For you faithful readers...thanks for hanging in there! I really think most of what I write is just for my own benefit. It helps me put my thoughts in black and white. I might as well tell you, it will be a year since mom's death on January 17. That is where my thoughts are these days. I will fly home next week to be with family, as we celebrate the fact that mom is in Heaven. Tonight, before church, I told a friend that I was going home next week, and why. I don't remember her exact words, but it was something along the lines of "Celebrate" or "Have a party." I know everyone grieves differently. I'm not even really sure I could describe to you how I am grieving. I do know I am convinced that God works every detail in our lives, puts our thoughts and situations together. I've been thinking alot about how wealthy I am lately. Usually those thoughts come in relation to a mission trip, where I have seen the poverty and know full well how blessed I am. I haven't been out of town, but I have been feeling like I have more than enough clothes in the closet, blessed to be loved, have plenty of food in the pantry, and enough money to do what I want. I went to Starbucks this morning. Silly, really. I have too much. I can tell you for sure, my mom was a giver. She loved to give and she was a giver long before she really had the means to give. She KNEW it was more blessed to give than to receive. I have been thinking alot about her "little girl." From the first day I arrived at the hospital, she was always talking about her little girl. She had adopted a little girl from World Vision, had been supporting her for quite sometime. She was always wanting us to look for the last letter from her, or make sure her Christmas check had gotten in the mail, or showing us a picture she had drawn, or wanting us to change the amount that was coming directly out of her account. Her little girl was VERY important to her. When mom died, another family member took over the monthly gifts to the little girl, and it felt really good to know that this little girl that mom loved so much was staying in the family. Tonight at church we had Tony Evans and his son Anthony. Yes, the famous ones! Anthony is very involved in World Vision, and gave the opportunity for people to adopt a child. So, right there in church, I celebrated mom's life, I had a party, I adopted a little girl. I didn't have to think about it, God had already been at work in my thoughts. There was no decision to be made, simply a choice to obey and celebrate at the same time. Her name is Olanda, she is 4 years old, and she lives in Haiti. It just seemed the appropriate way to celebrate! Oh, that I can give the way mom did!