Recap of doctors appointments.

I wanted to update you all on the recent doctors visits for both Jason and Noah.  Jason was suppose to have a biopsy done last week but unfortunately they messed up his appointment and it is now rescheduled for February 13.  The biopsy is for a small lump that was found on his chest.  The doctors do not seem overly concerned at this point.  Given all his strange symptoms over the last few months they still would like it checked out.  Jason's appointment with the Rheumatologist went as good as it could have yesterday.  Jason had a positive ANA test and has a few markers for Lupus.  He does not have enough markers to officially diagnose him though and the ANA retest could come out negative.  They are going to retest and check his kidneys out.  If he has any other symptoms he is to go back to the doctor.  We are thankful that so far it doesn't seem to be anything serious.

Noah saw Dr. Chang and Dr. Alejos today.  There were no big changes from the last two months.  He is going to put him on a baby aspirin a day.  The doctors discussed the possibility of him having a stroke as time goes on and the need to prepare.  It's hard to believe that two years ago this week is when we started this journey for Noah.  I never would have imagined we would still be waiting but here we are.  Jason and I were talking about how nervous we were a year ago.  Jason wanted so badly to have his heart cath done before we got the call for a heart.  He just needed extra assurance and knowledge that his heart really was failing.  I think God knew we needed that extra time to wrap our minds around everything and to get to a place where we were more accepting that this was gonna be our new reality.  God has done so much work in our hearts to help us prepare.  We feel more ready now.  Ready as one can be anyway.  I don't think a parent can ever fully be ready for something like this but we are in a better place and trusting the Lord even more for his works to be displayed through this.

Thanks once again for following us along this journey.  Thanks for your constant prayers.  We are so grateful.

God's Love

I have been struck lately by the way God works in his people.  In the midst of such pain and heart ache God is working in the hearts of so many.  I have seen such love being poured out all around and am thankful to be part of a body of believers who are so others focused.

9 months ago one of my dearest friends was diagnosed with Leukemia.  He fought a long hard battle.  He was joyful always, he prayed continually, and he gave thanks in all circumstances.  He never looked at his disease as a life sentence but more as a calling from the Lord.  He made it his mission to love others well, to proclaim Jesus, and to see the Lord at work through his weakness.  His beautiful wife and my best friend lived the same way.  She shared countless times on her blog that the Lord is good no matter what.  That his love for us never changes.  They both urged people to taste and see that the Lord is good all while enduring pain and sorrow.  This has encouraged my soul and inspired me to keep pressing forward.  My dear sweet friend went to be with the Lord over a week ago.  He touched many lives and his memorial was filled with people.  The thing everyone will remember the most about this dear man is his love for the Lord and his love for people.

I feel that in order to be others focused.  We must first be filled with love from the Lord. 1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.  God demonstrated his love to us through the greatest means possible to us through the greatest means possible as an example of how to love, he didn't just say that he loves us but he actually proved it to us through his actions.  Over the last week I have seen this lived out in so many of you.  I have been the recipient of such love as well as watched my sweet friend be the recipient as well.  This is the beauty that comes from ashes.

This year has not started off very well for us and we have many things on our shoulders.  We are confident though that God is at work and just as he always does will work all things together for good. Would you please continue to lift our family up in prayer.


Jason- Jason is still being seen for the symptoms he has been having over the last six months.  He found a lump on his chest near his collar bone that will be biopsied and the doctor called last night with some lab results showing positive for auto immune stuff.  He will see the Rheumatologist soon.

Mel- We will finally be having the gene sequence panel done on the 29 of this month.  We are hopeful that this will tell us some good information for a hopeful diagnosis for me.

Noah- We continue to wait for the call and continue to see increased symptoms.  Noah had a scary chest pain that led him to fall down in the couch clenching his chest.  it is sometimes scary and we are eager for him to get his heart.

Jonah- That the lord would keep him healthy.  The sequence panel will hopefully share the genetic match up between Noah and Melody and then we can test Jonah.

Hannah-  For the timing of her next heart surgery. That God would keep sustaining this little girl.  That as her body grows it would not put strain on her heart.  

The Lord has been good to us and has been faithful to show us the ways he is at work through our situation. I want to live a life like Geoff and remember to be joyful always, pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus.