I am Blessed

Well I got home from Grand Rapids this afternoon and got some work done.  Being at the hospital today was just all to much.  I do not know how my friends that I love dearly in the heart world can do what I saw today.  As a parent having to give your child to someone as they are saying, "No", or "Me go home".....Oh I just do not think I could have done it.  That is the one area with Ethin I never progressed to was him being able to talk to me like that to say please don't make me go.  I was so distraught after seeing all that and hearing it all and being there that the first thing I did was called Stef to just vent. 

This is an area in my life where I am blessed.  I have all these wonderful friends that let me call no matter what and for anything.  My heart family is truly amazing and I am so thankful for them.  Sometimes it is hard though as I feel so much with them and they with me.  We truly put ourselves out there for eachother and share our burdens with one another.  Sometimes it is hard to have some of my closest friends be so far away, but I truly have cried with them and they with me, we have laughed together, and we have held eachother strong....Greater Love has noone than this: to lay down one's life for one's friend. John 15:13  Yes we may not lay down our lives in the way you are thinking, but we have stopped our lives and layed down pieces of our lives for eachothers joys, heartaches, triumphs, and tradgedies....I would be nothing without so many of my friends!

The kids and I had an amazing night on Friday together.  We went to the last home basketball game with Jen & her boys, as well as when I picked up my kids from daycare I picked up Phil's son too and so he also met us at the game.  The boys lost, but Jen got a new camera and did not miss any photo oppurtunity! 

Jessa and I at the game

She put on my glasses and Oooh that tongue!

This is Cate & I Conor's sister...Amazing what having one young man play a basketball game with Ethin's name on his back got me!  This girl rocks!

Jayde and I at the game she was not impressed!

My little man and I

He is so lovable he will kiss his mommy in public I Love it but I am sure it will not last!

Phil and I at the game with his son looking on....He was my picture yesterday for my 30 day challenge on face book...Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without....This was easy as I can not imagine my life without him.  He is not just that guy that makes me feel like I have butterflies in my gut, but he is my confidant, my best friend, and he has stolen my heart!  I am so blessed...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

This is Zach Franks he played last year and this year for Tommy Schomaker in the Newaygo Lions Have Heart Game...I'm so proud of him, but this year was his last year for that game as he graduates this year...I am so honored to know him he is truly just a great young man with great potential.  At the game on Friday Zach and I talked and he let me know that he is looking at going into the service after high school.

Jayde loved that Conor held her for our family picture with Conor at the basketball game and has wanted a picture of just her and Conor since.  It was so funny Conor asked if she needed to be held for the picture and before I could answer tater Tot Yelled, "Yes I Do!"  LOL I think she has a crush.

Saturday I woke up and was a garbage girl!!  It's a dirty job but someone has to do it!!

Um There I think???  LOL

 

Yes hoisting garbage!  This was after I tackled a garbage can football style.

And in we go!!!

My hands stunk so bad after we were done!!!  I am trying to convince the company I need a pink shirt!!  I want to be a pretty garbage girl ya know???

Saturday night Phil took me out to dinner and then we went and spent some time with this very special little girl!  Any guesses who she is????

Yes this is Sofi LaPres wearing her jersey from the game!!  Thank You Steve Lisee for proudly wearing her name for 2 years now.  This was also Steve's last year for this game as he is also graduating!

She is a total poser though and I loved seeing her and loved even more that Phil was there with me to experience her vibrance and zest for life.  Sofi's mom Krystin and I are very good friends and it was so nice to spend time with their family on Saturday night.

On Sunday I woke up and went to my church that I grew up in, but had made the decision this past summer that I knew God was pulling me somewhere else.  However on Sunday it was Pastor Nate and Andrea's last Sunday at CLC as they too are being called by God to move on in their ministry.  Pastor Andrea was the pastor that I did my public profession of Faith with almost 6 years ago.  She also dedicated Ethin just 4 hours after his birth and she sat with me through his second surgery.  She was a great friend after Ethin passed away and she did the graveside service for the funeral.  Her Husband Nate baptized all four of my children, was there for Ethin's first surgery and rushed down the night after his second one...He was there for the third one too.  He gave Ethin's entire Eulogy at the funeral.  Both Pastor Nate & Andrea rushed to the hospital the day Ethin was called home to Heaven.  They are both very close to my heart and I promise you if I ever get married they will have to marry me!  I will miss them greatly and feel so blessed they have been my pastors for 7 years....They have seen me at my worst and helped me through some tough times.  We have shared many joys though too....I will miss them, but also know that where ever God calls them they will succeed.

Also on Sunday going to my "Home" church I was able to see many people that have watched me grow up and have supported me through so much in my life.  One of those people in my life is Pat who also helped with the Title sequence at the top....She gave me her idea of Love...Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow which I "chewed" on and used.  Thank you pat I love you!

Church on Sunday was also overwhelming for me in one other way.  I have one living grandfather left and he also goes to that church.  When I was little he was my pal, my fishing buddy, and many times his strong hand would hold mine, if I fell he would pick me up in his arms.  My grandfather has Parkinson's and has been slowly falling to it.  On Sunday as I held my grandpa up through the last song and walked him out to sit in the Narthenex I could not help but feel my eyes well up with tears.  Once he was sat down in a chair I looked at him with watery eyes and said very affimatively, "I Love You Grandpa."  He looked at me and said this, "Today when I opened my eyes I was here and it was a blessing, because I am still here and I got to see you. One day I will open my eyes and I won't be here and that will also be a blessing I will be OK.  I love you Jessi."  I could not stop the tears not even to seem strong for him.  I love my grandpa and it has been very hard for me to see him like this, but when he said that to me on Sunday I felt as though there I was in a role reversal, but my grandpa was still being strong for me as he always has been in trying to let me know it will all be OK.  Please pray for my grandpa and my grandma as she cares for him.  I think the kids and I will be going to see them this weekend.

Alright also I want to start doing something really fun on my blog again.....I am bringing back Meet Me Mondays!!!  What I need is any question you have for me that you would like me to answer.  You can leave them as a comment and I will answer two every single Monday!  I am so looking forward to this so please do not be shy about your questions they can be anything from what inspires me to what my biggest pet peeves are.  The questions are limitless please comment them!!!!

Until next time, Blessings my friends!

Jessica