BLESSINGS OF GETTING OLDER

A couple of days ago, I put 40 behind me and thanked God for a year full of extreme highs and extreme lows – all of which led me closer to Him.

I’m not going to lie … forty was a lot worse than I thought it would be! But for me, life really did begin at forty.  With forty came a new life; one where I see God’s work more vividly, I find His hidden treasures in times of sadness or struggle, I make time to listen for God to speak to me and I speak to Him from my heart - openly and without hesitation.

Actually, I also speak more openly and with less hesitation to EVERYONE. I’m certain that my filter was attached to the brain tumor. When the tumor was removed… so was my filter.  But I don’t think that was a bad thing. 

I met some wonderful new people through my experiences this year. I connected to friends and co-workers on a whole new level.  I reconnected with childhood friends and have been able to spend time with and get to know extended family that I barely knew a year ago. 

Forty wasn’t terrible by any means.  

I learned to keep Proverbs 3: 5-6 front and center in my life.  That alone makes for a more beautiful life.

Proverbs 3:5-6

“ Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.”

I learned God’s timing and my timing are nowhere near the same.

I learned work CAN wait.

I learned it’s important for God to be in the center of not just my personal life, but also my work life. 

I learned to laugh at myself and it’s ok for my friends to laugh at me too.

I learned the best way to take a vacation is to put away technology and enjoy people.

I learned each day is a blessing and not to take that for granted.

I learned everyone has their own story.  Ask others to share their stories with you. We can learn a lot from others.

I learned to encourage others and share scripture more often. You never know whom God is using you to touch. Be willing to allow God to work through you and in you.

I learned God puts the right people in your life at the right time. Thank them for being willing to be God's light in your life. 

I learned the most important thing I can teach my daughter is to know God and pray.

My Year in Pictures.

Bethany and I at muffins with mom sporting my fancy headband.  It was all hats and headbands for 6 months after surgery on January 12, 2016.






Having hat day. Me, Bethany and Bill taking selfies
just because we can!

Saying goodbye to fabulous work group and learning to embrace change in the work place in April.  Jana Whitaker, April Leman, Erin Rogers and I joined different work groups. I'm happy to say we are all still working in the same area.... but things are certainly different.

We are clearly handling it well! :)

Getting to know Jonathan and Deborah better during an amazing pilgrimage to France where we followed in the footsteps of our founding Saints, St. Louise De Marillac and St. Vincent DePaul. 

 Making wonderful new friends on our journey in France. DebBrown (all one word) :), Elizabeth Steger, me and Jame Petrich sharing some quality time in France. Amazing individuals!!

Family photo at Disneyland! (minus a few).
Aviva, Drew, Cole, Paige, Bethany, PawPaw Sharp, Matt & Bill.

Sharing fun in the sun and surf at Huntington Beach. 

Bill and I enjoyed our 11th anniversary at Disneyland with a large group of family, but we did find time to spend alone celebrating our marriage.  I'm so blessed to have this handsome guy!

This fall our parish celebrated the Sisters who serve in Waco. Just days before this photo we learned our beloved Daughters of Charity (front row) will be departing Waco in the Spring of 2017. They will be greatly missed.  

What I learned at 40 will carry me through the rest of my life knowing God is with me always. 

I’m looking forward to starting fresh at 41 with more joy in my heart, more passion for God’s word, and more love to share. 

CELEBRATING SAINTS WHO WALK AMONG US

Today was one of the best days I've had at work in a long time. It wasn't the particular task I was working on, but it was the people I encountered. Those working along side me today, nursing directors, our COO and other amazing colleagues made the most hectic hours of the day highly enjoyable.

I loved seeing people I don't often have the opportunity to see. It was a blessing to meet new people and encounter so many friendly smiles. I shared our mission and told a quick story of the Daughters of Charity and St. Vincent DePaul to several visitors who stopped by to ask about the festivities.

But it wasn't until mid afternoon when I encountered a special ICU nurse that it hit me how grateful I am that I was able to spend my day handing out t-shirts. That brief few minutes when I was able to see Heather, the nurse who cared for me while I was in ICU, were the most special few moments of my day.

Immediately when I saw her my heart felt full. I remembered how wonderful and comforted she made me feel when I was in such a vulnerable state. I recalled how she made me feel like I was her only patient even though it was a full house and she was juggling several, I'm sure.

