Angels Among Us

It's been way too long since the last post, and too many good stories have gone unshared that I will need to catch up on, but this most recent story could not go unrecognized. Many different circumstances led to this month being an incredibly difficult one for me; everything seemed to compile,with a necessary foot surgery being the cherry on top (think dancer, mother of 4, get stuff done kind of gal---I NEED my feet!). I was in pain physically,emotionally, and spiritually, and worked myself into quite the mega pity party, when God decided enough was enough and it was time for a slice of humble pie. My surgery necessitated that I be on bed rest with zero use of my right foot for 5 weeks; further complications from anesthesia and medications rendered me completely helpless and unable to care for even my most basic of needs. It was in this state of forced humility that my eyes and heart were truly opened to see how much beauty and love are a part of my life... The complications from the surgery unexpectedly resulted in me being hospitalized on Halloween, with 4 children expecting to go trick or treating...one of whom ended up with a high fever and needing care. I was heart broken that I couldn't be there for them, and was ruining their holiday. That was when angels came to the rescue. Neighbors and friends who had agreed to take my children for the couple of hours during my surgery kept them the entire day and into the evening...they found them costumes and took them trick or treating like one of their own. The sick child was tenderly cared for, despite them having their own children to take care of. The next day my church family got involved... they could have just dropped some dinners off at my doorstep and called it good, but they didn't. They realized my youngest would be home with me, without me having the ability to fully care for him, so they organized having different moms to come pick him up for play dates every day so he could get out and have fun and I wouldn't have to worry about him while medicated. They found out that I fell while home alone trying to get a plate of food, so my amazing visiting teacher (what's that? http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/visiting-teacher) became my mother hen and came everyday at lunch time to make me lunch and bring it to me, and then proceeded to spend hours cleaning my house...scrubbing my floors on her hands and knees, wiping my cupboards, doing dishes, vacuuming, and just sitting and talking to me and making sure I was o.k....On the days she had to work, she called to check on me, and found others to come; one woman is an especially busy lady with full time work and church responsibilities, but took time off to pick up my favorite food from a restaurant, bring it over and sit and talk with me as I ate, and then do my laundry before she left. Another woman sacrificed her whole day to drive me to a doctor appointment, watch my son while I was there, get my prescriptions from the pharmacy,and then, after taking us home, came back and surprised us with lunch. Different families brought us meals each night, but instead of just dropping them off, they came in and checked on me and asked if there was anything else they could do....one even brought over much needed groceries. A neighbor drives my children to school each week, a teenage neighbor walks them home every day...all as volunteers. Every person who has helped in any way has offered to do it again any time I need. It is easy to be human and feel humiliated at having to sit still as someone else cleans your home around you or does other acts like these, but these people have treated me like it was their privilege to take care of me...I was never their service project or an item to check off their list... every action, every gesture, was an act of pure love that touched my heart more deeply than I can express. Friends and family from all over the country called, texted, and messaged me to check on me and encourage me. Darrell took on triple duty to try to keep up with the house and kids and being a go-fer for all my needs on top of work, and my mom took two weeks off of her work to come out and take care of and spoil all of us. A truly inspired bishop sent a letter with exactly the words I needed to hear at just the right time...Several weeks before, another friend had helped me remember who I really was and who I want to be,and changed me for the better. These women and men have shown me more of who I can and want to become. They are the very best of what humanity has to offer; regular people with regular, busy lives, who do extraordinary things...small things, quiet things...things no one but them and the person they helped know about. At my lowest time, when hurt was starting to choke out hope, these ordinary,extraordinary people became God's hands in my life...angels, who opened up a floodgate of love that has overwhelmed me. This I have learned: hurt can still hurt, and pain will sometimes remain, but if we allow Him to, God can open our eyes and show us the beauty that is everywhere around us. If we open our hearts to those around us, we can discover that heaven isn't as far away as we might think it is, and that joy is possible, even when our circumstances can't be changed. So thank you, my angels, for loving me, for serving me, and for inspiring me...you are changing the world for the better...one single act, one heart changed at a time. I thank my Father in Heaven for loving me enough to humble me and show me how much I truly have to be grateful for. Even though life may not be perfect for any one of us,we all have more blessings than we realize, and I have my own slice of heaven from having known and loved each of you...