Rekindled Friendship
I love our Lord! Can I just say that again?... I love our Lord!! I love Him for what He has provided for us in times of need, what He has protected in our tender hearts, what He has blessed us with in times of trial, what He has required of us as we walk in faith, what He has sought from us in times of healing... I just LOVE MY GOD! He has sent some of the most amazing people alongside of us in this journey of growing our family and seeking Him... and of all places, Chick-fil-A was the site of another amazing encounter today.
When Dusty and I first got married and moved to Houston we knew no one. I mean NO ONE! We moved into an apartment and thus began our very difficult first year of marriage. Yes, we had dated for years... we'd actually dated in high school and he was truly my first boyfriend at 14 years old... but everything was suddenly so different. New town without friends or family, new marriage, new job, new church, new car... it was all brand-spanking new. From the outside it looked great, but from the inside, we both had a lot of growing to do- together and in the Lord.
We lived in our "luxury" apartment for a few months and began noticing another couple that looked about our age and "status", recently married. We'd say hi to them as we passed in the halls, but we never really got to know each other well... until we both happened to get new puppies. Just like kids, jobs and the like, puppies can bring people together and that is just what Rudy and Scarlet did. We started hanging out every once in a while, taking care of the other pup when someone had to be out of town, and doing dinner occasionally. Suddenly before we knew it, May had arrived and although we loved these new friends, we definitely didn't love the price, location, or roaches in the apartment. We decided to move further south of town but thankfully we all stayed in touch. We even had them down once to our new apartment...
But as it often happens with time and distance, we didn't stay in touch. I have thought of them every now and then since we have moved again and actually it was probably 6 months ago when their names came up in conversation. Dusty and I laughed about Scarlet's first friend... sweet Rudy and his "parents".
Fast forward to lunch today.
A good friend of mine walked into Chick-fil-A with her kids in tow... and not far behind her was a beautiful girl with a precious baby boy, legs wrapped around her waist. She was so familiar yet I had no idea where to place her. While our local Chick-fil-A is normally chaotic at lunch and doesn't offer much sit-and-chat time, today was especially so because it was our Moms @ Second (formally MOPS) Meet and Greet (Y-e-a-h... just think of all the kids). Although I was somewhat distracted with feeding Faith Clare and getting Deacon to finish his fruit, I kept glancing over at this mom. I felt a connection with her, but honestly something else kept drawing my eyes in her direction. I couldn't get past one thing... her precious baby boy. A sweet little guy that I knew in the first instant had Trisomy 21.
As we finished up lunch and began wandering to try and be social, my good friend called me over. She introduced me to her friend and the girl immediately said "I really feel like I know you!" We both threw out places where we could have known one another and then suddenly she said, "Did you live In-town?" The light bulb flashed and I semi-yelled "You're Rudy's mom!" We both started laughing and talking about life 7 years ago and our dogs.
After a few minutes had passed and I looked down at her sweet boy and I said "I wouldn't ask this normally, but... I'm guessing he has Trisomy 21." She said yes and as I looked up, I knew that she knew. I instantly realized that Maddox had come up in the conversation of trying to figure out how she knew me and my friend Kristi had told her a bit of our story. See, Kristi's precious daughter was born the day before Maddox so I always gauge his age by her. In the beginning it was excruciating... now it's just pure joy.
So as I glanced up and looked into this "old" friend's face, the tears had already filled my eyes. There we were in the middle of a crowded, chaotic Chick-fil-A, both with tears streaming as we talked about the stories of our precious babies- one that was sitting there and truly amazing... the other one sitting with the Lord, and also amazing. The beautiful eyes of her 15-month-old baby said it all and I couldn't help but thank God for His awesome timing and divine nature. No, our situations are not the same, but boy, what it is like to be in the presence of another mother who intimately knows so much of your heart simply because she has been there. Her sweet boy is here and mine is not... but we have both experienced fear, joy, worry, gratitude, sorrow, life, and a feeling of lost dreams but deep intimacy with the Lord. It is beautiful to see the way the Lord is using both of our boys' lives for His glory: one as a testimony to healing on this side of eternity, and one to the healing we receive in the presence of God.
My heart is full and thankful... Thankful for this rekindled friendship, for this shared camaraderie, and also for the divine Providence of our faithful God. He is always working and so often in ways that we least expect it! Man, how I LOVE that.
"Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."- John 14:19-21
When Dusty and I first got married and moved to Houston we knew no one. I mean NO ONE! We moved into an apartment and thus began our very difficult first year of marriage. Yes, we had dated for years... we'd actually dated in high school and he was truly my first boyfriend at 14 years old... but everything was suddenly so different. New town without friends or family, new marriage, new job, new church, new car... it was all brand-spanking new. From the outside it looked great, but from the inside, we both had a lot of growing to do- together and in the Lord.
We lived in our "luxury" apartment for a few months and began noticing another couple that looked about our age and "status", recently married. We'd say hi to them as we passed in the halls, but we never really got to know each other well... until we both happened to get new puppies. Just like kids, jobs and the like, puppies can bring people together and that is just what Rudy and Scarlet did. We started hanging out every once in a while, taking care of the other pup when someone had to be out of town, and doing dinner occasionally. Suddenly before we knew it, May had arrived and although we loved these new friends, we definitely didn't love the price, location, or roaches in the apartment. We decided to move further south of town but thankfully we all stayed in touch. We even had them down once to our new apartment...
But as it often happens with time and distance, we didn't stay in touch. I have thought of them every now and then since we have moved again and actually it was probably 6 months ago when their names came up in conversation. Dusty and I laughed about Scarlet's first friend... sweet Rudy and his "parents".
Fast forward to lunch today.
A good friend of mine walked into Chick-fil-A with her kids in tow... and not far behind her was a beautiful girl with a precious baby boy, legs wrapped around her waist. She was so familiar yet I had no idea where to place her. While our local Chick-fil-A is normally chaotic at lunch and doesn't offer much sit-and-chat time, today was especially so because it was our Moms @ Second (formally MOPS) Meet and Greet (Y-e-a-h... just think of all the kids). Although I was somewhat distracted with feeding Faith Clare and getting Deacon to finish his fruit, I kept glancing over at this mom. I felt a connection with her, but honestly something else kept drawing my eyes in her direction. I couldn't get past one thing... her precious baby boy. A sweet little guy that I knew in the first instant had Trisomy 21.
As we finished up lunch and began wandering to try and be social, my good friend called me over. She introduced me to her friend and the girl immediately said "I really feel like I know you!" We both threw out places where we could have known one another and then suddenly she said, "Did you live In-town?" The light bulb flashed and I semi-yelled "You're Rudy's mom!" We both started laughing and talking about life 7 years ago and our dogs.
After a few minutes had passed and I looked down at her sweet boy and I said "I wouldn't ask this normally, but... I'm guessing he has Trisomy 21." She said yes and as I looked up, I knew that she knew. I instantly realized that Maddox had come up in the conversation of trying to figure out how she knew me and my friend Kristi had told her a bit of our story. See, Kristi's precious daughter was born the day before Maddox so I always gauge his age by her. In the beginning it was excruciating... now it's just pure joy.
So as I glanced up and looked into this "old" friend's face, the tears had already filled my eyes. There we were in the middle of a crowded, chaotic Chick-fil-A, both with tears streaming as we talked about the stories of our precious babies- one that was sitting there and truly amazing... the other one sitting with the Lord, and also amazing. The beautiful eyes of her 15-month-old baby said it all and I couldn't help but thank God for His awesome timing and divine nature. No, our situations are not the same, but boy, what it is like to be in the presence of another mother who intimately knows so much of your heart simply because she has been there. Her sweet boy is here and mine is not... but we have both experienced fear, joy, worry, gratitude, sorrow, life, and a feeling of lost dreams but deep intimacy with the Lord. It is beautiful to see the way the Lord is using both of our boys' lives for His glory: one as a testimony to healing on this side of eternity, and one to the healing we receive in the presence of God.
My heart is full and thankful... Thankful for this rekindled friendship, for this shared camaraderie, and also for the divine Providence of our faithful God. He is always working and so often in ways that we least expect it! Man, how I LOVE that.
"Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."- John 14:19-21
Comments
I guess I need to pay attention to the details. ;)
May this be a true blessing to you!
~Kate
~kari
God does indeed work in mysterious ways and it really is all about us being comforted, comforting others and then being blessed in that comfort we offer. You are such a blessing to so many.
i just randomly came across your blog, and now have tears in my eyes, reading this post. what a beautiful story. thank you for sharing.
my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for your family.
a sister in Him,
victoria