Thankful Thursday

(For an explanation of Thankful Thursday, go here).

1421) Having a sweet patient with a severe crushed-hand injury continue to exclaim that everything turned out so well considering what happened. I love it when my patients help give me perspective.

1422) Laughing with my mom about her facebook-scrabble-playing habits. That woman is hilarious.

1423) Being really crabby when I went on my dinner break, calling Lindsay and going back to the floor feeling relaxed and happy. It's amazing what the simple sound of a dear voice can do for my spirit.

1424) Finished the Old Testament today...filled with hopeful anticipation for the New Testament tomorrow. Jesus is coming!!

1425) Listening to everyone fawn over Penny when we're out walking.

1426) Coming home to find my new roommate curled up on the couch with Penny in her lap, studying the Word. What a delightful scene.

1427) Staying overnight at work in an easy 1:1 - getting paid time-and-a-half to read three magazines, 200 pages in my book and catch up on my blogs. Yay for easy money!

1428) Watching the purple and pink sunrise as I drove home from work. I serve an amazing artist and his mercies are new every morning. Blessed be his name!!

1429) Having time with my new roommie to talk about life together - I'm so excited to get to know her better!

1430) Nice boys who offer other people their seat when they walk in late to a party.

1431) Learning to be handy - installing a shower rod all by myself, power tools and all. I'm so proud of myself!

1432) Waking up, getting up and immediately going back to bed for 3 hours. Thankful I was able to take the time to get the rest I needed.

1433) An EXCITING Vikes/Packers game. So fun to be at the dome for it. 3.5 out of 5 stars indeed.

1434) Hearing that my dad's sudden sickness is a kidney stone - sorry that he is so miserable but glad it is a short-term, fixable issue.

1435) Calling Lindsay and Julie and, 4 hours later, remembering what dear, dear friends I have.

1436) JULES!!! So very thankful for this dear woman of God and the blessing of journeying with her. Happy birthday, dear one!

1437) Hanging out with my dad in the hospital. As much as I hate seeing him uncomfortable and am sorry that it makes things back up for him at work, I REALLY enjoyed just sitting and chatting with him today!

1438) Being comfortable in a hospital environment. I have absolutely no regrets about going into the medical field.

1439) Birthday dinner with my sisters at a super yummy restaurant. I love those girls. So blessed to call them my own.

1440) Another lovely chat with my roommie. Thankful we can be honest with each other about our concerns and things we are excited about.

1441) ANGELA!!!! So thankful that I have the privilege of calling her "family." Happy birthday, sister!

1442) The sweet, compassionate, caring stranger who had the unfortunate luck of stumbling upon me in my sobbing mess as I waited for the shuttle after finding out my dad was on a ventilator in the ICU. What an amazing nurse she was - listening, comforting and distracting me while we waited. A gracious gift, indeed.

1443) Running into Carrie Wise on the shuttle - her reassurance, caring words and hug meant the world to me in that moment.

1444) Having so many people that care for me and my family that I don't know who to call first.

1445) My sweet roommate taking everything in stride when this person she barely knows comes home in a tear-streaked frenzy. Her hug and caring words were such a comfort to me.

1446) Friends who pray and text/email me Scripture in moments of crisis. Can't even being to put words to the gratitude I feel when I sense my friends and family being the Church.

1447) Seeing my sisters' faces when I walked into the ICU waiting room. There are no two faces in the world I would have rather seen in that moment (except maybe my mom's). I feel so blessed by the bond we share as sisters and friends.

1448) Receiving an abundance of sustaining grace that gave me the strength to remain calm and emotionally strong as I helped the nurses keep my dad calm while on the ventilator overnight.

1449) Sweet moments of rest when he was calm and I was able to just sit and watch him breathe - reflecting on how deeply I love him and how richly, abundantly blessed I am to have him as my daddy.

1450) Holding his hand as he came out of sedation - being able to tell when he began knowingly squeezing my hand back. Such a sweet moment for me.

1451) Watching the tube come out and having him cough and talk - what a sweet sound that deep, strong voice is to me!!!

1452) Being grateful to the point of tears over how well my family is cared for by our family and friends.

1453) Seeing my mom's face come around the corner; having all 5 of us together in Dad's room; knowing she wasn't alone anymore.

1454) The way my family laughs together.

1455) Friends who come to visit my family in the hospital. I know some amazing people.

1456) Cuddling with Ang in Dad's hospital bed.

1457) Bando and Brenda - I love their thoughtfulness (they brought Ang a bday cake!), the joy they bring to a room and they way the care for our family.

1458) Paula - an AWESOME nurse who so skillfully helped us adjust to seeing our dad on a ventilator and her experienced advice on what might be helpful or agitating to him. I was so thankful for her calm presence in the room when I first got to the hospital.

1459) Time to talk to my mom as we rode back to New Richmond. I love chatting with her.

1460) My daddy. Can't even come close to beginning to describe how blessed I feel to know him and be loved by him. He is and forever will be one of my favorite people in the entire world.