Our Thanksgiving this year turned out to be one of the most unusual we've ever had. For starters, it was just us (Peg, Andy, Danny, and me) this year. Sarah was in Brigham with Scott's family, Adrianne and the girls were in South Jordan with her family, Jared was in Baghdad, and Mom and Dad went to Nancy's. Then the day before the holiday, the Church Missionary Department called with Matt's mission president on the line and told us they were sending him home for treatment on his ankle. Although we knew it was coming to that, the suddeness with which it happened took our breath away. This was Wednesday morning and by late Thursday afternoon we met Elder Schmutz at the airport.
It was deja vu. Matt with crutches and a boot. Again. He has been in pain for some months now and after visits to a specialists in the Bay area and consultations with his former doctor and others, the Church gave him a medical release and sent him to us. We have already made arrangements to have it 'scoped (in fact, they are doing it today). We hope and pray effective treatment can be rendered and a speedy recovery made so he can return.
We had our Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. Peggy baked a nice turkey and made all the trimmings to go with it. Matt still looks a little shell-shocked in this picture! He was having a great mission and looks forward to going back.Semi-deep side trail: While the doctrine of trials and tribulations is a central part of the Gospel and I accept and understand that, I just wish I could do more for or 'make better' the things my children have to go through. I believe that this aspect of parenthood gives us just a hint of what our Heavenly Father must feel as he watches His children go through life. It also reinforces the need we have for Him and the Savior in our lives as we find we alone can't fix everything. While I can't 'make better' everything for Matt, He can, in His own way and time and that might be something completely different that what Matt, or me, or Peggy envisions right now.
OK, that's enough of wading in deep waters, for now. A final shot of Thanksgiving, minus the turkey (that was the first thing to be eaten!).
3 comments:
Good luck with Matt's ankle, I sincerely hope and pray that things will work out for his benefit and that he will be able to be pain free soon!
I believe most of our painful trials come from watching our children face their own, knowing that they must go through the struggles themselves. I agree, I wish we could take their burdens from them. I pray the doctor's will be guided as to the necessary procedures so that Matt can return and finish his work.
I lost everyone's emails, addresses, etc... in the move! Send me yours at eawells74@hotmail.com. Thanks
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