More Stuff...

This morning was one of those days where you wake up and are completely not prepared for what is about to happen.

Carla's grandmother, who she is VERY close too, has been ill and was rushed to the Hospital a few days ago due to a seizure. They thought she was doing better and sent her home. She then was rushed back by ambulance during the night due to extreme hemorrhaging and is now is in ICU. She is frail and they don't believe she will make it very much longer.

Carla has felt that she needed to go and see her for the past three weeks but we have not been able to afford the tickets to go as they cost approximately $3500 for the family to go. She had even told her dad last week that she felt that something was going to happen soon and she believed her grandmother wasn't going to be around much longer. As soon as this happened this morning she and I both felt that it was important for her to go and be with her if at all possible. Her family said they would help with the plane tickets if she could come, so she found a flight this after noon and her and the four kids left today. They will be there for a couple of weeks.

This presents a couple of dilemma's. I am able to drive myself from point A to point B, but I am not able to load myself in and out of the car. This presents a difficult scenario over the next few weeks. I will be needing extra help to get loaded and to go to doctor appointments. If this is something you would like to help with please let me know. Also, this is going to be an even larger strain on our finances in multiple ways.

Please pray that God would give Carla the words to speak to her Grandmother during this difficult time with the family. They have a very special relationship and I expect for God to use Carla during these next few days to speak life in a way that she can hear. My prayer for her is that she would be able to bring peace to chaos and life to despair. As I told her earlier today, She is like the Levites who Carried the "Arch of the Covenant" to the people. She is Literally carrying the Manifest presence of God with her.

Please pray that He would protect them and keep them safe as they have a long and trying trip ahead of them! Also pray that it will Carla will have an extra dose of Grace, and patients. It takes approximately 12 hours flying, then 2 1/2 hours driving to get to their home town. They are only 20 minutes from Canada. Doing that with two adults is one thing, but making that trip with four children under the age of 6 could drive anyone crazy. Carla is an amazing woman! Brave, confident, and full of the Peace and Power of God, and I have no doubt that she will be fine, but I also know that the enemy will test all of that in her.

Please pray that God will give her grandmother a painless and peaceful experience. We have prayed that God would help her to not be in pain or suffer during this time in any way.

We believe that this is the right thing for Carla to do and the right place for her to be, the next thing is for the provision to follow. So we covet your prayers!

Thank you for standing with us!

The James'

Staying Engaged

My newest revelation is: everyone knows pain; not everyone knows love. We live in a fallen world, so we all face pain, hardship, sorrow, difficulty - its a common thread throughout humanity, but we do NOT all know love, happiness, joy in the midst of that pain. Its funny how the phrase "it's only a season" works two ways. There are many days that reminding myself, "it is what it is (Andrea Haines' famous line)..... and it won't last forever" have helped me through the rough spots. But more often than that, remembering while there ARE really rough moments, there are equally as may beautiful moments, most of which I would miss if I just "checked out" and closed my eyes hoping for the "season" to pass. I don't want to miss this season. There is a country song (sorry for those greatly opposed to it) <> that says "..... I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance...." I'm grateful to know love. I'm grateful to get the chance to experience motherhood, being a soulmate and clinging to the Lord, even when it's hard.

August James Gang Update

Hello Everyone!

We are so sorry it's been so long since our last update. Pleaes forgive us! The days seem to fly by without our permission!!! Our newest arrival, Isaac Benjamin is now nine weeks old and such a gem. The older kids adore him. We can't begin to describe how blessed we are - four beautiful and amazing kids.... Wow.

We have so much to share. We will try to be concise without leaving out important details.

Since our last update:

Another HUGE question has been answered: why the rapid deterioration of Jonathan's bones all of a sudden????? Hemophiliacs take clotting factor intravenously to help replace what their bodies don't make. For most people this treatment should be half gone in about 12 hours. Well, after extensive testing it has been discovered that Jonathan's body metabolizes this replacement twice as fast!!!! This would explain why, although he was taking "shots" four days a week, he was continuing to bleed into his joints and his body was responding almost as though he had had no treatment at all. He will now take treatments everyday. Truly, he needs a miracle in his body. I was praying for him the other night and felt so challenged by God to trust Him for GREAT things. While I am thankful for modern day medicine, it is truly not our source, nor are our doctors, our Makers. It's easy when you have to see doctors SO much to begin relying on them for your wellness. I know God is ABLE to do great things. I know He is WILLING to do great things. I know He has PROMISED to do great things. The question is: will I BELIEVE Him? We cannot even begin to express our gratitude for you standing with us - believing with us and even FOR us when we have struggled to believe.....


How is Jonathan now? It is soon time to try to walk! What???? Yes, it is time. In order for that to happen, the plan is for Jonathan to be admitted into a physical rehabilitation facility in New Orleans where he will stay for one week to one month or however long it takes him to begin walking to some degree. We expect this to all take place at the end of September. Jonathan can't walk on crutches anymore or use a walker. His elbow has deteriorated so much that he cannot bear weight on it. He will require daily help from physical therapists and parallel bars. While the thought of him being gone that long is the last thing either of us wants, it is the next step. We won't be saying goodbye to the wheelchair forever as his other ankle still needs so much repair, but this is definitely a step forward. The therapy will be very painful for Jonathan, so please pray. We will keep you posted when all of this transpires.

Jonathan went to Houston last month to get a second opinion about his elbow. He has to wear a brace to keep it at a 90 degree angle at all times (which is his normal range of motion) in order to keep it from breaking. The kids LOVE to wrestle him and love on him and it has become increasingly risky and tremendously painful to not have it stabilized. Even shaking a few hands is painful. Just as we thought, it is beyond saving - he will have to have it completely replaced sometime in the next few months. Stay tuned for the updates on that - a very complicated scenario.....

Jonathan has also begun working again as much as he can, which is extremely minimal but his faithfulness and determination amaze me. He's so brilliant and never gives less than all. I load him up in the van with his wheelchair, he drives himself to work where his assistant unloads him, he pours himself out - pain and all, then comes back home to be amazing husband and daddy of four. How many of us want to try that one? While he is working, his compensation is complicated, as it is for anyone who runs their own business. Showing up to work doesn't necessarily mean getting a paycheck. I know it goes without saying, but we continue to covet your prayers for our family's financial provision. We still have a very long road ahead of us.

Our sewage situation was resolved - Thank you to Cal and Brandi Shoemake and her dad, Frank, from Lakeside Plumbing.... what a blessing....

Thank you again for all of your amazing friendship, love, encouragement, support, sacrafice and ultimately for believing. Your actions speak so loud....

To make tax deductible donations for those of you who have inquired, you can make checks or money orders payable to Hope for Hemophilia, PO Box 2584, Mandeville, LA 70470. This is the foundation that has been set up on our behalf and in the future will be used on behalf of our vision for a great life for hemophiliacs. It has been amazing to see how many people have given - even those we have never met.

We will definitely be in touch more often. If you would like to email us directly, you may:

Jonathan: jdjinvest@gmail.com
Carla: carlakennedyjames@gmail.com

Love from all of us!

Jonathan, Carla, Hannah, Ezra, Isabella and Isaac James