Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England, 6 September, 2011~

Greetings from jolly olde England!  Hope this finds you all doing as well as can be expected. As for us, we are doing just fine.

My name is Bella Louise Throckmorton.  I live in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England, with my husband, Jim, and our two children, one, of whom, has special needs.  Our children are aged eight (William Penick) and six (Astriah Lanae') and they are the lights of our lives.  We would do anything for them.  We cannot imagine our world without either one.

So far, Astriah, who has spinal muscular atrophy, is doing well.  While she has gotten noticeably weaker and never has been mobile (she has always been in a wheelchair), Astriah can breathe on her own and can talk.  Eventually she may lose both skills, but for now we will enjoy listening to her talk or sing  while we can.  Every day that she can do either is an answer to our dearest prayers.

Astriah takes hippotherapy (horseback riding) lessons, which has helped keep her strength up.  She goes twice a week if she is feeling up to it.  Most of the time she is; however, if anybody happens to be sick, we don't take her because she is so vulnerable to any little bug that might migrate this way.

She loves it.  And we love seeing her being able to be happy and/or enjoy herself.

I just pray and hope that she will be able to get through this fall and winter, which is the season for flus or colds.  We will be taking her for her yearly vaccinations or shots against the flu, cold, or illnesses like pneumonia.  If she can get through this upcoming cold or flu season without as much as a sniffle, then we can count ourselves truly successful and/or blessed.

I pray this comes to pass.  Whenever Astriah gets ill, she often ends up in hospital, fighting for her very life.  The last time she did (last year), she came down with a particularly nasty case of pneumonia (both lungs); she nearly died.  It was only by a miracle that she even survived the ordeal. 

Once was more than enough.  We cartainly don't want to go through that again.

I just wish she was as strong as her brother, William.  William hardly ever gets sick.  He's one of the healthiest chidlren we have ever seen.  For him to get sick is a rare thing.  When anyone gets sick in our family, it's either Jim, myself, or worse, Astriah.

The weather here is patchy (clouds alternating with sunshine) and pretty chilly.  Guses if the children do go out, I will have to put cardigans and heavier shirts/pants on them, especially Astriah.  She gets cold so easily ....  Soon fall will be upon us, in just a couple of weeks, actually.

I am sad to see this summer go.  It has been rather cool with delightful temperatures.  I wonder what our fall and winter will be like: they're calling for below normal temps and above aveage precipitation.  Lovely.  Just what I did not want to hear, especially since our daughter is so medically fragile!

Well, I have to take Astriah to her hippotherapy session, so I must go and not tarry.  I will write in here again; if not me, then Jim will.  Either way, you will be informed as to how we are doing.  Just keep the prayers coming for Astriah; it is only by God's grace that she has been doing so well!  Thank you in advance!  Until later, take care and God bless!

~Love, your friend in England, Bella.  :)