Firsts..............

When the kids were little, we celebrated their firsts with cheers and tears. We encouraged first steps, first words, first days of school, first ballgames, first time to drive...Over the years, firsts around here have begun looking a little different than they used to; and in the last 7 weeks, they have become heartbreakingly different.

While Brian was sick, we celebrated two championships - Ellie's Jr High Basketball Championship and Annie's 4th Grade Girls PSL League Championship. We learned to celebrate without him. We learned how to send two girls off to a Daddy Daughter Dance for the first time without their Dad. We learned to celebrate a first date and first time to wear makeup. We have learned how to start a new school sport with Dad's initials on our helmet and him in our hearts and not the stands.

We have celebrated the first family birthday, Brian's Mamaw, and will celebrate my Papa this weekend. In two weeks, we will celebrate Mollie's 12th birthday.

Last week, we had the flu for the first time. This was our first time being sick since it became just us girls. As Wednesday morning dawned and I was crawling out of bed to get Ellie to school, I could hear Brian in his sassy Southern drawl, "You goin' to work today?" It was always his subtle way of asking if I had forgotten to clue him in to a schedule change, which happened some times.

This week, Ellie was part of her first Missions week at Baptist Prep as an upperclassman. She spent the week with a group at Easter Seals. She has had the best time serving and loving on others. Next year, she is eligible to travel like her dad did with sevral Baptist Prep missions teams. I always preferred to stay stateside, but I cannot wait to see what Ellie chooses. Will she follow her dad and head to the DR or go to Peru? I can't wait to see what the Lord has for her in yet another first.

Our year of firsts is staring us hard in the face. We are learning though. We are cheering each other on as a mark of survival, as reassurance that things will one day be ok again. They will...just not today.

"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21B NKJV