Sunley has a check up next week in Houston, and while we expect good news, Derek and I both can't help but brace ourselves every time. Strangely, it's not the same emotion as worry. We are just "girded," for lack of a better term; Armed in case of battle. Please pray with us that there are no new issues, and please pray that her mysterious limb pain disappears. God has not provided us with any definitive medical answers for that pain, and so we are asking Him to take it away.

We have noticed a subtle and inconsistent decrease in energy, and though it’s nothing too life altering or concerning, I hate the thought that possibly, my five year old may have already reached and passed her peak health. I know that the longer she lives with Fontan, the more likely she is to have issues, but I still feel myself resisting those facts. After more than five years with this diagnosis, I still feel like I haven’t totally accepted that Sunley will have things that I just can’t carry for her. Even in this, I have a deeper understanding of God — how He must feel as he watches us suffer, and wanting us to give our burdens to Him.

Maybe He will take away her limb pain. Maybe her prognosis will improve as medical research draws new conclusions over the next decade.

And on that note, will you please consider signing up for a lemonade stand? Sign ups will close on July 7th. Visit this FAQ page on our nonprofit page to learn more.