One year

I bet a lot of you were thinking I was going to post that we have been home for one year with Mebira now.  Well, that post is yet to come...a few more weeks away.

Unfortunately, today is the day, one year ago, that we received a terrible phone call.  I had just returned late at night from a girl's weekend in Phoenix and could hardly contain my excitement as we had just received the visa to pick up Mebira.  I just had to finish up some things at work and was going to spend the next few days packing for Ethiopia and doing a last bit of organizing at home.  But those plans changed in an instant when Arvid called to tell me that his dad had had a brain aneurysm.

Those next few days were tough.  Every minute was agonizing and I remember waiting anxiously at the hospital to hear from the doctors on how he was doing.  Ten days later we left him in ICU, stable but not responding, and went to Ethiopia.  It was so hard to leave...our hearts were so torn between wanting to stay with him and mourning what had happened, but yet anxious to pick up our daughter and full of joy that we could finally do so.

I don't know how we made it through that summer.  Arvid was super busy at work...so stressed...he visited the hospital so much and yet felt the pressure to be home and bond with his new daughter.  I am amazed at how well he handled everything...pressure at work...pressure to be at the hospital...pressure to be home.  His dad had moments of alertness but spent most of his days sleeping.  Thankfully, Arvid was able to have a few visits with him where he was alert.  Unfortunately, that July his dad passed away.  And a lot has happened since then.  Death changes families and it has left its mark on ours.  But by God's grace we have made it through this first year.

Today, I remember Arvid's dad and celebrate the man he was:
- I miss how supportive he was - he was so positive when we shared our plans with him.
- I miss his easy going personality and servant heart - he was always willing to lend a hand to anyone.
- I miss family dinners together with him
- I miss his love for our kids and that he was a good grandpa.
- I miss his outlook on life - he went through so much hardship and yet picked himself up each time.
- I miss not being able to share Mebira with him, and I am sad that she missed out on knowing him.


It is so sad to sit down and remember what was and could have been.  But I cling to the hope that we will be reunited again one day.  There will be a day with no more tears!!  And while I don't understand why it happened or what has happened since then, I will continue to find refuge, hope and peace in my Lord.

There are so many more things I should write and would like to write...but my procrastination really has to come to an end and I need to start on my work!!