On the eve of this 45th Thursday....

I've really appreciated this. Lori Weatherly is a contributing writer on this e-mag. Her column is called "Beauty Marks".
I look forward to receiving great encouragement from these gifted writers, who've endured loss and infertility.

Another page that has offered encouragement to me on FB is The Empty Chair.
Pictures like this will pop up when I need them most.
it's ok to fall apart, or so I hear.
I'm there, this week.
rough week all the way around.

Some prayer requests:
My cousin Tory and her family
My friend, Shellee, all the way over in Japan, whose maternal Grandma just left this earth for glory.
My somewhat stressed husband.

So many prayer requests. So many hurting people...
People all over the place, anticipating horrible things or not knowing that horrible things are going to happen.
This was me last year...clueless.
I look at the pics that Nat took and yes, I was anxious, but I knew in my heart, that all would be well.


And while things didn't turn out as I expected them to.

far, far from what my expectations could have been.

I have hope.
And things are turning out better than I could have expected in those dark days after Jack's death.

I have seen things that I would've never seen if Jack hadn't left earth the way he did.

Some things have to be believed to be seen.

I saw this on a sign.

I love it.

It's my motto for the coming year, the second year without sweet Jack here with us.

I'm living with an amputation.
I will heal.
But part of me will always be missing.

Thank You, Lord, for taking us to new heights.
Thank You for the people You use to re-light the fire of hope.
My Hope is in You.

no one else.

You alone are God.

note: is it really the 45th Thursday?? it amazes me how much my brain fogs out...how much I forget from moment to moment. I was bad before June 30, 2011 but now, even 10+ months later, I'm still bad. worse. I need to have a Sharpie marker surgically implanted somewhere on my body so I can write reminders...pray for me.