Tender Mercies

"But behold, I Nephi will show you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto deliverance." 1 Nephi 1:20

I'm not really sure how to start this post. It's been a very eventful few days. The snow we received meant that Greg and my Mom's workplace let out early. Tender Mercy. After Sarah and I played in the snow, her nose started running and she seemed to be feeling poorly. She wanted to be put down early for her nap, and she asked me, in her very sweet, almost two year old way, if we could say a prayer before she went to sleep. We did. While I was prompting her, I felt impressed to pray that Daddy could come home safely. Tender Mercy.  We finished the prayer and both went down for a nap. 

About an hour later, I was awakened by the phone ringing. The caller ID came up saying Private Caller. Normally, I don't answer the phone if I don't know the number. This time, I did. It was Greg. He told me he'd been hit by a car just two blocks from our home and was being taken to the hospital. He said he was okay, but that his shoulder had been hurt. There was shock in his voice, and I feared he might not be able to asses his injuries himself. The call was brief, and we both weren't thinking clearly, so I didn't know what hospital he'd been taken to. 

We were supposed to go and have cupcakes with one of Sarah's nursery friends for his birthday, but we called to cancel. I couldn't think of what to do next.I let his family know and then I started to call the hospitals to find out which he'd been taken to. We live in a large city, and there are a lot of hospitals. The first one I called wasn't it, and I felt my heart sink and fear build up, because I didn't even know where he was, or in any detail what had happened. The second hospital on the list answered and said he was there. Tender Mercy. I'm very fortunate to have family nearby, so I called my mom and she came and stayed with Sarah while another sister from our ward came and drove me to the hospital. My sister Rachael and my mom cleaned my house and did some laundry while they watched Sarah. I was feeling so overwhelmed and I didn't think I'd be able to get it all done. Tender Mercy. Before we left, I searched and searched for the charger to the dead cell phone Greg and I share. I'd been looking for the charger for days to no avail, but found it in a drawer. Tender Mercy. 

The sister who drove me to the hospital had been there just days earlier with her own son. She knew where to go in the ER, and in the large hospital complex, and with Greg having been taken almost two hours earlier, this was a blessing. Tender Mercy. I am very squeamish about injuries in those I love. I can usually handle it in others, but in my family and friends, well, I'm a sympathetic vomitter, I cried almost more than Sarah when her finger was caught in a door. I knew I was going to struggle in the ER if I had to watch Greg in pain while they reset his injuries. But, by the time we'd arrived, his pain medication had taken effect and all that was left to do was to fill out the insurance papers and receive discharge instructions. Tender Mercy.

My mom came and got us, and I found out that Greg had been in a minor car accident and went with the other driver to exchange insurance information. The turn into our apartment complex was icy and treacherous. Another car turned the corner and had hit Greg. He'd apparently flown into the air and landed on his shoulder, hitting his head slightly and bruising his knee. He didn't, however lose consciousness and the doctor informed us that his shoulder had been the worst of it. It was sprained, with a possible slight tear in the ACL, but nothing worse. Tender Mercy. 
We dropped Greg off with Rachael, who had been very ill, but was willing to continue to watch Sarah while Mom and I went to pick up Greg's prescriptions for pain medicine. She was an angel of Mercy. While they were cleaning, Mom and Rachael had found my grocery list, including the price matching I'd written on the side. Tender Mercy. 

The pharmacy told us there would be a wait long enough that we could complete our grocery shopping for the week, so I was able to get the groceries we'd need this week. Tender Mercy. By the time I arrived back home, it was nearly bedtime for Sarah. I came home and found out that she'd fallen, hit her head on a shelf and cut her lip open. Rachael was able to stop the bleeding though, and she didn't need her own visit to the ER. Tender Mercy.  By the time I put the groceries away, fed everyone the meal that we'd purchased, put Sarah to bed and started to answer the many phone calls we'd received about Greg, it was late. I was exhausted. The doctor said in the discharge instructions that Greg needed to be awakened every two hours in case of concussion. Sarah had a terrible cough and I got maybe four hours of sleep. I woke up with the cold the next morning, which happened to be Sarah's birthday. I prayed and prayed that I would have help to make it through the next day. I didn't feel well, but I had to care for Sarah and Greg first. I was nauseous. I didn't have any cold medicine that I could take, so I had to call mom and ask her to bring some later that day. She said she could after work. Tender Mercy.  As I began the day's work, another sister in our ward said she'd bring dinner for our family so I could get some rest while Sarah napped. She did, and she even moved our car so it wouldn't be towed.  Tender Mercy. I was rather busy and sick, so I'd forgotten to eat lunch, making the nausea worse, and I didn't think I'd be able to eat the wonderful chili she brought. Sarah woke up so sad and screaming and mom offered to bring her a treat. She said she wanted Chicken Nuggets and ice cream. Mom brought them and the medicine, as well as a few other treats to try and cheer Sarah up. Tender Mercy. While Greg received a priesthood blessing from two of our neighbors, and while I held a very sick Sarah during hers, I felt the nausea growing. I had to excuse myself to vomit before my own blessing. I returned and as the blessing continued, I felt the nausea subside so I was able to eat. Tender Mercy. 

I know that I couldn't have made it on my own today. I couldn't have taken care of my family and done the things I needed to without the help of my Heavenly Father and his Angels, both the earthly ones from our ward and our family and the unseen ones who strengthened me to get through the day. I am so grateful for the protection and the love we've been shown and for the many more offers of help and prayers we've received. Greg is fine, despite an accident that could have killed him. Sarah is able to sleep tonight. I have the medication I needed to reduce the symptoms of this cold. I feel like we are so very blessed. I'm amazed at the Tender Mercies we've been extended. I know that the Lord loves all of us, and is with us, even when the outcomes don't go as we'd like. I know that sometimes we're taken to the brim of our worst fears, and when we think we can't handle it, we can trust in the Lord, and in His will and timing. I know that the power of the Priesthood can bless our lives and does if we seek it to. I'm so grateful to the Savior, and for the service of those around us. I hope we can return the love that we've been shown.