Today, I had to stop and take a moment to thank God for this amazing nurse and the impact she had on me. My eyes filled with tears at the sight of her. Joy overwhelmed me to have the opportunity to hug her and tell her how thankful I am that she was there for me.

I encountered many very special, talented people during my hospital stay and I am grateful for each and every person who cared for me in some capacity.

And that's why it means the world to me to hand out a t-shirt on a very special day when we celebrate Saint Vincent's Feast Day. It's not just about a goodie item or a free meal. It's about the people who carry the mission forward day in and day out. People like Heather. Amazingly awesome people.

Today I feel like I was the one who benefited the most. I was able to see and talk to the saints (both clinical and non-clinical) who walk among us everyday.


We must hope that God, in His goodness, will bless your efforts and bestow upon you all the graces you need to accomplish His most holy will because you were chosen for this work by the guidance of Divine Providence. - Louise de Marillac

BLESSINGS FROM HEAVEN

My Dad.
My Dad.  He loved his family more than anything. He was smart. He was kind. He was helpful. He was quiet, but extremely observant. When he did speak up, it meant something. He was a big guy that frightened off lousy boyfriends and kept my sister and I out of trouble... for the most part.  Nothing was worst than disappointing my Dad. Yet I know in my heart that no matter how many times I may have disappointed him, he loved me still. Dad loved me like our Father in heaven -- constant, never wavering, even when I felt I didn't deserve it. 

Dad & Colby

Dad left this earth 18 years ago today. It was a Sunday. I remember too vividly. Daddy had melanoma. He worked up until he just couldn't work any more -- just a couple of months before he died.  That's just how he was. He worked hard. Sometimes in a job he couldn't stand, but he did it anyway. He had a job for many years that ate at him so much that it made him sick in the morning before work.  I would have never known it, but Mom told us years later, maybe to show us how much Dad really loved us and put us before himself.

Saying Goodbye.
When things took a turn for the worst, Daddy took time to say his goodbyes to each of us. I'll never forget him telling me that he knew Amy would be fine. She had Jody and Daddy had no doubt that he would always care for her.  He told me I would be fine on my own, which I couldn't understand at the time; but it became clear shortly after he passed. He said I was smart and I had good common sense.   And he asked me to take care of my Mom.

All of that didn't mean as much to me as his final ask.  He encouraged me to finish college, because he never did and he said that it made things hard at times. He wanted me to enjoy my work. He said, "Life's too short to be unhappy."  He made me promise that if I wasn't happy, I would change something.

Those words will forever be a blessing to me.

When You're Unhappy, Make a Change.
I took those words very literal early on in my career.  I changed jobs more often than most people change the oil in their car.  When I became unhappy, I made a change. Unfortunately, I changed jobs instead of how I handled things. 

As I've grown in faith, I know that changing something is sometimes changing the situation, sometimes changing myself, and sometimes a combination of both. I no longer jump ship when unhappiness sets in, but rather I take time to evaluate the situation and myself. 
But why is it that when I had a brain tumor, I immediately turned to God, but when I have a non-life-threatening problem, it takes me awhile to realize I may need a deeper relationship with God so that He can guide me in how to make changes that lead back to fulfillment.  Recently, I think God has been giving me time in the valley to discover my need for Him is constant.

When I went back to work after my surgery, I would get up every morning and have breakfast with my daughter. As she watched cartoons, I read a daily devotional.  But as the scar began to heal, my routine began to change. I started sleeping in a little later and thought just saying my morning prayers was enough.  Well... it's not.

Time with God is time to set myself straight for the day. It helps me put things in perspective.  It opens my eyes to what God may be asking me to see.  It reminds me that my situations may be difficult, but with God all things are possible. That means that God can bring about change in a situation or He can bring about change in my heart. But in order for God to show me how he is working in my life, I must study His word, lean on Him in troubled times and ask His guidance in all I do.

Life is too short.
My Dad was right. Life is too short not to enjoy your work. He was 52 when his family stood around him and saw him take his last breath. We watch him open his eyes, look to heaven and see Jesus calling him home. From that day, I have never once doubted that God was real. I saw him through the loss of my Dad. And years later I saw God again as he gave me the guidance and protection I needed by carrying me through brain surgery -- giving me new life.

I will never understand why God took my Dad, but spared me. Perhaps the influence he had on our family, and others was fulfilling God's plan, whereas He's not done with me yet.  Perhaps there is something more for me to accomplish before He calls me home.

