I am just gonna come right out and tell ya from the beginning that this has been a VERY hard week. In fact, the only reason I even have pictures to post - or am even bothering to post them at all - is for the sheer distraction. I am sorry to be a debbie downer, but as we go through the week, you will see why...
Monday: Sayin goodbye to the Christmas Dishes. I am a huge fan of these pretty plates and HATE puttin em away every year. But, I do love my every day dishes too ... and I get to look forward to next year, right?
Tuesday: This is where it all began to unravel... My sweet friend Joanne (The Simple Wife) was running her 38 year old, EXTREMELY healthy body on the treadmill on Tuesday morning when a blood clot caused her to have a massive stroke. She is a BEAUTIFUL mama of two sweet girls and the rest of the week was spent at the foot of the cross on her behalf.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pray for my sweet friend, who, even now, fights for her life. This picture was taken as a visual reminder that she sits firmly in the palm of God's hand.
Wednesday: Joanne had told us on Monday that she had tried to do her quiet time & homeschooling by the fireplace ... but she had forgotten to open the flue. We all had a great laugh and she, of course, laughed the hardest of all. So, in her honor, on Wed. morning we all decided to do OUR quiet times - and fall on our knees at the Throne of Grace - in front of a nice fire.
I do not have a fire place, so this was the best that I could do...
Thursday: OK, I didn't take a picture on Thursday, so I decided to give you a picture of Sweet Joanne. (taken by her sweet sister Kristen at KHPhotography)
Please, PLEASE, PLEASE pray for my friend.
Friday: Joanne was supposed to host a luncheon for some fellow bloggers on Friday ... so, again, we had quiet/prayer time in her honor. We were supposed to have tea, but I cheated and had coffee. Her family had asked us to pray Psalm 46 over her. So that is what I have been doing. And I wrote her name in my Bible so I would never forget. Ever.
As if I ever could...
Saturday: Homemade chicken noodle soup ... even homemade noodles. It was good to have my whole family at my side. I spent the day watching my sweet girls play and could not help but think about and pray over Jo's sweet girls. Audrey is 12 and Emma is 9. Please pray for them, as well as her husband Toben, her daddy Chuck and mama Kay, her sister Kristen and their whole family. I cannot imagine.
Sunday - This morning my wonderful man was prayed over and ordained as a Deacon. I have never been so humbled and so proud all at the same time. I do so love my man. (mine is the one on the far right ... the one with no hair)
As we stand now, Joanne is still in a very desperate fight for her life. Her sweet, beautiful brain is still swelling. They have had to do a skullectomy on the right side (the stroke side) already, but as the swelling has continued, there is now pressure on the left side. If it does not cease swelling, more invasive measures will have to be taken.
I cannot even begin to tell you what a brilliant, beautiful woman of God Joanne is. I am BEGGING you to PLEASE pray for the swelling to go down and for her healing. I KNOW that my God is HUGE and miracles are His specialty, so I am BOLDLY asking for the BIG - the whole she-bang- the MIRACLE. I am asking that my friend be made well. And yet, I trust His will and His alone. He is not only huge, He is good. And I believe. I will ever believe.
Thank you Sara for hosting us. Have a great week - hug the ones you love, tell em that you do and count every Blessing. Because you just never know.
