An Open Letter of Thanksgiving

It was quite an interesting Thanksgiving weekend. Not what we had planned at all, but God had other plans it seemed. There were so many things that just seem to "fall into place" and it was evident that once again Grandmommy's life was an example of God's provision. There was so much to be thankful for - we were all in awe. I wanted to write an open letter of thanksgiving.  Here are just a few of the ways we could see God's hand in this weekend.

1. I was so thankful that I had the opportunity to be there. The timing of the stroke was such that I was on my way and Mom and Dad picked me up and scooped me to the hospital. I would have hated to be so far from everyone. 
2. Because it was Thanksgiving weekend, everyone had time off from work. It was easy for Mom and me to be at the hospital whenever we wanted to be there. We didn't have to deal with work issues.
3. Vickie was at the house when it happened to help Grandmommy. She wasn't out on an errand or visiting someone. She was right there by Grandmommy's side. Vickie was a nurse and there couldn't have been a better person there with her to talk with the paramedics and the ER staff. 
4. The damage was minimal and the effects were not too bad.  It could have been so much worse.
5. Grandmommy was moved and settled in her new apartment.  She is directly across from the hospital. Minutes away. Mom and Mary and everyone else was minutes away. There was no long commute to a hospital away from everyone like there would have been in Rochelle.
6. It was a good time to sit and visit. I got to sit and talk with mom and Grandmommy in a way that usually don't with all the family running around and activity after activity. It was a calm, slow, laid back kind of visit. The kind that really only happens in a hospital room.
7. I missed the horrible, heartbreaking Cowboy game.  I'm glad I didn't see it.
8. The nurses were friendly and the neurologist was really good. He was patient and listened and really tried to help Grandmommy instead of "just making rounds". Especially for a holiday weekend. he explained everything in a way we could understand and really grasp what was happening. It was very calming.
9. In the process of everything Grandmommy learned she was using her sleep apnea equipment wrong. So she got that sorted out to help with sleep.
10. Grandmommy got several pairs of those awesome two-sided hospital socks.  Mary and I love those. Small things....silly things. The laughter we all shared. The food that she had that she enjoyed. The juices that she gulped down.  Little tiny things that didn't seem like much but as Mary said "gave her a good memory of this experience". So true.
11. Grandmommy got to see John and Abigail and Haley and Mary and Bill. She got to sit and visit with each of them for a little while.  She made lots of phone calls and kept everyone up to date who couldn't be there.  It was a time for her to feel loved and see all the people who love her and care about her.  That would be a boost for anyone!

There are so many other things I'm sure that I haven't mentioned. Things that I didn't notice that others did. Things that none of us really knew or saw. Things that may not be revealed until much later, or not at all. Things that were personal to others that I didn't experience. It was just one of those weekends - on Thanksgiving - and we are so thankful for all the provision God made along the way.