Why my thoughts today carried me from the ever present sadness of losing my Dad to the need to spend more time in God's word, I'm not sure.  Perhaps remembering my Dad reminds me of the day I saw for myself that God called my Daddy home to a better place where he is enjoying his work in heaven. Or maybe God led me to seek his word to carry me through the next few days when memories of losing my Dad weigh heavy on my heart. Whatever the reason, I certainly can't argue that I need to make a change to seek God's word more deeply and more often.

My Dad was an amazing Dad and a blessing to me and many others; he continues to be a blessing in my life through memories. I can celebrate the memories he gave me during his time on earth. And I can cherish the memory he left me with as he entered the kingdom of heaven.

My Dad -- was, is and always will be a blessing from heaven.  I truly am blessed.  I have two wonderful fathers watching over me from heaven -- God our Father and my Dad.

BLESSINGS OF NEW FRIENDSHIPS

Over the last several weeks I have had the wonderful opportunity to travel to France on a pilgrimage to learn more about St. Vincent de Paul and the Daughters of Charity followed by a family vacation to Disneyland!  There is no doubt about it -- six months after having the worst month of the year due to brain surgery, I was blessed with the best month of the year in June.

FRIENDS FROM FRANCE
I visited the Daughters of Charity Motherhouse, The St. Vincentian Motherhouse, he birthplace of St. Vincent, and Folleville where St. Vincent gave the first sermon of the mission which led to St. Vincent in Chatillon where Vincentian Health Care was born in 1617.  I climbed to the top of Notre Dame in Paris and walked down pebbled streets much like those St. Vincent traveled down.  I visited Mona Lisa and toured Napoleon's apartment.  I saw original paintings by Vincent van Gogh...my favorite artist.

  

Deb, Elizabeth, me and Jame enjoying friendship
on our last night in Paris.

Still, nothing is more amazing than the friendships that grew during our pilgrimage. The laughter, the meals, the miles and miles of walking will always be a very special time in my life.  The most emotionally fulfilling experience in France was not the French food... though it was amazing! I'm salivating just thinking about the chocolate croissants - a sweet reward for simply waking up each morning!  But I digress.  The most fulfilling experience was worshiping God in very special places, where thousands and thousands of people have knelt in prayer just as we did. What an amazing blessing! 

After we returned home, I missed being with my new friends. The strangers that boarded a plane to Paris came back with an incredible bond.  I was thrilled to see one of my sweet friends the week after we returned. When she hugged me, I felt like God was blessing me once more by giving me the opportunity to see her for just half an hour. When is the last time you hugged a friend in welcome and felt the blessing from God?  Each time we see each other we should thank God for his blessings upon us, that we may share in the lives of amazing friends. 



FAMILY FUN

The family at Disney (minus a few).

I missed my pilgrimage friends terribly, but I didn't have much time to think about it.  Soon I ventured off to Disneyland with the family.  I knew I was sharing the next 7 days in a house with my in-laws and some others in my husband's extended family.  I admit that I was nervous about how much "fun" this was going to be. It turned out that we had a wonderful time. I had the opportunity to enjoy coffee every morning getting to know my husband's cousin and his precious family.  Who would have thought that having coffee with family would be such a special part of our trip.  The fun we had both at Disneyland and exploring other parts of California by far exceeded my expectations. It truly was a blessing to spend 7 days in the California sun building family relationships.

It may be years before we are able to have coffee again, but the special bond of Disneyland will keep us connected until then.

 __________________________________________________

I've traveled many miles over the last month. I've seen amazing sights, been to legendary places and experienced "the happiest place on earth," but nothing compares to making new friends and sharing those experiences with them.

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship."   - Ralph Waldo Emerson

How blessed I was in my travels!  The best souvenirs I came home with are friendships. 

Finding Blessings in Unwelcome Change

I have long felt that God called me to my work.  I never longed to work in health care. I get woozy at the site of blood! But through a series of events, I ended up in healthcare marketing where a faith-based mission is at the core of our daily work.   

There were some bumps and stumbles along the way, but I ended up on team with three amazing and talented women.  Together we have elevated the organization’s marketing and rolled out several highly successful marketing campaigns (with help from a great creative agency Tractor Creative and Ogopogo). I don’t mind saying… we have done some amazing things on a tight budget!

