Introducing...

Hi everyone! We just wanted to introduce you all to our newest addition, Adelaide Elizabeth Elden, born 7-17-07 at 6:48pm. She weighed in at 9 pounds 1 ounce, and was 22 inches long. She's absolutely beautiful (in my humble opinion) & is doing just great! Can't wait for everyone to meet her. :)

Family Reunion - Sat, June 16th

REMINDER TO ALL BONEWITZ'S OF THE VERY IMPORTANT GATHERING THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 16 AT NOON AT ED & KRISTI ORMSBY'S HOME ON BIG CHAPMAN LAKE. IF YOU AREN'T SURE ON DIRECTIONS, PLEASE DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM COMING. YOU CAN EMAIL KRISTI AT kmo@ormsbylaw.net or call her at 260-760-6777 FOR DIRECTIONS.

GRANDMA IS COUNTING ON ALL OF YOU BEING THERE TO SHARE IN THE FUN AND TO SOCIALIZE AND ENJOY ONE ANOTHER. IF YOU AREN'T SURE YOU WANT TO MAKE THE TIME COMMITMENT TO BE THERE OR PERHAPS YOU JUST ARE TOO BUSY OR MAYBE TOO LAZY, YOU NEED TO VISUALIZE GRANDMA'S FACE OF COMPLETE DISAPPOINTMENT! MAKE IT A SATURDAY PRIORITY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO ATTEND OUR 2ND ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE THROWN OUT THE INVITATION OR NEED ANOTHER REMINDER, HERE IS A LIST OF THINGS TO REMEMBER:
-MEAT AND TABLE SERVICE FOR YOUR FAMILY- THERE WILL BE 4-5 GRILLS THERE TO BE USED. YOU WILL ALSO WANT TO BRING ALONG ANY NECESSARY CONDIMENTS SHOULD YOU WANT SOME.
- LAST NAMES A-L: SIDE DISH/M-Z: DESSERT. PLEASE BE SURE TO BRING ALONG A UTENSIL TO SERVE YOUR DISH WITH-YOU MAY WANT TO WRITE YOUR NAME ON IT AS WELL.
-LAWN CHAIRS/BLANKETS. THESE WILL NOT BE PROVIDED, WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING OUR OWN!
-LIFE JACKETS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LITTLE ONES. KRISTI HAS PURCHASED A WATER SLIDE FOR THE YOUNG ONES TO ENJOY. PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING SURE THAT THERE CHILD IS WEARING A LIFE JACKET IF ONE IS NECESSARY. AUNT DEB AND UNCLE JIM WILL BE PROVIDING A PONTOON BOAT FOR OUR ENJOYMENT AS WELL.
-BEACH TOWELS, A CHANGE OF CLOTHES, SWIM SUITS AND SUNSCREEN.
-MY DAD WILL BE HOSTING THE GAMES THIS YEAR-BE PREPARED TO ENJOY SOME COMPETITION

IF 10 OF YOU COULD STEP UP AND BRING A BAG OF ICE THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! PLEASE EMAIL ME BACK IF YOU CAN DO THIS.
ALSO, I AM COUNTING ON JEN AND HUSBAND (AND WHOMEVER ELSE JEN HAS DELEGATED TO HELP OUT) TO BE THERE EARLY TO FILL WATER BALLOONS.
GRILLS ARE BEING PROVIDED BY: MIKE BONEWITZ, KIM BESTUL, NANCY MILLER, JEN, AND KRISTI. IF YOU ARE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE AND YOU CAN'T BRING ONE PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP!

OK, SO I KNOW THIS IS ALOT OF INFORMATION, BUT I RELLY WANT THIS YEAR TO BE A SUCCESS. IF YOU KNOW THAT SOMEONE DIDN'T RECEIVE THIS EMAIL, PLEASE PASS IT ALONG TO THEM.

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL ON SATURDAY!

(from Ty Miller)

Well to start off with some good news…Avonlea gets to come home tomorrow. We will be bringing her home - as there are no more treatments that they can do for her in the hospital.(The neurology team seems to be glad to get me out of their hair, as I have been directing more than a few detailed bio-chemistry questions at them.)Just kidding, they have been great and seem ready for most of the questions I throw at them...

