You've probably read some of the insanity that's gone on in my life for the past couple of months, but what I am learning to focus on are the ridiculous number of things and people and situations that God has blessed me through. This is my Thanksgiving summer. Truly, my thanksgiving summer.
So here's what I'm thankful for (in no particular order):
- My insanely supportive family who have done everything from visiting me in the hospital every evening I was there to making me tea to carrying things for me (which I'm still not allowed to do) to praying for me to making me laugh. They're wonderful.
- Giant water bottles I got at the hospital. They're huge and they keep everything cold for a long, long time. I love it.
- Morgan Glawe. Honestly, I can't thank her enough for her support, encouragement, book lending, gifts, and time. Morgo, you make me happy.
- Amber, Kimmieboo, Heather, Hilary, and Regina. For the prayer, support, laughter, and for Hil busting me out of the hospital to bring me home.
- My iPod (thanks, as always, Carson...this thing is fantastic and continues to survive so much). It kept me sane several different nights at the hospital when the sounds and people in other rooms were too much for me to deal with anymore, and has been a wonderful thing to keep me sane here at home too.
- Jordan Durham. For reminding me that God always works for the good, telling me that I won't always need reminders to be patient, making me laugh, and being one of the best friends I have ever had.
- The internet. For allowing me to talk to Nikky even though she's been in China through most of the past month.
- Nikky Wu. My best friend, for praying for me even when she was half the world away, for making me one of the best care packages I have ever received, and for always being, well...the BEST.
- Kimzipan and Jay for bringing me the circle-a-word puzzle book, laughter, and magazine with Ryan Reynolds right there on the cover the night I got home from the second round of hospitalization (I am glad I have you in my life, and I'm glad you're together...it needed to be).
- Foods that are healthy and still taste good which make dealing with pancreatitis and gall stones much, much easier.
- My church families (IL, MI, OH, GA, MO, NB)...God continues to blow me away through your kindness, prayers, love, support, and generosity.
- Hope. I would not be able to do any of this without God constantly showing me that their is always hope.
- Jake and Amber's continued love, support, and reminding me that I have a place to move into when I'm ready (and thanks for taking care of those couple boxes of books, I can't wait to live with them again).
- Amanda and Rich. For all the prayer and kind words on top of the sweet care package full of tea and joy and socks. It meant the world.
- Barf bags.
- The insane flexibility of my office in working with my terrible health and crazy number of doctor's appointments. This is terrible for me, but it's been no picnic for them either.
- Having a fan next to my bed at night while here at home because I'm finding the sound gets me to sleep when nothing else seems to.
- Kevin Rogers. He may not know it (he may never know it really), but he made the day of my surgery, and going down for my surgery so much less scary. I know this wasn't an insanely terrifying surgery and it's fairly common, but with everything else that had gone wrong lately...his belief that my surgeon was a good guy, making me laugh, and telling me it was all going to go just fine...I believed it. I am forever grateful.
- Texting. I would have gone insane while in the hospital without it. Well, without texting AND cable TV (the Travel and Food networks really are addictive).
- Books. I find myself reading a lot lately. Fact and fiction. I am grateful for every writer ready and willing to put pen to paper and tell us how the story goes. I have needed that a lot lately for my little mental vacations (special thanks to Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer for writing both Agnes & the Hitman and Don't Look Down. Please collaborate on many more books so I will have new favorites to read and new reasons to laugh; I need them).
- Knowing I'm healing every day, even when I feel lousy.
- Feeling that I am truly growing closer to God each and every day of this and finding that it's all worthwhile because of that.
Mind you, this is a very abbreviated list, but it's a start. I am so thankful. I hope Thanksgiving is something I can keep going in October too. Let's see where God takes all of this.
What are you thankful for?
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