Lakeside Breathing

On the Fourth of July, I baked Peter's birthday cake.  I knit up a little patriotic headband for Rosie to wear to the parade.  I woke the family and made breakfast.  I got 6 kids up, dressed and fed and ready for the parade.

That's when everything went south.  My 17 month old niece suffered a seizure right there on the blanket next to her Mama while waving a wee flag, and in the terrifying minutes that followed, I saw things I never want to see again.  With the first guess that she was choking (why must they throw hard candy at these parades?), to growing alarm at the very blue, vacant eyed toddler, I saw the people I love most in my life confront their greatest fear and, one by one, begin to break down.  Between comforting my kids, breaking down myself, and trying to be a comfort to those around me, I feel like I've expended more energy in the past 24 hours than humanly possible.

Thank our most precious Lord Jesus that my little darling niece is just fine.  At the hospital, they ruled it a seizure and, as it was her first brush, gave it a "free pass."  She was home in time to enjoy Peter's birthday party with us, and, later on, sat with her cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles and enjoyed a back yard fireworks show.  God is so, so good to us.  And my, but I think the lessons on this one have been many.

So today, we head to the shore.  I'm so ready to feel the sand between my toes and that sweet Lake Michigan air blowing right over me.  I'm ready to take some deep, cleansing breaths and whisper gratitude for every shout, every laugh and yes, every scream and cry of these kids I love - my littles and those that are mine in other ways.  Because even a scream means oxygen, and right now that's what I'm thankful for most of all.  Millions upon millions of prayers of thanks because our God is just that good - and we are just that small.  His mercies are great and I could spend a dozen lifetimes naming them all.


If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to future posts.  Thank you.