The.Black.Cloud.

So... some (okay, every stinkin' person who knows me or reads this darn blog) people might (okay, absolutely for sure) have noticed that the Furedy Family has had a bit (okay, one ginormous) black cloud hovering over our heads for the last six months or so....  four surgeries, two hospitalizations, one canceled cruise, two cases of strep, one case of pneumonia, one cracked tooth (that one hasn't even made the blog yet), two bouts of stomach bugs, one speeding ticket (oh yeah, that didn't make the blog either!), more hospital bills than you could count (how about over $150,000 in medical expenses... thank goodness for insurance... but if you think about 10%.... yikes!), and on and on and on.  Overall, I think we have handled this with some level (okay, just a little bit) of grace... I mean.... the kids were fed, clothed and loved during this whole experience, the house remained standing (although not always clean), and we managed to stay married.  :)  But, it has been a rough (okay, totally traumatic and CRAZY) six months and we are ready for it all to be over.....

And I am having true faith that it is OVER.  We have weathered this storm.  The cloud is passing (seriously, because if it doesn't, I'm not quite sure that we can hang on to any sort of grace...).  So, as always (okay, some of the time) after a, shall we call it 'experience', I try to reflect on what I have learned (better known as what slapped me in the face as I was going through the 'experience').  This time, since it was really my whole family, this post will try to reflect on what we (yes, that would be the 'royal' we) learned.

We learned that as a family, we are STRONG.  That we can face situations head on (well, maybe not head on, but we can still face them even if we are cowering a bit in the corner...).

We learned (again, 'cause seriously we have learned this lesson before) that we have an AMAZING family (okay, not all of them, sorry to say it but a few of these folks kinda let us down while this was all going on, but that is a learning too) and an AMAZING group of friends (and now, I'm talking about all of them... and even a few 'acquaintances') who stood by us.  Who comforted us.  Who fed us.  Who held our hands.  Who cried with us.  Who prayed with us.  Who LOVED us.  I even had a friend who just listened.  That's all.  I would just call her and she would just listen to me (not saying much at all).  And then when I was done she would tell me she loved me and that everything would be okay and we would hang up.  Amazing.  Beautiful. 

We learned that taking a deep breath is a very important skill.  And slowing down a bit might really be a good idea.  And that when you slow down... you do see more, experience more, and appreciate more the world that surrounds you.

Moving on to my learnings...
I learned (again) that Joe is a FANTASTIC dad.  He really does know how to care for our kids, to meet their needs, to feed them nutritious meals, and to help them with homework.  And maybe, just maybe I should back off a little bit and let him do that a little more often.

I learned that I really do love spending time puttering around my house.  And cooking.  And baking.  And stitching.  And reading.  And decorating.  And DIYing.  And blogging.  And I'd love to have more time to do that more often.  And maybe, just maybe, I'd like to be defined more by some of these things than by my career.  (and no, I'm not quitting my job.... but I think I need to redefine a little bit).

I learned that I want to be the kind of friend or family member that really reaches out.  REALLY reaches out when someone is struggling.  I learned how valuable it is to just be that friend who listens.  I learned that it really isn't annoying when you call someone who is having a bad time... and if they don't want to talk at that minute that you can leave a message on the phone... and it WILL matter to them later.  I learned that you do notice who calls you, who supports you, who prays for you.  And those people become more 'your people' because of it.

I have several dear friends who are really having a hard time right now.  Experiencing their own 'black cloud'.  For some of them it is a mini-cloud.... and for others it is a cloud that dwarfs the one that we faced.  And my heart aches for them.  ACHES.  But I learned... so I will be different for them.  I will do the things that others did for me.  And maybe, just maybe, that was what I was SUPPOSED to learn.

If you are the praying kind, can you keep our family in your prayers? (I'd just like the extra insurance that the cloud has passed...)  And keep those around me in your prayers?

And if you aren't the praying kind... just think good thoughts for all the folks you love.
Night all.  Here's to sunny skies.

C