So, I digress. I hope your Christmas was loverly and your New Year's Eve celebration full of sparkle! The only sparks in our new year's eve came from the camp fire at the deer camp, but it was wonderful to sit by the fire with Kelvin and Carleigh and ring in the new year. Luke and Cora didn't quite make it to midnight! 2010 was a very hard year to say the least, but Kelvin and Carleigh were able to rattle off several wonderful things that happend as well...Cora is growing like a weed and talking up a storm (thank the Lord!), Carleigh and Luke are doing well in gymnastics; we had a very successful Emma's Bayou Bash despite the terrible weather, enabling us to make a sizeable donation to BDSRA for Batten Disease research, as well as support the efforts of Emma's Hugs; we had a fabulouso vacation with our dear friends, the Parkhouses in Bald Head Island, NC; the summer was loaded with fun in the sun; Luke started first grade in public school and is doing wonderfully; Cora started Wee School and loves it; we had a splendid time for our first trip to Garner with our friends; Carleigh shot her first deer...an 8 point buck(WOW!); we received boundless love from so many wonderful people. I am always amazed at how much love, kindness and thoughtfulness is poured out on us! Amazed!
I could go on, but as much as I like to think about the good things that happened in 2010, they are still somewhat overshadowed, unfortunately, by the fact that my sweet Emma is no longer here. I know she is in a better place, not suffering, running and jumping, singing and dancing, but she isn't here. My heart aches for the loss our family forever has. There will always be a missing piece to the puzzle. It will always be hard to hear of miraculous healings for others. Yes, I'm overjoyed with news of miraculous healings, but my heart aches too. While we were at the deer lease this past week, we heard a story on the radio about a child who received a miraculous healing from a disease. Carleigh said, "Wow, that's so good!" and Luke said, with his head tilted and his brow furrowed just a bit, "Why not Emma?" Tears. We believed, we had faith, we prayed, as did so many of you, but God said, "not here." I don't know why, and I don't understand. I never will. I just have to trust Him, and let Him carry me, us, through this season. "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed." Psalm 34:18 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3
Thank you for checking in on our journey. I hope you will stick around, send a comment or two, and let us know how you're doing as well. I hope 2011 brings blessing beyond measure for you and yours. I'm hoping for a little consistency in my life...to eat a little less, exercise a little more, laugh, cry, love, read more, sit by the fire, drink good wine, listen, and live. Cheers!
You crown the year with Your good blessings, and You leave abundance in Your wake. Psalm 65:11 The NET Bible
