Welcome, and thank you for being here. On December 22, 2025, our lives changed with words no one ever expects to hear: Stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). We still do not know the biomarkers, which is taking longer than expected due to the holidays. In many ways, this diagnosis feels sudden and yet in other ways, it’s been quietly unfolding for some time. Seeing God's hand in it all now is quite amazing! In 2024, I began seeing a breast specialist due to dense and fibrocystic breast tissue. Out of an abundance of caution, we also completed genetic testing, which thankfully came back negative for BRCA 1, BRCA 2, and other known cancer-related genetic risks. Having this already done now is a huge blessing! At the beginning of the year, out of an abundance of caution, my breast specialist ordered a mammogram with contrast because the genetic testing was negative, insurance would not cover an MRI. The cysts make it hard to see cancer in a regular mammogram, but when contrast is added it can be very helpful in seeing it. That decision is what ultimately located the cancer. Even now, I still really cannot feel a lump, it feels just like the fibrocystic tissue I’ve lived with for years. I am incredibly grateful for a physician who listened carefully, was thorough, and trusted her instincts to do everything within her power. This decision she made has ultimately found the cancer at a very early stage. While the word cancer is heavy and frightening, we are holding tightly to hope. Being diagnosed at Stage 1 means it was caught early, cells are not "angry" and is slow growing and for that we are deeply thankful. Right now, we are in the information-gathering phase. These next few weeks will be filled with meeting with doctors here in Austin and also consulting with specialists at MD Anderson, prayerfully and thoughtfully working toward the best plan forward. Throughout this journey, I keep coming back to a verse that has been with me for many years. Proverbs 3:5–6, a verse my grandmother gave me at my confirmation, feels especially meaningful now: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” The coming weeks will include many appointments, conversations, and decisions. We are choosing to walk this road with faith, wisdom, and peace; trusting that God is already ahead of us in every detail as He has been already! Thank you for the love, prayers, encouragement, and support that have already surrounded us. They mean more than words can express. We will share updates here as we are able, and we ask for continued prayers as we navigate this journey together. With gratitude, Heather, Garret and Family