Busy Tuesday

This has been a very busy couple weeks. On Tuesday, we (Dawn - NILMDTS Coordinator and me) gave our presentation on meeting the needs of bereaved parents, to the nursing staff at Wood County Hospital. There was a lot of preparation and a lot of battling the computer glitches plaguing my plans. (Yes...the glitches continued and even spread to my printer! We prayed and persevered, and I compromised with purple ink when the printer in a fit of utter defiance refused to print in black ink.) The brochures were printed...the presentation pages bound, and all was well. Dawn gave a beautiful presentation about NILMDTS (I am so thankful for her presence and for her passion for bereaved parents) and I shared our family's journey along with some encouragement for the staff on ways they can best support grieving parents. We were greatly encouraged by our day at Wood County Hospital, who incidentally has one of the most compassionate and attentive OB nursing staffs in Northwest Ohio (no, I'm not just saying that!).

A substitute covered for me at the school where I am employed as an educational paraprofessional. A friend was picking up James from school (It turns out the glitches are contagious because her car wouldn't start when it was time to get him. A kind neighbor gave her a ride, so James was picked up from school. And again, all was well.) Grandma took the next shift until Tim came home from work, juggled dinner, homework, and getting Timothy home from practice. And me...from the seminar at Wood County, I travelled to Liberty Center United Methodist Church to give a presentation to the Women's Society. Two speaking engagements in one day is quite an event! So, miraculously...we all arrived to each scheduled location safely and on time!

Liberty Center is the small town where my parents grew up. In a small town, everyone knows everyone else. And no matter how old you are, you are referred to in regards to your family...who your parents, grandparents, etc. are. So, when I was introduced to the lovely ladies, my aunt (also from Liberty Center) announced me as the daughter of Kathy B______ and Patrick K____. Sometimes, I feel a little lacking in heritage and family connection. My extended family doesn't see each other a lot. My parents were divorced when I was little. My father lives near Chicago, and my mother passed away almost two years ago. But, Tuesday night there was a feeling of mystical heritage and connection in the air. The person who invited me to share that evening is married to the man who was the best man in my parents' wedding. At my mother's funeral, he handed me a picture of my parents' wedding. It is the only copy I have. I shared the story of Faith, Grace, and Thomas, a couple songs, and a little about Sufficient Grace Ministries. I felt so much love and encouragement from the wonderful women at this beautiful little church. It was like the body of Christ should be...it felt like family...true family.

After my little testimony, a lovely lady asked me the question I have heard almost daily in the past year, "Has anyone ever told you that you look just like your mother?" She said that she was my mother's teacher when mom was a girl. Heritage. Connection. I smiled, feeling comforted by the mention of mom...as if somehow it made it seem like she was looking down from heaven and part of the evening.The mention of her name made her seem....closer, less gone. And I was honored, as always that I have the privilege of resembling her.

What a beautiful blessing the day was. Thank you to the staff at Wood County Hospital for their warm reception, their willing hearts, and the tireless courage to show compassion that they display in the face of grief. And thank you to the women of the United Methodist Church in Liberty Center for blessing me with the love of family... the family we share as children of the King.