Monday, January 11, 2010

Update 1/11/10 Day 64

Dear friends,

Stephen is working really hard to use his right hand. His elbow injury is of the permanent nature, so without some supernatural intervention he will always have limited use of that arm. You should see how well he does, and how hard he tries to do things with it! He can use it to shave a bit, to wash his hair in the front, and to eat (with a good lean in). Today he made the comment when we drove by a bus stop: "See all those people going to work. I wish it was me. I took for granted what a blessing it was to get up in the morning and go to work." I can tell you I definitely take my right arm for granted. I take driving a car for granted. I take getting up and brushing my teeth for granted. But that's changing. I'm seeing through my husband's eyes how many little things are cause for thanksgiving.

Dr. Hesham was absolutely delighted to see Steve today. He remembered well the night of November 8. He smiled from ear to ear to see the father of 3 alive and well, albeit broken. There is no adequate way to thank this dear man for the skill and tenacity he extended to keep my husband alive. The good doctor expressed to us how important family is to him, and how glad he is that ours is still together. All 4 of his children are doctors! I understand why with a dad like him. God bless him in a thousand ways!

It was a little rugged after we left the district attorney's office. I would love to be able to put the crash behind us and simply climb the mountain into the future. But alas, the thing has to be dealt with. It seems part of going forward will inevitably involve going back. I get so sad all over again thinking of my life before November 8. It's almost like another life altogether. I can't really describe the whole scope of the change, because some parts of it are so internal and so personal they defy description. This is where I simply have to dig in and trust the Great One to make all things as they must be. It's not all gloom and doom, it's just a big adjustment. Grieving is apparently a part of it.

My David is the 6th grade spelling bee champ! The whole school is having a bee on January 27, and you best believe Stephen and I will be there. The winner of the school bee goes on to the regional bee. When David was home schooled in 4th grade, I let him jump up and down on the bed while he spelled his words (awesome Amy's idea), and he always did well with spelling. Perhaps there's something to this. Do you think they'll let him jump up and down during the spelling bee?

Winter feels very long today. I told you it was going to get kind of tedious as the months march on. I appreciate you hanging in there with me through the "desert" part of the pilgrim road. It's long. It's boring. It's a lot of waiting. But think about the many people of God who got a stretch in the desert. It refined them. It defined them. Let it be so for us.

Stuff blooms in the desert. I learned that when I worked for Reading Rainbow and we went on a shoot at a bat cave south of San Antonio, Texas. I was expecting nothing but sand and cactus. But there were animals, and all kinds of greenery, and stunning, beautiful flowers. The desert patch of the pilgrim road is the same. There are lovely things growing in the dry places. That's how the Great One is. He always drops off beauty in the strangest places. I continue to be astonished by His grace.

You are those desert oasis', by the way. Bet you never saw yourself that way, but it's true. Thanks for being willing to bloom in the sand for my sake.

Your friend on the dusty pilgrim road,

Loriann

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

not "broken" maybe "under renovation"..not any renovations we would have ever imagined or hoped for but knowing Steve he will be stronger and (if even possible) better than before...


lots of love to you all..

--Kimberly

Anonymous said...

Loriann,
I remember you telling me all about the bat caves! The way that you described your feelings before getting there and then how you felt once you were there and after you left... Well, what a great anology to your current situation!
As far as the boring part... Well, that is most of life isn't it? and then when something rocks us, boy oh boy! Doesn't boring look appealing! To be honest with you, boring is NEVER a word I would associate with you! :-) I know I just love reading about all you Smith's every day. It's not as good but at least a nice runner up to our old time Tuesday conversations.
Lots of love to you all!

Cara Holt

johandav said...

Dear Kimberly,

I love it! Under renovation. It's perfect. That's what God is always doing on our insides. In my case, it's a big job.

Best to you and yours. I know you have some boulders on your own road now. Keep climbing, friend.

Loriann

johandav said...

Sweet Cara,

Can't wait for another Tuesday (or anyday) chitter chatter. Love you to pieces.

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann

Mel said...

Hey Loriann,
When I was in college I had a roommate from a deserty part of Texas and she would tell me about how pretty the desert was and I could not imagine it ... living most of my life near either Lake Ontario or the Niagara River. Then one day she got out this old calendar called "desert blooming" or something like that. It was so beautiful, in a really hard sort of way ... you know? Those little blooms seem like they must have worked hard to bloom there. But they looked so hardy and strong.
They would have had an easier life blooming in a yard near a creek, but they might not have been as strong. They also bloom and then sow their seed in that hard place. I just want to encourage you to keep blooming, and choosing to sow seed into what seems like a desert. (There are lots of things that get planted in the dead of fall so that they can bloom the earliest in the spring too!)
Love you.
I'm praying for you.
Melanie