today is YOUR gift....embrace it!

isn.t it interesting how life unexpectedly hands us lessons.

or I should probably say in "my" case....God.

this handsome young man is my first born.

he is 18 years young.  he is funny.  artistic.  musical.  athletic.
did i mention funny?

and oh so sweet to his mom.  

a week ago last friday i was called to the school because he wasn.t feeling well.

i was met by the school nurse who said they had called 911 and the ambulance and paramedics were on their way.  "what in the world?"  i was not prepared for what i saw when i came around the corner.  my sweet boy was convulsing on the nurses bed.  when his eyes met mine there was sheer fear in those sweet browns...a look like "mom...what is happening to me?" "mom...help me!"

i lost it.  i wanted to be the calm mom that didn.t freak out but i wasn.t.  

in front of dillon i kept it together, but as soon as i stepped around the corner i was gone. my son does MMA {mixed martial arts}.  5 days before this he had been kicked in the head at practice and had gotten a concussion that we didn.t know about.  the problem there was that he went back and fought the next night and got hit in the head AGAIN.  the second and third hits to a concussion can be some of the most dangerous and the following days his swelling just progressed.  they were concerned about brain bleeding and severe swelling.  after arriving at the hospital, they were like busy bees coming and going..attending to his needs and attaching every tube and needle they could find to his shaking body.  i can.t tell you how grateful i was when two men from my church..{one was one of dillon.s best friends} showed up to give him a blessing of healing.  they honestly looked like angels walking in the room. dillon looked so relieved to see them there as well.  i have to say that i have an incredibly strong testimony in the power of prayer and this experience just solidified it.  no sooner did we say "amen" then dillon.s vital signs began to slowly drop.  his convulsions decreased and his eyes began to open and follow my fingers.  all the tests they took up to this point came back normal and i KNOW it was nothing short of a miracle of God.s hand.

 i had this precious soul home and safe in bed by night fall.

the following days all he did was sleep.  and sleep.  and sleep some more.

his 4 younger brothers and sisters watched him like hawks.  the little ones drew him pictures and make sure he had lots of dr. pepper to drink...his 13 yr. old brother  brought him ice cream and video games and movies and told him funny stories.  my 15 yr. old daughter has slept by his side since it all happened.  she did all his laundry and cleaned his room { NOT an easy task} she has really been there for me as well and i can truly say she is one of my best friends!  the kindness and the sweet spirit that has permeated our home since that friday is heavenly.  i want to just gather my chicks under my wing and hold them there forever.  i want to bottle this "LOVE" we all have for one another and seal the lid real tight.  i know it will not last.  life is like that.  we forget.  we become complacent and forget the events that shape us and the people who mean the world to us.  we forget that each day is a gift.

dillon's prognosis is good.  we are waiting for the results of an MRI.
but he is out of his wheelchair and back on his feet.  a blessing that came much faster than any of us had anticipated.  i know there have been so many of you who have kept my family in your prayers and for that i am extremely grateful.  

do me a favor and take a moment to tell those around you how much you love them.  how much they mean to you.  be more patient.  be present for your loved ones today.  leave a note.  send a text.  bake a cake.  listen more.  talk less.
JUST LOVE!!!

today is YOUR gift....embrace it!

{i love you dillon...all the way to the moon and back a zillion times!}



cultivate a reverence for the "gift of today"!!!!