Sometimes a reminder is just what we need.

When I decided to do our Christmas letter online this year, I thought that I would surely keep up with updates and the adventures we find ourselves in from time to time. Well, time got away from me and so did the idea of being a "blogger."

Anyway, today as Ian and I were driving home from getting my tires rotated we heard "our song" once again, and as I drove down the road just sobbing, I just felt like I needed to share-because we all are somewhere on this journey and maybe there is someone that just might need a little encouragement today.

Let me give you a little back story: When we found out we were pregnant with Ian we were pretty confident that Andy would not be up for a deployment and then about 6 weeks into the pregnancy that changed. As I'm learning in this military life-things change, all the time, several times. Nothing is for sure happening until it is actually, well, happening! The deployment was scheduled to be in D.C. We were actually pretty excited. Addison and I would go and get an apartment and we would have the baby there and it would work because our family was within driving distance. That was MY plan! HA!

The possibility of the deployment happening in D.C. went away, the funds were cut and there weren't slots available for a deployment there. But, Andy had already been selected to go, and screened so he was on the go ahead list for somewhere else. The boss he had at the time wasn't exceptionally helpful and not very interested in getting Andy swapped for a different time slot. Well, the deployment was an on-again off-again thing for several months. Stressful, very stressful. Finally, it was looking like a for sure thing, but with the new boss coming in he didn't see why Andy had to go at that moment. We found out I was going to have to have a c-section because Ian was breech and I was running low on fluid. There was no option of him flipping or being flipped. Andy's boss switched some things around so he would be selected at a later date. We were so thankful that Andy was going to be able to be there for this delivery.

The day came, I went into labor and I took my i-pod into the operating room. I asked the doctors if they minded if I blared my music-they didn't, so I did. Music has always soothed and calmed me. As I am laying there, I was trying to remain calm and was jamming to some praise and worship. How Great is our God, by Chris Tomlin came on-and as they pulled Ian out of my belly it hit the chorus. I will never, for as long as I live, forget that moment. To see my newborn lifted above that little blue curtain so I could lay eyes on him for the first time, holding my husband's hand (who was supposed to be a million miles away), all the while being reminded loud and clear: "How Great is our God, sing with me: How Great is our God, all will see How Great, How Great is our God!"

Talk about hearing His voice loud and clear! I just laid there and cried and cried and cried, realizing that God was so much bigger than any plan I had, that all along he knew that we were going to be okay, that he knew ahead of time that Andy would be there and I really didn't need to worry. Powerful.

I'd heard the song a few times and it just transported me right back to that operating room and that overwhelming sense of thankfulness.

Fast forward a few months to October 5. The day Ian went into the hospital with ruptured ear drums and severe dehydration. October 6, we found out about his heart defect. October 7-we went home late in the evening. Since Andy's mom had come, Andy and I just felt like we needed to be in church that Sunday morning. We went. What was the worship team singing that day? You got it! Message received-He's so got this.

The day of Ian's surgery in Ohio, it came on the radio on our way to the hospital! So, I'm guessing you've figured out why it's "our song"! For those that know me, you know I am a top-notch worry-wart. The day of  surgery, I was so calm, I could really feel God's presence with us for the first time in my life and knowing how many  people were praying for us was so overwhelming!

So my point in writing this all down is just to say that sometimes we hear Him loud and clear, sometimes our circumstances really suck and we can't hear him at all or choose to block him out--either way He is there, and He is Great--greater than any problem, situation, or circumstance we might be facing.

"Name above all Names, worthy of all praise, my heart will sing how Great is our God!"

 How Great is Our God --give it a listen!