We just had our ten year anniversary.  Two weeks before we were blessed with our fifth child, Azaryah, on April 30.  Of course her sister is thrilled that there’s another girl in the family. This was redemptive since last year on that day we miscarried.  We wasted no time and I baptized Azaryah on May 31st.  

Truth be told, it was the most stressful month of our marriage - and that’s saying something.   Two kids were in hospital with Kawasaki disease, which is an autoimmune response to covid.  The day they were home, we had to rush Jenn in for an emergency c section.  Then back to the hospital with Jonah the next day for two nights.  In total we had eight nights in the hospital.  Once we were all home, I began the gruelling marathon through the Egyptian bureaucracy just to get a birth certificate - a process that after eight days, many typos, and dozens of stamps is as yet unfinished.  In short, I wouldn’t recommend having a baby outside of your home country.   

Still, we are blessed that Jenn and the baby lived.  The doctors here are actually more responsive than at home, and we would have been even worse off without their selfless help.  We also know that so many friends in the diocese were praying for us, and we could feel that sustaining us.  If you were one of those people, thank you!