Tender Mercies

"We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance." (Elder David Bednar, April 2005, "The Tender Mercies of the Lord").

The past year has been a rough one for our family. We've experienced grief, ex-drama, health challenges, unplanned expenses, and other trials that were out of our control. These challenges were hard on us as a family, but now that I look back on it and reevaluate the year, I can see the "tender mercies of the Lord" throughout all our woes and sorrows. He obviously knew what the big picture was even though we hadn't a clue at the time. It's amazing to see how He lined everything up for us.


Our New Van
All of a sudden everything fell into place for us to get a van. We had the money, we knew what we wanted, we searched and found the perfect van for our family at a perfect price. We purchased it on my birthday, just a little over a month before our baby was born. What a blessing! It helped me so much having my own transportation while Margaret was so ill.

Our Baby
Brad and I had been trying to have a baby since April 2007. We tried and tried but things did not work out. I finally got pregnant in September 2008, which turned out to be perfect timing for our family. Scott's and Emma's mother moved to Eagle Mountain in August and was planning on spending more parent-time with the kids. Getting pregnant at that time made the transition easier for me, knowing that I would shortly have a baby in my arms to care for when the kids were away. Lizzy was born on June 9th, 2009. Margaret got to see her 13th grandchild before passing away 7 months later. Lizzy helped us cope during Margaret's ordeal. Lizzy brought laughter and joy into our household, even during the dark days leading up to Margaret's death.

Vacations and Family Outings
Due to the timing of the baby's birth, we were able to go on three vacations in 2009. We drove to Oregon in late July to spend time with my family. That was the last Family Camp we shared with Uncle David before he unexpectedly passed away in September. In August we went camping at the Sand Dunes with three-month-old Lizzy. Scott and Emma love going to the Sand Dunes every year and they were thrilled when they found out we would still go, even though Lizzy was such a tiny little infant. In October, Brad and I went to the U2 concert in Las Vegas. We had been planning all summer on leaving Lizzy with Margaret, expecting her to be well by then, but amazingly we switched our plans in early October when we found out that my sister, Rachel, and her husband Craig would be in Vegas on that same weekend. Coincidence? I think not. We arranged for them to take care of Lizzy at our hotel, which worked out perfectly because Margaret became so ill and couldn't have watched Lizzy anyway. When we got to the hotel in Hendersen we discovered that Rachel & Craig's room was conjoined with ours completely unplanned for. The staff at the hotel said it gave them goosebumps when we told them our circumstances. It made it much easier for Rachel & Craig to watch the baby for us.


Not Moving-- A Blessing in Disguise
Brad became debt-free in 2007. Since then, our goal has been to save money so we can have enough for a down payment and move out of his parents' house. Unfortunately, unexpected expenses prevented us from reaching our goal, especially during the last year. At first we did not understand why everything felt "on hold," until now. I feel we were needed here to help Margaret and David. I know it meant a lot to both of them that we were here for Margaret while she was so sick, and I know it means a lot to David to have us here now that Margaret is gone. We will keep saving our money until the time is right for us to leave, but it will be on the Lord's timetable.

These and other "tender mercies" have helped make 2009 a much better year for us. We are so grateful for the blessings our Heavenly Father gives us, even if we may not know they are blessings at the time. I know that He knows and loves our family. He will not give us any trial that we cannot handle. We must put our faith and trust in Him.