Update

With the end of baseball season and school we have been really busy. I haven't taken a whole lot of pictures, but will share some of the few later. I just wanted to give an update on Ray. God has been good, he isn't fully awake, but is improving! Here is what his wife posted the other day:

Happy Birthday Baby!!! I love you! This morning was beautiful. A glorious song was playing in his room when I arrived early this morning. “Call on Jesus” I think is its name…. and the chorus was rejoicing out, “when you call on Jesus, all things are possible…” My friend Shelley made him 2 CDs with praise and worship songs on them over a week ago, but I never heard that song until this morning. My heart was so lifted. I stayed with him until about 10am when they took him to the OR to have the feeding tube placed directly to his stomach. Friends picked me up and we attended mass at the new beautiful Cathedral downtown. It was wonderful! Thank you for those that could come and those that said extra prayers during that time. Almost immediately upon walking in, I was comforted by the smell of roses. What a sign of comfort! Little background on the scent of roses… Mother’s prayers are so powerful and thank God my mom prays like a saint. She prays for all her children to know Jesus and her prayer for me was being answered the first year I was out of college. I attended a healing mass held at St. John’s. I didn’t pray for my knee to work again so I could keep playing volleyball. I prayed for my heart to heal since I had drifted away from my faith while in college. The priest told us after the mass about things that have happened to people during healing masses. One of the things he mentioned was the smell of roses as being a sign of our Blessed Mother’s presence and her love for her children. I smelled the roses during that mass and my heart did heal and my faith began to grow again. I have smelled roses about 4 times since then, all during very prayerful times of praise, worship, and need. Today’s mass was so uplifting to know that not only my mother and Ray’s mother are praying, but Our Blessed Mother is praying for us too. Tonight, a friend that was visiting was telling me a story about mother’s prayers and how strong they are. She didn’t know about the experience I had today. God is so good. Ray’s birthday party…. Ray’s parents were with him today as they have been for many days. Ray’s gentle and kind heart comes from them both. They are wonderful in-laws to have! The kids came around 5pm. We had cake and sang in the waiting room. When the kids went to see him, they were so excited to see their dad and that his eyes were open! Little Ana came running out of the room to Nana yelling, “Nana, Nana, daddy is awake!!” I asked Ray to let the kids know that he knows they are there. He QUICKLY gave them a thumps up. I saw my kids spirits lift so high in that room. They circled around them, said their prayers, and sang happy birthday to him. Ray knew they were there. When they were leaving, he raised his hand with a good-bye gesture. This was the highlight of today! Thank you for all the extra prayers over the last nine days. Ray’s improvement has been tremendous during this time. He continues to get stronger everyday. Please keep calling on Jesus…. cause all things are possible!!!

He still needs prayers so please continue to pray for him and his family.

The boys are out fishing this morning so Emily and I are going to enjoy some time to ourselves. Will post more later!