Avonlea passed both the hearing screen and a car-seat test so she can come home with us tomorrow. We are very excited and feel very blessed by this. (The car-seat test basically just tested her to make sure she can breathe OK sitting up in a car-seat for one hour and the hearing test is state-mandated)

On a less positive note, the nurse practitioner noticed a weakness in her swallowing ability during an ox-swallow test, that could lead to aspiration. She has recommended that Avonlea not take anything by mouth for 4 weeks. This means that we will be bringing her home on a feeding tube. This also means that we will need to monitor her vitals more closely and have computers at home to monitor her stats…While we are disappointed in these results, we still strongly believe that God created both mother and daughter to breast feed, and we still have high hopes that she will be able to learn this skill in the coming weeks. Please continue to pray that she develop this basic skill early so that she can eat on her own.

These next months will be very telling as to how well she is developing. We will be having therapists into our house and we will also be learning how to work with her to develop and reach certain basic physiological milestones. Rachel will be a FULL-TIME mom…We are hoping and believing that when Avonlea is re-evaluated in about a month, that she has learned to suck and swallow efficiently. For now, we are just happy to get out of Riley and be at home with our baby girl. Thank you all for you concern, prayers, thoughts, volunteering, etc…

We will follow up as we know more. Also, if you want to send Avonlea some prayers or words of encouragement, she has an email address: avonleamiller@gmail.com. These messages will be going into her baby book; so when she is a healthy 16year old, she can look back and see how many people prayed and cared for her - and what a miracle she is.

Regards,

Ty (and Rachel)

Avonlea Update

email from Deb Ellis:


"I talked to Mike last night, and my heart just aches for their family. What a humongus trial of your faith. Mike is just broken and physically exhausted. He really needs our prayers.
The news he gave was not good news. Avonlea had more tests done yesterday. The doctors are now saying that they think it was the meconium in her lungs that is causing the seizures. They told Rachel and Ty that the part of her brain that was damaged could affect her eyes and speech. They also said she may have cerebral palsy. The discharge date has been pushed back again-they will be there at least thru the weekend. We just have to remember that the doctors give the worst possible senario and are never optimistic. God is still in control and He will be victorious.
Ty and Rachel are on a waiting list for the Ronald McDonald house and their funds are running low. They are staying at a cheap hotel. Finances are a real need right now.
Marilyn is on her way down this morning. I met her at Sarah's house this morning to drop off a card with some money. Mike was there too. I know they are trying to stay strong, but Marilyn is really struggling. Her sister just died and her emotions are out of control. She plans to go to Muncie and pick up whatever Ty and Rachel needs from home and just help them however she can. Her plans are kindof on hold for whatever they need.
Sarah said Avonlea is so beautiful. She looks so perfect. Rachel finally got to hold her yesterday for the first time. Can you imagine not being able to hold your newborn for 4 days?

We really need to stand together as the Robert Bonewitz Clan and pray for Avonlea and the Bonewitz family in this hardship. And I just encourage you to seek God as to how He would have you support Rachel and Ty, whether it is in your prayers or financially."

Avonlea Miller Flowers/Monetary Gifts

If you want to send flowers, she will be at Riley's Children Hospital in Indianapolis, she is in the Critical Care Unit and will be there until at least Sat.
The Hospital Address is...
Riley Children's Hospital
Avonlea Miller
Room NB 3
702 Barnhill Dr
Indianapolis, IN 46202

The best thing you can do to help right now is PRAY! If you want to send a monetary (cash gift), Mike will be handling the gifts , so please send them to Mike at the address below.
Mike Bonewitz
1606 Canton Dr
Goshen IN 46526

Prayer Request for Ty, Rachel & Avonlea

email from Deb Ellis:

