A Different Kind of Thanksgiving

This year was a special treat for me because I didn't have to work hard on Thanksgiving day. I am always commenting to Jim that I don't get the chance to be Mary very often - I usually play the roll of Martha which means that I either don't know how to take the time to enjoy things and not always work, or I just don't get the chance to do so. When everybody was here for the wedding, I was always busy getting food ready or getting people ready to go out the door. There wasn't a lot of time to "play." I noticed that Jim got to take the kids with him when he took the pigeons out and they seemed to love being with him. When everybody went to the Grotto, I stayed home because Ammon couldn't go. I didn't complain and I'm not now, but I didn't have a lot of opportunity to have down time. I was simply happy to see everybody and watch everybody interact. That was enough for me.
As Thanksgiving approached, I planned to do dinner as usual. I shopped for all the groceries the Saturday before because we weren't sure where Ammon would be. We had some very frightening experiences all last week and were trying to prepare ourselves for the very worst concerning Ammon and his ability to fight off this last problem. The doctor told us that he might not make it through this one. Because I was so exhausted from being up with him most nights, I was very emotional and short-tempered. (I'm sorry to my family that lives at home right now.)
At any rate, I wanted to have Thanksgiving dinner for my kids that would be coming over so we could have some semblance of normalcy.
As I was beginning to unravel, I called Chelsey and truly dumped on her. Thanks goes to her for allowing me to blubber. Not five minutes after I called her, Adrianne seemed to get the nudge from the Spirit to call me. I asked her if Chelsey had called her and she said no. She, too, listened and encouraged me to continue to hang in there and to reassure me that they would pray for all of us. About five minutes after she hung up, Jess called and said they wanted us to have dinner with them and the Elletts. It was so very weird how this all seemed to work together without any of the kids talking to each other. I was a little hesitant to accept at first because I didn't want to burden Marci and Mark but with encouragement, I accepted for the whole family.
The following day at work I had a little time on my hands and so I wrote an e-mail to my brother Allen. I explained Ammon's situation and expressed some feelings that come with the territory for parents. He immediately responded back in a positive and encouraging way. He must have alerted the rest of my family because my brother Stephen called me that night (and he would rather die than talk on the telephone), my sister-in-law Lynn called me as well and my sister and her kids came up today to see Ammon and visit with us - probably to assess the sister's well-being. :)
It felt like all the covered wagons were circling around me, protecting me from harm and sadness. I cannot tell all of you how much it was appreciated and needed. The quiet, reassuring words filled my soul once more with hope. The assurance of additional prayers on our behalf were welcomed with gladness and gratitude. The caring meant so very, very much.
There really isn't anything anyone can do for Ammon or for us except talk to us, pray with us and fast for us. That's not so hard but it means more than you will ever know.
I am grateful for the following this season:
My faith in a loving God who knows our needs and answers those needs through others.
My family - what would I be without every single one of you??? I can 't even imagine my life without you.
My husband (above and beyond my kids) who has been such a trooper and support through the past six months and who allows me to cry on his shoulder.
A fantastic pediatrician who loves Ammon almost as much as we do and who is so competent and forthright with us.
All the medical personnel who have kept Ammon alive and who try so hard to give him a better quality of life.
Ammon's aides and teachers at school who love him and encourage all of us.
My work - the people there have been so patient and good to work with me.
The Elletts who sensed a need for respite and invited us to dinner. I believe that we have only been invited somewhere on Thanksgiving a few times in all our marriage and so it was a wonderful (!) break, a peaceful, non-stressful day and the food was delicious! Thank you over and over again. Yesterday I was Mary -- I visited, rested, watched and enjoyed the day immensely. I could get used to that life. :)
I love all of you. I hope you know that.
Mom