tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-130422672011-10-19T01:33:35.707-05:00My purpose is to share thoughts, observations and ruminations about faith, life, and events. I hope to post ideas that will be helpful or thought provoking and hopefully both. Some of the things I write will be about my feelings concerning my life expriences. I hope you enjoy what you find and please let me know your thoughts.David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.comBlogger1301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-59140463176682974762010-08-14T16:52:00.000-05:002010-08-14T16:52:05.568-05:00

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1827353998132864532009-12-09T00:08:00.000-06:002009-12-09T00:08:14.069-06:00

This is a picture of where I slid off the road.  As you can tell by the tire tracks I was spinning out of control at the time that I launched the Subaru. These two pictures is where I launched the car into the culvert.  The best I can gauge it was about 10 or 12 feet in the air while still spinning and landing about 6-8 feet down. The last two are top views from the road level which shows

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-18249121986641042532009-11-05T18:02:00.000-06:002009-11-05T18:02:40.367-06:00

Sophia is home and we are one happy family! Thanks you for all of your prayers.  More pictures will be posted soon. Love, Daddy

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-70560980718491619922009-11-03T16:06:00.002-06:002009-11-03T16:24:42.105-06:00

Here's the official birth information: Sophia Elisabeth Monreal Born at 7:44 AM on November 2, 2009 at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, ND Birth Weight: 5 lbs. 9 ozs. Length: 16 3/4 inches Mom and baby are doing great!  She is out of the incubator and into a crib for the evening. If thing continue to go well she be brought into the room with Jennifer tonight for the night! It is possible that

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-53142940198483717252009-11-02T23:07:00.001-06:002009-11-02T23:08:40.840-06:00

Dear Sophia Elisabeth Monreal, What a day it has been.  We have been excited and nervous for your arrival for months.  Last night as your mom and I prayed we knew that a journey was ending and a new adventure beginning.  Your name means wisdom and we have asked for God’s wisdom every step of the way.  At so many points along this journey we didn’t know which way to go and the Lord provided the

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-39357513816929707242009-11-01T01:39:00.000-05:002009-11-01T01:39:41.091-05:00

Dear Friends, As we continue to be in the midst of a whirlwind of crises and challenges I think it is only right and fitting to express my thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior for His sustaining grace and the depth of love He has shown through so many. As we have gone through these last several months (and honestly continue to go through them), the Lord has provided many people who have loved us

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-27513185522841846722009-10-30T21:40:00.000-05:002009-10-30T21:40:57.161-05:00

Dear Friends, I just pulled in the driveway from Minneapolis after a very successful pacemaker surgery. Miraculously, she did not need the lower lead (wire) changed. For four years technicians complained but it tested perfect in the office on Wednesday and directly on Thursday during the surgery so the procedure itself was very minor. There is a bit of pain and always the possibility of

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-41092095919052303452009-10-27T10:45:00.000-05:002009-10-27T10:45:15.621-05:00

12 hours later and a totally different situation. They took the biophysical profile again this morning and what was bad yesterday (2 out of 8) was perfect today (8 out of 8). The doctor said that there is no likelihood that we will be having the baby this week. Of course this means that we will be going ahead with Grace's surgery (or at least that is the plan as of this moment). We want to

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-3538261750871283322009-10-27T01:14:00.000-05:002009-10-27T01:14:00.281-05:00

Here’s the latest. Jennifer is in the hospital with a heart monitor to track the baby’s heartbeat. With low amniotic fluid they want to make sure the baby isn’t in any duress. So far so good with that. The biophysical profile (measurement of the amniotic fluid, small movements and large movements) was not good today. They checked the blood flow in the umbilical cord, which was good so no

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-57030093990861890382009-10-26T15:30:00.000-05:002009-10-26T15:30:22.123-05:00

Dear Friends, Brief update. Jenn went in to the doctor today for her twice weekly test and things were not as good as they have been. The fluid is again low and there isn't a lot of movement but otherwise the baby looks healthy and there is good blood flow through the umbilical cord. The short of it is monitoring tonight and see how things go. If they don't look good for the baby then

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-20270858885453145092009-10-16T12:24:00.000-05:002009-10-16T12:24:20.077-05:00

Dear praying friends, We went to the cardiologist for our semi-annual visit at the beginning of October and already knew that we were in the last 3-6 months before Grace's pacemaker would need to be replaced. The battery life is almost gone so it is time. We could wait a month or two to get this procedure done but with Jennifer scheduled to have a c-section on November 19th we decided that it

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-67196434717352747562009-10-13T10:49:00.000-05:002009-10-13T10:49:27.665-05:00

Dear Friends, No news is great news as far as this blog is concerned. I do want to keep you updated on how things are going but be assured that they are going great at the moment and we continue to pray that they stay the same way. All of the tests are coming out absolutely ideal at this point in the pregnancy and we have every confidence that if we stay on the present strategy we won't have

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-60395298326308743112009-10-02T09:35:00.000-05:002009-10-02T09:45:39.938-05:00

