all who call on Him

"For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." -2 Corinthians 1:5

It's been two weeks since our last update, and though it's been difficult, God has carried us. We've been staying busy, and that helps for a bit, but when we sit still, it's easy to get bogged down in the whys and the what ifs. Please remember us in prayer for this. It's been difficult to accept that God's will and plan would work this way, but with support through prayer we know that God can reveal Himself to us, allowing us the peace that surpasses understanding.

God has also blessed us recently in a different way, and we are anxious to share it with you! Last week, Angi had an ultrasound done on her right leg. Our hematologist wanted to be updated on how the DVT (deep vein thrombosis, or blood clot) in her thigh is doing, if the blood thinners were working to dissolve it or not. Wednesday, we called to check on the results, and the person with whom we spoke said that they were completely gone! At first, we were skeptical, thinking that maybe they had the wrong results. As we talked more about it, we became cautiously optimistic, and the next day, the doctor confirmed that they are gone. Praise God! The next step is for Angi to stop taking the blood thinners, and we'll see if there is any kind of blood disorder or genetic defect that could be in her blood causing these clots. We're especially excited about that part, because for one, the medicine she has been on was giving her uncomfortable side effects, like mild to severe headaches. Plus, when a person is permanently on blood thinners, you always have to be cautious of wounds and bumps, because they're much more dangerous on the medicine. So thank God for this blessing!

Thank you for all the cards and notes expressing care and sympathy. We appreciate deeply the love and generosity that has been sent our way, and we pray God would bless you greatly. Do please continue to pray that we would continue healing and latching on to the Father, and that we would be able to be strong for each other. Pray that as we continue to mourn Jack, that Gaige would not feel neglected, and that we could help him cope as well. And pray against bitterness or jealousy on our behalf.

God has blessed us with so many people in our lives that have helped us and gone through a lot of this with us. But I confess that I, Tony, have managed to not be as grateful as I should for one in particular. My wife, Angi, has been stronger than any woman I have ever known. She was unwavering from the very beginning, like a house built on the Rock. Her faith has grown through this ever stronger, even when I myself had at one point become detached. Frustrated, I stopped praying and thinking about God. And because she is my friend, she rebuked me, loved me, and pointed me to the only One who could rub out the anger. I pray that you are blessed by someone in your life who loves you enough to kick you in the pants when you need redirecting. God has worked through her in my life, and I am so blessed to have her.

I pray that you feel God through all of this, that you would know we are nothing and that He is everything. To him be the glory and honor forever and ever, Amen.

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." -Psalm 145:18

-Tony, Angi, Gaige, and Jack