The New Normal
It’s been two and a half weeks since we brought Cyrus home! We just took him to his second Saturday check-up, and he’s gaining weight nicely, 9lb 8oz, which is half a pound more than when we brought him home. He’s getting more interactive every day and can hold his head up for extended periods and even roll over!
Laura and I are exhausted, as we expected we would be. We thought it would be similar to the other times we’ve brought a newborn home, but it’s been a little more challenging. We’re all still processing the last six months, and the loss of Arthur comes up quite a lot. It’s made parenting our girls and managing our own exhaustion more difficult.
The girls have been a handful, but it’s also been a joy to watch them love on their little brother. I’m still limited in the use of my right arm and will be in a sling for another two weeks, so Laura has to do nearly all the diapers and bottles. Laura is burning the candle at both ends (and in the middle), feeding Cyrus multiple times per night while putting many more hours preparing for the film festival. Granted, the festival is something we chose to do, but it’s something we both really care about.
It will be deeply satisfying to see it through despite our recent circumstances. We want to keep working to engage our culture with the love of Christ. In this case, it’s by presenting films that encourage people to think about and talk about their faith. The films come from many different backgrounds, countries, and religious points of view, but Laura has selected each one based on its ability to tell a story with a message consistent with a biblical worldview.
Our goal is to encourage art like this that doesn’t compromise its message while also not compromising its artistic value. If that interests you, it would encourage us if you’d check it out next weekend, November 2nd through the 5th.
Films can be viewed online worldwide or locally in Tacoma at the Blue Mouse Theater. If this doesn’t interest you, we’d appreciate your prayers that this ministry will encourage people to come to Christ or deepen their existing relationship.
We don’t profit from this, and Laura doesn’t even draw a salary from the work she’s put into it, much of it in the weeks immediately following Arthur’s death. We want to share it for many of the same reasons we’ve been sharing our own story: to encourage people to think about what truly matters in life and to help people to continue their faith journeys.
We don’t try to force a destination to this journey. Still, our goal is to encourage everyone to consider a personal relationship with Jesus, which has been such a central part of our journey this summer. Our faith has been through a lot, but it’s still hanging in there by the grace of God through the love the people in our lives have shown us.
Thank you for the ways each of you has been with us through this journey! Please continue to pray that our souls and bodies hold up under stress and exhaustion, and please continue to pray for Cyrus’ health. Also, pray for our girls as they’re working through the natural insecurity that comes from a new family addition while also still dealing with losing their other baby brother.
Finally, please pray for strength, energy, and focus for Laura as she deals with the finale of all her work over the summer, and pray that all her work on the film festival will be a blessing to everyone involved.