Dear Friends,I want to continue to share the good news regarding our pregnancy and the health of Jennifer and our baby. Jennifer continues to be at home on an IV and complete bed rest. We have gone in twice this week for testing and both times all the indicators are that things are fantastic and progressing well. Jennifer will go again this afternoon for testing and I will post an update if

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-80829135114370002562009-09-25T14:48:00.000-05:002009-09-25T15:03:34.117-05:00

Dear Friends,Things continue to go well and we had our appointment with the doctor today. Things looked so good we all agreed it was time for Jennifer to go home and continue the pregnancy at home under home bed rest. The AFI was over 12 today and everything looked absolutely great. How much things have changed over the last few weeks when we thought we might be delivering at 26 weeks!The

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-74814958340272555862009-09-24T14:21:00.000-05:002009-09-24T14:51:36.866-05:00

Dear Friends,There isn't really too much to report since last time regarding updates to Jennifer and the baby. The AFI has generally been between 8 and 10 cm which is a good number and the PR interval is steady around 117. There doesn't seem to be any major concerns at the moment which is great. They did a growth study and our little girl was tracking at 29 weeks and 2 days weighing in at

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-27643613802326383622009-09-11T10:10:00.000-05:002009-09-11T10:18:55.535-05:00

I just got today's results from our Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) and the p-r interval. Both look absolutely great! The AFI was at 10.18 cm and the p-r was steady at 117 on all three tests. This is incredibly good news and gives us a lot of hope and confidence that we will carry the baby to term which is better than it was just a few weeks ago when it looked like we might have to deliver

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-45778201589805774182009-09-09T11:14:00.000-05:002009-09-09T11:36:59.376-05:00

Dear Friends,It has been a few days since my last post. First of all, let me say that things are very stable at the moment even though Jennifer is in the hospital and will remain there for the foreseeable future. We might try to get her back home sometime soon but the unborn baby's safety is our first concern. I'll let you know how that progresses as we continue.We have gone back to three full

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-2417119806559121122009-09-04T22:27:00.000-05:002009-09-04T22:34:35.395-05:00

Dear Friends,Here’s the latest information about Jennifer and Sophia. We met on Wednesday with the specialist and he understands that our desire is to do whatever works and will be helpful to see the baby come to full term. It was very different from the situation on Monday for which we are both very grateful.It does not follow the normal pattern that being on an IV should have as dramatic of

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-44468500568946484412009-09-02T18:30:00.000-05:002009-09-02T18:51:31.137-05:00

Good NewsFirst the good news. Everything looks great with the baby. Jennifer went back on an IV on Monday afternoon and the Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) was 8.7 yesterday and 8.5 today and it also visually looked good as well. It seems that the IV has helped bring the fluid level up and stabilize it like it did with our first pregnancy. In some ways this defies expectation because good

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-4732914751453432622009-09-01T15:05:00.000-05:002009-09-01T15:21:00.621-05:00

Dear Friends,A bit of good news amidst the confusion. The Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) was back up today to 8.7 but the doctor is concerned that it is only "artificially inflated." We are still confused as to why having the fluid up through hydration and an IV is worse than doing nothing and having the baby in duress and possible being delivered dangerously early.What really bothers us is that

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-35654428387608216312009-08-31T15:58:00.000-05:002009-08-31T16:05:47.254-05:00

Dear Friends,I asserted a little influence and was able to get them to start the IV again. Apparently the perinatologist doesn't want to "artificially" inflate the Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI). On the face of it that is transparently foolish and dangerous. After our insistence the on call doctor agreed to order the IV even though the specialist decided against it.They will keep the IV going at

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-34195530309584687362009-08-31T15:19:00.000-05:002009-08-31T23:36:05.480-05:00

Dear Friends,Well, the roller coaster continues. We thought that things were great and we were hoping that Jennifer might even be going home today but that is not going to be the case. Since being taken off of the IV yesterday the AFI has dropped from 10 back down to 4.2-4.5.What is even more disconcerting is that the doctors want to wait until tomorrow to put Jennifer back on an IV to “see

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-32032876434510282572009-08-30T21:57:00.000-05:002009-08-30T22:37:47.748-05:00

Dear Friends,I wanted to give you a brief update of where we are at the moment and for the most part it is very good news.The Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) was at 10 cc today, which is ideal. It is a dramatic improvement from the 3.9 cc that we were on Wednesday and it looked like if things continued in that direction that an extremely early delivery was inevitable. As I mentioned previously the

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-72564230941733620882009-08-29T21:32:00.000-05:002009-08-29T21:59:14.161-05:00

Dear Friends,Things are starting to turn around for Jennifer and our unborn baby Sophia!First of all, we have results back that Jennifer did NOT have H1N1 (swine) flu. In fact, it tested negative for influenza A and B so it must have been some other virus that was affecting her.Secondly, the Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) was measured at 8.9-9.0 cc this afternoon! Ideal is 10-11 cc so this is

