Hope

Normally my posts are about crafts, recipes or family adventures, today is not normal. I have always appreciated my family, I don't feel like I've ever taken them for granted....although maybe I'm forgetting all of those times we've had to drop what we're doing and leave x or y place because child x or y was temporarily having an out of body experience, otherwise known as a tantrum. Our children are a bit older now and while life's challenges usually just morph into new ones with the different stages of life, I feel like this stage is the easiest I've had since they were born. I'm sure back in those hard stages I had a lapse in appreciation that I shouldn't have.

Several things have happened in my life lately (or in the lives of my loved ones) that have given me a new level of appreciation for my Baeza clan of four. Last week, my dad found out he has colon cancer. The only reason he found out is because I, The self-proclaimed Colon Queen, (I know you are SO jealous of that title, aren't you?) found out he hadn't had a colonoscopy in over 10 years. He had no symptoms, thankfully he just heeded my warnings (and wrath) and finally allowed my mom to make his appointment. As I type this, my bags are packed for my 5 day solo trip to Ohio to be there for his surgery.

There is another situation happening to someone I love that is so serious the only thing to do is fall to your knees in prayer. Literally, that's all we can do. And all I can think of through all of these challenges of life is how blessed I am today. Since life is but a vapor, here for awhile and then will vanish away, today I choose to appreciate my family as much as possible. I am going to steal as many hugs as I can, diffuse as many 5 and 6 year old arguments as I can. I have a family that is united in our love of Jesus and I can't ask for anything more than that.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:1-3