Thanksgiving 2008

Hello all,

After receiving some hate e-mail from a close friend about the lack of activity on the blog, I am shamed into doing this email. I once again admit that I am not a great blogger, but I have actually been meaning to write a short Christmas card/letter for the blog.

The pictures below are from Thanksgiving. I accidentally forgot my camera at my parents house and just got it back. Thankfully, my parents and Lisa's parents took turns spending the night with Lisa while I was gone for continuing education for four days. The course was excellent and my partner, Tommy and I feel blessed that Robin McKenzie created the Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy approach. This theory has been proven by seven different studies to be the only inter-tester reliable way of assessing patients suffering from low back and neck pain. The theory has helped to save my career in physical therapy and helped me to enjoy my work starting 8 years ago; one year out of school I was considering changing careers because the stuff they taught us in school doesn't work (ultrasound, massage, spinal stabilization etc.), and I really wanted to help people. Tommy and I will be taking a very difficult exam, hopefully in February, to become certified in the McKenzie approach. Enough about career.

More importantly, the last few years have been quite a whirlwind. After a long struggle with infertility, surgeries/procedures, and a very long adoption process, we were blessed by the grace and mercy of our God with Peter. He was born July 29, 2008, and we picked him up in Dallas three days later. After two weeks of waiting on paperwork made easier by the hospitality of our good friends Minh and Jenny Le, we returned home for the first time with our son. Life has drastically changed for us (definitely for the better, even when sleep deprived :) ). I know that sounds cliche, but I don't think anyone can prepare you for the lifestyle change that occurs with a child. The deep emotion of love I feel inside when Peter looks at me and smiles continues to amaze and surprise me. Thankfully, Lisa continues to love me and tolerate me even when my worst side emerges intermittently. I would like to blame it all on sleep deprivation, but I know that doesn't account for anything that is not already inside of me. Thanks be to God for giving us his grace and mercy and allowing us to pass that onto others. I think back on some of the events/trials we have been through including building this house and am so thankful to our God that He heard us when we cried out to Him, gave us what we needed when and how He wanted, and brought us out the other side so much better than we started. A wise person recently asked me if I knew how to make God laugh. I didn't know the answer so the person told me, "Tell him your plans for your life." I think that is wonderful. Thankfully His plan is perfect in every way. Part of his plan was to send his one and only Son, Jesus, our Messiah to save us from ourselves and our sin. He has been my strong refuge when life has spun out of my control the past few years. He has humbled me through my circumstances and strengthened my faith at the same time. This Christmas I can truly say that Jesus is the reason for this season and for everything important in my life. May we all know Him deeper and deeper as we celebrate His birth this Christmas.

Nathan

P.S. Don't worry more pictures of Peter will be on the next posting; I know you don't log on primarily to read my editorials on life.