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-58582047342081237002009-08-28T10:13:00.000-05:002009-08-28T10:24:50.456-05:00

Dear Friends,I am heading back down to Fargo for the day but I wanted to give a quick update on what's been happening and where we are at the moment.There is good news and not so good news to report.On the positive front the amniotic fluid level continues to rise with Jenn being on complete bed rest, lots of liquids and an IV. We are back up to 5.7cc (Ideal is 10cc and under 8cc causes concerns)

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-46290298695222574242009-08-27T22:34:00.000-05:002009-08-27T23:35:24.837-05:00

Dear Friends,This blog originally was started to give one place for updates when we were pregnant with our daughter Grace. People could come here any time and find the most up to date information and leave comments and I could access it anywhere and share with you the exact situation at it developed. It has rambled on since then but it is time to go back to its original purpose.We are currently

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-42333660073355991182009-08-24T22:32:00.000-05:002009-08-24T22:33:19.874-05:00

“Here I stand. I can do no other.” Martin Luther - 1521“I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.” (Psalm 119:16)The Reformation dispute between Martin Luther and the Catholic Church came to a head at the Diet of Worms in 1521 when Luther was called in to renounce his teachings and the 95 Theses he tacked on the church door of Wittenberg on October 31, 1517. As Luther saw

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-22731757527973024442009-07-17T18:41:00.000-05:002009-07-17T18:44:34.555-05:00

Enough said.

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-12703314311588301152009-02-17T11:07:00.000-06:002009-02-17T11:08:56.274-06:00

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Police say an upstate New York man concerned about the negative portrayal of Muslims in the media beheaded his wife after she filed for divorce.Muzzammil Hassan (moo-ZAHM'-mel HAH'-sahn) is charged with murdering his wife, Aasiya (AH'-see-ya) Hassan. Police say she had an order of protection against her husband and he had been kicked out of the house they shared in Orchard

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-6067359128825407382008-11-24T12:47:00.000-06:002008-11-24T12:54:06.096-06:00

I would like to share with you some random, long-winded thoughts on gay marriage. For the sake of brevity I have not included much by way of supplemental material on some of my more debated points but I will gladly point anyone in the proper direction if you would like to know the basis for my comments. Also, I would challenge those who disagree to provide counter-balancing arguments based on

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-220104008870955572008-11-05T17:45:00.000-06:002008-11-12T11:43:53.031-06:00

I know, ya'all were wondering whatever happened to volume 2? I didn't think about how hard it would be to chronicle our move with no real computer access.Well, my Mac is up and running and I can give you a brief update on how our move has gone. The last you heard we were busy packing the house and getting ready for the movers. The movers came on October 24th and began packing things up and

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-41738045325356198592008-10-17T02:33:00.000-05:002008-11-12T11:42:20.109-06:00

We're packing up the kids and moving to Grand Forks, ND!I thought I would chronicle our move from San Diego to Grand Forks, North Dakota for you, our family and friends.On a day here in San Diego where it was in the mid-90’s inland I received an email to make sure I check with the National Weather Service as several of the roads through the mountains were closed due to snow, SNOW! Talk about a

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-57707357289790568762008-09-06T20:57:00.001-05:002008-09-07T15:14:34.582-05:00

Seriously friends, that isn't a misprint or typo! Jenn, the kids and I are moving to Grand Forks, ND.Okay, now that I have your attention, what in the world is going on?For the last year Jennifer and I have been praying and seeking the Lord's will for our future in life and ministry. After much consideration we both sensed that it was time to consider if the Lord was leading us in a new

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-36013128220983376192008-08-09T02:02:00.000-05:002008-09-06T21:49:13.078-05:00

Okay, so what are my thoughts on Brett Favre going to the New York Jets?Good Riddance!What stage of grieving is that? Anger?On a more serious note, I am sad to see that Brett will no longer be wearing a Green Bay Packer uniform but I am glad that I won't see him in a Bears or Vikings uniform. The thought was almost too much to handle. All things considered a move to an AFC team is about the

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-74293370620833358582008-07-31T16:00:00.000-05:002008-09-06T21:49:13.079-05:00

For months I hoped against hope that Brett Favre would be back playing football this fall. People said it was a case of denial (one of the five stages of grief). They were probably right. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Favre actually did want to play again. Oh, the joy and rapture. But now we have degenerated into this bizarre, dysfunctional drama that is playing out across the

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-18564955188288864182008-06-05T21:44:00.000-05:002008-06-05T21:45:38.525-05:00

Dear Friends,Last Thursday my mother began experiencing pain in her chest and after debating for most of the day decided to go to the hospital. Test on Friday revealed that she had not had a heart attack YET but would certainly have a catastrophic one within the next three months if she did not have surgery.On Monday afternoon she went in for a triple bypass surgery at Waukesha Memorial Hospital

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-34227022610560156862008-05-15T13:23:00.000-05:002008-09-06T21:20:10.573-05:00

