Choose Joy

"Choose Joy" was written on a leather cuff bracelet worn by my friend Holly.  It is a bracelet that I have searched to find for myself since seeing it on her late last year.  Those two words have stuck with me through the aching of the last six months and have become my motto and goal for each day.  Our attitude is a choice. It truly is up to us.  It is impossible for me to control our current situation or the recent months events. I AM in control of how I react to the situation, how I treat others, and how I will face each day.  Do I cry often? Absolutely! Do I smile often? Absolutely! There are so many GOOD things in my life that I refuse to focus or dwell on the bad or "what ifs." We think about it, we talk about it, we cry about it, and keep going day after day. Right now, I have no reason not to keep fighting and seeing Joy in so many things around me.  DJ and I had braced ourselves for discouraging news at Dade's echo cardiogram last week, but gratefully it went well and our MD saw no complications or issues! THAT is something to be joyful about. EVERYTHING other than his hernia looks good so there are many reasons to rejoice.  His heart, his head, his brain, his spine, arms and legs, etc. look wonderful and measure perfectly.

This past weekend, I attended a baby shower Saturday morning, we went to a wedding Saturday night, celebrated our 6th Anniversary, and Mother's Day. To say the weekend was full of many emotions would be an understatement.  The whole dynamic of our anniversary was different this year. Our marriage is different with what we've endured the last six months and what we know is ahead.  We are stronger than we have ever been. I have seen more and more of DJ's strengths through this more than ever before. He has been so encouraging, loving, helpful, and has been the best team mate to go through this with.  

Mother's Day was perfect!  DJ's Dad had made reservations for the whole family at a fabulous place called Central in downtown Montgomery.  If you haven't been, add it to your list! Anyway, we had a very special lunch with his mother, grandmother, both sisters and their children, and Dads.  We opened gifts together and enjoyed visiting at his sisters house before returning to Birmingham to visit with my Mom.  She came to our house and we had a sweet visit together. She brought me tulips (my favorite) and I gave her the gift she had asked for.

I woke to many texts, Facebook messages, and had a precious voice mail wishing me a "Happy Mothers Day" from my best friend in Nashville. I have also received several cards from many of you.  Thank you for making my first Mothers Day very special!  I received two precious gifts that I'll never forget.  The cross I received from "The Deupree Sisters" was priceless for many reasons and the necklace from DJ was exactly what I hoped for. The necklace he gave me has two disks, one engraved with "Dade," and the other with "Joy."  This serves as a symbol and reminder for me that I will "Choose Joy" with our situation and with whatever we may face with Dade.  It doesn't mean I won't have rough days, shed many tears, or that I am unrealistic.  It means that we will continue to seek God's will in this.

When my grandmother, Honey, was dying we had this cross that said "Grandmother" in her hand.  I had given it to her for Mother's Day or her birthday the year before.  She always loved crosses and this one was special to her.  Last week, I checked the mail and opened a package where I found a similar cross for Dade from The Deupree Sisters. It has sweet baby footprints on it. Scarlotte, Jenna, Julie, and Mrs. Joy had no idea of the connection, but I immediately felt their love as well as Honey's, so present.  Jenna didn't remember the cross that was in Honey's hand, but loved the coincidence when I explained exactly how special it was to me.

Please know how grateful we are for your cards, prayers, texts, Facebook messages, and calls.  We had two more precious cards come today, one from cousins in Texas and the other was from a church in Montgomery.  Just so you know where they go, we have a bucket that we place all of our/his cards in.  We call it the "Dade Bucket" and it hangs on his bedroom door.  I love adding to it daily.  Thank you for following us through this!