February 13 is going to be a big day for our family. Some people will see this day as Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. For them this is a day that represents a mimicry of the time Christ set out int the desert for his temptation. Some see this as a preparation day for Valentine's Day, a day to show the one you love the most how much they mean to you.
In our family, we will be welcoming a new addition. Our 4th child, 2nd daughter will be born. We are so excited to meet her, but that day will not be without incident. Back in October our daughter was diagnosed with a heart defect, the scope of which we will not fully understand until after she is born. We have been prepared for the likelyhood of surgery to correct a narrowed aorta shortly after her birth (within 4-7 days). As a result, I will be having the c-section at the University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital (about 2 hours from home) and we will be temporarily relocating there for the birth and probable heart surgery for our little one.
While others are dealing with the figurative matters of the heart that Valentine’s Day brings, we will be dealing with quite literal matters of the heart…while others are remembering Christ’s temptations and trials through the beginning of Lent, we will be doing our best to remain faithful and hopeful in the goodness of God and his right-planning, no matter the circumstances. Our attention is focused on our new daughter and we pray that she will be born healthy, doctor’s and surgeons will be confident, and that we will be committed to Christ’s calling of faithfulness in the midst of stormy weather.
I'll be doing my best to update the blog after birth and during our stay there. The three other kids will be staying with my folks here in Grand Rapids, hopefully visiting a few times before we come home.
Friends, will you pray with us for our little girl? For wisdom for the cardiologists and surgeons. For strength for Josh and I. Most importantly as we've said all along, we pray that we can believe the fact that God has ordained this. He has put our little girl and us in this situation to bring glory to His name and we pray there there is comfort, strength, courage, and cofindence in us to be faithful to the promises he gives us. He is good. He loves us. He will never leave or forsake us. We want to play our part in the story he has written.
Thanks.