Today the California Supreme Court overruled the will of the people and rewrote the law to affirm "gay Marriage" in the state of California.I will address the moral, ethical and logical problems at another time but today I just want to address a fundamental constitutional issue, namely that it is not within the jurisdiction of the court to make law or to rewrite the state constitution to find

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-24671809555665709152008-05-12T02:24:00.000-05:002008-05-12T12:49:57.095-05:00

Where do people who live in sunny, southern California go on vacation? I mean, we have the beach, the mountains, the city, and a foreign country all within a 45 minute drive in any direction. In addition we have LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Malibu, Universal Studio Citywalk and Disneyland. We go to Wisconsin and the Amish country of Indiana!Actually, the main reason we went was

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-76052689108367161962008-03-27T14:08:00.000-05:002008-05-12T11:26:46.223-05:00

I just read an article about a young Wisconsin girl who died because her parents chose prayer over calling for an ambulance or taking her to the doctor. Click here to read the full article.I initially saw the report yesterday on the news while I was finishing my workout at the gym. A retired teacher sitting next to me in the locker room commented how sad it was to see something like that report

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-30812846698788833222008-01-25T23:14:00.000-06:002008-05-12T11:27:04.101-05:00

My sermons are now online! Click here!Once on the web page click on the podcast link and it will open your iTunes and begin the download. New sermons will be downloaded when they are posted and you open your iTunes program.You can also listen to the latest sermon on the web page. Just to let you know I began preaching through Romans in June and will post them two a week beginning with chapter

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-83437050671099687332008-01-23T14:08:00.000-06:002008-01-24T03:24:17.810-06:00

This is a picture of Alexander with the young man that he was named after. Alexander Mrakovich was a young kid in the church In Lombard, IL. where I served as youth pastor. He impressed me with his love for the Lord, his passion for truth and his joy of life. I've had the privilege of watching him grow up to be a man of God who leads worship at his college and has a desire for ministry.

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-31544044079417978132007-12-21T12:51:00.000-06:002008-05-12T11:26:46.224-05:00

I am a student of history and culture but I usually keep my opinions to myself. But in a break from my usual timid, non-opinionated nature I am going to share with you ten predictions for 2008. I know that I am going out on a limb and I want to make it clear that I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet but I will share them with you today.10. We will endure a seemingly endless cycle of

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-46174832159692062782007-11-30T21:02:00.001-06:002008-01-04T22:25:14.104-06:00

Wait, wait, I'm not ready yet!Okay, now I'm ready. Make sure you get my good side mom.This was taken on November 30, 2007. It is Alex's first attempt to eat rice cereal. He has been growing by leaps and bounds. He was at the 5th percentile on the preemie chart two months ago now he is at the 25th percentile on the non-adjusted chart! Simply amazing. He was 5 lbs. 12.9 oz. at birth and at

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1064284354998509492007-11-21T17:29:00.000-06:002007-12-01T02:31:25.268-06:00

As our country was first being formed our forefathers saw fit to make a day of thanksgiving to express to God their gratitude for His providential goodness to them. God had delievered them and shown Himself faithfulness in the midst of difficulty. Thanksgiving is a type of praise that focuses on the goodness of God and expresses our appreciation for that goodness.But how about us today? Why

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-57605196430772552402007-10-25T11:37:00.000-05:002008-05-12T11:26:46.225-05:00

I received an email today asking me if the Chargers Stadium (Qualcomm) was like the New Orleans Super Dome. Here is part of my reply.It couldn't be less like the Super Dome if you could imagine that. I volunteered at the Salvation Army emergency relief station and people who were coming up for everything from clothes to toothbrushes and toothpaste could not be more gracious or grateful. I would

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-43602612875741260292007-10-18T13:10:00.000-05:002008-05-12T11:26:46.226-05:00

(Click Title above to connect to the original story.)I just read the article this morning that the Maine junior high is going to start offering contraceptives to their 11, 12 and 13 year old children. If it wasn't so shocking I would this that this is some kind of hoax because sane adults would try to discourage kids that aren't even teenagers yet from having sex rather than supply them with

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-55008136584350498732007-09-16T01:29:00.000-05:002007-09-19T01:36:13.366-05:00

Dear Grace,As I watched you run and play today I can believe you are already two years old.You are the happiest, most precocious little girl I have ever known. But you have to understand how ridiculously biased I am.I don't have a lot to say to you but I want you to know how much I love you and how precious you are to me. You are daddy's little princess. I'm under no disillusion that you are

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-48458835453835051502007-08-26T00:23:00.000-05:002008-05-12T11:27:04.101-05:00

Dear friends,I want to share a portion of a letter I wrote to a friend who has recently lost his daughter. He was struggling know that God is sovereign and that his daughter's death was within God's planning and purpose yet struggling to reconcile that with this fallen, messed up world we live in. Perhaps these words that were directed at him might help in the situations you are facing as well:

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-66508512967860336552007-08-19T22:48:00.000-05:002008-05-12T11:27:21.094-05:00

Below is an article I read today about an extensive study by AP and MTV regarding what makes people between the ages of 13 and 24 happy.What is so surprising about the article isn't what they found, what is so surprising is that they are surprised by the results. As a Christian it is self-evident that faith and family are the cornerstone to true happiness.I included the entire article below for

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-28390186486218586822007-08-18T21:40:00.000-05:002007-08-18T21:42:26.377-05:00

Here are a few family photos that Jenn's sister Kim took for us a few days back. I hope you enjoy!

