What a difference a year makes.

A year ago today, my sister and I woke up on an ICU waiting room floor.

You may know the rules of ICU: a 10 minute visit every two hours.
Since I lived 30 miles from the hospital, it was easier to set up camp there.
My husband had his right leg and hip amputated due to complications of cancer and infection. We'd fought the good fight for six years, but knew the surgery was imminent that fall. We had hoped to delay it until after our daughter was married on November 3. And until after we had seen Barry Manilow in concert. (That fact always embarrasses our adult children.)

Last Labor Day weekend was to be the time that my daughter's finance was coming in to be fitted for his tux, and then would fill a UHaul with her furniture to drive back to their future home in Missouri. They would also buy his ring. And attend to oh-so-many wedding details, because the special date was two months away.

Life comes at you fast sometimes, doesn't it?

I had taught my first grade class only three days. Circumstances forced the date of the surgery to be immediately. Not later. And we found ourselves living in the waiting room. Planning a wedding. And trying to grasp this new wrinkle in life.

But now we are a year down the road. And God has been faithful in more ways than we could ever express.

My husband went back to work part time this week: Wednesdays/Thursdays from 9-2. His wonderful boss kept his job for him, so he is back to architectural design work on his computer.

My daughter has been happily married for 10 months in Missouri. (Which is much too far from here!)

I have a new batch of first graders. The rhythm of life continues.

Here's to a year of progress. With grateful hearts.