Days 21 and 22

Can I blame Sunday being my day of rest as the reason I didn't post anything yesterday? Regardless, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :) (How many of you started singing a particular country song when you read that line?)

..::Day 21::.. October 17

Yesterday was a glorious day spent as a family. We just enjoyed being together. I so enjoy watching Matt be a dad. He is such a natural. I always knew he would be, our friends' kids and our nieces just love  adore him. I love watching Jason interact with him and smile at him, I love listening to Matt's songs he makes up for Jason (There once was a baby named Jason, who lived up in the trees, he had a dog named Scout-boy, who was infested with fleas...), and I love just enjoying this phase of life together. I'm so glad we waited 6 years to have kids, it was the perfect amount of time for us. So, yesterday's beautiful thing was Matt. He is caring, thoughtful, considerate, hilarious, sarcastic, fun-loving, calm, steady, easy-going, responsible, loving, open, and might I add quite a looker. :) Here's to you babe! I love you!

My all time favorite!!

Being serenaded by Daddy..

..::Day 22::.. October 18

Today I went to Noah's with a few friends from HFL to solidify a few things for the HFL auction. (p.s. if you haven't gotten a ticket yet, do it now!!! We are quickly selling out!). We are so excited about it! Everything is falling into place and we have gotten so many amazing donations from businesses and individuals. I can't wait to see what the actual day looks like... it's going to be so fun. It takes a lot of work from a lot of people to do this thing, but I am thrilled to watch God provide the funds HFL USA will need for the coming year.

On the way home, my friend Jess and I were talking about how no matter what plans we make, the Lord can and will bring things to pass. Even if every last "i" isn't dotted and every "t" crossed, He will bring things about in a more amazing way than we could have ever planned. As I thought about that later this afternoon, I realized that the same is true for J's health situation. We can have a plan with doctors, and we should, and we can make sure he has access to the very best care possible. But, God is in complete control and He will use our lives and J's life to bring glory to Himself however he sees fit! He is, always has been, and always will be good. End of story. We can rest knowing that regardless of our successes or failures, he is faithful to bring things to pass the way He has planned. So, while I could easily crawl into a little ball most days and mourn the diagnosis and treatments and different "new normal" routine we now have, I know that I can face each day with joy and peace and strength because of who He is.

I am reading a book that a friend gave me called I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Joy and Grief by Angie Smith. Angie and her husband received the devastating news that their 4th daughter would not survive life outside the womb. They decided to continue her pregnancy and this book entails every step of their journey: their prayers, hopes, fears, and ultimately how their daughter touched more people than they ever thought possible. I am only halfway through the book (riddled with tear-stained pages at this point) and have been so encouraged by it. Not that I am going through anything even as close to as hard as that, but I am so thankful that she chose to write this book to help those going through a trial, no matter what it may be. A few quotes and verses that have been helpful lately:

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." Ecclesiasted 11:5

"Joy is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Christ."

"I am pretty comfortable saying he is in complete control until the ground grows weak beneath me. At that point I tell Him what He should do to fix it. While I know there isn't anything wrong with asking God to intervene, there is a gentle surrender that I was drawn to in this story [the story of Mary and Martha after their brother Lazarus died in John 11]. Recognize who He is and tell Him the Problem. Leave the rest to him. ... there is always room for doubt wherever God has made a way for faith." p. 24

Anyway, somehow this post got a little deeper than I had first anticipated. Here are a few more recent pictures of our sweet baby J, smiling away! Nothing can melt my heart like a crooked and gummy smile from this little man.

p.s. Beautiful thing #2 just showed up on my doorstep! I'll write about it tomorrow. :)

Hilarious! I think he looks like a Kewpie doll here...