The Best Ward Ever

When I was writing my last entry, I was saving the most amazing and humbling thing of the week for last. But, that post got so long and I know this post will be long, so I decided to do them seperatly. (As I have just reread this post, I realized that I have shared some very personal things that I wouldn't normally post publicly, but considering this is my journal and these are things that I need/want to record, they are here to stay.)

The week we were in Payson, we did not have cell phone coverage, so as we began to come back into the valley Sunday morning, I checked for messages. I had a few and among them was one saying that the Bishop wanted to meet with us that afternoon. I returned the call and the bishop came to visit with us after church. Of course before he got there, our minds wandered many different directions for why the Bishop would be coming over...talks in church, a different calling, etc.

Ok, before I go on, I have to go back a day. Last Sunday was fast Sunday and John and I had decided to fast together for a specific need of our family. Actually, aside from requesting more sleep for Mom, it was a pretty general request for help. I don't really know how to word it, but basically help for our family's emotional/spiritual needs through the physical needs, if that makes sense. Dealing with our situation is definitely tough physically, tougher then I would have ever imagined before going through this. Dealing with Bryce's medical needs both day and night has become very draining, physically...which then leads to emotional, spiritual, etc. issues. Finding out about our daughter has only added to these issues. I try so hard to be positive about it all and thankful for what we do have, but with the constant lack of sleep and all the work, worry and stress, well, sometimes it takes a toll and we have begun to see some very negative effects throughout our family. It has become hard to be the wife/mother/father/husband/parent that we need to be. Having a special needs child is a blessing, but very hard in so many ways at the same time. Every single person in the family is affected and everyone handles it in different ways. That makes it very trying on a marriage, and all other relationships in a family. Some things happened that Saturday morning in Payson that we never want to see again, and the only way to deal with them is with the Lord's help. We can not do it alone. Obviously we haven't been trying to do it alone this entire time, the Lord is always there to help us, but this day we knew we had done everything we could and it had to be taken specifically to the Lord through fasting and prayer. So we began our special fast Saturday night not really knowing "what" we needed, besides more sleep/balance for Mom, but having as much faith as we could that the Lord would take care of things.

Now, back to the Bishop's visit. Well, he came over and we just talked for a while. Then he said that the ward would like to help us in some way, but they weren't sure exactly how. I've had a lot of people tell me that also, and I never really know what kind of help to ask them for. I know I need it, but I don't know what to ask for. Well, the Lord knows what we need and it appears that he had shared some ideas with the Bishop (and others I'm sure) who have come up with some ideas. He shared some of the ideas with us and asked us if they would be OK. I have always had a hard time accepting help from others. It's a pride thing I guess. But, if there is anything I am learning by this whole situation is that I am not in charge. I have to let go and let God take over. It's not about me. Good or bad, it's not about me! No matter how "uncomfortable" I may feel, my family and the Lord's plan is what has to come first. Do I have this fully in my head and heart? Probably not, but I am trying and the Lord continues to humble me! Hopefully, I'll figure it out soon!

However, along with the humbling, he also blesses us in more ways than I could ever come up with. By the time the bishop left, we felt so relieved! I didn't even know exactly what would be happening, but I know that through volunteers from our ward family we will be getting some much needed help around the house...both inside and out. And we will be able to attend the temple together once a month.

Tuesday came along and I was talking with John about all that was going on that afternoon/evening. He asked what was on the plan for dinner and I said I hadn't even begun to think about that. I then got off the phone, feed lunch to the little ones and put them down for naps. Ahhh, finally a chance to breathe! Then there was a knock on the door. Grrr! Who is that? I opened it (still in my robe) and there stood the Relief Society president with food in her hands for our dinner. Ok, you have to understand, she has been going through her own trials with cancer and here she was with a meal for our family. Humbled again!!! And so thankful. Dinner for the evening was taken care of!

She came in and talked for a few minutes and assured me that being in my robe at 1 PM was fine. I was covered! She is wonderful. She said that we would be getting dinner brought in to us once a week. She also said that they would like to have someone come in two times a week to help with laundry, dishes, all the little everyday tasks that can pile up so easily. She left and I felt relieved again and knew the Lord was taking care of us.

Thursday night I received a call from a wonderful friend/sister in the ward that said that she and her teenage daughter had been thinking about us for a long time and had brainstormed some ideas of ways to help us out. She listed some of the ideas and together we decided that she will come over every other week to clean bathrooms and mop the floor for me. Again, humbled and thankful!

Thursday my sister told me that next week she has three days off and will be coming down to help me organize certain areas of my house. She was worried about offending me, but guess what, the things she talked about were the exact ones that have been bothering me the most and the things that I have not been able to tackle alone. Humbled and thankful again!

Friday morning there was a knock on my door about 10AM. Another wonderful friend/sister from the ward was standing there saying that she and her daughters had been wanting to help. Her oldest daughter was home that day with pink eye, so she was able to leave her little ones with her and come over to help. While I showered, picked Bryce up from the bus, fed Bryce and Annalise and prepared for the meetings I had that day, she folded my laundry, did my dishes, put new sheets on the beds that needed them, and then when I had to leave for my meetings, she loaded up the rest of my dirty laundry into her car and took it home to wash. She and another daughter brought it back to me that evening all clean and folded. Again humbled and thankful beyond words.

It brings tears to my eyes to know that Heavenly Father knows us so well, so individually! I am so thankful for the many people who have helped us and who will be helping us in the upcoming months. Please know that everything big, small, whatever is a huge blessing to me and my family and we are so grateful for every kind word, deed, and prayer that is done in our behalf. Someday, I hope to be on the other side of this coin, but for now I will humbly accept whatever blessing the Lord chooses to bless us with, especially the ones who come from other people! THANK YOU!