Happy Birthday Ethan!

It's so hard to believe...our little boy is six years old today! He woke up to a trail of candy and yellow arrows leading from his bedroom to the table....and at his seat there was a box of chocolate cheerios for breakfast and a funny face balloon guy taped to his chair.  He has a special snack in his lunch box today with notes from Abigail and me. And when he gets home we're going to have leftover pizza and cupcakes!

Two years ago, with the news about Rachel fresh in our minds, we celebrated Ethan's birthday with his friends.  I so wish his birthday didn't have to be so connected with that awful week of ultrasounds and fears.  I'm finding it a bit hard again this year to put much effort into his special day.  I sure am THANKFUL for this little guy though - he gives us SO MUCH joy.

This morning we heard news that my sister in law, who is pregnant with twins, is facing some very difficult unknowns.  I wish I could be with her today..... 
http://mostlywhatnot.blogspot.com/

Later this afternoon, we have our Genetics meeting.  (again Ethan's birthday is connected to something that could be potentially hard...) I haven't been able to get much done all morning, wondering about my sister, wondering about this meeting.  I'm listening to Fernando Ortega today - the only music that really worked to help calm my spirit in those many hard days.....and this is the verse I read.....Thank-you Father, for knowing my heart, my groanings, for helping us in our distress.  

"The Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will." Romans 8:26-7