It is hard to even admit my anxiety when I posted the Weary post.  I purposely deleted it off Facebook to keep it confined to people who the Lord sent to our blog.  And He has been so incredibly faithful.  Since then, we have had amazing response from so many people posting prayers and encouraging notes.  We can honestly feel our situation being lifted to our Father by those of you who have prayed.  THANK YOU.  It felt, for me, like a weight was lifted just in the act of writing.  And your response?  Well it brings me to tears.

I have great news to post on our little girl.  We put Grace on an antibiotic after her appointment because she was beginning to develop a nasty cough.  Each day we had her on the antibiotic, her overall disposition improved.   She has been on antibiotic 5 days now and it is absolutely incredible.  Tonight I was downstairs cooking dinner and I heard her laughing and running and playing like the carefree little Grace.  She even had a stomach virus since we put her on the medicine and that couldn’t slow her down.  She is still doing the repetitive sound, but isn’t acting fearful or sad.  We will still take her to the ENT after the antibiotic course is complete to ensure there is no physical cause to her little noise, but comparing this Grace with Grace a week ago is very encouraging.  Maybe she has been sick or in some kind of pain we weren’t aware of and the antibiotic is helping with that?  Or maybe the prayers of so many are changing our circumstances?  I don’t know – but I am grateful.

While you are reading, may I ask you to pray for my friend Jamie Ivey?  Her son, Deacon, has a raspy little voice and they just found out it he has a disease where small growths appear on the vocal chords (read about it here).  This is a difficult diagnosis as the growths need constant corrective surgery, can in rare cases be cancerous, and can grow into the lungs and can actually cause death.  So while we are rejoicing in what appears to be great strides for our Grace, we are aching for our wonderful friends who are facing an incredibly challenging diagnosis for their son.   You have been so faithful and kind to pray for us, please lift our friends up in prayer as well.  God is BIG and can do anything and I am just praying He’ll heal Deacon completely.

And finally, a small testimony of His faithfulness.  People have reached out to us in so many ways, offering prayer, encouragement, and even financial support.  We are HUMBLED, amazed, and fully aware of how very blessed we are to be a part of the church of Jesus Christ.  We continue to learn so much about His faithfulness as we walk this road.  In this season that is often busy, these difficulties have served as a constant reminder to us that the same God who sent His Son is the God who is holding our lives in His hands right now.

My sister was listening to Sara Groves version of Breath of Heaven, and she said she just heard this as the prayer of my heart when I was so overwhelmed with parenting Grace and getting this right.  Since then, it has played in my mind over and over as a request that He would help me be faithful in this task.

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place,
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.

I love all of you and thank you again for bearing with me even through the hard times.  Thank you for the prayers for my daughter.  My friend Sherry Brooks always says “There is nobody a mom loves more than people who genuinely love her children” and I can testify to that truth.  I love you all.