Early this Sunday morning Gretchen called me...
"Can you please enter a blog to greet my family and friends a Happy Mother's Day from the Maks Family?" she requested. She asked if I could include an excerpt from a letter to her that particularly inspired her. [sigh]...My friend...it is just like her to think about others. She wants to send a Happy Mother's day wish to mothers out there when she her personal life is a hurricane.
In that same conversation where she asked me to blog, she was telling me about the horrible effects to Griffin's little body coming out now from the chemotherapy. Every hour he has a diarrhea episode of the foulest smells. All day, Griffin is in such constant discomfort that he just cries to be held. The other kids are home now and want to reconnect with mommy who was gone for two weeks. In the middle of this, she strategizes about how to establish "normalcy" with the family while giving Griffin the nurturing that he needs. Wow...
Gretchen wanted me to quote from a letter from Janet Bleyl, the founder of Triplet Connection. Janet wrote:
"How would you feel if you lost everything you had but then got it all back again? It is my hope that you will get it all back again and that what you learn in the process would become a miraculous gift in loving and appreciating every single day of your life."
I used to complain about the kids, Gretch told me. The mess, the routines, the cleaning, the bathing. "But give it all back to me now and I would love every minute of it. As long as my Griffin is healthy those days would be pure joy."
I ask God, why my friend? I know that life is about facing trials and no life is without suffering. But it seems that my friend has been through so much already. Why another one Lord? Why Gretchen again?
I know Gretch that you are strong. You are a strong mom. God is with you through this. Through my trials you've been my best friend, my voice of reason, my face of compassion, my fashion police, my political forum, and the companion in my storms. I know you are these things to lots of us because you are a caregiver by nature. And we are here with you Juzee.
This posting is not for blog visitors. But rather, this post is for you Gretch. Friend to friend, sister to sister, mother to mother,
Happy Mother's Day to a mom that I admire.
2 comments:
Wow Jen, way to pull at my heart strings. I'm sure if Gretchen were to write on here she would think and say the same words of kindess to you.
Gretchen, I agree with everthing that Jen has written. I know Griffin, you, and Jon and the family are going to pull through this. Love ya, Giselle
One thing that I believe is that God never gives us more than we can handle (although at times, it may sometimes feel that we can't). And even though you may never know it, your story, the story of your family touches the lives of people you know, and even the lives of people you may never meet.
I can't think of a better mother that has handled the valleys and peaks of being blessed with 4 wonderful children. Happy Mother's Day Gretch!
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