I am writing from Elkton, Maryland a day and a half or so after a red-eye flight out of Sea-Tac, a mediocre sleep on the plane, and a two hour power nap once we reached our good friends' home. Today is a day of relaxing which for me means watching the SPEED Channel during the day and the Final Four tonight. For Kelly and her good friend Lori, it means a manicure and a pedicure in Wilmington, DE for some much needed girl time. Tonight, I'll bring a little West Coast/Pacific Rim grilling to this little East Coast town with some Beaver Chicken (basically teriyaki but far superior).

The appointment at Johns Hopkins is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 8 am ET. We have no idea what is in store, what the doctor will recommend, what types of treatments I am even eligible for based on my diseases and treatment history. All we know is that this doctor has seen as many if not more patients than anyone with my conditions and we are seeking the best medical advice available. Frankly, we are trusting that God has already given this doctor the wisdom to guide us through this process, whatever it may be.

Your encouragement and your prayers have meant so much to Kelly and I as we have prepared for this trip. The planning, the reservations, the timing...everything has seems as thought God has orchestrated this from the beginning. That should come as no surprise, should it? The maker of the universe should be able to conveniently schedule a doctors appointment during our spring break. Yet even the most mundane and seemingly insignificant details I often chalk up to coincidence should be recognized as divine moments where God literally reaches down, firmly grabs my shoulder with his massive hands, and guides me.

This post would be incomplete without me venting my continued frustration with the lack of progress in my blood counts. I feel like I need a punch card for blood transfusions lately. I have had to visit the hospital at least a day per week during the past month for one reason or another, capped by a full day of taking two units of blood and platelets on Thursday to "top off" before taking off during spring break. It is survival right now but it is all we can do.

As for this weekend, Kelly and I are going to enjoy our first visit to this part of the country. Annapolis Sunday, DC Monday, and Baltimore Tues...Not a bad weekend for boy from Corvallis, OR and a girl from Kelowna, BC.