Back for more...

Just because I love the hospital soooo much, I thought that I'd check in for the next week. Good times! Ha ha... Seriously though, we are all set to report for surgery at 5:30am on Monday morning. I am completely thankful for such an early slot because now there will be no wiling away hungry hours waiting and getting anxious. I'm not sure of the exact time my procedure will start, but I'm guessing that it will be around 7:30 or so. We're expecting about 8 hours of surgery time and then who knows how long in recovery. I will likely be in the hospital until Friday sometime if all goes well. We so desire your prayers dear warriors!! I am kind of dreading spending that much time in the hospital and the cumbersome recovery that is to come, but I am feeling pretty ready to get it underway. My friend Jodi reminded me just recently of how God has "hemmed us in - behind and before" (Psalm 139:5). He has us covered! And, thankfully, so do all of you. Once again the meal brigade is in full force, the prayer warriors are all scheduled straight through the day and yes... GRANDMA is here!! The kids are in their glory (it didn't hurt that she arrived with those Lego games that they have been drooling over in the catalog... ha ha) and I can walk away from it all for 5 days knowing that really not much will change. :) So many of you have stepped in the transport our children to practices and games, pick up our farm bounty and just to be "on-call" for Grandma. WE ARE SO BLESSED!!! (I may have mentioned that before somewhere along the line, but it really bears repeating!) Thank you for standing by us so relentlessly and for keeping us in front of the Lord. I think that I have drifted in my focus a little bit this summer as I chased every little bit of fun and frolicking that I could in my "new-found" health, but let me tell you that you come right back to the heart of the matter quickly when surgery is back on the agenda. I'm embarrassed that I could so quickly lose some of that hard-won perspective, but I guess that I'm still learning and I'm still growing so that is all good! God is faithful, powerful, trustworthy and relentless Himself in His love for us.

I am looking forward to reporting "live" from Magee this week. I will try to keep you all posted on my progress and catch you up on some other impending issues that I've kind of been avoiding in the face of surgery... first things first, you know?

Thank you again for your prayers... I know that we feel them, we need them and we draw so much comfort in knowing that you are offering them on our behalf.