Bitter Sweet

Thanksgiving this year was really special. We spent it in New York and the boys were thrilled to see Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Erin, Uncle Marty, and especially their cousin Naomi.

David said his favorite part was making Jello with Grandma and playing with Naomi. He LOVES his cousin and his Auntie Erin. Can't you tell?









(A) said his favorite part was eating marshmallows and getting messy. Of course! He also had fun being silly with Grandpa.



Our tradition for the day after Thanksgiving is to set up all the Christmas decorations at my parents' lake house. The kids love it. We play Christmas music (the songs I listened to as a child whenever we decorated the house) and pick out ornaments to put on the tree.

 

This was (A)'s second Thanksgiving with us. As I sat back the night after Thanksgiving...watching the boys drive their cars around in the dimly lit room with the Christmas tree glowing in the background, it hit me that this might be our last Thanksgiving and Christmas with (A). I don't want it to be our last. I don't want to sit back next Thanksgiving and feel that empty feeling that reminds you something...someone....is missing. The little booger drives me crazy, but I love him SO much and just can't picture our family without him.

Don't worry. I do feel this way, but it doesn't mean that I don't trust what God is doing. I trust Him completely. I trust Him to care for (A) in ways far better than I could imagine and I trust Him to comfort us in ways that show others what a compassionate God we have.There is so much more that I wish I could say about his mom and the hope we have for her, but I don't want to risk sharing too much.

For now, we wait and soak in all of these memorable moments with (A). They are bitter sweet only because we know that they may very well be our last.

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold- though your faith is more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."

"You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1: 6-9