I thought I'd start this post off with some pictures of our cute and beautiful girls. They were both SO happy to be allowed to put these dresses on this morning, and they both took to twirling and all sorts of other dressy nonsense. Julia also perfected (what I call) her debutante seated pose -- she very much wanted to have her dressed puffed out just so when she was sitting on the ground. Too precious.
Adam, precious. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
(That's right. I just threw an inside joke into the middle of a blog post.)
I'm thankful for today. Today we celebrate the Risen Savior, the reason for joy, hope, peace, and love. The reason to find contentment no matter our circumstances. The reason for everything we do and say and hope for.
I positively love the Scripture from Matthew... that one simple verse... He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. (Matthew 28:6 NIV) Every time I hear it... every time I read it (and that's been a lot in the last few days what with people posting on Facebook like crazy)... I get a tingle and a warmth that spreads through my body... our Savior not only came, but He did what He said He would do... and because of that, we may have everlasting life in Him. How awesome! Honestly... the best day of the year each year!
And, that one verse is what is helping me hold it together today... I woke up at 1 AM to Julia telling me she needed to go potty (thank God she told me instead of peeing in her bed)... and then at 3:30 AM, I woke up to noises that after clearing the cobwebs, I knew immediately was Raven throwing up. Sure enough, I found her in her bed sick as could be... her first time ever by the way... and I fell apart. I was so tired after days of not sleeping well... and this... this was not part of my plan. But, then I remembered an email my dear friend Alecia and I shared earlier this week (re: Mary Magdalene post I noted yesterday?), and I knew something would work out somehow.
I took Raven to bed with me and she fell back to sleep (yes, I remembered to lay down a towel), and I laid there... praying... thinking... wondering... hoping. At 5:30 AM it started all over again and that is when I got up and got on the phone. All this while I had a back-up plan of sorts... one I was hoping not to have to implement... one in which someone would come if I called if I needed someone to watch the girls this, my first week of work... two different people had told me in the last couple of weeks that they'd be willing to clear their schedules and come... so, first I called my mother-in-law and crying, I told her what had happened. Thank God for the Internet; in a flash I knew that I could fly her out here today if need be. However, my Aunt Chris had also offered, and we decided I should call her as well. Aunt Chris jumped at the chance to call, and by 6:15 AM, I had booked her a one-way ticket to Denver. She will be arriving tonight. I will be able to go to work tomorrow, and God-willing, Raven won't get anymore sick than she already is and here's hoping that Julia and I are able to stave off this bug.
How to find joy and peace in this...? Well... I'm thankful that it happened today and not tomorrow. Tomorrow... well... that would have been worse. Yes, I know, I could have called work and told them I wouldn't be there on my first day of orientation, but I would prefer not to start off that way. Regardless of what anyone tells you, there is still a slight stigma surrounding working mothers, and it wouldn't look good for me to miss my first day due to a sick kid. If I can help it, I won't start off my career with Raytheon that way. So, I am thankful for family and friends who will drop everything and take vacation when asked (my parents to help us move, Angela who helped us move, my in-laws who have watched the girls a bunch in the last two months so that I could interview and travel and make plans, and my Aunt Chris who so willingly offered to come and help... even my cousin Dru who, had I not found daycare, would have been willing to watch the girls this summer). I am thankful that I have these wonderful, selfless people in my life who don't require an I.O.U. Because I can't offer one. All I can do is be grateful for the gifts they offer.
And isn't that what so much of today is about? Our friend, our brother, our God... being so willing to offer himself for us, to save us from ourselves... and there is no way we could ever repay Him... all we can offer him is our thanks and devotion and worship... our focus and our hearts and our thoughts... dedicating ourselves to him, over and over, falling to our knees in awe of WHO He is and WHAT He has done... how AWESOME is our God!!!
I hope you all have a blessed Easter Sunday! Since we are no longer going to our Jesus Party (this is how I explained the Easter Dinner to J last night), I will eat a Cake Pop or two for you all.
love,
erin
ps. I want to make a note here... I heard a great radio interview about a book called Shocked by the Bible by Joe Kovacs and I purchased it immediately. I cannot wait to read it and review it here! I have lost my ability for words in book reviews anymore, it seems, but I want to make a solid attempt because it seems so intriguing to me and I want to share. I also have been reading a number of other Christian books that I'd love to share with you as well. God Bless!
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