Postponed

A bit ago we got a phone call saying that Aubrey's surgery would almost definitely be postponed beyond the originally scheduled date of August 20th. We had been forewarned that this could happen as it is not uncommon for emergency surgeries to backlog the surgeon's schedule and OR. Last week we were told that it would indeed be pushed back due to a number of patients whose health took a sudden turn for the worse.

As much as this initially sent me into a bit of a tailspin, I couldn't help but be thankful that "sudden turn for the worse" isn't how Aubrey is described. Her decline has been that-- a decline-- but it has been gradual and expected and quite honestly even slower than predicted. I am so deeply thankful for this.

The make-up date is tentatively set for September 10th. There's a possibility it will be sooner, but it's most likely going to be then. After a day or two of adjusting emotionally, I realized the multitude of ways this seems better, and I don't even see all that our Heavenly Father sees as He orchestrates our lives! Daniel will now certainly be here when our church transitions back to two services for the fall and reception of the college students back into the area, I will have the time to start our oldest 3 children on some basic schooling that they can then plug away at in my absence, we have more opportunities to show our house (which we put on the market a little less than 2 weeks ago), Daniel will have time to train up a new office assistant the church just hired for him, and I might even get the chance to swap summer/winter clothes (though right now, as we're in the middle of a 4-day high 80s/low 90s stretch, that seems almost ridiculous to think about!) before we head out. Little blessings all along the way.

Aubrey is, of course, very disappointed that she will now pretty certainly be in the hospital for her birthday (September 13), but the truth is that even if we'd made it home post-surgery by then, any celebration we would have would have been very quiet/simple. It feels like a big thing in an almost-8-year-old's world so I'm trying to have compassion for her genuine heartbreak while reminding her that the Lord really and truly does work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Please spread the word about the surgery date, and I will do my best to continue updates here as we go. Thank you again for praying. We are comforted and strengthened daily, and it means more than words could ever say.