I'll be honest...I've taken a break from The Common Bond. I didn't mean to do it, it just sort of happened-I think I became overwhelmed with the pain that is associated with so many of these stories.

Most of these families, I don't know personally, but I believe we truly do love them like they are some of our closest friends...and when things don't turn out the way we hope it hurts. I was reminded though, that these families don't get a "time out"...they don't get to take a break, and God never takes a break. If I believe what I put in my little Faith, Hope and Love message...We are graced with LOVE by those He sends to walk this road with us...then it means I don't get to take a break. We are privalaged to be used by Him to show his love to these families that are hurting...how can we take a back seat to that?

But I have and by "taking a break" I've dropped the ball on opportunities to show His love and also for allowing you the opportunities to love these families by walking alongside of them.

Here's the great thing...we can always start over...well, until He calls us home...and so far that hasn't happened...so today I'm starting over. This next week I will have a new family for us to pray for, to walk with, to invest our lives in. If you know of families that we could be praying for please pass their information along. I would love to let others know about it.

I did want to share some news really quick--for those of you that were reading TCB blog last September you probably remember Molly...I am SO EXCITED (okay, if I could do a cartwheel...I would--that's how excited I am) to tell you that Briana and Garrick had a baby girl yesterday, her name is Megan Elizabeth weighing in at 8lbs 6oz. I re-read the posts about Molly and my heart broke all over again, but it also reminded me of why we do what we do...and I'm so glad that we also get to share in this AWESOME news of little miss Megan!

More Prayers for Megan Please

If you get Megan's updates from her caringbridge site then you already know this...but they have found another tumor.

She was complaining of pain in her eye...so they did a scan and found a tumor behind the eye. Since her dad is having to take it easy, her Aunts are taking her to Birmingham for treatment. She started a new kind of chemotherapy yesterday (I believe that's correct)...

I know I keep saying it...but at this point there's really nothing more we can say...just keep praying...tell everyone you know to pray for this awesome girl. She is amazing and it's heartbreaking what this family has endured. We know God is bigger than the diagnosis...bigger than any road block that comes up...He is bigger than cancer.

Also, in the next month or so I will be switching my jewelry site to a new layout and will be launching a new collection line. The jewelry I sell goes to fund The Common Bond.

Thanks for all the support you have given to me and these families!

Quick Updates

OLIVIA CAME HOME!!! I'll try to get some new pictures of her posted here later on.

Megan is doing well...keep this family in your prayers though, Gary-her dad had a heart attack (yes you read that right) last Sunday. He's okay...at home recovering. Please keep lifting this family up.


The Larson's...(Coleman's Family) Keep remembering them as well...if you don't get their updates on Care Pages I recommend you signing up. They truly are an amazing family.

I know this is quick, but I wanted to get this info out there.

Thanks ya'll!

Praying for Megan...

I have some other updates to make in regards to Olivia (excellent progress)...and Coleman's family, but time is of the essense right now (because I have VERY limited of it)...so I want to put this out there for all of you praying for these children.

You may remember a post a while back regarding Megan Brittain...

In a nutshell, they found out the tumor on her spine had grown. She will be having surgery tomorrow morning at 9:00am. Please keep her, the surgeons, her family all in your prayers. I know this is brief...but I really wanted to get it out here for us to start praying.

Visit her caringbridge page at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/meganbrittain

Thank you for your support of these families...for walking alongside of them.

Tears...

Tears filled with Hope
Posted by Coleman's Mom (Peggy) on their website.

Today the world may have cried a river of tears for a little boy’s life that ended way too soon, but we believe Heaven is REJOYCING over Coleman’s job well done.

Coleman was an amazing child of God and we were so honored to be chosen as his parents.

He left this world at 10:45 last night- he fought HARD until the very end, not wanting to give up, but finally letting go. He was a warrior and a hero our hearts will forever miss. We had the most glorious five years together- a gift we will never forget.

A quick story. :)

One day Coleman heard someone say they were mad at God. He didn’t say a word, but later came to me with this complete look of disbelief on his face and asked, “mommy? did you hear them say they were mad at DOD? WHY would they say that?” He couldn’t even fathom the thought. Then he raised his little eyebrows and said, “well, I hope they don’t say that in PUB-WIC (public)!” and walked away. He knew there were some things he could not change, but HIS faith never wavered.

Lots of people have mentioned their anger toward God …how can He let this happen when so many people have been praying for Coleman? Why didn’t he answer our prayers?

