Less than three weeks left!

Emily is showing no signs of heart failure. We can't tell anything about her lungs and will just have to wait til she's born. (O God let her cry out! )
Only one more Duluth visit to check on Emily! Then the next Thursday (May 29) we'll be in Minneapolis for an appointment at Abbott Hospital. Friday (May 30) is a wedding rehearsal (Ryan and Emily), Saturday (May 31) is a wedding, Sunday we rest, and Monday, June 2nd at 7:30am we start the process that ends with meeting Emily. At least that's our plan, and the schedule we wrangled around and fought for with the crazy hospital system in Minneapolis. There's still a chance they'll want to induce sooner than Monday, when they do an ultrasound on Thursday. We hope not, because we'd like to be at the wedding! But we've gotta be careful not to get too uptight and stressed about getting things our way. There's so much uncertainty with Emily, the kids, the wedding, extended family, etc., that we're tempted to try and control some of it. But in all our planning we have to realize God's got His fingers (and heart) in all of it; He's in control. He's already lived, and is living the end of the story He's walking us through.

Thanks to Joe and Heather and baby Isabel and big black lab Jack for babysitting. Rachel and Joshua have been doing incredibly well with different babysitters each week. Not a tear was shed. Even naps are taken in places strange to them. What a blessing!

Joshua has not had a potty accident in days! He's even waking up with a dry diaper. He goes to the bathroom on his own accord. Whew!
Rachel's still adorable. Daddy's girl. She still has only two teeth and is learning to understand discipline and not liking it much.

Joshua and I (Joel) went backpacking! We both carried backpacks 1/4 mile from the car to Thompson Falls on the Bally Creek Rd. Josh was non-stop questions and insights, but the best part was sitting by the falls, sharing an apple and pumping water through the filter, with his little hand on my leg, just being quiet. We camped out one night, through which Joshua slept like a rock and Daddy froze! (It snowed yesterday!)

Please pray for us as stressfulness of the weeks to come seem to grow each day. Thank-you.
Joel.