Greetings from our family in Richmond, Virginia! We are thankful for you, our friends and family. We are also thankful to the Lord for His gift of the love to us all this season.
wThis past year has been a roller coaster of experiences and emotions, specifically regarding our spunky little Annie, who is now 8. Many of you know that she came down with a rare neurological disease earlier this Spring that caused many of her abilities to suddenly disappear for several months (walking, talking, moving arms, etc.). Read all the details of that story here (need to sign up for a free CaringBridge account to visit that page).
She received excellent medical care from teams at VCU Children’s in Richmond and CHKD in Norfolk. We also received overwhelming support from all of you, our friends and family. Thank you for every meal, chore, errand, visit, financial gift, and prayer you offered to us this year. We are so humbled and inspired by the goodness of others towards us. The Lord has heard your prayers and Annie progressed back to talking, walking, and going back to school as normal.
However, her journey continues. As I write this post in December of 2025, Annie has been experiencing a flare-up. After six months of recovery from her OMAS, the past two weeks have brought upon her some recurring symptoms, particularly inconsolable leg pains and ataxia (abnormal gait). She was admitted to the hospital for a couple of days for tests but nothing was found that would require her to stay longer, so they sent her home in the wheelchair and she will undergo more outpatient PT and OT for a time going forward. She currently needs assistance moving around and uses the wheelchair for parts of the day. Please continue to pray for her.
Annie loves singing, dancing, rock climbing (something she can still do with assistance), aerial silks, and playing with her friends. She is now in third grade and has a great support system at her school.
Kezzie is now in tenth grade and loves school, playing games with friends, singing, and playing on the school tennis team. Her newest hobby is playing the guitar. She asked for a guitar for her birthday and she has been learning very quickly. It is wonderful to hear the sounds of her voice and guitar in the house.
David is in first grade and loves to play any game that involves a ball, especially baseball and soccer. He loves a good puzzle and also just running around with his friends. He is on the small side for his age, but he is not afraid to jump into the mix of playing sports with boys much bigger than him.
Sarah continues to run her own counseling practice (Good Courage Counseling). She moved to a new office space this year, one with better parking for her clients and overall location. She enjoys walks with friends, listening to good podcasts, and anything outdoors (hikes, bike rides, parks, etc).
Jesse is still juggling, traveling, and speaking at events. This year he published his extremely corny and barely funny Incredibly Bad Dad Jokes, which you can find on Amazon (perfect gift idea :). He is also teaching classes in Christian Ministry and Biblical Studies at Ascent College.
For this Christmas season, we want to share with you a painting that touched our hearts earlier this Spring when we were walking through the darkness of caring for a hurting child in the hospital. It depicts the angel announcing the coming Jesus to the shepherds at night. I love how the light of heaven pierces the darkness and the angel points to the light of the star over the stable in Bethlehem. This season is about God piercing the darkness of history and our current lives with the light and hope of His Son, Jesus Christ.