I just can’t be angry at Our God who sent Coleman to us in the first place. Coleman was a child of God, WE were chosen to be his parents- and how blessed we were. Maybe my feelings will change, but like Coleman, I can’t imagine being angry at God. Would we have loved to have had more time with Coleman? YES! I want him back right now, but I know that’s the selfish part of me talking. I know I will hurt more than I can ever imagine in missing him…and I know I will have MANY days of heartache and anger, but my anger is over the fact we live in a world where we can do so much, but still do not have a cure for this horrific disease. Children are paying the price for that. More on that will come-

I guess what I’m saying is I know for a fact, Coleman would NOT want us to be mad at God. He taught us so much in his time here. His lessons will go on for a very long time. He knew where he came from and he knew where he was going. My heart aches for more time, but I’m SO thankful for the time we got with him, and we know we WILL be with him again. God doesn’t always answer our prayers in the way we want him to…HIS ways are not ours, and that’s hard to accept, but true. It doesn’t mean I don’t question it- it’s hard to understand, but one day we WILL know.


Please keep this family in your prayers...there's nothing more I can say.

PRAY PRAY PRAY

I just read an update from Coleman's Mom...

On Christmas Eve, they had to take Coleman to the ER. He was having slurred speech and other symptoms...the doctors ran some tests and found that two new spots have appeared on his brain.

Hospice has been called in and they are home...trying to make Coleman comfortable. He's pretty much unresponsive most of the time. Peggy and Scott (his parents) have talked to Caden (Coleman's twin) about what could happen. Of course they're not giving up...but they are trying to prepare him. I can't imagine having to have that conversation...the whole thing seems like it's just too much to bear...but thankfully we are assured that God will give us the strength we need to face the situations we encounter..and that is my hope and prayer that this family feels the peace of Christ surround them..that they feel each of us walking alongside of them...and that they are strengthened beyond their own capacity.

Please pray...there's nothing else I can say...just please pray.

Miss Olivia Wells

**12/20/2008...Another update was posted from Amy's sister regarding Olivia...please scroll down to read and please continue to pray**


**Please read update received from Olivia's Mommy-Amy at the bottom of the post**

On December 5th, Olivia Wells entered this world a bit early (at 29 weeks and 5 days)....and she's just a tiny little thing at 2 pounds 8 ounces. Olivia's parents are Amy and David Wells. Amy had preeclampsia (I probably spelled that wrong)...and Miss Olivia had to be taken via c-section.

Please pray for this precious family...for Olivia to continue to gain strength and grow...for Amy as she is healing...and of course for both David and Amy as they place their little girl in God's hands...just for peace and strength to get thru these days ahead.

So, again, I'm asking for all of you to beat down the doors of heaven for this family....I feel honored that we are given the opportunity to walk this road with them...and my hope is that we never take it for granted.

From Danielle (Amy's sister)...
December 20, 2008
I just spoke with Amy and Olivia is back on the ventilator today. She had some swelling in her belly and a bit of apnea yesterday. They are thinking either she has an infection (they won't know for a couple of days) or her little body was just working to hard and needs to rest. Please continue to hold this amazing family in your prayers -for a quick and complete healing for Olivia and for peace, wisdom, and strength for David and Amy!

From Amy...

December 11, 2008
Thank you for your continued prayer for our daughter Olivia. I know a lot of times it is difficult to understand how much our prayers effect situations in our life. But for some reason, prayer is tool that God has given us to move Him to act according to His will in our lives. It doesn't really makes sense to me, but it works. We are realizing more and more every day that God is the only one who is able to strengthen and grow our little girl. As amazing and advanced as medicine is today, Olivia's healer is God. No one and nothing else will be able to sustain her.

Overall, Olivia has continued to do really well considering her size and age. Tuesday was a big day for her. On Tuesday they switched her to what they call a C-PAP breathing system. Before, there was a tube going down her throat that assisted her in breathing. She was taking the initiative to breath, but if she forgot the machine would back her up. It would make sure that she was taking a certain amount of breaths per minute. On Tuesday they took that tube out of her throat and put two little tubes in her nostrils. Every time she takes a breath now, the C-PAP gives her an extra boost of oxygen. The difference now is, it is completely her responsibility to breath. If she forgets, there is nothing there to back her up. We got to be there when they switched her over. It was a scary moment for David and I, knowing that we might have to see her struggle. But thankfully, she handled the switch really well. As they were switching her over she remained really calm and relaxed. All of her levels stayed normal and she continues to do really well with her new C-PAP. This was a really big step for her because if she continues to do well on the C-PAP they will be able to take her off of it for small amounts of a time so that we can hold her. As I'm sure you can imagine, both David and I are extremely excited to be able to hold and snuggle our little girl. In fact, it is looking like tonight at 5:00pm we will be able to hold her for the first time.

Please pray that Olivia continues to have good days. Preemie babies can be doing really well one moment and within hours they can be so sick that they are close to death. Our Dr sat us down yesterday and gave us an overview of some of the battles Olivia might face over the next few months. He was not trying to scare us but he wanted us to be aware of some things she might struggle with. The talk was beneficial and we appreciated him being realistic with us but it as also eye-opening and scary. We know that Olivia is in God's hands and that He is completely trustworthy. However, the talk we had with Dr increased our urgency to be lifting Olivia up to her only Healer. Please continue to join us in praying for her complete healing.