2 years later......

Well, it has been almost 2 years since my last post and I am not even sure where to begin. I am THANKFUL to be back at our Amazing Graves blog. I send a big hug to my friend Jessie for spurring others to join her in '30 Days of Thankful'. I am excited about this journey. At the beginning of 2011, I had joined with a group of women who were taking a journey of 'One Thousand Gifts' in which we were to list one thousand things we were thankful for... the little things that are so often overlooked. I started that journey, but got lost along the way.... let me explain.

In my last post, we had just moved all of Gogo's stuff up from Tucson and she was settling in to living with us. We were blessed to be her caretakers and thankful that God allowed us to take that journey as a family. Gogo gradually declined in health over the last 2 years and in January of 2011, she decided that it was time for Hospice. It was such a difficult decision for all of us. We were able to keep her here at home with us until her very last breath on the 4th of July. Thinking back, I know that we did NONE of it in our own power.... it was completely the unconditional love and strength of our Heavenly Father that carried us through.

So... yes, I got lost along the way and did not follow through with the writing down of my thankfuls. I never stopped being thankful, I just wrote them on my heart instead of words on a page. The thought of trying to "catch-up" with 'One Thousand Gifts' seems completely overwhelming. I am ready to begin with 30 Days of Thankful that lead right into the heart of the most beautiful time of year... remembering all we are thankful for and celebrating the birth of our Savior.

My 'thankful' for this first day encompasses all of our time taking care of Gogo and the amazing honor it was to be the Lord's hands and feet in her life. I think back to Thanksgiving day in 2005 when Don baptized Papa just as he decided it was time for Hospice. Thanksgiving has been SO much more to us since that special day. Now I think ahead to this coming Thanksgiving day which will celebrate and honor both Gogo and Papa who are dancing toghter in Heaven. If you have a moment, would you please join me in praying for our family, especially Don, as we journey into this season missing Gogo and Papa. Although there is a precious peace that comes with knowing where they are and Who they are with, the pain of loss runs deeper during these times of celebration and rememberance.