Sherry and I are in Cannon Beach, teaching at a retreat. It’s a group we know well, having done this for about 15 years. The group is small this time: 7 people, so that makes it even better. Between Western large classes and administration, counseling some very challenging situations and life stuff, I’m pushing really hard, so some down time is a happy thing. I de-stress best with a very close friend and that’s not available just now, which doesn’t help. I have exams to grade with me and also a conference call for Evangelical Theological Society (next week’s trip, reminding me of when we were there before, a most happy time with some friends joining in) as well as family things for the afternoon. Grand girls have pull in my life.

We went to dinner to honor Dave & Hollis, celebrating her birthday. Both lost spouses to suicide less than three years ago. I got to perform their wedding 15 months ago. The blending of family is going well, though with some challenges their unique situation brings. Seeing them doing so well is a huge testimony to God’s grace. It was a wonderful celebration.

And how is Elizabeth, you rightly wonder? She’s still a very sick litttle baby, but improving. Donn reports that she was changed from the oscillating respirator to a regular one. The continue to cut the percentage oxygen and brought the nitic oxide from 20 to 9. The morphine drip is stopped, going to “as needed.”

He was laughing loud when he told me that they let him change her diaper for the first time. Up to now he’s only been able to touch her, not oven stroke her, so it’s a huge change. She also had her first meal of breast milk. It was through a feeding tube, but it came from Susan.

We are praising God for His healing in lots of ways.