Five Poppens & a PhD: In All Circumstances

I sat in the ER this past Monday with my two daughters. Zoë was on the patient bed with a bad cough, fever and pain in her chest and neck. Isabelle was scratching through the skin on my arm and pulling my hair in attempts to make me put her down to crawl around on the hospital floor (no way). I was hungry as we had rushed off before dinner when we received a call back from the clinic nurse who expressed concern about Zoë's symptoms. Isaiah was home with Didi and Daddy was several hundred miles away, and all were worried about the potential of meningitis, pneumonia or bronchitis.

And as I sat there, the words from 1 Thessalonians 5 came to my head:

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Give thanks in all circumstances.
All circumstances. In plenty and in want, in sickness and in health. In good times and in hard times. In the face of fear and doubt, and in the midst of pure joy. Give thanks.

This wasn't exactly how I imagined our Thanksgiving week to begin. Zoë and I prayed together in the triage room, before the x-ray and again before they took the flu test and I am thankful for the peace of God's presence that surrounded us for those 3 and a half hours giving me strength and courage for Zoë (who was so brave! That flu test is no joke!).

I am thankful that after all that, we were sent home being told it was "just" a fever virus on top of her 3 week old sinus infection.

I am thankful that Didi was there to stay with Isaiah so that at least he had a normal night's sleep.

And Zoë is thankful for a couple extra hours of watching cartoons. ;)

Thankful.
In all circumstances.

Extra thankful for Didi who stayed with us
for 4 days while Zac was away at a conference!

Our hearts are full of thanks on this Thanksgiving day.
Family.
Friends.
Food.
Faith in a good and gracious God who loves without measure and provides abundantly more than we can ask or even imagine.

May we be thankful today and everyday!

The cousins table

Thanksgiving feast at Adam and Kristin's home!

It has been a full few weeks! Here are pictures from Halloween, Isabelle turning 11 months, Zoë and Isaiah's half birthday, Skate Night, last soccer game, Thanksgiving parties, the Dragon Dash and more: