resolutions?

       Ah, 2008, you are finally over! This hasn't been the best year for us to say the least. We started off New Year's 2007 by finding out that Henry, Jeremy's dad, had a brain tumor.  Needless to say, the whole year after that night has been a battle of surgeries, chemo therapy, adapting, and give and take. Then, this summer Jeremy was jumped late at night while working at his shop. We had just got our home alarm installed. My parents came over to tell me that Jeremy was in the ER and it set the alarm off for the first time. A few months later, Jeremy accidentally set it off and I immediately had post-traumatic stress and began to cry. It brought me back to the fear and uncertainty of that night. 

      With the bad, luckily always comes the good. We have learned to cherish our time together as we know that family won't always be around. During some of Henry's lowest times, God has shown grace in that we are off from work and are able to help or just be around to soak up time with him. We have grown and seen that it is not "normal" to take care of a parent, but can be a privilege to give back to the one who took care of you. 

     I have seen that in the midst of uncertainty of Jeremy's well-being, how much I love and cherish him. I relish in his quirky jokes, random thoughts, quick sense of humor, and his overwhelming love for our children. I appreciate how he loads the dishwasher, changes diapers, helps with laundry, cleans house if he gets home early so as to take stress off of me, and loves me fully with all my flaws. 

     Lastly, with the bad came the best...our sweet Ryleigh. Any year that brought us her is a blessing. We now feel our family is complete...not to say we're not going to add any more munchkins, but we are truly fulfilled right now.  Her adorable, innocent smiles immediately coax my heart into submission--submission to provide and take care of her the best I can. The precious moments between her and Jack--today as I was putting up groceries, I look over to see him sweetly whispering to her in her swing as he hugged and kissed her. What could be better than that to truly make your heart swell with joy?! 

     So, although, if given the choice, many of us would change "the bad", I look for what can be learned. What can I resolve to do better? What is God trying to teach me through this? How can I grow and become a better person? Above all, God is good.