THE week

It's THE week.

You know the one...the one that you kindly refer to 6 months from now as "that week." I know that's what this week will turn into for me. Although, it just occured to me that's a great header for a chapter in my book. Hm...see THE week can be curse or blessing, however you are choosing to view it.
I currently am choosing to view THE week as a blessing...life happens, ministry does as well, and so, we press on.

Yesterday Jeremy left for Africa. I will tell you which country after he gets home. He's there. It's exciting and Boo and I got to take him to the airport. Big planes, a trip by Grandma's office (she was bored!) and two slushies later, we were home chillin' out. Now, Boo is incredible. One on one that kid is the total polar opposite of the kid who plays his mom and dad against each other every moment of every other day. It's night and day. He obeys. He talks nice. He loves on me. He takes a bath. He goes to bed on time. It's glorious. The same thing happens when I am out for a night or at meetings or the boys are having quality bonding time...he thrives on one on one time. So, I suffice to say, although Jeremy is gone for the next 16 days, I will be enjoying the little man in my house.

This is just the first part.

Wednesday my grandmother passed away. She was the wife of my grandfather, who passed away in February. My Mema was some woman. She told me the story of how they met all those years ago and it seemed she hadn't lost that love for my grandfather. She birthed my father and his three sisters, all three years apart from each other, and managed to run a fort (with a nanny) while my grandfather played professional baseball. A lot can be said of her, but none more valuable than how great her cooking was. In fact, the first thing I did when we arrived for my grandfather's memorial in February was go to the cabinet where I believed the recipe box was held. I was right on the first try and spent a few minutes just thumbing through it...remembering all the hours of the day she would spend in the kitchen. I said before that's where the heart of our family is. The last several years have been rough, as we watched this strong woman's body begin to deteriorate. My last incredible memory with her was in July of 2000. Jeremy and I took a trip to FL to meet my family, as he was about to head off to seminary. As we were getting ready to have our meal, my family asked Jeremy to pray. We all held hands and he prayed. After we said Amen, my Mema let go of my hand and walked to Jeremy and kissed him on the cheek. I got teary and my other family stood there in awe. It was the most incredible sight. I know she liked him...and that told all of us that she approved.
Alzheimer's began to take it's toll on her and her manageable life began to slip away. My family placed her in a nursing care facility when my grandfather could not longer take care of her fully. It has been the saddest years watching those things take place, and in this moment, I will choose to not remember those times. I choose to remember her the way she was so many years ago and I hope that my cousins will be able to do the same. They aren't as old and didn't get the days to see her in her prime...but I tell you something, it doesn't matter if she wasn't always nice, she took care of her family the only way she knew how. I have already missed her for so long now. I hate that she doesn't know I married an incredible man and that I was so blessed to give her a great-grandson. I know she would have just ate him up!!

All of the emotion of that is starting to get to me.

I am having some issues with some things, so I made an appointment to see my doctor. As I arrive this morning, I am feeling joyful, which is nothing out of the ordinary, and the nurse proceeds to be tell me my blood pressure is 140/100. Now, I know what you are thinking...how in the world have I not had a heart attack. Yeah, I know. When she said those numbers, I was a little nervous too...so I finished my appt and went to the lab to give them my blood. I spoke to my friend, Alicia, and my mom before coming to work. I am really not stressed out....although, if you made it this far in my blog today, you might be second guessing that. But seriously, I don't feel stressed out. For real! I am not having anxiety or any feelings of being overly stressed. So, I am going to take it easy tonight and the weekend and see what the future holds. Please don't worry, just pray.

That was the last part.

Here I am in THE week. The week I will look back on and say, "whew, I made it through...look at all that God did." God's hand has never been more gracious than in the last 48 hours.
"The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him..." (Exodus 15:2)

In His Hands-
Karen