yesterday started off so nicely...

Regina, a friend from our homeschool group, American Heritage Girls and now piano.  Her sweet daughters used to have their lessons right before Mel. We'd talk, catch up, remind each other that yes, we would make it through these whirlwind years of raising kids and all that requires. I stood with her, outside Mrs. S' house on a hot July day, telling her about Jack...probably one of thee hottest days of this past summers...and cried with her. I love it when people cry with me. Is there any emotion more pure? So vulnerable? It was hard to tell where our sweat ended and our tears started but we knew. Well, our lessons don't coincide any longer but I see her here and there. She made a special trip to piano lady's house just to give me this envelope packed with pictures of JOY she'd been taking. She told me that she and her daughters are on a quest for JOY and she has even documented it. How awesome is this?
The picture on the left, the red JOY with blue trim was a piece of trash she saw on the ground at the library. She said she started to grumble about someone littering and looked down....The silver cross that is pictured on a yellow leaf and the actual cross, taped to the inside of her card, was a piece of litter at a campsite. It caught her eye...she saw JOY.  Ornaments on trees, name tags of employees at Archiver's, old cards she found in her stash...
Thank you, Regina. My heart swells with pure joy when I see this picture and the care and thought you put into this offering. Much love
(I'm not sure if she reads my blog but I will have to post this link on FB today)

Sweet little monkey boy...he had a rough day yesterday. Neighbors dog, though small, but very aggressive, bit Levi's  left hand. We called Animal Control. I'm so aggravated with people that just let their dogs roam free. it's just not right. As if that wasn't enough...getting out of the car, he slammed his other hand in the door, pulling all of the skin practically off his fingertip. blood, tears and pain. Lord, please be with this little guy, coming out of his shell and dealing with much.

this little diva..man, we went to Piper's Christmas program last Thursday and she did a most excellent job!!! P, you are a beautiful girl and I am blessed to be your auntie.

Ok, well, I'd loooooooove to sit around and blooooooooog all day but I have. so. much. to. do.
We are having a party at my house tonight...an "I survived the stroke '11" party for my dad...an "I survived a horrifying loss" party for all the rest of us (I guess Dad could celebrate that too but stroke is trumping it for him lately)...kind of a celebration of all that is good and holy kinda thing.

SO, Merry Christmas, Merry Immanuel to you... God IS with us. that is ONE thing we CAN be sure of.

Much love,
L

blog posts for later:
~the year in review: sure to be full of laughter and tears.
~the party my parents are throwing here at our house tonight
~a low key Christmas Eve


Edit: I got done with this post. I went downstairs, realizing I needed to get our card and small gift out to our USPS carrier. Darn it. She already came...she brought a slew of cards (thank you!!) and a letter from the White River Township Fire Department. This is the ambulance company that transported Jack to Comm. South. They had sent us a few bills, addressed to Jack Young. While I like seeing his name, I was always sad and felt a little sucker punched to receive that piece of mail. (dealing with our union insurance has been challenging but we were appealing the process to get Jack onto our insurance...blah blah blah). Very nicely last month, when I sent in our required agreed to amount till we could re-submit, I asked them to PLEASE stop sending the bill in Jack's name, it is very painful thankyouverymuch. I was very nice but straight to the point...

today...oh today...I received a letter from the FIRE CHIEF. I imagine him, sitting at his desk, signing the letter he had dictated to his secretary and maybe shedding a little tear for a family, missing their last little lamb. I can't even type this without crying...telling us how sorry they were and that the account has been put at ZERO! I will blog more about this later...but I need to go thank the Lord for showing us, daily, how POWERFUL He is. how amazing, all knowing, ever present and worthy of our praise.

To God be the glory...great things He hath done...