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-2502033908568554102007-07-30T23:06:00.000-05:002007-07-30T23:44:27.480-05:00

Okay, I've been taking heat for not posting more pictures of Alexander. By the way we don't mind him being called "Alex" just not Al or Zander. If you want one of the pictures just click on it and a large jpeg image will appear. Right click on it and select "save as" and a location and you can have a copy for yourself.

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-59657527024379600772007-07-27T01:41:00.000-05:002007-08-11T16:35:23.279-05:00

Dear Alexander,You breezed into this world today. The doctors kept changing their minds when they wanted you to be born but you decided that today was the day. Your mother and I enjoyed time with your grandparents before preparing for you arrival. We have been praying for you since we first found out God had given us the gift of another child. It only seemed fitting that we would say one

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-13648005432038913182007-07-25T23:34:00.000-05:002007-07-30T23:44:27.481-05:00

On Thursday, July 26th we will be delivering Alexander Jonathan at 3:00 PM.This once again has taken us by surprise. Let me share a little timeline to this moment.Monday afternoon, 3:30 PM we have three appointments scheduled to determine if Alexander can be delivered on Friday. The doctor decides to move the main one to Wednesday morning at 6:15 so it could be done at the hospital.Wednesday

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-37093459494065591722007-07-24T11:44:00.000-05:002007-07-30T23:47:46.525-05:00

Dear Friends,I will share with you what I know at the moment but unfortunately it isn't too much. At present the plan is to deliver Alexander on Friday morning, possibly as early as 7:00 AM by C-section.However, that is not a certainty yet! We were supposed to have a test done yesterday which would have definitively told us if his lungs are mature enough to be born but he decided to wait until

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-45489622637247627722007-07-09T19:50:00.001-05:002007-07-30T23:47:46.526-05:00

Jenn just returned from the doctor's office and it is looking like we will be having Alexander Jonathan earlier than we all thought. A month ago he told us we could have a c-section a week before the due date of August 20 which would have been on August 13. Two weeks ago he told us that we should plan on having Alex two weeks before the due date on August 6.Well, today he told us he would like

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-32268311474670048292007-06-20T17:03:00.000-05:002007-07-30T23:47:46.526-05:00

Dear friends,Just a quick update on Jennifer and Alexander. I know you haven't heard a lot from me lately but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The pregnancy is going along absolutely without a problem so far. We have long past the major threshold of 18-20 weeks and are moving along well.At twenty weeks the doctor said, if we can make it past 23 weeks we should be safe. Then at 23 weeks he

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1177004567016423702007-04-19T11:59:00.000-05:002007-04-30T00:06:26.156-05:00

Much is being said today about coming up with a psychological profile of Virginia Tech gunman Cho Seung-Hui but in all of the discussion we are missing a very fundamental point, to explain a behavior does not justify that behavior. We can look at all the various factors that led up to the gunman’s maniacal rampage but all that does not make it any less heinous or evil.We have an odd tendency in

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1176923386630016042007-04-18T13:59:00.000-05:002007-04-30T00:06:26.156-05:00

Have we become an increasingly violent culture? The evening of the Virginia Tech massacre my wife Jenn and I were discussing this and I mused, would this have happened 50 or 60 years ago? We know at least once it happened in the 60’s, which was over 40 years ago, so it is not unheard of. But I was thinking a bit further back than that. I was thinking back to the 50’s, 40’s and before. My

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1176227491564656072007-04-10T12:27:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:55:29.823-05:00

Dear Friends,I just wanted to give you a brief update on Alexander Jonathan as we are now entering the 21st week of the pregnancy.So far everything looks excellent and there are no indications of heart block developing which occurred with Grace at week 19.When Jenn was pregnant with Grace we found out that Jenn carries an antibody for a disease she does not have. There are very few known side

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1174947004010277942007-03-26T17:44:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:55:29.824-05:00

Above is the latest picture of our new baby. We are now approxiamtely on week 19 of the pregnancy for our baby. Here's the latest on the baby's health:We are crossing the threshold for the development of heart block. For fuller details of this possibility I will refer you to the blogs from May – September 2005 with our first child, Grace.We have been doing weekly ultrasounds and heart tests

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1173830820188200412007-03-13T19:41:00.000-05:002007-04-30T00:06:26.157-05:00

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave an interview on Monday to the Chicago Tribune. Among the topics discussed was the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that has been a part of the military for over a decade. The present policy is that a person will not be asked his sexual orientation and does not have to tell provided that he or she does not engage in homosexual