"I just got off the phone with my brother Mike. Rachel went into labor on Friday night and delivered on Sat morning. She had been very health conscious through her pregnancy, eatting healthy and running to stay fit and in shape. She also wanted to have a natural childbirth. During her labor, on Sat morning, the baby pooped and got myconium in her lungs and the heartbeat slowed down. The doctor told her she would either need a c-section or the baby would need to be suctioned. She didn't want to have a c-section, so the dr suctioned her out. She was born at 10:30 am. The baby started having seizures and they ended up air lifting her to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis at about 9:30 pm. Of course, Rachel stayed in Anderson, which was very difficult for her, being away from the baby. She was released early on Sun morning to go be with the baby. The Bonewitz sisters and Mike and Nancy and Marilyn and Dwain were all there at Riley as well. The baby is still at Riley. The lungs were cleared of the myconium. Mike thought everything was ok when he left on Sun night. But the seizures continued. The doctors think that there was brain damage caused by the vacume when they suctioned her out. There was a tear in the tissues between the 2 parts of the brain. She has gone through all kinds of testing and has all kinds of wires hooked up to her. She is going to have another test on Wed; they are trying to figure out what kind of medication to put her on and get the right doseage. As soon as they determine that, Rachel will be able to take her home. He thought possibly by the weekend. Rachel's prayer request is that she will not have to take her home with all the machines and wires. This has been very traumatic for Rachel. She was told by a friend that her running during pregnancy may have caused the brain damage. Pray that Rachel will not allow the enemy to torment her with those lies.
Mike said that the drs at Riley are saying this case will have to go before a review board, because there is a possibility that there was malpractice involved. Of course, this is very disturbing to Ty and Rachel.
I just imagine the Bonewitz sisters and their spouses along with Mike and Nancy all standing in that lobby praying for that baby and I just believe the gates of hell were shaken. God is victorious in this battle and He will be glorified. Please pray for Avonlea Layne that God totally retores her and she will be whole. Pray for God's peace on Ty and Rachel - that they will grow stronger as a result of this trial. Another thing that happened in all of this is Ty's mom, who is bi-polar had an outbreak last week and is in the hospital. She doesn't even know about the baby and she was going to stay with Rachel and help her with the baby after the delivery. Marilyn has taken off work indefinitely to stay with Rachel as long as she needs her.
I asked Mike what we could do for them. He said 'Don't call them!' They have been swamped with phone calls and they just need to have time to think and sort things out on their own. He said the best thing you can do is PRAY! Send cards of support. I asked about the financial end (he didn't volunteer this information) He did tell me that there is going to be a financial need as well. They do have health ins, but there are going to be costs involved that will not be covered. Pray about whether God is leading you to help out in that area.
Wow! This is a long e-mail.
Avonlea weighed 6 lbs 5 oz and was 19 1/2 " long. She was born at 10:30 am Sat 4/21/07."

Jon & Grace update

Hello Bonewitz Clan! Thanks so much for putting this blog page together Kim-great idea. Jon and I are expecting our first child June 17. My pregnancy has been enjoyable so far, so I'm hoping the final 10 weeks goes just as good. Rachel is due with her first baby April 17, so all the Bonewitz girls will have little ones now! I hope to make it to the summer reunion, but so much depends on when Little Hunsberger decides to be born. Have a Happy Snowy Easter everyone!

Help with Reunion?!?

Does anyone want to help with the reunion? If so, email Sarah at cselledge@yahoo.com
She will find a spot for anyone who wants to step up and show off their Bonewitz Family Pride:)

THANKS!!

Here comes the Bride!!

Hi all...

Just wanted to update the family on the Bonewitz side... Darcy will be getting married May 19th at 6:30 pm at the Winona Lake Presby church. You are all invited. A reception to follow the ceremony at the Warsaw Center Lake Pavillion.

We had a "fun" shower for her yesterday in Anderson with her college friends! Lets just say... Ms Darcy won't have to wash her "delicates" for a very long time!!! HA!! Thanks Miller girls for coming! It was a blast!

Her "formal" shower will be April 29th at my house 915 E Market in Warsaw at 4:30 pm. She is registered at Target.

Monica

SAVE THE DATE!! *JUNE 16TH*

Some decisions have been made about the reunion. The most important thing right now is that you save the date...

JUNE 16TH, 2007

It will be at Kristi Ormsby's house on Chapman Lake. There will be a pontoon boat. More details to come...

Do you have a website?

Do any of you have a blogspot? MySpace? webpage? If you do, I would like to add a link here. Post me a comment here or send me an email.

Family Webpage

I decided to start a webpage for the family. Since we have such a huge & growing family, this seems like a good way for all of us to keep in touch. We will also keep you updated on the family reunion for this summer. We're trying to nail down a date at this time. Details to come...