I thought I'd pass on a few updates to some things going on in my life & family:

* Mom called yesterday. Because her lungs are still healing from the radiation treatments, her pulmonologist said it would be ill-advised for her to take a trip to our altitude. We're kind of bummed that she & Dad won't be able to make it for our daughter's music program graduation next week. And I'm praying hard for a full recovery so she will be able to visit us in the future. She loves our mountains!

* Speaking of music, yes, my daughter is finishing a 3 1/2 year program through Children's Music Academy. In that time, she has learned to play piano (very well, actually), read music, and understand basic music theory. The program has also provided fabulous ear training as well as instruction in singing, guitar and recorder. I am so proud of all the work she has done and especially that she has learned a very challenging piece of music (Hayden's "A Minuet Trio") all on her own.

* What a difference a diet change can make! My husband AND daughter are both living a dairy-free lifestyle, and both have seen significant improvements in their allergy-related asthma. My daughter had been coughing all the time for over a month, and now her cough has completely cleared up. But even better, I have noticed a huge change in her attitude. She has always had a "budding control freak" streak, and I have had to push hard for respectful speech and behavior from her. In the last 2 weeks, she is almost a different person. The sweet side of her personality has come out, and she tells me she feels much more rested all the time. My hubby has also found that eliminating all forms of dairy from his diet has significantly improved his digestion. So our family life is really improving - even if I have to change some of the ingredients I cook with and we have to be super careful about eating out.

* I leave for Haiti in a little over a week. Hard to imagine! God has already poured out His blessings on our trip preparations and provided abundantly for the financial needs. I'm really excited about the team who is going as well as the people standing behind us and praying for us. I will try to post some specific prayer requests before we leave.