Watercolors. (And an update.)

Everyone, look!  Right above these words.  The title of this post does not say What's going on with Isaac?

(!!!!)

I will briefly update you at the end of this post, but hooray for something different.

First up, watercolors:

I recently picked up the above book at the library, and it has inspired us to do more watercolor painting. A few nights ago the girls and I painted while Mark read aloud before bedtime:

Ella (14)

Audra (7)

mine

(And yes, I see flaws everywhere in my painting.  But you know what?  I'm practicing.  And I enjoy it, and surely I'll get better, right?  ;))

* * *

Thank you all for your prayers, comments, emails, and cards!  (Isaac has gotten lots of mail over the past few weeks and he's loving that.)  He is doing so much better.  I see progress every day.  He is getting stronger and is more active and seems almost entirely back to his normal self.  Praise God.  

A few nights ago I was feeling tearfully discouraged- just feeling overwhelmed by all that has taken place over the past couple of months, and also wanting to get to the cause of why this all happened, but not knowing what to do next.  It all felt so much bigger than me.  (For example: Do we continue to press for a rheumatology appointment?  Do I eliminate foods from his diet?  (If so, which ones?)  Do we get him in to an allergist and find out what foods he may be allergic to?  Do we try to find a second opinion?  Or do we just wait and see?) 

So Mark and I did this: we prayed.  We asked God to give us wisdom and peace and to bring direction and clarity in our next steps. We thanked Him for what He has done; for how He has answered so many prayers, and we asked Him to continue to lead us as He has so faithfully.  And we entrusted Isaac over to Him all over again.  And He truly flooded us with peace and took away my anxiety about all of it.

For this week I am watching him, and listening well when I ask him how he's doing.  Specifically I've been asking about joint pain (still some: fingers and knees), hives (no rash, but still an itchy feeling some nights), and stomach issues (diarrhea has gone, still mucous).  And I decided to do the one thing that felt manageable to me this week, and that is to be mindful of what he's eating at each meal.  I also met with a friend-who-is-a-doctor to get another opinion, and we talked it all through and I felt really good after that conversation.  That counsel was a confirmation to us that we can wait and watch.  So we are operating under the assumption that Isaac had a viral infection that his body reacted to mightily and that he is still getting well (hence the lingering symptoms.)  But: the symptoms are fading, and he is so much better than he was, and each day seems better than the day before.  So that's really good news.  And if there is something else going on, we'll wait for that to present itself and act when it does.  For now, we rest.

And we've eased back into school this week, three days only, and are enjoying routine and life together.  I am so thankful.

Thank you, kind friends, for walking this road with us, for showing up to read and to offer prayers on our behalf; for your thoughtfulness and for your thoughts and opinions.  I treasure each of you.

~Stacy