles all week.  I reminded them we would simply say thank you and eat them.  I am pleased to say that we didn't receive just casseroles this week.  We ate so much better than we ate before.  I have some learning to do from these ladies.

On Monday Tamara Heiner brought bowtie pasta. Tuesday Meg Willardson brought homemade tomato soup along with homemade bread and homemade cheese!!!!  Wednesday Karen Sasine brought chicken tortilla soup.  Thursday Nancy Davis brought a delicious pasta casserole.  Friday, Marsha Traylor brought roast and potatoes.  Saturday, Lucy Thompson brought chicken enchiladas.  Every meal was uniquely different and delicious.  Portions were large enough to have leftovers for lunch the next day.  I have some recipes to gather!

We have also had so many delicious treats brought over.  I can't even begin to name everyone who has brought treats.  We've had cookies, breads, pies, cakes, muffins.  Every time I walk into the kitchen I am reminded of the love that the people of Northwest Arkansas have for us.

At one point this week Marty wrote, "Thank you is a special word".  He has only said thank you twice this week.  It is a very hard phrase for him to say.  Both times it made the recipient cry (me & Jean Field)  It was after talking to Jean that he wrote this.  I love that simple phrase.  I think I need to make a sign that says this.  How often we don't realize the meaning behind Thank You.  It is used so often that we say it without really thinking about it.  For Marty, because it is so hard to say, it if very heart felt.  Thank You is a special word.

Marty wrote down "studel dudel" after Terri Hansen brought over a freshly baked apple pie.  I told Marty I had NO idea what he was trying to say.  I have never hear of studel dudel.  He made the motion for the phone and said "mom".  So I called his mom.  When Marty's mom made pies, she took all the crust scraps, tossed them in cinnamon sugar and pan fried them.  They called these studel dudel (probably not spelled like that, but this is now Marty's world and he can spell things any way he wants)

Marty wrote, "I don't like to be alone".  We haven't left him alone at all this week.  However there have been times when he was upstairs and the rest of the family was downstairs watching a movie.  Marty really wants to be surrounded by by his family.  I need to be more aware of this and not assume that being in the same house is being together. 

When we left for the store yesterday I had left my list at home.  I asked Marty if he could make a list while I drove.  He did a really great job.  As I remembered things we needed, he would jot them down.  His written skills are getting better and better.  It used to take him forever to write a single word and now he can write out full phrases without much effort.  I know his speech will be the same way.  Single words take a lot of effort.  Soon phrases and sentences will flow easily.

Marty still has a great sense of humor.  Some of the gifts he bought for Jessica will prove that out today.  He was able to exchange football team jabs with Shane Thompson last night.  He laughs at his own situation.  He motioned unscrewing his head, throwing out his brain, putting in a new one and screwing his head back on.  If only it were that easy.  Like changing a battery.

The final thing Marty wrote yesterday was "Everything is hard work".  Yes, everything  he does is hard.  He tires easily.  He takes multiple catnaps a day.  However, I don't know anyone that that is capable of doing harder things than Marty.  He is a very determined goal setter and always accomplishes every goal he sets.  Anyone that can run 40 miles can learn to talk again. 

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me"