7/6 update

Little Big Bro joined Big Big Bro in holding Carissa tonight. Colton has been doing amazing at helping out with both younger siblings and has allowed Pamela to take a few minutes to get things done by watching Carissa pretty often. Tonight Luke plopped down beside Pamela and made it clear to her that he was there to hold Carissa. He was quite proud of himself after that.

Last week was the first week Carissa had ever had without any sort of doctor or hospital visit. We pray that is the first of many. We got in a new batch of pulse-ox sensors early last week and promptly went through all 4 of them in no time with the last one going bad just after 5 last Thursday as everyone closed down for the holiday weekend. We have either been living on faith or foolishness for the last few days because Carissa has not been on the monitor since that sensor went bad last Thursday. We ordered more today and will likely get them Wednesday. I don't miss that annoying beeping at any little move by Carissa even one bit.

We certainly hope and pray that the last few days are just a foreshadowing of late this month when we hope Carissa will be found to not need oxygen anymore. We would like for the oxygen need to be behind us.

We do have a hematology appointment Friday which will be the first cbc since her transfusion on 6/25. Depending on what is found we will either have a transfusion or get another appointment set for one or two weeks later.

• Please continue to thank God for His amazing touch on Carissa's life and her odds-defying progress.
• Please pray that Carissa is able to keep making and properly managing all her different blood components and that the cbc shows progress.
• Please pray that Carissa's lungs and breathing continues develop to the point that she will not need to stay on oxygen when she is retested at the end of the month.
• Please pray that Carissa keeps getting stronger and is better able to handle all of her eating via nursing.
• Please pray that our Almighty God keeps getting the glory and praise for Carissa's healing and that we all take advantage of opportunities to help that happen.

Thank all of y'all so much for your prayers and please keep praying for Carissa daily.

Carissa's issues and progress have given us many opportunities to talk about the faithfulness of God and of the power of prayer. It reminds me of a verse we have been focusing on at our church during Bible study on Sunday mornings as we discuss some basics of our faith. 1 Peter 3: 15 says "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." It's a really good idea to know what you believe and why you believe so you can be ready to defend your reasons, and reminding yourself why you believe what you do is a really good exercise in strengthening your faith.

Yours and His,

Terry