Magical.

As I mentioned before, Peter and I joined a newlywed group after a year of being married and yes I do still consider us newlyweds!  This group has been such a blessing  - we love all the couples in it, but I must say that I have a HUGE soft spot for the couple that leads it and their sweet family. 

We met just this past Tuesday and we were there for nearly three hours and the first thing I said after it was all finished and we got into the car to go home was that tonight was magical!  Yes, folks, I used the word magical and it's okay to chuckle a little because even my own husband did that.  I mean who uses the word magical?? definitely not someone over the age of 25 and I hate to say it, but I definitely fall into that category!

But truly it seems as if every Tuesday in this household is simply magical.  And the magic began as soon as Tiffany (the mom) and Michaela (the child) opened the door to let us in!  I mean this child was giggling before we even had a chance to say hello and who can resist the giggle of a 5 year old??  I know I sure can't, especially the giggle of this one!  This child was dressed in her pjs and all ready for bed, while bedtime came a little earlier for the other two since they weren't feeling so hot!  

Now I know I have mentioned this before, but these kids are precious!!  And I genuinely look forward to seeing them - so I was pretty excited to see that one of them was still awake when we arrived.  And I don't know what it is about this child in particular, but I just want to squeeze her and giggle with her and twirl her around and around the room while holding her sweet little hands!  What a beautiful image huh?

But I am sure this image doesn't leave you envisioning a child with Leukemia.  This child has been through ALOT this year, and I am reminded of that every single time I see her sweet little face, and maybe that is why I have SUCH a soft spot for her.  She and her family have been in and out of Children's Hospital ever since she was diagnosed with Leukemia this past March (a FULL year ago now!!).  And we have only known the family for 7 months, but it has been such a blessing to be a part of their journey for even just those 7 months.  This family, their story and this beautiful child have left a mark on Peter and I that will never be erased.

I am inspired by this child's love for life even amidst her battle against Leukemia.  God truly blessed her with so much joy, and the beautiful thing about Michaela is that her joy is simply contagious and her giggling intoxicating.  And when I am in her presence, I can't help but giggle with her and feel as though I don't have a single care in the world.  God is honored during these precious moments, and His grace, mercy and glory is revealed through her little spirit.  She truly is a child of the Lord and I hope and pray that Peter and I are blessed with children and blessed with the role of parents.  And if that happens my hope and prayer is that we can be half the parents these parents are to their girls!!  Because they INSPIRE ME!!

Peter and I have actually started TALKING kids and I truly feel as though this family has played a HUGE role in instigating that conversation.  We see the joy that these children bring to the family and we yearn for that.  We see the way they empower and parent their children and we are left inspired.  So as crazy as it is to even think about …I am beginning to get more and more comfortable with the idea of having a little Drennan crawling around the household and hearing the sound of their little feet on the hardwood floors, and I suppose I have this family to thank for that!