Living in the Moment

Laura here. I wanted to send a quick update on our day.

We have been living life together today! Jason said he felt a shift in the night. He was able to sleep well and woke up feeling God close. His appetite started to come back this morning as well. We took a brisk walk through the halls (I even started to sweat a little), we enjoyed smoothies from Tropical Smoothie Cafe (Jason's favorite lately—thank you Jennifer Jacobs Greenwald) and a played a couple of games of Qwirkle (thank you Tracy!). It has been a good day. Then we got the news that Jason is going to be released this afternoon!

We are heading back home for another couple of weeks of at-home antibiotics. We are really learning to live in the moment. There is nothing that we can control in this journey, but we are enjoying each moment and learning to trust God in deep ways. He is good.

This is our theme song today:

"Living in the Moment"

by Jason Mraz

"I will not waste my days

Making up all kinds of ways

To worry about all the things

That will not happen to me

So I just let go of what I know I don't know

And I know I only do this by

Living in the moment

Living my life

Easy and breezy

With peace in my mind

With peace in my heart

Peace in my soul

Wherever I'm going, I'm already home

Living in the moment."

Listen to the full song here.

A Brother and Friend in Adversity

It's Laura again. JMak is still in the hospital but he is doing better today—out walking some laps in the halls tonight!

He has one of his best friends by his side today and that is a huge gift to both JMak and I. He is one of my best friends too.

Jason Armstrong is the guy you want by your side for so many things. He loves life, he loves good food, he is a former ER nurse and he loves fighting for people. We have needed a good advocate today because the system doesn't make it easy for patients or families on many levels. It is a huge help to have someone who can ask questions and really push to keep things moving. I wish everyone could have Jason A with them in the hospital!

Thank you all for the messages, thoughts and prayers. JMak told me he is reading them and know he is going to be eager to share more himself about all that God is doing with him. We are learning more each day that we don't know what to do, but God does and his plans are good.

24 Hours - 3 Trips to the Hospital

Hey everyone, it's Laura here, writing on Jason's behalf.

He wanted me to write and share about the past 24 hours which has included 3 trips to the hospital. We know that this journey will have ups and downs and we are committed to sharing them all.

Jason had a liver biopsy yesterday, and felt God close during it. On the way home he started to get sick and by the time we got home he had a high fever. The fever sent us to the ER for most of the night where they ran more tests and scans. This morning the hospital called and they want Jason to come back because he has another infection in his bloodstream.

Jason and I had to take a moment this morning to stop and refocus our thoughts on God. It is a fight to do that! We are both ready to start chemo and could feel the wave of discouragement come when we found out there was another blood infection. It was at that moment that we had to remind each other that we are going to trust God in every moment and with every day. We can’t plan out today, or tomorrow, or any part of this journey. But we can make a choice to trust God right now at this moment. We don’t have to understand everything to trust. That isn’t always easy when I feel my “doctor mind” wanting to kick in and try to figure out what is going on or what is causing the infection. My doctor's mind doesn’t bring peace—it is only when we trust that God is in control that we are settled and at peace.

We are fighting today to trust God! He is good and He has a good plan.

Please keep us in your prayers. We will update as we find out more about Jason’s next steps and the medical course of action.