Reflection . . .

Well, my little darlin's, fall is in full swing and I couldn't be happier!  Our house is decorated inside and out with pumpkins, mums and scarecrows and I'm now in the process of brewing up a super cute Halloween costume for Sweet Pea!  If you have any ideas, be sure to leave a comment before ya go!

I'm already thinking up what yummy dishes I'm going to make for Thanksgiving, probably my most favorite holiday.  I love being thankful and I love to eat!  heeheehee!  But really, we probably all need to work on being thankful more than just one day or even just a season of the year. 

Which brings me to the title of this post, 'Reflection.'  This weekend The Deuce and I were kind of reflecting on the last several months.  This very time last year, our little Sweet Pea was at Riley Hospital for Children.  Now, Riley is a wonderful place with the most caring, compassionate staff . . . but I never, ever want to go back there.  What started as what we thought was a little bug, ended up with an ambulance ride complete with lights and sirens from Henry County Hospital to Riley's ER, where we were greeted with a team of oncologists telling us . . . and I quote . . . 'we can't promise your son doesn't have leukemia.'  Whoa.  Of course, a lot of things happened between home, the ambulance ride and the wait in Riley's ER, but those words . . . and those were her exact words . . . have been permanently stamped in my memory. 

Not long after the oncologist's visit to our room, I found myself locked in a bathroom, on the floor, praying that Sweet Pea would live a long, happy and most of all, healthy life.  I begged, pleaded, offered to take Sweet Pea's place.  Even now, I'm sick when I think about that long night.  Once we got to Sweet Pea's room on the unit, even more specialists came in telling us a long laundry list of what could be wrong.  All the while, little Sweet Pea slept (for the first time in a few days) comfortably in my arms. 

Being a nurse, I think sometimes I know just enough to be dangerous.  You know?  Like, I knew what they were saying and even worse, I knew what most of it meant.  On the other hand, some things they told us just didn't click with me.  Maybe it was denial, maybe it was over my head (and there is a lot that is over my head!).  Sometimes I would have to ask The Deuce's mom, who is also a nurse, what it all meant.  Most of those times, I wasn't sure I really wanted to know. 

While we were there, we had our own team for support.  Parents, pastors, Auntie JJ and Tee-Ty, Betsy!  All there to support little Sweet Pea and pray for our boy.  And that makes me think of another thing someone said to me while we were there that has been stamped in my memory.  While I was so upset at one point, my mom said that she didn't believe that God would have blessed us the way He did with a perfect little boy to just turn around and make him so sick.  We needed to pray and give it up to God.  So I did.  The Deuce and I went to the chapel later that day and prayed.  We really prayed, and we gave it up to God.  It was hard.  I wanted to control it, but I had to give it over to God. 

'For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'  Romans 10:13

Now I wish I could say that it was easy as that and I didn't worry anymore, but I did.  I worried still, but I prayed even more.  And finally, Sweet Pea's lab work started looking better, and the specialist's words didn't sting quite so bad when they would come in to talk.  And then the best news of all, his counts were where they needed to be and the 'L' word wasn't in the picture any more.  Praise be! 

And here we are, one year later, with a healthy, energetic, smart, sweet baby boy!  I'm so thankful for that.  And I'm thankful for the wonderful team at Riley, along with his wonderful doctors at NCP.  God truly worked through all of them. 

'For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'  Jeremiah 29:11

So in this thankful season, be sure to truly give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for you.  Like I've said all along, kiddos, He has a plan for you! 

I hope y'all know how much I enjoy doing this little blog and it tickles me to no end that people actually read it!  If anything, I hope by reading this you laugh a little, have a little giggle at Sister Sassafrass here and her crazy life!  And, I hope you know after reading that you're loved by an Awesome God, who cares for you and has a plan for ya!  If not, go back to the top of the page and read it again!  heeheehee!  Take care, peeps, and Sister Sass will be back real soon with some funnies for ya!

Talk to ya later!!  Bye bye!