The gift

This is a quick post, a little gateway back into blogging after my many months' absence. I've tried several times to write this post but found it too tender for words. Although I'm not sure that I've found them, I want to record how deeply blessed I feel for the gift of the past several months.

In November I became bedridden with a debilitating weakness, and, in the following weeks, by excruciating joint pain. A month later I was diagnosed with an auto-immune condition that I was told would resolve in 2 to 6 months, with probable flare-ups throughout my life. This episode lasted for 5 months. This photo reminds me of how broken and weak I felt during that time:

Some days I could scarcely move, much less walk! Below is a photo taken later, on a "good" day when I was able to get out and sit in the temple. Eric and I kept our reservations for a weekend 10-year-anniversary trip to D.C. and delighted in being together, despite my condition. Eric attended to me so gently.

At home I relied on dear friends. My friend, Ann, came every morning for 5 hours for a period of six weeks:

There were several other women in my home every day during those months. Women bought groceries, ran errands, folded laundry, helped the children, taught preschool, and made meals. One friend, seeing that I had missed the trash pick-up, loaded up our trash bags in her trunk and hauled them away! Friends addressed Christmas cards, picked up books for the kids at the library, and helped the children practice. They took the boys on outings, read to them, and helped them do their chores. I remember reaching into my linen closet one day to find four different styles of folded towels: the marks of four kind, humble friends quietly serving. I can't think of it without tears. 

My dear sister Michelle came here to live for a few months so that my friends could relax! Like Ann, Michelle was an angel to us. 

I began receiving alleviating steroid injections in January; and for the last eight weeks, I've been completely healthy, unmedicated. It seems a miracle that I can run and swim, play baseball, camp, and hike. 

Before this happened I was praying diligently to know God's will for me. I feel like He answered my prayers miraculously. The many acts of love shown me have helped me see God's vision of what I can become. The scriptures are suddenly more alive to me; small blessings are magnified. I am especially grateful for the blessing of the gospel--and generous, loving dear ones, including my family. I promise that the next post will be about those cute boys and not about me! But I couldn't leave out this blessed time from our family history. It has been a true gift, a blessing straight from heaven.