what's next?

hello friends.  if you are still reading this blog, with my posts so few and far in between these days, you deserve some sort of loyalty award! :)

the truth is, i've been struggling with what to do with this blog these days.  in my spare time, i've been compiling and formatting all of these blog entries and comments, as well as messages i've received about jonathan into the form of a hardcover book for our own personal keepsake.  it has been a labor of love for sure. we're talking 700+ pages!  (i'm using Lulu. anyone familiar with this?)  in doing this, i have been reading through my own entries chronologically, something i haven't actually ever done.  it's been quite painful to reread the posts i've written, remembering the heartache that inspired every word.  but at the same time, it's been a blessing to be reminded of the Lord's goodness and faithfulness through it all.

i've also considered wrapping up the blog with a final post...some sort of tidy conclusion about our journey and what i've gained from it or something like that.  i've since come to realize that that would likely be an impossible task.  there is just no way to fully and comprehensively include all of those thoughts into one little blog post and say "and they lived happily ever after, the end." 

i know it's not the end of jonathan's story.

jonathan's legacy continues, much to my delight.  and, i feel in my heart that it will continue, though right now i'm not sure how that might be fully actualized.  i'm praying about some things.

in the meantime, we still have a very active online/email ministry via this very blog.  even though i'm not posting much these days, i still get several emails a month, (weekly, even) from precious families walking a similar road.  it breaks my heart to hear each story and at the same time humbles me that people would reach out to us in their time of need.  my aim is to encourage...yet i am usually the one who is encouraged by these families!  still, it is an honor to be able to "help" someone else, just as others have greatly helped us in our time of need.  we will always be available to you.

i am also on track to return to my "woven together" project here soon.  the concept needs a little more tweaking and i'm also praying for a local (?) ministry partner in that as well.  i'm just not sure i can pull it off as a one-woman show right now.  i hope to be up and running again in the very near future!

we are also currently in the planning stages of the 2nd annual "run for new life 5K" that will take place december 10th.  i am going to run it this year in memory of jonathan, and i'm excited about being able to do so.  i haven't raced in 4 years.

so, back to the blog.  after praying and talking it over with greg, i have decided that i will still post here as the topic relates to jonathan.  though i have previously written several posts to accentuate "life after loss" so to speak, i now feel strongly to keep the focus on jonathan and our journey as it continues and to reserve everything else (like family updates, family pictures, etc.) for our family blog.  unfortunately, i had to make that blog private due to some issues.  many of you have been following jonathan's journey for so long as friends and prayer warriors, and if you would like to keep up with us on our private blog, just send me an email. :)