Having a really hard time writing this post tonight without blubbering all over the keyboard. Today was a CRAZY day beginning at 5:45 in order to make it to a swim meet by 7:00 (a.m.). We ended the night, as we often do, at the corner. Tim and Amy have had a rough week with little 8 week old Layla having surgery to remove part of her lung and a tumor that was growing inside of it. Long story short, they were supposed to come home on Friday and it is now Sunday with no Layla at home. She will probably have to stay until at least Wednesday or Thursday. Amy and Tim have been living at the hospital and both sets of grandparents have been helping with their other two kids. So at the end of a long week with no end in sight, they called for reinforcements. I'm not going to lie, if you ever need anything, the person to call is Julie Luebcke. She can and will do anything for anyone at anytime and smile while doing it. She is amazing. So today she watched the O'Neill kids while there was a shift change in the Nebraska grandparents. Tim came home (looking a little shell shocked) later to meet his parents and get the kids settled. That left Amy alone at the boring hospital. So, Julie and I headed down there to cheer her up, give her some company and deliver some chick flicks.
Don't you just love to see God work in all circumstances? Tonight was one of those nights. While we were wandering the halls trying to find Layla's room, we happened to be walking behind a lady pushing a wheelchair down the hall of the children's wing of Rocky Mountain Children's Hospital. I recognized them. It was Annie and her mom.
I attend Community Bible Study every Tuesday. It is a nice chance for me to interact with adults and keeps me in God's word on a consitant basis. They also have an AMAZING children's program that my kids adore. At CBS we have been praying for a family for a long time. Annie's family. Annie was diagnosed with Vaginal cancer at age 2. Yeah you read that right. She is now 7 and is losing the battle. In the last few weeks they have been keeping us up to date on her condition and that they don't think that Annie will make it much longer. I have been praying.
I was so shocked to see her and it was right when we found the correct room for Layla that I didn't respond or stop them as they were walking down the hall. But I whispered to Julie "isn't that Annie from CBS"? She said yes and I was an emotional wreck. I couldn't help but think about that situtaion. Then I walked in to see little Layla in this big crib with all of these machines hooked up to her. It took me a bit to compose myself.
We had a wonderful visit with Amy. We laughed and chatted and had a great time and Julie put Layla into such a deep sleep that the nurse was practically bowing at the feet of the baby whisperer. The whole time there was this nagging that I should have stopped Annie and her mom is the hallway.
Well guess what? God gives second chances. As we were walking out of Layla's door, guess who happened to walk right by? Yep, Annie's mom. We stopped her and introduced ourselves and let her know that we loved her and were praying for her little girl and their family. I hope she was as blessed as we were. I hope that we were friendly faces late on a Sunday night when she was exhausted. And I pray that she sleeps so peacefully knowing that God beautifully orchestrated our night so that we could see her and love her.
Needless to say, I got home and lovingly looked at my kids and thanked God for them and gave them an extra kiss tonight.
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