Greetings this fine Sunday afternoon!

I've had people saying to me this week..."Hey, Shannon! It's been a while since your last update...when's it comin'?" I must say that my schedule as a nurse has been plum full lately! :) Ha! Actually, I've needed and wanted to do an update for some time, but life has been crazy busy this last week or so...full of good stuff, but busy nonetheless.

On Thursday, May 7th, we celebrated Mark's birthday, and what a celebration it was. Not that it was elaborate. Actually, it was quite simple and understated right here at home. We grilled salmon & ate asparagus on the back porch and enjoyed THE best chocolate torte from Schmidt's Bakery here in Loveland. YUMMY!!!!!!!! And we praised God in an extra special way for the fact that my sweet hubby was around to celebrate his special day. "Thank you!" to each of you who sent him a special birthday note, either via Facebook or e-mail. He has them all in a special little book (that his dorky, organizational wife made for him) that also contains his x-rays, other prayers, cards and special notes.

On Monday, May 11th (following a very special Mother's Day with my Mom, step-Dad & my guys on Sunday), we took another trip to the surgeon's office for a check-up. They did some more x-rays to check the progression of the healing, and then we met with the surgeon for a while. Dr. Rusnak said that things are progressing well, but that he is keeping an eye on the left knee, in particular, because these types of injuries tend to want to heal kind of "bowed." We are going to the hospital for a CT Scan tomorrow morning so Dr. Rusnak can get a closer look at it. If you would agree with us in prayer that the knee would heal STRAIGHT and align properly, and that the bones would not begin to bow at all. If it did heal improperly, it would mean more surgery ( and obviously another healing process), in order to avoid arthritis in that knee and ankle later in life. Please agree with us for perfect healing for the knee, if you would!

The other injuries are healing well. Our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made! It's really neat to look at the x-rays and to actually be able to see the bone reforming before our very eyes, particularly in the femurs, where the breaks are so severe. God is SO COOL!!!! What a creative and amazing physician He is. Dr. Rusnak is still amazed at how little pain medication Mark is taking, as well as how positive and peppy he is (the light of Jesus shining through him, no doubt). So, hooray for that! Answers to prayer, all around.

From a timing perspective, Dr. Rusnak told Mark that he will continue to be NON-weight bearing for another 4 weeks, at which time he may be allowed to begin putting weight on the right leg (ankle injury side), using a walker or perhaps some crutches. So, we're pretty excited about that adventure coming up! I'm not sure when he'll be cleared to weight bear some on the left leg, but I think Dr. Rusnak wants to keep an eye on that knee a bit more first.

As for me, I took my first "out of town" adventure in a long while, when I traveled down to Colorado Springs with my friend Kris to minister at "Still Waters for Her" at Woodmen Valley Chapel last Tuesday night. I've been leading worship there the last couple of years, but this is the first time for me to SPEAK at Still Waters (actually, I led worship, spoke and sang...nope, didn't juggle though). I felt God's presence, grace and strength in a mighty way (I was nervous, especially because I've been mentally pretty taxed lately) and it was a special time with these precious ladies that I've grown to love so dearly. The theme, which was set last year sometime, was "the faithfulness of God." It couldn't have been more appropriate, as I was able to not only share our story of infertility and adoption, but also the recent chapters of Mark's accident and how I continue to marvel at God's faithfulness!! In fact, the Scripture I chose for the inside of the program for Still Waters was from Psalms 89, which says:

"Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful You are. I'll never quit telling the story of Your love - how You built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it. Your love has always been our lives' foundation. Your fidelity has been the roof over our world...God! Let the cosmos praise Your wonderful ways, the choir of holy angels sing anthems to Your faithful ways! Search high and low, scan skies and land, You'll find nothing and no one quite like God. The holy angels are in awe before Him; He looms immense and august over everyone around Him. God of the Angel Armies, who is like You? You are powerful and faithful from every angle!" (The Message)

I LOVE that last line. "God of the Angel Armies, who is like You? You are powerful and faithful from EVERY ANGLE!" I am convinced today, more than ever before, that NO MATTER what situation or circumstance we find ourselves in, when we turn our eyes upon Jesus and look HIS direction, we will see His faithfulness. Faithfulness surrounds Him on all sides and there is no angle from which He is any less faithful. But I think we can miss it, if we're not looking for it - if we're staring at ourselves and our problems. When we gaze upon Him through the lens of worship and gratefulness, it is then we are able to discover & see His faithfulness more clearly and we'll begin to be able to identify His faithful ways. That doesn't mean everything in our lives suddenly makes sense - it probably won't - but every promise He's ever made about who He is and who we are in Him is "yes and AMEN" in Christ Jesus. We need only rest in that and keep looking His way. He is 100% faithful.

Thank you for your continued prayers as Mark, Christian and I tackle each new chapter of this journey together. If there are ways we can be praying for you, please let us know as well. We feel a deep sense that God is doing a new thing in our family. We're really not sure what that is yet, but I received a card in the mail recently with a Scripture written inside that sums it up. It is for all of us who are Christ-followers, and especially for those who might find ourselves staring into the "unknown."

"In paths they do not know, I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them and rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do. I will not leave them undone." (Isaiah 42:16)

May the God of peace cause every heart who knows Him to rest in the knowledge that HE is is faithful. King of the Angel Armies. Faithful from every angle.

Love to you all,
Shannon