Friends in Prayer

I’m going to take a little time out from the normal banter of this blog today. Yes, as usual, I have some thoughts on my recent birthday. And for a while now I've also been meaning to film some stuff for an upcoming post here. You read that right. Film. Don't get too excited; it'll be a while yet.

Alas, life goes by much faster than I have time for here. A lot has happened to me in the last couple of weeks, more than I will ever be able to write here. But every once in a while something happens that simply can't be let go, something that just needs to “get out there.” Now. And so, today, I’m writing about just such a something.

On Friday 15 January, two of my friends[1] welcomed their second son into the world, a truly joyous occasion. Unfortunately, there were some complications.

A CT scan revealed a subdural hematoma, and on Saturday evening, this not-even-one-day-old child underwent emergency brain surgery to treat it. Though the operation was a success, he remains in neonatal intensive care where he is being carefully observed to ensure that there is no more bleeding or swelling.

His parents are strong believers in God and are clinging to every bit of good news and every prior success story from the doctors. So far, things are looking good; however, the next several days will be critical.

Please, dear readers, keep this precious child, his parents, and his entire family in your thoughts and prayers during this trying time. With God’s help, he can be another success story for a new generation.

I’ll resume my regularly scheduled programming soon enough. And in due time, Lord-willing, I hope to report good news on this front.

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[1] To avoid the confusion I caused some people when I had mentioned this to them earlier, it should probably be noted that these particular friends are not as near to my own age as the word “friends” might connote. The parents are both in their 30s.

2010

Well, it'll still take a bit more time before I'm fully comfortable with it being 2010. I'll give it about a week. Once I start writing it down at the beginning of every class, it'll sink in quickly, I'm sure.

I feel that my annual doodle is somewhat reflective of my mood and optimism for the year. Of course, a lot of the glamour of the new decade has faded since midnight. We romanticize the coming of the new year to end, and a somewhat mystified once it finally arrives, but after about a day or so we quickly realize that everything's pretty much the same.

And the next year, we do it all over again.

Still, even if 2010 doesn't lend us a complete escape from the negative aspects of our lives, it still provides a clean slate of sorts. And it's kind of refreshing.

I rang in 2010 in a much more normal fashion compared to last year, which for me meant sitting at home in the living room and counting down with the family. At midnight. Not at 03:00.

Earlier this evening, I made New Year's Day Cheese Sticks, and while I was perfectly satisfied not making it a new "tradition" like the Chips-'n'-Salsa and Nachos, my brother insisted otherwise. Let's just hope he remembers all these things next year.

And right now, I'm watching Florida beat Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl, which is making me very happy, for a number of reasons. (None of which involve any animosity toward any of my friends who happen to live in the Cincinnati area. I love you guys.)

Anyway, I'm going to declare a moral victory over my 2009 blogging resolution. Although I did post more than in 2007 or 2008 due to attempting BEDA and my trip to China, I completely failed at even providing a basic update on my life for nearly three months toward the end. I'd like to move past that so that I can get beyond mundanes and actually write something meaningful from time to time.

So for 2010, I resolve that I'll make progress. Progress in writing more often, both for this blog and for myself. Progress in school. Progress in whatever comes after school. It's a lot of unknowns, but part of me thinks that that's what makes me so hopeful.

Best wishes to all for a happy and blessed Twenty-Ten, in whatever forms it may come!