When I was a teenager something fun I used to do to distinguish "Summer-time" was to wear my flip-flops everyday and only order iced rather than hot coffees, between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This "summer" has been distinguished differently. While I have still worn my flip-flops a lot and consumed plenty of iced coffees - we have been busying LIVING… our goal this year. We've been trying to live purposely, make new friendships, strengthen our family and find opportunities to laugh and play together.
We started the summer by welcoming our dear friends, The Johnson family, home from their Seattle BM transplant. Lee coming home was an answer to prayer! Having Bekah and Lee with us through the Leukemia and bone marrow transplant journey has been such a blessing. Bekah always understands, supports, offers a shoulder for crying, sarcasm for cheer, hugs for comfort and encouraging chats that end up pointing us both toward Jesus and toward positive attitudes about our lives and our "boys". Lee and Mark have a bond like no other. They have both been to a very similar dark place and made it to the other side. A bond that is hard to understand - but a bond all the same. Thank you Jesus for the Johnson's.
By the second week of June the boys were done with school. Mark and the boys have enjoyed mini golf, I-Max movies and carnival rides with their summer passes to Riverfront Park. They did swimming lessons at the Y. We celebrated Father's day at home together. My heart was full of gratitude. We were an intact family with a wonderful (mostly healthy) daddy to celebrate and love on. It was great.
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| Summer hair cuts. |
June ended and July started while we were on vacation to the Washington coast. We stayed for a few days, did lots of beach playing, beach fire with hotdogs and s'mores, fireworks and a little time with Grandpa and Grandma Snyder. A quick trip to the Oregon Zoo and back home wrapped up a PERFECT family vacation. Mark's birthday had new meaning this year. Made us think about how thankful we are to have another year and what potential we have to make the next year awesome. Mark's favorite gift = a Remote Control Car! The boys then got a retro-fitted 20-year-old RC car from Grandpa Schlatter and really enjoy racing with daddy out front of our house in the warm summer evenings. There was a week of Vacation Bible School and a long weekend for the boys at Grandma and Grandpa Snyders in the middle of July. Mark and I also celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary in style and had a great time. Much improvement over last year's 10 year anniversary in the U of W ER all night. (I can smile about it now!) Elijah enjoyed T-ball through the end of July. He did a great job and had a bunch of fun. WOW July was BUSY!
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| 11th Anniversary! |
August was here before we knew it. Both boys had their tonsils removed and we all enjoyed about 10 days of down time. Eating popsicles, watching movies and just being a family. We are quickly approaching back to school time. Trying to cram a few more things into our summer. This momma still has a few tricks up her sleeve - at least one giant water balloon fight, some yummy BBQ dinners and of course several more evenings of popsicles on the porch!
The summer was not all "highs" we did have a few lows. One being when a fellow transplanter, a truly wonderful Christian man, husband and father - was ushered out of this life and his failing body to the streets of Heaven. The following was a tough couple of weeks. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think of his dear wife and children. She is living my worst nightmare - one I have had to image living myself. She is often in my prayers and I am encouraged by her strength and unwavering faith. Their relationship, his outlook on life and love for his children and others have inspired me. It has reminded Mark and I to LIVE. To not take for granted the time we have, that life is a gift and it is about serving others.
Another TRUTH this journey has brought to light for me is that life is about "them." It is about making life awesome for those around us. Encouraging our children. Serving our family. Honoring our husbands and loving everyone as much as we can. It is our job to encourage, problem solve, be strong and steer others toward the Giver of unending joy. If at the end of our lives "they" can say we tried our best to do all of those things to honor our Creator - then I can't imaging anything better.
A lesson I am continuing to learn: We have the ability to decide. Even when you don't like the hand you are dealt you can still choose to be happy. You CAN find joy. Once you set your mind on being happy something wonderful happens = you become happy. God made our minds strong and powerful. When we put on a smile and tell ourselves it will be alright - we CAN be happy. I'm committed to being happy. I know that you can be too!
The more that I focus on my attitude, the path my life has taken, the power I have to change my situation and the grace that God gives us to try again and again to get it right; the more I am sure of a few things:
- I know that I was wonderfully made. I was made to be creative. My soul is alive when I am creating.
- I was made with a large aptitude for JOY. I can usually always find something to be positive about. To find joy in the midst of pain I know is a gift from God.
- I am an inviter. I like to include others and bring them happiness. It doesn't matter if they can't come or won't join in…. I still invite and invite again. I enjoy sharing my life and getting to know how others live. Life is GOOD we need to share it with others.
- I can change the mood of those around me with my attitude. When I choose to be happy those around me benefit too. There is pain in this life but there is always two choices of how to react to it. Choose wisely - there is a lot riding on it!
One year ago this week, we were moving to Seattle for Mark's bone marrow transplant. Mark was undergoing SO many tests and getting ready to prep his body to receive the new stem cells. I am tempted to look back and be sad. To re-live those days and feel all over again the pain that we came through. But instead I am choosing to look forward! To September 21, 2013 and celebrating the one year anniversary of Transplant. Rejoicing that my boys have their daddy and I have a husband by my side. Looking forward to a life full of moments to give to others. To spread joy and to LIVE together.
Don't miss a chance to give this week. Don't forget to be thankful, be silly, be happy. Give those things of this life that bring you down - only a small part of your time and attention. Fill the rest of your mind and heart with the "good" this life has to offer. Love on your family. Forgive those who bring you grief. Breath deep and be generous. Play to your strengths and rock what you've got!
