Happy New Year


 We hope you all had a very nice Christmas.  We traveled to Auburn, Indiana to visit Chloe's family Christmas weekend.  It was such a lovely time!  Josh and I performed Behold the Lamb of God (album) with my sister and her husband for their Christmas Eve service.  It was fun to share God's story through song with everyone and give them a peek into our yearly family Christmas tradition that we have done for the past 10 years in a living room.

 As this year draws to an end, we are continually thankful for the vast amount of people who have prayed, given (food, money, childcare), and cared for us so well.  In the midst of such trial we were so thankful to be surrounded by so many people from different parts of our lives.  It was amazing to see the Church (capital C) work together so well.

 This month I started monthly Spiritual Direction.  Basically, I meet with a Spiritual Director who helps me listen to what God wants to teach me.  She asks good questions, listens well to me and the Spirit, and uses Scripture and prayer.  I want to share with you what stood out to me from my first session.  

 The whole time we were in the hospital and the following weeks, I leaned into the idea of God being my shelter, fortress, and shield from the storm.  He protects me, holds me, and is stronger than me.  While my Spiritual Director was reading Psalm 63, verse 7 jumped out to me.  

"Because you are my help, I sing beneath the shadow of your wings."  

Singing in the shelter.  Hum.  I realized my mental picture of being in his shelter had been me huddled frightenedly and waiting defensively until the storm was over.  What a different posture singing brings...there is confidence, peace, surrender, joy, thriving.  This shift of mindset has felt so freeing.  God is my shelter and I can sing in the shadow of his wings!

Updates and How to pray:

1. Continue to pray that Madalinn's veins and arteries in her lungs will open up for blood to flow freely.  We are trusting that God is working on that.

2. Pray for Madalinn to have more of an appetite. Eating has been challenging for her.  She fills fast and often feels nauseous.

3. January 10th she begins cardiopulmonary rehab (physical therapy) twice a week for 2.5hrs each for 6-8 weeks.  These appointments are on top of her other appointments.  Pray that we will be able to find childcare for the boys and also be able to continue making progress in our homeschooling.  (I know there is a lot of flexibility in homeschooling and I'm giving myself a lot of grace.  However, a lack of routine makes the times we do work on school a bit more challenging)

4. Our appointments in Cincinnati got moved to February 8th.  We will meet with the HHT doctor, Pulmonary hypertension doctor, and a genetic counselor.  Thank you to so many of you who have offered us a place to stay.  Pray for us to discern how to utilize our local team in Columbus after meeting with the team in Cincinnati.

5. Crosby tested positive for the same gene as Madalinn.  (Hosea has not yet been tested). This means he has HHT.  The gene manifests itself differently in each person and to different degrees of severity.  For Josh it shows up as nose bleeds and nothing more that we are aware of.  For Madalinn it shows up as HHT (nosebleeds and some vein malformations) and Pulmonary hypertension.  Crosby was tested for PH through an echocardiogram earlier this month and it showed no signs of it.  He will continue to be tested yearly for PH.

6. Our boys have been struggling with coughs and congestion for about two months.  Hosea has been on antibiotics twice for ear infections (once in November and once in December).  Pray for restored health for them and that Madalinn would stay healthy.


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