Like most people I know, life sends you obstacles to help mold and grow you! Our year was 2012. We started out our year like normal....ringing in the new year with horns and fireworks. Doing all we can to keep the kiddos up because they wanted too! January flew by, getting back into the swing of things with lots of snow.
Things change around 6 am on February 13! While my husband was in the shower getting ready for work, I got a call from his mom. His brother, Jim had died of a heart attack.....at the age of 37. What....really? The numb feeling just wasn't setting in. I felt everything! I started to pack but the questions started rolling in....how long are we going to be gone, how were we going to do this with a breastfeeding infant, how were we going to help John's parents, how was I going to help John? The questions seem to never end until I found myself with my cheeks pressed against my hands sobbing. My husband just knelt down besides me and just hugged me. He said we need to find Joy....joy in all things including this one! And so began our journey to celebrate the life of his brother!
Satan was in full swing! We headed out to the airport to pick up Jim's son. He was flying in from the Navy. Seems everyone in the aviation world didn't see our need to hurry and drive 5 hours to comfort John's parents. So we waited and waited, all the while talking about dreams! God's hand firmly at work already! At just past midnight we started our journey south.
Our youngest, Jeremiah started coughing on our way. By the time we arrived it was very apparent that he was very sick! After a few short hours of sleep and two visits to the ER, we were ready....breathing treatments and all!
We had made it through the Life Celebration and prepared to head home. John wanted to say one last farewell to his brother, on the dirt bike that wouldn't start, he headed to the cemetery. I was with my sister-in-law picking up what was left of the celebration. Laughing and crying at the many cards that were attached to the flower arrangements; finding ourselves asking lots of how's and why's! We had just walked back into the house when I overheard the words, "Do I need to call and ambulance?" I knew it was John. The dirt bike had done a very good job at trying to remove his ankle.
After 3 hospitals, 3 surgeries, and 3 weeks, we were able to all be back under one roof again. We learned a lot about ourselves, our family, our finances and our current life! None of that seemed to matter anymore. Things that we thought were rock solid were no longer safe. People who I hadn't talked with in some time stepped in to help out! It was amazing the outpouring of gratitude we were shown. One of which was a business opportunity that my brother-in-law presented to us!
God again was showing us Joy, in all the chaos we were experiencing Joy!
Things change around 6 am on February 13! While my husband was in the shower getting ready for work, I got a call from his mom. His brother, Jim had died of a heart attack.....at the age of 37. What....really? The numb feeling just wasn't setting in. I felt everything! I started to pack but the questions started rolling in....how long are we going to be gone, how were we going to do this with a breastfeeding infant, how were we going to help John's parents, how was I going to help John? The questions seem to never end until I found myself with my cheeks pressed against my hands sobbing. My husband just knelt down besides me and just hugged me. He said we need to find Joy....joy in all things including this one! And so began our journey to celebrate the life of his brother!
Satan was in full swing! We headed out to the airport to pick up Jim's son. He was flying in from the Navy. Seems everyone in the aviation world didn't see our need to hurry and drive 5 hours to comfort John's parents. So we waited and waited, all the while talking about dreams! God's hand firmly at work already! At just past midnight we started our journey south.
Our youngest, Jeremiah started coughing on our way. By the time we arrived it was very apparent that he was very sick! After a few short hours of sleep and two visits to the ER, we were ready....breathing treatments and all!
We had made it through the Life Celebration and prepared to head home. John wanted to say one last farewell to his brother, on the dirt bike that wouldn't start, he headed to the cemetery. I was with my sister-in-law picking up what was left of the celebration. Laughing and crying at the many cards that were attached to the flower arrangements; finding ourselves asking lots of how's and why's! We had just walked back into the house when I overheard the words, "Do I need to call and ambulance?" I knew it was John. The dirt bike had done a very good job at trying to remove his ankle.
After 3 hospitals, 3 surgeries, and 3 weeks, we were able to all be back under one roof again. We learned a lot about ourselves, our family, our finances and our current life! None of that seemed to matter anymore. Things that we thought were rock solid were no longer safe. People who I hadn't talked with in some time stepped in to help out! It was amazing the outpouring of gratitude we were shown. One of which was a business opportunity that my brother-in-law presented to us!
God again was showing us Joy, in all the chaos we were experiencing Joy!
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