Um...is it Monday yet!?!?!

Ok, I’m not going to lie, this was a very tough weekend for me. If you paged over in hopes of reading some more fluff or possibly even an early Not Me! Monday! – you should run…now…

I should preface this though by saying that although it was a very challenging weekend it was (as I usually discover) also a very reassuring and strengthening weekend…more on that later.

So we have had certain tasks that we’ve known were coming and certain activities that we knew we would have to participate in eventually. I just had no idea we would get so many in one weekend.

We heard on Friday that our good friends from church were in the hospital with preterm labor. She was 32 weeks which isn’t nearly as early as Jack, but still early enough to be concerning. After some internal debate (and many prayers for strength) I decided that I would visit with them Saturday morning, not realizing until I got there that she had delivered overnight. Luckily both mom and baby are doing well. Although it was very difficult to be there and it brought back lots of painful memories it was also very rewarding to be able to be there for them. The world of emergency c-sections and premature babies in NICU is very scary and I’m thankful for the chance to help in any way I can.

Saturday night brought some great time with some of my good girl friends getting prepared for another good friend’s baby shower and just hanging out. It was really good to hang out with them and have a little down time.

After church this morning I had another challenge to face. I had a deep freezer full of breast milk that needed to find a good home. Luckily my friend Adrienne knows a wonderful mom who is in the process of adopting a little girl who was also born at 24 weeks…it just seemed fitting that she take it. After loading 3 (yes 3!!) coolers with milk, she shared her family’s story and I felt so blessed to be able to share this gift with her. Although it was probably the most difficult thing I have done since losing Jack, it was also incredibly comforting to know that it was going to someone who would truly appreciate it. I am truly grateful to know that it is going to nourish a very special little girl. (I am also very, very grateful that I had a rock strong shoulder to lean on – thank you Adi!!)

While I would have loved nothing more than to curl up in bed and hide, it was time to go to a baby shower - my first since Jack. Although it was also difficult to be in that cutesy-baby-charged-oh-so-overly-happy environment, I was very glad that I was able to spend time with a great momma to help her celebrate her newest little miracle-to-be.

In addition to all this, did I mention that I was on Worship Team this morning for church? That was incredibly rewarding also. I love music and being able to be that involved in worship was amazing. I’m also glad to know that years of scratching away on the violin were not spent in vain :-)

So, I must admit that I am a little proud of myself for managing all of this. It was really difficult to go through these challenges but it’s incredible to be reassured over and over again of God’s incredible strength and power.

Thank you Lord for strengthening me through these challenges and allowing me to bless others.

~Jeny