Everyday Miracles

So apparently in the last five years, I've gotten behind on my personal health checkups. And once I did the eye exam--we all know how that turned out!--I decided to get the other ones caught up before school was out also. After tomorrow, in the last few weeks I've seen the ophthalmologist, dentist, dermatologist, gynecologist and done lab work to check my cholesterol levels. It's been a fun last couple weeks, let me tell you 😉 But all have been great so far, thankfully!

As I left the women's health appointment a couples weeks ago, I had to stop at the desk to schedule a blood draw for the cholesterol check. As the receptionist and I were finding a time, the nurse came to the desk and told her to reschedule my doctor's appointments for the rest of the morning, that she was just called for a delivery. The receptionist casually said okay, and we finished our business.

I thought about that though as I got on the elevator to go down to my van. Someone's going to be born today! Today is the first day of someone's life. Funny, it was just a normal day for me, but not to some mother that will get to hold her baby for the first time. Amazing. What a miracle! It got me thinking about the day my babies were born. The joy. The relief. The awe in those first special moments...

Last week was a hard one in our community. A family lost their mother to cancer, after a difficult battle. It was so heartbreaking to know that a 12, 10 and 8 year old will now go on without their mom, a husband without his wife. And a close friend lost her young nephew suddenly in an accident in a neighboring town. Right after the High School graduation party of the younger brother. A family was in one moment celebrating, and the next moment thrown into mourning.

In these last couple weeks, I've been reminded that life and death is happening all around us. But it seems only when it hits close to home, do most people really notice. For so many of us, its only when we can't avoid it that we pause and acknowledge the miracles and the tragedies that occur everyday in all of our towns and neighborhoods. Maybe it would serve us better to take note more often, and let them shape our mindsets...




When we were in Hawaii last winter, one of my favorite parts was watching the sunrise in Kauai. It was an event! The first day, we all got up and dressed and hurried! to catch the sun come up over the edge of the ocean.

And each day after that, it was the same-- "What time is it?? We better get moving or we'll miss it!" We'd scurry down, get a coffee in the lobby, and walk out onto the chairs on the beach and watch the Eastern sky. And it didn't disappoint. Even on the cloudy days, it was even prettier because there were more dimension in the colors as the rays hit the clouds from all angles.

After a day or two I finally looked around, in addition to looking forward at the rising sun. We weren't the only ones out eagerly watching this daily event. The sun had quite an audience every morning as it made it's way over the ocean.

On the other island, we were on the West side, so it was the sunsets that people including ourselves gathered to see. Taking pictures and selfies with the beautiful sun falling into the ocean.

As I looked around there too, I found it kind of humorous. How funny was this crazy scene of people gathering to spectate something that literally happens everywhere, everyday! It was almost ridiculous when I really thought about it, the sun rises and the sun sets in everyone's hometown, all over the world. Why were we all standing here acting like it's a miracle every morning and evening? Like we've never seen it before?

And I got it, it's breathtaking over a beach in Hawaii--I was standing there taking pictures too! I decided all of us staying at the resorts were on vacation. So we had the time, we were in a relaxed state of mind, to sit and enjoy the beauty in the rising and setting of the sun. We were unplugged enough to observe and appreciate the beauty in life, a rare occurrence in today's world.

I then wondered, wouldn't it be great if we all could have this reaction to sunrise at home? If we all woke up with the "don't want to miss it" eagerness about the start of the day on some random Tuesday in Minnesota? What if we all greeted each day like the gift it is, took the time to stop and appreciate the miracle of a new day starting or ending everyday?



Its something that Drew was so good at. And probably every little kid, really. Waking up, one of his first questions was about what we were going to do that day. "I go hospital today, Mom?" , "I go park today, Mom?"

He was so excited for life, no matter where our day was taking us. He wasn't worried about tomorrow, or upset about all that he endured last week. Just in the moment, living life. Trusting us that we'd take care of him, and everything would be okay. What an awesome attitude. I pray to have that trust in my Heavenly Father, and the eager attitude for life like he did. Which was similar to the excitement about the start of each day in Hawaii when I think about it.

Now I realize not every moment can be profound. Not all day can we walk around in this deep state of mind. That would get exhausting! But could we at least have one time in each day that we see through the haze? That we slow down for a minute and just live in the moment, take note and witness life--real life?? The wonders and the catastrophes?

What if each day we actually appreciated like it could be our last, or celebrated like it was our first? Would we overreact when someone offends us on Facebook? Would we not schedule our lives so much that we "don't have time" to do anything for ourselves or with our families? I think if we found this attitude, this awareness, there'd be a lot more kindness. A lot more thankfulness and joy.




It's the last couple days of school up here in Minnesota. I'm preparing to switch gears, getting ready to be full-time mom once again. For Molly and I to become, "Holly", or "Meidi (Mighty!)" if you prefer, as we're together so much I feel like we're one entity. Watch out Austin! 😉

So I'm writing all of this today as a reminder to myself as much as anything else. Don't take a day for granted Heidi, appreciate all that you are blessed with. Get up with an eagerness and appreciation of the gift that each day is. Be a witness of life, not just running from thing to thing, or waiting for 5:00. Look for that special moment in each day, and maybe I'll find more than one.

I know not every moment will be profound, or even pleasant possibly. But those Kairos moments I wrote about before will be mixed in there too if I'm paying attention. Maybe I won't catch the sunrise (as that happens at like 5AM around here these months), but I can get up a little earlier to have some time to myself to thank God for the miracle that each day is. And to ask Him to help me see through the haze to that big picture. To recognize the life and the death, beginnings and endings, that surrounds us all day if we choose to see it. From the start of the day, to the end.

Last week, there was a full rainbow across the sky above Austin. It was the brightest rainbow I think I've ever seen. Molly and Josh and I watched it for as long as we could still see all the colors. We called our neighbor, to make sure he didn't miss it. I saw many other photos of it from other people's angles and perspectives on Facebook and Instagram. It was a moment many did just what I'm talking about--standing still and looking around in awe. Not half an hour earlier, many were probably at their windows like we were, watching the wind whip the trees and the rain downpour. That evening many observed the furry and the beauty of life, to our amazement. Let's try to do that more!