After my grandbaby was born I wanted to take pictures of him in his nursery.
As I was packing up my camera and lenses, I was wishing I still had my cream-colored afghan to use for the photo shoot. I lost it when the tornado destroyed our home.
Imagine my surprise when I got a package in the mail and opened it up to find a cream-colored afghan a friend made for me! My eyes immediately filled with tears as I thanked God for reminding me that He cares about the details.
I am thankful for the beautiful cards I have received from people across the country.
For a loving and supportive family.
For friends who have stopped by to check on us.
For all the meals that have been delivered.
For the encouraging texts I have received at the moment I needed them most.
For the kind and uplifting words left on my blog.
For my Dad’s advice and willingness to help in any way he can.
For my Mom who is always just a phone call away.
For my son who has helped me figure out a million different things.
For Galin’s brothers who generously offered to help build a new house for us.
For all the prayers that have been prayed over our family.
For memories. So many memories.
I have felt God’s love over and over this past year through the kindness of people. I am so blessed.
Galin and Lily August 2016
some of the beautiful cards I received from people across the country
My girls and I enjoyed shopping at the booths lining the streets at Magnolia. Kayla found a pink hat and when she was purchasing it, the lady helping her asked, “what’s your story?”
Kayla began sharing her story when Joanna Gaine’s mother-in-law came to meet us. She told us to follow her to the Magnolia store where she picked out a bunch of goodies to give us for our new home! Before we left, she gave me a hug and said she would be praying for us. To top it off, she gave us tickets to the concert happening later that night at Magnolia. We had a wonderful day and it felt like such a gift from God. He keeps showing us His love in the most random ways. I am literally blown away.
Galin often read the Bible using an app on his phone and it allowed friends to see when he highlighted a verse. Just hours before the cancer treatment started affecting his brain, he highlighted this verse.
“Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.” Titus 3:15.
It doesn’t seem like a verse he normally would have highlighted; it’s so special to me because it feels like a greeting straight from heaven.
Galin and Lily 1/2018
It was late and Jaxson was already asleep when I asked Lily if she wanted to go jump in the neighborhood pool. The water felt so good and Lily was so happy. I looked up at the stars and told God, “Thank You for this moment. I love it.”
There were many times during the last several months of Galin’s life when we were doing simple things like sitting on our porch swing, going for a walk, and holding hands. I would always stop and tell God how much I loved the moment and thank Him for it. Tonight reminded me of that.
I felt like my life ended after Galin died, but tonight I realized as time goes on there will be more and more moments of joy and happiness. I am grateful for that.
I missed Galin desperately today. I sat beside his grave feeling so broken. A kind stranger came and sat beside me. She asked what my story was and when I could finally speak, I told her about Galin. While I was talking, she realized she already knew who I was and has been praying for our family because she is friends with Jerusha, my daughter in law! We both cried while she prayed a beautiful prayer for me and my future. I left the cemetery feeling peaceful and encouraged to keep pressing on.
After struggling for days, I opened my grateful journal and read through the entries I have written since Galin died. I needed the reminder that God loves His children and cares about the details of our lives.
Over the next few days, I am going to share some of my entries with you and I pray it encourages your soul like it did mine.
written Sunday 10/13/2019
I’m not sure why Sundays have been such a hard day since Galin died, but today God blessed me with the most peace filled day.
The thought kept coming to me that I should let Mom know. I finally sent her a message and her response had me in tears…
“Praise God! This makes me so happy! God is so good to His children! Dad & I had prayer just before going to bed Saturday night for this very thing & we will continue to ask God to do this for you every Sunday! What He did this time He will do again & again. We love you Sweetheart!”
If I wouldn’t have taken the time to tell Mom, she never would have known how God answered her prayer and I would have missed a blessing too.
I brought him on a date and he chose his favorite Japanese restaurant for his birthday meal. He talked nonstop 100000000 miles an hour pretty much the whole time we were gone, barely stopping to catch his breath! He hardly ate anything because he couldn't stop talking :)