One Big Family

Last week on Easter Night Lee sat the kids and I down for a quick family home evening. He was leaving the next morning for a business week in Phoenix and didn't want to miss our family home evening. With it being Easter he naturally picked an Easter topic. He began talking about the events of that first Easter. He mentioned how our Older Brother died for us. Keaton was all over that...."WAIT he is not my Brother! I don't HAVE a brother!". Lee explained that Christ was most defiantly his brother because they have the same Heavenly Father. "SOOOO....if Mom has a BOY I will have TWO brothers...COOOL" Keaton was excited. Our family home evening had taken a different turn (which they usually do) but I wanted to be sure he understood completely (while of course Savannah bussied herself by lifting her dress over her head 1800 times). "Keaton you actually have LOTS of brothers! AND more sisters!" I told him. I explained how the kids in his class were his brothers and sisters, we talked about how Mama's friends are her sisters, how the grumpy guy at Costco is actually another child of our same Heavenly Father SO...even though he bugs....he is our brother :) After I felt we covered it pretty well the kids went to bed and I didn't think about it again.
Lee left the next day. I had planned on going to Utah to stay with my family while he was gone. This pregnancy has been really rough on me and I thought I would need the support from my family during the week. A couple days before we were to fly out I started having strong regular contractions. I was forced to cancel my flight (luckily Delta has a medical cancellation policy and we can reuse the tickets). My BP spiked Easter night and I knew I was in trouble. I asked the girls from church if they would come and help me take my BP 2x a day to track it. The list went around in Relief Society (our churches Women's Organization) and within about 10 people all the slots were filled. I also mentioned that with me down Keaton would begin to go stir crazy so if anyone would like a playmate he would be THRILLED to play.
My BP didn't go down but up and I called the Doctor Monday morning. They wanted me to go to Labor and Delivery. I asked if I could come into the office first so they could see where I was at (BAD insurance stinks). I went to my appt and 4 hours later they told me to stay down as much as possible and gave me some anti contraction meds that would hopefully lower the BP as well. 2 days later the BP rose even more and I found myself back in the Doctors office. She told me to stop drinking so much water (it raises BP...go figure) and to not get up unless ABSOLUTELY necessary (I did mention once again that I was alone with 2 active kids :). My Doctor said one more bad BP and I would be hospitalized until the baby came or the BP was down. She said that the state can make arrangements for the kids until my Dad could come get them. As if that didn't raise the old BP :(
I went home pretty upset. I got on my knees once again and prayed and prayed (what else can you do?!?!?). I called my home teachers and asked for a priesthood blessing. I asked my family to pray. I had no second chances. My home teacher came and was worried that my BP clearly would not stabilize in the hospital and that the baby would be induced. We both felt that if I could make it to Friday when Lee came I would be o.k.
Here I was in a city where I did not know a single person 6 mos ago and was facing a medical nightmare. A thought came to me about Lee's lesson on Sunday. I DID have family here.....just ones I did not know as well. My "family" came through. Someone called almost everyday and took Keaton to play. Two days they were even able to coax old Sassy Savannah into coming with them (which was a miracle in itself). Most of the people that had signed up to take my BP are nurses. They sat and talked with me and supported me. One sweet sister even called me at 9:30 pm just because she was still worried about me. Another sweet sister I had never met before in my life. She stayed both times for over an hour as we talked about the Saviour and life. She had had a rough year with her marriage falling apart, raising 2 teenage boys on her own, and starting nursing school. She spoke of how she survived by prayer. We cried together and felt the bond of sisters in life's rough struggles. Other sisters showed up with meals (I didn't request any since I figured we could survive off rotisserie chicken and a bag of spinach) just because. My home teacher brought me an auto BP machine that I could test when I was rested.
My BP stayed right below the cut off line. I felt it was a miracle of prayer. Lee came home and my BP immediately dropped 20 points. I let Lee take over the worrying and I could finally rest. It has been a week and I have not had anymore BP issues.
The day after Lee got home I thought a lot about our family home evening almost a week before. I teared up as I thought about my brothers and sisters. People are good. People want to help. People have compassion. Here Lee and I have a combined 10 siblings 2 sets of great parents and they were powerless to help us (except a lot of praying). We had to rely on our bigger family. I was amazed at how they came through for us (beyond anything I would have asked for). I was also amazed at how my body ached for and needed Lee. I have comfort in knowing that we are separated here and there for a week but we have a marriage that can last for eternity. I can be with him forever. What a sweet comfort that is to me.