I feel bad because it's been 8 weeks since a new manual was released (I think 9 or 10 actually). So much has happened this summer and I am still trying to make heads or tails of it and struggling with what to do from here on out with all that happened and all that I learned. Some of it was good, some bad, some major.
The husband had a stroke (way too young to have one, he was 32) He survived through the Grace of our Heavenly Father. That was the major.
I'm not going to talk about the bad, but it happened and is continuing and I don't know what to do about it, except pray for light and knowledge on what to do.
The good? We had a friend drive my kids, my dad and myself down to the Hospital my husband was life flighted to. I don't think I was in a place to be able to do so. It was really a wonderful thing that he was able to do so for us.
When I called to try and find a babysitter while I ran hubs to the hospital I couldn't find one. So I posted on the Relief society page and left. not too long later I got a text from someone in the ward saying they were going taking my kids to the park. (I had left them with my dad, but he wasn't able to care for them long term another story for another day.)
I got in touch with my Relief Society President when we found out he would be life flighted 200+ miles away.
She went to my house and helped my dad pack and get in touch with my mom. then she packed stuff for my kids, and I packed for me. She helped me gather food for us and get us all in the car.
She took note of my horribly messy house. The overflowing laundry baskets, the breakfast and lunch dishes on the counters, table, sink. The mud tracked clear through the house. the bathroom sink caked in mud because everyone had washed their hands in it. The fabric from sewing 3 Elsa dresses scattered about my room and all the pattern pieces strewn about.
She organized a team to clean my house. It was amazing.
Feeling prompted to go to kmart instead of walmart when one of the girls was desperate for a new swim suit and finding a dozen boxes of cereal that my kids could eat (we have several food allergies here) marked down to 30 cents a box. not finding a swim suit on clearance so having to go to another store anyway, but I didn't care at that point!
The swim teacher at the Rec center who let my kids into swimming lessons anyway because she understood why I couldn't call on the one day that they have sign-ups.
The never ending prayers from friends. Christians, Athiests, non christians. We had lots of faiths praying for us. It was amazing.
The Bishop who was there for us when we needed him.
The Aunt and Uncle who dropped what they were doing, picked up a cousin and drove to the Hospital to meet the hubs there and wait with him and give me updates while we traveled down there.
Feeling the Love of my Father in Heaven and knowing that no matter what happened I would be ok. My children would be ok. Maybe not right away but we would be.
The sod that got laid by people from Church, from the neighborhood. Who came together in a time of need.
The people who helped us push a car into the driveway because it was dead on the street and had to be moved.
The neighbors who have lent us their lawnmower several times this summer.
The new manual. The new direction it takes. The new program and the direction it takes. The new people coming to our meetings. The old people coming back to our meetings.
So many many blessings we have had this summer.
Thank you.
And now for a link to the new program. Some groups have copies of the book. Ours does, someone copied and pasted and re formatted to make it look nice while we wait for it to come off the printer and be shipped out.
https://addictionrecovery.lds.org/spouses-and-families?lang=eng
