Putting a HALT on the fast-forward of life...

December? Where'd you go? Where did I go?
In keeping up a blog, I am reminded why my childhood-diaries contained so many blank pages...and still do as they now just take up storage space in the depths of our scary-garage. :P
Yes. I am not so good at daily-entries. Heck, December came and went without even ONE!
BUT...
isn't this how life feels for everyone?!

The older I get, the more I find myself examining our culture and realizing, boy, we have it ALL WRONG!!!
I mean, come on. Let's make sure our next president sets a mandatory/nationwide nap-time in the middle of our crazy days like some other cultures have! YOU KNOW YOU LIKE THAT IDEA.
Our days here are so fleeting. *Why do I feel I've said this before?!

But leave it all to this past month --January-- *shutters slightly* to bring it ALL to a complete halt.
Quick recap...

WEEK 1:
-Car-troubles (big ones) revealing our beloved Murano to having a defective tranny. *awesome*
-Hubby throws his back out. *equally awesome*

WEEK 2:
-Begin loooooong & draining process of fighting with Nissan to honor their warranty.
-Bathroom vanity begins leaking everywhere.
-Attempt to take my little men to the snow for an afternoon adventure, only to get a flat-tire and strand us up in the snowy-mountains with no cell-phone reception!!! *yep, that was me. I did that.

WEEK 3:
Start feeling weird...like need to see a doc, weird.

(Funny how typing all the other stuff leading up to the most significant and life-altering week of this month almost makes me wanna giggle now. Giggle at how ridiculously INsignificant everything before it was.)

WEEK 4:
-Hear the news that my sister-in-law's husband collapsed after exercise class and as a result of hospital-diagnosis is found to be a brain-tumor-patient. *yeah...didn't see that one coming.

-See that doc I mentioned earlier I felt I needed to see to find out we'd had and lost an un-planned pregnancy.

See what I mean...
Transmissions and minor back-injuries are small beans, comparatively.

Some might think you a complete numb-skull to even ask the question would I like a do-over.
If you'd of asked me that even three days ago I'd say OH PLEASE YES, BRING IT ON!!!
*Climbs into time-machine and sets date for New-Year's Eve.

Funny how time heals, though...and even funnier how time TEACHES!

Ask me that now. I dare you.

My answer is NO. I don't want a re-do.
Absolutely EVERYTHING that has happened this month came to a head today when my brother-in-law came through his brain-surgery, talking *well, mumbling at least*, moving some and even eating a bit.

It's true what they say about 'life' regaining it's true meaning when life itself is in the balance.
It's also true what God promises to do in our times of trial when we Seek His Face!

This month was the single most difficult month we have faced, as a family, as a whole, in maybe my entire married life...and although it may shock you (and not to sound too premature of course) ...but it is and will remain a month that, above all others, I am ETERNALLY GRATEFUL for!

This month, our family...together...realized--through experience--what we are capable of enduring and more-so, overcoming, when we hold each other close and keep our eyes on Him!!!

Tonight, I prayed with one of my sis-in-law's in a way that we've never done.
Tonight, I snuggled closer to my niece than she's ever allowed her 'stranger' of an auntie to get.
Tonight, my sister-in-law held her husband's hand in a state that she's never felt.
Tonight, our whole family breathed a sigh of relieve together, for each other, in a manner we all know
has never been so synchronized.

As the house is quiet and my loved ones here and under other roofs sleep deep and sound in some amount of heart-relief, I find myself unable to retire to my bed until I TYPE OUT MY PRAISES!!!

Though January is not over and February has yet to begin---bringing with it all future-unknowns---I can't help but feel nearly invisible...not singularly...but, boasting in God's Victory! God's Plan...God's Glory...God's Grace.........the prevalence of the Power of a praying-army and a faith-driven family like ours!

So, as we wrap up this horrific week---WEEK 4---I am left with one last praise:

Thank you Lord for this whole month and how it has molded us, ALL, closer to Your Image~