Waiting for Huntsman appointment...

First of all, we just want to express our gratitude for the tremendous amount of love and support we have received as people have heard the news of my dad's cancer. The visits, emails, phone calls, and prayers mean so very much to us and we thank you with all our hearts. A couple weeks ago, prior to knowing of this illness, my parents came to visit and help me with my kids and home (We recently had twins join our family and have two other children ages 4 and 2). As I shared with them how humbled I felt to be the recipient of so much love and service from many neighbors, family and friends, my dad said to me, "You know Em, as you get older and look back on your life, you'll realize that you have seen the face of the Savior many many times through the love and service of others." I've thought a lot about that statement since he said it...and I know that he is feeling of it's truthfulness right now more than ever. Thank you so very much!

Yesterday, my mom and dad headed back to LDS hospital to have the fluid drained from his abdominal space again for the 3rd time in the last week and a half. It gets to be so full that it causes discomfort and difficulty eating. My dad says the process of having it drained is not uncomfortable. It takes about 30 minutes then he goes home. This third time, they drained off 5 liters of fluid. He is scheduled to have a PET scan this Thursday, then meet with the oncologist team at Huntsman on Friday. We hope to know more about the staging of his cancer, whether or not it's spread, and what the best treatment options are after these 2 appointments. His biggest challenge since this whole thing started intensifying a couple weeks ago has been severe pain with eating and even drinking. He is quickly losing weight and doesn't have a lot of energy because of it. The last couple days, however, he's been able to eat a little bit and we're hoping that as he meets with the Huntsman team, we can get a better idea of how to get his strength back. Please keep praying! We remain hopeful and we have no doubt the Lord is watching over all of us. We will keep you informed as we gather more information.

As I served my mission in Guatemala, I always wished I could somehow convey the love I was feeling for my family through my letters back home to them. No matter how hard I tried, my words didn't seem to capture how I felt. So, in that our family is feeling that way now, we use the same phrase I used on my letters home but this time for each of you...

Love you all more than words can touch!

Papa Craig and Samuel Craig (one of Emily's twins) on 6/3/15