Bryan's Illness and New Relationships The biggest thing in our life in the past 6 mo or so was Bryan's illness that began March 9th. We went the hospital thinking he had a disc problem. Ended up being admitted for pneumonia and an infection in his blood. He was in Lovelace Westside for 2 long weeks, being pumped full of antibiotics and all sorts of narcotics. After 2 weeks the blood infection was under control so they had to send him home still barely able to walk from the back problems. That week at home was the longest and hardest and loneliest of my life! Bryan was not himself from all the medication we were pumping into him and I longed to have a conversation with him that was anything other than pain levels etc. We spent hours and hours just sitting together wondering if life was going to look like this forever. During that week, I made an appointment with a back surgeon (mostly to rule it out!), and a back pain specialist which is how I thought God would choose to heal him. To make a long story short, he ended up downtown the next week having surgery to remove and fuse his disc. The surgeon told us later that he wasn't surprised by much, but when he went in there he shocked at how much the infection in his spine had spread in such a short time. He's still on and will be on antibiotics until October at a minimum. They they will decide after that if he needs to continue.
During this month and a half. God was faithful to comfort and be with us through the darkest hours. Sometimes it was all I could do to just keep taking my focus back to God being Good even though I couldn't see how or why He was allowing this. I didn't have time to read much as I went to the hospital early each day and stayed till Bryan would finally get in bed for the night. God spoke to me through music mostly in those weeks on my trips back and forth from the hospital. Laura Story's "Blessings" song was newly released and Klove was playing it alot. I would sob to where I could hardly see to drive, but I KNEW God was there with me and I was comforted in knowing that HE did care and I had to keep giving it to him over and over. I was too the point where I was asking Him to help me if I was going to loose him! I didn't understand, but I trusted or at least asked God to help me trust! During that time, I was overwhelmed with love from family and friends -- mostly through Facebook. Each night I'd write my update and read notes from people that were praying - 100's of people. Some of them I hadn't had much contact with in a long time. Even people in other countrys -- other states and churches that didn't even know us but knew our family members! God also used visits from family and a few friends during that time to encourage us. But I think the thing He used the most was just the hours and hours of sitting with each other, many times not talking -- waiting -- waiting for God to come through and give Bryan healing. God brought healing not in the way I was hoping for, but through surgery, although Bryan was thrilled! From about the 4th day after surgery till now -- he's just made steady progress. By about the 7th or 8th day after the surgery, he quit all his narcotics cold turkey, going through a week of hard withdrawal. But he's doing well now and we praise Him for sparing Bryan's life!!

During those hard months, Abby was with her friends alot coping through the stress. She and her friend Kyle had lots of long talks and began to realize they were seeing each other as more than just friends. The middle of April, they asked us if it would be ok to for them to begin dating. So again we are entering the world of dating and looking back I see how much I've grown in not taking change so dramatically. God is helping us all to navigate this time of our life. I think coming through a near death experience with Bryan has put life into perspective for me. I know I still have much to learn, but God is faithful to continue to work in all of our lives -- weaving it all together in a beautiful tapestry.