As I shared in an earlier post, we celebrated Valentines early. However, as Valentines approached, I knew it had the potential to be a bummer of a day for me. Conner had work, school, and a date! Chloe was sick and in bed. Zine is still recovering from chemo. So it was Krisann and I that had the blessing of loving in the midst of our own brokenness.
Krisann and I had some bonding time in the kitchen making some goodies. She is getting to be pretty good help in the kitchen when she wants to be! The latter is the most important (when she wants)! But when it came to goodies, she was all in! That girl would turn into pure sugar if I’d let her eat as much as she’d like!
Goodies complete! A stop at the store the next day and we were ready to love on some others. First stop, counseling for Krisann. I didn’t take a picture but she took some goodies to her counselor and to another counselor that she loves a lot! Then on to make deliveries! Get ready for some fun!
First stop, Dr. B’s office. His office staff is so caring and so sweet. And Dr. B is amazing. I shall not say too many nice things about him or else it might go to his head. But I walked into his office after a breast biopsy with much much shoulder pain and scared to death a couple of years ago. And since that moment, he has cared for me well over the years. He is able to alleviate some of that pain that intense stress causes the body! And when we returned from chemo, I could not wait to get to his office! So I decided that his office needed some goodies that day!
Next stop, a new friend. We’ve known this couple for years. They introduced us to Intimate Encounters! However, we’ve never been close. But over the past year, God has intertwined our hearts together! God has allowed me to love her in her many hospital stays with her husband, and God has allowed her to love me as well! So it only made sense that some goodies go to this special couple!
Another couple who have faced many health issues this year as well were on my heart as well. Once again, God allows us to go through circumstances so that we can identify with others. So I have definitely identified with this sweet couple as well.
And on our way back to our house, there were two more stops I wanted to make!
Because who else would need encouragement?? A mom who has adopted a little girl from China. I can’t identify with adopting from China. However, if God would opened the door, I would gladly walk into it. But with medical issues in my home, opening the door would take a miracle! And….I’m getting old! But at one point in our lives, Zine and I did discuss adoption! So, no, I can’t identify with adopting but I can identify with God giving you more than you asked for, nor ever desired. My heart has hurt for this sweet lady as she is adjusting and connecting to this little one with some special issues! So flowers and heart valentines for the girls were most definitely needed.
Last stop, a neighbor who decided to move down the road just a bit. A mom of five kids with one of them living in heaven! She has dropped donuts and other surprises on my doorstep on more than one occasion. She won’t sign up to bring me dinner anymore because she forgot once and was horrified. She introduced me to Luluroe Leggings. And she just sold me some girl scout cookies. So…a busy mom with four young children and a side business most definitely needs encouraging. And guess what….not surprising she wasn’t at home. She was running errands or she was at a child’s Valentines Party at school! But we left them on her doorstep for her to enjoy when she returned. Love you Sabra!!
Then if that wasn’t enough for one day, I had an appt to get my hair done so of course my sweet friend Casey needed some goodies. She only got one small bag on purpose! I know her desire to be healthy! She has encouraged me a lot over the past year in my health journey!
Krisann and I loved showering others with some love on this day! And it definitely helped keep me from being in a funk!
But God had some love surprises for me this day too!
This past summer I was SO very sad to turn in my resignation. I loved teaching 2nd grade in an online setting! My personal opinion is Freedom Project Academy is awesome! The people I worked with were amazing. The challenging curriculum was some of my favorite. I loved being able to make a difference in these kids lives and I loved the opportunities I had to minister to hurting families! I totally understand what it means to hurt over one of your children and God gave me amazing opportunities each year to love some families in difficult places. To say I have missed it would be an understatement even though I know I am walking in the path God laid out for my family.
A God surprise for me on Valentines Day was a visit from these two people!
I forgot to take a picture but they brought me flowers, goodies from FPA, and some other surprises as well. So I requested them take a selfie and send to me specifically for my blog! I told them they would be famous! LOL! I had the opportunity to spend a few days with Debbi a couple of summers ago writing math curriculum. And I fell in love with her. The only thing that would have made this surprise better is if Mrs. Black had been tucked in the back of that FPA Van! Oh how they made me smile and feel loved!
Another unexpected surprise came as well.
God led me to Classical Conversations with Krisann this year. It has been good for her and I to be out together. It’s on Monday when my big kids are home most of the day so it works out well for me to be gone. Krisann gets my time and she gets out of her comfort zone. Another blessing is that God has crossed my paths with some other moms I did not know! Often, I feel uncomfortable in my own skin these days so meeting new people and opening up has been a challenge for me. I feel my life is so very different from everyone else, but as we near the end of the year I’m finally feeling more open and comfortable! Guess we will have to go back next year. They might see my true fun loving self! The next surprise came from a sweet mom from C. She stopped by my house with flowers and a Valentines cookie! What a sweet surprise.
What was even more amazing was that Krisann was feeling a bit jealous that we had delivered so many goodies. She said it would make this day better if someone delivered goodies to our house! So she and I had the talk that our focus was on loving others! And then God showed up for that little one in the form of flowers and cookies from a CC friend. I love how God chooses to bless us with little things!
