Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday~

First, I'd like to thank everyone for the special comments they left regarding last Thursday's post. I really didn't mean for the post to be so much about me but I am grateful for all the sweet words people left.

Here are some things I am thankful for today...

• The anonymous basket of flowers sent to me for Easter (pictured above)
• A talk with Grandma on Monday
• A talk with Dad today
• Frequent talks with Mom
• Lindy didn't need a trip to the ER for stitches after a coloring accident yesterday. Yes, I said coloring. I am a bonified stress case when it comes to watching kids climb up and down on things, especially chairs and booths. I imagine the worst--head, teeth, nose...Therefore, I ALWAYS strap Lindy down for every meal and any activity at the table. She was strapped into her booster seat to color and pushed back and sent the chair the booster was attached to flying backwards on the ground. She gashed the back of her head on one of the chair spindles but after an over the phone consult with the nurse, my assessment of the damage, and a second opinion from Dad, we didn't think stitches were necessary. Who knew coloring was so dangerous???
• Don is feeling better after being sick enough to take a sick day last week (his first since January 2000) and no one else seems to have gotten it--we hope and pray...
• Friends who proactively pray for me
• A zillion other things...

What are you thankful for today?

The importance of today

Because He Lives

God sent His son,

They called Him Jesus;

He came to love,

Heal and forgive.

He lived and died to buy my pardon;

An empty grave is there to prove my savior lives.

How sweet to hold

A newborn baby,

And feel the pride and joy he gives;

But greater still

The calm assurance

This child can face uncertain days

Because He lives

And then one day

I'll cross the river;

I'll fight life's final war with pain

An then as death gives way to vict'ry,

I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He reigns.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living

Just because He lives.

