Redemption

Hello?  Anyone out there?  It's been awhile. :)

I've been wanting to start blogging again but wasn't sure how or where to start.  Today is a good day to try though.  Let me explain.

We had us quite a 2012. 

Shortly after Blake was born my Mom severely injured her back.  Months of pain followed with no treatment but to wait it out.  She is infinitely better now.  REDEMPTION.

During the time of my Mom's physical trial in the spring of 2012 my Mimi broke her back.  Hospital stay, 3 months of rehab, having to move her out of her house she shared with my grandfather until his death and into an assisted living apartment (heart-breaking for all of us).  Mimi is doing well and functioning quite independently.  REDEMPTION.

In July Jason took me to the ER one night after I experienced several increasingly horrible "episodes" of shortness of breath, racing heart, and uncontrollable pacing through our house.  I was dianognosed with post partum anxiety (never heard of it and thought I was losing my ever-loving mind!) and put on meds to control it.  I am now almost weaned off my meds entirely and am feeling much more like myself.  REDEMPTION.

Two days after said ER visit for me we took Blake for his 6 month well check.  Scary few hours followed as our pediatrician found something wrong with his eyes.  Were in the ophthalmologist's office within an hour of that routine well check being told Blake had bilateral cataracts and they had to come out asap.  No one could tell us if he would see again as the optic nerve can be damaged irreparably at that age if the eyes are not learning to see.  We were also told bilateral cataracts were usually seen in conjunction with systemic diseases or syndromes all of which were beyond scary to this mama.  The next morning we were in the OR at Children's in Dallas with one of the best pediatric cataract surgeons in the country.  Blake now wears contacts, has 20/20 vision, no syndrome involvement what so ever, and is a happy healthy ONE year old.  REDEMPTION.

During all of this with Blake, Jason quit his job to begin a new job in August managing TCU's endowment.  His dream job.  Our insurance ran out with his old company the day of Blake's surgery.  God even provided for the financial logistics and allowed for Jason to be home during all of this as he had some time between jobs. 

And finally allow me to explain why today inspired me to pick up the blog again and try to explain our year of REDEMPTION.  On this day, January 6th, one year ago, I almost died.  I had given birth to Blake via emergency surgery on the 3rd.  We thought we had gotten him out before that rare syndrome I get with my babies could make me terribly sick.  But on this day 1 year ago as I was signing the discharge paperwork to bring Blake home my body gave into the syndrome.  A code blue was called, doctors and nurses rushed to my room and whisked me off to the ICU.  I can see fear everywhere.  Fear on my mom's face as she held 3 day old Blake, fear on Jason's face, fear on the nurses faces, fear on my doctor's face.  God allowed me to survive.  I got to come home several days later and raise my 2 beautiful boys.  REDEMPTION.

The way I see it, 2012 for us has 2 themes: TRAGEDY and REDEMPTION.  So much of life is that way.  Which will we choose to see?  I choose to see REDEMPTION and be grateful.

So many other miracles took place in 2012 for us.  And all of what Satan intended to use to harm us God redeemed it and used it for good.

We had so many fun events too in 2012 with the biggest being my sister-in-law's wedding in Colorado in June.  Life is never all bad.  God always allows us to feel the sun through the clouds if only we will choose to feel it.

The fruit of REDEMPTION:

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!  I'm redeemed, I'm redeemed, Praise the Lord!