A jot more’n I’d be crying

by chuckofish

The end of the year is fast approaching. Indeed the Christmas Cactus started blooming a few weeks ago.

I have a lot on my work ‘to do’ list to accomplish in order to take some needed time off at the end of the year. This is stressful, as are most things these days. We are also hoping for a holiday visit from daughter #2, DN and the darling babe, but who knows?

But it is good to note amid all this unending stress that today we celebrate World Prematurity Day and our own miracle twins who were born at 27 weeks.

Lottie’s hand is the size of her mother’s fingertip!

Even though they weighed only 1.5 pounds each when they were born, they were ‘real’ babies who fought for life. Through perseverance and lots of love…

…and with the help of great doctors and nurses…

…they grew into the remarkable nutballs we know today.

They’ll turn four in less than a month! We are so thankful for them.

As we approach Thanksgiving–whatever Thanksgiving will be this year–we must keep in mind how much we have to be thankful for and to whom we are thankful.

“Thee asked me where I’d been and how I’d fared. I’ve been quite a step…and fared mighty well the whole ways. If a man’d fared any better’n me it’d unsettled his mind. I’ve had two eyes and seen sights so pretty there’s no words to duplicate them. I’ve drunk the wine of astonishment…standing still, gazing. I’ve had two feet and no better land anywhere to walk on. Green plush grass in spring, and leaves like a carpet in fall. I’ve smelled white clover in daytime and quenched my thirst with live spring-water. I’ve earned my bread in the sweat of my brow, and still do, hard-scrabble like any other man, but making out. I’ve had for wife the one woman I’d choose, and been free to lift my voice to God. Though mighty backward, I reckon, in making out what He’s had to say to me. I’ve fared so well…that a jot more’n I’d be crying.”

Jessamyn West, The Friendly Persuasion