Blessings

There is a lot going on here at the Bryant house.

We have snow....again....after a week of teaser weather. We could see the (very muddy) grass and the sun was shining. Now we have about 5 inches of snow and dreary skies again. That will just make Spring sweeter, don't you think?

We are thoroughly loving our little Lucy. She has been such a bright spot for us. She is very sad today, actually moping a good bit. She misses her previous, wonderful family greatly. We are loving on her a whole lot, but I know it will take some time for her to feel totally at home here. Her previous owners are grieving a bit too, which is really kind of sad. I don't like for people to be sad.

 I have spent a lot of time today thinking about God's many wonderful blessing in our lives. His grace has been so sufficient to get us through these last few months, and I can see His hand in so many ways. He has so lovingly guided us since we've been here, helping us to get settled in. We have enough boxes unpacked to have (almost) everything we want to use and to get our home schooling back in full-force.We are making friends, finding our favorite places, doctors, and things to do. I have gotten plugged into Bible Studies, Alyssa his enjoying her homeschool band, and Alyssa and Emilie are having fun with the community childrens chorus they are singing with. We are starting to feel settled in our home and have come to really appreciate many of the blessings here. We especially love the fireplace and we are very excited about using our backyard in the Spring. It is the perfect "have a cookout and invite people over" kind of backyard. It has brought us a lot of peace to finally be settled in a church. We are still not sure this is our permanent church, but it will be until the summer is over, and we will decide what to do from there. So far, we really think we are going to love it. The kids are making friends and so are we! Jeff is absolutely loving his job at the National Ministry Center and has been so blessed to read, first hand through written testimonies sent into the ministry, how God is working in the lives of His people all over America. That has been such an encouragement. Those are the first steps towards a national Revival, and friends, we need one desperately! I am so thankful God has called us here to do this work.

Today has been a busy, but good, day. A sweet friend I met in Bible Study came over earlier to clean for me. That kind of help is always so hard for me to accept, but I felt like I was drowning in housework. Things are always feeling a little messy anyway because we are not totally unpacked and we are always here (making messes), and then with all of us being sick all week and having company here, I reached a point where I didn't know how I would ever catch up. I always feel like I am barely hanging on by a thread anyway.

My friend called yesterday and said, "I want to come and clean your house tomorrow."

I said, "What?"

She said, "Oh yeah! I love to clean and organize."

I said, "Really?" She was serious. I can't even imagine.

So..she very sweetly came today and while I helped the girls finish their schoolwork, made a phone call to the social worker at the U of M, made a hotel reservation at the U of M, talked to Lucy's previous owners three times, folded three loads of laundry, and made lunch, she dusted, vacuumed, scrubbed bathrooms, and even cleaned the glass on all of the pictures. Do people really do that? Are people really ever so caught up with their housework that they think to clean the glass in the picture frames?? It really made a difference. I was so impressed at how good it looked when she was done. She said she just loves to do that to bless people. I said, "Mission accomplished. I am blessed beyond belief!"

We are leaving tomorrow to go back to the U of M to the pediatric endocrinologist. To be honest, my brain is so fried I can't even remember everything they are looking at at this appointment. However, I know it is all related to Clara's growth...or lack thereof. Two years ago at her yearly check-up, Clara was in the 80th percentile in height. Last year, she was in the 15th percentile. I have a feeling it will be even worse this year. The kid has been wearing the same pants for two years, and Megan is about to be taller than her....and Megan is the most petite of all my children. To be honest, the thought of going is just exhausting to me. I am so tired. I don't know if I am still not over the sickness last week, if this lack of sunshine has finally gotten the best of me, or something else weird, but I do know these visits take so much out of all of us. To be honest, I am so tired of focusing on all that is wrong with Clara. I just want all of this to disappear and a doctor tell me she is okay and will be okay through childhood, adulthood, mommy-hood, grandma-hood and even great grandma-hood. No one can tell me that, though. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, I know, but it would just be nice not to think about a disease robbing your child of her life or quality of life.

Okay...I'm done. Sorry.

I almost have all of our logistics worked out...the kids are taken care of, the clothes are almost all washed, and I am in the process of getting all of their schoolwork together. Just when I thought it might at least look like I had it all together, I was talking to a friend today and she said,

"Jeannie, what are you going to do with your dog?"

"Huh? What?? I have a dog?"

Gulp.

"Oh yeah! I HAVE A DOG!"

Oh brother, what am I going to do with the dog?.....

I was in the middle of this panic attack when my sweet friend arrived to clean my house and she said,

"I'll keep your dog."

Wow. She cleans AND takes cares of other people's dogs. What a woman.

See...I'm blessed. Just blessed. Not because I deserve it, but because God is gracious, loving, kind, and a whole slew of other wonderful descriptive adjectives. We all are, if we choose to see it.

Have a wonderful night and I promise to update you when we get back from our appointemnt. Hopefully it will be all good news!

Much love!!
Jeannie