What a way to start!

This is our first day of summer. We had such grand plans! We finished early today and had our last spelling test. To celebrate, I decided to surprise the kids and take them all ice skating. I thought that was a great idea, but..... about an hour into the skating, Benjamin had an accident. He tripped and Christopher tripped over him. Christopher's skate went into Benjamin's arm. It made a rather large gash on his inner arm (antecubital area for any nurse friends reading this). That is not a good place to get a gash. The paramedics were surrounding him when I came in. (I was outside with the two little ones). It was a horrible scene. Benjamin pale, sobbing, blood gushing. One of those scenes in life that you hope you forget. We rushed to the Pediatric ER after we got the bleeding stopped. On the way we all prayed for Benjamin. As we prayed, I started thinking about the prayer that morning during our family devotional. We prayed for many things, including protection. And here we were in the car rushing to the ER - not feeling very protected. I told the children as we drove, This is a storm. We don't understand. We didn't ask for it. Our choice is how we are going to deal with it. I asked them to join me in thanking God for His protection, even when we didn't necessarily see it. When we got to the ER the triage nurse said that the cut was at such a vulnerable place that we might have to go to the downtown hospital - Fort Worth's Children and Benjamin might even require surgery for the repair since that area was full of nerves and a huge artery. Moments later the doctor came in, examined the arm and told us how fortunate we were. She said that if the cut had been even millimeters deeper, the artery or nerves could have been seriously damaged. I immediately felt a deep sense of relief and protection. Benjamin did great through the 6 stitches and had the nurse, doctor and me in stitches laughing as he told us jokes, including telling us that his arm reminded him of a science experiment he had done this year - making a volcano :)

Now, days later, as I finally finish this post, Benjamin is outside laughing and playing with the injury a distant memory. I still don't understand why this injury had to happen, but I continue to learn that I don't have to understand. It is all in how I choose to deal with the incidents, the storms, the problems, the scars.

the father's hug

The last few months has been very icy for us. Thanks to Sasha Cohen and the Winter Olympics. There was a fire ignited in my daughter Grace when she watched the ice skaters perform so beautifully. Her heart was touched.

She saved money and asked if she could try a 4 week session of skating to see how it went. It went well and she was eager for more. She once again saved her money to take the next level class. We decided to help with some of the costs and re enrolled her in class. She was moved to the next level after her second class at this next level. We continued for seven more weeks.

Which leads to this last weekend.

Grace signed up for her first competition. Her first time to be on the ice by herself. One whole minute! She could hardly wait. She practiced daily the week prior to the competition. She searched for the perfect dress to wear. She found the green one. So beautiful, but a little out of her budget. She would have to look for sales. A few weeks before the competition, and still without a dress, Steve and I surprised Grace and bought the green dress. It was the weekend that we celebrated her spiritual birthday. We presented it to her with our fellowship of believers watching and crying with us as she saw the dress. Her dress! A picture of the righteous clothing that was placed on her 4 years ago when she said "yes" to Jesus. Now, she was ready for the big moment.

Another secret desire of Grace's was to have her own skates. Most of the girls at her level have the lovely white skates of their own. Grace was still skating in the borrowed, shabby, brown, rink skates. Grace's 12th birthday was only a few days away, so we decided to buy her the lovely skates and give them to her after her competition. We also decided to celebrate her birthday with the large group of friends and family that Grace had invited to watch her skating competition.

The moment finally arrived to perform. Grace had a huge audience of people who love her. She gracefully skated out on the ice for her warm up as my heart moved to my throat and my eyes fought the tears. My little princess looked like a queen! What a natural beauty and elegance she exhibited as she freely flowed on the ice. My parents, as far as I know have never ice skated. Steve and I have, but with great efffort. Here our daughter was with all the elegance of an Olympic skater. It was almost too much to take in. We patiently waited as skater after skater performed waiting for our little girl to make her debut on the ice. Finally the moment arrived. She entered the ice alone, with all the poise and grace that I had been witnessing for the last few months. She made it look so easy. My eyes were frozen on her as she made her way through the first few moves and down to the far end of the rink. It was at that moment that she was in front of the biggest group of her cheering section. You could not hear a sound as she flawlessly skated her routine.

And then, it happened. An ice skaters worst fear. The fall. My eyes remained fixed on her as my heart sank. What will she do? I anxiously pondered that thought as I saw her ever so gracefully rise up and go on. She did it! That is the hardest part. To keep going. When everything in you wants to quit, to give up, to just sit down and cry. My heart leapt for joy, however it was still below sea level. I watched Grace skate off the ice and talk briefly to her coach. I pushed my way toward her and I saw it. It was all over her. I knew she was going to lose it. She sat down on the bench and as soon as I touched her shoulder the sobs began. I hugged her and said some meaningless words, trying to think what to say. I have no idea what I actually did say. Then the moment came that I knew Grace would hang onto for her entire life. The daddy hug.

I have one of those in my memory. It was the weekend that my daddy picked me up from camp after I was dumped by my boyfriend for my best friend. I have never forgotten the hug my daddy gave me. I have remembered it and felt it in the barren, lonely places in my life. Now Grace was getting the hug. It lasted so long. There was a line of people waiting to talk and encourage her, but she was clutched to her daddy and no one was going to pry her from him. I am so glad she got that daddy hug. It is no ordinary hug. It can not be forced or planned. Not everyone gets to experience it. It requires a series of events that all must happen in order. There must be a deep hurt, there must be a feeling of rejection, there must be a daddy available, there must be few, if any, words, there must be pure love.

I am thankful that Grace got her hug. I pray that she will feel the hug of her Daddy and her daddy all the days of her life. I pray that she will remember this hug when the path gets dark and lonely. Was it worth falling, losing the medal, the embarrassment, the disappointment to get the daddy hug. Speaking from experience I would definitely say YES.

You should see her in her new, white skates!!!!!!!