The change. Recently, we learned that our dynamic team will be no more. Though we all will remain in the organization, which we all feel is a huge blessing, we will not have the same reporting structure and our marketing team will never quite be the same again.  As the four of us huddled together and grieved over the loss of our team, we kept reminding ourselves that God has a plan for each of us. 

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not rely on your own insight.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.

     Proverbs 3:5-6 (NRSV)

Change is hard. Together our small team has been there for each other through two births, a heart attack, grad school, a wedding and a brain tumor.  We don’t just work together; we live life together. 

I’m not saying things are always perfect between the four of us. We certainly don’t always agree! We’ve learned through trial and error (anger, tears, and apologies) to just agree to disagree. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, which makes us a great team. We all acknowledge each other for our great work and share joy in each others accomplishments.

source: http://www.letstalkaboutwork.tv/work-word-of-the-day/page/14/

So now as our hearts are breaking and we toggle between excitement and fear of what lies ahead, we must cling to our faith and know that God is with us.  As we all look at new paths, we know the journey will not be lonely.  We will still have each other to offer support.  Our immediate work family is changing, but it is a blessing that we are all still part of a much bigger team fulfilling a mission far greater than we can begin to comprehend.

I think back to the times in my life where I felt my life was falling apart (I can be pretty dramatic sometimes). I can see that God’s plan was leading me right to where I needed to be at that time.  And so I know this is true of the changes we face today. Though at this moment in time it doesn't feel right, my faith tells me that God is presenting us with an opportunity.  It’s time to find the blessings that are right before our eyes. 

The blessings. Though we all feel the pain of forced changes happening to us, we have an opportunity to embrace deeper friendships that were sometimes hindered by a reporting structure. 

I will always cherish the laughter and tears we have shared together as team members.  I have learned much and had the opportunity to teach a little too.  I am grateful for having worked for someone who understands the importance of family. And I’m joyful that we embraced opportunities as co-workers to pray together.

I look forward to praying together as friends, sharing in the joys and sorrows of what is to come in our careers during many happy hours (with friends who have a unique understanding of our day) and gathering to celebrate life outside of the office. 

These are the blessings that I can clearly see in a time of unwelcome change. 

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life 

and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.

Amen.

 

BLESSINGS OF BASEBALL

Friday was a challenging day at work. I love what I do, but as with all jobs, there are days that you just feel defeated.  You feel that no one listens, that your efforts are pointless and that you are undervalued. It was one of those days. I hate to admit it, but I was depressed and just wanted to go home and shut out the rest of the world.

(L-R) Me, my nephew and my mom  April 15, 2016

But it was Friday night. It’s baseball season. And my nephew was playing his final home game of his high school baseball career.  We watched as the Seniors lined up and the announcer introduced our #3.  I am so proud of him for being such a good kid… not a kid, but a young man.  His parents did their job well and he is a great student athlete with a promising future. 

I turned my focus from me to him. It’s amazing how focusing on others can raise your spirits.

As the other Seniors were called and were accompanied to the first baseline with their parents, I felt the tension leave my body. I began to forget about the challenges of the day and started to concentrate on the challenges that would soon be happening on the field.

I watched my nephew hit two great RBIs and make some great plays.  Though the game ended in a loss, I felt a win over the enemy.  I was able to share this memorable experience with my family.  As I chatted with my sister and took several opportunities to let my seven year old sit on my lap, I couldn’t believe how blessed I felt.

Work to live, but don’t live to work.  I reminded myself that the challenges of the workday had to be left there in the office where they belong. My true job is to put my faith and family first and forever. God will guide me in my work if I trust in Him. 

The antidote to frustration is a calm faith, not in your own cleverness, or in hard toil, but in God's guidance.

                                                                   - Norman Vincent Peale 

We ended the night by taking a few photos and planning a family dinner the following night.  It was a good day after all.  I just needed to find the blessing that could draw me away from frustrations that are beyond my control.  I had to give it to God and walk away from it.

I’m blessed to know that God is using me in my work everyday.  Though I may not see the beauty in the midst of chaos, I know He is guiding me to do exactly what he needs me to do.  He is preparing me to one day step up to the plate and hit a home run for Him. In the meantime, I need to focus on others instead of myself and have gratitude for all that He has blessed me with today.

Today, I am grateful to be blessed with a wonderful family that can gather at the ballpark to share laughter and love for God and each other.  I’m truly blessed.  