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1172606466827291742007-02-27T12:34:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:07:00.370-05:00

Click on the title above for links to this storyThe ossuary show above is claimed to be the burial box that contained the bones of Jesus. Below is the box they assert Mary Magdalene, his supposed wife, was buried along with their "son" Judah in a third box. James Cameron, director of movies such as Aliens, Terminator and Titanic, has announced his project to reveal the burial box of Jesus, his

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1170979550872151542007-02-08T17:37:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:06:26.157-05:00

Now that I have your attention.I am reflecting on the media firestorm of the last 24 hours concerning the tragic death of Anna Nicole Smith. One commentator summed it up well observing that her life was a reflection of the culture, especially many of the negative aspects of our culture. Everything about her life has intentionally been public from her early career with playboy magazine, her

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1170369359374308752007-02-01T16:05:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:06:26.157-05:00

For decades our culture has been in a battle over the sanctity of human life. Following Roe v. Wade in 1973, all pretenses have been removed that there is a conflict between two opposing worldviews. One worldview believes that there is a God who created us and placed His image upon us so we have intrinsic and extrinsic value from the moment of conception until we breathe our last breath. The

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1170273279326086032007-01-31T13:47:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:55:29.824-05:00

Some of you may have heard already but in case you haven't I wanted to pass on the good news.Jenn and I are expecting our second child! The due date is August 24, 2007 but if our first child Grace is any indication it will most likely be before that.Here are some things to keep in mind and be in prayer about. The heart block that occurred with Grace is a possibility again. If it does happen it

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1162081995722045482006-10-28T14:55:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:55:29.824-05:00

Two very dear friends gave us a week of their time-share to vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We landed in Jalisco Airport to encounter some of the most stifling heat we have ever experienced in our lives. We were about a month early for the “tourist season” where the humidity drops and the temperatures are lower. This was the first time I was ever warned to “not walk under the wing" and "

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1161751123808644432006-10-24T23:38:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:55:29.825-05:00

First of all, why were we in Hawaii? Oh yeah, this was the District Conference for the South Pacific District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Is Hawaii a part of your District? Opps, well actually it isn't. But it sure beats going to Bakersfield (all the California people get the joke).This was actually the only time we got to go to the beach during the week away from Waikiki Beach

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1158893986404052582006-09-21T21:42:00.000-05:002007-04-30T00:06:26.157-05:00

Just a quick note, the World Health Organization (WHO) has finally lifted its 30 year ban on DDT. Was there new evidence that DDT is now safe? No, the evidence has been there for over 30 years. Was there proof that DDT will not kill people? DDT has never been proven harmful to humans. However, tens of millions of people have died from malaria from the 30 year ban of DDT particularly in

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1158597033179277752006-09-18T10:09:00.000-05:002007-04-30T00:07:00.370-05:00

I have been watching the latest controversy unfold between the larger Islamic community and Western Civilization particularly the growing hostility that has been caused by the pope in his comments last week and the call for his apology.Here is the opening paragraph from the Reuters article dated September 18, 2006:VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Al Qaeda militants in Iraq vowed war on "worshippers of

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1158387104375033252006-09-16T00:11:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:55:29.825-05:00

September 15, 2006Dear Grace,Your mom and I walked into your room this morning after you woke up and sang “Happy Birthday” to you. It may have been slightly off key but I don’t think it could have been sung with any more love. When I picked you up and held you in my arms my eyes welled up with tears. I began to think of the day of your birth just one year ago today.It’s hard to imagine all

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1155711082701863502006-08-16T01:45:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:55:29.825-05:00

As you can see by this first picture, Grace has a toothy grin that just won't stop. She is one of the happiest babies I've ever seen. She loves to smile, giggle and laugh her little head off. Right now she just loves to clap and scream at the top of her lungs (and I do mean scream!).Her other favorite pastime is saying Uh oh! I don't know exactly when it started but when she gets going she

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1152397934452471922006-07-08T17:03:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:55:29.825-05:00

This is a picture taking at Grace's friend Jake's 1st birthday party. As you can see she is having a blast!This next shot was taking at the Padres' Game when the Giants were in town. After a night of heckling Barry Bonds we had the chance to see him go 0 for 4 and the Padres win it in the bottom of the 9th. It couldn't have been a better night!The following three pictures were taken on the 4th

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1151175880079318732006-06-24T13:30:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:55:29.826-05:00

This is a picture of my best friend from Indiana Jon Dingeldein. He grew up in Lombard, Illinois and he and his family attended the Alliance Church there while I was youth pastor. They moved to Indiana and we lost touch for several years but managed to bump into each other online and reestablish the friendship. He married his high school sweetheart less than two months after Jenn and I were

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1148781182112170072006-05-27T20:47:00.000-05:002007-04-30T00:07:33.716-05:00

