Putting It All Into Perspective

It's so easy to count your many "trials" and to begin focusing on them rather than all of the blessings that you and your family might have.  After weeks and weeks of optimism, I slipped and began to get overwhelmed by my many impending doctor's appointments, imminent therapy sessions, paperwork, and other possible birth defects that may occur.  It was just so easy to slip into that "woe is me" hat and begin focusing on how hard life may be in the future. 

Easy, that is, until you get that fateful phone call that your loved one has cancer.  All of the sudden, I was ripped back into reality.  Wait a second.  My life isn't so bad after all!  I'd often told myself that the big "C" was the one thing I, as a mother couldn't handle.  And now MY MOTHER had it! 

• How blessed I am that I've had

  

  Monte and Barbara Cady

  my mother in my life all of these years, and that she has been in my children's lives.
• How blessed I am that they caught it and were able to operate.  That the Doctors are doing what they can to take good care of her.
• How blessed I am that we live today rather than in pioneer days when cancer would never have been caught and she would have most likely died a slow and painful death.
• How blessed I am that I have the gospel in my life, and the perspective it brings to a crisis such as this.  To know that there is a plan and that Heavenly Father knows our family, our family's needs, and is watching over us in our times of trial.
• How blessed am I that I have a husband who loves and supports me and will be there for me whenever I need him - in sickness in health.  In happiness and pain.  He's got my back.
• How blessed am I that I have children who are healthy, intelligent, happy, and still (cross my fingers) like me!

...and the list goes on. 

I am truly blessed.  Of that I am sure.  Family and the gospel are paramount in my life.  And everything else is just....stuff - designed by Satan to overwhelm and discourage me.  I'm bound and determined to take things one day at a time, and at times, one MINUTE at a time.  For if I forget about the blessings in my life, I will have forgotten what life was all about..and what a waste that would be.

Watch Out!!!! Big Sister is in Town!

The other day I was driving Elisha home from one of her many volleyball practices and we were discussing my side of the family and all of the people who were having problems in their lives.  As is customary in our family, when anyone is experiencing an unusually trying period or event in their lives, we coordinate all willing participants in our extended family and have a family fast and prayer on a specific day for that individual. 

It just so happened that because of circumstances, we had not one, but four family members for whom we were fasting.  As I went down the list of individuals that we'd been asked to fast for, I informed Elisha that our family had been put on the list as well.  She asked me "why?"  To which I replied, "Because of Jacob and his Downs Syndrome," All of the sudden, out of nowhere, Elisha went into a tirade. She began ranting about how Jacob isn't missing an arm, he's not going to be retarded, he's just going to be a little slower than most people. She continued for a couple of minutes about how excited she was and our family was to have Jacob coming and that there was no reason to pray for him or us.  We were perfectly happy with him and didn't want him to change!

It was then and there that I couldn't help but grin at my 14-year-old daughter.  That same daughter that on any given day would roll her eyes at me because I wasn't giving her enough time on Facebook, or who has mastered the art of dragging her feet on any job she deems boring or dumb so that almost nothing gets done by the end of the day.  That very same daughter I can hear having arguments with her 16-month-old sister, struggling to prove that she is bigger and therefore MUST be listened to...

Yes, that very same daughter was on a rampage.  She was out to protect her soon-to-be little brother from anyone and everyone who might show even a hint of sadness at her little brother's existence.  Elisha is NOT AFRAID to stand up and tell everyone about how great her brother is going to be - just the way he is.  And if you don't like it, well then TOUGH!!!! Just stay out of her way! Because she doesn't have time for anyone who doesn't love Jacob even half as much as she does.

It warms the heart to see the fierce love of a sister for her brother.  I think we're going to be all right after all. :)