Surgery: March 1, Due Date: March 4

From Caroline:

As many of you know, Nick is scheduled for lumbar decompression surgery on Monday at noon at Mass General Hospital (MGH) in Boston.  Baby girl Smith (i.e. Itty Bitty Smitty) is due on Thursday.  How did we get here?!

Welp, here's the short story...

16 months of discomfort that has ended in 2 months of, at many times, unbearable pain (especially in the middle of the night)....3 doctors, 2 chiropractors, a steroid shot, steroid pills, vitamins, ibuprofen, ice packs, a middle-of-the-night visit to the ER because of pain, valium, percocet... and finally, the surgery.  A disc in Nick's lower back is bulging and is hitting his sciatic nerve, causing pain up and down his leg, hip, and butt.  I'm honestly not sure how in the world the timing ended up the way it did. But now that we're here, we know it's the right thing to do. 

Please pray for Nick's surgery on Monday, and for his recovery.  Please pray for Itty Bitty to come at the right time, preferably not on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday.  Please pray for our relationship as we are both going through a lot physically and emotionally, and we are trying to serve one another and love one another well. 

Psalm 33:20-22 "Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.  For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.  Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we trust in you."

We'll try to update this blog on Monday or Tuesday with news about the surgery!      
 

Earthquake in Chile

One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded hit Chile at 3:30 AM their time last night.  Looking at these pictures and - in general when things like this happen - I am not sure what to do or think.

One thing I do know is that it puts our "stuff" and our suffering in perspective.

Another thing I lean into is my confidence that God is still good and still sovereign, even if I don't understand how all of this would fit together in this situation.

Another thing I know is that we can't turn a blind eye or let these things stay in 2D on our computer screens.        

But that's pretty much all I know...

Earthquake in Chile - The Big Picture - Boston.com

Welcome to our new blog!

Welcome to our new blog!  We have been hoping to start one for a while, especially as we enter into this big stage of transition and change.  We're hoping this blog can be a place where we can update you, our friends and family, on the happenings of the Smith fam as we welcome our daughter and think through our next steps after Nick graduates!

We'll try to share the real stuff, the highlights and the low points, the ups and the downs.  We'll also share the fun, frivolous stuff too which, by definition, will not have "any serious purpose or value." Hope we can keep you updated, make you laugh, make you think, and give you something to read when you're bored too. :)

The Meaning Behind the Songs: "Dirt" (#7)

Listen to "Dirt" or read the lyrics.

This song started from a simple quote from Martin Luther's commentary on Galatians (I have a husband in seminary, what can I say?), and grew from there. It's an amazingly fun song to sing live, but my hope is that the lyrics is what people eventually hear and hone in on.   

"As the earth itself does not produce rain and is unable to acquire it by its own strength... so this heavenly righteousness is given to us by God without our work or merit.  As much as the dry earth of itself is able to accomplish in obtaining the right and blessed rain, that much can we men accomplish by our own strengths and works to obtain that divine, heavenly, and eternal righteousness..." 

-Martin Luther