If you scroll down a few blogs you will read about the Eternal Pumpkin. Contrary to popular belief there is not a "made in China" stamp on the bottom of it. That picture was taken on Easter weekend. Well, over the last few weeks the pumpkin's health has taken a grave turn, and I believe it is terminal.I would post a picture but it is a sad sight and I want you to remember the pumpkin as it

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1146164247274418662006-04-27T13:55:00.000-05:002007-04-30T00:07:00.371-05:00

This coming month a new movie is coming out and Hollywood is pulling out all the stops in its promotion machine. So what else is new? It isn’t surprising that Hollywood would do a movie that isn’t favorable to Christianity. It seems that every so often there is a movie that comes out that takes a swipe at our cherished beliefs. Why should we bother even saying anything or doing anything about

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1145030549635847492006-04-14T10:52:00.000-05:002007-04-30T00:07:33.716-05:00

No, I haven't dropped out of the ministry and joined the Charlie Brown Cult. This photo was taken in front of our house four days before Easter. Before Easter!!! We bought this pumpkin sometime back in mid-October. We decided to have a fall harvest theme back then (That's Christian for Halloween) and it seemed okay so we decided to leave it through Thanksgiving.After that it seemed a shame to

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1142931366570102352006-03-21T02:46:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:55:29.826-05:00

As you can see by this first photo, Grace is just thrilled to be dressed up in one of her new outfits. Funny, I think Jenn is having much more fun at the moment than Grace. Hmm.These next three photos are a few of the first times we started consistently feeding food to Grace. honestly she loves eating and is a natural at it. I guess she gets that from her dad!This is one of those odd shots

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1141868599508648322006-03-08T19:32:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:07:00.371-05:00

I finally bought it. What am I talking about? I finally bought the book that I saw several months back. Oh, you probably don’t remember me even mentioning it but I have made a few references to it. The book is written by Andy Stanley and it is titled, “The Best Question Ever.” (Andy Stanley. The Best Question Ever. Sisters, OR: Multnomah, 2004) Being a book-lover (bibliophile) I was intrigued

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1139864149136790572006-02-13T14:26:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:55:29.826-05:00

A special thank you goes to Jim and Ruth Larson who were so kind to open their home to us following the dedication for a time of celebration with special friends and family.

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1139854471805693232006-02-13T12:00:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:55:29.826-05:00

On Sunday Morning February 12 we had baby Grace dedicated to the Lord. In reality the dedication is more for Jenn and me as parents to commit publicly before God to raise Grace in a godly Christian environment, to set an example of a faithful follower of Christ and to teach her about Jesus Christ.The act of dedication does not give her any special inroad to becoming a Christian. However, there

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1139533204215179302006-02-09T18:48:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:55:29.827-05:00

We got there just in time for the Shamu show at SeaWorld. Pretty amazing what they can teach to a five ton animal! This is just a great picture! We were about to going into the Arctic Adventure when I snapped this shot. Grace had a great day here. Too bad I can't put up the video with the polar bears. Her face was classic.This is in the "ice cave" in the polar bear section of the park. It

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1139413789941996632006-02-08T09:32:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:44:20.319-05:00

There is an interesting dilemma that has developed over this story and it has to do with the nature of "hate crimes." What investigators and prosecutors are wrestling with is the question of does this constitute a "hate crime"? The reason they are unsure are twofold, first the churches that have been burnt down are predominantly white churches. Had these been African-American churches and the

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1138300076008733152006-01-26T12:05:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:08:06.476-05:00

On my last blog I criticized the fictionalize account of the book, A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. What was so concerning was the disregard for the truth both by the author and the book's main promoter Oprah Winfrey. Fortunately the desire for truth does still hold some sway in our country.If you click on the title of this blog above you will be directed to an article giving the

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1137165907073126692006-01-13T08:40:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:08:06.477-05:00

I am not sure if any of you have been following the controversy over the last week concerning James Frey's book, A Million Little Pieces. If you click the title above it should take you to one of the news stories about the controversy. The gist of the controversy is this, James Frey wrote a book a few years back about his life as a former drug addict, alcoholic and and criminal. He told

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1136848985908218392006-01-09T18:30:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:56:41.374-05:00

Here are a couple pictures of my parents with their granddaughter for the first time! It was such a joy to have my parents hold our baby for the first time. Like everyone else, they didn't want to let go. My mom suggested we could leave her in Wisconsin. After eight kids what is one more to raise?I absolutely love this next shot of grace. Poor girl had to be bundled up like a giant pink

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1134951659718147882005-12-18T18:11:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:09:39.798-05:00

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1134755157032130402005-12-16T11:36:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:09:39.798-05:00

Many of you who know me well know that I am a fan of Dr. John Piper. Sometime down the line I will give reviews of some of the books that have been strongly influential in my theological insights and spiritual formation. One of those books was the first book I read by Piper titled, Desiring God. It is one of my top ten books of all time. In many ways that book revolutionized my understanding

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1134238102600966742005-12-10T12:04:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:09:39.798-05:00

