walking next to you...

it started off just as a normal day. i got ready and had a few things to accomplish so i made a mental list and started checking items off. the last two things on my list were lunch and going to class to grade and lesson plan. i started on lunch and was making a pretty yummy one. a nice sandwich with avocado(because i eat them now), a banana(i now eat those too), juice, and snapea crisps. yum, right? i know. well, i got everything ready and moved on to the avocado and well, something went really wrong. as i was getting ready to get the pit out, the knife missed the pit curved down, went through the avocado and about an inch into my hand in between my index and middle finger. can we say nightmare?! yes. it immediately started to bleed very heavily and i tried not to freak out but i did a little bit. i held my hand really tight because it was bleeding so heavily and quickly ran across the hall hoping someone would be there. i didn't know what to do or how to get to the er or anything.

my sweet neighbor was home and she was so wonderful. she helped me and talked to me and really comforted me. the Lord used her presence so wonderfully in my life today. she and her husband are from puerto rico and they love to laugh and that makes me so happy:) she even wrapped my hand in one of victor's shirt. she drove me to the er and her husband led the way. and they sat patiently with me for what seemed like hours....because it was.

i hadn't had anything to eat that day and neither had they so victor ran out to the car and came in with a lovely loaf of cuban bread! they really are the most wonderful people. they did a great job at keeping me distracted from what was coming:) we finally got checked in and the nurse that took my blood pressure and all those other numbers was awesome. she told me i was normal and i quickly blurted out. awesome, can you pass that news along to my family? ehehehe, yanitza, the nurse, and i had such a good laugh. i laughed so much the entire time even though it was the most painful physical thing i have ever experienced. God was so merciful:)

when the nurse came to get me he greeted me by saying he would only treat me if i brought an avocado for him! bah! funny, eh! i laughed and said NO. since all the rooms were full, i had my procedure done in the hallway. which was awesome! yani came in with me and was the best. oh gosh, i was so grateful. there was this little girl watching the whole time. like five. she told me she loved her dad a million and that she was going to teach me hopscotch and she was so stinking cute and sick, the poor dear:( but she ad the others really eased my heart. i had such good conversation with yani, the nurse, the doctor, the little girl. and there were laughs. and God was there in that er, in that hallway. i know He was because that is what eased my heart:) i am growing. today showed that to me. i don't deal with these types of situations well at all. but God is helping me along even in such things. the little things matter to Him too. it's awesome. it hurt. really bad. my hand wouldn't numb so she kept pocking and they hurt. it finally worked and she stitched me up, 7 to be exact, and called it a day. no grading happened because it is 7 and i am in bed. we were there for 4 1/2 hours so i am sleepy to put it lightly and in pain. but God is God and He is good and He's got this:) if you read this, send a little prayer my way:) the numbing is going away and well, ouch.

i read this little excerpt from this book called 'come away my beloved' and it was what i needed for tonight, it goes something like this:

o child, do not expect the trials to be lighter than in the past. why should you think the tests would be less severe? i test all things and there are areas of your life that as of yet, i have not touched. do not look for respite. the days ahead may call for greater endurance and more robust faith than you ever needed before. welcome this, for you must surely know how precious are the lessons learned through such experiences. even if you are unable to fully anticipate them with joy, you can certainly gain an appropriate appreciation of them in retrospect. apply your hearts to learn wisdom. this goal transcends every other aim, and any other good that comes out of a pressure period is an added blessing in excess. seek me above all else.

'if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.' James 1:5

photos from my day-

my first meal of the day