Here is an update on Josiah as of Sunday, December 26^th at 9:00 PM:

We had quite a day with the boy today!  I think we wore him out a bit though as he was asking to go back to the hospital and go to bed by about 5PM tonight!

Here are some highlights from the day:

• Since it is a Sunday, the schedule of therapy is just a tad lighter for him.  He enjoys the extra time to rest and visit with people.  He did very well in his session though.  His walking is becoming stronger each day.  I believe by the end of the week he may be able to walk on his own, with supervision of course!
• After his therapy sessions, his girlfriend and some her family stopped by on their way to ski vacation to see him.  He loved being able to see her and her brother who happens to be one of his best friends.  Thanks for coming guys!
• After his visit, we took him out on the town again.  We went to Best Buy and then to Olive Garden to spend gift cards that we all had gotten.  It was so nice getting to be with the family the last few days!
• I have loved seeing Josiah interact with his niece.  Really, he has enjoyed all of his family being here, and is pretty emotional already that everyone is leaving tomorrow. He just wants us all to be together all the time, again.  I can’t blame him.  I look forward to the day we get to bring him home!

Here are some specific requests you can remember for us as a family:

• Pray that he remains strong physically and emotionally.  I am praying that his strength is renewed each day as he works hard to recover.
• Pray that we see movement in the right side of his face this week.  I believe that his facial nerves will come back on their own and that there will be no need for surgery.
• Pray that his recovery continues to astound the doctors, nurses and therapists that are working with him.  It is a testament to God’s power and strength in Josiah’s life that Josiah is making such progress!
• Pray that the families that are affected by their own tragedy will understand that we are a part of God’s story, and that the tragedy that has come to us is for His glory and to make Him known.
• Pray that we can leave a mark of God’s love and grace on the lives of the people we intersect each day.

Romans 8:38-39 “ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”