Amos Ross Updates

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope your Christmas and New Year celebrations have been filled with joy and love as we celebrate all that God has done for us in Christ. We have had a wonderful few weeks of celebration here in Cambridge, at home, and not in a hospital! What a gift and delight to be able to experience the holidays in a more “traditional” way.

Looking back on the last several years, it’s remarkable to see how far we’ve come, how much things have changed, and how grateful I am for where we are today. As we sat in the Christmas Eve service at church this year, it felt a little bit like we had come full circle. Albeit a very painful circle but one also filled with many joys, good gifts, and lessons that we hope we will continue to learn from and treasure for the rest of our lives.

Here it is in pictures: our last 4 Christmas Eves.

Christmas Eve 2014: Amos at the Christingle Christmas Eve Service here in Cambridge.

Christmas Eve 2015: Amos finishing his last chemo treatment at CHOC hospital in California.

Christmas Eve 2016: Amos in the hospital in Cambridge with RSV (and all this while I was full term with Sam and our kitchen was flooding…)

Christmas Eve 2017: All three of the boys at the Christingle service here at Christ Church Cambridge!

We are immensely grateful for the gift of another year and another year where Amos has seen such progress in his physical recovery and continued protection from any recurrence of cancer. Praise the Lord for this great mercy! There’s so much that we could say in response. One thing that comes to mind is a line from what is now one of my favorite Christmas carols- Joy To the World. I am so moved by the words of this song because I think they really sum up the glory of Christ coming into our broken world to bring hope, healing, and restoration.

I have a Christmas ornament with a picture of Amos and Luke on one side- Amos was in the middle of chemo and he’s pale as a ghost and bald as can be- but he’s smiling with his little brother cuddled up beside him. On the back it says, “He comes to make his blessings flow, far as the curse is found.” I treasure these words because I know they are true. The Lord has come. He has entered into our brokenness and his blessings flow despite the curse. We have seen this in our own life ever since cancer (the most tangible experience of the “the curse” that I’ve tasted) entered in. His blessings are undeniably present even amidst the pain and ugly realities of cancer. Praise God.

“The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shined.
³ You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;”  –Isaiah 9:2-3

¹⁴ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.” -Hebrews 2:14-16

2017 Highlights:

• The birth of Samuel Murray Ross on January 15th! He’s nearly ONE now and we can’t believe it!
• Amos getting his tracheostomy removed in May!
• Many safe trips to California resulting in clear scans and continued care for Amos from his medical team.
• Many visits from family and friends.
• Our great thankfulness for Your continued love and prayers for our family!

And finally, here are some pictures from this past month and festivities. We pray God’s blessings on all of you as 2018 unfolds. May we grow in love, in faith, and in hope no matter what joys and sorrows this year brings.

Love,

The Ross Family

Snow in Cambridge!

Winter Sam

Running- not something we take for granted and something Amos has worked very hard at this past year!

Playing trains around the tree.

A rare family shot on a recent visit to Oxford

Mince pies- quintessentially British!

Waterproof Sam

Christmas Sam

An evening street view from Oxford

Will and I had the amazing opportunity of attending the Kings College Chapel Lessons and Carols service on Christmas Eve!

Totally worth the early morning.

Aunt Lulu spent the holidays with us and we already miss her!