I won't say much about this book because nothing really needs to be said. In anticipation of the movie I dusted off my old copy of this classic book and reread it. What struck me this time was the brevity of the story! Over the years since college I have read hundreds of novels and I forgot how quickly this one reads. I first read this book in fourth grade, again in college while taking a

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1134194631347340742005-12-09T23:27:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:56:41.374-05:00

This is actually one of my favorite shots of Grace and Jenn taken while we were up at a friend's cabin in Big Bear, CA. I believe this night we had a fire going and it was nice and toasty in the cabin. Grace loves to nap after a feeding (who doesn't?) and if Jenn isn't careful by the time she is done burping Grace they are both having a nice little rest. Download the picture soon because it

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1133251896823688862005-11-29T01:39:00.000-06:002007-04-30T00:09:39.799-05:00

Quite frequently people ask me what books have I recently read. Usually I will rattle off whatever happens to be in my backpack or sitting on my desk at the moment. I usually have my nose in a dozen books or more but I hesitate to give a commentary on the book until I am completely finished.Of course, shortly after that I am well on my way with another book and it is doubtful I will be willing

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1133146843421088072005-11-27T20:28:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:56:41.374-05:00

I don't know what's up with the hair. She constantly has the Don King thing going or else is trying to have a faux-hawk haircut. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, never mind.Obviously when I suggested that to her she wasn't too pleased about it but she did take it into consideration. Nonetheless, she is continuing to grow and her hair is continuing to grow also. Pretty

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1132157549068813982005-11-16T09:53:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:56:41.374-05:00

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update to how Grace is doing. As you can see from the picture I took this morning she is happy and has her full energy back after the surgery. They took out the stitches on Monday and she should be good to go. We will have a follow-up with the cardiologist next month and then they will check it every three to six months after that. Since the pacemaker is

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1131590693717401212005-11-09T20:43:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:56:41.375-05:00

Dear Friends,I will write more in a little while, but I wanted to let you know that Grace came home today after a week in the hospital and is her feisty little self again.More soon.Dave

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1131466387033791452005-11-08T10:13:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:56:41.375-05:00

Dear friends,Grace is doing much better the last day or so. They have taken her off all oxygen and she is keeping up her level on her own. They also have taken out the tube that was going to her stomach through her nose. Yesterday they reintroduced food to her and she was tolerating it well. Her digestive tract seems to be working once again.They had to take out her IV that was in her head

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1131262543048613822005-11-06T01:17:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:56:41.375-05:00

Dear Friends,I tried to pick one of the less shocking pictures to post of Grace because I know that it will seem much worse than it actually is. The image that you are looking at show the IV that they had to put into a vein in Grace's head because the vein they had an IV in had closed up and they used the other good veins on her hands and feet. It looks bad but it is actually better than the

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1131160237261635432005-11-04T20:48:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:56:41.376-05:00

Dear Friends,Grace has had a momentary setback today so please keep praying. Last night her oxygen level, which should be at 90-100%, continued to drop below 75% throughout the night which caused the nurses to give her oxygen. Last night they just had it blowing by her face but this morning they decided to give her oxygen through her nose.We have experienced several other problems. First, her

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1131094577959044982005-11-04T02:55:00.000-06:002007-04-29T23:56:41.376-05:00

Dear Friends,First of all, Grace is doing great at Children's Hospital and the surgery went well. She will be in the hospital until Friday and then will come home to rest and recover. Let me recount the last 72 hours for most of you.On Tuesday Morning we were scheduled to take Grace in at 8:00 AM for a barrage of tests and a visit with the surgeon who would perform the surgery to put in Grace's

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1130525958852271512005-10-28T13:44:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:56:41.377-05:00

Here is Grace pretending to be talking on the phone telling all of her friends about the upcoming procedure. Needless to say it is a cell phone. Such a 21st century girl!On Tuesday morning we will be taking Grace in for the lab work, an X-ray, and some other tests as well as consult with the surgeon who will be performing the actual surgery. This begins at 11:00 AM and should take a few

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1130343838118290742005-10-26T11:25:00.000-05:002007-04-29T23:56:41.377-05:00

Yesterday Jenn and I took baby Grace to the cardiologist for her one month follow-up to our last appointment. It was unintentionally a long appointment due to the doctor's hectic schedule. We arrived at 12:30 PM and left around 5:15 PM. However, there was nothing eventful at the time.This morning around 7:30 AM we received a call from the cardiologist himself. He was looking more closely at

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13042267.post-1129876027649492992005-10-21T01:07:00.000-05:002007-04-30T00:09:09.633-05:00

This is a random shot, so what gives? Why did this picture make it onto the blog page? Exactly! Why did this picture make it onto my camera and why did it make it onto my iPhoto on my mac at home? That's what I keep asking myself. But, after a year and a half of marriage Jenn has managed to take pictures of me standing next to bears, buffaloes, a sign that says, "taco farm," next to a giant

David Monrealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06630712768858302788noreply@blogger.com5