Normal

Normal is a conversation with my husband without my brain messing with me.

Normal is not spending every second of the day watching television.

Normal is having the mental capacity to speak on the phone.

Normal is making our house look as nice as possible.

Normal is going to multiple stores without crutches.

Normal is wearing clothes other than pajamas.

Normal is getting out of the house most days.

Normal is making jewelry and crafts.

Normal is a smile on my face.

Normal is a gift from God.

So grateful that the last few days have been slightly more normal. Praise be to God!

4 months

Shawn and I have been married for four months now. These few months have been the happiest and hardest of my life. It has been hard to look at our wedding photos and remember that our wedding day was the last day I actually felt healthy. The photos also bring back wonderful memories of a most blessed day spent with family and friends.

After the wedding, the adrenaline left and I changed medications which caused my health to quickly spiral out of control. We never really had a "honeymoon phase" since our lives quickly became centered around survival. It's been hard for me to watch my husband work so hard outside the home and then come home and work around the house. I haven't been able to be the wife I hoped to be but I am so thankful my husband loves me just as I am. I am so blessed to be married to a husband who loves others before himself and who loves God with all his heart.

Through all the hardship and a few dashed hopes along the way I would never want to change any of it. This is where God wants us and where we need to be. There are times I wish we could just be a "normal" newly married couple but I know God is preparing us for ministry through this. Thankful for the last few months and am looking forward to the ones ahead.