It was a normal kind of day, with housework for me and work-work for Ryan. His niece job-shadowed him, so we shared lunch with her, and that felt like a perfect fit for a monthiversary. Though the end of our 2018 was filled with a lot of long-term hospitality, we've missed the opportunity to practice regular hospitality - inviting people in to share meals and conversation.
Having Kelsey here for lunch was a good practice of something we love to do together. A good reminder of why we are thankful for this little house and all it allows us to offer.
We had a blissfully boring evening planned. The kind of evening that involved working out, eating leftovers, kicking back on the couch to watch some of our ever-piling shows on our DVR.
Sometimes a phone call can change all that.
In our case, the phone call told us Ryan's mom had some new complications in her recovery. Our hearts hurt for her. This is physically and emotionally exhausting for the whole family, but for her most of all.
So, with snow spitting outside the windows, I began speeding up my work at home so we could leave as soon as Ryan's work day ended. We'd take our monthiversary picture on the fly and make our way to the hospital to be whatever kind of support we could be.
This 73rd month of marriage was the first in our seventh year. Seven is known in the Bible to be a number of perfection and completion. And while we are by no means wrapping up or completing our marriage, we have prayed that this year will be a year of joy and perfection. Not that we will be perfect, nor that our marriage will be perfect. We know both those things are impossible. But we also know that every opportunity that comes our way is a chance for the Lord to do His perfecting work in us and in the marriage He's allowing us to live. And we want that.
Right now, our story seems to be one of trying to be the best support to Ryan's mom that we can. It seems to be a time of perfecting our love through leaning hard on each other and on the Lord. It's a time of showing up to support and understanding the other's limitations and giving grace. It's a time of stopping for ice cream late at night because ice cream is a good companion.
So the 73rd monthiversary may not have looked like we would have planned, but it did look like time spent together, and it did look like love, and it did look like leaning on Jesus. And that's what we promised in our vows.
Ryan, I love you, and I love the way you stand by your mom and your whole family. I stand by you, and I hold to the promise that He who began a good work in ALL of us will carry it on to completion. He won't fail.
4 comments:
So sorry Nita is having more complications. Sending love and prayers.
I love your monthiversary posts and how you guys don't take this life, marriage, etc., for granted.
I'm right there with you on hard times with parents right now and just doing whatever needs to be done to serve them in any capacity. My dad is 89 with a little dementia and he had a reaction to Aricept (slows memory loss, it is not a cure) that has affected his muscles and made his mind even foggier. Three days in a hospital, onto a rehab facility and scheduled to come home in one week. His mind is clearing but it could take a couple months to get all the medicine out of his system. He's slowly regaining strength but it's a slow process (he's using a walker so much better now). My parents have an apartment in our home so next week, things will look different for us BUT he is coming home and we will serve him and be there for him, in whatever capacity he needs. Walking through the nursing home, on the way to rehab, makes you count your blessings! Praying for Nita and your family. God bless you!
Tamar- Thank you! We will sure take them.
K - Thank you so much for the monthiversary post love! You are so right: you definitely gain perspective in rehab or nursing homes - or even hospitals. So many people going through so many hard things! Praying this very moment for you and your parents!!
I am praying for Nita, Ryan, you, and the whole family. Bekah -- you are such an inspiration to not only supporting Ryan as he loves on his mom, but also jumping right in there with him. That is not always easy and you are inspiring me.
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