Day 271 Good Night to Three Quarters of a Year

Dear friends,

Smitty and I just got back from a gourmet meal prepared by our dear friend Nonna. I am about to burst, and my little boy needs some TLC, so this will be a really short post tonite. Nonna was one of the folks on the front lines with us back in the early days of the crash that happened 9 months ago, on a Sunday, tomorrow. I'll never forget her figuring out my bills one night, sorting through Stephen's files while I was in my typical daze, saying to someone "can you picture her doing this?" Absolutely brilliant comment from a brilliant and precious friend! I couldn't add 2 and 2 if I had a calculator, never mind call ez pass to figure out the best plan with all the trips to Sunnyview, or cancel car insurance on a car that really didn't even qualify as a moving vehicle anymore... I also remember her telling me not to drive my car after I was in it for the first time after the crash and the brake light came on. She immediately called Mike R., (who came to the rescue as did so many of you), and he fixed the thing (not to mention putting on new tires too)! When I think of the condition I was in then, I honestly don't know what I would have done without our families and the family of God to do the heavy lifting. Not to mention friends from every corner and even some we didn't know! I could weep with gratitude when I recall my brother in law Richard getting me a hamburger the first time I felt like eating anything. Richard was like some kind apparition when he visited from VA, always seeming to be just where I needed him at the time. No doubt he was in the employ of the Great One. I love you, Richard! (Both sides of our families were wonderful to us. I love them all so much more having seen them see us at the bottom...)

So here we are, three quarters of the way to where Dr. Rosati said we might begin to function in a real and lasting "normal". The one year mark has always been waiting for us out there. It's not a magic number, only a sign post on a pilgrim road that will continue for all of us until the day Jesus returns or calls us home. There will always be something special and profound, beautiful and devastating about this year in our history. But it is indeed becoming history. History always lives inside of us. For Stephen, the metal in his bones, the cane in his hand, are daily reminders. For Hannah, a dental plate and scars in and out keep November 8 tucked into a place it is impossible to forget. Some of the memories are painful. But many are saturated with a virulent love, from God and man.

Goodnight, dear friends. I am thinking about Oscar Lewis this evening, carrying around his own brand of scars from a wildly bad decision I'm quite sure he thinks about every day. I pray he will find the mercy and grace of a God who never, ever fails. The Great One met all kinds of people in all kinds of prisons while he walked this earth. Some are far worse than the kinds with locks and bars. But there were none that could keep out His light and freedom for the soul. That's true for Oscar Lewis. It's true for us all.

Have a beautiful day on Sunday. If you're reading this late tonite (Saturday), step outside and see if you can count the stars. Not a chance you'll succeed...May the Almighty Creator of all be ever praised!

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann