I've learned a lot in the last few months about life. Many of you have kept up with my granddaddy....asked about him, prayed for him, came to visit, etc. it's meant the world to our family! I sat by his bedside day in and day out while he was in ICU on and off of a ventilator. We'd have days where you thought things were looking up and then doctors would come in and recommend him going back on the vent. for his lungs and body to heal. He coded twice....scary stuff! We prayed, cried, believed for a miracle, or asked God to take him because we didn't wanna watch him suffer. We knew at 84, we had been blessed to have him so many years. I'd sit there and watch videos on my phone of him laughing with his family and pray "God, I'd love to hear that laugh one more time, tell him I love him, go on one more road trip." If you didn't know, granddaddy has traveled with me on the road for the last five years. He's only missed a handful of dates in that time, so this was extremely difficult and hard for me to accept....but thankfully I didn't have to! God wasn't ready for him....he still has work to do! He spent 70 days away from home between his time in the hospital and the rehabilitation facility regaining strength. I got up this past Saturday morning at 6AM to go pick him up from rehab. He had gained enough strength to go home! He was glowing from ear to ear....while on the road granddaddy and I love listening to REAL country music...George & Tammy....Conway & Loretta.....Dolly & Porter....the good stuff! During this whole process granddaddy knew Rhonda Vincent & Darlye Singletary were set to release a duet record filled with real country music! He couldn't hardly wait....no one sings the "good stuff" anymore. So when I arrived at 7AM to pick him up, I had their new record titled "American Grandstand" in the CD player ready for him. I got him loaded in the car, and turned it on and he started to tear up and said, "I didn't think me and you would ever get to be in the car like this again, and listen to this good music, and spend this quality time together." I couldn't help but tear up with a heart full of gratitude. I realized at that time that I truly had a miracle in my car. It hit home! My parents and I took him to Aiken, SC for his great granddaughter's first birthday party...it was surreal to watch him interact with his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids at the party just thinking of all he had been through the last few months. I took him to church Sunday morning and watched as the whole congregation stood up and clapped when he walked in...it's totally a God thing. The whole situation! I've been staying with him since he came home and it's been an incredible couple of days. I was cooking dinner for us tonight and granddaddy comes in the kitchen and says "move over, I'm gonna help you tonight"....it's so encouraging watching him do the things he's always done....watching him get back to "normal" a day at the time.....It's the little things! It's so easy to take the people you love the most for granted....Life is so short! I know I'm blessed to have a loving family that believes in me and supports me no matter what. I still have 3 of my 4 grandparents living at 20 years old. Not many people can say that! I have parents that after 26 years of marriage are still happy and in love. I could go on and on! Hug the ones you love...go out of your way to lend a hand...say a few more "I love yous"....isn't that what life's about? After all, God is LOVE! It has to break his heart with all the hate and crime that's going on in our world today. I read a statement the other day that stood out to me, "It costs absolutely nothing to be a decent human"....it's so true! Remember that....The purpose of this blog is to say, I'm beyond blessed for this life God is allowing me to live! He never ceases to amaze me with the miracles he performs in front of us every day....Stay strong!
