So February 14th was never an applauded, nor anticipated, day in my calendar year
Just being honest.
Let’s just say that it never came with knocks on the door, flowers, the newest 98 degrees song playing, and a dreamy boy taking me out.
But it did seem like every other girl I knew certainly had each February 14th looking as such.
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| here is 10 yr old Jessica…without a care in the world… unaware of the inevitable trauma of lonely valentine day nights |
I usually booked a babysitting job, with a newest fiction in hand, and sparkling grape juice at my side.
I was easily entertained and distracted by the chaos of children
My mind absorbed into some faraway book world.
And I felt sophisticated and sassy drinking grape juice (sparkling) from a wine glass
(my favorite family that I babysat for growing up started the tradition of getting me sparkling grape juice on any holiday I would babysit…Vday, New Years Eve, yadda, yadda…)
And then I stuck my nose in the spine of a book for the following week
Pretending I was not listening to all the newest on the “going out list” and all the romantic Vdays that were had by all
I would like to say that the words of Elizabeth Elliot and Amy Carmichael had already captured me
Or even moreso, I would like to say the words of my Beloved Father above had fixed my gaze heavenwards
And that my affections were heavenly at the young ripe age
But, alas, they were not
They were distracted and my gaze was earthwards
And things such as Valentines and boy bands were not trivial in that little mind
They were vital;)
Needless to say, I was always happy when February 14th was over
But then I met a ravishing Indian doctor
He swept me off my feet
And the trivial issues of February 14th were redeemed forever more;)
So, what does this have to do with story time?
And why am I sharing it on my family’s little blog space…in preparation for my son’s surgeries?
Well, because on February 14th, 2012…
On Valentines Day…the day of kisses and little cards with red lips printed…
My boy, Adam, had his cleft lip repaired!
How beautiful is that?
That our Abba Father set Valentines Day aside for my boy to get his lips?!
Now THAT is something to celebrate Valentines Day for!
I remember that day quite well
I remember ALL the preparation that went into it
I remember how many of you gave sacrificially so it could happen
I remember Dana Senior had apples and chocolates made with little lips on them to give Adam’s caregivers
I remember my mom drove up from Florida to help out
I remember it lasted a LONG time
I remember I was a few months pregnant and tired
I remember that a few days after…we found out Adam would need a tracheostomy for at least 2 years
I remember that my vision went black after I heard that
I had to back up and sit down
Because I was a nurse
And I remembered how nursing school and nursing made me fear trachs like the plague
I remember touching Adam’s neck and wanting to take so many pictures…
To remember it before it had a hole in it
I remember thinking how frustrating that was
And now I look back and smile
Truly, trach care has become second nature
We survived life in dry, hot India with a trach
And Adam prospered
He learned how to make sounds with it
We have learned all sorts of ways to work with it
And my goodness…if we needed to survive a few years of a trach for my boy to get a LIP…
Then it is ALL WORTH IT
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| Adam before cleft lip surgery. I love this picture despite all that was going on. He was looking at Christmas lights here. |
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| What a difference a lip can make;) |
And I think back to those young days…
When I was distracted by the consumer’s definition of Valentines Day
And I am so thankful that I have such a beautiful new reason to celebrate Valentines Day
For it is now the day our boy got his lips…
So much more important than a lame song or silly boy at the door
For a silly little 8th graders heart;)
I love our Abba and how He redeems what we once valued…
And shows us true beauty and true love
He is good.
Oh and is this not a gorgeous video of Adam?
He amazes us