I COOKED!!!!

I know that sounds silly, but after not being able to for a while now, I'm so happy to have been able to help cook supper. Tonight I made all of us homemade veggie fried rice. So yummy!!!! And it's healthier too because I don't use much oil and no extra preservatives or stuff- just egg, brown rice, veggies, fresh chopped onion & garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce and black pepper. mmmmmmmm :)

And a sweet, cute, funny thing I heard today in my room- When I took a few steps (and I am talking just a few) with just one crutch, one of my kids saw me and told the other kids- "She's walking!!!" Then I heard the kids saying, "Mrs. Thomas, you're WALKING!!!" I turned around to see my kids clapping, cheering, and smiling from ear to ear. Kids are so funny!!!

So happy to be getting closer to "normal"- got a ways to go yet to be back to good health all the way, but I'm happy to be one day, one step closer today. And so happy for the prayers of many. Today one of my sweet girls told me that she had asked her church to pray for me. So somewhere in High Point is a Spanish-speaking Baptist church praying for a very silly, very clumsy teacher. Talk about feeling loved tonight! :)

Tonight when you pray can you pray for a little girl from my "back home" who is in desperate need of God's intervention? Her name is Marissa, and she needs a miracle from heaven.

little reflections

I've worked two days in a row! :) If (make that "when") I make it through tomorrow I will have worked more in one week than I have in the past three weeks. :) Here's to my new favorite #- 3! :)

I have a new/better appreciation of some things after the past two or three weeks.

• Continuing to grow in Christ- for that I'm more thankful than I can say!!!!!! I am finally getting better at handling trials- I hope this lasts, not the trials but the growing up in this area!!!! I've tried to be tough and strong many times in my life, but always felt like a failure at that. This time, I kept laughing, kept smiling, kept thinking about the positives, and (fingers crossed) I think I am about to leave that storm behind.
• my family- words just can't say enough how much they mean to me. Through all this stuff I've had my family's prayers, love, calls, texts, facebook messages. And here at my home, my husband and children have taken such loving, good care of me. It makes me cry when I think of how good Rob has been to me- from helping me bathe and dress to waiting on me hand and foot to picking up the slack around everything else that needed to be done that I couldn't do, to cleaning up after I got sick- he's been a dream husband. Matthew has been super sweet to his mom. He has taken naps with me and watched movies with me while I was trapped in bed. He talked with me, joked with me, bought food and fixed me delicious, healthy lunches, helped me get up and down, came to check on me when he heard me crying... he's just been so good to me!!! We've had some really nice times together these past few days. Barbara has helped me bathe and dress and laugh and taken care of me. She's kept me joking and making fun of myself and keeping it light. :) Robert works out of town during the week, but he's called me and texted me and sent me pictures of the ocean while I was in the dr.'s office to cheer me up. He's prayed for me. My Momma has worried and prayed and called and worried and prayed and called. I have a new appreciation for what my Momma must have gone through with her cancer battle- I just can't imagine it all, but this gave me a tiny, tiny taste of what being ill for a while might feel like.
• Being "able-bodied"- I try to be thankful for things. I don't take a lot for granted- there were really hard times in our marriage and family, and I see a lot in my job- so I know I'm blessed. But still, I never really understood how awesome it is to be able to do for myself. First it was surgery, then I got the silly staph infection/allergic reaction, then I did a header in the parking lot. Now, I am doing better day-by-day, but I still need one of my guys to help me get up out of the chair. I can't get a shower without Rob or Barbara helping me. I just started driving again today. I haven't been able to carry anything, and then on crutches can't even go fix my own plate of food or get a glass of water. I have had to have help to bathe, get dressed... I don't like to ask for help, don't take help easily, don't like to be needy... All of this has helped me appreciate simple things like taking a warm shower, driving myself to work, being able to walk and move on my own, putting on my own shoes....
• Being able to work- after last year I can't believe I'd say that- but working is feeling pretty stinkin' good to me this week. :) Nice to feel needed by my children, missed and loved, and to feel like I'm contributing to something, to my family, to my school children... I was beginning to feel totally useless- not a feeling I liked!
• being healthy- I didn't have cancer or major surgery or even a serious injury. But those combinations of things I did have put me out of work off and on now for three weeks. I've drained my sick days. I'm so grateful to be feeling better today (was SO sick last night), to be starting to move around more easily. I'm SOOOOOO looking forward to being totally back to good health, able to move easily, walk without taking headers, and get back to walking and losing more inches/weight! I will NEVER take that for granted again!

I can think of more, but that'll do for tonight.

I have loved this verse for years, since I worked for a really mean person way back in Illinois. This verse got me through some really rough, long days. But after all this stuff that's been going on, this verse has taken on new meaning. And a personal hope that it can be taken LITERALLY. :) :) :)

Psalm 121- I lift up my eyes to the mountains; where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip. He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you; the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm. He will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Night!

prayers please

I'm going back to work (again) tomorrow. Please pray I don't fall again, don't get tripped up or do anything else stupid. I'm really not feeling too hot, my hand is getting infected, and I'm still on crutches so I hope this week goes quickly. Most of all, I'm praying I actually make it through this whole week without any sick days or any other "issues." I haven't worked a full week the past three weeks.

Hope your week is drama free and full of joy!

Rebekah :)