An unexpected turn of events...

What began as a routine check up turned out to radically shift our plans in ways we have only begun to imagine. 

Melanie went into the hospital early morning of 12/29 (with 101 days before her due date) and will be confined to the hospital until she delivers Amelia and Abigail.  Particularly challenging is the fact that due to more stringent CDC guidelines to hospitals (re the swine flu scare).  Connor is not allowed into the part of the hospital where Melanie is.  It's entirely forseeable that they'll not physically see each other for over two months.  The last forteen hours have been hard.  It goes without saying that it'll be a challenge. 

This comes at an interesting time as many of Ammon's side of the family came down from Utah (arriving 12/28) so there's been a lot of family support and company right now.  However, everyone will be leaving by the weekend, Ammon goes back to taking full-time classes and Connor's break is over on the fourth of January.  It's unclear at this time how Connor will be cared for following school as Ammon currenly works all through the afternoons and evenings Tuesday through Saturday.  It's purely speculative as to whether or not he'll be able to change his schedule to better meet these needs.

As we swirl through the burdens we're grateful for our convictions of safety and peace in the truth.  Ammon and his father gave Melanie a blessing a few hours ago and all through the ache there is the surety of testimony than none of these events have somehow fallen out of the grand design of our Heavenly Father's plan for us.  The trust that this is very lovingly deliberate comforts our souls!

We know that many of you all have had similar experiences.  Please feel free to offer any advice you think would be helpful...  Melanie has her phone on her and Ammon will be checking her email periodically.  Feel free to call Ammon's cell or email him directly also (869-5531, ammonmelanie@yahoo.com).

I don't know when we'll be back to blogging...