FINDING BLESSINGS IN DARKNESS - HOW A BRAIN TUMOR SAVED ME

Why does it often take a life threatening experience to learn how to live? For years I ran on empty. I worked a lot, played very little, and downtime was the time I laid in bed every night worrying about my failures of the day and troubles of tomorrow. I’ve always been a glass half empty kind of person. But when I could clearly see God’s blessings it the darkest, scariest time in my life, I knew it would change me forever.

Four days before Christmas, I learned I had a brain tumor. It may have been the best thing that has every happened to me. Through my experience I’ve learned that all of the things that made me a high-stressed, low-energy person before are really just the “small stuff.” My lack of gratitude hid the blessings that each day brought my way. Looking back I can see the blessings in my life over the last 12 months that lead to potentially life-saving brain surgery, and it has changed who I am. Today I am filled with gratitude.

From the moment I realized that I had a brain tumor, I surrendered and had to let God’s blessings carry me through the most frightening time in my life. In a horribly desperate situation, I found a peace that I cannot begin to explain. I truly believe that God picked me up and carried me. He carries me still as I learn to work through the emotions of my journey: panic of finding out I had a brain tumor, fear of having surgery, joy of finding out it was benign, nervousness of knowing it may someday come back, and that unexplained peace of mind that comes with knowing for certain that God has a plan for me. And he’s not done with me yet.

Whether it is to help me through my situation, to help me to continuously count blessings in my life, to help others find blessings in their own lives or to help others see God’s amazing works, I feel He is calling me to tell my story through this blog – one blessing at a time.

As I continue to count the endless blessings in everyday life, I will share my journey here. Follow me as I share scripture or explain how I am facing everyday challenges with Jesus at my side.

For those that want to know what has brought me to this place, here is where my story began.

My Meningioma

 

Four days before Christmas I had to tell my husband of 10 years that I had a brain tumor. Over the last six months it had proven to be fast growing and it likely wouldn’t stop growing. I had to apologize for not telling him about it sooner. I had to find a way to help him understand that not telling him was my way of protecting him from worry. It was the scariest conversation I’ve ever had to have. He embraced me and said what any good husband would say, “We’ll get through it.” He was in it with me. I will never keep anything from him again!

We spent Christmas looking at it in a whole new way. I was looking at it as if it could be my last. You can’t help but think that way when you know you have a brain tumor. So for the season, I put away my phone and iPad and focused on my daughter and husband. I spent quality time with my mom and sister, which knew nothing of the tumor at that point. It was a wonderful Christmas, but filled with a lot of tears cried in the shower where I could hide my fear from everyone.

The two weeks that followed were filled with doctors’ appointments, anxiety, more tears and a lot of prayers. I started praying the rosary daily, and I wasn’t even certain I was doing it right. But I prayed it anyway. (Don't judge me. I've only been Catholic a few years.)

I told my mom the weekend before I saw a neurosurgeon. Still, I told her it was probably nothing and not to worry. Three physicians told us they were not exactly sure what “it” was. Finally, through God putting the right people in the right places at the right time, a neurosurgeon looked pointedly at my MRIs and CT Scan and named it as a meningioma brain tumor, which was calcified (whatever that means). It was located in a region that was displacing the sinus vein (I’m told that’s the main vein) in my head. Regardless, both surgeons confirmed that it had to come out – now.

We told my seven-year-old daughter that mommy was having something removed from her head and it was no big deal, but I was going to have a bad haircut when I got home. I asked her to help me figure out how to hide my silly haircut and teased her that she couldn’t laugh at me. It seemed to work. She was more worried about my hair than me spending the night in the hospital. That's my girly girl! It was two months before she ever saw the scar.

The day before surgery a co-worker asked me how I was doing. With great confidence I was able to tell her I was completely at peace. I knew from the blessings I had experienced up to that point, God was not done with me. Through my prayers he showed me the glorious things that lead up to this moment. He pointed out the blessings one by one.

The Blessings 

Blessing 1.  Last April my daughter’s constant questioning of my essential tremors (which I have had since I was a teenager) lead me to see a neurologist to find a medication that would control my shaking.

Blessing 2.  The neurologist sent me for an MRI despite the fact that he knew from my symptoms that it was essential tremors.

