Walking through the hospital today:
Me: sure seems empty here today.
Isaiah: ya, it's quiet. I like it quiet.
Me: why?
Isaiah: helps me focus.

All done. He did great. Just gets stronger every time. Thanks for praying.

i must be in the front row!

Well, almost!  A friend gave us some great tickets to tonight's Kings/76ers game.  Isaiah enjoyed seeing the players up close and hearing them yell and complain.  

Jacob and Steve H. joined us.  The boys got to go out on the floor after the game for a shot.  


Tomorrow (12/31) bright and early we go back down to Sac for a spinal tap and chemo.  Isaiah will be fasting all morning.  We hope to be done by about 2 p.m.  We'll spend New Year's Eve recovering at home.  Thanks for supporting our strong son.  

christmas hike pics

We enjoyed a beautiful Christmas Day hike near the Skyline-to-Sea Trail.

Cousin Ethan and Uncle Patrick joined us.

Matthy expressed his enjoyment of the tree-climbing by making lots of bubbles. Didn't like the wind so much, though.

christmas hike pics, 2

christmas week

So grateful for healthy kids this Christmas! Isaiah's last appointment went well: his counts are much lower but still OK. We're very aware of the memory of spending last Christmas in the hospital with a fever.

Every single piece of our Advent celebration this year seems so rich. We're breathing deeply and taking it all in. Highlights so far include our conversations with our church community which continues to demonstrate such an encouraging desire to put into practice the way of Jesus, Sienna and Carmen's making communion bread for our Sunday gatherings in Advent, and an early Christmas celebration with the Oates tribe. This week is the Emmaus Christmas gathering (Wednesday) and Christmas Day with the Rojas side.

We'll share more soon. We're loving all the Christmas cards and updates from friends. Thank you!

dedication day

Matthias had a great party today after church. Lots of smiles between naps.

grateful for good family times

Yesterday, as the wind blew and the rain came down, I felt thankful for our warm house, our long stack of wood for the wood stove, and that my wife and kids were all healthy and together and home. I know these days are precious and few. I'm trying to soak up every moment.

Tomorrow, at our church community's worship gathering, we'll be dedicating Matthias to God. This is a significant act of trust and surrender and obedience for us (as it is for all parents). We have been entrusted with this little boy to care for for a little while, our primary roll to teach and to demonstrate the love of God and to point him Jesus, the True Lover of his soul.

A few weeks ago we escaped for a few short days in Tahoe. The highlight of the trip for the two "big kids" (Matthy hated it) were the bike rides through the forest.

We're enjoying the Season of Advent together. Every day the kids read from a book of readings focused on the birth of Christ, we've shared some fun, interactive events with our home group (had a bonfire and read the Christmas story in the pasture near my folk's barn), and Sienna and Carmen are baking communion bread each Saturday for our community's Sunday gatherings.

We're loving seeing many of your pictures in Christmas cards! Peace to you.

oates boys