In Good Company

The past three days I have had the pleasure of hosting my good friend Brittney and two of her children. We were joined here one night by our friends Tiffany and Michelle. All of us lost a child in a tragic accident. All our children were between 1 and 2 years old. 

We had a get together one night that went late into the night. We laughed and cried and shared coping strategies. We also talked about various other subjects like weight loss and exercise and American Idol. 

These women buoy me up. I feel stronger with them by my side. They are remarkable women, each of them. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses, our own unique aspects to our trials, our own stories. But we are all evidence of life after the death of a child. And I love to see how beautifully life can be lived even after such heart ache.

Tiffany, Britt, and I hung out most of yesterday letting our children play. They played in the spa and Britt and Tiff worked out. (I have given that up for the time being.) We just enjoyed the day and being in the company of other "amputees." 

Britt has just left to go back home to Arizona. I come away from these days feeling grateful. Grateful to be me. Grateful for all the gifts and talents with which the Lord has blessed me. Grateful for the testimony and witness God has given me. Grateful for my family and friends. Grateful for the support I receive from all corners of the earth through this blog. Grateful for great friends who really KNOW. Grateful for the eternal plan of our Heavenly Father and to know as much about it as I do. Grateful to be a mother to children both on Earth and in Heaven. Grateful for the joys in my life and even grateful for the great sorrows.

I know my sorrows sown now will one day yield up fruit sweeter than I have experienced thus far in my life. And for that fact and the knowledge of that fact, I am grateful.