Day 8 and 9:

Today is the last day of my novena, and I feel I've attained the peace I've been looking for. Accepting the suffering as a formation of my soul, accepting it as a purging of my sins. This is how I find peace. Though, it is hard and I struggle every day. Some days I accept it well and others days I don't. It all depends on how Luke is doing: when he suffers, I suffer. But I at least have found peace in surrender.

Another thing that has helped is that today Luke will be altar serving with Max. This will be the first time that he's served since all of this has happened. I had to talk him into it a little at first, but not much. The only thing he was really concerned about was his tic sounding through Father's microphone when he stands by him. I told him that it probably wasn't sensitive enough to catch it, and so he's ok with serving.

Striving back to return to normal. This is what we need! The fact that Luke's interests are starting to return again tells me that he truly is doing ok and is happy.

For me, it is another answer to my prayer for Luke's welfare. It shows me again that God is with him in this.

During practice

I know--I know--that I feel too much in these things. That I am too sensitive. That I even make my sufferings harder than they need to be. But as I told Dennis, I rather be too sensitive and feel things deeply, than not be sensitive and feel nothing at all.

God gave us hearts to bleed and beat for each other. To share each other's hardships and joys. Today, I'm glad to be able to share in Luke's joy in serving again.