PHOTO: Papa and Cian share their firstmoments together.
On Tuesday Gary and I were blessed by the birth of our seventh grandchild- Cian (pronounced KEEN) Maccrae Cleveland. On Sunday, Gary was readmitted into the hospital with a raging infection exasperated by his radiation treatments. How can one go from pure joy to heartache all in a matter of days?
When I held that sweet baby boy in my arms a few days ago my life was perfect. God smiled on us with this little guy. I stood in that hospital room watching my tired but beautiful daughter-in-law cuddle her child. I beamed at my son as he stood over them proud and and full of love. I watched my husband of 39 years welcome this new baby into our family with a gentle kiss. Life was good.
Then... Sunday night I stood in another hospital room and joy wasn't to be found. Fear, confusion, and dread filled the air as I watched nurses and doctors hover over Gary. Life was not good.
Life... it just is. We can go from mountain tops to deep, dark valleys in warp speed without warning. How do we survive these pendulum swings without our hearts stopping and our bones caving in? How do we do it?
Well, my training on the job is teaching me is that WE don't do it at all. We can't. We aren't capable. The only way we are left standing when life throws its punches is that something else or Someone else does it for us... holds us up ... shelters us from the icy rain ... Someone else takes the blows for us.
In both of those hospital rooms, the happy one that held this precious newborn, and the scary one filled with tubes and bandages, a Presence entered. A Presence filled each of those rooms with wall-to-wall protection, strength, and guardianship. Life happened and God stood near.
I'm happy to report both Cian and Papa are doing okay. Cian is home with his parents and big brother, Cormac. And Papa, well, he's still in the hospital, but it isn't as scary as it was.
Life is good except when it isn't, but with God near it's all do-able.
blessings dear ones...