Thankful Thursday

~~~~~Happy Spring~~~~~

Today is the first day of spring and it is also Thankful Thursday. I feel very thankful today for many things. I am thankful for life, the newness of life associated with spring, and most of all Jesus' life, death, and resurrection which gives me the hope for eternal life with him in Heaven. I am also thankful for second chances and thought I'd share my second chance with you.

I debated about whether to write about this and have opted to. I will warn you it is highly personal and emotional for me and I'm not sure where all I'll be going with this, so please forgive me in advance for my ramblings...

On this day four years ago I was lying in a bed in ICU. It was a Saturday. The room was small and dimly lit. That didn't matter too much because I was losing my vision and could hardly see anything. I remember trying to watch (listen to) college basketball --because it was March Madness, afterall--and being concerned about the state of my brackets. I remember having visitors and talking on the phone but even that is a blur now. I also remember being scared.

The previous evening I was admitted to ICU for a very large brain tumor (assumed BENIGN) that had been waiting for a while to be discovered. I didn't get to go home after the MRI which revealed this unwelcomed visitor. I didn't get to meet my friends for the dinner we had planned, clean house, pack a bag, or shave my legs. I protested but no one seemed to listen. In an instant, my life was forever changed when the radiologist said to me, "Mrs. Osborn you have a brain tumor. I'm on the phone with your doctor and she is admitting you to the hospital right now."

By Sunday morning my neurosurgeon with whom I'd recently become acquainted decided he could no longer delay surgery. Unfortunately, I don't remember much after that. However, I am thankful for one of the memories I have. I recall being wheeled to pre-op and looking Don in the eyes and telling him I was ready to meet Jesus. I wasn't being morbid. I was feeling the amazing peace that surpasses understanding more than ever before. It was incredible. I was no longer scared. The spirit was alive in me...

The six hour surgery was completely successful and my recovery went very smoothly, too. I looked like I had been beat up and had approximately 100 staples in my head from ear to ear in the shape of a nice little headband and that really was the most uncomfortable part. There were times where it made me think of Jesus and the awful crown of thorns he had placed on his head at the time of his crucifixion. I can't even begin to imagine that pain...

I don't want to overdramatize my situation and I want to make a couple of things clear...The chance of the type of tumor I had being cancerous was close to zero and thankfully it wasn't. The type of tumor I had is also typically one of the more operable types and the risks of removing are often lower than other types of tumors. On the other hand, the tumor was quite large and had shifted quite a bit in my brain so some awful things could've happened at any time, including death.

I was so naive. When I heard the tumor was benign I hadn't really thought much about dying from it. However, the doctors and nurses kept telling me how lucky I was. What??? I really thought they said that to everyone. Then when my neurosurgeon--visiting me during a late night (early morning) round at 1:00 in the morning--told me I had been given a second chance at life, that really made an impression. Afterall, he sees the worst of the worst.

This trial I endured four years ago was such a life-changing event and a huge blessing in disguise. I remember having a different outlook on so many things after I had walked through this valley. Even though I had permanently lost some of my vision, I had a new clarity. I felt God's love, protection, and presence more than ever. I can't deny it and praise Him for it! I also felt more of a drive to strive to be a better person for Him (NOT ME). I wish I could've bottled that feeling forever. I fail all the time when it comes to living the life I should but I keep getting back up and trying. I know He could've taken me but He didn't, so I plan on trying to make the most of the time left here.

I know many of you probably have had scarier things happen in your life than this and some of you haven't. It doesn't matter, really. I think we've all had some life-changing event that makes us want to be a little better, happier, nicer, kinder, less selfish, more thankful, etc. It is my hope that on this first day of spring you will do a little spring cleaning of your heart and mind, get rid of the clutter and baggage that might be weighing you down, and commit to being a new improved person. I know I want to...

What are you thankful for today?

Wedding weekend

We had a weekend filled with wedding festivities for our special friends Mark & Tamra. I went to a lingerie shower on Thursday night, we attended the rehearsal and dinner on Friday, and the focus of Saturday was the wedding.

Daddy, Preacher Mark, & Lindy at the rehearsal...

Lindy & Mia at the rehearsal...

Preacher Mark loving on Lindy and enjoying yummy Mexican food...

This was the second wedding Lindy has attended. The first was in May of 2006 not long after she had come home. She really enjoyed the fun and was so excited about Miss Tamra's "princess dress" and the prospect of "lots and lots of black cake." That's my girl--into chocolate!!!

Pretty girls...

A RARE family picture...

Lindy was especially excited to blow bubbles as the newlyweds made their exit for their honeymoon. Really does it get much better than a pretty dress, chocolate cake, and bubbles???


We wish Mark & Tamra all the best as they begin their new life together!!!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday!!

Today I am thankful for several little things...

• Dinner with my "big sisters" on Monday night. It is inevitable hot flashes and hormones are part of the discussion but I take great comfort knowing these ladies will help me through the change when it is my turn.
  
  
• A day at home on Wednesday. Truth be told, I like having time to stay at home with my girl. I intentionally try not to be out too often because it infringes on our time to play together. I know we can't or shouldn't be in all the time but I do cherish our girl time.
  
  
• For significant rain on Monday. Ironically, that was the day I chose to do LOTS of errands. So I looked a bit goofy running around from place to place with a two year old but oh the sense of accomplishment!
  
  
• The Texas Primary is over and so are the phone calls. John, Mike, Hillary, Barack, Rick Perry, Michelle Obama, John Cornyn, Joe Blow for Sheriff, and all their buddies have stopped calling. We received easily a dozen calls a day and of course it seemed like most were during Lindy's nap. Really, how was a girl to sleep???
  
  
• I overcame a silly fear this week--giving myself a shot. I am not afraid to get shots but I just never wanted to be the one to administer it. I was the girl in biology who didn't want to prick her finger to get her bloodtype. One of my commitments this year was to get back to taking medicine to treat my rheumatoid arthritis. I've been off for 10 years and have paid the price for it. I am now officially up and running on a course of treatment and just pray that it will be more beneficial than adverse (you know, those little things called side effects).
  
  
• Mark & Tamra's big day is on Saturday!
  
  
• A good talk with my sister-in-law and friend, Dani, this week. We hadn't had a chance to talk in weeks. Yikes!
  
  
• For the very special night my friend Linette and her family experienced at the Steven Curtis Chapman concert. You can read all about it on her blog. Thanks to Steven Curtis Chapman, they are a lot closer to bringing home their daughter, Hope.

What are you feeling thankful for today?

Happy Birthday, Jill!

Today is my friend Jill's birthday. She's the beautiful one pictured above with her darling babies. Jill is a family girl through and through who delights in being with her children, her husband, her parents, siblings, and nephews. She is creative and bright and will beat the pants off of you in most games!

I am glad God placed you in my life, Jill, and I wish you a very happy day!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am resorting to a little asparagus, known as Junior, for my Thankful Thursday post. Lately, Lindy and I have been listening to a lot of Junior from Veggie Tales as we drive around town. She knows almost all the songs by heart and really belts them out. I love it! Sometimes it makes me laugh. Sometimes it makes me cry. Anyway, this simple little song she's been singing has stuck with me and I thought I'd share it with you:

I thank God for this day,

For the sun in the sky,

For my mom and my dad,

For my piece of apple pie! (My words would be CHOCOLATE)

For our home on the ground,

For His love that's all around,

That's why I say thanks every day!

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!

I'm glad for what I have,

That's an easy way to start!

For the love that He shares,

'Cause He listens to my prayers,

That's why I say thanks every day!

It is really easy to get caught up in what we don't have, what we want, and lose sight of our blessings. I fall victim to this CONSTANTLY and need to work harder on correcting this matter in my life. Reflecting on the words of this simple song is just a starting point...

What are you thankful for today?