I am so blessed!

A few weeks ago I read this Ted Dekker book, Heaven's Wager, and, not to give away plot points, but a character dies so that another will live. I mean live eternally. And I thought, wow, how cool and what a compliment to play such a role in God's plan, to die so that someone else can live. I guess at that point I had this very romantic, rose-colored glasses, view of the whole thing.

Then I found myself feeling beyond miserable lying in a hospital bed and decided I was not so sure about the whole dying thing. I was not so keen on the pain and all and not sure I was ready to do that to my family. But I still loved the idea of getting to play a role in God's plan for someone else, so I just prayed for patience and peace and reminded myself that there was some reason I was there, even if it was not something cosmically wonderful. God knew, and that was good enough - because He most definitely knows best.


So, now that I have shared the relatively long, drawn out whiney version of my hospital stay (see below if you haven't, it is a lovely tale), allow me to tell you how amazingly blessed I am. (And I am sure this list will be extremely incomplete, but I don't know if one can ever actually count ones blessings.)

• I have a wonderful, loving God who will always take care of me no matter what and will watch over me and my family through anything.
• I have an amazingly wonderful husband who takes great care of me and my kids and was wise enough to take me to the hospital when he did. He has also been such a trooper the past couple weeks and been single dad to the girls with no complaints.
• Jim was able to go to Baltimore this weekend solo and be a blessing to his brother - we all were supposed to go, as Jim's neice got married, but it ended up just Jim and that worked out great because he got extra time with his family and was free to hang out and support his brother. Jim rarely sees his family so this is a gift.
• I have healthy active grandparents who have been babysitting my kids for the past couple weeks - how cool is that?! This is a win-win as the girls get time with their great-grandparents and Nana and Papa get some young blood to keep them busy. :)
• Those healthy, active grandparents are also currently spoiling me. (Yee hah!) While Jim is out of town, the girls and I are staying at their house and I have not been this pampered since I was their age. It is perfect.
• My dad and Suzanna love dogs. They are dog-sitting Archie and Marvin. And baby makes SIX DOGS. Daddy says they keep stepping on one every time they turn around, but he and Suzanna are taking great care of the boys which is one less thing for me to worry about this weekend. Oh, and Dad is picking Jim up at the airport at 11:30pm Monday night. YAY DAD!!!
• I have really patient, adaptable kids. They have handled this whole hospital thing really well. Probably helps that they are getting spoiled, but they are such troopers and I adore them.
• Can I just say I may have the most patient employer in the world???? No calls of "how much longer" no complaints, no nothing. Just lots of prayers and get better soon. All Hail Ronald Blue and Co. (and I miss you too!)
• Of course, great doctors and nurses (although I wish they were a little better at finding veins). When you spend as long as I do, you get quite a few nurses and I had no lemons - yee hah!
• Great friends who have been earnestly praying for me. That means so much to me. Everyone wants to know people care, so it has been so nice to have people asking about me and praying for me.
• And did I mention that God loves me and cares for me. That is all anyone could ever want or need.

Take care and God bless and hopefully no more adventures for me for awhile!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again for your concern and prayers!