May 16, 2020

It's Saturday again! That's the day that we are working hard, and Shannon is hardly working! She had no therapies today, so she just relaxed all day long. (What would that even be like? It's been so long!!) She napped, and watched some Psych. I'm sure there were other things too, but nothing she felt was worth mentioning.

Meanwhile--the Home Skillet has been on FIRE today. Look at this progress-

It's so good to see walls and the walk coming together. We are so completely blessed to have such great friends and willing hearts that are putting not hours but DAYS into helping us here.

The other day when I was done with family training with Shannon, I went over to the Philadelphia Temple. It's not open, not even the grounds are, so I sat on a bench on the opposite side of the street just looking at it. I had such a longing to go inside and feel the peace I used to get on a weekly basis. I miss it so much. But while I was there just looking at it, I felt the love of my Father in Heaven. The faces of people who I have grown dependent on started to appear in my mind. My own family members- my husband and kids who are working tirelessly to get things done here and keep me and things from falling apart; my brother who drove cross country to help us with the basement, my extended family that call or text to check on us and Shannon and offer love and comfort. 

I began to think of friends- friends who have been there for me every step of the way in all of this, who drove straight to my house when I called to tell them what had happened, or have made it their job to check in with me and help in any way they can. I thought of all the people, who, no matter how well they know me or Shannon, have sacrificed time, their own comforts, and also asked that of their own families, to help us. People who have hired others to do work at their homes so they could come help us at ours. People who offered deep discounts on building products, people who worked hard to help connect us with people who know how to do the work we do not. People who tell me to call when I need them, no matter the time of day. People who write to Shannon, even though they don't know here. 

And- I saw the faces of people who are no longer living, the angels who have been here comforting us, and Shannon. I  have never felt so much love and support. I realized that through all this scary and stressful experience, there has never been a day that I have questioned “Why Shannon? Why us?"

When I have spent a moment thinking about ‘why now, why during a pandemic?’ I realized quickly the ‘why’. Because Lancer has worked from home every day and has been accessible when he wouldn’t normally be. Because my daughter Rachael can be here since things in her life have slowed down. Because things are closed down and people are available to help, because Shannon is protected from illnesses due to the higher level of protective gear people have to wear around her. Because the insurance company is being more lenient with allowing her to stay as long as she needs to. Because I don’t have to worry about getting my kids off to school or having projects due. Because life has slowed or halted- in general.

In all of this- I have felt peace the entire time. Sure, I get stressed about all the little details; I panic about things, I feel a huge weight on my shoulders, I have my moments of ‘how can I handle all of this’. But then someone helps me refocus and I am reminded that I am not alone- and I know that with a certainty that I cannot express in words. My temple peace is with me every day, even though I can't be there.

Please pray for Shannon to have the desire and endurance to do her therapies, for her body to get stronger, for her to communicate her needs with her care takers in a way that they will be able to work well together, and for her spinal cord to continue to heal. 

 Thank you for being part of our peace. 

Today's Meme:

"Hey there birthday boy, are ya working hard or hardly working?" Colt Bronco-  Disney's Onward.