I was just outside photographing a few wintry scenes in my yard. We are getting more snow as I type! I love the snow! I grew up in the south where it rarely made an appearance. I suppose you have to have that background to truly appreciate snow – even a dusting! – as much as I do.

(See it blowing from the roof of our neighbor’s house? Brr!) 🙂

After I came in from snapping the above photos, I was warming myself up while reading the headlines on my computer. I noticed the Olympic winter games are underway in Russia. I started ruminating on the last time the Olympics happened. Was I alive then? 😀 For some reason, I couldn’t remember them! I checked on Wikipedia and saw that they were in February of 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Then, it hit me. That was the week that Laci had her febrile seizure!

We had lived in Hope for about eighteen months. I was about four months pregnant with Matthew. It was a harrowing day. I had no idea what was happening to her. At first, I thought she was just “playing dead”, with her eyes open. Then, as I approached her little body stretched out on the floor, I thought she was choking! I tried to see if something was lodged in her throat, but her jaw was tightly closed. Then, in my hormonal, expectant condition, I panicked. I called 911 yelling at the poor dispatcher that my little girl was dying! I was on the verge of hyperventilating, not realizing how I was scaring my other three children half to death! The ambulance, with no siren, ambled (not exaggerating), up our driveway fifteen minutes later. Laci was unconscious by then. I really thought she was dying. I went to her funeral in my mind. My world, for those thirty minutes or so, was turned upside down. The paramedics finally informed me that she’d had a seizure and was now in a very deep sleep. When the EMT’s finally roused her as they were putting in an IV, her pitiful little voice saying, “I want my mommy.” was music to my ears! I thanked the Lord over and over for her life! At the ER, she began vomiting, a lot, all over me and her bed. That told the doctors what was wrong. She had caught a stomach virus and her fever went from about 99 to 103 in very little time. This caused the seizure. With my weakened immune system from pregnancy, I caught the virus in just a few hours. I was sick for over a week, and finally recovered because of special medication from my OB. In fact, everyone ended up getting it!

So that’s why I couldn’t remember the last Olympics. I literally slept through the 2010 winter games!

I’m not sure whether I’ll have time to tune in to the Olympics this year or not. But, these games remind me to count my blessings: my sweet Laci, who is now an energetic seven year old; that baby I was expecting is now an adorable three year old who keeps us all laughing, and I now can recognize a seizure if it ever happens again. I’m thankful that the Lord doesn’t punish us for panicking in stressful times, but rather He embraces us and helps us more than ever. Even in my fearful condition four years ago, I was crying out to my Lord Who was right beside me.  I’m thankful for a husband who rearranges his life and works overtime and at odd hours to help me when I’m sick. I’m thankful that my mother was close by, and could stay with the kids while we took Laci to the pediatrician for a follow up visit. I’m thankful for the prayers of precious friends during that scary day!

I could go on and on…God is so good.

With love,