A Bus, A Megaphone, and Ty Pennington...

I'm a little frazzled right now as I prepare for a six-week book/speaking tour. But today is very special.

Two years ago today, the amazing Extreme Makeover: Home Edition team pulled up in a bus and Ty Pennington shouted to the sky and everyone within hearing distance, "Good Morning, Woodhouse Family!"

To say that it changed our lives doesn't quite express that experience correctly. Each and every day I wake up and praise God for what He's done.

I'm so thankful. Thankful for this amazing home. Thankful for my kids' health improvements. Thankful for the opportunities that have opened up because of this. And thankful for the chance to encourage and bring hope to other people in need.

Thank you all for your encouragement, love, and support. Thank you for your notes, your hugs, your buying 20 copies of my book to give to friends. :) Thank you for traveling this journey with us.

A special thanks to Matt and Shannon Swanson. You are precious to us. Thank you for all you did to make this possible. And thanks to the community of Colorado Springs.

God is so good.

I pray you are all blessed by our story - and let me remind you that His joy is always there.

Three Years and Counting...

Today marks the three-year anniversary of my beautiful daughter Kayla's brain decompression surgery.

Our great God never ceases to amaze me. I look at my incredible kids every day and am marveled by His grace and love.

And what I think about on Sept. 26 is the fact that Kayla's brain was being squished by her skull. Part of her skull has since been removed, part of the top two vertebrae were drilled out, and her dura membraine was opened up and made bigger. Looking at her today, I can hardly believe it.

Kayla has been through so much in her life, and yet, she keeps on smiling. Each day she faces with new determination and grit. She swims miles upon miles every day, studies her Bible, does mountains of schoolwork, and brainstorms new books with me. To look at her, you'd never guess that she deals with a rare nerve disorder every day, or that she underwent such a huge surgery three years ago.

I'm attaching a picture of the kids at the Grand Canyon this past spring. Look at this picture and try to tell me our God isn't awesome. Look at this picture and try to tell me He's not the God of miracles. Look at this picture and try to tell me it's okay to whine and complain. :)

No.

Instead? Look at this picture and be amazed. Then look at your own life. Pick yourself up by your bootstraps, grab onto His joy, and smile.

Life is hard. But our God is SO good.