Our weekend in (a few) pictures, and some updates

This past weekend Spencer and I headed out to the eastern shore to spend time with family. My mom and stepdad have a home there, and Spencer's mom and stepdad live about 35 minutes from them a few towns over. It was nice to get away for a few days, enjoy the sunshine, play a few rounds of golf, and enjoy being together. Here are a few pictures...

Spence and I on my mom's back porch...


Here are Spence and I on a boat ride prior to having dinner...
Not the greatest picture as I was holding the camera :)

We arrived back home to see that Isaac's rose bush (given to us by my dad and stepmom last September) had grown seemingly overnight, and had so many blooms!! I cut a few off and stuck them in a vase. For several of the others, I pulled of the petals and stuck them in a clear bowl. They smell so wonderful.

While we were away, I was working on my Beth Moore Esther study for this week. We're in week 3, at the part in Esther where Haman persuades King Xerxes to issue a decree to kill all of the Jews about 11 months later. Part of the commentary in the study surrounding this event asked us if we could imagine what it would be like to know the date you and your loved ones were going to die? To have that impending catastrophe looming in front of you? And though I feel like the question was meant to be, for the most part, rhetorical, a part of me just wanted to shout out, "YES!!! I KNOW!!"

I know what it was like to have October 7 marked on the calendar. I know what it was like to be living with impending catastrophe (barring God's intervention) in front of me... not for 11 months, but for 5 1/2.

We were asked to reflect on what it "would be" like right after hearing the news, a few months into it, and then shortly before the time was "up." I didn't have to search to deeply to remember what it was like to have my head spinning on April 21, 2008 and then again in mid-June. I didn't have to search back too far to remember what it was like living in the tension of knowing what was likely, and yet hoping and praying for Isaac to live. And I didn't have to think too hard at all to remember what it was like when I turned the calendar to October of 2008... or on the night of October 6 when Spence and I went up to bed and I knew it was the last time we would say goodnight to him.

To be honest, remembering all that just hurt like crazy. Yet somehow, God used it to remind me of His faithfulness through it all... that even though He didn't allow Isaac to live long here, He did allow him to be born alive; and ultimately, Isaac is alive and well in the presence of our Creator. As I often say to Spencer, though, I just wish he could have spent more time here with us first.

As for updates...

Kirsten's mom is doing okay and making small steps of progress. The doctors determined that she did not in fact have a heart attack, but they still aren't sure (as of the last I heard) what exactly happened. Her mom is having some unpleasant side effects from some of the medications she's being given. Kirsten is up with her mom, as is her oldest brother. They've worked out a schedule for someone to be with her at all times. I know that Kirsten is just very drained from all of this, and caring for her 3 and 1 year olds on top of it. Would you please continue to pray for Barb, but also please pray for Kirsten as she is trying to care for both her mom and her kids right now?

The golf tournament is trucking along!! We have several holes sponsored, and registrations are starting to come in. We're really excited about being able to remember Isaac and bring honor to God through his life and story. If this happens to be the first time you're hearing about the golf tournament, click here to head to the tournament website and learn more. We would love it if you would pray for this tournament... for good weather, for the details to come together, for people's hearts and lives to be touched, and for God to receive all the glory.