The day I tried to live

Slacker

I'm a bad blogger.  ;)

We're back though... and ready to rock.

2009 is shaping up to be pretty good so far.

Paul is doing well.  He is 3/4s the way through Chemo and his body is responding well to it.  Of course the process is brutal, he has good days and bad, but the tumor is shrinking and they will go in in a few weeks and take what's left of it out.  Please continue to pray for perseverance and that Paul might have hope and see the bigger picture in all of this suffering.  I was able to spend last Friday with him watching a documentary on the Ultimate Warrior.  Took me back.  That dude was huge.

Our Chicago condo has been on the market for about 5 months now with no offers... so we've decided to rent it and have had a number of interested peeps in the last week.  Hopefully we can get someone in there in march and plug the rapid drainage of our savings!  It's looking good.

Judson is 5 months now and rolling right along.  He is sitting up on his own and interacting with us more and more.  He is also looking more and more like me with some rosy cheeks and my dark blue eyes.  It's still kind of surreal to think that he carries my traits... so cool... part me, and part my favorite person in the world.  What a wonderful mystery God has given us there. 

Just had a great talk with a coworker.  Someone who has endured the storms Calvary has experienced the last number of years with a few pastoral transitions and some rocky times.  So much change here in the past few years.  It's good for me to get different perspectives.  I know it's effected different groups of people differently.  My heart hurts for those who are displaced, disgruntled, or feeling lost in it all.  The church is definitely not a place filled with perfect shiny people, it's more like a hospital for people with relational problems, addictions, idols, attitudes, identity crisis, self esteem issues... you name it.  Thank God we have a good Doctor.  There have been many signs of healing and health.  We're so glad we're here. 

The C Word

 

Cancer.

My little brother has cancer.  It's a little surreal to write that.  We've known for a while that something was not right.  Paul had lost about 40 lbs in the last month or two... waiting on health insurance to kick in to get it checked out.  We found out Wednesday after he went to the doctor. 

Thursday we went for another appointment and the Dr. told us to go directly to UPenn Hospital downtown, do not pass go, do not collect 200$, and that he would be admitted to begin whatever process might be necessary to analyze and treat it.  I'll save you details, but Friday he had some pretty major surgery that left him with tubes coming out of everywhere and a fat bag of Morphine to manage the pain, which is constant at this point.

A week into it, this is what we know.  There is a tumor/tumors wrapped around his kidney that spread up to his lungs and is near his heart.  The doctors are pretty sure chemo will shrink it, but we all know that chemo is brutal.  He started it last night and it knocked him out.  He actually was able to sleep through the night for the first time in a week which was good.  He has a minor surgery today to help drain his kidney.  They are hoping they can salvage that kidney.  He will be in the hospital for another week or two through the first round of Chemo before he comes home.  He has been recieving great care.  The doctors at Penn are top notch and we feel good he is there. 

He is in a good amount of pain, but in pretty good spirits.  That dude is a fighter.  He told us not to be sad and mopey around him, so we are doing our best to stay positive and laugh when we are around him.  His email is paulieD526@yahoo.com if youd like to drop him a note of encouragement... or your best joke.  Thanks for your prayers.  He needs them during this time. 

More Judson Pics

We'll be uploading more pics over the next few days so be sure to check the photo albums to the left. 

The little man is healthy, adorable, and adjusting to life on the outside world.  He has captured our hearts.  We are so in love with this amazing gift.

It's a Boy!

Erica and I are absolutely thrilled to announce the birth of our son...

Judson Elijah Dougherty

He was born at 3:45pm. 6lbs 7oz. 18 in long

Both mom and baby are healthy and doing well.  Dad is healthy and doing well too.

Judson.
A very special name to the Dougherty family.  Judson was the name of my cousin.  At the age of 13, after a tough battle with brain cancer, he left this world for a better place.  We will always remember him in our hearts, and will now be a namesake for our son.  Here's a great article on his life.

http://www.east-haven.k12.ct.us/carbone/courtyard.html

Elijah.
We wanted to pray a different prayer for our son.  Not that he would have an easy comfortable life, be successful and happy, free of stress and hardship; but that God would use this boy to make a difference in the world.  One of the most profound statements I've ever read for someones life I read in Luke Chapter 1, the angel Gabriel speaking about John the baptist:

"he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

We've prayed this prayer for him through the pregnancy, and Erica really liked this for a middle name.

Dougherty.  (dok -er -tee)
He's stuck with this one.  Get ready for a life of people mispronouncing your name buddy.  Doughertys, Hornungs, Shallis' Michaels' etc...  he is being born into an amazing extended family.

So begins another era of our lives.  Welcome to the world buddy.

An Inconvienent Truth... and a Costly Hope

Tonight we heard a PHENOMENAL message.  Probably the best message addressing on the topic of homosexuality (along with 22 other things) I've ever heard.  Also a home run testimony from my friend Tim.  The church is making progress people.  I really thing we are. 

Check it.  Feb 17th

http://www.parkcommunitychurch.org/sundaymessages.php

Murphy and Me

So Erica is out of town at a conference this week so it's just been Me and Murphy at home.  A little "father/son" bonding time.  I know he's an animal and all, but it amazes me how much affection he gives (and needs.)  He's surpisingly smart and understands everything I say!...  well... at least he knows his name, "sit" and 'down."  We are working on "shake."  That's proving to be a tricky one.

I was worried about having a dog in the city, but he seems to be doing just fine.  We love our Murphy!  With a face like that how could you not.