A Change in Perspective

Sometimes it takes a good scare to knock things into perspective. I'm guilty, like most, around the holidays to become so completely consumed by all the things that need to get done before Christmas Day that I forget what's truly important, what's right in front of me. I've got presents to wrap, shopping to finish, fudge to make, crafts to finish, boxes to ship, programs to attend, etc., etc. etc. I often find myself asking, "Have you taken 30 minutes to play with the girls this afternoon?"
I'm guiltily admitting it right here for all to read.

Wednesday night little Addison suffered a seizure. While Drew and Makenna were Christmas shopping, I was home alone with her, when she started to seize. I was scared to death at what was happening right in front of my eyes. I called 911. The lady on the other end calmly walked me through the To-Do's and Don't Do's. I think I was a shade short of hysterical if I'm remembering correctly. Within minutes the ambulance was here, along with the fire truck and a police car (and about a half dozen neighbors curiously watching from their porches). Just as we were leaving, the rest of my family drove up to see a parent's worst nightmare- a firetruck and the paramedics at your house. I won't go into the specifics of the rest of the night, other than to say my sweet little girl suffered from a febrile seizure. Her temperature was 104 when we got to the hospital (for the life of me I will never understand why the EMTs in the ambulance piled blanket after heated blanket over my naked girl in an already-sweltering ambulance, but that's just me).

Although deathly scary to witness, this type of seizure is not dangerous. I pray, though, I will never in my life have to sit there again and watch that happen to a child. Mine, or not, does not make a difference.

But as I said before, a good scare is sometimes necessary to knock things back into perspective. I'm grateful for this experience this Christmas season. Because as I was sitting there, holding my girl, wondering if this was it, all the rest faded into the background. I held her as she was shaking, stiff as a board, hiccuping for breath and I cried. All the presents, the engagements, the "necessary to-do's" became so very unnecessary. We've spent the last two days, wrapped up in what's truly important- family and our Savior. I've enjoyed holding my girls tight, telling them I love them and making sure they know I mean it. We've read piles of Christmas books. We've played with our Nativity . I've relished in spending more time than usual reading the Christmas Ensign, planning my lesson for Young Women this Sunday about making room for the Savior.

I love my two girls so immensely. I love my husband. I love the Gospel of our Savior, Jesus Christ.