The Wheelchair Dad

Questions like these always arise when I make a post like this: “But what if he didn’t make it? Would you still believe?” “What if he had to get his leg amputated?” “Why would God put someone through so much pain & suffering… that’s not a loving God!” My answer is this: Life happens, hard times happen, there is good and bad, joy and sorrow, pain & suffering etc. Life has so many storms and waves of positive & negative but THROUGH IT ALL God gives us the strength we need. He gives us peace through his Holy Spirit even through the hardest of times. He gives us understanding and perspective and opportunities to grow & to realize that we NEED Him. Because Christ suffered through EVERYTHING, He KNOWS our pains both physical & emotional & He provides love, light & peace when we come to Him. God does not cause our suffering…He helps us get through it with more grace & peace. Through the spirit, He also prompts others to help & provide relief … it’s just a beautiful process when you turn to Him. We are so thankful that Dan is ok. He is doing really well right now. But if the wasn’t, we would still trust in God’s plan and His timing. Thank you all for everything. Your love, support & prayers have helped carry us through…again. #godisamazing

We spent the day grocery shopping for our family of 8 on Saturday. We stopped for a quick lunch and all of a sudden Dan’s pain amped up. We are so thankful that he has medications that can help get it under control… it used to be hours and hours of torture daily! If you or someone you love is suffering like this & is not sure what it is, please feel free to contact us to see if we can help. So many people are suffering without answers… it took us 4+ years to find a doctor that would help (and they were in another state)!

This is not our first rodeo…not by any means. But this time around has been different. We have been more disheartened, discouraged, afraid & frustrated than we have been in a LONG time. The words to this song kept coming to my head this week as I thought about all of you & how much you have lifted us during this trial: “I’ve stood on this stage night after night Reminding the broken it’ll be alright But right now, oh right now I just can’t It’s easy to sing When there’s nothing to bring me down But what will I say When I’m held to the flame Like I am right now” Social Media is our “stage” & we have reminded ourselves this week of the faith, hope & positivity we try to spread on here. Thank you all for your prayers and reminders. God is amazing. He is faithful. He has a plan & we are trying to be patient and see the good in all things. We are home & resting today. Thank you for your love and continued prayers. 💜🙏🏻

I was looking for an old video to post for our baby girl’s birthday today and found this one of her & Dan from 4 years ago. It’s amazing how life just has such regular ups and downs… this video rings just as true in this moment as it did 4 years ago. We have truly learned to ride the waves and look to God through it all. We are feeling so much gratitude today…so thankful to be home celebrating sweet Marlee with ALL of our family in tact 🥹💜. God is amazing. Happy birthday sweet girl.

She was so little 😭💜. There are no words strong enough to express the gratitude we have to God for allowing us to be parents to our 6 kids. Our last 2 babies are an absolute miracle & gift. We felt very strongly that God wanted us to have more but it was so scary and we were heading into the unknown of what life with a newborn would be like as a dad using a wheelchair. It has all been more beautiful and perfect than we could have imagined. Hard…but perfect. #godisamazing #ivf #rainbowbaby #familyof8 #disabledparenting

Evolution of The Wheelchair Dad 😅. Dan was extremely worried about the HOW of having babies while using a wheelchair. As you can see, he figured it out and the babies have adapted…that’s all they know! Pay attention at around 20 seconds to see how it has become second nature for them to lift their legs to make it easier for daddy to pick them up (with little to no core strength)… it’s so freaking cute & amazing. Our older daughter that you see towards the end was just under 2 when Dan had his accident… she’s grown up on his lap too. Disability or not…Daddy is their Hero!

I needed a reminder tonight of the rich life we have been so blessed with… it’s been a rough couple of weeks & it’s not over… I’m praying we get back to “normal” soon. This video is a reminder that we went from rock bottom in 2013 to the incredibly rich life we live today. That is a masterpiece that only God could have painted. We are so thankful for His guidance through everything. We love you all. Please keep your prayers coming. Dan might be heading back to the hospital in the morning (the 13th) & it’s filling us with so much anxiety…😔 The infection just doesn’t look like it’s getting better after being on oral antibiotics since the 5th and it’s making us really nervous tonight.

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Dan started painting their nails in the hospital the day they were born. These girls have him wrapped around their little fingers. I hope that when they start dating, they will remember how well their daddy treated them & their mom & find a man that does the same. 🥹💜

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My heart is so full of gratitude today. I’m here to tell you that we have been married for 10 years and the first 7 years of that were FREAKING HARD. We are both on our 3rd marriage. We both have been through major traumas and tragedies. We both are imperfect humans & have hurt and been hurt by each other. We have had financial struggles & struggled to blend families. We have had a million health challenges and countless other challenges. We have 6 kids… enough said there lol. I’m here to tell you that God is in the details and if you love someone, turn to God & fight the good fight every day with your partner AND God. Today I am feeling blessed beyond what I have room to receive. I feel so thankful for every day we get to wake up and love each other and our family and live another day. Thank you God for blessing us so abundantly in spite of and THROUGH our challenges as a couple and family. #thankful

God is amazing. 11.5 years ago our worlds fell completely apart (no pun intended😅). Today we are feeling the love… having a relaxing day… working from home while we snuggle our babies and spend time together. We could not feel more blessed. Life is hard sometimes… but holy crap… how could we possibly complain?!? God brought us together and gave us companionship during our hardest time. We have each other. We have 6 beautiful & healthy children. We are rich. Happy love day! Even if you don’t have a significant other… find someone to show love to. A stranger at the grocery store? A homeless person? A widow? Go show some love and count your blessings. 💜💜💜💜

It was scary having our last two babies & not knowing how everything would work with Dan now using a wheelchair. He genuinely thought that he would only be able to hold the baby in one spot & just be stuck there- not able to help with much. He drastically underestimated himself obviously… it has been incredible watching them learn, grow & adapt together. 🥹💜🌈

This morning while we were getting ready for the day, both of our youngest girls (ages 4 & 5) woke up and came straight to Dan and gave him the sweetest lingering hugs. This happens all day every day but this morning it hit me how blessed he is to be on their level. Most dads don’t get to experience their child snuggling so perfectly into their chest because they are towering over them. Life is so much sweeter when we search for the blessings amidst the storms. Heading to a follow-up appointment with the infectious disease doctor this morning… wish us luck. 💜🙏🏻

A little PSA for you all 😁. 💜♿️💪

@Mrs. Kotter We could write an entire book series on what we’ve been through in the last 11 years. There are SO many emotions that run through our minds in moments like this and no words need to be spoken. The pain, the trauma, the hurt, the love, the forgiveness, the longing for what was lost but gratitude for what we still have… it’s all so conflicting and beautifully intertwined. I’m so thankful that God brought us together. I’m so thankful that Dan is still here after so many scares with his health. I’m so thankful for the strength we have every day to KEEP GOING. I’m so thankful for our 6 kids and how RICH they make us. We have everything we need and could ever ask for…in spite of all the hard things. Thank you all for being such a beautiful and vital part of our story! God is amazing.