It Takes A Village

Last week one of Ava's therapists commented on my tidy house, and I laughed when I told her, I can't take any credit for it! I put every bit of energy into caring for the well-being of my husband and daughters...and the rest? Well, we are so NOT doing our life alone. It's truly taking a village.

Earlier in the week, I'd arranged with a gal from church (we'll call her "Friend 1") to help me take the three younger girls to the pediatrician for a long overdue check-up. At 8am, I received a text from Friend 2 asking if she could run errands for me. I happily emailed her my grocery list. At 9am, Friend 1 arrived to help schlep the girls into the car. We rocked the doctor visit, and were on our way home...a mere 2 1/2 hours later. We arrived home to find Friend 3 dropping off dinner for us, so she joined us around the lunch table. Moments later Friend 4 arrived to deliver a beautiful necklace, made by yet another friend who I've never met, with Ava's name and her fingerprints on little charms.

While we were passing around the necklace, Friend 2 arrived with groceries, including a special chocolate treat for me! Later that evening, Friend 5 picked up a prescription for us, while Friend 6 arrived with play jewelry and cupcakes to have a tea party with the big girls.

Six friends helped to make one day in the life of the Harms family possible. 

On another afternoon, Miss M handed off the girls to Friend 7 while I was at yet another doctor appointment and Friend 8 dropped off dinner to feed my family so I didn't have to stress when I got home late.

When I asked her to, Friend 9 went shopping on a broken foot, and brought every plaster impression kit she could find, so we could capture Ava's precious hand and footprints.

Our pastors call and visit to encourage and pray with us. Ava's nurse brings me caffeine when she arrives for her weekly in-home assessment. Friend 10 comes on a moments notice to give us an extra set of hands.  Friend 11 picks up Elizabeth from school in a pinch. Friend 12 delivered flowers and handmade treats from her daughters for my birthday. Friend 13 does my online shopping, and along with Friend 14 is my acting "administrative counsel", letting me use her brain instead of mine for problem solving all sorts of things. Friends photograph our children and film our family moments, providing us with treasured memories to keep forever.

Friends bless me with birthday conversation and yummy desserts and ambush Matt with a lunch, drag him off to a movie, and keep him going on his weekly runs. Friends leave their children with their husbands and in-laws, drive seven hours with big pregnant bellies and haul their three kids across the state lines to come and be real-time help. And still others are just waiting for the go-head.

Mrs. R is Elizabeth's angel at school, teaming with her wonderful teacher to make school a fun and safe place for our sweet girl. My sister has four young girls and a busy life, yet calls me every single day.

Grandmothers hop on planes with a moments notice to come help while Grandfathers fix faucets, repair windows, paint molding and help build garden boxes.  Friends and family call, pray, cry, laugh, send notes and gifts to encourage us, bless the girls with treats and hugs, hold Ava, do our dishes and fold our laundry. All-told, friends and family have given us thousands of dollars to help us hire full-time help. People we've never met run errands, fix our computer, shovel our sidewalk when it snows and mail our daughters notes of encouragement.  

We call this our pile o' love. It is evidence of meals that have been lovingly prepared for us week after week. And these are just the dishes that weren't disposable!

I could go on and on. Yesterday friend took the middle girls on a play date much of the day so I could have quiet snuggle time with Ava, get some rest AND a shower. This morning a friend brought her kids over to play, and folded my laundry. Tonight a friend showed up to help with dinner clean-up. Simply amazing. 

We cannot possibly list every person who has given of their time, energy or finances to support us in the past six years, but please know, we have been blessed by each act of kindness. We could spend a year writing thank you notes, and still have more gratitude to express. We are being carried, and helped, supported and served many moments of every day and it's possibly the kindest mercy Elizabeth and Ava have given us. They have drawn people into our lives and they...YOU...are loving us so beautifully.

Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God.

Philippians 1:3 (The Message)

More Manna

I never tire of the manna metaphor.

God continues to amaze me with his willingness to provide for each and every twist and turn on our journey, exactly when we need it. I was heartbroken, but prepared to stay in Missouri with our daughters while Matt organized and attended his Dad's memorial service on Saturday. Then last weekend Matt and I began to pray about the possibility of me going. It would take a perfect set-up: my mom available to care for the girls, a nurse to care for Ava, 24/7, Ava to remain seizure-free and stable without any deterioration in her breathing, and PEACE for my mama's heart to leave my girls at home.

God has provided all of these things and more: My mom is here, hurray! A nurse-friend (she's so much more than that) has generously offered to come stay with Ava all weekend...and her family is flexing to allow her to bless us. One of Ava's NICU nurses offered a meal for Friday night. We've gotten many offers of help to spell my mom and our nurse friend. While Hannah is just getting sick, it doesn't appear to be as severe, and the oldest girls, my mom, Miss M and I are all on the mend. And through all of the crazy illness, Ava has remained healthy. She has been seizure-free, and is even awake more each day (see those eyes?).

Lastly, and most importantly, Matt and I have peace. Not particularly because I feel good about leaving the girls...My heart is still torn about that. (I am a mom after all!) Yet I know, because I've seen over and over:

If God is making a way, He will bring peace. 

He has opened up the way for me to go. I'm humbled at the army of people who are helping make it possible. And I am trusting He has perfect provision for every single one of us.

What grace.