Thankful

We had our Thanksgiving meal at church this past Wednesday.  I love this time of coming together.  We gather as a church family and enjoy a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving meal followed by music and the Lord's Supper.  Since Grey has recently asked Jesus into his heart he was able to take the Lord's Supper for the first time.

My eyes welled up with tears as I watched him read along and sing the words to the song "Forever God is Faithful." As I looked around the crowd gathered I saw a room full of people that I dearly love and that dearly love us.  They have been on this journey with us too...coming alongside supporting, doing, loving and praying.

Our pastor spoke of how intentional Thanksgiving becomes when you are in difficult circumstances....that's so very true.  It's easy to give thanks in times of plenty, but a different thing entirely in times of trial.  For many this will be the first Thanksgiving without their loved one, for others jobless and wondering how they will make ends meet and still for others facing a difficult diagnosis and wondering what there is to truly be thankful for.  I've been there.  We spent Thanksgiving five years ago going back and forth to the NICU, with news that our baby girl would be little more than a vegetable and there was no end in sight to our nightmare.  

Five years later we sit together at the Thanksgiving table, all six of us.  The answer to our prayer is "no" at this point but we are still thankful and blessed.  I watched my youngest son take the Lord's Supper...beaming from the assurance in his heart and life that he serves a risen Savior. Just ask him, he will tell you that Jesus died for his sins and rose again and he wants Jesus to be the boss of his life. If God did nothing else for us, he provided a way, through His Son Jesus, for us to be forgiven of our sin and spend eternity with Him in heaven...if He did nothing else for us isn't that enough??  But he didn't stop there, the blessings just keep coming and coming even though we are undeserving...He loves us that much!

I'm not talking about things and stuff, but of family and togetherness and love and friendship and doing for others. And as I looked around that room and back at my daughter, sons and husband I couldn't help but be overcome with thankfulness.  Be intentional in your thankfulness this season, it's not about what the world has to offer but what God wants to offer you. 

Hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving, rich in relationships, love and of course food.    

Our Weekend

Our "no plans" weekend ended up with the changing out of the all the boys summer clothes to winter clothes. Unfortunately our closets aren't big enough to house all the boys clothes all the time, so I have to do this most dreaded of tasks twice a year.  I end up being buried under a mountain of clothes and hangers and it seems they just keep coming and coming, but it's done now.  I'm good for another 5-6 months.

I have barely even made a dent in SK's clothes, because as you all can imagine that is quite a task.  Her closet is busting at the seams with all manner of summer and winter clothes and everything in between.  Chad inquired as to why Grey only has one quarter of one row in SK's closet for his clothes while Sassy's clothes occupy the rest of the it.  Poor Grey it's true when you look in SK's closet there is this small sliver of boy shirts smashed together while the rest of the space is a sea of pinks and purples, smocked dresses and embroidered shirts, and leggings and tutus.  

It's so easy for them though, they just have to throw on a pair of athletic pants and a t-shirt and they are good to go. SK on the other hand has certain pants that only match with a particular shirt, or a shirt and a skirt which might then need a cute pair of leggings or knees socks with it, or maybe a sweet dress.  You just never know...and don't get me started on the shoes and hair bows, sister likes to look good.

Grey was sick over the weekend and unable to go anywhere near his sister, he was in quarantine if you will.  SK is just getting over a sinus infection and is still quite a bit junky and we don't want her picking up anything else if at all possible.  You can imagine how well this went over with Grey.  He asked me on Sunday "Mama how much longer until I can touch Sophie?"  He's not happy when he can't hug on his girl.  I love how he loves her.

Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in love.  Honor one another above yourselves."

Champs and Checkups

In all the excitement of SK turning 5, I forgot to mention that Grey's flag football team took the top spot in their division.  

Trussville Chargers, 1st and 2nd grade Champs!

 They were so excited, what a fun season.  

I can't believe it's only a few weeks until Thanksgiving.  I have got to start shopping for Christmas.  I am usually way more on top of things than I am this year.  With flag football being over, we have seamlessly transitioned into basketball.  We had basketball evaluations this week but we'll actually have a few free weekends before practices get started...yay!!

So you've turned 5 Sassy, now what?  Well, you get a trip to the doctor's office for a well checkup and shots, "Happy Birthday" to you.  She's the only kid I know that still leaves the doctor's office smiling after 4 shots, she took it like the tough little girl she is.  I should probably refrain from telling her weight although it is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, but she may be a bit too old for that. However, for those of you that see her on a regular basis and always comment on how tall she is...well, your right...she's 47 inches tall which puts her in the 97th percentile for her age.  

She's doing so well, growing, happy and still smiling.  Her birthday has come and gone and I do feel a sense of relief. As I let go of all that "5 years ago" stuff, I can't help but think that SK was post surgery last year around Halloween and her birthday.  She wasn't able to get out or dress up or really have much of a party last year.  She was in that brace for so long and we were home bound.  So thankful for the healing that has taken place, for the health she has enjoyed over the past year and for that smile that continues to right our world.

The Party

The cake...

The presents...

The birthday girl...

In trying to keep my mind focused on the goodness of her birthday, I reminded myself that on her birthday 5 years ago I was not able to spend every minute with her.  In fact there were hours upon hours that I was not able to be with her and when I was with her I was not able to touch her.

This year, I spent every minute with her.  I touched her, kissed her and held her whenever I wanted.

I helped her open her presents and read all of her cards to her.

There were no machines separating us, no ventilators, no tubes and wires, and no restrictions on visiting hours.  It was just family, at home and all together.  

 You give us way more than we could ever give you, Happy Birthday baby girl!!

Happy Birthday Princess

Happy Birthday Princess!!

Halloween 2012

Can you believe we let these three hang out with our beautiful Cinderella?  We were told there was a creepy old man that kept following us around, ha ha...Cooper's mask was disturbing to say the least.

If you look closely you can see the red eyes on Jacob's phantom costume.  His eyes would fade in and out, it was an eerie sight to behold.  Even my sweet little Grey went to the dark side a bit in his ninja costume.  No more Tigger or Mickey Mouse costumes for my boys, they wanted to go scary this year.  The only thing I asked them to remember was that Cinderella lives here and Cinderella is about to turn five.  We have a big weekend ahead of us, more to come on that later. 

Thanks for checking in on us.

  

This time 5 years ago

Our girl turns 5 years old on Saturday.  November 3rd falls on a Saturday this year,  SK was born at 9:08 on a Saturday morning.  Everything seems to be taking place in "real time" this year.  Halloween was on a Wednesday in 2007 and three days later that year, our world changed forever.  

Last week was difficult for me and I don't expect things to improve this week.  No matter what I do I can't keep my mind from going to "this time 5 years ago."  This time 5 years ago my baby girl was healthy, her brain was not damaged and she wasn't having seizures.  The weight of it all settles on me in the dark early morning hours and it comes so hard and heavy that I find it difficult to breathe. It hurts to the core of places that I didn't know could hurt.

I have to keep telling myself, it's not 5 years ago, it's today...and today she is happy and smiling and able to go to church and school.  She's growing and her seizures are under control (for the most part).  She's able to give and receive love.  We are rich...rich in relationship with each other, rich in understanding, rich in love.  God has shown us these things through our girl. We are changed because of her.  We have scars that still hurt, but God has stitched our wounds back together and we are stronger than we were before.  God has dealt gently with us with patience and love.  He has shown us the joy that can come from difficulty and the beauty that can come from devastation.

Pray for us this week, that our hearts and minds can stay focused on the truth and not be taken captive to fear and lies.  Thank you for your love and prayers.