Surgery tomorrow, and other important things

We are in Nashville at the same hotel we always stay at when we have to stay overnight for something at Vanderbilt--all the way back to before and after the prenatal surgery. It's like our second home. So many memories here. And tonight we're making more memories. Grandma and Papaw also came down for the surgery and we went out to Outback with them. (Georgia screamed "I'm poopin, mama!" all through the restaurant.) Then when we got back to the hotel, Granna and Aunt Pam were in the adjoining room from ours. Both kids are sitting with Granna on her bed watching Thomas videos on YouTube.

We have to be at the hospital at 6am for the first surgery of the day at 8am. I forgot his paperwork at home, and even his school forms, so we don't even know what floor to go to in the morning. Truthfully I have intentionally just not thought much about this.

I have been reading from the Old Testament all this year (I'm only to Samuel), but what has stuck out to me is how many times the Lord told the Isrealites to not be afraid. Do not be afraid, because I am with you. Over and over again, he says it. It makes me think that if we are afraid, we are just not trusting Him.

The other night Blake and I were talking about the surgery, and he told me that around the beginning of the year he started praying how I pray: That if something is going on in Nate's little body, that God will reveal it to us before it's too late. That may seem like a strange prayer, but Nate has often been a little mystery to us. I had been noticing Nate's left foot turning out, but no one else (except Blake) really noticed it. Then on July 29, out of the blue, for no reason at all, Blake started messing with Nate's feet. We never do this. He told me the other night that he has no idea why he did it. All he can attribute it to is that God told him to do it. Now less than 6 weeks later, Nate is having surgery. It is really the ideal situation. He has lost enough function in his foot for us to know for sure something is up, but not enough to affect his mobility at all. So if God has had his hands all over this from the very beginning, what do we have to fear here?

Now I'm not saying I won't be a mess at 8am tomorrow, but tonight I am at peace. I am certain that God loves Nate even more than I do and has only good plans for him. I know that God will be with us tomorrow, and my prayer (and I'd love for you to join me) is that Nate will feel God's presence while he sleeps, and that everyone in the operating room will also feel his presence. Because He will be there.

Nate will be in the hospital for a few days, so I will try to update when I can. In the meantime, here's some other stuff going on.

1. We went to Gatlinburg this weekend when my dad's family. There were 24 of us in this enormous, awesome cabin. It was so nice spending time with my Granny and Papal and all of my aunts and uncle and cousins. One night Nicole and I took our kids along with my cousin Chad and his wife and their 3 kids to this place called Wonder Works. As I watched all these kids running around, I kept looking at Chad thinking ... I can't believe we're the grown ups now!

2. I am now the Executive Director of the Spina Bifida Association of Kentucky! There's so much to say about this I don't know where to start so I won't. But I'm very honored to be chosen for this position, and I take the responsibility very seriously, and I am so excited about the future.

3. I got our pictures taken today. Oh.my.goodness. How cute are they? Georgia was being a stinker and wouldn't smile most of the time, but we got one good one of her. Nate was a ham and it was difficult to choose. And I had to get my photo taken for work, so meh.

We would appreciate your prayers at 8am Central time tomorrow! I will update on Facebook as I can. Feel free to add me if we're not already connected on there. Good night!