Blessing 3.  The radiologist found what appeared to be a bone spur on my skull. That’s not what he was looking for, so it was an incidental find.

Blessing 4.   My husband and I decided we weren’t getting any younger and our only daughter was already 7. My OBGYN was booked solid and I wasn’t able to get in to see her about starting fertility drugs until December.. (I’m told fertility drugs would have sped up the growth of the tumor.)

Blessing 5.  When sending me for a follow up MRI, my neurologist suggested I go ahead and do it before the end of the year (since my deductible was already paid for the year).

Blessing 6.  My boss is persistent (and I’m thankful) and told me I needed to get my results sooner than later. She even made the call for me to the radiologist, because I was afraid I would be a bother if I called myself.

Blessing 7.  The radiologist allowed me to come to the office and view my results that afternoon. She was patient and kind and spent a great deal of time explaining the findings. She even sent me a text the following day, just to see how I was doing. What an amazing doctor!

Blessing 8.  I work in health care. I knew that I might need to be pushy to find out what to do next. I made my follow-up appointment with my neurologist and pushed to get it quickly.

Blessing 9.   It was during the holidays, so my husband had no problems going to appointments with me. At another time, it would have been difficult for him to arrange his schedule.

Blessing 10.  We got in to see a neurosurgeon in two working days. (That almost never happens!)

Blessing 11.  After speaking with the first neurosurgeon I went back to work and called a co-worker to ask her help in deciding what to do next. She’s extremely busy and almost never available when I call. That day she was in her office and took the time to help me to get an appointment with another neurosurgeon. He agreed to see me that day (on his lunch hour, I’m sure).

Blessing 12.  My co-worker (and friend) went with me to the appointment and being an RN was able to ask the questions I was not able to ask at that point. It’s really too much to take in on your own.

Blessing 13.  Since my husband was not able to go with me to see the second neurosurgeon (the one that actually knew what it was), the surgeon agreed to meet with us later that week. My husband (a coach) was running a tournament that week and had one 3-hour window when he was available to meet with the surgeon. After learning the surgeon was in surgery that morning and wouldn’t be able to see us at that time, the office manager called me back and said he had agreed to come into the office after an early morning surgery so that we wouldn’t have to wait until the following week.

Blessing 14.  This surgeon trained at the nations best neurosurgery centers and ended up in our small town just a couple of years prior to this event.

Blessing 15.  People who loved me, people who prayed for me, and people who prayed WITH me surrounded me. I work for an amazing healthcare network where God has called many faithful, skillful and compassionate caregivers.

Blessing 16.   I went for the final MRI before my surgery on a Saturday. I was thinking I would have to go alone, because my husband was working (that tournament). He showed up -- as did two other amazing women who were there to support me (one of which was the manager of the MRI Center and the other friend had been through brain surgery a year prior).

Blessing 17.  The leader of Mission Integration for Texas, and a former boss, called me the night before surgery and said he would be in town to meet me and my family to pray before surgery. It was 5:30 am! Anyone who gets up that early when they don’t have to is a blessing in my book! He also stayed with my family through the surgery. A lot of blessings came out of the time they spent together, but I will get to that another time. J

Blessing 18.  The pathology report was back before I came out of surgery. All was benign!

Blessing 19.  I had an amazing nurse in ICU that anticipated my every need.

Blessing 20.  I knew the Intensivist working that day in ICU. Just knowing he was there to help me through the nausea that followed surgery was a comfort to me.

Blessing 21.  I was able to go home the day after surgery (straight from ICU). As I was leaving my wonderful co-workers met us at the door with flowers and well wishes. One of my friends said I was amazing. And my response was, “No. God is amazing.” And He is! That was a defining moment for me.

Blessing 22.  I was able to get home before my daughter got home from school. I was able to see her and hug her just one day after brain surgery!

The blessings go on and on. I find them hiding in the craziness of every day. I look for them when stress seems to be consuming me. I can’t explain the change in me, but I pray that those around me can see a better person post brain tumor. I’m certainly a happier person. I have found more purpose in my work. I think I’m a better mom. I know I’m a better wife (we talk about everything now)! And most important… I’m closer to God.

If you read this far... thank you. I hope you will find blessings in all situations. I hope through increased gratitude you will find the same joy I now have in my life -- all because a brain tumor saved my life by bringing me closer to God. 

"A joyful heart is life itself, and rejoicing lengthens one's life span." SIRACH 30:22