Blessed

I started out this week feeling like I was standing in front of a gushing fire hydrant.  Getting blasted with ice cold water, being pushed backward when all I really wanted to do was sidestep the hurdle and surge on ahead.  I was feeling defeated.  I was feeling afraid to hope.

Luckily, my God is SO much bigger than that.

Today, I'm feeling incredibly blessed, and I'm going to tell you exactly why.

Adam and I are blessed by the amazing friends and family that God has so graciously placed in our life--for this moment, this journey, this season--for such a time as this.  We are blessed by the outpouring of love and support that we have seen, time and time again, from people we're close to and people we're not.  We are touched by the compassion, the faith, and the care that has been poured out to us and expressed in countless different ways.  To put it simply, we are grateful.  

This past week, especially, I have seen God's incredible grace in our lives, and His faithfulness manifested in the love of those around us.  He's met our needs--my needs this week--and shown me unequivocally that we are not alone in this, that we are loved, prayed for, and that our pain can never overshadow our joy.

Let me recap a few highlights of the week:

Our dear friends the Andrews appeared at our door one Sunday evening with a beautiful bouquet of orange and yellow flowers.  "Sunny Days" was what the arrangement was called, and Melissa told me they'd chosen it because those were exactly the kind of days that they knew were ahead for us.  On the wrapping of the flowers, Melissa had written encouragement in the form of a Bible verse.   I've said it before and I'll say it again--these incredible friends have been an incredible blessing in our lives from the day we met them.  They have prayed with us, encouraged us, and been there for all the ups and downs along the way.  I saved a few of the flowers from the bouquet and put them into our Blessing Box with a tag that read, "The blessing of forever friends."

Josh and Melissa, thank you for being the kind of friends we can't wait to spend the next 50 years hanging out with.   Thank you for standing with us.  You may never know just how much it means.
______________________________________
Yesterday, as we do every Saturday, we had breakfast with my parents.   This has become one of our favorite traditions--I love and cherish the time we spend laughing and talking with my mom and dad over the everyday happenings of life.  They are two of the funniest people I know, and I am blessed beyond belief to count my mom and dad as two of my closest and very best friends.  And yesterday, in the middle of our breakfast, my parents completely amazed us by meeting a need that we didn't even know they knew we had.  We were shocked.  We were humbled.  We were blessed.  I couldn't even find the words to thank them--my mouth just couldn't seem to form the right words to convey my gratitude and love for who they are.  After we left, Adam and I drove home in awe.  We were so touched by their love, and it led into a conversation about who we want to be as parents.  We talked about how everything we hope to be is manifested in who they are.   We talked about the selfless, unconditional love they openly display, and how they have been such a steady rock in the storm.  What amazing parents I have.  What incredible love.  

Mom and Dad, we are beyond thankful for who you are.  Thank you for showing us--through example--how to love down to tips of our toes.  Thank you for sharing your faith and bending your knee in prayer.  Thank you for being in example in all you do--I hope you know that we want to be just like you, because you want to be just like Him.  I just couldn't possibly love you any more.
____________________________________

Today, Adam and I had the incredible pleasure of spending the day at the beach with Eric and Caitlin.  We love every moment that we get to spend with these two, and were SO excited to spend the day just hanging out.  As they walked through the front door, we were greeted with something unexpected:

Wow. A bottle of wine, Euphoria chocolates, bubble bath, a candle, and a gift certificate to a romantic restaurant in Portland. 

And there was this:

A note of encouragement, with our biggest and most heartfelt desire written right on the seal.  It's like they pulled that one right out of my heart--knowing our most desperate desire and commiting to pray for it alongside us.  What a blessing, and it went right into the box. Honestly, I was completely blown away by how precious these two people are.  I just adore them.  Caitlin and Eric have loved on us in such incredible ways and been a constant support since the beginning.  The amount of thought and care that went into this basket just blows me away.   After we got home from the beach, and as were saying our goodbyes, Adam gave Eric the biggest bear hug--almost knocked his little brother over--and we all just doubled over in laughter.  If you knew these two boys well, you'd know that hugging has never been something they do--that's just not how they express themselves.  Over the years, Cait and I have been working on a little brotherly love, but usually any hugs exchanged are prompted by one of us girls.  But not today.  Adam's impromptu hug just tugged at my little heartstrings, because that's exactly how I feel.  Overwhelmed with love and gratitude for these amazing people God has given us to call family.   After they left, I just stood in the kitchen staring at the basket with little tears welling up in my eyes.  I am so touched. 

Eric and Cait, I don't even know where to start.  We love you two tremendously, and when we count our blessings, we count you each twice.  Thank you for praying with us, for telling us that you do, and for letting us know that we aren't in this alone.  I may never have the right words to express what that means.  My heart is full of love---it's just bursting in thankfulness for the tremendous ways you bless our life. 

___________________________

 
Do you see what I mean?  I wasn't lying when I said that we have been blessed.  God has poured out His love in amazing ways, through these amazing people.  We are so thankful, and we are so READY!

I'm ready to proclaim that this is THE month.  That we are going to step out in faith, praying specifically because we want it all, and we know that God wants to give it. 

"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." Psalms 5:3