Happy New Year!

In a lot of ways, today feels like New Years to me. It feels like a new beginning...one with hopefully less heartache and loss. It has been a rough year since last September 25. You see, today is the anniversary of Maggie breaking her leg.
Although I was already pregnant, we didn't know there were any problems yet. I just felt really atrocious my first trimester with Elijah. I was so exhausted and grumpy, I wasn't even myself. Then, when Maggie ended up in a cast, unable to walk for five weeks, that meant me hauling her everywhere or lifting her wheelchair in and out of the car, etc. It totally wiped me out. What it did to her her, however, was let her true character shine through. For all those weeks, not once did she complain. Never once did she fuss. She simply figured out a way to get around her challenge and do what she needed to do. She smiled through the tough times and was brave beyond compare.
Little did we know what a beautiful teacher she was for us, as we were about to face the biggest challenge of our lives. The afternoon after her follow-up appointment with the orthopedic doctor, we got the diagnosis for Elijah. So, we completed one challenge that seemed huge at the time, only to enter into a true period of heartache and clinging to the Lord. Throughout that time, we could see how God chose to use Maggie and her persistence, grace and optimism as an example for her befuddled parents. How sweet is that...
So, after making it through the worst period of our lives, and the healing had begun, I was personally hit again this summer with the loss (only geographically) of the very best friend I have ever had. Her kids are my kids best friends too. It was so incredibly hard for all of us. we have shared deeply in each others lives and been through so much in a few short years. It was severely painful. But, again, God has shown his goodness and brought a measure of healing, though it's not complete for me yet.
I say all this, not to whine about how rough things have been, but to remind myself of where I was. Who I was...just a year ago today. My goodness, how amazing the change is in this house. We, as a family, are not the same. We have a different perspective and a sense of God's real presence like never before. Yes, it's been a long, trying year, but, today is a new beginning.