...dancing in April's rain...

Where to begin?

My head is full of so many thoughts and my heart is full of so many feelings, it's hard to know exactly where to start. Maybe at the beginning...

Life isn't always fair, nor is it perfect, but I can't say anything would be worthwhile if it was easy. Sometimes the things we cherish the most take the most work...the hardest effort...the longest diligence and sometimes a little help from above...

Before we moved to our current neighborhood, I met a truly amazing woman. No matter the day, no matter the situation, no matter her mood or how she felt physicially (and I know she often felt crummy) she had something to smile about. The weather and how warm it was, or how the snow had finally arrived...how happy she was to be able to see her girls come home from school, or see them off for the day to learn...what a great day she had because she had accomplished so much, or she got nothing done at all, but had such a wonderful rest! NO MATTER THE SITUATION, it was all good to her.

Some tough things have happened to this friend of mine, but she never, not once, not ever, has lost her smile. I don't think I have ever, in all the years I've known her, seen her frown or heard a discouraging word come out of her mouth.

When her son Caleb was born with so many health problems, she simply smiled and told us all she would love him for as long as she had him--and she did. She knew he wouldn't be around long, yet she cherished each day and hoped for just one more hour, never complaining it would be cut so short, so fast.

Unfortunately, my friend now suffers with serious health issues of her own, and I was reading through her blog today. Her sweet little girls, or "little ladies" as she likes to call them, struggle with the fact that their mama is so sick. Through all the things April's family has been through, she's always told her girls to look for the miracles around them. Her poor sweethearts just want one miracle--for mama to get better, but that miracle seems so very far away.

Wouldn't you know it, April has found miracles around her and posted about them to her girls. Little Caleb was and still is a miracle...her sweet girls themselves--their giggles, their smiles--what precious miracles they are...their amazing dad!...CHOCOLATE--ohhhh yes!!...family, friends, but APRIL, you forgot one very important miracle, and that is YOU.

I know you struggle, each and every day, yet YOU are an inspiration to me. An inspiration that we don't need to learn to weather the storm, or wait for it to pass...but dance in the rain! No, life isn't easy, it isn't perfect, it isn't even fun all the time, but...miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men....(Moroni 7:37)

So I will dance my friend...in the sunshine or the rain...and watch for the miracles around me!

And because I know you, I have been changed for good!! I love you dearly, my miraculous friend!