Gratefulness

I hate to use churchy words like "blessed", but I don't know any other way to described the way people have taken care of my family in this whole process. I think a better word is "ridiculous", in a mouth gaping open, stunned kind of way that people have poured out kindness and grace. Over the past 11 months, people have done amazing things and have continued to go over and above over the past week. I never really understood why people brought food to people in times like this, but I now get it. We've had lots of family here at my Dad's (it strange not to say Mom and Dad's house) house and neighbors, family and friends have brought food over non-stop. I'm pretty sure I've put on about 10 lbs this week. The last thing you want to do in these times is to cook, clean and run out for food. My Mom got this kind of stuff. She was always the kind of person to bring food, gifts, notes or an offer of help to someone else.

I remember back 11 years ago when Cathie and I had a series of miscarriages. Prior to that, i didn't really get how significant of an event a miscarriage could be in someone's life. It sounds ignorant, but I didn't get how tough it is to lose a parent, and I didn't get how wonderful things like notes, food and kind words can lift your spirits when you're going through stuff like this.