When Stress and Peace Collide

Thank you, thank you, dear sweet bloggy friends for all your prayers. 

The last month has been one of the saddest, most stressful of my life. 

My father is still very, very ill.  He is in a nearby hospital and we go see him every day.  We try to go just a few at a time. so we don't disturb the other patients, but today seven kids visited all a once, and my father was all smiles. Bittersweet. 

Kim has a surgery date in a couple weeks.  She has Chiari malformation, which was described by our neurosurgeon as "having a size ten brain in a size nine skull."  (FYI she gets her brains from me!)  It leads to the brain pressing on the spinal column--not good.  Kim has had a non-stop headache since before Christmas, so she is definitely looking forward to being pain free--NOT looking forward to the path of achieving that!

Last week we found that Mei Mei needs oral surgery ASAP for an impacted tooth, AND she is ready for her bone graft surgery (related to her cleft, but we weren't expecting surgery until late summer).  Did I mention this child is TERRIFIED of anything medical/dental?  She just completed her fifth dental appt. and finally had all her dental work complete.  So we thought.  Surgery will be so much fun.  Not!  And the bone graft surgery is one of the most painful. 

Add to that Vu, who has been really sick with terrible bronchitis.

And two IEP meetings which were extremely stressful (but turned out well thanks to some rockstar professionals and a ton of prayers!). 

Add in a broken dishwasher, a dead van needing lots of repairs, and Lizzy's car biting the bullet on the side of the freeway (good-bye you cute but forever leaking, always breaking down, piece of crap car!)

You know what all that equals? 

Strangely enough, PEACE.  With each additional challenge I became more and more stressed. 

And finally, all I could do was turn it over to God.  And on the other side I found peace.  Thank you for your continued prayers.  They are coveted. 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

Matthew 11:28-30