therapy pool and other rejoicable things

here are some pictures of n in the therapy pool with his physical therapist, donna. nathanael is a water person and i love to see him move around in a setting so comfortable for him. these pictures are precious to me.

n's blood pressure got low after a few exercises. the pool is 95 degrees so he has to be careful as his b.p. runs low in general. i opened some windows and doors to let in some snowy air and donna led him in a break doing some acupressure on wrists which helped.

i absolutely love the way donna works with n. she has a gentle voice interrupted by a contagious, bellowy laugh which errupts at anytime. however, when she does watsu she looks like a serious mother lullabying her son.

there is grief in these photos, too. hilary always said that one of her worst fears was to be in the place of one of those all-too-common african mothers we see photographed cradling a gaunt and starving child in a refugee camp. when we look at the pudgy, baby pictures of n on the fridge in her arms with carrot juice all over his face, we can't believe how things have turned out.

even our most wonderful african friend, damaris, who has seen such things in africa as described above, burst into tears upon meeting hilary (having known our story beforehand). she was as shocked and upset as we have ever been about nathanael's condition.

thankfully we are not in a famined state in africa. we have above and beyond our share of comfort and privilege in this trial. this we have in terms of physical and heavenly provisions. but nonetheless, there is heartbreak about nathanael's ongoing condition, and damaris, who has seen the real thing, weeps with us as do many of you. especially all of n's mothers and fathers and aunties and uncles out there.

n turned 31 this month and we rejoice! moreover we rejoice in knowing the source of eternal life, JESUS, whom God sent into the world, "not to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:17. wow. Jesus said that to nicodemus, a jewish leader. it's certainly something to think about this week and beyond.

MERRY CHRISTMERRY!