Distance is No Barrier

"Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all." --Emily Dickinson

Out of respect for my cousin, I didn't feel like it was appropriate to write on here, before her, about what is going on with my family. Since she wrote about the situation today I feel like it is okay for me to do so.

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On Tuesday the 10th my Granny flew down to Louisiana with my aunt to visit my cousin and her husband. This trip was special for three reasons: (1) Granny and my aunt haven't seen my cousin and her husband for over a year, (2) It was my cousin's birthday on the 11th, (3) Granny was going to finally get to set her feet on the streets of New Orleans, a lifetime goal. Unfortunately and unexpectedly, Granny fell on the evening of the 11th when getting ready for bed. This resulted in her breaking her femur bone, which required major surgery. I am happy and relieved to say that Granny made it through surgery beautifully- the doctors are very impressed with her health. Of course they would be-- after all, this woman line dances, plays beanbag baseball, socializes with everyone, actively participates in her church, reads/listens to the Bible and is always positive no matter what.

With that said, it's been quite a mix of emotions as you can probably imagine. Disappointing in so many ways and very sad. I don't want to dwell on that too much but it has been a huge shock for everyone... It's strange to be so distant (in mileage) from Granny too- we're all so used to being pretty close to each other. However, this whole situation is showing that distance is no barrier for this family. It's been such a blessing to communicate with my cousins and aunts- I feel like there is such a strong connection with everyone (interesting I note this because of what I said about the tea party on the 7th). As my cousin Elizabeth said, it's not always been this way. This all goes to show the growth we've made in our relationships over the years.

Because Granny is in a hospital in Louisiana the entire extended family cannot all be there helping out. Thankfully though, my mom's sisters were able to fly down and are staying for awhile to help out. I know that this has been a major relief for the others and has lightened the mood.

Currently, Granny is doing well. Today was a good day for her-- she even rated it as a 10! So that gives us hope. I also feel hope because we got to talk with Granny on the phone today. It was so good to hear here voice. Since this is all happening far away, I've felt somewhat removed from everything. However, when I heard her voice I felt on the verge of tears-- it was so touching. I feel very grateful for having the opportunity to have contact with her.

We are continually praying that God will heal her body and remove the pain. I'm also praying that God will heal the pain in the hearts of those down there. I pray that God will wrap His great big arms around each person...