through the fiercest drought and storm...

we got a call sunday morning that doug's uncle, also named doug, had been fishing close to where we live, suffered from a brain aneurysm and was on a life-flight to a big hospital within driving distance from our home. a friend had the sense to offer to watch our daughter, overnight if they had to, just before we left town. we got to the hospital before the helicopter landed and were able to talk to doug and hold onto his hands before things took a very critical turn. they rushed us out of the room and we spent an agonizing two hours talking to doctors and anxiously waiting for doug's aunt's delayed flight to get in. once she landed, most of the next five hours crawled by, and yet were a blur of time. while they kept doug sedated, he underwent many tests and an operation so that the medical staff and neurologist could stabilize him in order to get him to a better hospital. he was cleared for another life-flight back to his hometown to receive the care he needed, and be closer to his daughters and a bigger network of support for doug's uncle, aunt and cousins. the last we heard, he's still in very critical condition, but is showing signs of recovery.

in a week consumed with statistics, medical reports, tests, phone calls, anxiety and loss of sleep, the miracle that someone we love is still here calms even our biggest worries.