An awful week...

This past week has brought such a mix of emotions. It seems that every time I turn around there is more bad news being delivered.

My next door neighbors need to be lifted up in prayer right now. In the course of a week this family has faced more hardship than most do over the course of several years. The husband has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, the wife's grandmother suffered two heart attacks, and her mother passed away. All in one week. They have four children and how they are managing to keep it together is beyond me. I know that God blesses us with strength and provides us with the comfort and grace we need to face any situation, and I am so thankful that they have a strong faith and support system right now. Today is the visitation at the funeral home for her mother, tomorrow the doctors are operating on her husband's brain tumor and Thursday is her mother's funeral. Please pray for this family. Pray that the surgery goes well, that the doctors are able to remove the tumor, that there is a good prognosis and that the children are doing okay as well. We started a meal sign up for them and the response has been overwhelming. They have meals coming every single day for the next several weeks. Every. Single. Day. I get emails when people sign up and it has brought me to tears to see the responses. Please just pray for this family...they were such a blessing to us when Ethan was born and did so much to help make that period of transition easier on us. We had no family in town at all that first week we were home from the hospital and our neighbors took care of us as though we were family. Our cul-de-sac is full of so many special people and I am so grateful that we are all so close. This family needs everybody praying right now.

These issues seem like nothing compared to what this family is facing, but our air conditioning unit broke down this past weekend and $800 later the leak is fixed. Bah humbug! My other neighbor lost his job this past week and the situation sounds pretty ugly. Please pray for them to find some resolution and a new job quickly. They are wonderful people (again, good friends who are like family to us) and it's scary when you are facing such uncertainty. I have two other friends who are both having a very difficult time right now and need our prayers. I don't want to go into any specifics, but if you could just pray for them they are both facing difficult situations right now and are in need of comfort.

In light of all the struggles that those around me are facing right now, I want to take a moment to really reflect on all the blessings that I have in my life. I have a loving husband who for better or for worse, is truly my partner in life. We have our ups and downs (let's keep it real) but I truly love him more today than I did in those early lovey-dovey days and our relationship continues to grow and strengthen. We have been blessed with a wonderful son who is the light of our lives. Ethan is such a gift and I sometimes find myself looking at him, in awe of the fact that I get to be his mommy. Despite all of my flaws and shortcomings, this little boy loves me unconditionally. We have an entourage of kitties that make us laugh and smile on a daily basis. The things that these cats do...they're nuts and I love every minute of it. I love our home. While there are times that I wish it was bigger, fancier, had this or that, etc. we have a roof over our heads, fantastic neighbors, and our home is truly a place of comfort for us. I didn't grow up in a peaceful home and I remember wishing from a very young age that I could hurry up and be old enough to move out because it was so miserable. I am blessed that now home is where I am happiest. I could keep going for all the things in my life for which I am thankful (and I might have to continue this at a later date, because putting it all in perspective like this is really helpful) but for now I'm going to run. I hope that this week brings some good news to those around me because last week was one for the record books.