Many of you have asked how Maureen's son, John, is doing after his heart surgery on June 13th.

Last Wednesday morning, we met as a staff with Maureen to have some time together before John's surgery. Like you, we were at a loss for exactly what to do to help Maureen. What we wanted most of all was for John and her family not to have to face this difficult time.

Over coffee and bakery treats, we chatted and then prayed together. Maureen was given some snacks, a book, and gift cards to the hospital gift shop and cafeteria. We encouraged her to continue to care for herself during these coming weeks by giving her some wireless headphones to use while running. We know it will be hard for her to leave John's side.

Once we know when John will be coming home, we'll be putting together a meal schedule and a child care calendar (for John's siblings). All of these efforts are a beautiful combination of friends, neighbors, church, and co-workers coming together to offer support.

John's heart surgery went well on Thursday and he continues to recover. Just before sitting down to write this, I saw a photo where the staff helped John move to Maureen's lap to rest. The photo brought tears to my eyes. The weeks ahead will be long, but our hope is that he will continue to recover well and return to the energetic, funny boy that we adore.

While working on both websites, we've learned a lot from you when it comes to caring well for friends who are in the hospital or have children in the hospital. Maureen has also shared some helpful tips from her own experience of walking through heart surgeries with her son.

If you have a friend facing an upcoming hospital stay, here our some of our most helpful posts on the topic:

Thanks again for you concern for Maureen and her family!