Dear family and friends…

Another month has passed, making it 19 months since Judson went to live with his Savior.  Arriving at 19 months since his death has triggered thoughts of when Judson had reached 19 months of life.  It was at this age that he welcomed his little sister Jessie into our home and became a big brother.  Gosh, he loved her well and enjoyed being with her!  Our hearts were constantly overflowing with sweet emotions as we watched Judson care for his little Ladybug.

Strangely and painfully, it will be during this month of loss that Jessie will outlive her brother.  On July 3rd Jessie will be 2 years, 10 months, and 14 days old—the exact age when Judson died.  I burst into tears at the thought.  To see her grow and thrive is pure joy, but to watch her develop also brings awareness of all we have missed and will continue to miss without our beautiful son.

Today also marks exactly two years since Jud’s first doctor’s appointment due to my concerns about his increasing lack of balance.  The doctor sent us away that day without alarm for the long-term health of our little man, but it was just six days later, on June 13th, that our tumultuous journey began. 

It is hard to believe it has been two years!  Our lives have certainly not been what we thought they would be (though I imagine many people look at their journey and feel similarly).  So part of our continuous struggle is to release many of our expectations for this lifetime and submit to the plans God does have for us, learning to live and persevere in faithfulness even when we wish life looked different.

Always grateful for you who love us!

Much love in return,
Christina (on behalf of Drake too)

P.S.  There has been a great deal of progress on Judson’s book.  If you haven’t already read about it on my blog, you can find an update here.