Gabrielle lost her third tooth yesterday after a few days of labor pains! She wiggled it and wiggled it over the weekend. After our Sunday dinner, she came running to me while I was doing dishes at the kitchen sink and she screamed with excitement, “Tooth came out! Tooth came out!” We were so excited the tooth FINALLY came out!

She then literally lost the tooth for a few moments in all the excitement, but Joshua and Daddy helped her find it as it was stuck to her play dress. Nan Nan Hansen and Aunt Anne had joined us for Sunday dinner, and we all rejoiced with Gabrielle!

Today, on the way to school, Gabrielle said with delight, “Mommy, there is a hole in my smile!” Indeed, there is an adorable hole in her smile.

When Gabrielle said that, my heart quietly ached. There is a hole in my smile today, too. But not a physical hole, an emotional hole.

For the last several weeks, my mom has had debilitating and excruciating back pain from herniated discs. She has not been able to drive, get comfortable sitting or standing, sleep well, etc. My mom just recently recovered from hip replacement surgery and many subsequent complications. To have more physical suffering so soon has taken the wind out of her sails a bit.

This new physical trial has been very difficult for her…and for me. As her daughter, it is a torturous feeling knowing you can’t take your mom’s pain away. I pray for her. I help her with shopping, laundry, chores, cleaning and errands. Usually after I leave her house and get into my car to drive home, I privately sob. I wish my mom wasn’t in so much pain.

God is faithful and has not forsaken my mom. She is opening the scriptures every day and looking to the Great Physician for comfort and healing. “Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:16-18

For the past two weekends, we have brought my mom (Nan Nan) to our house for a change of scenery and some loving comfort being with family. It is a privilege and honor to care for my mom, who is a widow, and who raised four children virtually on her own. She loves her family and especially all of her grandchildren. They all bring her such joy.

Here is a picture of Gabrielle with my mom yesterday as they trimmed string beans together for our Sunday dinner.



If you have graciously taken the time to read all the way down to here 🙂 , would you please say a prayer for my mom. Pray for a healing in her back and that God would send angels to minister and tend to her when her children can’t be there. Please pray He reveals Himself to her in an amazing and life-changing way during this season of life.

My mom has been very healthy and active up until this past year. We are hoping and praying that she’ll be back in stride very soon. She has been through all the tests, tried various treatments and has an appointment with a surgeon on Friday. My sweet, kind and compassionate husband, Jim, has offered to take her to her appointment. He wants to take a turn, and this is a big appointment! He blessed my heart so much with his love for my mom and my family. My siblings and I are graciously granting his request to serve my mom by taking her to this appointment.

Thank you for your prayers for my mom! And thank you for rejoicing with sweet Gabrielle!

Please leave a prayer request as a comment. It would be a privilege to pray for you, too. If you are rejoicing, let us know…we’d like to rejoice with you!