Houston - We Have A Match

We received a call tonight from our Hemoc Dr. informing us that Jalen is a 100% donor match for Mireya. Words cannot express our joy! God is so good and so faithful! It is hard to translate my excitement and elation across this page, but imagine my heart so full it could burst in happiness from here to the moon and back. Imagine me standing on a rooftop shouting "Hallelujah" until I can shout no more. Imagine tears in my eyes, attempting to roll down my face, but they are caught inaudibly in my chest as I'm overcome with emotion.

No need to pinch me, because it is not a dream. It is an answer to our prayers and the prayers of so many. We've placed our trust and faith in the Lord from Day 1 to move on our behalf and work it out. When we spoke with the team yesterday we discussed the odds in the matching process. They shared stories of a child with 8 siblings and not one was a match, as well as a child with only 1 sibling that was. We were told statistically there is a 1 in 4 chance for a match. So our chances actually decreased from a 25% chance (1 in 4) to a 12.5% chance (1 in 2). I remember my husband saying aloud 'God has a lot to make up with that equation' and 24 hours later we know that he did just that and more.

Most of you know the story about my bewilderment in Quentin's ability to get me to agree to have 'one more' baby. The old 'one more' trick. I'd joked with a friend earlier this week with great seriousness that maybe this was the reason for the 'one more'. Hmmm? In the wee hours of the morning I very clearly said out of my mouth what I heard in my spirit, 'Jalen is going to be the one', 'He is going to be the match', 'What an awesome gift for a brother to give to his sister'. The Drs. told us they would like for it to be Jalen because he is older, heavier and would be the better candidate. As it turns out Makinley's donor typing showed the exact opposite makeup to both Jalen and Mireya.

God is in control and nothing takes him by surprise. It's not a coincidence that Jalen, our first born child, the one who we fought the hardest and endured the most heartache to conceive and bring into this world is the one who will give life to his sister. It is not a coincidence that only 3 out of about 2 million people get this condition. It is not a coincidence that Mireya is only the 3rd instance of Aplastic Anemia that has been seen here. It is not a coincidence that of the 8 markers, Jalen matched all 8, and it is certainly not a coincidence this occurred to Mireya as opposed to Makinley who wasn't a match to either sibling. These are numbers and odds that God works in and through.

I had two prayer requests for today. One was that the procedure of inserting the Hickman line would be a success and it was. We'll be working with a home health nurse tomorrow to learn how to care for and maintain the line while it's in. My second request was that Mireya would be home in time for Paris' Graduation. She was released from the hospital late this afternoon. We have an appointment on Friday to meet with the Hemoc team as a follow-up and to discuss preparation for the Bone Marrow Transplant.

The message in this is Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Please don't give up, don't give up hope, don't count yourself out, don't give up on God, because he surely will not give up on you. Align your thoughts and actions with the word of God. It doesn't matter what it looks like, it doesn't matter what it feels like. You have to see things through your eyes of faith. We don't always understand the why, we are not always prepared when the unexpected happens but God moves in impossible situations. Thank you for your prayers, the prayers of your churches, and please continue to keep us in prayer we now embark upon the next phase of this journey. God is not done. We are claiming VICTORY all the way until Mireya's health is fully restored!