BALENTINE MEMOIRS

Today we had two appointments which we were looking forward to and dreading at the same time.  We don't dread situations like these for any other reason than they force us to talk about things we don't want to talk about - things we never thought we'd talk about, especially now - like where and how we will memorialize Simon (funeral, burial, etc.).  We met with Patty, the found of Alexandra's House , early this afternoon.  Patty has an amazing heart for families with babies with fatal diagnoses, and she also has an amazing heart for Christ.  We had an awesome discussion with her, although it was tear-filled.  Alexandra's House should be a great resource for us to meet other families that have gone through, or are currently faced with the same situation. Amy and I had an hour to kill between Alexandra's House and our appointment with Amy's OB, so we sat and chatted at Starbucks.  Although we don't feel like we have made much...

I wanted to spend some time giving a quick update on how life seems to be settling in with our recent prognosis for Simon.  Life often feels like chapters, and this current reality has been no different.  There is life before knowing of Simon's illness and life after knowing of Simon's illness.  It is comforting to write that I wouldn't want to go back to the pre-Trisomy 13 Amy.  While she may have had more bounce in her step and less tears filling her eyes daily, she was a woman close to The Lord, but not nearly as close or faithful as she is now.  How else could we get through this without our Heavenly Father?  When my eyes start to blur and move away from Him, He nudges me and reminds me to lift my eyes to Him and allow Him to carry this for me.  Praise God because the weight of this is too far too heavy to shoulder alone.  I have been praying for God to use Simon in a mighty way to change other's lives.  It hit me, gently, while sitti...